Wildlife Viewing

There is no shortage of wildlife to spy in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Plan Around Wildlife Viewing

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Wildlife Viewing Details

With so much wilderness, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park offers some excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Marmots, ground squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits are abundant throughout the park, as are rock squirrels. Mule deer are seen with great frequency, and in early summer you may see fawns with them. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are seen occasionally in the park, but elk are seen more often; you'll spot elk in fall and winter grazing in both clearings and wooded areas. There are snakes and lizards in the park, too. Small mammals like skunks, weasels, and ringtail cats are occasionally spotted, but the rarest sighting is of the mountain lion, bobcat, or black bear. Bird watching is fantastic here, and among the species you'll see are peregrine falcons, blue grouse, Cooper's and red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, and canyon wrens.

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Open

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