Headlands

The Headlands Park in Michigan, USA has more to offer than dazzling views of Orion and the Milky Way. Artificial lighting is rare within the 243-hectare park on the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and Emmet County intends to keep the area as natural as possible. A county-wide outdoor lighting ordinance helps curtail the growth of artificial light at night in surrounding areas, while the land in and around the park is zoned for natural conditions and strict limits on outdoor lighting. The park hosts regular events celebrating the night sky such as nighttime storytelling, starry cruises, star parties and astrophotography nights, and special events such as lunar eclipse viewings. In 2017, the Park opened the Waterfront Event Center and Observatory, and won the prestigious Governor’s State Tourism Campaign Pure Michigan Award for innovative and exemplary best practices in natural, cultural and heritage stewardship.