After a long history of fighting off endangerment and extinction, wolves are finally recovering and growing in numbers. As they increase their population, people have a better chance of seeing them in the wild. The best place to get a chance to view wolves in their natural habitat is at one of the United State’s many national parks.
Rules To Viewing Wolves
There are many things to keep in mind when trying to get a chance to look at the wildlife nature has to offer. This goes for most wildlife and not just wolves. Wild animals need room, especially wolves which can be extremely dangerous when they feel threatened.
Safety Above All Else
Try to always keep your safety above all else when visiting national parks. It is recommended to stay in your vehicle when driving on vehicle trails. When on foot always stay in a close knit group and only follow your intended route. Never go off trail.
Alaska – Denali National Park
Alaska affords travelers a unique opportunity when they visit Denali National Park. It is considered by many as the best place to see wolves in the wild, especially when traveling on the park road. The wolves in the park travel in packs and leave a lot of evidence that they’ve been there even if sightseers don’t get a chance to see them directly.
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming – Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park has a rich history with wolves. When wolves were still on the decline, conservationists reintroduced a population of gray wolves to the park, which thrived on the local elk. There are over one hundred wolves in the park, and many of them can be seen in the summer early in the day.
Wyoming – Grand Teton National Park
The gray wolves that were originally released into Yellowstone eventually made their way into Grand Teton National Park. In 1999, the first litter of pups were born inside the park and since then their numbers have risen to over forty individuals. On guided tours, they are one of the many animals that can be viewed in their natural habitat.
Minnesota – Voyageurs National Park
The forests in Voyageurs National Park afford the local wolf population a paradise for them to hunt in packs and roam freely. They tend to isolate into smaller groups in the summer and hunt in bigger packs in winter. If you want the best chance of viewing wolves at the park, try going in winter when their large numbers are harder to miss.
Montana – Glacier National Park
Today, the local population of wolves at Glacier National Park are thriving, but that wasn’t always the case. The wolves had completely left the park by the 1920s, but thanks to conservation efforts, they’ve come back in big numbers. With a stunning backdrop, viewing wolves in the park is a must. The Oxbow Trail has had an increase of wolf sighting lately, so start there!
Alaska – Katmai National Park
Another Alaskan location where you can find wolves is Katmai National Park. It has a local population of wolves that tend to hunt in the coastal areas and make sea otters their prey. The park is one of the only places where wolves live, with nearly no contact with humans. The wolves have become accustomed to the local bear population and fish alongside them.
Michigan – Isle Royale National Park
The wolves on Isle Royale National Park are aptly called Isle Royale wolves. They are believed to have made it onto the island by crossing an ice bridge in the late 1940s. Their numbers rose to 50 by the 1980s, but recently, they’ve fallen. This is due to the availability of food on the island.
A Rare Breed
Ever since they’ve adapted to life in their new environment, they have been one of the only cases of island wolves. Because they are cut off from the mainland, they are a very rare breed of wolf, which is rewarding to see. Not many of these wolves are alive today.
Colorado – Rocky Mountain National Park
A few years ago, officials would tell you that there are no wolves in Rocky Mountain National Park. But just recently, people have just started to see wolves return to the park after almost a century of absence. This means that, for the first time in 80 years, you could see the very first wolves coming back into the park, as slim as that chance might be.
Increasing In Numbers
As conservation efforts increase to help grow wolf populations across the U.S., We can expect to see wolves return and be reintroduced to many more areas and parks where they can be viewed in all their majesty. Currently, around 18,000 wolves live in the U.S. and reside mostly in the northern regions across 13 states.
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7 Best National Parks To See Wolves
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