Preparation

Cherry Springs has been on my radar since I briefly visited it during the day on a trip in 2024. I’ve seen photos taken there and was very excited to make it there at night. My wife and I wanted to visit some state parks and forests in the area, and thought a nighttime visit to Cherry Springs was finally happening. However, the biggest obstacle we faced, the weather, was something we could not easily account for when planning months in advance.

Pre-Dusk Activities

On the drive from Ole Bull State Park, we stopped at several of the scenic vistas along the way. We were in no rush to get there, and each of them was gorgeous.

As we pulled into the area, I was surprised to see a massive mound of dirt. At first, I thought this was a space for people to be higher up and somehow closer to the stars. Yet later in the evening, I saw that it was a natural barrier between the stargazing field and the parking lot. This blocked headlights and other illumination from that area.

Two park rangers were hosting an educational session about the various owl species you could expect to find in the area. They showed photos, passed around physical items (skulls, claws, etc.), and played associated screeches and calls. It was informative, interactive, but also fun.

After the educational owl session was over, they hosted an “owl walk,” where they played various owl calls to see if any would answer. We did not participate in this portion and chose to find our spot in the field for stargazing. However, we did hear some commotion as the group found an elk bedded down near the edge of the field.

Partly-Cloudy Stargazing

As mentioned, the weather was not really something we could account for when making plans a few months before we made our sleeping accommodations. A crystal clear evening would have been wonderful, as the field and surrounding area make for impressive stargazing. Instead, we got a partly cloudy night where patches of clear sky drifted overhead. This gave us limited but clear peeks at the stars. The highlight of the night was watching a line of about seven unblinking lights pass overhead. Given their path and behavior, I believe they were satellites.

Heading Back

While it was easy to find my vehicle in the dark, navigating out of the parking lot was another story. The signage was not easily seen, and I made a few wrong turns as I navigated my way out. In addition, ensure your headlights are in proper working condition, as the surrounding area has very few lights to reduce the park’s light pollution.

Lessons Learned

What Went Well

• Bring a headlamp or flashlight with a red light option. This allows you to see without interfering with your own or others’ night vision.
• Learn your camera, or your phone’s camera features, especially for low-light settings.

Even Better If…

• Bring a comfortable chair that reclines or has some head support. While most chairs are great for sitting and looking straight ahead, a reclining chair would’ve made the experience more enjoyable.
• If a reclining folding chair is not available, a comfortable but waterproof blanket would be the next best option for lying on your back to look at the stars.
• Pay attention to how you get into spaces like this, since you’ll need to navigate out in the dark.