Communities Connect over Shared Appreciation for Night Skies
PIE TOWN, N.M. (April 27, 2026) — Westcentral New Mexico is home to iconic natural features like El Malpais National Monument and the Gila Wilderness, America’s first designated wilderness. Now, a group of organizations is encouraging people to look skyward to discover more of the region’s wonders.
The second annual Continental Divide Trail Dark Sky Gathering will take place May 15–17 in Pie Town, a community famous for its pies—and its access to some of the darkest night skies along the Continental Divide.
According to Dark-Sky International, artificial light pollution from human development disrupts wildlife, impacts human well-being, wastes energy, and blocks a clear view of the universe. In response, Dark Sky Land and others propose the concept of an “Astrowilderness Corridor,” where minimal light pollution allows for natural cycles of day and night— and true darkness— to thrive.
Although Pie Town may seem off the beaten path, it's a known stop for hikers on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) who gather there to rest and resupply. Event organizers hope to bring CDT northbound hikers together with locals and the dark sky community to learn and share about the night skies of the Divide.
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC), the lead nonprofit partner in the management of the CDT, is hosting the event in partnership with Dark Sky Land, Inc. and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE). Executive Director Teresa Martinez shared that the organization’s work extends beyond trail stewardship.
“CDTC is committed to providing support and protecting landscapes along the entire length of the CDT, and that’s more than just maintaining the trail as a pathway,” said Martinez. “We’re hoping this event helps spread appreciation for the preservation of night skies in their own right and builds support for protecting the earth we walk and the sky above.”
Dark Sky Land, Inc. is a New Mexico-based multidisciplinary organization dedicated to connecting people to the land, nature, imagination, and the cosmos. Their vision is to establish the “Dark Sky Land Astro-Wilderness Corridor” in one of the darkest regions in the Northern Hemisphere as a protected refuge on Earth for future generations. Building on the event’s pilot year in 2025, organizers will offer expanded programming, including additional speakers, workshops, and hands-on stargazing experiences for long-time observers and new enthusiasts.
Anrika Rupp of Dark Sky Land said, “We want to engage and inspire local and other communities to rapidly preserve a 600-mile region from light pollution’s existential threat to wildlife ecosystems, human health, astronomy, biodiversity, bird migration and local economies.”
Event partners are aiming for a holistic approach to dark skies protection, and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment is encouraging the preservation of a spiritual connection.
'Darkness is a gift that plays a deeply important role in our lives. Not just physically and ecologically, but also spiritually and emotionally. The dark sky invites us to rest, to contemplate, and to explore,” said Katie Brown, NRPE Program Manager. “And when this is done in community, we grow closer to one another and recognize a profound interconnectedness.”
The gathering will feature several astronomy experts, including Rob Lorenz, SJ from the Vatican Observatory in Stafford, Arizona; Dr. John Keller of the Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences Department and director of the Fiske Planetarium at the University of Colorado; Marina La Grave, CEO of Explorando Senderos; Astronomer Bob Birket from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO); Anrika Rupp from the StarLight Observatory; Michael P. Robinson, Star Rancher Observatory, and Lee Maisel, Low Chamisa Robotic Observatory (LCRO), representing the astro-wilderness community; and Zack Stockbridge, CDT thruhiker and astrophotographer.
More information is available at cdtcoalition.org/darkskies.