Enjoy the spectacular Colorado night sky at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11, at the second Rifle Gap State Park summer star party. The Western Colorado Astronomy Club and Rifle Gap State Park are continuing the tradition of summer star parties. Club members will bring telescopes, videos, and astronomical information to share with all park visitors.

The dark night skies over Rifle Gap are perfect for viewing the countless stars, planets, and on some nights, the Milky Way and the space station. Visitors should check with the visitor’s center or camp host regarding the star gazing camp site in Lakeview. Bring a comfortable chair or blanket, bug spray, and your enthusiasm for exploring the unknown wonders that only the western Colorado night sky can offer.  Please be courteous to other guests in the camping area by parking away from the presentation and limiting the use of flashlights.

The star program is free, but each vehicle that enters the park must display a Colorado State Parks annual pass or $7 daily pass, available at the park entrance. Make the star party the end of a wonderful day spent in the outdoors at one of the three Rifle Gap parks. Rifle Gap is approximately 10 miles from I-70. Take I-70 to the Rifle exit (90), then go north on Highway 13 for four miles. This takes you through the town of Rifle on Railroad Avenue. When the road comes to a ‘Y’ stay to the right on Highway 13. Turn right onto Highway 325 and Rifle Gap will be about 6 miles. For program information call Terry Wise, park naturalist, at 970-625-1607.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife was created by the merger of Colorado State Parks and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, two nationally recognized leaders in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado’s wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. To learn more about Colorado’s state parks, please see: http://parks.state.co.us. To learn more about Colorado’s wildlife programs, please see: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Image courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife