The month of April brings a remarkable alignment of outdoor celebrations: National Parks Week, International Dark Sky Week, and Earth Day. For us at Sky View Tents, this annual overlap forms a powerful triangle where beauty, wonder, and stewardship converge in one unforgettable week.
- National Parks Week — April 19–27
- International Dark Sky Week — April 21–28
- Earth Day — April 22
At the heart of this “triple crown” of nature is the opportunity to get outside and truly connect with the wonders of nature. There’s no better place to do that than right here in Colorado, home to four incredible national parks.
National Parks Week — April 19-27, 2025
If you’re lucky enough to live in Colorado or are planning a trip here, don’t miss the chance to experience these breathtaking national parks. Each offers camping with star-filled skies. Plus, we’ve included reservation tips so you can grab your spot before they fill up.
There’s little excuse not to get out since admission is free to all U.S. national parks on Saturday, April 19 – a fitting way to kick off National Parks Week.
Rocky Mountain National Park:
Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park are treated to a breathtaking array of alpine scenery—towering peaks, cascading waterfalls, and glassy lakes like Bear Lake and Dream Lake nestled beneath snowcapped mountains. Wildlife is abundant, with elk, moose, and marmots often visible along scenic trails and roads.
For stargazers, the park offers ranger-led astronomy nights during the summer, and the high elevations and thin air make it one of Colorado’s best places to view the Milky Way.
Camping is limited to non-existent before late May as the only year-round campground, Moraine Park, is closed due to a restoration project expected to finish later in the summer. Glacier Basin will open on May 22. Nestled along Bear Lake, it’s our top pick for its views and trails for a variety of hiking abilities. It also has 75 campsites for tents. Reserve campsites through Recreation.gov.
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve:
At Great Sand Dunes, you’ll find the tallest dunes in North America rising up to 750 feet, framed by the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Visitors can hike, sandboard, or simply marvel at the surreal mix of desert and alpine ecosystems.
As a certified International Dark Sky Park, it offers exceptional night skies–perfect for lying back and taking in constellations, meteor showers, and the Milky Way. This is one of the most surreal landscapes in the country.
With the Sangre de Cristos in the distance, Piñon Flats Campground is an ideal spot to camp out. Individual tent campsites can hold up to 8 people and 2 tents, and there are group campsites capable of handling as many as 40 campers. Piñon Flats Campground is popular, so reserve your spot early using Recreation.gov. There’s also backcountry camping available on the dunes, but you’ll need a special permit.
This park is certified as an International Dark Sky Park, so it’s the perfect place to try out a stargazing tent from Sky View Tents for the best views of the cosmos.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park:
Black Canyon is a jaw-dropping geological wonder where sheer cliffs plunge more than 2,700 feet into the Gunnison River below. The narrowness and steepness of the canyon create intense shadows and dramatic light, making it a paradise for photographers, geology nerds, and adventurers alike.
Its remote location and minimal light pollution earned it Dark Sky Park status, with ranger-led stargazing events and some of the clearest views of the Milky Way you can find in Colorado. This park is a lesser-known gem in the National Park system, making it one of the quietest places in Colorado to take in the night’s star show.
South Rim Campground offers reservations at Recreation.gov, while North Rim sites are first come, first served. South Rim has some black-out dates in April but should be wide open in late April or early May.
Mesa Verde National Park:
Mesa Verde preserves over 5,000 archaeological sites, including the world-famous cliff dwellings built by the Ancestral Puebloans more than 700 years ago. Visitors can tour dwellings like Cliff Palace and Balcony House, hike mesa-top trails, and learn how ancient cultures lived in harmony with the land.
Although it’s less known for its night skies, the park offers incredible stargazing away from city lights, and rangers sometimes host night sky programs in the campground amphitheater.
Morefield Campground is a privately run campground just four miles from the park entrance. It opens in mid-April and runs through October 20, giving you plenty of time to plan your visit. Reserve through the Morefield Campground. The campground offers some of the best access to early-morning tours of the cliff dwellings.
International Dark Sky Week: April 21-28, 2025
One of the biggest reasons we started Sky View Tents was that our founder, Joe Bissonnette, couldn’t believe how hard it was to find a tent that let him fall asleep under the stars with the protection only a tent can offer. And I don’t mean a half-covered view through a tiny vent—Joe wanted the full cosmos to unfold above you like a map of infinity.
Held from April 21st to 28th, International Dark Sky Week is a call to protect that view. Light pollution is stealing the stars from more and more people every year, especially kids growing up in cities who may never see the Milky Way. We stand with the DarkSky movement because we believe in preserving that sense of wonder, not just for ourselves but for future generations.
At Sky View Tents, a portion of our profits go to supporting DarkSky Colorado, which is part of DarkSky International. I hope you will join us in trying to find ways to reduce light pollution in your community and find ways to financially support these organizations with your generous donations, no matter what the size.
Earth Day: April 22, 2025
Back when Joe was an engineer and traveling the world for work, he liked to say that he always had a backpack ready for trips to outdoor destinations where he could find adventure, inspiration, and peace of mind. When he launched Sky View Tents, his mission was to build gear that respected the wild places our team loves so much. That’s where our sustainability mindset came from.
Earth Day isn’t just about one day of action—it’s about living the kind of life that leaves the land better than you found it. Some popular ways to experience Earth Day on April 22nd are by attending educational events, planting a tree, and cleaning up around your community.
Why This Week Matters to Us
National Parks Week, Dark Sky Week, and Earth Day aren’t just symbolic for us. They’re woven into the DNA of Sky View Tents. Our tents were designed for stargazers, nature lovers, and adventurers who want to tread lightly while exploring far and wide.
- National Parks Week reminds us that these places are sacred—and in need of protection.
- Dark Sky Week is our rallying cry against light pollution and a big reason why we support DarkSky Colorado, part of DarkSky International.
- Earth Day is a celebration of sustainable living, something we try to embody in every tent we build.
If you’re headed out to any of Colorado’s national parks this spring or summer, bring your love and respect for nature’s wonders, both here on planet Earth and in the universe beyond, to the ultimate frontier that is the cosmos.
Adventure. Awe. Responsibility. That’s the triangle we live by—and we invite you to join us this April and beyond, wherever the Earth, sky, and wilderness meet.
This article was curated by your friends at Sky View Tents. If you’ll be visiting Buena Vista anytime, stop by their retail store located at 109 Cottonwood Avenue. They showcase a lot of dark sky-themed merchandise. You can even step inside one of their tents in the demo room.
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