A Few of the Best Places to Stargaze in the Greater Sacramento Area
Summer vacation is starting to come to an end, but do not let the beginning of school take away from your time in nature! Here are a few places with the best stargazing and low light pollution in the greater Sacramento area. Weather is a huge factor in stargazing so make sure to check out a site like AccuWeather to see the visibility for stargazing. Click here to check out how stargazing visibility looks in Sacramento!
Salmon Falls Bridge
Old Salmon Falls Road
El Dorado County
One of the spots locals say is a great place to check out the stars. Pull off on the side of the road and listen to the water while staring up into the night sky. Just a short drive down Salmon Falls Road from Folsom or El Dorado Hills yields some picturesque views with low light pollution.
The Community Observatory
Upper Bidwell Park
6699 Campus Drive
Placerville, CA 95667
(530) 622-7130
This observatory is located at Horseshoe Lake and is open to the public with no cost Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is a $2 fee for parking at the college. The observatory allows guests to view stars and track planets through the 17 inch and 14 inch reflecting telescopes. There is plenty of space around the observatory to lay out a blanket and watch the stars as well. The 40 seat circular structure is also said to be one of the first open sky planetariums.
Foresthill Bridge
Foresthill Road
Auburn, CA 95603
A little north of historic Auburn the sky becomes more visible and the light pollution decreases. The Foresthill bridge spans from Foresthill to Auburn and covers the north fork of the American River. This bridge is the highest in the state and is ranked in the top five in the country. Not only can you walk on the bridge, but there are a variety of hiking trails below to provide different vantage points to view the stars. The American River creates a nice soothing ambiance to relax in nature under the stars.
Oroville Dam
460 Glen Drive
Oroville, CA 95966
(530) 534-2306
Just about an hour and a half drive away from Sacramento, Lake Oroville and Feather River’s Oroville Dam provide perfect lookout points for summer night stargazing. The campground right next to the lake allows guests to stay overnight and lay under the stars!
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