Spotting wild animals interacting within their natural environment is exciting and special. But remember to watch animals from a distance to keep them and yourself safe. Some animals can be viewed from a park road from inside a car or bus, while others are better discovered on designated trails with the aid of binoculars. Which animal will you look for on your next trip?
Here Are Some of The Best Places to See Wildlife
1. Spirit Bear at Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada
The misty island shorelines and winding waterways of the Great Bear Rainforest are pristine habitats for wildlife on land and sea. The rare Kermode bear, “spirit bear,” are black bears with all-white fur. This unique coloration only occurs in ten percent of the bear population, making them iconic stars of this lush wilderness. Prime bear-watching season happens during the yearly salmon run in late August through October, when bears hunt in the river and eat their catch on the shores of Princess Royal Island. Cultural guides lead tours to wildlife viewing areas on forested hikes and kayak paddles from Klemtu village.
Nearby KOAs
Lynden / Bellingham KOA Journey
2. Caribou at Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska
Created to protect wildlife, Denali National Park is home to various animal species living in familial herds, predatory packs, and soaring overhead. The best way to see wildlife is from an elevated bus seat during a Denali Park Road tour. Bring binoculars to spot wildlife at a distance. Visitors come to see long-legged moose, the fuzzy-antlered Denali caribou herd, Dall sheep high up in the mountains, wolf packs, and grizzly bears feasting on berries or catching salmon from the river.
Nearby KOAs
Fairbanks / Chena River KOA Journey
3. Moose in Rangeley Lake State Park, Maine
If you’re in the lower 48, Maine has one of the larger moose populations outside of Alaska you can visit. The gangly animals are active in late spring and the fall breeding season when bull moose antlers are fully grown in, sometimes reaching a six-foot span! Moose can weigh over one thousand pounds each, so give them lots of space. Dusk and dawn are the best times to find them where they like to chow down in boggy, marshy areas. Rangeley Lake State Park is a great spot to find them, as are other forested bodies of water throughout the state.
Nearby KOAs
Skowhegan / Kennebec Valley KOA Journey
4. Bison at Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada
Become a part of the herd when driving Bison Loop Road in Elk Island National Park. Bison often amble down the paved road at dusk and dawn, initiating the cars on the road into the herd. Drive slowly alongside them and crack the window to hear them snort and clop as they walk. The park is home to about seven hundred wood and plains bison, North America’s largest land mammal. In the springtime, visitors can see newborn calves sprinting in the meadows and aggressive bulls in the late summer mating season.
Nearby KOAs
Hinton / Jasper KOA Holiday
5. Birds at Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Florida Everglades
Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary’s two-and-a-quarter-mile boardwalk brings visitors deep into the Everglade ecosystem. Even though alligators and playful river otters live here, the sanctuary is a birder paradise due to its massive variety of colorful birds. The wetland old-growth bald cypress forest is a sanctuary for wading birds stalking fish, songbirds flitting through the trees, and raptors looking for rodent snacks. Depending on the time of year, different bird species rest and refuel in the refuge while all-year residents live full-time in the lush tropical setting. Hear a cacophony of distinct bird calls and spot colorful birds up close through binoculars.
Nearby KOAs
Naples / Marco Island KOA Holiday
Eva Barrows is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer. Eva writes about local places, people and events on her website www.evabarrows.com. She founded the online literary journal Imitation Fruit in 2007 and has enjoyed promoting fellow writers and artists ever since.
