Stargazing in Virginia: Dark Sky Parks with Ranger Patrick Mcnamara, Sky Meadows State Park (Ep 86, Part 2)

What if I told you that one of the most incredible outdoor experiences in Virginia doesn’t happen during the day, but after the sun goes down?

We’re heading into one of the most overlooked and truly magical parts of Virginia’s outdoors - the night sky. The kind where the Milky Way stretches overhead, planets come into view, and for a moment, everything feels a little bigger.

Virginia is home to several International Dark Sky Parks, places where the night is protected and preserved, not just for stargazers, but for wildlife, ecosystems, and even our own sense of wonder.

I’m joined by Ranger Patrick Mcnamara from Sky Meadows State Park, where programs like Astronomy for Everyone are opening up the universe to visitors of all ages. We’ll explore what makes these parks so special, what you can see through a telescope, and how you can experience it for yourself at a Virginia State Park near you.

So whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just someone who hasn’t looked up in a while, this episode might just change the way you see the night. Let’s Go!

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Virginia State Parks' International Dark Sky Parks

Sky Meadows State Park

Friends of Sky Meadows

International Dark Skies Association

Episode 41. Stargazing in Virginia’s Dark Sky Parks

Episode 76. Primitive Camping and Backpacking in Virginia State Parks

Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (Sky Meadows State Park)

Chapel Hill Observational and Astronomical Society (Staunton River State Park)

Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society (Natural Bridge State Park)

Crewe Astronomy Club (James River State Park)

Contact Show Host, Jessica Bowser:

jessica@virginiaoutdooradventures.com

Transcript

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From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia is a mecca for outdoor travel and adventure. Virginia outdoor adventures Podcast is your local guide for hiking, camping, kayaking, travel and so much more. Get the information and the inspiration to plan your own adventure right here in Virginia. I'm your host. Jessica Bowser, what if I told you that one of the most incredible outdoor experiences in Virginia doesn't happen during the day, but after the sun goes down, we're heading into one of the most overlooked and truly magical parts of Virginia's outdoors, the night sky, the kind where the Milky Way stretches overhead, planets come into view and for a moment everything feels a little bigger. Virginia is home to several International Dark Sky parks, places where the night is protected and preserved, not just for Stargazers, but for wildlife, ecosystems and even our own sense of wonder. I'm joined by Ranger Patrick McNamara from Sky Meadow State Park, where programs like astronomy for everyone are opening up the universe to visitors of all ages. We'll explore what makes these parks so special, what you can see through a telescope, and how you can experience it for yourself at a Virginia State Park near you. So whether you're a seasoned Stargazer or just someone who hasn't looked up in a while, this episode might just change the way you see the night. Let's go. This is part two of a two part episode. Patrick, what's it like for you to watch someone look through a telescope for the very first time. Are there any moments that have stuck with you? There is one for sure. You know, I experienced the the astronomy for everyone a little bit differently than a than a visitor, because, you know, at a certain point, you know the program is over, and, you know, one of the hardest things is just getting people to to realize the program is over and it's time to go, because, because it's just so fascinating. So hearing some of those conversations is just great. But, yeah, I remember my daughter, who is six now. She came out to one of these a year or two ago and was just blown away by she could actually see, like, the moons of Jupiter. She's like, I actually saw it like, you know, she has her space books, and, you know, enjoys learning about about outer space, but was like, it's real, you know, for her in that moment. So that's something that always, you know, will stick with me. Sounds like we have a budding astronomer. I think so. Have you ever had a night in the park where the sky just completely blew you away? One of the things that that makes us, you know, special. Why we can, you know, maintain our dark sky park certification is you can actually see the Milky Way on a night, you know. And like I said, it kind of depends on the time of year, you know, it could be at midnight, or it could be at, you know, four o'clock in the morning. But, yeah, I happen to be there one night on a really dark night. Yeah, looked up and I was like, well, there it is, you know, that it's real, you know, just kind of like my daughter, like, there it is, you know, you see it, uh, see it in real time. Yeah, you mentioned this a little bit earlier, but we live on the east coast, which is the most populated part of the country, and so with all of the light that we have here, we often don't see these things. And it wasn't until recently that I really saw the Milky Way. And it's only in really dark parts of Virginia at night that I can see it, but it was at a state park at night when I actually saw it. Saw it like, felt like I really experienced it, and was witnessing something truly special. So I think it's really neat that we have places we can go to, that we can have that experience, because it's kind of rare where we live absolutely especially in these higher, densely populated areas, all the population centers, you just cannot get that. You know, whether you're in the city or the suburbs, you know you really have to be out under a really dark sky to have that experience, and the Milky Way is really overwhelming when you do see the whole thing, because it stretches across the whole sky, and you have to, like, turn your body and your head and move around to be able to see the whole thing. It's not something you just look straight up at, like, it's a whole body experience, or you have to move around to see all of it. Yeah, truly, it's not. You can't just hone in on the one constellation, the one area, it's experiential. Let's talk about planning people's visits, because I'm sure people are going to want to know all the details if they want to come to one of these programs or one of these parks. So for someone who wants to experience dark skies, how can they find upcoming programs or events? The best place to start is our website, through DCR Department of Conservation Recreation. So we have all of our astronomy for everyone, programs and events on there throughout the entire year. And as well as all other programs, we have a lot of things that are that are already set and ready to go. Some of our programs, we do encourage. Encourage folks to sign up through there's an Eventbrite link, and that just kind of helps us to track and anticipate what type of crowds we can have on any given night. I guess I should ask this question, but is there ever a situation where you get too many people and you have to close the gate, or if someone doesn't have a reservation, they can't get in? Times when that happens are rare, but basically, we do our best to plan ahead, but as soon as our parking is filled, then our parking is filled. So another reason why we do encourage folks to come out early, if you're thinking about coming to one of these, and we really see some of the most popular ones kind of right, right during this time of the year, April, May, June, and then in the fall, when it's just outstanding weather, in September, October, November, spring adventures are calling, and the latest Virginia outdoor adventures merch is ready to come along with the fresh, bold seasonal design. These ultra comfy hoodies and tees are perfect for life on the trail, around the campfire or wherever you roam, whether you're heading out for a hike, planning a weekend trip, or showing your love for Virginia's outdoors, this gear was made for you. Grab yours now and join the community behind the podcast. Every purchase helps keep New episodes coming so you can keep exploring. Find it by clicking on shop the Virginia outdoor adventures merch store in your show notes, if people can't make it to a program or an event, are there quiet spots in the park where they can still enjoy the night sky on their own? Yes, there is actually a few years ago we took a look at, you know, what our visitors were requesting, you know, and we, as we were gaining in popularity with a lot of these astronomy for everyone programs, you know, we found people that were coming from Maryland and Pennsylvania and New York and New Jersey written North Carolina, really coming from all around to experience one of these programs. So and occasionally, we would have people, you know, hey, the peak of the meteor shower is this? Whatever? Wednesday night. No, that's when I want to come. You know, how can I see the dark sky that you have there? So for Sky meadows, we have designated our Turner pond entrance as our dark sky viewing area. So 365 nights a year, if you are interested in doing your own amateur astronomy or Astro photography, that is the spot for you. We just ask that people pay the parking fee. The trails are closed so you can't, can't go out and, you know, hiking on the trails, but park in a designated area. Pay your your parking permit, and then you can walk out to the observational fields, and you're free to view and exist there until two o'clock in the morning. That's when that area officially closes. So there's no overnight camping, no overnight fires or anything like that. But yeah, every night of the year until 2am that's your spot. And for people who aren't familiar with Sky meadows, Turner pond, is a separate entrance from the main park entrance. That's correct. Yeah, it's about a half mile north of our main main park entrance, yeah, but still, still a part of the sky Meadows Park. I think we've done a really great job covering all the information regarding dark sky programs at Sky Meadows. But it's not just sky meadows that offers programs. We have other designated dark sky parks. And then some of our state parks that are not yet designated have programs as well. But could we maybe mention what the other dark sky parks are and what they offer too? Yeah, like like you said, there there are some that do have the dark sky designation. There are some that that do not, you know, for our kind of Northern Virginia folks, Shenandoah River State Park, they have some dark sky programming and sweet run, you know, one of our newer state parks, they have some some dark sky events as well. But our first Dark Sky. Park is Staunton river. They have another great partnership with, I believe it's called Chaos. Chapel. Hill is astronomical and observational society. So they have some, you know, all night star parties that they host in the spring and fall. And they also have some after hours, self guided stargazing at their observation field for Meteor showers. And yeah, they have the same type of setup as Turner pond. There's not going to be a ranger on duty, but, you know, you pay the parking fee and then you have the have the space. I'm just going to interject really quickly that a couple of podcast seasons ago, I did an episode about the star parties at Staunton river. So I'm going to link that in the show notes, if anybody wants to go and listen to that, because Staunton River was the very first designated Dark Sky Park in Virginia, and they have a really fantastic story, similar to Sky Meadows. They have an astronomical society that they partner with, and those partners are. So important to the park and to the visitor experience. So for anybody who wants to learn more, I will link that in the show notes, but please continue on, Patrick. So we have four dark sky parks within Virginia State Park. So Staunton River, James River State Park, another fantastic place to go visit, right on the James River, really a beautiful place. And they have a star party, typically in kind of the November time period, and kind of throughout the year, they had the pepper in their programs as well, whether it be a meteor shower watch party that they also have some after hours viewing and stargazing. It's a really beautiful park. I was staying at that park one time in a cabin, and just from the cabin, I could experience the dark skies like, yes, they have a designated area, but you know, if you're camping or you're staying in a cabin, you can experience it inside the park, just from where you're at. So I thought that was wonderful, because you don't get, like said, you don't get to see this very often. And if you're staying in the park, it's worth it to stay up a little bit later, I was taking photos of the night sky, so I do a little bit of amateur photography, and just from the deck of the cabin, I was able to get some amazing shots of the sky. There's such a wonderful park. And really, really, they do great things and really neat history that they can teach about as well. I don't know about you, but I have never understood the mummy sleeping bag. Sure, they're designed to be light and warm, but they're restrictive and uncomfortable. There's no ability to move around or regulate body temperature. Wouldn't it be great if sleeping outside could feel like sleeping in your bed at home, even while backpacking? If you agree, you'll be just as excited as I was when I learned about Zen bivvy, the world's first two piece sleeping bag. The Zen Vivi sleep systems are built like your bed at home, a sheet below you and a quilt above. This design allows for the most comfortable night's sleep in the back country, without the constriction from traditional mummy bags. 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The UL dirt bed is available in an all in one complete bed bundle, which includes a UL dirt bed quilt, UL dirt bed sheet, an ultra light mattress with inflation storage sack, a two piece minimalist pillow made up of an adjustable air bladder and pillow case and a dry sack for waterproof storage. Zen Vivi beds come in different temperature ratings, sizes, weights and fill options, so you can choose the bed that best fits your needs. For camping, backpacking and everything in between. On your next adventure, sleep in a bed, not a bag. Discover the world's first hybrid sleeping bag by clicking on zenbi in the show notes of your listening app to visit zenbi.com the last one we haven't mentioned, a very iconic State Park, is natural bridge. So they have their dark sky nights kind of in their peak season of March through October. And similarly, they have a dark sky viewing area in their children's discovery area until 2am just just like Sky Meadows does. And is there anything else that sky Meadows offers that we haven't mentioned? Yeah. So over the last few years, we have been pairing a couple of my favorite things, live music and night skies, with our stars and guitars event. So we kind of have a, it's, it's, it's a lot like an astronomy for everyone program, you know, we'll have a little Junior astronomer presentation, you know, we have a couple other partners that will come out, you know, a big partner that we rely on that supports a lot of our programs is our friends group, the friends of sky Meadows. So FOSC, they are going to be out at this upcoming stars and guitars, helping to fundraise for some of the projects that we have in our historic mount police house. And then we'll have some food trucks and try to find some some local talents to come on out. So we have Jack Dunlap. He's an outstanding bluegrass picker, plays in some national touring groups, and has toured the world playing his music. So we're going to have that for the spring. And. And so we're looking to host another one of these for the first time this upcoming fall, and that'll be as a fundraiser for the friends of sky Meadows. So so keep your eyes out on our website and the social media channels for our fall offering of stars and guitars. Oh, Patrick, you've got me so stoked for the upcoming stars and guitars. I am really excited about the bands and the food trucks and just being in the Park After Dark. Patrick, other than dark skies, what else would you like to share about your beautiful Sky Meadow state park you can visit in the daytime as well. It's not just a dark a dark sky park, even though we've been heavy on the dark sky stuff. Yeah, so it's really a wonderful site. We have some rich history that goes back to the 1840s when our iconic mount Bleak House was built. It's a federal style building. It's has a stone facade on the outside. It's what really makes us special, is there. There's just not a lot of homes like this that are left in Virginia, and there are some we're positioned in a really neat area where there are a few of these homes that are still standing, however, that they're all in private hands. You can't just kind of go and knock on the door and ask for a tour, but if you come to Sky meadows, if you come and knock on the door, you're going to be greeted by a friendly park ranger who would love nothing more than to take you through the house and teach you about the history. So we have that. We have some farm animals on site. So every Saturday, we have our barnyard Buddies program, where you can come out and learn about how we care for our flock of chickens, and we have a few goats that we care for as well, so you can spend some time with them. We have probably the best site for your intro to backpacking camping experience. So we do have a primitive hiking only campground, and it's a one mile hike. You can bring a wagon, you know, if you if you, if you have to carry, you know, a bunch of stuff. But if you're looking to have that really wild experience, that really back country experience, you know, you can have it, you know, for just a one for a for a one mile hike in so our campground is really dispersed. So especially this time of year when all the leaves are leafed out. You know, all the trees are leafed out. It gives you a lot of privacy, site to site you don't have, you know, RV generators or lights from, you know, some of the RVs in a typical drive up campgrounds, and the Appalachian Trail runs through our park. So, you know, if you're looking for a long weekend or a long couple month hike, you can get dropped off or park here at the park in our overnight parking and have an adventure up on the Appalachian Trail as well. I have been in love with Sky Meadows for years, Patrick, and if that probably doesn't surprise you, I have friends who are always asking me for hiking recommendations, and if they're up here in northern Virginia, I almost always send them to Sky meadows, because you've got epic views there all kinds of different trails. And then there's all these local wineries nearby too. So if anybody wants to stop at a winery on their way home, you've got plenty of options all around the area, and it's just so beautiful, and it's one of my favorite places to try hiking, campgrounds. And I also should probably put in a plug. We just did a podcast episode about state parks primitive camping locations, and sky Meadows is one of them. So for anybody who wants to try primitive camping, I will link that in the show notes as well. But you're right about it being the perfect introduction, because it's only a one mile hike in, and so that's just like the perfect amount, where you still have to load everything up into your pack and carry it in and carry it out, but without being like way out in the wilderness. So I think that is one of the really cool things that our state parks offer us, is for people who are just getting into backpacking, is an opportunity to sort of try it out. All right, Patrick, I think we're going to be landing this plane pretty soon. So if you could give every listener one reason to step outside tonight and look up, what would you say? I would say to do it for yourself, you know, to kind of take inventory. To take inventory of what, what does the night sky look like where you live? This is one of the things that you know without, you know, the intentionality of wanting to go out and and seek that experience and see what it's like, it's really easy to just, you know, you're at home. You know, you cook dinner, you put the dishes away, if you have, you know, kids, you got to put your put your kids to bed, do the homework. You know, there's so many things that are constantly demanding our attention. Do it for yourself. Carve out a little bit of time as you're taking that dog out, or kind of before you're you're heading up to bed, just go take a look outside and and see what that does for you. See. See if there's anything that sparks your curiosity. Can you see any constellations? Do you. Recognize anything outside and you know, what, what kind of what does it look like? Do you see your neighbors, you know, lights that are, you know, shining right up on their house or right on your house? What do you see? What do you hear? You know, when you go outside and you know, it's, I think it's a good time to to just kind of reflect and see if there are any, anything that you can do to help conserve dark skies. Or, you know, maybe you're amazed at just how how dark it is. Maybe you live in a really fantastic area, and you can just take a moment to appreciate what that looks like as well. Ranger Patrick, how can listeners connect with you? Best bet is to head to our website. You can find the sky Meadows email address. You can find our phone number. There's links to some of our social media presence on there. You know, if you're interested in directly supporting sky meadows, we have, as I mentioned, our friends group, the friends of sky meadows, the Fosco organization, they're really great to support a lot of the programs and to help preserve the historical structures that we have here at the park. And, yeah, I mean, the best way is just to come out and see us. You know, we're we're here, we're open every single day. Yeah, we'd love to have you as a day use visitor, or as overnight stay. I would encourage everybody to check out the Friends of sky Meadows. I can't say enough good things about our friends groups. I'm a member of my friends group at Mason Neck, and so I know how important it is for the parks to have friends groups that support them, and it's it's about volunteering, it's about raising money. It's about advocating. There are so many ways that you can be an active member of your friends group, and for me, it's just it feels really good to pay it forward, right, and to do projects and and to support the park, knowing that the things that I do as a volunteer help ensure that our parks are going to be there and available for everyone for generations to come. And that's so incredibly important to me. Thank you for your support. Yeah for for Mason Neck and yeah, get the word out. If there's a park there is a park in need of something that's right. All right, Patrick, thank you so much for being a guest on Virginia outdoor adventures and for sharing your love and passion for Sky Meadow State Park and for our dark skies. I am looking forward to stars and guitars and also at the next astronomy is for everyone program. Yeah, thank you so much, Jessica for inviting me. It was really great to have some time to talk to you about these things. And yeah, really looking forward to the stars and guitars as well. See you in the park adventure on Virginia Outdoor Adventures is inspired by and supported by listeners like you, which is why your messages and feedback means so much to me. You can text me directly by clicking on Send Jessica a text message in your show notes, I answer questions, respond to comments and share your feedback on the show. Never miss a new episode. Sign up for my email newsletter and receive my listener resource guide with the top podcast episodes, a Virginia outdoor bucket list and exclusive brand discounts for my listeners. Click on newsletter. Sign up in your show notes or visit Virginia outdoor adventures.com. Thanks for listening until next time. Adventure on you.