Watching the northern lights ripple across the sky from your own campsite is a bucket-list experience. The aurora borealis needs dark, clear skies, which means the best viewing comes in fall, winter and early spring. That also means cold nights. Here’s how to plan a northern lights camping trip, from timing and location to staying warm while you wait.
What are the northern lights?
The aurora forms when charged particles from the sun collide with gases high in Earth’s atmosphere, giving off light. Green is the most common color, but red, pink and purple also appear. Displays can be faint glows on the horizon or bright, moving curtains overhead.
When to go
- Season: In high-latitude places such as Fairbanks, Alaska, the local tourism bureau lists the aurora season as roughly August 21 to April 21, when nights are dark enough to see it.
- Time of night: Late evening to the early morning hours is usually best. Plan to stay up, or set an alarm and check the sky.
- Moon and clouds: Clear skies matter most. A dark, moonless night makes faint displays easier to see.
- Stay several nights. Activity varies night to night, so more nights mean better odds.
Where to camp
Alaska and northern Canada
Interior Alaska sits beneath the “auroral oval,” the band where aurora activity is most frequent. The Fairbanks area is a popular base, with viewing spots outside town. Northern Canada, including the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, is also well known for aurora viewing.
Scandinavia, Iceland and Scotland
Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland draw aurora watchers every winter, and many offer glamping huts and cabins. The video below follows a camp in the Scottish mountains under the aurora.
Farther south
During strong geomagnetic storms the aurora can be seen much farther south than usual, including parts of the lower 48 states. These events are hard to predict far ahead, so keep an eye on forecasts.
How to check the forecast
- Aurora forecasts: The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center publishes aurora forecasts, and many regions have local aurora trackers and alert apps.
- Kp index: A higher Kp number means a stronger display that reaches farther from the poles.
- Cloud forecast: A strong aurora is useless behind clouds. Check the local weather forecast too.
Choosing your campsite
- Pick a spot with a clear view to the north and away from town lights.
- Check that the campground or area is open in winter and that roads are plowed.
- Set up in daylight. Pitching a tent in the dark and cold is much harder.
- Scout a safe place to stand and watch, away from roads and steep drop-offs.
Staying warm while you watch
Aurora watching means standing or sitting still for long stretches in the cold.
- Dress in layers, with an insulated jacket, hat, gloves and warm boots.
- Keep hand warmers in pockets and spare batteries close to your body, because cold drains batteries fast.
- Bring a warm drink in an insulated bottle.
- Use a sleeping bag rated for the conditions and an insulated pad underneath.
- Never run fuel-burning heaters inside a tent. Read our guide on staying warm in a tent at night.
Our winter camping gear checklist covers the rest of the cold-weather kit.
Photographing the aurora
- Use a tripod and a camera or phone with a manual or night mode.
- Try a wide lens, a wide aperture and exposures of several seconds, then adjust.
- Turn off flash and use a red light to keep your night vision.
- Bring extra batteries and keep them warm.
Etiquette
Keep headlamps on red or off, don’t shine lights at other viewers, and stay out of photographers’ frames. Pack out everything you bring.
Safety on cold nights
Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. Keep your vehicle fueled, carry a charged phone and extra warm layers, and watch for signs of hypothermia and frostbite, such as shivering, numbness and pale skin. If roads are icy, it is better to watch from camp than to drive around chasing a display.
FAQ
What month is best for seeing the northern lights?
Any month with long, dark nights. In places like Alaska, that means late August through mid-April.
Can you see the northern lights from a tent?
Sometimes, through an open door, but most people get out and watch from outside the tent.
Do you need a special camera?
No. Many newer phones have a night mode that can capture the aurora, especially on a tripod.
Top image: “Northern lights on K’esugi Ridge. Denali State Park, Alaska” by Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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