Reserved star parties are now available for summer 2024!

The below calendar Has our most up to date availability.

All Reserved Star Parties are free and hosted by our trained Star Guides at the Smokey Jack Observatory (SJO). We strictly limit Reserved Star Parties to 8 people per session, making for a much more intimate and private setting than one of our busy public star parties. Reserved Star Parties generally last around 2-hours. There is a public restroom available just a short walk from the SJO.

As a non-profit, all our Star Guides are volunteers and the SJO itself was constructed and is maintained with donated funds. While all reserved Star Parties and Solar Observation Experiences are free, your tax deductible donations are always welcomed and encouraged! Official Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley apparel and merchandise can be found at All The Range located on Main St. in Westcliffe, CO.

Have questions? Email us here for Reserved Star Party questions. However, please note that we do not have any additional availability beyond what is listed below.

When choosing a date for your Star Party Reservation, you MUST be sure to include your group size in the “Quantity” section BEFORE clicking on a date. This ensures that only dates are shown for your group size. If you choose a date with only 1 opening but have a larger group size, we unfortunately will not be able to accommodate your group as the Observatory only has space to fit 8 people, plus Star Guides, in total. Thank you for for your understanding!