Stargazing sites

We’re often asked where to go to see the stars. We have found that a lot of astronomy enthusiasts have favorite spots. We’ve combed through a list of resources, from personal sites to astronomy clubs and advocates to compile two maps of stargazing sites. The first map looks at sites in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The second highlights some spots within the greater Seattle area. There’s a lot of light pollution in the city, but some places are better than others.

Particular thanks go to our friends at CosmosPNW and Alice’s Astro Info, and to Dynamic Structures, who sent us their favorite sites north of the border in British Columbia. We also pulled several sites from Alan Boyle’s Geekwire article published in 2015 about the Perseid meteor shower.

NOTE: Many of the sites mapped are in public parks, and most if not all of these may be closed as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Check on the status of any parks you might wish to visit, follow safe-at-home guidelines, and practice social distancing in your stargazing.

It’s always a good idea to check out a stargazing site during the daylight to identify any hazards before venturing out in the dark. Remember to take appropriate safety precautions when going out for night-time activities.

This page is a work in progress. Send us info about your favorite sites!