Current KDDS Viewing Conditions (courtesy of ClearDarkSky.com)

Stellar ecosystem extinction. As scary as this may sound, the intrusion of human-made illumination has slowly dimmed the night sky and what we could see. The ecosystem of stars we see above is slowly becoming dimmer and dimmer, the wonders of the universe hidden behind a veil of man-made light.

But there is hope! The Denver Astronomical Society’s Kline-Dodge Dark Site provides dark skies for astronomers, once again allowing our light-gathering instruments to see the universe.

Many DAS members, including Ed Kline, George Jones, and Larry Brooks, worked for years to find and acquire a good dark observation site. Because of their perseverance, the Deer Trail Dark Sky Site was found and leased on the beautiful plains of Eastern Colorado, a mere 60-mile drive from Denver. The site was renamed the Edmund G. Kline Dark Site after a late society member who made many important contributions to the development of the dark site. The site was opened in the late 1990s.

DAS member Darrell Dodge undertook the Dark Site Committee Chair role in 2005 when the need to maintain and supervise the site became apparent. Over the next 15 years, he made countless trips to do everything from mowing the several acres to performing and supervising maintenance, from minor to major, and training and orienting members. He managed the Dark Site funds, negotiated the lease, and was responsible for all the major improvements and additions made during that period.

DAS members who use and enjoy the Dark Site do so because of Darrell Dodge’s tireless work. In tribute to Darrell, the Denver Astronomical Society Executive Board officially voted and resolved in October 2022 that, in recognition of his longstanding and outstanding stewardship of the DAS Dark Site, the facility be named the Kline-Dodge Dark Site. The change was made official on December 10, 2022, during a special presentation at the DAS Holiday Banquet.

The dark site is intended for DAS members and their guests. To use it, you must be a DAS member in good standing, a personal guest of a DAS member, or a registered participant in a scheduled DAS outreach event at the site led by a DAS member.

Dark Sky Weekends are normally scheduled once per month, on the weekend nearest the new moon. These are the recommended times for new members to receive site orientations because it is more likely that DAS members will be using the site (due to the long travel distance to the Dark Site, no orientations will be provided on nights when conditions are not conducive to observing).

In addition to pristine dark skies, and with the development of the property over the years, you can find the following amenities:

Fourteen 10′ x 10′ concrete N-S aligned observing pads (3 doubles and 8 singles) each with a separate AC power pole with four grounded outlets; six pads with footings for portable windscreens.
The Brooks Observatory is a one hundred-square-foot metal ExploraDome observatory building with a rotating 8-ft dome. It houses a 14-inch Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope on a pier-mounted Celestron CGE mount with a Celestron NexStar control system (named after former DAS President Lawrence Brooks).
Two cleared observing areas (south end) are available for research and imaging. These areas are registered with the International Astronomical Union (IAU) (see Observatory Code information below).
A 17.5-inch DAS444 Dobsonian telescope.
Just west of 8 new observing pads is a leveled area for large Dobsonian telescopes and/or vehicle parking.
Warming hut with electric heat, red lighting, a microwave oven, a small table, and seating areas.
Six portable windscreens designed to block prevailing southerly winds up to 30 mph.
Two designated handicapped parking spaces.
The highly important vault toilet with nighttime red lighting.
Gravel access road.

Locations and Directions to the Kline-Dodge Dark Site

The location of the Kline-Dodge Dark Site is

Latitude: N 39: 38: 39.1
Longitude: W 103: 55: 45.2
Elevation: 1569 meters

The observatory code for reporting astrometric measurements is H05. When sending in astrometric measurements, use the code if you are doing it on the EGK site only (upper, South end of the site). This is for sending in asteroid, comet, and supernova reports. No longitude and latitude information are needed.

Google Map Directions

Driving directions to the Kline-Dodge Dark Site

The Kline-Dodge Dark Site is about 60 miles east of the “mousetrap” in downtown Denver (the interchange of I-25 and I-70).
Take I-70 East to the Deer Trail exit (exit 328), turn left at the end of the exit ramp, and bear left again on CR 217 (passing the Phillips 66 station).
Take CR 217 just over 1/2 mile, and turn right (East) onto CR 34 (Jolly Road). Stay on CR 34 about 6 miles until you get to CR 241 (Bixler Road).
Turn left (North) onto CR 241 and continue about 1.4 miles. You’ll see high poles and a wide gate on the right (East) side of the road.

Directions for arrival from the North

Take I-70 eastbound to exit 316 (Byers).
Turn left at end of ramp which puts you on eastbound US-36. Take US-36 east 17.2 miles to CR 241.
Turn right (south) onto CR 241 and continue for 6.2 miles.
The site entrance is on the left (east) side between two tall posts. The entrance can be difficult to spot. Note that a small grove of trees is directly East of the site.

Note: Travel distance from Denver using the North route is actually 3.9 miles shorter than the traditional route, but takes longer. The first 5 miles of CR 241 going south from US-36 is narrow and somewhat rough. Be careful.

Before you Go!

Before you pack up your car with all your astro gear and head on out to the Kline-Dodge Dark Site, there a few things to know.

Guidelines

Orientations. If you’re a new member to the Kline-Dodge Dark Site and need an orientation, they are offered typically once a month close to the new moon when someone will be there to provide an orientation. Please check the events calendar on the member portal for upcoming orientations. Be aware that orientations may need to be canceled or rescheduled based on weather or other circumstances.
Kline-Dodge Dark Site Usage Guidelines (PDF). This is a list of general use guidelines including light usage policies. Please familiarize yourself with these recommendations before you go out. By accessing the Kline-Dodge Dark Site, you agree to abide by the rules governing the usage of the Kline-Dodge Dark Site.
Light courtesy. In order to not light pollute the Kline-Dodge Dark Site site at night, it is important that you use appropriate astronomical lighting at the site (dim red lights) and to make sure your car is appropriately adapted as well. More information.
Observing conditions. Use cleardarksky.com to find the conditions at the Kline-Dodge Dark Site.
To make the site enjoyable and safe for everyone, smoking and alcohol or drug use are strictly prohibited at the site. Any music or media played must be appropriate and at low volume. Violations of these rules will result in expulsion from the site and possible revocation of membership.
Please Note – The Kline-Dodge Dark Site, due to maintenance and leasing costs is only available to DAS members, any person interested in accessing the site MUST join DAS first, this includes the initial orientation.