Best places to stargaze ahead of potential appearance of northern lights

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — According to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska , high aurora borealis activity is predicted for the upcoming weekend across the Wasatch Front.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, the prediction is that the northern lights will make it as far south as southern Idaho. With the possibility of the aurora being visible in Utah, where are the best places to see the aurora? According to the Space Tourism Guide , Utah has many places. Here are just a few places on that list.

Heber City, UT

Heber City, with its dark sky initiative in place since 2019, offers a great spot at Lookout Peak Circle. Heber City and many areas along the Wasatch Back will have great chances as the lights are potentially going to be a little bit lower on the horizon.

Park City, UT

Park City is also a great spot as Park City has a dark sky initiative and there are several places in the area where you can go to have the opportunity to view the aurora. The Park City area has three state parks you can visit to have the opportunity to view the northern lights: Jordanelle State Park , Rockport State Park , and East Canyon State Park — all dark sky parks.

Stansbury Park Observatory Complex

On the complete opposite end of the Salt Lake Valley lies the Stansbury Park Observatory Complex in Stansbury Park. This lies on the backside of the Oquirrh Mountains in Tooele County. With the rural nature of Tooele County, this is another good spot to see the northern lights over the Great Salt Lake, should it make an appearance. The observatory, affectionately known as SPOC, is in Sagers Park, according to Stansbury Park’s website .

The Salt Lake Astronomical Society (SLAS) manages the venue and keeps it open to the public.

North Fork Park

In Weber County, North Fork Park is your best bet as it lies out of the way of the city lights to the south.

Located in Liberty, if you get there early enough in the day and you fancy a county high point, you can climb Ben Lomond Mountain to get stunning views of many of the region’s prominent landmarks.

Bountiful Peak Campground

In Davis County, Bountiful Peak Campground is the best chance. You can hike over Farmington Lake or the Farmington Cliffs to get a good view. Other options in the Davis County area include Francis Peak, Gold Ridge, or Thurston Peak.

Other Places to Go

Other places to go include the Mighty Five National Parks, if you’re feeling adventurous, but do keep in mind that many of the southern Utah parks might not have the visibility to see the northern lights due to the potential of the aurora being too far north.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument, which is a certified dark sky venue, is a great place for many Utah County residents to go to have the best chance to see the lights.

Antelope Island State Park and the famous Bonneville Salt Flats also offer fantastic opportunities to see the night sky.

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