Astronomy and astrology enthusiasts alike are excitedly anticipating the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14. In an annular eclipse, Earth’s moon covers up most of the sun, leaving a “ring of fire” for viewers with proper eclipse-viewing safety equipment to admire.

Still, with the proper protective eyewear, Californians can view 70% to 90% of the solar eclipse no matter where in the state they are. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best places to catch the ring of fire in California and surrounding states.

If you’re interested in taking a drive, Highway 395 will offer views of the eclipse paired with stunning mountain views.

“But the best stretches of road I traveled were on U.S. Route 395,” wrote former SFGATE Tahoe editor Julie Brown of her trip on that route. “The highway is mostly two lanes and free of traffic. The whole length of it stretches from the Canadian border to the Mojave Desert in Southern California, connecting a spread of land that’s marked by its nothingness: high desert, rural towns, empty space and some of the biggest mountains in the country. If U.S. Route 101 is famed for its ocean views, then 395 is the path to see snow-capped peaks scrape the sky.” 

Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park is often uncrowded, making it the perfect place to catch the eclipse.

“Strolling past the visitor center at Crater Lake National Park toward Rim Trail, a wide, easy path that curls along the southwestern edge of the famous water feature, I felt ready to get my first eyeful of one of the world’s most astounding lakes,” wrote parks editor Ashley Harrell. “I had seen the photos of its impossibly blue and absurdly translucent water and knew all the superlatives: America’s deepest lake. One of the world’s clearest lakes. The largest volcanic eruption site in North America in the last half-million years. 

“But really, nothing prepares you to be standing on the edge of such a wonder.”

As a recognized International Dark Sky Park, Great Basin National Park in Nevada will be the perfect viewing area for the eclipse.

“Great Basin is a 77,180-acre national park near the Nevada-Utah border, nestled among the mountains of the southern Snake Range and surrounded by hundreds of miles of desert in every direction,”  wrote news reporter Sam Mauhay-Moore of his visit to the park. “Salt Lake City, the metropolitan area closest to the park, is a three-and-a-half-hour drive away. It’s four and a half hours from Las Vegas, six hours from Reno and a whopping nine and a half hours from my home in Oakland. The closest town is Baker, Nevada — population 36 — which sits right outside the park’s entrance. 

“While this remoteness might be daunting to some, for others — including myself — it’s part of what makes the place so special.”