Moon Over Mojave

The future: It’s brighter here. That’s because dark skies are a big deal out in the High Desert. A recent county ordinance was passed to limit outdoor artificial light preserving our greatest asset—stargazing. At Pioneertown Ranch, our secluded 15-acre location boasts some of the darkest night skies in Southern California. When you look up, anything seems possible. Align your reservation with the milky way, full moon and solar eclipse as we enter the 2022 lunar calendar year.

The dark sky movement in the desert is part of a global initiative to preserve dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education. Light pollution is defined as excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light, usually outdoors. For example, at least 2,500 stars should be visible under normal nighttime conditions, but in the typical American suburb only a few hundred can be seen. Effective in January 2022, San Bernardino County passed a Light Trespass Ordinance, which establishes new guidelines to protect our connection to the cosmos. And so we all shine on.

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