Moose dwell principally within the northern areas of North America. They like colder climates and forest areas with streams, lakes, and ponds the place they will discover meals and funky off. They’re widespread all through most of Canada, Alaska, New England, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest.
There are a lot of in style RV locations which might be nice locations to see moose. Nationwide parks in mountain areas, corresponding to these in Alaska, Washington, Colorado, and Michigan make scenic tenting locations and still have thriving moose populations. Look ahead to them as you drive and hike by wilderness areas.
For those who’re in areas recognized to have moose and also you see a variety of individuals pulled over to the aspect of the highway, it’s typically wager to tug over as nicely. They could be watching moose or different wildlife. The truth is, it may be simpler to look at for crowds, somewhat than retaining your eyes peeled for moose themselves!
And whereas it’s true that moose are goofy-looking animals, they are often severely harmful after they really feel threatened. Male moose can weigh as much as 1,800 kilos and stand as much as 7 toes tall on the shoulder. They will additionally run as much as 35 mph briefly bursts.
Moose assaults are uncommon, however they’ve been recognized to cost, kick, or stomp people at instances. They’re most aggressive throughout mating season and calving season when moms are defending their younger. In addition they don’t like canines, and think about them as predators like wolves.
If you’re expecting moose, make sure to not get too shut. A great rule of thumb is to make use of your precise thumb. Lengthen your arm in entrance of you along with your thumb up. For those who can see any a part of the moose round your thumb, you’re too shut. Use binoculars or a telephoto lens to get a greater view of the moose. By no means attempt to feed moose, and hold canines leashed and underneath management to maintain them from frightening these wild animals.
Listed here are a number of locations within the U.S. which have excessive moose populations, and the place you have got likelihood of seeing one your self.
Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park has moose, elk, bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and smaller mammals like yellow-bellied marmots and pikas. The park has two sides from which to enter – the east aspect close to Estes Park and the west aspect close to Grand Lake. Either side have areas the place moose prefer to congregate.
Additionally, moose don’t care about park boundaries – start to maintain your eyes peeled as you make your option to the park. And I as soon as noticed a moose laying down straight in entrance of the “Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park” signal on the entrance…nearly as if he had been being paid to pose there.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
The Kawuneeche Valley close to the western entrance is a good looking space with a wide range of hikes. The Coyote Valley Path is a simple, kid-friendly path that’s paved for strollers and wheelchairs. You get sweeping views of the valley and the beginning of the Colorado River. There are additionally a lot of animals that go to this space, so it’s a great place to look at for moose, elk, and different creatures. The Holzwarth Historic Website is a enjoyable spot for households, and youngsters can study what life was like for the individuals who lived and vacationed right here 100 years in the past.
You may as well search for moose all alongside the Colorado River, which runs by the western a part of the park. In fact, they want water to drink, and it gives nutrient-rich crops for them to eat. However moose may overheat at fairly low temperatures, so rivers and lakes present nice locations for them to chill off.
Sprague Lake is on the jap aspect of Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park. It’s one other in style spot for moose, and I as soon as noticed a mom moose and her two calves standing within the water on a summer time day. For those who don’t see moose proper within the lake, search for them within the close by forests across the lake.
Close by RV Campgrounds
Timber Creek Campground is on the west aspect of the park, about eight miles from Grand Lake. It’s open throughout the summer time, often from Might to October. The campground is first-come, first-served. There aren’t any hookups, however there’s a seasonal dump station. Grand Lake/Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park KOA, previously generally known as Elk Creek Campground, is outdoors the park, on the western aspect in Grand Lake. It has full hookups, laundry, showers, a canine park, and a pond for fishing.
Different Outside Actions
There are tons of hikes at Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, starting from straightforward and kid-friendly to extraordinarily difficult. The hike to Alberta Falls from both the Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake Trailhead is a fairly one and this is among the most-visited areas of the park. It’s a few 1.6-mile round-trip hike, with simply 160 toes of elevation acquire.
You may as well spend a day fishing at many alternative factors within the Colorado River. For those who’re new to the world, or need to strive fly fishing for the primary time, take into account hiring a information from one of many many clothing stores close to the park. They’ll take you into RMNP, discover nice spots to fish, and provide you with recommendations on methods to land a giant one.
Additionally, remember to take the Path Experience Highway drive from the western aspect of the park to the jap aspect. The highway is usually open from round Memorial Day by October, however the actual opening and shutting days change relying on the climate. Be able to cease on the many pullouts and overlooks alongside the drive for superb views and probably for wildlife as nicely. There’s additionally a Customer Middle and restaurant on the summit. You’ll need to cease and study extra in regards to the alpine areas of the park right here. You may as well take a brief, steep path up just a little larger for extra nice views and probably some sightings of yellow-bellied marmots and different wildlife. Hear for the marmots’ distinctive whistling noises that earned them the nickname “whistle pig” and watch them frolic within the alpine tundra.
Grand Teton Nationwide Park, Wyoming
Grand Teton Nationwide Park is thought for its sweeping mountain views, glowing lakes, and number of wildlife. The park can also be residence to fairly just a few moose, and this is among the finest locations within the nation to see moose of their pure habitat. Listed here are some suggestions for recognizing them.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
There are three in style areas to view moose at Grand Teton.
Moose-Wilson Highway is a slim drive that passes marshes, beaver ponds, and underbrush – all areas filled with tasty moose meals and the place they love to hang around. Focus particularly on the areas close to the beaver ponds, as these are a favourite of theirs.
Oxbow Bend is alongside the Snake River, the place the banks are filled with willows – one other favourite moose meals. Look ahead to them among the many timber, and hold your eyes peeled for different wildlife together with otters, bald eagles, and trumpeter swans.
Gros Ventre River is east of Freeway 89. Close to the river, there are open flats and willow-lined riverbanks the place the moose prefer to congregate and eat.
Close by RV Campgrounds
Colter Bay RV Park is subsequent to Jackson Lake contained in the park. It has full hookups, laundry services, showers, eating places, and a grocery retailer. You’ll additionally discover a marina for boating on the lake, plus a present store, a customer middle, and horse corrals the place you possibly can e book a trip. This campground is reservation-only, and reservations refill shortly.
Gros Ventre Campground is the most important campground within the park, and the closest to the city of Jackson. It’s shaded by cottonwood timber and is inside strolling distance of the Gros Ventre River. There are electrical hookups, a dump station, and ice and firewood on the market. The campground is open from Might by October. It is a nice campground for moose sightings close by.
Different Outside Actions
There are many actions to do at Grand Teton. There are greater than 250 miles of trails to hike within the park so you’ll find one for any talent degree. The Cascade Canyon Path is an particularly scenic and in style hike, with waterfalls and mountain views. It’s a 13.6-mile hike with 1,300 toes of elevation acquire. You’ll be able to reduce 4 miles of that distance by taking the shuttle boat throughout Jenny Lake. There’s additionally the choice to hike to Hidden Falls – a few mile from the boat drop – in order for you a shorter hike or a scenic detour.
You may as well paddleboard or kayak on Jenny, String, Leigh, or Jackson Lake. There are many locations to fish within the park, in addition to biking trails and horseback rides. Maintain your eyes peeled for wild animals and birds as nicely. Lastly, remember to spend a day exploring close by Jackson Gap. You’ll discover a lot of choices for out of doors actions like snowboarding and snowmobiling in winter, and fly fishing, mountain climbing, rafting, and extra throughout the summer time. The city additionally has upscale buying and plenty of stylish eating spots to deal with your self after a day open air.
Baxter State Park, Maine
Baxter State Park in Maine has a big wilderness space, making it place to see moose. Your finest probabilities of seeing them are at daybreak and nightfall every day, which is after they start to get extra energetic. In addition they are typically extra energetic in late spring and summer time – from mid-Might by July – and within the fall throughout mating season. Bull moose even have their antlers absolutely grown within the fall, making a powerful show.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
Moose are inclined to congregate in just a few totally different areas of the park. Sandy Stream Pond and Stump Pond are two of the favored spots for each moose and moose-watchers. These areas can get crowded with individuals hoping to catch a glimpse of a moose, particularly in peak seasons. The Golden Highway is a 96-mile logging highway that runs to the Canadian border. It’s a less-crowded spot to look at for moose if you wish to escape the crowds of Sandy Stream Pond. Take a drive alongside Golden Highway and look ahead to majestic moose.
Daicey Pond is one other great place to look at for moose, particularly throughout the late afternoon and early night. Look ahead to moose right here from about 4:30-6p, as they get extra energetic round twilight.
There are additionally a number of corporations close to the park that provide guided moose excursions. These will be useful as a result of guides know the place moose have a tendency to hang around, and so they know current moose actions within the space.
Close by RV Campgrounds
Wilderness Edge Campground in Millinocket is on the entry highway to Baxter State Park. It presents 50 Max AMP hookups and has a dump station together with a playground, laundry services, showers, a pool, and kayak leases. Katahdin Shadows Campground in Medway has full hookups, a pool, and deliberate occasions for campers.
Different Outside Actions
There’s lots to do at Baxter State Park moreover expecting moose. For those who’re up for a strenuous climb, you possibly can hike Mount Katahdin. Trails to the highest vary from 4.4 miles one option to 5.2 miles a technique. The elevation acquire is appreciable, nonetheless – you’ll be going up greater than 4,000 toes from the underside to the highest. This isn’t a hike to sort out on a whim…you’ll need to have skilled nicely earlier than trying it.
You may as well paddle on the Penobscot River, and there are many locations to fish within the park. Additionally, together with expecting moose, you possibly can search for black bears, white-tailed deer, beavers, muskrats, foxes, weasels, and plenty of different small mammals. The park can also be excellent for birdwatching and park workers have recorded greater than 178 species.
Denali Nationwide Park, Alaska
You’ll find moose in a number of Alaska nationwide parks, however Denali Nationwide Park is a very good vacation spot for moose-watching. Listed here are some suggestions for locating them on the park.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
You might even see moose close to the doorway to the park, particularly within the springtime. They just like the Riley Creek Campground for its tasty vegetation and forest areas. Horseshoe Lake can also be close to the doorway and is a well-liked hangout for moose. They like consuming the timber and shrubs right here, and in summer time moose take pleasure in cooling off in lakes and streams even in Alaska! You may also spot moose on the Teklanika River. This space is called a “wildlife superhighway” and attracts a lot of animals together with caribou, wolves, grizzlies, and extra.
Through the fall – moose rutting season – chances are you’ll discover them between miles 9 and 13 of the Denali Park Highway. Search for bulls in open areas as they seek for mates.
Close by RV Campgrounds
Riley Creek Campground is inside Denali park boundaries. There aren’t any hookups at this wooded campground, however it will possibly accommodate each tent and RV tenting. You’ll get cellular phone reception on the campground, and there are seasonal facilities – a camp retailer, laundry services, showers, and a dump station. You’ll be able to stroll from the campground to the customer middle, and on to different trails within the park.
Denali RV Park & Motel is simply outdoors the park. It has full hookups, laundry services, showers, gasoline grills, and a full-service tour and exercise desk that can assist you plan your go to.
Different Outside Actions
There are a number of tour corporations within the space that may take you on drives within the park. Many of those tour operators know the place moose prefer to congregate, and may take you to these areas. They’ll additionally present you round different fascinating areas within the park.
There are additionally a number of corporations that do flightseeing excursions of Denali. See the park from the air in a small aircraft. You’ll get fascinating views of glaciers and mountains, and you’ll even spot mountain climbers as they make their option to the summits of mountains within the park.
There are many mountain climbing trails within the park as nicely. The Savage River Loop Path is a neater hike that’s appropriate for all ages. It’s a 2-mile spherical journey that takes about an hour, and the hike is pretty flat as nicely. You’ll observe the Savage River by a canyon, and also you’ll get lovely views of rock formations and the glacier-fed river.
Isle Royale Nationwide Park, Michigan
Isle Royale Nationwide Park is among the most distant nationwide parks within the U.S. and is on an island in Lake Superior. Moose are believed to have arrived on the island both by swimming or crossing the ice in winter. Wildlife consultants have studied the moose and wolves on the island for 60 years, making an attempt to grasp the predator-prey relationship between the species.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
Windigo is an space that’s well-known for moose sightings. It’s on the western finish of the island close to Washington Harbor. You would possibly spot moose within the creek or close to the mouth of the creek the place it joins the harbor. Moose love the aquatic crops by the water, and so they take pleasure in cooling off within the shady areas or within the water throughout the summer time months.
You may also spot moose at Rock Harbor within the park, though they’re much less frequent right here than they’re at Windigo or different areas of the park. Typically, moose would possibly enterprise close to the Rock Harbor Lodge though they like areas with fewer individuals.
Moose sightings are additionally frequent alongside the Greenstone Ridge Path, particularly close to forests and lakes. They benefit from the woods and wetlands and can graze in these areas of the path.
You may as well search for moose at Scoville Level, particularly throughout the spring. You would possibly spot cows with their calves, since this space gives shelter and meals for them at this susceptible time.
Close by RV Campgrounds
There aren’t any RV-accessible campgrounds within the park – all campers attain their campsites both on foot or by way of boat. There are a number of campgrounds and resorts on the mainland, nonetheless. You’ll be able to take the ferry throughout to benefit from the island throughout the day, and return to your rig at evening to sleep in consolation. Strive both Copper Harbor or Houghton to search out RV-friendly campgrounds.
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is in Copper Harbor and has full hookups. There are laundry services, showers, and a playground for teenagers.
Different Outside Actions
There are many issues to do at Isle Royale moreover expecting moose. You’ll be able to go backpacking whereas on the park, and a few treks can final a number of days. There’s additionally kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding within the many our bodies of water on the park. You’ll be able to even discover a number of shipwrecks whereas scuba diving on the park. And you may study extra in regards to the wolf and moose analysis on the island’s customer facilities.
Yellowstone Nationwide Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho
Yellowstone Nationwide Park is primarily in Wyoming, nevertheless it stretches throughout three states in all. The park is teeming with wildlife – in reality, it has the most important focus of mammals within the decrease 48 states. Together with moose, you’ll discover bison, elk, bears, loves, lynx, pronghorn antelope, and lots of extra.
Finest Moose Viewing Areas
Moose at Yellowstone like to hang around in Lamar Valley, which is usually known as “The North American Serengeti” due to all of the wildlife within the space. The jap aspect close to Soda Butte Creek and Pebble Creek are particularly good locations to look at for moose as there are many willows and shrubs for them to eat.
Willow Park, between Mammoth Scorching Springs and Norris Junction, is one other of the perfect areas within the park to view moose. The world has a lot of willows, that are a favourite moose meals.
Yellowstone Lake is one other place the place moose will collect, though it’s much less in style than the above areas. However search for them across the lake, particularly within the marshy areas or the willow thickets. The Fishing Bridge and Pelican Creek are each close to the lake and are additionally locations the place you would possibly discover moose.
Close by RV Campgrounds
Yellowstone has a variety of campgrounds contained in the park, however as a result of this is among the hottest parks within the nation you’ll need to make reservations as quickly as attainable. Fishing Bridge RV Park is the one campground within the park that gives water, sewer, and electrical hookups. Grizzly bears are sometimes within the space, so there aren’t any tents or tent campers allowed at this campground.
Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park is in West Yellowstone, simply three blocks from the park entrance. It has full hookups, showers, and a playground for teenagers.
Different Outside Actions
There are tons of different out of doors actions at Yellowstone moreover moose-watching. Make sure that to catch a geyser eruption at Previous Devoted, see the multi-colored Grand Prismatic Spring, and admire the park’s different geothermal options. Look ahead to every kind of wildlife within the Lamar Valley. Hike Fairy Falls Path – a scenic hike to one among Yellowstone’s most spectacular waterfalls.
You may as well go boating, horseback driving, fishing, and extra throughout the summer time. In winter, take pleasure in snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Finest Time of 12 months to See Moose
It’s attainable to see moose at any time of yr, however you’ll discover them elsewhere and doing various things, relying on the seasons.
When you find yourself on the lookout for moose, attempt to search at dawn and sundown. These are the instances moose are typically most energetic throughout the day.
Spring
You’ll be able to see moose in late spring – Might and June – as they start to take pleasure in snacking on budding leaves and shoots. That is additionally calving season, so you might even see moms enterprise out with their new spring calves. Search for mothers and infants in marshy areas the place they’ve loads of foliage to eat. Male moose start rising their antlers throughout spring, and people will proceed to develop all through the summer time.
Summer time
In mid-summer – July and August – you’ll typically discover moose in lakes and rivers, cooling off throughout the day. Moose have a low tolerance for warmth, and so they can spend lengthy intervals of time immersing themselves in cool water, even at larger elevations. In addition they take pleasure in consuming the aquatic crops which might be filled with minerals and vitamins for them. Moose will graze closely all through the day, build up their fats shops for winter. They could be extra energetic later within the day and early within the morning when it’s cooler out as nicely.
By the top of summer time, male moose antlers have reached their full dimension, prepared to draw the women within the fall.
Fall
September and October are moose mating season. Bulls are extra energetic throughout the fall, and chances are you’ll spot them out and about as they seek for a mate. Bulls may additionally spar one another with their antlers throughout this season.
Winter
Within the winter, moose transfer to decrease elevations as they seek for meals. Moose are additionally simpler to identify as they stand out in opposition to snowy landscapes. Their coats develop thicker to maintain them heat, and so they preserve vitality by remaining extra in a single space, typically with shelter and simply accessible meals. They eat twigs, bark, and buds to maintain themselves by the winter.
Awaiting moose is usually a enjoyable and rewarding expertise, and may result in some nice images and reminiscences! Bear in mind to provide these majestic animals loads of area, to maintain pets leashed, and to keep away from sudden noises or actions that might startle them.
For those who hope to spend a number of days tenting and moose-watching, take into account renting an RV from RVshare. You’ll be able to spend your days having fun with state and nationwide parks and expecting wildlife, and retreat to a cushty mattress every night! And if you wish to look ahead to different wildlife, try our information to the place to see wolves within the U.S.
