Observatory At South Park

100%

31 reviews

· Fairplay, Park, Colorado · 6 acres

Hosted by John M.

8 RV/tent sites

Amazing views

Hipcampers say this spot has amazing views.

Family-friendly

Recent Hipcampers say this Hipcamp is great for families and kids.

John is a Star Host

Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.

Off-leash friendly

Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp.

Observatory At South Park! THE UNIVERSE AWAITS With an incredable Night Sky, The Observatory at South Park is located on 5.37 acres in Harstel Colorado. According to web site Darksitefinder.com, The Observatory at South Park location is rated Dark Blue! That's the 3rd darkest on their scale with Gray & Black skies to the South & West. Telescope Our main Telescope this year is a custom built well-crafted 13-inch Dobsonian telescope. This scope created by Robert Teeter of Teeters Telescopes has a 13in primary mirror. Stay Up with us! See Planets, Moons, Rings, Star Clusters, Nebulas, Galaxies and more! Outdoor recreation is the maindraw to the area, The pristine South Platt River flows thru Hartsel/South Park offering great trout fishing year round. The South Platt fills 3 awesome Reservoirs, Antero, Spinney, and Eleven Mile State Park with boating, fishing, hiking, biking, swimming. Hunting is also popular on Federal lands and stat wildlife areas.WE ARE OPEN MOST NIGHTS MID MAY - AUG! *Camp at 9100 ft *Explore the Summer MilkyWay *See Mountains and Craters on the Moon *View Jupiter and its Clouds and Moons * *See Saturn and its Rings *Experience a Meteor Shower! *Alpine Basin *South Park *Hartsel *Fairplay The Universe Awaits!!

RV details

Travel trailers, Fifth wheels, Toy haulers, Pop-up campers, Class A RVs, Class B RVs, Class C RVs, Campervans, and Cars allowed

Vehicles under 100 feet allowed

Pull-in site

Accommodates slideouts

Surface type: Grass or field

Surface levelness: Requires leveling

Generators allowed

No electrical hookup

No water hookup

No sewage hookup

No TV hookup

What to expect

RV/tent site

Camping area selected or assigned upon arrival.

10 guests max per site

Campfires allowed

Communal

Toilet available

Portable toilet

Pets allowed

Off leash

No potable water

Bring your own water

No showers

Pack it out

Cooking equipment absent

Picnic table absent

No wifi

Laundry absent

Hot Tub absent

No playground

Things to know

Getting there

Check in: After 3:00 PM

Check out: Before 12:00 PM

On arrival: Meet with Host

Cancellation policy: Flexible

Minimum nights: 1 night

Accepts bookings: 18 months out

Park at listing

Wheelchair access

Max 2 vehicles

2WD accessible

During your trip

Leave it better

Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.

Reviews

100% Recommend41 ratings · 31 reviews

Drew K.

10 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Tent

John was an amazing host! We had a great night under the stars. Great company in a beautiful setting. Way more of a great experience than I was expecting. We will be back next summer!!

J. Michael O.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Tent · With kids

Great host with easy directions to the site. Kids enjoyed the first camping experience and all the instruction that John was able to provide about the night sky. Will be back!

Remy M.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Amazing stargazing!!

Tent · Group trip

My family & I loved camping at John’s spot! He was very accommodating to us and generous. We could see the entire sky, and looked at stars & planets through his telescope, and he was incredibly knowledgeable about stars and space! The camping spot was perfect for our rooftop tent, as we were pretty close to the other campers. The facility onsite was very clean and well maintained. We will definitely be booking again for meteor showers and solar events!

Elly R.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Tent · Group trip

Wide open land to camp on. Beautiful view of the mountains. Port o potty available to use. John was a great host and taught us so much about astronomy while there!

Taylor C.

7 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Tent · With pets

Camping on John’s land was wonderful, with great views of the valley and better views of the stars at night. He was patient and shared what he knew about constellations every night. The tent sites are fairly close together, but we had absolutely no issues with anybody during our time there.

Cass R.

4 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2024

Thank You John!

Tent · Group trip

My friends and I tent camped at John’s property and WOW! Not only is John incredibly knowledgeable about astronomy but he truly cares about his guests. John made us feel welcome and included every night. And in one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, John chased down our canopy tent TWICE to help us stake it down better in the wind. (Thank you again!) Both nights we stayed were close to New Moon nights, so the opportunity to see stars and the Milky Way was the best it could be! Everyone gathered at the fire pit every night to chat before our “lesson” with John. We saw star clusters, Saturn and some of its moons, nebulas and more. Our last night we even got to hear some coyotes howling :) Don’t skip this opportunity! John is fantastic host and this was our best camping experience!

Location

Fairplay, Park, Colorado, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) First Nations according to

Native Land Digital.

To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking