Backpacker – August 2019

JULY/AUGUST 2019

98 BACKPACKER.COM

GRAND SAWTOOTH LOOP

SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS, IDAHO

Da rkness pools in centra l Ida ho, where la rge swaths of desig nated wilderness hold

the line against development and light pollution. In 2018, a 1,416-square-mile tract

in Saw tooth Nationa l Forest beca me the f irst place in the United States to be desig-

nated a n Internationa l Da rk Sk y Reser ve by the Internationa l Da rk-Sk y A ssociation,

highlighting a peerless cha nce to meld untouched la nd with unma rred skies. You ca n’t

fully experience the place on a n overnight. Instead, br ush up on off-tra il navigation

and go for full immersion on the 70-mile Grand Sawtooth Loop. Start at Grandjean

Campground and hike clockwise, sleeping under star-dusted skies at Camp Lakes,

Baron Creek, Lower Cramer Lake, Ardeth Lake, and Elk Lake.

Tra i l h e a d Grandjean Campground Season Summer Permit Required (free); self-

register at the kiosk at Grandjean Campground. Contact bit.do/SawtoothNRA

Little Redfi sh Lake,

near mile 25

Intergalactic

A century ago, scientists

thought our galaxy—what we

call the Milky Way—was the

entire universe. Not true, but it

is one of the biggest things you

can see with the naked eye (it’s

105,000 light years across).

Get to know your local star

system by identifying some

notable waypoints—telescope

not required.

1

4

EMPIR E OF
DARKNESS

1. Sagittarius
   Use the “teapot” to fi nd the center
   of the galaxy. The constellation
   skates along the southern horizon
   on summer nights, and its spout
   points to the goods.


2. Core of the galaxy
   On clear nights, the Milky Way’s
   bright center is visible just above
   the southern horizon. That hazy
   white blob is actually a collection
   of 10 million stars, including red
   giants hundreds of times larger
   than our sun.


3. Lagoon Nebula
   This vast gaseous cloud is the
   largest and brightest nebula in the
   Sagittarius constellation. Located PHOTOS BY (FROM LEFT) ISTOCK.COM (2); WILLIAM M. ROCHFORT, JR. TEXT BY DAVID GLEISNER (INTERGALACTIC AND EIGHT LAKES LOOP)