Marvel at the universe under a blanket of stars on your summer outdoor adventures.
If you’re looking for a break from city lights, head for Southern Oregon. The region is blessed with some of the darkest skies in the country, and conservationists and communities are teaming up with Dark Sky Oregon to help keep them that way. It’s not only good for stargazing; wildlife and migrating birds benefit from the cover of night, too. From the Oregon Outback to the Oregon Caves, you’ll find a variety of landscapes and many ways to enjoy the region’s star-studded skies.
A few tips can help you plan your trip. For the starriest skies, you’ll want to pick days when the weather is clear and the moon is new or a tiny sliver. For a special treat, catch the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August. Apps can help you identify stars, constellations, comets and more; for most of them, simply point your phone at the sky. Try SkyView Lite for an easy, intuitive experience, or Stellarium for the serious stargazer.
Here are some great places for enjoying dark skies in Southern Oregon.
Cave Exploration and Camping in the Illinois Valley
Explore a maze of caverns by day and the Milky Way at night at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, a complex of caverns located in the heart of the Siskiyou Mountains. You can explore this designated International Dark Sky Park on a ranger-led tour or follow a trail through the lush forest to panoramic vistas of the Illinois Valley. Buffered by undeveloped natural landscapes, the 4,554-acre park is home to ecosystems and cave critters found nowhere else in the world. Be sure to check the website or visitor center for summertime night-sky events like meteor shower watch parties.
You can camp under the stars near Oregon Caves or within city limits at Cave Junction KOA Journey, which hosts occasional star parties. North of town, choose from cabins, tipis or RV/tent sites at the Resort at Lake Selmac; hostel-style lodging, yurts or tent sites at the Siskiyou Field Institute; or laze by the Illinois River at Laughing Alpaca Campground + RV Park.
Scenic Hikes and Stargazing
Along with old-growth conifer forests, oak savannas, mountain meadows and distinctive basalt formations, the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument offers solitude and some of the darkest skies near the I-5 corridor. To enjoy them, plan a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail to Hobart Bluff or Green Springs Mountain, or track the stars above the lake at Hyatt Lake Recreation Area during a moonlight paddle. Stargaze from one of several campgrounds or from the deck of a cozy cabin at the Green Springs Inn or Hyatt Lake Resort. Connect with Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument to learn about ranger-led hikes and Dark Sky-oriented events.
West of Jacksonville, you’ll find more dark skies above the bucolic Applegate Valley. Here Applegate After Dark hosts events like a binocular stargazing party at Wooldridge Creek Vineyard. It was so successful last year that they’re planning similar events at other Applegate Valley wineries. Explore the Applegate River on foot, horseback or watercraft at Provolt Recreation Site, a park where Applegate After Dark is gathering data to support its future designation as a Dark Sky Place.
Though not an officially certified Dark Sky Place, Crater Lake National Park visitors treasure the star-studded skies above the caldera for astrophotography.
Soak Up the Stars in the Oregon Outback
Lake County is home to sagebrush deserts, pine forests, small friendly towns and some of the biggest, darkest skies you’ll ever see. The eastern half of the county is part of the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary, the first in Oregon and the largest in the world. Use this handy map to plan your visit.
East of Lakeview, camp at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, where you can stargaze while soaking in the hot spring; during the day, hike the refuge, observe pronghorn and other wildlife, and see how the landscape is recovering from the 2024 Warner Peak wildfire.
North of Paisley, stay in a rustic cabin at the Lodge at Summer Lake, or hunt for constellations while bathing in the healing mineral waters at Summer Lake Hot Springs. By day tour this shallow alkali lake, one of Oregon’s best spots to see waterfowl.
Top photo by Shannon Theall
