Looking for a quiet night in the mountains away from town? Avoid the activities on main street and try checking out some stargazing up on Sapphire Point at the top of Swan Mountain. This is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy some fresh mountain air and free fun under the stars. Sapphire point is just a short walk from the main parking lot at the top of Swan Mountain, which makes this makes this destination easily accessible but decently secluded. Check out the Sapphire Point destination info to help find the parking area and trail head.
the Milky Way over Summit County- a Santiago Luque Photo
Up here the light pollution is low so the stars are extra clear and at just under 10,800 feet you have a slight height advantage as well. Sapphire point is also a great place to overlook the city lights of the near by towns of Frisco and Dillon, which are complimented nicely by the lakes reflection. Nights here in Summit County are no stranger to clear skies so a vivid view of the milky way is almost always expected. Colorado is known for its “300 days of sun” a year but people forget to mention how great the night time is out here in the mountains. So get out side and escape the hustle bustle with a nice local escape.
There are some interesting astronomy events coming up the next few months as well so be sure to check the calendar and see if they fall the same dates as your trip!
A Local Tip: Get out there a little early and catch the sun setting over the Gore Range. Sapphire point is also one of the BEST places for a sunset in Summit County.
A snowy sunset taken from Sapphire Point