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Observatory Park

4.5 (19 reviews)

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Cold and snowy today.
Stephen K.

Observatory Park is a quiet, peaceful, cheery park replete with trees, copious grass, a few paths, and like the name suggests, is home to a pair of observatories -- the full-size Chamberlin Observatory structure, and the "little brick outhouse"-sized Chamberlin Auxiliary Observatory, about 100 yds to the SSW of the main building. You can usually find parking around here pretty easily at most hours of the day, although Fillmore St (west side) is often filled with both vehicles from residents as well as park visitors. It's a great place if you want to do some star-gazing after hours to bring your own equipment, from binoculars to full telescopic setups. Otherwise during the day it's fairly small, unassuming and arguably underutilized, in one of the most peaceful, well-maintained and safe areas in Denver, University Park, just a half-dozen blocks east of DU proper. Nice place to catch some summer rays. :) Heading north across Warren towards Evans, the park is extended and contains many brushy pines, restroom facilities, and an extensive and artsy playground for any kiddos. [There is also an area called a "Star Loop" there which has facts about the sun and it's relationship to Earth (and presumably, other celestial bodies) embedded in sidewalk squares in that area.

Looks like a great spot to bring the wee ones!

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11 months ago

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Review Highlights - Observatory Park

How cool is it that the telescope is almost 90% original to the 1880's!

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DU's historic Chamberlin Observatory

DU's historic Chamberlin Observatory

5.0
(4 reviews)
0.0 mi

I visited the Chamberlin Observatory about two weeks ago for the first time, and it was such a neat…read moreexperience! It's tucked away in a super dark park near DU. It actually looked closed when I first pulled up, but that's just to keep the light pollution down. The Tour: The night kicked off with a fascinating presentation by Dr. John Everette. He walked us through the entire evolution of the field. From what it was like to be an astronomer in the 1930s, manually tracking and hand drawing every observation. All the way up to the cutting edge technology used today. It was so neat to see how the profession has transformed while the passion for the stars has stayed the same. The volunteers were sincerely excited to share this history and were so open to everyone's questions. The Inside Scoop on Tours: If you want to see the big 1894 Alvan Clark telescope, there are two ways to do it: - Public Nights: These are the $4 ticketed events with the presentation (what I did). You need to book these months in advance on the Denver Astronomical Society website. - Open Houses: Once a month, they have a Star Party on the lawn. The lawn is FREE, but you can pay a $2 donation to head inside the building and look through the giant telescope without a reservation. Overall: The clouds moved in by the time our talk was over. So I didn't get to look through the lens this time but the education and the energy of the staff made it 100% worth it. I'm already planning my next trip back!

Routinely they have an open house to share knowledge about the sun, moon, stars, orbital patterns…read moreand other astronomical interests. You get to go up inside the observatory and see the telescope. If it's not cloudy you can see the stars even. We went down to the basement to see the massive pier that the telescope actually sits on. Lots of science and history. Great docent led tours. Fascinating stuff. Loved it all.

Photos
Entrance
Entrance
Donation QR Code
Donation QR Code
Entrance and future free days

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Entrance and future free days
Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

4.6
(1.6k reviews)
13.4 mi
$$

Flew to Denver to see Yo-Yo Ma play Dvorak with the Colorado Symphony. We had excellent seats, row…read more5. Seat 48 was in the literal middle and at eye level w the musicians so it was perfect. I did pay scalper prices (3x) for them though (AXS fees were ridiculous). We came prepared with 18" wide seat cushions (they were crazy about enforcing the size at the gate w a ruler). I did my research and we showed up early, like 4:30p to tailgate. Picked up some sandwiches from Carmine Lonardo's to go with some wine; they were perfect. We chose to park in the Lower South Lot to be closer to the stage since we had lower seats, but instead of walking up to the ramp, we came across and took the complimentary shuttle to the Upper North lot entrance FOR THE WIN, as we would only have to deal with going down stairs instead of the hill to get to the South side ramp. Leaving the venue though was a bit of a challenge. Actually, a bit of a clusterfuck. We didn't even try to turn on the car and just sat in the parking lot for about 30 minutes to let the other cars clear out. Overall, great experience and would definitely do it again.

Finally got to experience Red Rocks for the first time, and it was absolutely incredible! We saw…read moreAlesso, Lost Frequencies, Surf Mesa and a suprise guest Martin Garrix and even though I've seen them before in Vegas, this was by far the best experience. The views, atmosphere, and energy of the crowd are something you really have to experience for yourself. We took an Uber and got dropped off right near the entrance. We arrived around 7 PM, got through the line quickly, and still found great seats in the middle-upper section. The food and drinks were reasonably priced, and I liked that the show started early and ended around midnight. Red Rocks is definitely a bucket-list venue. Whether it's a concert, yoga, or another event, it's worth experiencing at least once. I can't wait to go back!

Photos
After dark
After dark
It gets pretty busy on a weekday.
It gets pretty busy on a weekday.
Sunrise

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Sunrise
Boulder Fish Observatory

Boulder Fish Observatory

2.0
(1 review)
28.4 mi

OK, sooooo our experience was higher than 2 stars BUT my reason for the 2 stars was because we are…read morenew to the area and have 4 kids so I enjoy searching for free or cheap things to entertain ourselves during the summer. I can across Boulder Fish Observatory which sounded like fun. Everyone gave it 1 star saying that the windows were filthy and you couldn't see the fish because of it etc. And that it was hard to find because it was behind a hotel. The description I kept reading about this place was suppose to be where you can go and watch these fish and feed them. Since the reviews were from a few years ago, we decided to go check it out because 1. they could have fixed it up since then and 2. we were in the area and had nothing else better to do. The reviewers were very correct. You could not see out the little windows at all. There is a bridge that you can walk on over the creek as well so we went up there and there was absolutely no fish to see either. BUT now comes for the higher stars... Since we were there I told the kids they could take off their shoes and socks and wade around in the water. They had a blast. The water was very shallow and clear so you could see all the way to the bottom. The water was rushing but they had a blast trying to walk through it. We ended up staying there for well over an hour. It was a very beautiful little area. Oh and for the directions.. It is not behind the hotel, it is actually on the side of it.

Green Mountain Falls Skyspace

Green Mountain Falls Skyspace

4.5
(2 reviews)
51.4 mi

This is such a fun activity especially if you love watching the sunrise or sunset. Only $5 to make…read morea reservation, then drive out to green mountain falls (about 20 min from downtown Colorado Springs) and take a little hike up a butte to the skyscape. It's fairly steep, but less than 1/2 mile. I believe they have accommodations if you're unable to hike because I saw an older couple get in a little ATV. I came for the sunset show and it lasted 50min. There are bathrooms halfway up the hike that are super nice (very luxurious toilet paper and heated!). It's crazy seeing how the sky changes colors with the light show. Very relaxing and you can even lay down on the benches.

Spent some time at Skyspace last evening. Had some idea of what to expect, but didn't really know…read morefor sure until I experienced it. Skyspace was interesting and worthwhile. And it only cost me $5! The hike up to the structure was not an easy one. Trust them when they say it is moderate to difficult. There is an ATV available for those who physically cannot make the hike. I wondered on my way up if they could've done a better job of cutting the trail, making more switchbacks, so it wouldn't be as difficult. Even so, do yourself a favor and arrive early enough to walk up. Even if you have to go slowly it's worth it! . I am from the area and had to stop several times, but it gave me the opportunity to take in the beauty of the surrounding area, where I once lived for 15 years. It was lush and green from all the rain and full of summer activity. I encountered two small deer feasting on the ample greenery and was treated to the sound of happy hummingbirds busily buzzing all around me. I thought to myself "this is a Colorado!" Hopefully, GMF maintains it's small, mountain town feel indefinitely. The Skyspace structure is actually quite contemporary, but blends well with the area even so. There is a small vestibule area outside with benches where you can leave your shoes (they require everyone to remove them before entering the main space). The main space is square, with marble floors wooden benches a smooth, domed white ceiling with a square opening. The center square is the focal point. The "show" consists of a series of subtle color changes, reflected off of the ceiling. Those color changes result in color changes to the center square, which is open to the sky, which is also changing color due to the setting, or in some cases, rising, sun. Last night's show was about 50 minutes which, felt a little bit long (many attendees began fidgeting after about 30 minutes). It was quiet, meditative, and, as it turned out, exactly what I needed that evening (even if it did feel a little bit long). The effects of the hour of quiet stayed with me as I drove home and finished my day. It was dark when I hiked back down, but as recommended, I had brought a light with me. I highly recommend bringing a light source with you for the (quicker) hike back down. The light from your cell phone will probably not suffice. They do have flashlights available. Overall, the experience was very good for me. Because of the length of the show, I would recommend bringing something to sit on as the benches are very "bench-like'l and not super comfortable. Had I thought to do that, the show might not have felt long. I love Green Box Arts and the vibe they have brought to this small, mountain community!

Photos
Green Mountain Falls Skyspace
Green Mountain Falls Skyspace
Green Mountain Falls Skyspace

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Observatory Park - observatories - Updated June 2026

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