Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor's Guide



Finding Wildlife

Among the best places to see wildlife in the Park are roadside pullouts in open areas. Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park are two such areas where you will have a good chance to view wildlife, especially during the fall season. Bighorn sheep visit natural mineral licks in Horseshoe Park, especially in May and June. Moose live in the Kawuneeche Valley. Coyotes, deer, and elk feed in all of the open meadows. From Trail Ridge Road, look for elk, marmots, and birds on the tundra.

Elk, moose, and deer are most active at dawn and dusk. But bighorn sheep are active all day. So are marmots, squirrels, and chipmunks. Birds are easier to find in early morning. Beavers work mostly at night.

Ask a ranger about how to find animals. Check the calendar for ranger programs that focus on wildlife.

Wildlife Watching Calendar

The best season to observe wildlife are fall, winter and spring. This is when many animals move to lower elevations, including town, for winter food and mating rituals.
September - October
Elk gather in low meadows and bulls bugle as they form harems of cows.
October - November
Mule deer bucks are in their prine as they search for does.
November - December
Bighorn rams challenge each other with head-butts that may be heard for a mile.
January - February
The rut is over; large groups of animals settle into the Estes valley to feed and wait for spring.
March - April
Herds of wildlife feed in the greening lower valleys preparing to return to alpine meadows
May - June
Elk, moose, deer and bighorn sheep introduce their newborn calves, fawns and lambs to our Rocky Mountains.

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