Nation’s first ‘sky dome’ resort promises pristine stargazing views near Bryce Canyon National Park

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Billed as the only glass dome outdoor luxury destination in the country, a resort set to open this summer near Bryce Canyon National Park is aiming to give visitors an unforgettable view of the stars over southern Utah.

Clear Sky Resorts is currently building its second location near Cannonville, Utah, roughly 12 miles from the national park’s western entrance in Garfield County. Clear Sky’s first location is seated near the Grand Canyon, but the geodesic domes there are canvas with glass windows.

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Hal Feinberg, co-creator of Clear Sky Resorts, said the Utah location will be North America’s first and only “sky dome” resort, with 62 geodesic domes featuring panoramic, floor-to-ceiling windows, nestled in a canyon surrounded by sandstone hoodoos and red rock formations.

“No matter which direction you look, I imagine people will be blown away with the views,” Feinberg said. “You combine that with the sunsets and sunrises out of your dome, the stargazing … it’s an experience hopefully no one has ever seen.”

The resort is slated to open on Aug. 1, although the domes could become available sooner.

‘A Big Deal’

Bryce Canyon National Park is a designated Dark Sky Park, which means it’s one of the best places in the country to appreciate the stars away from the dimming effects of light pollution. It was key to why Clear Sky Resorts chose to come to southern Utah.

Each night, the resort will hold stargazing tours, and there’ll also be a communal fireplace where visitors can sit under the Milky Way and eat s’mores, Feinberg said. Other amenities will include a massive glass dome restaurant, a projection dome that shows movies on an immersive 360-degree screen, and trails that lead to nearby hikes on public land.

Falyn Owens, tourism director for Garfield County, said there’s excitement for the resort, as it will boost high-end hotel capacity and bring something beyond the more typical yurt or tent glamping experience.

“I think it’s going to be a big deal to have this, it’s kind of a different product than what you typically have in a national park area,” she said, noting that Garfield County is particularly dependent on tourism dollars.

The location of the park also gives Owen hope that visitors will explore more than just Bryce. Seated along the beloved Highway 12 Scenic Byway, the resort is also relatively close to Capitol Reef National Park, and just a stone’s throw from the doorway to the massive Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

What’s the cost?

To stay in the one of glass domes will cost between $425 to $1,200 a night, depending on the size of the dome. According to Feinberg, discounts will also be offered to those who book before April 15.

The smallest skydomes are built for couples, around 435 square feet. They include a luxury bed, linens, a kitchenette, and a bathroom with a five-sprayer shower. Curtains and wooden panels provide privacy.

“It’s basically like a four-and-a-half star hotel room that’s in a dome,” Feinberg said.

The biggest of the skydomes are 1,250 square feet and house up to eight people, with two separate bedrooms and a loft, complete with a slide extending down from the top of the loft.

Three of the domes have attached “disco domes,” with a disco ball, a laser dance floor and a stereo that plays ‘70s music.

“It’s not something that necessarily fits Bryce Canyon,” Feinberg said, “but it’s something where you can come and get a combination of the natural environment with a little fun way to spend your vacation as well.”

The disco music won’t disturb those trying to experience a restful night under the stars. All the glass on the domes is dual-pane and soundproof, and coated with “low emissivity” solution that deflects ultraviolet rays.

Overcrowding concerns?

According to Owens, the Garfield County tourism director, overcrowding is not of particular concern in the Bryce Canyon area, even as more and more people flock to the park each year.

Compared to other popular national parks in southern Utah, such as Zion and Arches, the headaches people might encounter at Bryce are not the same.

“We hear of their horror stories,” Owens said. “Luckily we’re not anything like that.”

Clear Sky Resorts plans to keep the Utah location open during winter, and that’s something Owens said will help the local tourism economy during the typically slow winter season.

“I think that’s huge,” she said. “We’re trying to build more of a year round product in Garfield County. I think people are missing the boat in not wanting to come and see Bryce Canyon when there’s the white snow on the hoodoos. It’s pretty incredible.”

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