Dee Wright Observatory

July 2026 Milky way photo shoot in Central Oregon. Beautiful night with clear skys but windy. Volcanic wonderland sits atop McKenzie Pass (5,213 feet) in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Its remote lava fields offer a Bortle 2 dark sky rating. This makes it one of the best spots to view the Milky Way. The observatory was built from lava rock by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. It features a circular design with stone viewing windows that frame the galaxy. Thanks to my wonderful friend Calli Prado for for coming with me and supporting my crazy late nights chasing stars! The wind was very cold, but seeing the milky way jump to life out of the Sister’s Mountains was so special. A night I won’t soon forget.