Great Smoky Mountains National Park
🇺🇸 United States
🐻 Black Bears and Elk in CataloocheeGreat Smoky Mountains National Park is a temperate forest in the southern Appalachian range of the United States. It is known for rolling ridges cloaked in hardwood and spruce‑fir stands, mist that often hangs over the valleys, and a network of shaded trails that weave through old‑growth woods.
35.570° N 83.628° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ 
Red-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon jordani
★ 
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
📊 Most Spotted
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea wilderae
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
⭐ Iconic Species
★ American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
📊 Most Spotted
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Woodchuck
Marmota monax
Coyote
Canis latrans
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
📊 Most Spotted
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
📊 Most Spotted
Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
Eastern/Central Ratsnake Complex
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
Eastern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus undulatus
Common Five-lined Skink
Plestiodon fasciatus
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Eastern Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Eastern Worm Snake
Carphophis amoenus
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea wilderae
Spring Salamander
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Seal Salamander
Desmognathus monticola
Imitator Salamander
Desmognathus imitator
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
Southern Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon serratus
Red Salamander
Pseudotriton ruber
Pygmy Salamander
Desmognathus wrighti
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
Cherokee Mountain Dusky Salamander
Desmognathus adatsihi
Northern Slimy Salamander
Plethodon glutinosus
Southern Gray-cheeked Salamander
Plethodon metcalfi
Recent sightings in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Elk Rut in Cataloochee
Bull elk bugle and spar over harems in Cataloochee Valley during the autumn breeding season (rut), peaking .
2Black Bear Summer Season
Black bears are at their most visible in summer, feeding heavily on berries and moving with cubs through Cades Cove and forest edges — matching the species' sighting peak.
3Salamander Season
In the 'Salamander Capital of the World', spring rains bring the park's 30 salamander species out in force along streams and wet trails, from the endemic red-cheeked salamander to the giant hellbender.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Elk Rut in Cataloochee
- 2Black Bear Summer Season
- 3Salamander Season
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
We saw so many during our visit that we actually lost count! (But we'd gotten well into the double-digits.) The National Park Service estimates that there are currently around 1,900 bears in the park, which works out to a population density of two bears per square mile.
I was at visitor center, I watched two coyotes hunting some wild turkeys in the fields adjacent to the parking lot: they went home hungry.
We were fortunate to see bears, including cubs, during both visits.
Within minutes of entering the loop, we spotted a mama bear and her cub crossing the road right in front of us!
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
The most likely sightings are American Black Bear (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), American Crow (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Elk (wapiti) (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Northern Cardinal (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Carolina Wren (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 543 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park for wildlife?
November has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see American Black Bear in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a American Black Bear sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 1,998 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Elk (wapiti) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Elk (wapiti) sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 1,674 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Red-cheeked Salamander in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Red-cheeked Salamander sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 885 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 835 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
