Looking to do some stargazing?
You’re in luck! Washington’s night skies are beautiful and are truly sights to behold for both amateur and professional stargazers alike.
If you live in or near our luxury Seattle apartments, then you know how bright and busy the city life can get! For some peace, quiet and super dark skies, head out to these stargazing spots around Seattle where you can see Washington’s starry sky in all its glory!
10 places to stargaze around Seattle, WA
Alki Beach
Location: Alki Beach, Seattle
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 18 mins
Head out to this beach on the West Seattle peninsula for a dark-ish night sky view not too far from the city. Sure, the light pollution from Seattle spills over toward that area, but Alki Beach’s proximity to light-free Elliott Bay makes it one of the better options around metro Seattle.
Discovery Park
Location: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 18 mins
Seattle’s largest park is a great spot to go stargazing, as long as you’re okay with doing some night time hiking. The park is open until 11 p.m. which, in the winter, gives you a good six hours of dark night skies!
Trails weaving through the park will bring you through forested canopies to open meadows and scenic beaches, both of which are great for doing some stargazing. Stay away from the lighthouse, though, as that will ruin your night vision and make it difficult to see the stars.
Rattlesnake Ledge
Location: Snoqualmie Valley Trail, North Bend, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 35 minutes
For the more adventurous stargazers out there, Rattlesnake Ledge is a top-tier spot to go stargazing where you’re sure to avoid any city light pollution.
The 5.3-mile hike up Rattlesnake Ledge is a doozy during the daytime, with a crowded trail and plenty of traffic to and from the trailhead. And don’t even get us started on parking! Luckily, though, doing this hike later in the evening or in the wee hours of the morning will guarantee fewer crowds and more parking spots — not to mention a stunning view of the Milky Way stretching across the dark night sky!
Bainbridge Island
Location: Bainbridge Island
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 55 minutes
Just a hop, skip, jump and a short ferry ride away are the parks and fields of Bainbridge Island, which, thanks to their distance from Seattle and their proximity to Elliot Bay, are perfect for stargazing.
Be sure to check out Battle Point Park, which is the home to the Battle Point Astronomical Association. With 90 acres of beautiful fields and peaceful forests, the park is a great spot to do some stargazing on your own, though you’re also welcome to join the association’s stargazing events that are held throughout the month.
Katchess Lake
Location: Cle Elum, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 1 hour, 10 minutes
When looking for spots to stargaze, look for areas next to large lakes and surrounded by national forests, as those places generally have less light pollution than others.
Katchess Lake in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is a great example of this! Though just off I-90 and a few miles from Cle Elum and Snoqualmie Pass, the deep forests and the large expanse of water make these lake shores ideal for stargazing. Even better, boat out onto the lake and get the full view with nothing but water and mountains around you!
Cle Elum Lake
Location: Cle Elum, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Again, lakes and national forests are always a good choice for stargazing, but Cle Elum Lake is uniquely special.
Cle Elum Lake is surrounded by beautiful beaches that allow campers and visitors to get right next to the water and away from the tree line. Here, you will have nearly unobstructed views of the stars (the ones that aren’t blocked by the mountains, that is) and a great view of any meteor showers that may streak through the skies.
Mount Rainier National Park
Location: Mount Rainier National Park
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 2+ hours
Countless Washington stargazers — both amateur and professional alike — have camped out at the foot of Mount Rainier for a chance to glimpse some of the best views of the skies around.
Though towering high above and blocking a fair amount of the skies behind it, Mount Rainier’s imposing peak makes stargazing all the more special, especially on a perfectly clear night. The volcano’s snowy peak sits quietly below a blanket of stars unbothered by city light pollution and traffic, and astrophotographers who make it to the park are rewarded with stunning photos that you just can’t get anywhere else in Washington.
Whether you’re camping or just visiting, try out these popular spots in the Mount Rainier National Park when considering your next stargazing escapade.
Sunrise
Location: Sunrise Park Rd, Ashford, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 2 hours
This location is popular and easy to get to, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking to go to a tried-and-true spot without any hiking or scrambling involved.
Mowich Lake
Location: Ashford, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 2 hours
The road to this lake is rough, so don’t even consider it if you aren’t extremely comfortable and prepared to potentially drive a long, winding, washed-out road in the dark. Seriously.
The views, though, are stunning from the Mowich Lake area, especially if you get to hike up to the fire lookout tower nearby. There, you’ll get views of the lake, the forest and, of course, Mount Rainier itself under the shimmering night skies.
Paradise
Location: Paradise Road E, Ashford, WA
Distance from Downtown Seattle: 2 hours, 20 minutes
This spot is a little less popular than Sunrise, so you should get fewer crowds here and, as a result, less light pollution from cars, flashlights and lanterns.
Happy stargazing!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/Pexels
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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