Park closure: The Goldendale Observatory will be closed March 1, 2018 through fall of 2019 for maintenance and upgrades. During this time, solar and dark sky interpretive programs will take place at the nearby Stonehenge building (located at 87 Stonehenge Drive). Stonehenge hours will be 1 to 11:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
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Fledgling astronomers and night photographers, find your bliss at Goldendale Observatory. Set in the hills above the Columbia River, this unique state park heritage site houses one of the nation's largest, most accessible public telescopes. The site is famous for its dark skies and informative science programs.
Daytime visitors also will find stunning views of the countryside and vivid sunsets, which coincide with moonrise at certain times of year. So, bring your sweetheart, your family, your star-watcher friends and your cameras, and take part in one of the many viewing programs held here.
The main telescope was the brainchild of four Vancouver, Washington-area amateur astronomers who designed and built the instrument in the 1960s over a period of six years, with help from Clark College and its students. Vancouver's light pollution and cloudy weather precluded siting the telescope in that area, and the builders' search for a perfect star-gazing spot eventually led them to Goldendale. The telescope was formally donated after the town agreed to build a public observatory to house it.
This day-use park is less than 25 miles from the Maryhill Museum of Art and larger camping parks of Maryhill State Park and Columbia Hills Historical State Park, making the area a fascinating and scenic destination.
Park features
Goldendale Observatory is a 5-acre facility on a hilltop 2,100 feet above sea level and 2 miles north of downtown Goldendale. The park, with its large public telescope, has attracted hundreds of thousands of sky-watchers since its dedication in 1973.
