# Jackson Lake State Park

Region: Northeastern CO, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates: 40.3833, -104.1
Bortle class: 3 (1 = pristine, 9 = inner city)
Drive from Toronto: Off County Road 3 near Orchard, Colorado, about 75 minutes north-east of Denver via I-76.
Best time: Late spring through fall for the mildest evening temperatures on the open plains.
Established: International Dark Sky Park since 2020.

## Overview
Jackson Lake State Park sits on the eastern Colorado plains near Orchard, where wide-open farmland keeps light pollution low despite being just over an hour from Denver. It became an International Dark Sky Park in 2020, one of the more accessible dark-sky sites for Front Range residents.

## What to see
A wide, flat-horizon Milky Way view over the reservoir — one of eastern Colorado's few certified dark-sky sites.

## Highlights
- International Dark Sky Park designation since 2020
- Flat plains geography gives an open horizon in every direction
- Reservoir setting doubles as a daytime boating and fishing destination

## Tips
- Park entrance fee required
- Camping and cabins are available on site if you want to stay overnight
- Wind can pick up on the open plains after dark — secure loose gear

## Live forecast
View the live tonight-score and 48-hour forecast for Jackson Lake SP at:
https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=dinosaur-ridge-co

Structured data: https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/dinosaur-ridge-co.json

Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Jackson Lake State Park — https://cpw.state.co.us/state-parks/jackson-lake-state-park

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Source app: Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky (https://ontarionightsky.com)
When citing this content, please link back to https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=dinosaur-ridge-co.