We love Mount Rainier National Park for a multitude of reasons. It’s a nature lover’s paradise, it’s full of educational fun, and of course, that looming mountain in the skyline makes for an excellent photo backdrop.

As you can probably imagine, Mount Rainier offers some seriously impressive stargazing spots, and it’s one of Washington’s most beloved dark sky parks. If you’ve never seen the moon and stars from this area, you’re really missing out.

Typically, Mount Rainier will see about two million visitors every year.
Jim Culp. Flickr
People come from all over the PNW and beyond to hike, camp, and of course, stargaze.
National parks like this one permit overnight guests more often than not, and this park is especially popular for camping.
GPA Photo Archive / Flickr
National parks even have a motto, "Half the park is after dark."
In the summer, the Paradise Night Skies Program meets outside the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise for some weekend telescope sky viewing.
Jim Choate / Flickr
This is one of several annual events that focuses on stargazing. Of course, you're welcome to go on your own.

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So... where are the best spots in the park for stargazing? As it turns out, there are many.
Rebecca L. Latson / Getty Images
The Sunrise Visitor Center is an easily reachable stargazing spot, offering glimpses of the Milky Way on clear nights. Frozen Lake is also popular, accessible via the Sourdough Ridge Trail.
Spotting the Milky Way at Mount Rainier is an experience like no other.
Michael Matti / Flickr
Even in a dark sky park like this, the night sky has to be especially clear and the stars have to align (no pun intended) for it to happen. But it's worth waiting for.
The best time for stargazing here is obviously the summer, which is the most popular time for camping as well.
aaaaimages / Getty Images
Late spring and early fall are great times as well. And every now and then, you can see it all on a gorgeous winter night.
We're lucky to have Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, and it really is a different (and dazzling) place by night.
Steve Whiston - Fallen Log Photography / Getty Images
Plan a summertime family vacation and gaze at the night sky without all the light pollution. You might never want to leave.

Do you have a favorite place in Washington to see the stars?

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Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA