Mooseworld

Where to View Moose


  US National Parks

Denali National Park, Alaska
Denali is home to Mount McKinley (20,320 feet) as well as an abundance of wildlife. In addition to moose, caribou, grizzly bear, and Dall's sheep can also be seen along the 85 mile park road and on numerous hiking trails.

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Glacier Bay is a marine wilderness park accessible only by boat or plane. Moose, caribou, grizzly bears, and Dall's sheep are among the wildlife inhabiting the park. The best times to visit are from late May to mid-September.

Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier's one million acres of parkland are accessible by a scenic highway which crosses the park. Over 700 miles of hiking trails provide opportunities to see moose, grizzly bears, pronghorn, elk, and bighorn sheep.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The dramatic peaks of the Tetons rise without foothills from the valley floor. Grand Teton National Park offers hiking trails and open flats where one is likely to find moose, elk, mule deer, Pronghorn antelope, buffalo, Black and Grizzly bears, coyotes, marmot, pika and numerous birds.

Isle Royal National Park, Michigan
Isle Royal is 45 mile long island in Lake Superior. Moose inhabited the island by swimming to it in the early 1900's. Wolves arrived by walking across the ice in 1949. Today, moose far outnumber wolves.

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Kenai Fords contains an icefield covering almost 700 square miles. Within the park's fjords, visitors can find abundant sea animals. Moose, black bears, wolverines and lynx can be found in forest land between the ice field and the coast. The Alaska Outdoor Journal provides a guide to finding moose on the Kenai peninsula.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The diversity of Yellowstone includes peaks, lakes, canyons, and forests. The size of the park and its varied landscape results in an abundance of wildlife. Moose, elk, bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, black bears, pronghorn, coyote, and mountain lions all make their home in the park. For specific moose sighting areas see "Where to find them."


 US State Parks

Alaska
Alaska boasts eight national parks covering more than 40 million acres in addition to vast undeveloped areas where moose thrive. While many places are only accessible by plane or boat, the parks offer unparalled opportunities to see moose in their natural habitat.

Maine
The moose is the official state animal of Maine. Maine State parks, public land reserves, and roadsides provide ample opportunity for moose watching. To see moose in their natural habitat canoe along a lakeshore at dusk.

Minnesota
The moose population in Minnesota is estimated at around 8,000. While certain areas of Minnesota have experienced declining moose populations, northwest Minnesota is still a good bet for moose sightings. The State has been studying possible causes for the declining population since the mid 1990's.

New Hampshire
Moose are common in the far northern area of New Hampshire near the Canadian border. Moose are also prevalent in the White Mountain region of the state.

Vermont
Vermont's moose herd is estimated to have over 2,000 adults. The prime viewing areas are in the far north, near the Canadian border. Moose have also been spotted in the more populated southern part of the state.


  US Resort Areas

Gunflint Trail, Minnesota
Gunflint Trail is a year round vacation destination in Northern Minnesota. The resort area is surrounded by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The actual trail is a 63 mile paved road which winds through the area. Whether from canoe or car, Gunflint Trail offers unique moose watching opportunities.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole is the location of Grand Teton National Park and close to Yellowstone. The valley offers numerous moose watching areas. In and around Jackson Hole, we have seen moose on hiking trials, along the road, and from the aerial tram at Jackson Hole Resort. The best moose sighting areas are along Gros Ventre River and Moose-Wilson Road.

Moosehead Lake, Maine
Moosehead Lake is the largest in the region. Its proximity to Mt. Katahdin and the Appalachian Trial make it an excellent hiking destination. Moose can be seen from a canoe on Moosehead Lake, along Route 15, or on a hiking trial. Be sure to check out MooseMainea, an annual moose festival.


  Canada

Algonquin Provincial Park
Some believe that Algonquin's forest lands offer the best moose watching opportunities in North America. Moose emerge from the woods in late Spring to find salt along the park's main road. Drive carefully.

A Mooseworld user notes: "In the spring the moose mama's and calves and the odd bull come down to the roadside and ditches. They come for the much needed salt in their diets.In the winter the park rangers salt the road and in the spring the moose come down for the runoff. They are quite used to the people taking the pictures. In the spring of 1995 on our honeymoon we saw maybe as may as ten a day in the park."

Banff National Park
While moose are not as widespread at Banff as they once were, it is still possible to see them in certain areas.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park
A Mooseworld user brings this moose travel spot to our attention: "Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which occupies the northern half of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, covers about 400 square miles. The park and the lands immediately bordering it are home to most of the 5,000 head herd on Cape Breton. Crunching the numbers, that equates to an averge of over 10 moose per square mile. As an outdoor outfitter and guide, I can attest to the awe our clients experience as they view these magnificent animals from the bike, the trail, a kayak or while on skis or snowshoes."

Gros Morne National Park
Gros Morne National Park and Terra Nova National Park in Newfoundland are great sites for moose viewing, with even the areas outside the parks heavily populated by moose.

A Mooseworld user adds: "Visitors to Newfoundland should get off the main highways to optimize their 'moose sighting' adventures. Because we have two large pulp and paper operations in the province there is a great network of logging roads that can take sightseers deep into the wilds. The areas that have been logged and are now starting to regrow make prime moose habitat and sighting them while they feed is quite easy.

As for prime regions of the province for moose populations, visitors will want to focus on the regions of central and western Newfoundland, and a region called the Northern Peninsula (this is where Gros Morne National Parkis located)."

Another Newfoundlander writes that "we have more moose per capita than anywhere in North America and as many or more than anywhere in the world!"

Jasper National Park
Jasper has a moose population of about 150. According to park officials, Pochohantas Ponds and Maligne Lake are the best moose watching venues.

ForĂȘt Montmorency
A Mooseworld viewer notes that "Montmorency Forest is the largest teaching & research forest in the world. It is 50 minutes north of Quebec and has many moose. In the fall rut they run moose-watching programs with an 80% success rate."

Pointe-Taillon Provincial Park
A Mooseworld correspondent writes that "a great place to observe moose in Canada is a small provincial park in Quebec called Pointe-Taillon. It has one of the highest density of moose in Quebec and chances of a sighting are significant. There is a long hiking/cycling path throughout the park which is in prime moose habitat."


  Worldwide

Poland
A moose fan from Poland, writes "I wanted to propose another site for moose spotting—Biebrza National Park in Poland. This year (2004) was even announced "A Year of the Moose" in the Park. Biebrza Eco Travel (travel agency organizing trips) informs that ' While there is always a chance to see an Elk ["european Elk" are moose] in the Biebrza Wetlands, seeing this spectacular animal from a distance of less than 50m in the wintertime is guaranteed! The best result for one winter day of Elk-spotting is the sighting of 48 individuals!"

Sweden
A Mooseworld user reports that "In Sweden there are two mountains named Halleberg and Hunneberg, which are 100km north of Gothenborg. They have the highest density of moose in Scandinavia. On the Hunneberg is also the Moose Museum, renewed in 2001. Even a big moose fan can learn new things in this museum!"