AUTHENTIC WESTERN ADVENTURES Wildlife Watching Places to Spot WYOMING WILDLIFE Needing no introduction, Yellowstone National Park is a wildlife enthusiast’s paradise. You’re likely to spot plenty of bison and elk from the road, but venturing into the backcountry might earn you sightings of griz-zly bears, black bears, moose, gray wolves, bighorn sheep, coy-otes, pronghorn, bald eagles and plenty of other wild creatures. The park’s diverse landscape provides habitats for black bears, grizzly bears, moose, elk, coyotes, bison, mule deer, river otters, bald eagles, golden eagles, sage grouse, trumpeter swans and much more. For a guaranteed wintertime elk sighting, visit the National Elk Refuge, just south of the park, where 7,000 migrating elk spend each winter. North of the town of Green River, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge borders 36 miles along the Green River. The river provides a lush oasis for 220 species of birds and other wildlife. Drive, hike or kayak through the refuge for the chance to spot bald eagles, trumpeter swans, moose, mule deer, white-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, foxes and more. The 47-mile Cloud Peak Skyway Scenic Byway connects Worland and Buffalo, while the 58-mile Bighorn Scenic Byway winds from Shell east toward Sheridan. Hwy 14A, the Medicine Wheel Passage, from Burgess Junction to Lovell is another wildlife-rich drive. Keep an eye out for elk, mule deer, white-tail deer, coyotes, black bears, moose, wild turkeys, sage grouse and bald and golden eagles. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COYOTE, WYOMING OFFICE OF TOURISM; BULL MOOSE, JEFF VANUGA; SEEDSKADEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, FLICKR/FRED MAST; MULE DEER, SCOTT MCKINLEY; GRIZZLY BEAR, JEFF VANUGA; PRONGHORN RUNNING IN THE RED DESERT, JEFF VANUGA; WILD HORSES, WYOMING OFFICE OF TOURISM; BEAVER, ISTOCKPHOTO. Yellowstone National Park Grand Teton Seedskadee National National Park Wildlife Refuge Bighorn Mountains Moose, elk, mule deer, beaver, black bear, bobcat and coyote are just a few of the species in Medicine Bow National Forest. Travel through high mountain passes and past stunning lakes while looking for wildlife along the Snowy Range Scenic By-way, which includes a section of Hwy 130 between Laramie and Saratoga. Medicine Bow Pilot Butte Wild National Forest Horse Scenic Loop Connecting Green River and Rock Springs, the 24-mile Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop is one of the best places in the country to experience the thrill of watching a galloping herd of wild horses. The unpaved road takes you through an area in which hundreds of horses roam. Arid deserts aren’t often known as a prime habitat for wild animals, but southwestern Wyoming’s Red Desert is the exception. Its 6 million acres of sand dunes and buttes are home to 350 species of wildlife, including the largest migratory herd of pronghorn in the contiguous U.S. and the world’s largest herd of rare desert elk. The Red Desert The Wind River Range encom-passes towering peaks (40 of which are higher than 13,000 feet), more than 1,300 lakes and the Wind River, making it a great setting for wildlife watching. Hike one of the many trails and look for moose, elk, bears, wolves and mountain lions. Bighorn sheep are also prevalent in the area; check out Dubois’ National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center. Wind River Mountains WY INDEED: “Visit with the local Wyoming Game and Fish biologists and wardens to determine the best places and times to view the wildlife you’re interested in. For the best chances to spot wildlife, have good optics, get up early and stay out late as those are usually the optimal times for wildlife movement.” — Lee Livingston, 40 Wyoming Official Travelers Journal president of the Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association
Wyoming Official Travel Guide 2017 Wyoming OTJ: Page 40
