Explore the Milky Way at Bruneau Dunes Observatory

Out in the dunes of southern Idaho is a designated Dark Sky Park where the Milky Way shines bright. By day, you can adventure on some of the tallest single-structured sand dunes in the country. in the country. When night falls, the fun doesn’t stop. Join a stargazing tour at the Bruneau Dunes Observatory, open from March through October, for guided stargazing programs that turn the desert sky into a living planetarium. The observatory is home to some of the largest public telescopes in the Northwest, including a solar telescope, giving visitors a rare chance to peer deep into space at planets, star clusters, distant galaxies and more. Programs often begin with astronomy presentations in the education center before stepping outside for telescope viewing beneath the dark sky.

Guides and volunteers help visitors navigate the constellations overhead, explaining what’s visible each night and how to spot celestial landmarks with the naked eye. Whether it’s Saturn’s rings, the craters of the moon or a glittering band of stars across the desert sky, the experience transforms a quiet Idaho night into something to remember. Learn more at parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/bruneau-dunes-observatory. Plan your trip to Idaho at visitidaho.org.