Maps & Directions to Observing Sites
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Palmar Park Star Party Location Park is located on the northwest corner of Maizeland and Academy. We usually meet for star parties in the parking lot on the west side of the baseball field. It will show up as the green arrow in the map. |
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Bear Creek Park East This is our primary location for public star parties. From I-25, exit at the US 24/Cimmaron interchange. Drive west on US 24 to 21st Street. Turn south on 21st Street and drive about 0.8 miles. Turn east on Rio Grande Street. Take the first right into Bear Creek Park. The observing area is in the dirt parking lot to the east of the community gardens. |
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| Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Rd, 80906 The Bear Creek Nature Center can be reached from a number of directions, but this is the most direct: From I-25, exit at the US 24/Cimmaron interchange. Drive west on US 24 to 26th Street. Turn south on 26th Street and drive about 1.5 miles, past Lower Gold Camp Road. The nature center will be on the left side of 26th street. |
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Beidleman Environmental Center – Catamount Institute, 740 W Caramillo St, 80907 To get to the Beidelman Environmental Center from I-25: Exit at the Uintah Street and head west. You will need to “zigzag” to the northwest as follows (there are signs available to guide you as well): drive north on Walnut Avenue to Buena Ventura, then turn west on Buena Ventura and head straight to the Environmental Center. With all the construction going on for the next few years, you may have to figure out some minor detours on your own. |
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| East Kinney Observing Site To get there from Colorado Springs: Drive east on US 94, to about 1/2 mile east of the “66” mile marker. Turn left on Co 109 and drive north about 8.3 miles to 2 J Road. Turn right and drive east about 1.6 miles (about 0.6 mile past the Kinney Lake SWA turnoff at 33 Road). Look for a barb wire gate next to a “BOUNDARY–State Wildlife Area” sign on the left side of the road, and turn north. Follow the road northwest about a quarter mile downhill to the meadow. |
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| Fox Run Park , Stella Dr, 80921 To get to Fox Run Park located in Glen Eagle: Drive north on I-25 from Colorado Springs to the USAFA North Gate Road exit. Turn left and head east on North Gate Road, past the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Continue east to Roller Coaster Road (if you reach US 83, you’ve gone too far). Turn left and head north on Roller Coaster Road to Stella Drive (about 1 1/2 miles). Turn left on Stella Drive. After about 1/4 mile, you will turn right into the park. We usually setup our telescopes in the grass fields to your right. |
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Wolf’s Run (club name) in Northeast O’Brien Gulch, Pike National Forest Site of Rocky Mountain Star Stare 1998, 2001 & 2004. Head west on US Hwy. 24 to Lake George. From the Lake George Community Park sign (on the right side of the road), go west exactly 1 mile to the intersection of Hwy. 24 and Park County Rd. 77 and turn right. Continue north on Park Cnty. 77 for 9.1 miles to the turnoff at O’Brien Gulch (left turn off Park Cnty. 77). This is 1.4 miles after a hairpin curve and 2/10ths of a mile after crossing over a cattleguard. As you turn left onto the dirt access road, look for the sign directly ahead marked O’Brien Gulch/Badger Gulch and take the left fork. From the turn off Park Cnty. 77, it is exactly 7/10ths of a mile to the observing field. As you approach, bear to the left up a slight hill to reach the field. GPS coordinates are: 39 degrees 05 minutes 1.2 seconds North Latitude by 105 degrees 27 minutes 8.6 seconds West Longitude. |
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| Tarryall Meadows (club name) in Thorpe Gulch, Pike National Forest Site of Rocky Mountain Star Stare 1994, 1997, 2000 & 2002. Tarryall Meadows – (Note:there are multiple ways to reach this site. These directions are for the route along the paved and improved roads). Head west on US Hwy. 24 to Lake George. From the Lake George Community Park sign (on the right side of the road), go west exactly 1 mile to the intersection of Hwy. 24 and Park County Rd. 77 and turn right. Continue north on Park Cnty. 77 for 11.3 miles to the turnoff at Park County Rd. 31. This will be 3.6 miles after the hairpin curve. Another landmark to look for is a white country chapel on the right side of the road just past the intersection of Park Cnty. 77 and Park Cnty. 31. Turn left onto Park Cnty. 31 (a dirt road) and continue exactly 1.3 miles to the turnoff into the site. Turn left onto a short access trail leading up to a fence and gate. Continue through the gate (please close the gate behind you even if you find it open) and up the trail for 4/10ths of a mile from the turn off Park Cnty. 31 where the trail will open up into a broad meadow. |
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US Air Force Academy Planetarium, USAFA, 80840 To get to the planetarium from the South Gate entrance: Follow the road signs for the visitor’s center. Pass the center and make the next right into the parking lot. From the North gate: Follow the road signs for the visitor’s center. Turn left into the parking lot before the center. The main landmark to look for in either case is the Cadet Chapel. Go to the same parking lot that you would park in to visit the chapel. The planetarium will be in the north end of that lot. |
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Woodland Park, Catamount Institute, 80863 To get to Catamount Institute: head west on US 24 past Woodland Park. Turn left on Edlowe Road and follow Edlowe Road to the “Y” in the road. Bear left to the Institute and look for green mile marker “3”–the Institute entrance is 100 feet after the mile marker. Drive through the gate and follow the main road about 1/3 mile. Drive past the white concrete building to park. |
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