GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK
The Snake River curves through
this mountain valley like the reptile it is named for. And
beyond the river rise the jagged and beautiful peaks of the Teton
range.
In summer wildflowers carpet the meadows. But in winter the
temperature can plunge to fifty degrees below zero.
To survive in this sometimes harsh climate, many wildlife species must
seasonally migrate. They depend not only on the land protected by
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming but also on habitat included in
the eleven
million acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
MAMMALS
And the Yellowstone Ecosystem remains the best place in the lower 48
states to see big game - moose, elk, mule
deer, pronghorn antelope and bison are all present. Black and
grizzly bears and mountain lions also frequent Grand Teton but are more
rarely seen.
NPS
RECOMMENDED WILDLIFE VIEWING AREAS
Bears - Bears can be a challenge to see if your time in the
park is short. Black bears do like the Cascade Canyon and Death
Canyon areas, so keep an eye out for scat or other bear sign.
Both black and grizzly bears feed in the meadows by Two Ocean
Lake.
Bison - Bison are often seen at
Mormon Row one mile north
of Moose Junction and east of Highways 26,
89,191 and along Antelope Flats Road.
Elk
- In summer, elk frequent Blacktail Ponds,
a half mile north of Moose on Hwy
26/89/191. Also check out meadows along the Snake
River and Two Ocean Lake. During winter, as many as 7500 elk
migrate to the National Elk Refuge near
Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Moose - Moose love willow thickets. Places to check
include Oxbow Bend, Willow
Flats and thickets along the Snake River and Beaver Creek.
Pronghorn
Antelope- In summer,
check out Antelope Flats Road and the sagebrush areas
surrounding Timbered Island, a ridge southeast Jenny Lake. Also
recommended is Mormon Row,
one mile north of Moose Junction.
Smaller Mammals:
Yellow-bellied marmots, golden-mantled ground
squirrels and pikas are often seen in rocky outcroppings near
trails and are frequently seen at Cascade Canyon, west of Jenny
Lake. With luck, you may spot beaver, muskrats
and river otters in the Snake River or at Oxbow Bend. Beavers are
also seen in ponds off the Hermitage Point hiking trail, and beavers
and muskrats also inhabit the ponds accessible from trails originating
at Colter Bay.
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BIRDS
Many migratory birds spend their summers at
Grand Teton. Listed below are some of the park's locations
recommended by birders.
Grouse:
Check the sagebrush flats in the Jackson Hole valley for sage grouse.
Hummingbirds:
Wildflowers at Jackson Lake Lodge attract Calliope hummers. Also check
fields on the trail to Menor's Ferry at Moose for
Rufous, Broad-tailed and Calliope hummingbirds.
Herons: Great Blue Herons nest at Oxbow
Bend and are often seen in wetlands at the end of Jackson Lake.
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Raptors:
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is haven for raptors: 27 species of
hawks rely on this ecosystem and over 200 eagles claim the parks as
their home. Northern Harriers are often spied in the meadows of
Willow Flats, and Northern Goshawks are seen on the trail to Jenny and
String Lakes. Both ospreys and Bald Eagles are seen at Oxbow
Bend, while Cascade Canyon and alpine areas are good choices for
viewing Golden Eagles. The hay fields off Antelope
Flats-Kelly Road draw
Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks, American Kestrels, Prairie
Falcons
and Northern Harriers.
Sandhill
cranes: Willow Flats
Songbirds
Check the thickets at Willow Flats for many species of migratory
songbirds, including Wilson's Warblers, MacGillivray's Warbers, Yellow
Warblers,
Common Yellowthroats, Fox Sparrows,
Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Pine Siskins. The conifers at Two
Ocean Lake also attract songbirds, including Pine
Grosbeaks and Western Tanagers. At Cascade Canyon, Steller's and
Gray Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Kinglets abound.
Or take a tram ride from Teton Village to the top of Rendevous Mountain
for a chance to spy a Black-Rosy-Finch. In the fields at Antelope
Flats, check fence posts for beautiful
Mountain Bluebirds, Western Kingbirds and Western Meadowlarks.
Water Birds: Stop at Two Ocean
Lake to watch for Common Loons and mergansers.
Waterfowl:
Check the riparian areas and ponds at Willow Flats for cinnamon teal,
green-winged teal and American wigeon.
Trumpeter swans are often seen at Cygnet Pond, Swan Lake, Two Ocean
Lake and Christian Pond. Harlequin ducks
may nest near the creek at Cascade Canyon. Blacktail Ponds
Overlook and Jackson Lake Dam are other spots that frequently attract
waterfowl.
White
Pelicans: Pelicans frequent Oxbow Bend Turnout, Willow
Flats and Christian Pond.
Woodpeckers: Check out aspen
stands in the park, coniferous forests and the willows lining meadows
at Willow Flats. ,
NPS WEBSITE:
Grand
Teton
National Park
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