Goldendale Observatory State Park

Goldendale Observatory State Park developed around a large amateur-built telescope rather than a planned park. Built for Clark College by four amateur astronomers, the 24.5-inch reflector was moved to Goldendale because the area offered darker, clearer skies than Vancouver or Portland. The community built an observatory, dedicated in 1973, as a public education site, and it quickly became a regional skywatching destination. It drew about 15,000 people for the 1979 total solar eclipse, later passed into state ownership in 1980, and became a heritage site in 2014. After a major renovation, the expanded facility reopened in 2022 and remains a leading public astronomy center in the Northwest.

Goldendale, Washington · United States