As we approach longest day of year, let’s talk nighttime stargazing in WA
In an era of faster-moving technology, vehicles and minds, looking up might be one of the simplest ways to humble ourselves in this hyper-digital world.
As long as there is something to see. Light pollution from cities like Tacoma can make it difficult to view the celestial heavens above, below and all around this ball of rock we stand on as it hurtles through space.
What we see of stars in the night sky, which is essentially starlight traveling at the speed of light, represents anywhere from 4 years to several thousand years of effort to reach us. The star you’re staring at might not even exist anymore. It may have burst into a brilliant supernova a thousand years ago that we won’t even see for another thousand.
There’s a lot for humans to ponder and unpack when staring at the stars. Perhaps the human origin story is out there, and maybe even extraterrestrial ones. It’s decidedly wonderful that one of the most brilliant theologians studies astrophysics, and the physicist who helped develop the Big Bang Theory believed in God.
The Vatican operates some of the most technologically advanced and well-respected astronomical facilities in the world.
Which brings me back to the fact that everyone loves to look up. But we need to be able to have something (besides overcast skies) to look up at. As summer approaches, gray skies release their hold on Western Washington, and stargazing season begins.
Where are the best places to go?
Goldendale State Park
Dark Sky International is a nonprofit that certifies prime stargazing locations based on their lack of light pollution. They’ve certified 176 different locations in the United States. While Oregon has eight Dark Sky-approved places, Washington has exactly zero.
Goldendale State Park, just east of Gifford Pinchot National Forest in South Central Washington, was once a certified Dark Sky Park, but it lost its designation in 2017. At the time, The Yakima Herald-Republic reported that late and incomplete reports, lack of signage and an ill-timed comment were to blame. what was the ill-timed comment?
The News Tribune reached out to Dark Sky International for comment about any future Washington plans but had not heard back at the time of publication.
In the meantime, Goldendale State Park and Observatory is a wonderful place to stargaze. Its observatory houses the largest publicly available telescope in the country. It sits atop Observation Hill and offers our state’s most massive window to the stars. The park offers two visitor programs, a daytime solar program and an evening program.
Note: a Discover Pass is needed for parking, and reservations are needed for the visitor center and telescope. Programs are free and include instructional viewings of the sun and other deep sky objects.
Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park
With 95% of Olympic National Park designated as wilderness, you could really land just about anywhere and enjoy visceral visions of the stars. But if you’re looking for galaxies, constellations, nebulae, planets and stars, you want to head up to Hurricane Ridge.
At a mile up, Hurricane Ridge is not only closer to space, it also offers unobstructed horizons and quite a bit of distance from light pollution. You can see the Milky Way up there (pending clouds).
The National Parks Service offers free astronomy programs and telescopes on clear nights, and Volunteer “Dark Sky” Ranger John Goar also leads his own astronomy programs.
Mount Rainier National Park
Is this too obvious? If we’re going with Olympic NP, we need to include Mount Rainier. There are many perfect stargazing opportunities in Mount Rainier National Park, from something as simple as driving to the Paradise parking lot, to as complicated as Camp Muir at 10,188 feet. Paradise sits 5,400 feet above sea level and 60 miles from the nearest city and has zero light pollution. You can drive right into the parking lot and walk 100 feet to enjoy all the celestial wonders your mind can handle. Restrooms in the lot are open 24 hours, and rangers host star programs in the summer months. If you’re heading for the summit or training for it, enjoy a night in the cramped mountaineer's cabin at Camp Muir. Or, better yet, pitch a tent under the stars (though you’ll want that rain fly on when you go to sleep). Any overnight stay at Camp Muir requires a wilderness permit. For less rigorous stargazing, head to Reflection Lakes. Here, you can look up or look down for one of the most unique views of the heavens the Northwest has to offer.
SunTop Lookout
SunTop Lookout, built in 1933, is an active and operational fire lookout that’s perfect for stargazing and a bit closer to Tacoma than the rest of our options. At only 60 miles from Tacoma and accessed by a one-lane dirt road, just about anyone can escape light pollution and gain higher ground here.
Suntop Lookout is located outside Enumclaw, just off state Route 410 in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The lookout is staffed by volunteers from the end of June to the end of September, and if the gates are open, you can drive to the summit. If the top gate is closed, you can hoof it 0.5 miles to the top.
Are you looking for Milky Way photos over Mount Rainier? Go here.
For more stargazing events and ideas closer to Tacoma, check in with the Tacoma Astronomical Society.
This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "As we approach longest day of year, let’s talk nighttime stargazing in WA."
.jpg)