Wildlife and Bird Watching in Estes Park

Rocky Mountain National Park boasts wildlife watching at its best as herds of mule deer browse only a few feet away, elk congregate in open meadows (including the golf courses!) and bighorn sheep graze on hillsides. Smaller game abounds in this natural habitat. Coyote are common, as are marmots, Ebert squirrels, chickarees, and beaver.

Estes Park locals will remind you that although they may look soft and cute and cuddly, the wildlife you will encounter while enjoying the Rocky Mountain National Park are wild animals. Do not feed them and never approach an animal in the wild, no matter how cuddly they may appear. Take lots of pictures and make lots of memories.

Estes Park Colorado is also home to herds of deer and elk, which can often be spotted strolling through neighborhoods, grazing on golf courses, and walking across the road. It is more common to see animals at dawn and dusk, but daytime encounters are not uncommon in Estes Park.   Be cautious while driving during these times. Where there is one crossing the road, there are likely to be more.

Bird Watching

Estes Park Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park are the home to a variety of birds. Native bird inhabitants include everything from the Rufus and Broad-tailed Hummingbird in late summer to the Peregrine Falcon and Great Horned Owl in the spring. Canada geese migrate to Lake Estes every summer along with several varieties of duck. If you take a stroll along the Lake Estes bike path through the bird sanctuary, you’re likely to run into a “birder” right there. Photographers should always have telephoto lenses to get that “great” shot without disturbing the subject.