Holiday River Expeditions Creates Space For Stars, Science + Storytelling
The mystery of the night sky is revealed as the sun begins to set behind the canyon wall, the forest creatures bunker into the bush and the river deepens its shadow. For the past 10 years — and counting — Holiday River Expeditions has been opening space for adventurers to learn and lean into the enormity of the starlit sky across Colorado’s Western Slope.
“We as individuals and a species are better off if we can see and understand something about the night sky,” longtime raft guide, storyteller and celestial lover Tom Beckett says.
Beckett joined Holiday River Expeditions in 1974 and has remained with the company, excelling simultaneously as a full-time practicing lawyer. He says in the beginning of his raft guide career, people were familiar with the night sky, so it was not something Holiday River Expeditions emphasized on their explorations. As the years passed, the light pollution increased and Beckett realized: “If we are going to spend our days talking about flora, fauna and sandstone, we should spend our nights talking about the stars.”
In fact, Beckett emphasizes that 50 years ago, 80% of the United States population could see the Milky Way, but today, that number is down to less than 25%. Holiday River Expeditions addresses this statistic one star at a time on their Dark Sky Stargazing Trips. These trips are a time for humans to come together and share an intimate moment; a moment that does not discriminate where people come from or where they are going.
“There is a community that is horizontal with our people today and vertical with our ancestors,” Beckett says.
Beckett weaves together mythological, astronomical and physiological tales and facts during these expeditions. Each night, he stays up answering an array of questions about the wonders of the universe, from the lifespan of stars to the Big Bang theory. As a passionate storyteller, he shares captivating and applicable narratives that bridge cultures and centuries, allowing listeners to relate to someone 250 years ago— or 2,500 years ago— looking at the same patterns in the stars.
Not to worry, there are plenty of starry night discussions under the sun, too. Beckett uses props during the day, such as drawing in the sand and rope, to answer questions and illustrate content, such as why we have a different sky in the summer than in the winter.
This extraordinary experience is possible with Holiday River Expeditions because there are no intrusive lights to disrupt the natural darkness. Humans have evolved without artificial light and survived the night without LED light since the beginning of time. That is why Beckett wants his rafting companions to experience camp by walking around with the starlight, the light from the campfire and red-light headlamps when needed.
Beckett and the Holiday River Expeditions family invite you to immerse yourself in the tranquility of the night. As always, you can expect their high-quality accommodations, service and communication — just with a little more twinkle than usual.
Follow Your North Star + Join Holiday River Expeditions
5-Day San Juan River Stargazing Trip from May 22-26, 2025
5-day Desolation Canyon Stargazing Trip from June 18-22, 2025
4-Day Lodore Canyon Stargazing Trip from July 22-25, 2025
6-Day Cataract Canyon Stargazing Trip from Aug. 17-22, 2025
5-Day Labyrinth Canyon Stargazing & Hiking Trip from September 22-26, 2025
This Sponsored Spotlight was Originally published in the Spring 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.