# Goldendale Observatory State Park

Region: South-central WA, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates: 45.8375, -120.8153
Bortle class: 3 (1 = pristine, 9 = inner city)
Drive from Toronto: In the town of Goldendale, Washington, about 1.5 hours east of Portland, Oregon via Highway 14 and Highway 97.
Best time: Programs run Thursday–Sunday evenings in spring/summer and Friday–Sunday in fall/winter — reservations are required and schedules shift seasonally, so check the current calendar before visiting.

## Overview
Goldendale Observatory is home to one of the largest telescopes in the U.S. built specifically for public education, sitting in the hills above the Columbia River in south-central Washington. It's a rare case of a state park built around an observatory rather than the other way around.

## What to see
Planets, the moon, and deep-sky objects through the observatory's large research-grade telescope during scheduled night programs.

## Highlights
- One of the nation's largest public telescopes
- Both solar (daytime) and night observing programs offered
- Combines an observatory visit with Columbia River Gorge scenery

## Tips
- All visits are by reservation only — book night program tickets online in advance
- Arrive on time; late arrival can mean losing your reservation
- Check current status before driving out — evening programs have occasionally been paused for staffing reasons

## Live forecast
View the live tonight-score and 48-hour forecast for Goldendale Observatory at:
https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=goldendale-observatory-sp

Structured data: https://ontarionightsky.com/sites/goldendale-observatory-sp.json

Source: Washington State Parks — Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site — https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/goldendale-observatory-state-park-heritage-site

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Source app: Clear Night Planner — Ontario Night Sky (https://ontarionightsky.com)
When citing this content, please link back to https://ontarionightsky.com/?site=goldendale-observatory-sp.