Rocky Mountain National Park
🇺🇸 United States
🫎 Elk Bugling in Moraine ParkRocky Mountain National Park occupies a stretch of the central Rocky Mountains in the United States, where temperate conifer forests rise from river valleys to subalpine meadows and alpine ridges. The park is celebrated for its iconic elk that roam the high country.
40.371° N 105.726° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ 
Moose
Alces americanus
★ 
Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
★ 
American Pika
Ochotona princeps
📊 Most Spotted
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Callospermophilus lateralis
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Marmota flaviventris
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Pygmy Nuthatch
Sitta pygmaea
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ Moose
Alces americanus
★ Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
★ American Pika
Ochotona princeps
📊 Most Spotted
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Callospermophilus lateralis
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Marmota flaviventris
Wyoming Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus elegans
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Least Chipmunk
Tamias minimus
Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
Mountain Cottontail
Sylvilagus nuttallii
Abert's Squirrel
Sciurus aberti
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
📊 Most Spotted
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Pygmy Nuthatch
Sitta pygmaea
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Violet-green Swallow
Tachycineta thalassina
Recent sightings in Rocky Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Elk Rut and Bugling
Autumn mating season: bull elk gather harems in the meadows (Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park) and their bugling echoes through the valleys from to — the park's most famous wildlife event.
2Bighorn Sheep at Sheep Lakes
Bighorn sheep descend from the Mummy Range to the mineral licks at Sheep Lakes in Horseshoe Park through — a documented congregation the NPS manages with a dedicated crossing zone.
3Alpine Tundra Wildlife Season
With Trail Ridge Road open, the high tundra comes alive: marmots emerge from hibernation to sun on boulders, pikas haypile for winter, and white-tailed ptarmigan forage above treeline.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Elk Rut and Bugling
- 2Bighorn Sheep at Sheep Lakes
- 3Alpine Tundra Wildlife Season
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
But it really was incredibly beautiful.) We even got to see (what we think were) many western tiger salamanders — so cool!
It was about a half mile past the Deer Mountain trailhead where we saw a mama moose and her yearly grazing on the side of the road.
Along the road, we saw a massive male elk, a giant coyote, and more marmot and pika than we can count.
At another stop, we got to see numerous ground squirrels, chipmunks, and even a couple of pikas, which are absolutely adorable!
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Rocky Mountain National Park?
The most likely sightings are Elk (wapiti) (seen by about 90% of wildlife watchers), Mountain Chickadee (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Moose (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Mule Deer (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 550 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for wildlife?
April 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 Elk (wapiti) in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Yes — about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Elk (wapiti) sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 3,043 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Moose in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Moose sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 1,341 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Bighorn Sheep in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bighorn Sheep sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 219 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see American Pika in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a American Pika sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 654 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
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
