Entry No. 63 — the Boulder file — filed under: after-dark
Estes Park Memorial Observatory Open House
Just north of the high school near the shore of Lake Estes, this small observatory pairs its monthly open houses with the Estes Valley Astronomical Society meeting. Doors open at 7, a talk starts at 7:30, and afterward, weather permitting, visitors take turns at a 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope under a 16-foot dome, riding a robotic Paramount mount. It is free, with the place running entirely on donations and souvenir sales, and the dark mountain air at altitude makes for sharp viewing.
The story
Tucked into the campus grounds of the local high school near Lake Estes, this facility doesn't look like an aerospace-grade installation from the outside—and that's precisely why it works. The observatory was built by retired Lockheed Martin thermal engineer Mike Connolly, his wife Carole, and daughter Michele Johnson through their non-profit Angels Above Foundation. It serves as a memorial to Mike and Carole's children, Thomas and Christian, who died in a 2005 traffic accident. Connolly spent his engineering career working on Titan missiles, Apollo missions, and the Magellan Venus spacecraft, and he channeled that exact mechanical rigor into establishing a public mountain observatory.
Inside the 16-foot dome sits a 16-inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope mounted on a robotic Paramount ME II rig [1.1.2]. Synchronized software runs the mount and dome together, driving the telescope to deep-sky nebulae and distant planets with precise computer targeting. Below the dome, a 60-by-40-foot warm room features an illuminated constellation star wall where volunteers orient visitors on what's visible overhead before sending them up the stairs to the eyepiece.
Once a month, the observatory hosts an open house in tandem with the Estes Valley Astronomical Society meeting. There are no paid staff members, commercial tours, or admission fees—just unpaid volunteer astronomers operating research-level optics under thin, dark mountain air at 7,500 feet.
What it's like
Drive to 1600 Manford Avenue and park in the high school teacher lot. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with the astronomical society's presentation starting at 7:30 p.m. in the warm room. Afterwards, visitors move to the unheated 16-foot dome to take turns at the 16-inch telescope. The dome stays cold to prevent thermal currents from distorting the lens, so bring heavy layers even during summer months. If mountain clouds cover the sky, the volunteers keep the session running inside with constellation star wall demonstrations and educational astronomy films.
The move: Sit in on the astronomy society's talk, then climb to the dome and look through the 16-inch telescope at planets and deep-sky objects high in the cold mountain air.
📍 Before you go Open house dates tie to the monthly astronomical society meeting; doors 7 p.m., talk 7:30. Free (donations welcome). Park in the high school teacher lot. About 35 miles from Boulder.
- 📍 Estes Park
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1600 Manford Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Trail Ridge Road Night Sky Tour (Estes Park Adventure Tours) — Pair a session at the observatory's computer-guided telescope with an open-air drive up Trail Ridge Road past 11,000 feet for wide-field stargazing along the Continental Divide.
- The Birch Ruins — Combine looking at deep-space nebulae through high-powered optics with a daylight hike to the stone ruins of Albert Birch's 1904 bungalow overlooking Estes Park.
- Homestead Meadows — Follow up modern astronomical observation with a trail trek into Roosevelt National Forest to explore eight abandoned 19th-century homestead ranches.
Good to know
How much does it cost to attend an open house?
Admission is completely free [1.1.7]. The observatory is funded entirely by voluntary donations and souvenir sales, and operated by unpaid volunteers.
Do I need to reserve a ticket in advance for the open house?
Monthly open house nights tied to the Estes Valley Astronomical Society meeting operate on a walk-in basis, though dome capacity is limited to small groups during eyepiece turns.
Where should I park when visiting?
Park in the high school teacher parking lot adjacent to the observatory at 1600 Manford Avenue, just north of Estes Park High School.
What happens if the weather is cloudy or bad?
If clouds obscure the sky, volunteers hold indoor tours, demonstrate sky targets using the classroom star wall, and screen astronomy presentations in the heated warm room.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: angelsabove.org
last checked: 2026-06-23