Entry No. 211 — the Denver file — filed under: after-dark

Smokey Jack Observatory & Wet Mountain Valley Dark Skies

Westcliffe and neighboring Silver Cliff form Colorado's first International Dark Sky Community, and the little 12-by-12 Smokey Jack Observatory sits at the heart of it as the highest-elevation dark-sky observatory in the world. Its retractable roof opens over a 14-inch computer-guided telescope, and from May through October volunteer Star Guides run free star parties tracing the Milky Way, planets and clusters. The valley's near-total absence of light pollution makes the naked-eye sky almost overwhelming on its own. You can book a free public or private star party online.

The move: Book a free summer star party, let the Star Guide swing the 14-inch telescope onto Saturn, then lie back on the lawn under one of Colorado's darkest skies.

📍 Before you go Free star parties run May-October and require booking; weather-dependent. Roughly 150mi southwest of Denver, best as an overnight.

• 📍 Westcliffe
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: S 4th St, Westcliffe, CO 81252

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23