PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Sunset Magazine recently released a list of its Sunset Travel Awards winners, naming the best nature getaways in the west.

The list included one Oregon destination known for stargazing.

Earning a spot on Sunset’s list: Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, International Dark Sky Park.

“Dark sky tourism is definitely having its moment, and in Oregon’s Siskiyou Mountains, you’ll find the perfect spot to do it,” Sunset wrote. “This International Dark Sky Park offers stargazing programs all summer long under some of the clearest skies in the West. By day, visitors can explore marble caves and old-growth forests; by night, they’re treated to a cosmic show that celebrates the park’s commitment to preserving natural darkness that’s dwindling by the day due to development.”

In November of 2024, the Oregon Caves were designated as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International — an organization advocating against light pollution and its impacts on wildlife and human health.

The Oregon Caves is the state’s second International Dark Sky Park, with Prineville Reservoir State Park nabbing the first designation for Oregon in 2021.

Other destinations on the list are Grand Junction in Colorado; Snohomish County, Washington; Coeur D’Alene, Idaho and Greater Palm Springs, California.