Did you know that Colorado is home to a few of the darkest places in America? No, we don’t mean dark as in gloomy or disturbing, but the actual definition of “little or no light.” While a dark place may not sound like a great place to be, it is actually quite spectacular… and here is why:

Situated within the picture-perfect Sangre de Cristo mountain range is the tiny town of Westcliffe, which is considered to be as dark as it is beautiful.
Wikimedia Commons
Just what do we mean by Westcliffe being dark? Instead of meaning sinister and gloomy, Westcliffe boasts some of the most pristinely clear night skies in America, making it the perfect place to stargaze. 
Flickr/Bryce Bradford

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To be considered one of the darkest places in the country, a town or community must be studied by the International Dark-Sky Association, who designates a community by finding a place that has "shown exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of a quality outdoor lighting ordinance, dark sky education and citizen support of dark skies."
Flickr/Bryce Bradford
As if having one International Dark Sky Community was not cool enough, Colorado is home to two more, including the nearby town of Silver Cliff and the Slope community of Norwood. 
Flickr/wienotfilms
To learn even more about the International Dark-Sky Association and their other programs, please visit their website.
Flickr/Ranch Seeker

Have you had a chance to enjoy these pristinely dark and clear skies? We would love to see your photos in the comments! To discover even more things to do around the area, check out The Town Hiding In Colorado That Is Straight Out Of A Painting.

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Westcliffe, CO 81252, USA