Entry No. 64 — the Boulder file — filed under: history
Trail Ridge Road Night Sky Tour (Estes Park Adventure Tours)
This guided tour drives you up Trail Ridge Road past 11,000 feet to several pullouts along the Continental Divide, where the night sky is genuinely dark and dense with stars. A guide walks you through reading the constellations and Milky Way, teaches night photography, and shoots 3-5 professional portraits of you under the stars at each stop. It runs late, roughly 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and includes up to about a mile of easy hiking between viewing spots.
The story
Operated by local photographer and guide Chelsea Stills (known online as 'The Hiking Mermaid'), Estes Park Adventure Tours takes advantage of North America's highest continuous paved road after the daytime park traffic has cleared out. Rolling out of Estes Park late in the evening, the tour climbs past 11,000 feet and up toward 12,500 feet along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, leaving Front Range light pollution behind for true high-alpine darkness.
While daytime visitors fight for parking at scenic overlooks, the tundra takes on a quiet, stark quality after midnight. The route makes three distinct stops along the Continental Divide—overlooking alpine lakes, valleys, and jagged cliff lines—where high altitude and zero ambient town lighting expose the dense, glittery arm of the Milky Way.
The experience balances stargazing with hands-on photography. Stills teaches guests how to shoot long exposures on modern smartphones (iPhone 11 Pro Max or Galaxy S21 and newer) or manual DSLR/mirrorless cameras, while setting up specialized lighting gear to shoot 3–5 professional portraits of each guest framed against the stars at every stop. Nighttime wildlife encounters, including elk and moose along the road, are a frequent byproduct of driving the park after dark.
What it's like
Tours depart from Estes Park around 9:00 p.m. and run until roughly 1:00 a.m. High-altitude mountain temperatures drop sharply after dark, so heavy winter layers, gloves, and a beanie are mandatory even during midsummer. The trip includes up to a mile of easy walking spread across the pullout stops, but walking at 11,000-plus feet can quickly leave unacclimated visitors winded. Bring your own dark-sky-compatible smartphone or camera setup, and expect to leave with a mix of hands-on astrophotography skills and polished digital portraits.
The move: Ride up above tree line after dark, then stand together beneath the Milky Way while the guide frames a portrait of the two of you under the stars.
📍 Before you go By reservation only, ~$150/person (cellphone) or $275 (DSLR); best June-September for Milky Way. Late hours 9 p.m.-1 a.m., up to 1 mile of walking at altitude. Weather can cancel. About 40 miles from Boulder.
- 📍 Estes Park / Rocky Mountain National Park
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Departs 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
- Estes Park Memorial Observatory Open House — Pair high-altitude field stargazing on Trail Ridge Road with a stop at this community observatory near Lake Estes to look through a fixed telescope earlier in the night.
- The Birch Ruins — Hike up this rock outcropping overlooking downtown Estes Park to check out the 1904 stone cottage remnants before meeting up for your night tour.
- Eagle Plume's Gallery — Stop by this historic 1917 log-cabin trading post along Highway 7 on your drive up from Boulder to browse authentic Native American art before nightfall.
- Lyons Classic Pinball — Break up the drive back down the canyon toward Boulder by stopping in Lyons for a late-afternoon session on dozens of vintage pinball machines.
Good to know
How much does the tour cost and what does it include?
Pricing is $150 per person for the cellphone photography track or $275 per person for DSLR/mirrorless instruction. Both options include guided stargazing, night photo instruction, and 3–5 professional digital portraits per stop.
When is the best time of year to see the Milky Way?
June through September offers the clearest, brightest views of the galactic core along Trail Ridge Road. Departure times shift slightly by month to match peak dark hours.
What happens if weather cancels the trip?
High-mountain weather can change rapidly and cancel tours for safety. Tickets are non-refundable, but full tour credit is provided if you notify the operator at least 24 hours in advance or if severe weather prevents driving.
How far is the departure point from Boulder?
Estes Park is roughly 40 miles northwest of Boulder. You should allow about an hour to drive up US-36 before your evening check-in time.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-06-23