July 21, 2005

Stargazing in California State Parks

If you have not seen it, you have missed one of the greatest shows on earth. You have missed a truly awesome view of the real universe that is replicated in those “Star Wars” movies. So here’s what you do. First, go camping at your favorite state park.

Next, after the tent’s up, dinner’s over and it’s dark, grab the kids and some flashlights and wander off on the nearest trail, away from the lights and noise of the campground, to an open meadow, someplace with a wide panorama, a place that’s dark. Then click off the flashlights and look up. As your eyes become adjusted to the darkness, you will begin to see things you have never seen before. Just don’t forget to keep track of the kids in the dark.

In the bright lights of our cities, the pupils of our eyes will not open up enough to reveal this view of the universe. But in that dark meadow, surrounded by your friends and kids, it’s a “Star Wars” extravaganza. Have you ever seen the Milky Way, billions of stars stretching across the sky?

Probably not clearly. But on this night, it will be an amazing sight. And look for the shooting stars. Wow!!

What better place to stargaze than in a California State Park? Away from urban lights, state parks and beaches offers the perfect place to watch the stars.

Benbow Lake State Recreation Area, two miles south of Garberville on Highway 101, has 1,200 acres with campsites and a large day-use picnic area. Hiking, picnicking and camping are popular summertime activities, while salmon and steelhead fishing are popular in the winter. The park’s open field in the campground gives a panorama view of the sky. Access to Benbow State

Recreation Area’s campground is closed during off-season. For more information about the park, call (707) 923-3238.

Henry W. Coe State Park, 13 miles east of Morgan Hill on East Dunne Avenue, is the largest state park in northern California, with over 80,000 acres of wild open spaces. The terrain of the park is rugged and varied, with lofty ridges and steep canyons. The park offers spots where visitors can stargaze. For more information about the park, call (408) 779-2728.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 20 miles south of Fortuna on Highway 101, is home to the famous Rockefeller Forest, the largest contiguous old-growth redwood forest in the world. This 52,000-acre park offers three developed campgrounds, a horse camp, many day-use areas, beautiful swimming holes on the South Fork Eel River, daily interpretive programs in the summer and over 100 miles of hiking trails. Recreational opportunities include swimming, kayaking, fishing, hiking horseback riding, mountain biking, picnicking, developed and primitive camping and much more.

Our many natural prairies throughout the park offer excellent views for stargazing, the best of which can be found at Albee Creek Campground. For more information about the park, call (707) 946-2409.

Mount Diablo State Park, five miles east of Danville, has an extensive trail system, fascinating wildlife and distinctive rock formations. Visitors can view the stars from its lofty heights.

The Mount Diablo Observatory Association has public stargazing programs. For more information, visit the association’s Web pages at: http://www.mdia.org/astronomy.htm.

Mount Tamalpais State Park, North of San Francisco’s Golden Gate, has 6,300 acres of redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak. On a clear day, visitors can see the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin County hills, San Francisco and the bay, hills and cities of the East Bay, and Mount Diablo. The park has a very well developed “astronomy night” every month from March through October. The programs always have a guest speaker presenting a specific topic with a slide show followed by star gazing through the many and varied scopes provided by the San Francisco Astronomy Association, an amateur astronomy club. The program is at the Mountain Theater located near the top of the mountain. For more information about the park, call (415) 388-2070 or on-line at www.mttam.net.

Richardson Grove State Park, seven miles south of Garberville on Highway 101, features camping, hiking, and swimming throughout much of the year. Fishing for salmon and steelhead is popular during the winter. The park is where visitors first encounter significant old growth redwood forest when coming north. The ninth tallest coast redwood, a fallen tree ring study conducted in 1933, and a walk-through tree are in the park. Panorama Point has a view of the southern sky and they day use river bar provides a view of the summer sky. For more information about the park, call (707) 247-3318.