Best Elk Viewing in the Rocky Mountains

The elk come down to lower elevations in the fall. When we went to Mammouth the first time on our last trip there a few years ago there were mo elk. A week later towards the end of September we could hardly get thru the town there were so many ambling across the steets.
Before that the only ones we saw in Yellowstone were on hikes up the mountains.

BillyandKris wrote:
Better get your reservations quick at RMNP. There is nothing in Moraine Park. We barely got in at Glacier Basin and could not get all the days we wanted. I was surprised and figured things would be winding down. Seems to not be the case.

This is still the height of the season up there, won't be winding down until September, once school starts. Locals not a frequent and the tourist numbers start to decline. But September can still sometimes be a challenge. Moraine Park is open all year (the back loops close) and during the week in September and October, it becomes a bit easier to find a spot without reservations.

Better get your reservations quick at RMNP. There is nothing in Moraine Park. We barely got in at Glacier Basin and could not get all the days we wanted. I was surprised and figured things would be winding down. Seems to not be the case.

Itchey Feet wrote:
Yellowstone @ the town of Mammoth, get a spot in the campground there and they will keep you up at night traveling thru and be on the grass in town all day long, that has been our experience anyway.

This is true, but the last two years we visited Mammoth they weren't as plentiful as they were just inside the West Entrance. Each morning, there was the same herd by the river.

The Texan wrote:
All good answers, but you can also find them in out of the way places, like Valley County Idaho. We have large herds and they can be found at the lower altitudes and starting to gather in winter herds by mid October. Truthfully, a month later and you can come set in our yard and watch them feed on the ridge behind us or look in our windows at night......:)

That is true Texan. Also at Bruce Meadows early in the AM or at dusk, but since these are not your tourist variety of elk, they will scatter when they see you.

4aSong wrote:

IDman wrote:
You can always rely on plenty of elk in Estes Park and RMNP. They are everywhere! Unfortunately, the crowds are too.

X2

x3

Howdy!

We're in Estes Park now at Manor RV park. I've seen Elk in the park here and was told the rut starts next month. Drove through RMNP and we saw plenty of elk there.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

Thom02099 wrote:
Rocky Mountain National Park. In the Aspenglen area, the Moraine Park area, or Endovalley area. That's where most of the Elk can be seen and as an added bonus, there will also likely be Bighorn Sheep in the area too.

Staying at Moraine Park CG would be the best choice with Glacier Basin CG also recommended, simply for convenience. They will also be a bit easier to find available spaces, since the season will be in wind down mode. In town/commercial CG, Elk Meadow is appropriately named, and you'll see a lot of elk there. Not so much at some of the other CG in and around the town of Estes Park.

Add the golf course in downtown Estes Park to the above list.

When we lived in Estes (1995-2003) our home was built on an acre right in town just up from the lake.

During rut we were kept awake at night by the bull bugling right outside our window and it was not uncommon to have as many as 150 elk in our yard.

Elk all over in Estes and RMNP.

We used to call the end of Sept / early Oct as the season of the newlyweds and nearly deads! It is a popular time of year.

RV parks in Estes have deteriorated a lot over the last few years while raising their prices. We stay at Riverview at the west end of Loveland and drive up. If you don't want hookups you MIGHT be able to get into the campgrounds at Rocky.

Itchey Feet wrote:
Yellowstone @ the town of Mammoth, get a spot in the campground there and they will keep you up at night traveling thru and be on the grass in town all day long, that has been our experience anyway.

We saw many here, right up close.