Thanks to Curt Weinhold, a dark skies photographer and frequent visitor to Cherry Springs State Park [Potter County], the importance of conserving Pennsylvania’s dark skies in the Pennsylvania Wilds just got a permanent reminder with the designation of 31 miles of PA Route 44 in Potter County as the “Highway to the Stars.”
“After making a photo of the constellation Orion hanging above PA Route 44 two years ago, I decided to title the photo ‘Highway to the Stars.’ Naming PA 44 was an outgrowth of the picture title,” said Weinhold.
Not knowing where to begin, he reached out to his state Representative Martin Causer.
Rep. Causer introduced the proposal (Act 70 of 2018), which passed the Legislature and was approved by Gov. Tom Wolf in June. The designation for Route 44 extends from Scenic Route 6 to the Lycoming County border.
On Friday, October 19, Weinhold, along with local and state representatives, officially dedicated the route and unveiled the first “Highway to the Stars” sign.
The designation raises the significance of stargazing visitors and their economic impact, and the need for conserving the dark skies at Cherry Springs State Park and other state parks and forests in the region.
“PA 44 is the major route to Cherry Springs State Park. Because this is a remote area, visitors from cities (used to heavy traffic) are sometimes concerned about being on the correct road. The signs erected by PennDOT may be reassuring. Also, it just seemed to be the right thing to do,” said Weinhold.
The Pennsylvania Wilds region is known for its amazing stargazing opportunities, as there are many acres of forest land and not a whole lot of artificial light.
Know of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor recreation and/or conservation that we should feature? Contact DCNR by sending email to: ra-resource@pa.gov to nominate someone.
Night Photography Workshop
Click Here for information on the November 3 Nightscapes Photography Workshop at Cherry Springs State Park presented by Curt Weinhold.
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(Photo: Curt Weinhold and his Highway To The Stars photo.)
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(Reprinted from the October 31 DCNR Resource Newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
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