What makes this place special

Westcliffe and Silver Cliff have built an unusually visible public astronomy culture around their dark skies. Smokey Jack Observatory, recurring star parties, solar observing, telescope workshops and the scale-model Planet Walk make this more than a place with low light pollution: astronomy is something visitors can actively do in town.

Colorado Stargazing Trail

Westcliffe and Silver Cliff “are two of the highest-altitude International Dark Sky Communities in the world.”[2]

Colorado's trail page points visitors toward Bluff and Summit Park, Smokey Jack Observatory, the Alvarado and Hermit Lake trailheads, public astronomy events and the Planet Walk between the two towns. It describes Smokey Jack Observatory as a major observing site and highlights Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley for public star parties, telescope workshops and educational programs.[2]

local dark-sky organization

Visitors can “Join us at a public star party, solar Observation, Electronic Assisted Viewing Party, & More!” Its current events page says reservations for 2026 Smokey Jack Observatory star parties are open and describes the Westcliffe & Silver Cliff Planet Walk as a self-guided, true-to-scale interpretation of the Solar System.[3]

The organization directs visitors to its event listings for last-minute changes or cancellations, making that the best source to check immediately before a planned observing night.[3]

Sources

  1. [1]

    Photo: Colorado Tourism Office / Phil Lum — Stargazing in Colorado

  2. [2]

    Colorado Tourism Office, Colorado Stargazing Trail™ — colorado.com/colorado-stargazing-trail

  3. [3]

    Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley, Events — darkskiescolorado.org/events

  4. [4]

    Reserve Smokey Jack

  5. [5]

    Light Pollution Map — NASA Black Marble / VIIRS sky brightness