The northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis, are one of nature’s most enchanting phenomena. During the display, streamers of green, white, pink, and violet light pirouette across the night sky. No two auroral displays are the same. Sometimes, they last minutes; other nights, they dance for hours.
While the skyward spectacle is often associated with the Arctic Circle, you don’t need to travel to Scandinavia or Canada to witness the northern lights. The United States, especially its northernmost regions, offers myriad prime locations for witnessing the magic of the solar-powered fete, if you’re lucky. Better yet, the next few years will be particularly optimal for aurora enthusiasts. We’re approaching the solar maximum, a period of heightened solar activity that increases the frequency and intensity of auroral displays, meaning your chances are even better than usual.
These are some of the best places in the United States to see the northern lights.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Alaska, given its location, is typically considered the best place in the United States to view the northern lights. Situated under the “Aurora Oval,” a band that hugs the polar region where auroras are most concentrated, Fairbanks offers an exceptional chance to witness the aurora borealis when conditions are right. It’s estimated that the lights are visible on 80 percent of clear nights between September and April. (During the rest of the year, the solar activity is still happening, but the midnight sun makes it impossible to see.)
The remote location and long, dark winter nights create an ideal setting for aurora viewing. Popular spots include the Chena Hot Springs Resort, where you can soak in the warm waters while awaiting the lights, and Murphy Dome, a high vantage point that provides expansive views of the sky. If you’re looking to stack the deck, you might consider going with a guide company. Salmon Berry Tours offers guided tours with hotel pickup, Last Frontier Mushing Co-Op offers the chance to see the aurora from the basket of a dog sled, and AK River Tours takes anglers out to wait for the aurora from an ice fishing hut.
Voyageurs National Park is far enough north to see the aurora borealis.
Photo by BlueBarronPhoto/Shutterstock
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
A certified International Dark Sky Park since 2020, Voyageurs National Park is wondrous year-round, with a night sky speckled with meteors and the Milky Way. That firmament is made all the more magnificent when it is festooned with colorful ribbons of light, which can happen as many as 200 nights per year. There are various locations within the park that are good for northern light viewing, from the miles of lakeshores to backcountry clearings—really, anywhere with unobstructed, north-facing views will do.
However, there are three places the National Park Service recommends specifically: the Meadwood Road Day Use Area, the Ash River Visitor Center, and the upper parking lot at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Additionally, the park operates a handful of guided nighttime programs and tours where it’s possible to see the northern lights, including the Stars Over Namakan cruise, where guests sail to a quiet spot on Namakan Lake to get a lesson from a ranger on the constellations and what it means to be a dark sky certified park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
This dark sky enclave in North Dakota is a fine spot for counting the constellations, watching satellites float along the horizon, and on some occasions, witnessing an interstellar explosion of color. That is because of the wide-open spaces of the Badlands and minimal light pollution (the closest city is more than 30 miles away).
Some of the best places to stop in this more than 70,000-acre park to hopefully see the solar show are Peace Valley Ranch, Wind Canyon, Buck Hill, Beef Corral Bottom, and the Riverbend Overlook. The National Park Service operates ranger programs throughout the year aimed at giving visitors a better understanding of the cosmos, although the best is arguably the Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival, which offers stargazing sessions, guest speakers, and workshops.
Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, is one of the best settings for a northern lights show.
Photo by Sam Wagner/Shutterstock
Bayfield, Wisconsin
Located as far north as you can go in Wisconsin, Bayfield and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore are a stargazer’s paradise. The lack of light pollution and unobstructed views create perfect conditions to enjoy the night sky, and the northern lights are often visible here, sometimes reflecting off the waters of Lake Superior. For those keen on aurora hunting by themselves, places like Meyers Beach, Sand Island, and Outer Island are good spots for watching the galaxy turn psychedelic. Otherwise, companies like Northern Light Adventures offer aurora viewing tours by boat.
Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Michigan
This slice of northern Michigan, designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2011, has taken careful steps to preserve and protect the nighttime environment, an absolute necessity when seeking the ideal northern lights viewing experience. There are constantly astronomy-themed events happening at the Headlands Event Center, ranging from discussions about the James Webb Space Telescope mission to an aurora chasers workshop. For intrepid explorers, the park recommends finding “a viewing location with a body of water or a nice field so that you can see any activity low on the horizon.” Places like Gulpin Point and the Waterfront Event Center are stellar places to scan the sky.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The dark skies and vast horizons of northern Idaho combine to make an excellent place to catch a glimpse of the dazzling display of lights, and the lakeside city of Coeur d’Alene is a great destination with plenty of spots that offer visibility, including the Mineral Ridge Scenic Area, Farragut State Park, the Coeur d’Alene Resort, or Tubbs Hill (the elevated location makes it an especially good place to see the stars). The Coeur d’Alene Astronomical Society also hosts regular stargazing and northern light events throughout the area for those who want expert insight.
You can head to the northeastern state of Maine to catch the northern lights dance above the Atlantic Ocean.
Photo by Saptashaw Chakraborty/Shutterstock
Acadia National Park, Maine
Situated on the coast of Maine, Acadia National Park is one of the darkest spots on the Eastern Seaboard, a heavenly place to see the celestial dance. Some of the best spots are toward the northern side of the park, such as Sand Beach, Ocean Path, or Jordan Pond on Mount Desert Island. High vantage points, like atop Cadillac Mountain, are also excellent places to observe the sky. The National Park Service occasionally offers night sky programs, including northern light expeditions.
