I know there are a lot of people interested in the night sky while out tripping.

Einstein's Shadow - this book is about the effort to photograph the expected black hole at the center of galaxy. To the uninitiated, this might seem odd:
1) that there is a black hole at the center
2) if it's a black hole, how can you photograph it, I thought black holes were black?
3) what's the big deal, why can't we see it (hint: all that milk)
4) what's a black hole anyway? ( I've seen all the Star Wars & Star Trek movies, what more would I need to know?)
5) what, how, and why use a radio telescope? What is there to hear?
yada yada....
The Event Horizon Telescope, a worldwide network of radio telescopes created to study black holes, and in particular the one at the center of our galaxy was written by a lay person with access to the people and the telescopes they use, consequently the book is written in lay language all can understand. It will answer these questions and more.

The Very Large Array was in our fire district when I worked in New Mexico for the BLM.
It has a visitor center, I went there once or twice.

Very Large Array

^ I'm hoping to tour that next time I am vacationing in New Mexico


Event Horizon Telescope
the above is a worldwide network of radio telescopes, including the one on Mt. Graham nearby in Arizona which would also be cool to tour

sadly, the super duper cool array in Chile, ALMA, has reduced operations due to the political situation in Chile



National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Two nice campgrounds are in that area, one in Datil, BLM and one in the Magdelena Mtns near Magdelena, USFS.
There are also endless oppertunities for dispersed camping.

I back packed near this telescope/MRO on top of the Magdelena Mtn's. It was closed to the public, but from the website it looks like you can now get a tour of it if you become a member.