12 incredible spots to see the stars in Colorado
Thanks to many remote areas far removed from city lights, Colorado is a dream for stargazers.
Believe it or not, the Centennial State is currently home to eight designated dark sky locations including three parks, two national monuments, and three mountain communities. The list includes: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Jackson Lake State Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Norwood, Ridgway, Westcliffe & Silver Cliff.
Along with these designated dark sky areas, find a few more ideas for spots to stargaze below.
Editor's Note: Many of the destinations on this list are remote. Make sure to follow the rules of Leave No Trace any time you're enjoying Colorado's Great Outdoors.
Flat Tops Wilderness Area. Photo Credit: Adventure_Photo (iStock).
12. Flat Tops Wilderness Area
Found in western Colorado, the Flat Tops Wilderness spans more than 230,000 acres.
Photo Credit: Adventure_Photo (iStock).
Paint Mines Christian Murdock
11. The Paint Mines
Found between Denver and Colorado Springs, the landscape at the Paint Mines Interpretive Park is one-of-a-kind and filled with colorful formations. While the Paint Mines Interpretive Park is closed to the public after dark, special photography sessions are offered for those hoping to see this park at night. Find more info here.
Photo Credit: Christian Murdock.
Night Sky at Loveland Pass. Photo Credit: JuliScalzi (iStock).
10. Loveland Pass
Explore the twinkling starry sky over Loveland Pass, situated at 11,990 feet along the Continental Divide. Find several parking spots at the summit, but bundle up and avoid periods of strong winds.
Photo Credit: JuliScalzi (iStock).
Westcliffe, Colorado. Photo Credit: Krissi May Photography (iStock).
9. Westcliffe
Soak in the night sky over the Wet and Sangre de Cristo mountains in Westcliffe. This designated dark sky community is located at an elevation of 7,888 feet, offering the perfect getaway for star-chasers. More at DarkSky.org.
Photo Credit: Krissi May Photography (iStock).
Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument. Photo Credit: nadjarider (iStock).
8. Dinosaur National Monument
Venture northwest for a star-filled adventure in Dinosaur National Monument, one of Colorado's designated dark sky parks.
Photo Credit: nadjarider (iStock).
Jackson Lake State Park. Photo Credit: sankai (iStock)
7. Jackson Lake State Park
Bask under the sky at Jackson Lake State Park, located northeast of Orchard, Colorado and just over an hour from Denver. Jackson Lake State Park became a designated dark sky park in 2020. Read more at DarkSky.org. Photo Credit: sankai (iStock)
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock).
6. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Experience a starry night at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa. A designated Dark Sky Park, this park is open 24 hours a day to allow for night time viewing. Camping is also allowed with special rules. Learn more about a nighttime visit here and read more about the dark sky designation at DarkSky.org.
Photo Credit: SeanXu (iStock).
Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. Photo Credit: f11photo (iStock).
5. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Head west for adventure under the stars at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose and Gunnison. This is one of Colorado's designated "Dark Sky Parks" Read more about that at DarkSky.org.
Photo Credit: f11photo (iStock).
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Photo Credit: ablokhin (iStock).
4. Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
Glittering stars await in the night sky over the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness near Aspen. This remote part of Colorado is a popular spot for backpacking and backcountry camping.
Photo Credit: ablokhin (iStock).
Ridgway. Photo Credit: Adventure_Photo (iStock).
3. Ridgway
Ridgway is a popular stargazing spot nestled in the Uncompaghre Valley at 6,985 feet. With views this dreamy, it's no wonder that mountain town is nicknamed "The Gateway to the San Juans." Ridgway was designated as a dark sky community in 2020. Read more at DarkSky.org.
Photo Credit: Adventure_Photo (iStock).
File photo of stars. Photo Credit: vovan13 (iStock).
2. Norwood
The skies of Norwood will delight stargazers. It's another one of Colorado's designated dark sky communities. Read more at DarkSky.org.
Photo Credit: vovan13 (iStock).
Mount Wilson in Telluride. Photo Credit: grandriver (iStock)
1. Telluride
The Telluride area is a stellar spot to see the night sky over the San Juan Mountains. While this town will have lights on throughout the night, the surrounding backcountry provides the perfect remote setting for stargazing.
Photo Credit: grandriver (iStock).
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.