This famous Arizona observatory is about to reopen for tours. Here's how to sign up

Michael Salerno, Arizona Republic
·3 min read
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An observatory on southern Arizona's highest mountain peak is reopening for public tours for the first time since March 2020, when they were paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tours of Mount Graham International Observatory will begin May 20 and run on Saturdays through late Oct. The tours are operated by Eastern Arizona College's Discovery Park Campus in Safford.

The tours involve a trek to near the summit of Mount Graham and viewing the observatory's three telescopes. Occasionally, guests will encounter astronomers who work on the telescopes.

"When we get to the telescopes, it's just absolutely spectacular, the technology going on there and the work being done," said Paul Anger, director of EAC's Discovery Park Campus. "The sheer size of the machinery and to see how it was constructed and realize what it actually does, it's amazing."

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Where is the Mount Graham observatory?

The Mount Graham observatory is on a remote site in the Pinaleño Mountains. It's part of the Coronado National Forest and administered by the U.S. Forest Service's Safford Ranger District, according to Eastern Arizona College.

What do Mount Graham Observatory tours include?

Each tour involves a 40-mile drive to the observatory near the summit of Mount Graham, including a discussion on the mountain's history and ecology as well as the astronomy activities.

Tours start at Eastern Arizona College in Safford, about 165 miles southeast of Phoenix. After an orientation, the group boards a van and heads to the forest service's Columbine Visitor Center, Anger said. There, guests will receive a box lunch.

From there, the group will take a long, winding drive up Mount Graham to view the observatory's three telescopes: the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory, the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and the Large Binocular Telescope, the world’s most powerful telescope.

"Generally, we're able to stand on the floor of the telescope and see how massive it is," Anger said.

The observatory part of the tour lasts about an hour, he said. After the tour, the group heads back down the mountain.

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Is Mount Graham a sky island?

Yes. A sky island is an isolated mountain range surrounded by lowlands with a different type of environment. Anger said the observatory tours take guests through five different biomes, starting in the desert and ending in a forest of Engelman spruce trees.

"It's like driving from Baja, Mexico, to Canada in an hour," he said.

Tour groups may see some of the animals that live in the area, such as turkeys, deer and occasionally a bear, Anger said.

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How you can visit the Mount Graham Observatory

When: Mount Graham tours run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays from May 20 through Oct. 21. Guests should arrive by 8:30 a.m.

Admission: Participants must be 12 or older. Tours cost $75 per person; $60 for ages 12-17 and 65 and older.

Reservations: Each tour is limited to 10 people. There are three ways to make a reservation:

Details: Eastern Arizona College, 1651 W. Discovery Park Blvd., Safford. https://www.eac.edu/discoverypark/mgio.shtm.

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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mount Graham Observatory in Arizona is reopening for tours