There’s plenty of wildlife at Crater Lake National Park, both along the caldera rim as well as deep within the forests and out on the meadows.

An itty bitty park visitor, Crater Lake National Park / Rebecca Latson

Just what will you see? According to park staff:

The most common animals observed around Rim Drive are golden-mantled ground squirrels, Canada jays and an assortment of butterflies and bees. Black bear sightings are more common in autumn and late spring when animals are waking up or getting ready to hibernate. American marten, snowshoe hare, and Douglas squirrel tracks are abundant in the winter snow. Melting snow and changing temperatures signal animal migrations, hibernation and seasonal foraging.

While these animals are commonly observed along Rim Drive and popular trails, visiting other areas might provide better opportunities to enjoy the sights and sounds of a wider variety of wildlife. Animals—amphibians, birds, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles and fish—may be more prominent around some of the unique and less visited landscapes of Crater Lake National Park such as Sphagnum Bog, Union Peak, Panhandle, Boundary Springs, and Desert Creek Research Natural Area.

The largest animals residing within the park are elk, black bear, mountain lion, and mule deer and black-tailed deer. While seeing any of the larger wildlife is not really the norm - especially not around crowded areas - you’ll probably see deer often, since they like to hang out at Rim Village and around the caldera until colder weather pushes them to lower elevations searching for food.

You might hear before you see pika in the rocky areas around the caldera, such as the slopes around Watchman Overlook. These tiny relatives of the rabbit are difficult to spot unless you stick around one place and keep your eyes peeled. You are more likely to spot a yellow-bellied marmot.

A yellow-bellied marmot sunning itself, Crater Lake National Park / Rebecca Latson

You can view and print out a Crater Lake mammal checklist PDF to help you with your mammal sightings.

You’ll see plenty of the 250 species of birds either living in Crater Lake or at least passing through. Probably the most common sightings, especially around the crater rim, are Canada and Steller’s jays, ravens, and Clark’s nutcrackers. Keep on the lookout for the brighter-colored birds, too, such as the western tanager and ruby-crowned kinglet.

A yellow-bellied marmot sunning itself, Crater Lake National Park / Rebecca Latson

You can download and print out a Crater Lake bird checklist PDF to help you mark off the birds you see during a visit to the park.

Eight species of amphibians live at Crater Lake, including the endemic Mazama newt (Taricha granulosa mazamae). It only lives along the shores of Crater Lake and Wizard Island and nowhere else. You can view and print this Crater Lake amphibian checklist PDF.

To read more about Crater Lake’s wildlife, click here.

Butterflies and insects may be considered wildlife, too, at Crater Lake National Park / Rebecca Latson