Bruneau Dunes Park Observatory Has New High-Powered Telescope
For anyone who has ever camped, hiked the massive sand dunes, kayaked the calm waters, sandboarded, or taken a look into outer space from Bruneau Dunes State Park, you know how magical of a place it is. The park's observatory has just added a second sky viewing area and is in the process of testing its new, state-of-the-art telescope.
Spending time at Bruneau Dunes State Park is like stepping into an entirely foreign reality, one that offers such visually-stimulating features it's hard to believe it exists on Earth. Kayaking while surrounded by 400-foot dunes of white, warm sand was one of the coolest summer experiences I've ever had.
I've written about the park multiple times, including one unforgettable weekend my family and I shared in August of 2022. It's one of my favorite places to kayak in the state, and staring up to the sky from a park firepit offers a view that's hard to beat. Unfortunately, my only visit to the observatory was in the summer of 2020, and Covid-19 made it impossible for me to take a look inside.
I found myself on the park's official Facebook page recently and saw some pictures I'm sure will excite Idahoans throughout the state. I reached out to Park Manager Bryce Bealba and was granted permission to share photos of the new facility addition, which are compliments of area photographer Doug Stoneback.
The improved public observatory features a new CDK 700 Telescope and is scheduled to be unveiled to the general public by May of this year. I can't wait to take the family out for an evening of stargazing soon.