The Riverside Astronomical Society has been "Bringing the Joys of Astronomy to the Public," as its motto says, for more than forty years. Monthly meetings, regular camping trips at dark-sky sites, telescope making, and many outreach programs with schools and boy scout troops kept them busy.

But for the last few years in particular, the club had been trying to establish a permanent dark sky observing site. Finally, their efforts were rewarded when  Paul and Mary Livio, of the Western Observatorium, donated five acres of desert land in Landers, CA.   The Livio's saw that the 200 members of the Riverside Astronomical Society had the technical expertise, the enthusiasm, the ability to work hard, and most importantly the outgoing and friendly attitude that would be needed to develop this site into a working observing site.

In August of 2000, the club took ownership of the property, raised some $15,000 in individual pledges and donations, and began their development efforts.

The club established a Site Committee. The group immediately set about making the site a good place for public and member star parties. Since the area had been used as a dump by people for some time, this meant cleaning and making the area safe to walk around and, more importantly, to set up telescopes.

Volunteers met at the site several times a month just to clean, put up fence posts, and discuss options. Some members solicited donations. Others spent hours with county planning officials, neighbors, and others to find out what was possible and what was not. A couple of people made signs, and many turned out at the monthly Star Parties.

At the same time, the Site Committee generated a discussion among all the members about just what they wanted the place to be.  The Committee conducted an extensive survey and learned about the needs of the membership.

Finally, in February, 2001, the Site Committee adopted a Master Plan, and gave the go-ahead to begin construction. Within a week, Phase I was largely completed. With the help of volunteers, the site was graded with spaces for a common telescope field, campgrounds, recreational vehicle pull-throughs, and parking for other visitors.

The high point of the development of this site was the November 2001 Leonid Meteor shower, when 400 visitors came to witness ten thousand meteors.

But it was becoming clear that the club could not economically overcome the zoning problems that would make it very costly to get permits for utilities and other construction on the site.

The club, therefore, decided to reserve what would become known as the Landers Lane Site for possible larger star parties with the general public, and to look for a site that already had utilities and could be more readily further developed.

In April, 2002, the club took ownership of a five acre plot about three miles north of the old site. The "Botkin Road Site" (or GMARS, as it is presently referred to) already had a house, garage, and some fencing. In the next few months, cleanup crews made the place usable for small star parties. In the future, a Master Plan will include recreational vehicle sites, campsites, a telescope field, telescope pads, and observatory areas. 

In March of 2005, the Landers Lane property was sold.  In the coming years, the members of the club will continue to improve GMARS so that all amateur astronomers in the Inland Empire will have a place to observe under very dark skies.

Dark Sky Site Search near Red Cloud Mine
November, 1999

First visit to Landers Lane Site
March, 2000

Paul and Mary Livio donate the property to the RAS
August, 2000

Leonid Meteor Shower Event at Landers Lane Site
November 2001

Botkin Road Site (GMARS)
September, 2002

GMARS Clubhouse
September, 2002

GMARS Site Development

GMARS Road Map & Directions for Printing

Guide to GMARS

Star Party Etiquette at GMARS

What Should I Bring to GMARS?

GMARS Pad Use Rules