Brilliant Starry Skies Await You in Almost Heaven

Stargazing is an incredible adventure where you can forget about the bustle and bustle of everyday life and instead simply focus on the beauty of the night sky. With some of the clearest night skies east of the Mississippi, West Virginia is home to some of the best stargazing spots and has been named the most under-the-radar stargazing destination in the United States. If you’ve been looking for an adventure and a way to explore Almost Heaven, stargazing is the perfect choice.

Calhoun County Park

Calhoun County Park is a favorite stargazing location amongst astronomers and photographers thanks to it being relatively secret spot. With hundreds of acres of forests and meadows, beauty will surround you from all angles at Calhoun County Park. On clear nights, you can spot the Milky Way or maybe even the Aurora Borealis.

Spruce Knob

As West Virginia’s highest peak, Spruce Knob is gorgeous at anytime but at night it provides an incredible starry show. The Mountain Center Observatory is the perfect place to view planets, stars and galaxies. A trip to Spruce Knob is always special, from the areas amazing hikes to it stargazing, everywhere you look is a sight to see.

Green Bank

The tiny community of Green Bank is located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, which means interference to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory  is limited and stargazing is unlimited. Make sure to stop by the Green Bank Observatory, home to the largest fully steerable telescope. Nearly 500 feet tall and weighing 17 million pounds, its truly a magnificent sight. The Green Bank Observatory also offers tours of the facility and holds events throughout the year such as Star Quest a four-day astronomy extravaganza. It is also a great location for field trips.

Dolly Sods Wilderness

If you’ve never slept under the stars before and have always wanted to, Dolly Sods Wilderness is a stunning place to lay your head down underneath the stars. At Dolly Sods, you’ll go to sleep underneath a brilliant night sky and wake up to most gorgeous sunrise, talk about waking up the right way. Dolly Sods is so peaceful and beautiful day and night, you’ll never want to leave.

This post was last updated on March 6, 2023