06/01/2026
Mesa Verde National Park, an International Dark Sky Park, is excited to host three free beginner astrophotography workshops in July 2026. Join astrophotographer Don Riddle to learn how to take photos of the Milky Way.
The workshops will be held on the nights of Tuesday, July 14; Wednesday, July 15; and Thursday, July 16. Each night is a stand-alone workshop and begins at 7:15pm near the park entrance. The workshop location has an excellent view of the Milky Way!
The workshops begin in daylight to get you familiar with your camera settings and then continues as the sun sets and the Milky Way rises above. The evening finishes around midnight. An optional drop-in session will be held the following day, indoors, to learn how to edit your photos.
The following equipment is required for participants:
Required
• Camera with ISO up to 6400 available (DSLR or mirrorless, please)
• Wide angle lens 50mm or less (stock lenses are ok, f stop lower than 3.2 is preferred)
• Sturdy tripod
• Red light headlamp
• Warm clothes
• Camp chair - there is no seating available at workshop location
• Extra Memory card
• Thumb drive
Recommended
• Remote shutter
• Extra batteries
• Water and snacks
• Bring warm clothing – it gets cool in Colorado at night!
Remember, this is a late-night workshop - please arrive well-rested!
Registration for this free workshop is required and is limited to 15 participants per workshop. Registration link on Mesa Verde National Park webpage:
https://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/stargazing.htm
Photo: NPS/Jacob W. Frank
Photo description: Our galaxy -the Milky Way- a large collection of stars and stellar gases, stretches across a dark sky full of stars. The horizon is a large mesa and wooded foothills with a faint glow.
