When planning an outdoor escape, getting away from the bright lights of a city and seeing the stars is high on people’s list, rightfully so. Our dark skies are a beautiful way to experience the serenity of Estes Park and give us perspective on just how vast the universe is. After you listen to this episode, you might want to follow up on some (or all of) the things mentioned! Use this as your guide.
Visit the Estes Park Memorial Observatory to get an up-close and personal look at the stars. As mentioned in this episode, magnitude 6 stars are visible from Estes Park (the dimmest level of stars!). For more information on booking, check out the observatory’s website! They even have a “clear sky chart” so you can figure out the best night to see the stars.
Each August, the Perseid meteor shower puts on a free show that can be viewed from Estes Park. At its peak, you could catch a shooting star per minute. Figure out when, where and how to be mesmerized here. And may we suggest: building a camping trip around it?
Find out when the skies above Estes will be darkest here, you can even find the exact time! Driving up Trail Ridge Road, it’ll feel like the sky opening up to give you some personal panoramic views of the sky. If you make your way all the way up to Alpine Visitor Center, you can hike the short trail up to stargaze from almost 12,000 feet.
Or use a full moon as your flashlight on a night hike. Some trail options: Kruger Rock, Sprague Lake, Lily Mountain, Deer Mountain and Bierstadt Lake. These are on the easier side and aren’t as tree covered so the moon will shed its light a majority of the way. And hey, this is a great way to beat the summer crowds and you definitely won’t need a reservation at 3 in the morning.
BOOK YOUR TRIP TO ESTES PARK NOW.