By Karen Povey, WNPF Board of Directors
In addition to offering amazing scenic wonders, Washington’s national parks provide some of the best wildlife watching in our state. This summer, venture out to some of our top picks of places to see iconic Washington animals in action.
And remember: a great wildlife experience comes from keeping safety in mind for yourself and the park creatures you encounter. Never feed animals, always maintain a respectful distance, and protect their habitat by staying on the trail while you get that great photo.
One special aspect of Mount Rainier? Its elevation difference of approximately 13,000 feet creates a variety of habitats that remain protected, and you’ll likely see different animals at each life zone change. Thanks to this incredible diversity, Mount Rainier is home to 65 mammal species, 14 species of amphibians, 5 species of reptiles, 182 species of birds, and 14 species of native fish. Here are some of the top places to find them:
For close looks at alpine wildlife, it’s hard to beat the trails at Paradise. Wind through meadows and mountains to see sun-bathing marmots, strutting grouse (large chicken-like ground birds), and butterflies flitting among the flowers.
Take a short stroll uphill from the Jackson Visitor Center or spend a few hours wandering the 5.5-mile Skyline Loop Trail, our top pick for critter encounters with its large network of marmot burrows. Early morning or late afternoon is usually prime time to visit to see animals in action.
Inaccessible for most of the year, it’s always a treat to return to the trails at Sunrise for some memorable wildlife experiences. Head west on the Sourdough Ridge Trail to Frozen Lake, the jumping-off point for trails through the meadows or up to higher peaks.
Mountain goats frequent the area and are often viewed from First Burroughs or along the Wonderland Trail to Skyscraper Pass. Listen for whistling marmots and the chirp of pikas calling from the talus slopes. Birding here is also excellent. Look for Clark’s nutcrackers in the conifers and white-tailed ptarmigans on rocky slopes.
A profusion of bloom-filled meadows with a stunning Mount Rainier backdrop makes Spray Park one of the park’s most scenic spots. Accessible only via a bone-jarring gravel road and a challenging 8-mile hike, this destination is recommended for the more adventurous creature seeker.
This is one of the most consistent spots in the park for glimpsing black bears. Stay alert for movement where the forest transitions into the lower meadows. With luck, you’ll find a bear feeding or perhaps resting on the higher slopes. And don’t forget your butterfly ID guide to test your skills on the beautiful insects weaving through the stunning carpets of color.
North Cascades is a rugged wilderness sanctuary. It’s home to approximately 75 mammal species, 21 species of reptiles and amphibians, 200 species of birds, 28 species of fish, and recent surveys have documented over 500 types of land insects and approximately 250 aquatic invertebrate species. Here are the top places to see them in action:
A visit to Stehekin Valley offers all sorts of ways to watch wildlife, starting with the ferry ride where you can spy osprey, bald eagles, and red-tailed hawks soaring overhead. Once in the valley, enjoy time paddling the marshes or walking the Stehekin River Trail to see deer, ducks, and beaver ponds.
From the Harlequin Bridge, about four miles from the ferry landing, you may see its namesake, the striking harlequin duck. Also scan fast-moving water for the remarkable dipper, a small gray bird that plunges into rapids to feed on river bottom insects. Look for its characteristic bobbing movements when perched on rocks midstream.
Reptile lovers will appreciate that this is the dry side of the Cascades, so gopher snakes and rattlesnakes are at home here. Stay alert and you may have a chance to appreciate these normally shy predators from a distance while wandering up the north shore’s Lakeshore Trail.
The wetlands flanking the Big Beaver Trail form one of the most pristine and biodiverse habitats in the park. Starting near Ross Lake Dam, you can stroll a few miles into the Big Beaver Valley alongside active beaver ponds where you might encounter the industrious rodents at work, especially around dusk. Otters, black bears, deer, wood ducks, and other marsh birds also abound.
Amphibians and fish too – including endangered bull trout – thrive in this watery wonderland. Thanks to funding from Washington’s National Park Fund donors, the National Park Service has an active program to protect this wetland from exotic plant invasion that would dramatically alter this important wildlife habitat.
One of the most iconic animals in the North Cascades is the mountain goat, ideally adapted for the peaks and cliffs of the park’s breathtaking alpine areas. Seeing mountain goats here is very hit or miss and often requires a long, steep hike, but the 4.4-mile Blue Lake Trail offers one of the shortest hikes into good goat country. If you strike out on a sighting, you will still be richly rewarded with the spectacular setting of soaring peaks and sapphire water.
Olympic is one of the most diverse wilderness areas in the United States, protecting one of the largest remaining parcels of pristine habitat for several threatened or endangered species. From the rocky coast to the rain forest and into the alpine peaks, it’s home to many species including 62 land-based mammal species and 29 marine mammals, 300 species of birds, 37 species of native fish, 17 species of amphibians and reptiles, and countless invertebrates. Here are the top spots to check them out:
Did you know that Olympic National Park was established, in part, to protect then-declining herds of Roosevelt elk? Now some 5,000 strong, the park’s elk population wanders widely but can often be seen along the Hoh entrance road and around the visitor center. There’s something otherworldly about the grace of these giant animals as they slip silently through the moss-draped forest.
Walk the short Spruce Nature Trail or Hall of Mosses Trail (both partially wheelchair accessible) and listen for the eerie one-note call of the varied thrush (a robin-relative) and the Pacific wren’s bubbling song. And don’t forget to say thanks to the banana slugs as they work their decomposing magic, creating soil from decaying leaves and moss.
The coastline of the Olympic Peninsula offers nearly endless opportunities to encounter marine wildlife. Start with a visit timed to summer’s extreme low tides to meet a colorful sea star or squishy anemone at Kalaloch, Second Beach, or Third Beach. Check the tide chart for a low tide – a minus tide presents the most revealing looks. Always follow good beach etiquette by showing care and respect for the living creatures of the tidepool. Visit the NPS website for more park tide pooling information.
The Cape Alava Loop/Ozette Triangle hike can be done as a well-planned day hike but is most fun as an overnight. Stroll or camp (permit required) along the beach and watch bald eagles soaring and shorebirds feeding in formation, then explore the tide pools at the Cape. Best of all is the raft of sea otters floating just offshore. Bring your binoculars to watch them feed, frolic, and rest while wrapped among the kelp.
Did you know? The Olympic coast hosts both sea and river otters. According to the National Park Service, “River otters are common along the Pacific coastal section of the park, where they are often mistaken for sea otters. Much smaller than sea otters, they weigh about 30 pounds. They have small ears, plenty of whiskers, and are generally brown with silvery bellies.” Learn more about Olympic Sea Otters and river otters.
Note: this hike requires careful attention to tides since part of the 3-mile beach walk portion is inaccessible at high tide.
If you’re determined to see a black bear this summer, Enchanted Valley in the heart of the Olympic Mountains is your best bet. This epic adventure requires a night or more on the trail (permit required) winding and climbing your way up 13 miles alongside the Quinault River. Bears are extremely common in the area, with most visitors seeing several. Proper food storage here is vital to keep bears considering people as visitors, not food sources.
It’s always exciting to encounter animals in our national parks. With some preparation, patience, and a dash of good luck, hopefully you’ll experience a memorable wildlife moment on your next visit!
Karen Povey, Former Conservation Engagement Manager for Metro Parks Tacoma, is a zoologist, educator, writer, and conservationist. Washington’s National Park Fund is the official philanthropic partner to Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks, raising funds for priority projects that study and protect wildlife in all three parks. Learn about the projects we fund, and how you can help.
Cover photo: A marmot watches hikers pass by, captured by Karen Povey