Wildlife Encounters In Remote Destinations – From the frozen arctic waters of Alaska to the tropical oasis of Hawaii, from the dense forests of the Rocky Mountains to the swamps of the South, the United States is a land of mind-boggling diversity. There is an incredible array of flora and fauna across its varied landscapes, which means a never-ending array of unique wildlife travel opportunities for animal lovers.
From the world-famous to the lesser-known, here are the top ten wildlife spots in the U.S. that you must visit:
Wildlife Encounters In Remote Destinations
Boasting the highest animal density in the lower 48 states, it’s hard to beat Yellowstone National Park for wildlife encounters. During the warmer months, you’ll find an array of creatures of all shapes and sizes, from burly bears and cougars to pocket gophers and diminutive martens.
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A winter visit certainly has its advantages. From November to March, the population breaks loose and the elusive wolf hunts closer to the shore, which makes them easier to spot. Wolves that once roamed the entire North American continent were nearly exterminated due to habitat loss, but today the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is 500 strong, with 100 wolves divided into 13 packs within the original park.
Whether catching sightings of wolves in the winter or running into bison traffic in the summer, Yellowstone is sure to get your animal fix.
The orca’s common name, “killer whale,” is a misnomer and has given the orca a bad name. First off, they’re not technically whales, they’re actually dolphins — and they take the cake as the largest member of the family. Second, while ancient mariners called their propensity to hunt large sea creatures “killers,” a wild orca never killed a human. As powerful apex predators, they eat everything from small squid to great white sharks.
Easily recognizable by their distinctive black and white bodies, orcas travel far and wide around the world. However, one of the most reliable places to see them is the San Juan Islands in Washington State. This stunning and ecologically diverse area of the Pacific Northwest is home to three tight-knit orca pods, and seeing such intelligent and highly social animals in the wild is something you won’t soon forget.
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Imagine being deep in the woods and stumbling upon dozens of giant grizzly bears standing belly-deep in the river, catching an endless supply of salmon as you wade back out of the water. A few hours south of Anchorage, Alaska, on the Brooks River, you can.
From June to October, grizzlies camp out on the river and eat their weight (and sometimes more) in salmon to prepare for winter. In fact, the bears have gotten so big that each year the National Park Service celebrates Fat Bear Week, where “all bears are winners, but only one true champion emerges.” The task is simple: be the fattest bear. We humans can create sports-style brackets and vote daily until the chunkiest bear is named after seven full days of bulking.
For those interested in seeing these mighty bears in person, travel to the Alaskan wilderness to experience a mesmerizing show that showcases the grizzly’s incredible and indelible power.
With two different worlds to explore, one on land and one underwater, Hawaii has earned its reputation as a natural paradise. No matter which island you visit – it’s impossible to decide on just one – wildlife is found in astonishing abundance.
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Maui’s Olowalu Reef offers a unique ecosystem with colorful coral reefs and tropical fish, while Hawaii’s native monk seals can be spotted on Kauai. Throughout the islands, snorkelers can swim alongside sea turtles and manta rays, and bottlenose and spinner dolphins are also frequent sightings. If you’re lucky, you might even come face-to-face with the official state fish, Humuhumunukunukuapua.
Craving to see whales? Visit in the fall, when about 3,000 humpbacks pass through their annual migration, stopping in the warm waters of Hawaii to mate and give birth.
Known for its endless plains and flat prairies, Nebraska might not be the first (or twentieth) state that comes to mind for wildlife experiences. However, every spring, bird lovers flock to the Great Plains for the spectacular sandhill crane migration.
Existing in their current form for 2.5 million years, sandhill cranes are among the world’s oldest birds, and since the last ice age they have used Nebraska’s nutrient-rich North Platte River as their migratory pitstop. From February to April, 500,000 of them (about 80% of the world’s total crane population!) come to the river’s edge to rest, mate and refuel before heading north.
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To woo females, males perform elaborate dances that include a series of jumps and leaps, as well as displaying their impressive 1.8 m (6 ft) wingspan. Bird lovers delight in this day dance, photographers enjoy sunrises and sunsets, and whole flocks go and return after feeding.
Before early settlers trampled the prairie with dreams of making it rich during the gold rush, millions of bison roamed America’s heartland. As settlers moved west, bison populations were decimated as a source of food and sport.
Today, the rolling plains of Custer State Park, a wildlife refuge in the Black Hills of South Dakota, are among the best places to see bison. Here, a herd of 1,300 – believed to be the largest in the world – thunders across the grasslands, spitting up dry dust as their 907-kilogram (2,000-pound) bodies pound the earth.
Travel in the spring to see beautiful calves being born, or choose in September to experience the tremors during the annual bison roundup, which evokes true Americana vibes. In addition to bison, the Black Hills are home to pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs.
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A trip to Glacier National Park feels like stepping back in time to a time when America’s wilderness was pristine and completely untouched. From towering, snow-capped peaks and lush valleys to refreshing lakes and forests, animals thrive in the park’s remote landscape.
With more than 700 miles of trails to explore, visitors encounter a smorgasbord of flora and fauna. Look up cliffs and rock slopes to witness swift mountain goats trapeze, or head to marshy waters to watch them feed. Standing nearly 2.1 meters (7 feet) tall, with antlers reaching up to 1.8 meters (6 feet), the moose is certainly hard to miss!
Grizzly bears, Glacier’s most famous resident, are also found throughout the park, though you’ll only see them from a distance as they munch on fruit and sleep in the flowery meadows.
California’s beautiful coast is ripe with marine mammals, and a road trip along Highway 101 is the perfect way to see it all. Be sure to visit Monterey and Morro Bay for awesome views of playful California sea lions. Otters float slightly on their backs.
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Reyes Point, an hour north of San Francisco, is a must-stop. Here, the world’s largest seal, aptly named the elephant seal for its gigantic size and trunk-like snout, lounges on sun-drenched shores. Mating season starts in December and brings huge concentrations of seals – around 2500 of them! – Chunky seal pups pile up on beaches in February.
Head to Everglades National Park, a semi-aquatic environment in southern Florida, where a wide variety of wildlife awaits. You’ll see wading birds like white-tailed deer, turtles, the stoic wood stork, and the colorful roseate spoonbill, but the star of the show is definitely the American alligator.
Reaching 4.5 meters (15 feet) in height, alligators are the largest reptile in North America, and the name is derived from “el lagarto,” the Spanish word for lizard. More than 200,000 live in the lush mangroves and grassy swamps of the Everglades, and the best time to see them is during the height of the seasons. Between late winter and early spring, temperatures rise, but water levels remain low. This combination encourages wildlife to congregate along the shore and makes them easier to spot.
For a land teeming with life, look to Kenai Fjords National Park in southeast Alaska. Whether exploring the small town of Seward or kayaking in Resurrection Bay, there’s a ridiculous amount of wildlife (and amazing scenery!) on constant display. The best way to see it all is on a short boat trip.
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Cruising through the fjords, you can see wildlife above, beside and below. Birds, puffins, and bald eagles weave through the air, sometimes crossing paths with steep hillsides. Playful porpoises dip in and out of the water while Steller sea lions sunbathe on the rocks and harbor seals cool off on floating ice floes. Orcas and gray whales appear and are very pleasant to watch. I am a lifelong animal lover and love traveling to destinations with unique wildlife experiences! Whether it’s going on safari in South Africa, Sri Lanka and Kenya, or exploring some of the world’s best diving sites in Mozambique and Indonesia,
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