Wildlife Viewing

Shenandoah is a home to thriving animal populations as well as reintroduced and endangered species.

Plan Around Wildlife Viewing

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Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Wildlife Viewing Details

Home of one of the most dense black bear populations in the United States, Shenandoah National Park serves as a refuge for between 300 and 500 bears. Shenandoah also supports more than 50 other species of mammals, including gray squirrels, whitetail deer, bobcats, and shrews. Some mammals are accustomed to seeing visitors, while others will quickly shy away. Almost a dozen species of toads and frogs and a similar number of salamanders and newts reside in the park. You may also see some of the park's 25 species of reptiles warming themselves in the sun or hiding from the heat, depending on the season. Remember to only view wildlife from a distance; never entice or approach a wild animal and maintain your distance from all wildlife that may approach you. Keep Shenandoah's wildlife wild.

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