Gear to Consider: You don’t need to lug a big telescope around to enjoy the stars. A solid pair of binoculars is more than enough to showcase the beauty of the night sky without being cumbersome. Oberwork Mariner 8×40$150Opportunities to gaze at winter’s night sky in the city are slim. Even cities smaller than Chattanooga produce enough light pollution to drown out the stars above. It’s a shame, too. Constellations like Orion, Andromeda, Gemini and more are only visible in the winter, and the colder, drier air lends itself to better stargazing.
However, not all is lost. There are numerous spots not too far from Chattanooga that can help open your eyes to the winter sky while also providing the perfect campsite.
Pickett State Park
In 2015, Pickett was certified as a dark-sky park by the International Dark Sky Association. The certification is no joke. In nearly a decade of reviewing applications, less than 40 parks have been identified – in the world – as meeting the organization’s criteria. Pickett has strict lighting restrictions after sundown, and coupled with the site’s remote location, it means the park is dark enough for the Milky Way to be clearly visible, making Pickett a must-visit for any astronomy-enthusiast.
Land Between the Lakes
Although it’s a few hours away, this sprawling park on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky has several flat, clear areas with a perfect view of the night sky. With nothing around for 170,000 acres, the park is dark. Really dark. If you time it right, you could even stop in for one of the monthly club meetings of the West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers hosted at Golden Pond Observatory located in the park.
Obed River/Clear Creek
The rivers are maintained by the National Park Service as “Wild and Scenic Rivers,” but they offer much more than just whitewater. The Lilly Bluff Scenic Overlook on Clear Creek affords an especially clear view of the night sky. The Catoosa Wildlife Management Area and Frozen Head State Park aren’t far away, giving you a multitude of camping options when it comes to settling in for your stargazing.
Tamke-Allan Observatory
Although it doesn’t offer camping, this observatory is one of the finest in the area. Affiliated with Roane State Community College, it hosts frequent events that open the doors of the observatory to the public. It’s the perfect opportunity for some education and high-powered stargazing. Then, you can retire to nearby Roane County Park, where you’ll find a playground, splash pad, tennis courts, baseball field, 18-hole disc golf course, 1.2-mile paved walking trail, fishing, paddling and swimming opportunities and a few lakeside primitive camping spots.