Heather Bryant

Review of UCO/Lick Observatory

One of the best views of the Bay Area and valley t...

One of the best views of the Bay Area and valley to the east can be seen from Mt Hamilton. On a clear Winter day, if you're lucky, sometimes you can see the snow-capped tops of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. When I first saw this as a child, it was magical and I almost didn't believe my eyes. It was astounding to think I could see something so far away.

The peak is 4,265 feet in elevation, so it does snow up here sometimes in Winter. Also look out for black ice on the road.

When planning your trip, keep in mind:



Some of the trees up here mist/drip a lot of sap during hot summer days. You may not notice until you're trying to get the tangles out of your hair later and wonder why it's so sticky.

The closest gas station is about 20 miles away.

The road (State Route 130 from San Jose) is very narrow & has lots of twists and turns. It was originally built as a road for a horse-drawn carriage to bring supplies up the mountain, so when it was paved for cars, there was barely enough room for 2 lanes. Some parts of 130 are designated as 2 lanes, but with each "lane" being laughably narrow --there's only enough room for 2 cars to pass each other if they go very slowly & carefully. Some parts of the road have no guard rail & some bends are around the edge of a sheer cliff, so DRIVE CAREFULLY. (NOT RECOMMENDED FOR INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS). There are also a few sections that have inconveniently-located bumps or potholes, so be aware of the road. If you don't feel comfortable going as fast as an approaching car behind you, there are spots to pull off the side of the road (though no shoulder). Also be aware that avid bicyclists sometimes challenge themselves with this route + there is no bike lane, so share the road & drive carefully. Allow cars to pass on straight-aways. Proceed with caution around blind corners.

Amazing sunset views & intense red light cast from golden hour to sunset (great for photography) but no restrooms open after the visitor's center lobby closes at 5pm.

Great place to view meteor showers, particularly the Perseids when the weather is clear. Just please be respectful of the fact that people live and work up here 24/7 (be quiet and leave the place in the same condition you found it ). If you watch the telescope that's open all night (Shane 3-meter telescope) during the peak of an active meteor shower, the dome is open and you can see the telescope rotate slightly every few minutes to follow the apparent radiant of the meteor shower. They seem to be watching the exact same thing!

Rattlesnakes are sometimes found up here. There are also mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, tarantulas & other types of snakes in the surrounding wilderness, but predatorial mammals generally don't wander onto the actual Observatory grounds.

If you're interested in touring the inside, the last tour is at 4:30pm. @ 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 & 4:30 a tour guide gives a (free) talk in the 36-inch Great Refractor dome. Their website says Sunday - Thursday. The rest of the visitor center has lots of things to look at, but it's basically self-guided with no tour guide. The Shane 3-meter visitor gallery is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vending machines, water fountain & restrooms are open in the main building seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

They now have Public Evening Tours where you can look through the telescope on Sundays & Thursdays on selected dates between April to October. They're sold out for 2018 already. Check ucsctickets.com in the future. Tickets are $75/person (up to 40 people per tour). No children under the age of 8.