Glacier National Park Wildlife Viewing Guide

Mountain Goats

Likelihood: 80-90% (Almost Guaranteed) Best Spot: Logan Pass

What they look like: Pure white coat, black horns (both males and females), shaggy appearance, 5-6 feet long, 150-300 pounds. Often seen in small groups (5-10 animals).

Why they're iconic to Glacier: Mountain goats are Glacier's most visible and accessible large mammal. They're habituated to humans at Logan Pass and often walk through parking areas and along trails.

Best viewing locations:

• Logan Pass (9.5/10): Park's best spot. Goats regularly seen in parking area, along Hidden Lake Overlook trail, and on cliffs above the visitor center. Morning (7-10 AM) and evening (5-8 PM) are best.
• Highline Trail (9/10): First few miles from Logan Pass. Goats often visible on cliff faces and along the trail.
• Going-to-the-Sun Road (7/10): Occasionally visible on cliff faces between Big Bend and Logan Pass. Watch for white spots on cliffs.

Safety & etiquette: Stay 25+ yards away (car length). Goats are habituated but still wild - they can be aggressive if cornered or if protecting young. Never feed or touch them. Rangers actively enforce distance rules.

Best months: July-September (when Logan Pass is accessible). Peak viewing is July-August when kids are visible.

Photography tips: Early morning light at Logan Pass is spectacular (golden glow on white coat). Use telephoto lens (200mm+) to maintain distance while getting detail shots. Goats against dramatic peaks make for iconic Glacier photos.

Grizzly Bears

Likelihood: 30-40% (Moderate) Best Spot: Many Glacier

What they look like: Brown to blonde coat (color varies), distinctive shoulder hump, dish-shaped face profile, 5-8 feet long, 350-800 pounds. Often solitary except mothers with cubs.

Why they matter: Grizzlies are North America's most iconic large predator. Glacier has one of the healthiest grizzly populations in the Lower 48 (300+ bears). Seeing a grizzly in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most visitors.

Best viewing locations:

• Many Glacier Valley (8/10): Park's best bear habitat. Grizzlies frequently seen digging for roots in meadows, especially spring (May-June) and fall (September). View from roads and pullouts with binoculars. Morning (6-9 AM) is best.
• Going-to-the-Sun Road - east side (6/10): Occasionally visible in meadows between St. Mary and Logan Pass. More common in June-July.
• Two Medicine Valley (6/10): Less crowded than Many Glacier with similar habitat. Early morning or evening drives often produce sightings.

Realistic expectations: Seeing a grizzly requires luck and timing. Even in the best habitat (Many Glacier), sightings are not guaranteed. Go early (6-8 AM) or late (6-8 PM), scan meadows with binoculars, and be patient. Most visitors who dedicate 2-3 early morning sessions to Many Glacier will see a bear.

Best months: May-June (spring feeding, digging for roots and ground squirrels) and September (fall feeding before hibernation). July-August bears are more dispersed and harder to see.

How to distinguish from black bears: Shoulder hump (grizzlies have it, black bears don't), dish-shaped face profile (vs. straight profile), longer claws. Color is NOT reliable (black bears can be brown, grizzlies can be very dark).

Bighorn Sheep

Likelihood: 60-70% (High) Best Spot: Many Glacier Road

What they look like: Brown coat, white rump patch, males have massive curved horns (females have smaller straight horns), stocky build, 5-6 feet long, 150-300 pounds. Often seen in groups of 5-20.

Best viewing locations:

• Many Glacier Road (8/10): Between park entrance and Swiftcurrent. Sheep often visible on cliffs and occasionally cross the road. Morning and evening are best.
• Going-to-the-Sun Road near Wild Goose Island (7/10): Occasionally seen on rocky areas along St. Mary Lake. Less reliable than Many Glacier.
• Two Medicine area (6/10): Smaller population but present. Check meadows and rocky slopes.

Behavior to watch for: In fall (October-November, but park road access is limited), rams compete for mating rights by ramming heads. The sound can be heard from hundreds of yards away. Not commonly seen by summer visitors but spectacular if you're there during shoulder season.

Safety: Stay 25+ yards away. Sheep are generally tolerant of humans but can be aggressive during rutting season (fall).

Best months: July-September for summer visitors. October-November for rutting season (requires road access before Going-to-the-Sun Road closes).

Photography tips: Sheep on dramatic cliff backgrounds make for excellent photos. Use telephoto lens (300mm+ for detail shots). Morning light enhances their brown coat against green meadows or grey cliffs.

Moose

Likelihood: 30-40% (Moderate) Best Spot: Many Glacier

What they look like: Largest member of deer family. Dark brown to black coat, long legs, males have massive palmate antlers (summer-fall), dewlap under throat, 8-10 feet long, 800-1,500 pounds. Often solitary.

Best viewing locations:

• Swiftcurrent Lake area (Many Glacier) (7/10): Moose occasionally seen in willows around the lake. Dawn (6-8 AM) is best. Walk the lakeshore trail or scan from parking areas.
• Fishercap Lake (Many Glacier) (7/10): Small lake near Swiftcurrent. Good moose habitat. Check willows along shore.
• Two Medicine Lake (6/10): Willows along shoreline. Less crowded than Many Glacier.

Realistic expectations: Moose are present but not abundant in Glacier. Sightings require luck and effort (early morning checks of willow areas). Most visitors don't see moose unless they specifically seek them out.

Best months: June-September. Moose are more visible in early summer (June-July) when they're feeding heavily in willow areas.

Black Bears

Likelihood: 20-30% (Moderate-Low) Best Spot: Forested areas

What they look like: Black to cinnamon coat (color varies - can even be blonde), straight face profile (no shoulder hump like grizzlies), 4-6 feet long, 200-400 pounds. Often solitary.

Why less commonly seen: Black bears prefer forested areas and are more shy than grizzlies. They're present throughout the park but avoid open meadows where grizzlies dominate.

Best viewing locations: No reliable spots - they're seen opportunistically in forested areas along roads. More common at lower elevations (Lake McDonald area) than alpine zones.

Safety: Same protocols as grizzlies (100 yards distance, bear spray, make noise on trails). Black bears are generally less aggressive than grizzlies but still require caution.

How to distinguish from grizzlies: No shoulder hump, straight face profile, smaller overall size. If unsure, treat as grizzly (maintain 100 yards distance).

Other Wildlife Worth Watching

Elk: Present in meadows, especially Two Medicine and St. Mary areas. Best viewing at dawn/dusk in summer. Fall (September-October) rutting season features bugling males (haunting sound). Moderate likelihood (40-50%).

Deer (Mule and White-tailed): Common throughout park. Seen along roads and in meadows at dawn/dusk. Smaller and less dramatic than elk. High likelihood (70-80%).

Bald Eagles: Often seen near lakes (McDonald, St. Mary, Many Glacier). Look for white head (adults) perched in trees near water. Moderate likelihood (40-50%).

Ptarmigan: Alpine bird (chicken-sized) found above treeline. Logan Pass area. White in winter, mottled brown in summer. Camouflaged extremely well. Low likelihood unless actively searching (20-30%).

Golden Eagles: Large raptors soaring over peaks and valleys. Look for 6-7 foot wingspan with golden-brown coloring. More common than bald eagles but harder to identify at distance. Moderate likelihood (30-40%).

Marmots: Large rodents (10-15 pounds) living in rocky areas above treeline. Logan Pass area - often heard whistling before seen. Very tolerant of humans. High likelihood at Logan Pass (80%+).

Ground Squirrels: Small rodents standing upright in meadows. Columbian ground squirrels are common and entertaining (often "begging" for food - do NOT feed them). Very high likelihood (90%+).