Fort Rock: Sunset Hike and Stargazing

Stargaze in the Oregon Outback, the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States

Multiple dates available - details below

about

Adventure: Join us for a night of exploration in the Oregon Outback. Our stargazing adventure will take us to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. Each evening will be a different and unique experience! With some evening’s, we will arrive just as the sun is setting to the west, taking in the last of the day’s light before we begin our night of celestial wonder. While other evenings will focus on immersing ourselves in the darkest of skies! You can find the unique details for each date below!

Naturalist Guided Experience: The tuff ring of Ft. Rock’s pinnacles rise above an ancient ocean bed and much like the geologic history of other Central Oregon formations such as Smith Rock, the area’s geology can be traced back to volcanic activity. It is an area that is locally referred to as the Sagebrush Ocean, a stunning piece of America’s landscape filled with raptors, coyotes and cowboys. The area is also home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. Fort Rock is an absolutely incredible stargazing destination, lying just north of the newly designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback as a whole, is the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States, boasting some of the best stargazing in the entire world.

We are also hosting our Art in Nature: Bend Camerata Concert & Stargazing at Fort Rock on Saturday, September 27th for those interested in the melding of art & nature!

What to expect for each date

Saturday, May 24th: Our Memorial Day weekend adventure to Fort Rock will have us arriving at the stunning volcanic tuff ring just as the sun is setting to the west! We will enjoy a scenic sunset hike as the the light slowly fades beyond the horizon and we transition from day to night and begin our exploration into the twinkling heavens above!

Saturday, June 21st: THE SUMMER SOLSTICE!!! Celebrate the finale of the longest day of the year in an ocean of sagebrush, watching the sun go down before ushering in an incredible evening of stargazing! *Summer Solstice is technically the 20th this year but we wanted to celebrate it on a Saturday as the total daylight time is the same and we wanted to give guests the most flexibility for their weekend adventures!

Friday, July 18th: We have had the privilege of partnering with AdvenChair to bring accessible guided tours to Central Oregon, giving those with mobility challenged the ability to explore wild places that are not often accessible. The July 18th event will give guests a glimpse of the AdvenChair in action as this will be a tour open to those with accessibility needs. It is a truly heartwarming feeling to see someone who hasn’t been able to get off trail have the opportunity to explore the wild world around them!! Similar to our May date, we will arrive at Fort Rock as the sun is beginning its descent beyond the horizon, reveling in a golden hour hike prior to stargazing! (If you have someone in your group that will need an AdvenChair, please book here!)

Saturday, September 20th: This event is for the most serious (perhaps nerdy!) of stargazers!! To maximize our time under the darkest of skies, we will forego the sunset hike and instead arrive to Fort Rock near twilight’s end, giving us just enough time to take in Fort Rock’s stunning silhouette as our eyes adjust for night. With the moon both below the horizon and in a total new phase, the night sky will be primed for celestial magic!

Saturday, October 18th: As we all know, the closer we get to winter, the less sunlight we get to see. Because of this earlier sunset, our October tour will kick off at 4:45 pm, giving us time to take in the sunset prior to darkness falling! With the earlier start time, Wanderlust will offer a fantastic (optional) picnic style dinner to enjoy between sunset and nightfall!!
You can book your spot and find the evening’s dinner menu here for our October date.

For each date, the moon will be well below the horizon, giving us ideal stargazing conditions!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Fort Rock: Sunset Hike and Stargazing

Stargaze in the Oregon Outback, the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States

Saturday, October 18th, 2025

about

Adventure: Join us for a night of exploration in the Oregon Outback. Our stargazing adventure will take us to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. We will begin our evening at Fort Rock just as the sun is setting to the west, taking in the last of the day’s light as we hike through this incredible National Landmark. After the sun’s light has faded we will settle down for a breathtaking night of celestial wonder!

Naturalist Guided Experience: The tuff ring of Ft. Rock’s pinnacles rise above an ancient ocean bed and much like the geologic history of other Central Oregon formations such as Smith Rock, the area’s geology can be traced back to volcanic activity. It is an area that is locally referred to as the Sagebrush Ocean, a stunning piece of America’s landscape filled with raptors, coyotes and cowboys. The area is also home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. Fort Rock is an absolutely incredible stargazing destination, lying just north of the newly designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback as a whole, is the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States, boasting some of the best stargazing in the entire world. That, coupled with new moon phase will make this night truly spectacular!

We also have Fort Rock Stargazing Tours on May 24th, June 21st, July 18th & September 20th! Book those dates here.

Picnic Style Dinner

Wanderlust Tours is proud to work with an incredible backcountry chef, who specializes in creating locally-sourced and seasonally-inspired meals to be enjoyed in the great outdoors! Our picnic style dinner will consist of your choice 3 incredible wraps as well as sides and a drink.

WANDERLUST WRAP: Natural turkey, Hill Meat co. bacon, white cheddar, pesto aioli, tomato, shaved kale & onion, Mama Lil's peppers on a tortilla

CHICKEN BBQ WRAP: Whiskey BBQ PNW pulled chicken, five spice roasted squash, chipotle aioli, red cabbage, white cheddar on a tortilla (This option can be prepared vegetarian, with tempeh)

BRUTUS SALAD: A vegan spin on the classic caesar— massaged kale, brutus dressing, cashew parm, crostini, charred lemon

For those that choose the picnic style dinner, you will receive an additional email after booking where you will be able to choose your desired wrap, add any dietary restrictions, etc.

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Fort Rock: Sunset Hike and Stargazing

Stargaze in the Oregon Outback, the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States

Multiple dates available - details below

about

Adventure: Join us for a night of exploration in the Oregon Outback. Our stargazing adventure will take us to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. Each evening will be a different and unique experience! With some evening’s, we will arrive just as the sun is setting to the west, taking in the last of the day’s light before we begin our night of celestial wonder. While other evenings will focus on immersing ourselves in the darkest of skies! You can find the unique details for each date below!

Naturalist Guided Experience: The tuff ring of Ft. Rock’s pinnacles rise above an ancient ocean bed and much like the geologic history of other Central Oregon formations such as Smith Rock, the area’s geology can be traced back to volcanic activity. It is an area that is locally referred to as the Sagebrush Ocean, a stunning piece of America’s landscape filled with raptors, coyotes and cowboys. The area is also home to some of the oldest evidence of human civilization in North America. Fort Rock is an absolutely incredible stargazing destination, lying just north of the newly designated Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The Oregon Outback as a whole, is the largest contiguous dark sky shed in the United States, boasting some of the best stargazing in the entire world.

We are also hosting our Art in Nature: Bend Camerata Concert & Stargazing at Fort Rock on Saturday, September 27th for those interested in the melding of art & nature!

What to expect for each date

Saturday, May 24th: Our Memorial Day weekend adventure to Fort Rock will have us arriving at the stunning volcanic tuff ring just as the sun is setting to the west! We will enjoy a scenic sunset hike as the the light slowly fades beyond the horizon and we transition from day to night and begin our exploration into the twinkling heavens above!

Saturday, June 21st: THE SUMMER SOLSTICE!!! Celebrate the finale of the longest day of the year in an ocean of sagebrush, watching the sun go down before ushering in an incredible evening of stargazing! *Summer Solstice is technically the 20th this year but we wanted to celebrate it on a Saturday as the total daylight time is the same and we wanted to give guests the most flexibility for their weekend adventures!

Friday, July 18th: We have had the privilege of partnering with AdvenChair to bring accessible guided tours to Central Oregon, giving those with mobility challenged the ability to explore wild places that are not often accessible. The July 18th event will give guests a glimpse of the AdvenChair in action as this will be a tour open to those with accessibility needs. It is a truly heartwarming feeling to see someone who hasn’t been able to get off trail have the opportunity to explore the wild world around them!! Similar to our May date, we will arrive at Fort Rock as the sun is beginning its descent beyond the horizon, reveling in a golden hour hike prior to stargazing! (If you have someone in your group that will need an AdvenChair, please book here!)

Saturday, September 20th: This event is for the most serious (perhaps nerdy!) of stargazers!! To maximize our time under the darkest of skies, we will forego the sunset hike and instead arrive to Fort Rock near twilight’s end, giving us just enough time to take in Fort Rock’s stunning silhouette as our eyes adjust for night. With the moon both below the horizon and in a total new phase, the night sky will be primed for celestial magic!

Saturday, October 18th: As we all know, the closer we get to winter, the less sunlight we get to see. Because of this earlier sunset, our October tour will kick off at 4:45 pm, giving us time to take in the sunset prior to darkness falling! With the earlier start time, Wanderlust will offer a fantastic (optional) picnic style dinner to enjoy between sunset and nightfall!!
You can book your spot and find the evening’s dinner menu here for our October date.

For each date, the moon will be well below the horizon, giving us ideal stargazing conditions!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing

Art in Nature: Bend Camerata at Fort Rock

Concert and Stargazing at Fort Rock with local a Cappella group, Bend Camerata

Saturday, September 27th, 2025

If you are unable to make the concert but are still interested in stargazing with us, we also have Fort Rock Stargazing Tours on May 24th, June 21st, July 18th & September 20th, & October 18th! Book those dates here.

You can find all of our Dark Sky & Stargazing focused Special Events and Daily Tours here!

Daily Tours that feature Stargazing