The Most Neglected Locations within the U.S. to See the Northern Lights, In response to a New Examine

You don’t need to get a passport to see the awe-inspiring Northern Lights.

Whereas locations like Iceland, Norway, and Greenland appeal to vacationers with unparalleled views of the aurora borealis, there are many locations People can spot the pure marvel nearer to residence—together with some that positively haven’t been in your For You Web page.

IcelandAir analyzed TikTok knowledge and journey guides to find out which Northern Lights hotspots within the U.S. have stayed essentially the most underneath the radar. After compiling an inventory of the most effective locations to see Northern Lights within the nation, the airline’s researchers examined how typically hashtags associated to every location had been used on TikTok. The comparisons revealed which locations are essentially the most ignored by astronomy lovers. 

Midwestern states take advantage of appearances of any U.S. area on the least-mentioned checklist, with Idaho, Minnesota, and Wisconsin collectively making up half of the highest—or backside, on one other hand—10. Recognizing Northern Lights in Pennsylvania, Maine, and New York proved to be well-kept secrets and techniques on the East Coast, whereas Oregon was the one Pacific Northwestern state to make the checklist. 

With solely 32 mentions on TikTok as of August 2025, the Idaho Panhandle Nationwide Forest is essentially the most hidden gem of all of them. Though central Idaho turned the nation’s first Darkish Sky Reserve acknowledged by the Worldwide Darkish Sky Affiliation in 2017, the state’s northern area additionally gives some spectacular shows. Even Idaho’s Craters of the Moon Nationwide Monument Darkish Sky Park, which has among the darkest skies within the nationwide park system, made the checklist of obscure locations for observing the colourful phenomenon. 

Your subsequent finest wager for getting a non-public Northern Lights present is heading to Maine. Whereas Acadia Nationwide Park hogs the highlight—it is the third most-mentioned location, in line with the researchers—the state’s northernmost and easternmost park, Katahdin Woods and Waters Nationwide Monument, additionally has beautiful views of the Northern Lights. The distant Aroostook Nationwide Wildlife Refuge is one other under-the-radar aurora zone free of sunshine air pollution. 

New Yorkers trying to escape town’s crowds ought to make the five-hour highway journey north to go to the not often mentioned Adirondack Sky Middle & Observatory. 

One benefit these lower-48 areas have over Arctic locations is the Northern Gentle’s year-round visibility. Whereas the midnight solar washes out celestial colours throughout summer season in locations like Alaska and Finland, the Midwest’s summer season nights keep darkish sufficient to benefit from the dancing ribbons in a T-shirt and shorts.

As for essentially the most well-known locations to see the Northern Lights within the U.S., Montana’s Glacier Nationwide Park was clearly the most well-liked. It was talked about over twice as many instances because the checklist’s runner-up, Michigan’s Higher Peninsula, in IcelandAir’s examine. 

With so many handy locations to select from, there actually is not any motive to hesitate to place a Northern Lights journey in your calendar. Proper now would be the finest time to see the colours for fairly a while: we’re presently within the photo voltaic most part of the solar’s 11-year cycle, that means the aurora borealis received’t be as lively once more for over a decade.