Brand New Release
Dates For 2025-2026
Pre-Booking Available Now
Pre-Booking Available Now
Office Closure: In honor of Veterans Day, our office will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11th. We will resume normal business on Nov. 12th.
Find Your Next Photo Adventure
Trip Calendar Most Popular Photography Tours 2024 Photography Tours 2025 Photography Tours 2026 Photography Tours 2027 Photography Tours Spring Photography Tours Summer Photography Tours Fall Photography Tours Winter Photography Tours Landscape Photography Tours Wildlife Photography Tours International Photography Tours
Stay Up To Date On All Things
Backcountry Journeys
Backcountry Journeys
Our Photography Community
Our Blog
From articles on the latest camera gear, to trip reports from our latest expeditions, our blog is meant for all interested in travel photography.Our Webinars
Our regularly hosted webinars provide photography instruction from our own guides on a wide range of topics.Our Education Portal
Explore our library of articles that cover everything from common questions, to in-depth guides on how to achieve that perfect shot.Community Testimonials
We're proud to foster an amazing group of photo travelers, and here you can find their stories from their past adventures.About Backcountry Journeys
Why Choose Backcountry Journeys
If you're considering a photography tour, hear why Backcountry Journeys delivers the best experience in the industry.Frequently Asked Questions
If you're new to photography tours, or new to BCJ, you can find our common travel questions here.Fitness Levels
Our trips vary on physical intensity, and by reviewing our fitness levels, you can find out which trips may be more challenging, or aligned more closely with your comfort level.Meet The Crew
We've built an amazing team of experienced guides, and dedicated office staff that elevate your travel experience. Get to know their backgrounds, and hear their stories.Travel Desk
You can review our various payment, and travel policies here, along with resources regarding international travel.Gift Certificates
Give the gift of photo adventure! We offer gift certificates that can be applied to any of our upcoming tours.Contact Us
If you need to get in touch with our office staff, or have additional business inquiries, you can find our information here.Resources For Photographers
About Our Company
JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP - THE BCJ TRIBE
JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP - THE BCJ TRIBE
Grand Canyon is Certifiable – As an International Dark Sky Park
Grand Canyon is Certifiable – As an International Dark Sky Park
by Kenton Krueger
The Grand Canyon is certifiable.
As an International Dark Sky Park, that is. GREAT news in general, and really great news for all of you astrophotography enthusiasts out there. Backcountry Journeys visits the north rim of the Grand Canyon on our Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country tour, set for late July, and we plan for a night shot, or two, as we spend two nights together under the blanket of stars that Grand Canyon protects.
This certification recognizes the park’s efforts to control and limit light pollution by retrofitting or replacing thousands of inefficient light fixtures over the past three years.
As an International Dark Sky Park, that is. GREAT news in general, and really great news for all of you astrophotography enthusiasts out there. Backcountry Journeys visits the north rim of the Grand Canyon on our Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country tour, set for late July, and we plan for a night shot, or two, as we spend two nights together under the blanket of stars that Grand Canyon protects.
This certification recognizes the park’s efforts to control and limit light pollution by retrofitting or replacing thousands of inefficient light fixtures over the past three years.
Preservation of the natural world
The mission statement for the National Parks Service, the folks responsible for all of our National Parks, is to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values…for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”
Limiting light pollution for the benefit of the many species of birds, bugs and nocturnal mammals that call Grand Canyon home is in line with this mission. Not to mention for the benefit and enjoyment of people who visit, and live nearby.
International Dark Sky
According to a news release on the Park’s website, the International Dark Sky Park certification will give Grand Canyon National Park support to continue to grow its educational programs and will create economic opportunity for neighboring communities as well through astronomy-based tourism.
The certification does not carry legal or regulatory authority; however, it demonstrates a commitment to improving night skies through the use of more energy efficient, sustainable lighting. Certification also reaffirms Grand Canyon’s commitment to educating the public and gateway communities about the importance of good lighting and opportunities to work together toward common goals.
To get this certification from the International Dark Sky Association the park had to show them a certain percentage of the lighting systems were compliant to their standards. And the scale of the operations at Grand Canyon makes this quite a feat. 5,000 lights in the park were surveyed, including their K-12 school. Yep, Grand Canyon has a school!
This process has been a long one. Efforts began in 2016 when the Park was given Provisional status after the initial assessment of over 5,000 exterior light fixtures was taken. At that time 35% of lights were already dark-sky compliant, but the Park had three years to achieve 69%.
In the coming years, the park plans on making 90% of the lights dark-sky compliant. The amount of lights inventoried and retrofitted in this process undoubtedly makes Grand Canyon National Park one of the largest, most complex, International Dark Sky Parks in the world.
Funding for this project came almost entirely from Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official non-profit partner of the park, which relies on donations in order to achieve long-term renovations and educational programming.
The mission statement for the National Parks Service, the folks responsible for all of our National Parks, is to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values…for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”
Limiting light pollution for the benefit of the many species of birds, bugs and nocturnal mammals that call Grand Canyon home is in line with this mission. Not to mention for the benefit and enjoyment of people who visit, and live nearby.
International Dark Sky
According to a news release on the Park’s website, the International Dark Sky Park certification will give Grand Canyon National Park support to continue to grow its educational programs and will create economic opportunity for neighboring communities as well through astronomy-based tourism.
The certification does not carry legal or regulatory authority; however, it demonstrates a commitment to improving night skies through the use of more energy efficient, sustainable lighting. Certification also reaffirms Grand Canyon’s commitment to educating the public and gateway communities about the importance of good lighting and opportunities to work together toward common goals.
To get this certification from the International Dark Sky Association the park had to show them a certain percentage of the lighting systems were compliant to their standards. And the scale of the operations at Grand Canyon makes this quite a feat. 5,000 lights in the park were surveyed, including their K-12 school. Yep, Grand Canyon has a school!
This process has been a long one. Efforts began in 2016 when the Park was given Provisional status after the initial assessment of over 5,000 exterior light fixtures was taken. At that time 35% of lights were already dark-sky compliant, but the Park had three years to achieve 69%.
In the coming years, the park plans on making 90% of the lights dark-sky compliant. The amount of lights inventoried and retrofitted in this process undoubtedly makes Grand Canyon National Park one of the largest, most complex, International Dark Sky Parks in the world.
Funding for this project came almost entirely from Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official non-profit partner of the park, which relies on donations in order to achieve long-term renovations and educational programming.
The natural world and those who love it are smiling
All of this is great news for lovers of the natural world, and specifically of the night sky. Sitting anywhere between 7,000 and 9,000 feet of elevation, Grand Canyon National Park is above a good portion of the atmosphere, and in a high desert where it’s very dry. Because of these things people are able to see the Milky Way in a way that most people in the country can’t. As long as the night sky stays dark. Astrophotography is a unique and fun style of photography, and Grand Canyon is one of the BEST places in the country to photograph the Milky Way.
All of this is great news for lovers of the natural world, and specifically of the night sky. Sitting anywhere between 7,000 and 9,000 feet of elevation, Grand Canyon National Park is above a good portion of the atmosphere, and in a high desert where it’s very dry. Because of these things people are able to see the Milky Way in a way that most people in the country can’t. As long as the night sky stays dark. Astrophotography is a unique and fun style of photography, and Grand Canyon is one of the BEST places in the country to photograph the Milky Way.
As our National Parks continue to draw record numbers of visitors it is important that the infrastructure at these parks continue to advance and managers consider the effects that growth has on the parks’ mission – to preserve the natural world while providing enjoyment for humans.
Humans such as all of us, who look to visit these natural wonders as a part of our love of photography and the natural world in which the wildlife and landscapes we enjoy so much are contained within.
Humans such as all of us, who look to visit these natural wonders as a part of our love of photography and the natural world in which the wildlife and landscapes we enjoy so much are contained within.
arrow_drop_down_circle
Divider Text
AUTHOR
AUTHOR
SEARCH THE BLOG
clear
Join our free photo-travel community group on Facebook. A great place to swap stories & share images with fellow photographers!
Live events & webinars from the comfort of your own home. Free webinars on a variety of photography related topics – from photo editing to composition & more.
Check out the BCJ Trip Calendar for all of our upcoming Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris!
FEATURED TRIP:
Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari
Discover the ultimate African Wildlife Photography Safari and capture images to last a lifetime!
Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari
Discover the ultimate African Wildlife Photography Safari and capture images to last a lifetime!
UPCOMING TRIPS WITH AVAILABILITY
UPCOMING TRIPS WITH AVAILABILITY
[Block//Web Spots Left]
[Block//Trip//Trip Category (Destinations)]
[Block//Start Date %M d %+0]- [Block//End Date %M d, Y%+0]
From [Block//Current Price]
arrow_drop_down_circle
Divider Text
READ OUR NEWSLETTER FOR NEW TRIPS, ARTICLES, & PROMOS
READ OUR NEWSLETTER FOR NEW TRIPS, ARTICLES, & PROMOS
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.