Tips for Spotting Winter Wildlife | Wonderful Winter Drives

Tips for Spotting Winter Wildlife

During winter, Montana's wild residents go through major changes. They grow winter coats for extra warmth, and they build up their fat reserves to help them get through the cold months. For these reasons, please be extra careful when you're watching or photographing wildlife, as they need to conserve their energy.

Two of Montana's greatest opportunities for winter wildlife viewing are its national parks: Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. In Glacier, you may see elk, moose and deer foraging or mountain goats and bighorn sheep pawing for lichens and grasses. In Yellowstone, elk, bison, deer, wolves and other animals often roam the park's plowed roadways. Don't expect to see bears in either park (or anywhere else, for that matter), as they hibernate throughout the winter.

At viewing areas across Montana, you may see ducks, Canada geese, swans or bald eagles on unfrozen lakes and rivers.

Wonderful Winter Drives

Although these roads are generally open for travel throughout the year, there are no guarantees: winter in Montana can be fickle, and a sudden snowstorm blowing across the state may close the very route you have your eye on. Because you need to expect the unexpected, take along extra clothing, blankets and food when you travel.

Kings Hill Scenic Byway - South of Great Falls, this 70-mile stretch of paved road offer stunning views of rugged mountains and limestone outcroppings. The byway crosses the Little Belt Mountains on the way to Kings Hill Pass at 7,393 feet. The road is plowed and maintained all winter--a good thing since the average annual snowfall at the pass is 23 feet.

Pintler Scenic Route - Between Drummond and Anaconda off of I-90, the Pintler Highway will take you along the shores of Georgetown Lake before heading for the mountains. Along the way, you can pass old ghost towns, as well as lots of opportunities for cross-country skiing; downhill skiing at Discovery is nearby.

Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway - A 49-mile stretch between Wise River and Polaris, this Byway travels along county and forest service roads (note: it is not paved all the way). It passes near Elkhorn Hot Springs and Maverick Mountain Ski Area along the way, and you may see deer, moose and elk--especially during the dawn and dusk hours.

Seeley-Swan Scenic Drive (US 83) - Along this stretch of heavily forested highway, you'll pass many lakes (including Salmon Lake, Seeley Lake, Lindbergh Lake and Holland Lake)--as well as the winter-loving town of Seeley Lake. Seeley Lake is a snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and dog sledding destination.