Where to enjoy the night sky in RMNP

Milky Way over Sprague Lake. Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountain NPS.

The best places to see the night sky in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park is just about anywhere away from the urbanized edge of the Front Range or near Grand Lake. The glow of man-made lights diminishes the number of stars and anything else that can be seen in the night sky.

Alpine tundras far from visitor centers or campgrounds are ideal, as there are no man-made lights or treeline to obscure views. Sundance Mountain and the Mushroom Rocks along Trail Ridge Road are two such areas. Always face away from the highway so that headlights from passing vehicles don’t temporarily blind you.

From mid-June through mid-August, the park offers a variety of astronomy-oriented activities. They include Party with the Stars, Astronomy in the Park (which meets at the Upper Beaver Meadows Trailhead), and the Rocky Mountain National Park Night Sky Festival.

If visiting the park in August, drive to the top of Trail Ridge Road to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower. The shower consists of debris and dust, left by a passing comet, which burn up in the atmosphere as falling to the ground. The peak shower usually is Aug. 11-13.

Learn more about the park's day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at Rocky Mountain National Park guidebook.