Entry No. 32 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: hillside-star
Palmer Lake Star
Hand-built by volunteers in 1935 to lift Depression-era spirits, the Palmer Lake Star is a 457-foot-wide, five-pointed star outlined in LED lights across a 58-percent slope of Sundance Mountain — listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties and still lit every December plus special occasions, visible from I-25 for miles in either direction. A KKTV live broadcast confirmed it was lit for Memorial Day 2026, and a community Chili Supper lighting event ran November 29, 2025.
The move: Drive up to Palmer Lake in late November or December for the annual Star Lighting and Chili Supper (held the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the town center), watch the hillside blaze to life after dark, then walk the short trail up Sundance Mountain to stand among the glowing posts — a strange, quiet, genuinely moving piece of small-town Americana that you can see from 30 miles away on I-25.
📍 Before you go The star sits on the west side of Palmer Lake, above the town center — reach it from the I-25 Monument exit, then go west on Highway 105 roughly three miles into the village. You don't have to climb anything to enjoy it: after dark it reads best from below, along Highway 105 or the valley floor, where the whole hillside lights at once. To stand among the glowing posts, hike up via the Palmer Lake Reservoir Trailhead on Old Carriage Road (small day-use parking fee, lot fills on weekends, no dogs, vault toilets only). Lighting season runs roughly the Saturday after Thanksgiving through December, so a clear winter evening is prime; pair it with the lakeside town's small cafes. Snow and seasonal access shift — check ahead.
- 📍 Palmer Lake
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 500 Highland Road, Palmer Lake, CO 80133
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: coloradoencyclopedia.org · Official site · kktv.com
last checked: 2026-06-07