Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site
Formerly Goldendale Observatory State Park
Solar and evening programs and the visitor center are cancelled for the time being due to staffing (alert posted 2026-08-05); the campus stays open for self-guided exploration.
State-park observatory in the hills above the Columbia River. Its solar and evening telescope shows are cancelled for now; the grounds are open daily for self-guided visits.
Ways to visit
Grounds, self-guided Open
Open while the programs are cancelled.
- What you see
- Grounds, View from outsideparks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- How
- Walk inparks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- When
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSunOpen daily 6:30 a.m. to dusk for self-guided exploration, per the alert.parks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Booking
- Not required · same day possibleThe page says visitors may tour the grounds without an appointment.parks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Cost
- VariesDiscover Pass, one-day: $10 · Discover Pass, annual: $45The page lists Discover Pass fees and says entrance fees vary; it does not say outright that the pass is needed to park.parks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Requirements
- None stated.
Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes) Temporarily closed
Cancelled for the time being due to staffing issues; no restart date given.
- What you see
- Visitor center, Inside tourparks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- How
- Timed ticketparks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- When
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSunNormal winter schedule (Oct. 1 to March 31): Friday to Sunday, solar show 2 to 4 p.m., evening show 7 to 10 p.m. Summer (April 1 to Sept. 30): Thursday to Sunday, solar show 3 to 5 p.m., evening show 9 p.m. to midnight. Not running at present.Closed: Mon to Thu from October through Marchparks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Booking
- Required · onlineFree reservation through the park's online calendar; unscheduled visitors are turned away.Book (Washington State Parks) ↗parks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Cost
- FreeThe page says Book your free reservation. A Discover Pass fee is listed for the park; its page doesn't state whether it applies to show visitors.parks.wa.gov, 2026-10-26
- Requirements
- None stated.
About
Goldendale Observatory is run by Washington State Parks and has one of the larger public telescopes in the country. Normally visitors book free reservations for afternoon solar shows and evening star shows. As of an alert posted on 5 August 2026 those programs are cancelled because of staffing, while the grounds stay open from 6:30 a.m. to dusk. The park's own page still prints the usual show times, so check it before driving out.
Owner: Washington State Parks.
Where official pages disagree
- open or closed: The park page's rules section still lists normal show times and says reservations are required, while its alert says the programs are cancelled. This listing follows the dated alert. parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/golden…
Getting there
1602 Observatory Drive, Goldendale, WA, 98620
The pin marks the site itself, not necessarily the entrance (45.83644, -120.81534). Apple Maps directions go to the street address instead. Show on our map · Google Maps · Apple Maps
Park: (509) 773-3141
Last checked 2026-10-26. Sources are listed below.
Sources
- parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/golden… · official page · read 2026-10-26For: name; street address; who runs it; phone and email; Grounds, self-guided: open or closed; Grounds, self-guided: what you see; Grounds, self-guided: kind of visit; Grounds, self-guided: days and hours; Grounds, self-guided: booking; Grounds, self-guided: cost; Grounds, self-guided: requirements; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): open or closed; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): what you see; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): kind of visit; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): days and hours; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): booking; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): cost; Solar Show and Evening Show (visitor center and telescopes): requirements
- geocoding.geo.census.gov/geocoder/locations/onelineadd… · US Census Bureau geocoder · read 2026-10-26For: location
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