Does Glacier's wildlife compare to Yellowstone?
 

Hi - we are planning a trip to the canadian rockies for the first two weeks of September in 08. From my research I think that that trip is going to be more about beautiful scenery and spectacular hiking than about a lot of wildlife. So - I am thinking of adding Glacier National Park to the trip. We have two weeks. We did Yellowstone a couple of years ago and spent a lot of time up at dawn and out at dusk at the prime wildlife spots just watching. It was great. I think I heard that Glacier has a lot of wildlife. Is it similar to Yellowstone? If we combine it, how much time would you allow for the Glacier part of the trip.
Thanks, sue

Glacier is absolutely wonderful. We saw mountain goats, big horn sheep, several moose, a grizzly and cub, two black bears and a couple of cubs up a tree.

To me Yellowstone felt a lot different. You can see so much while driving. We joked that it felt like Disney in some ways. In Glacier you're more likely to be out where the wildlife is when you see it.

The scenery is spectacular. The hiking varies from easy to more than I could handle.

We were on the east side of the park for 5 days. If it would have been 4 that would have been OK. If it was 7 that would have been even better. I'd plan on 4 days.

Take a look at our website. We tried to put some planning information on Yellowstone and Glacier. There's also a bunch of pictures. We tried to show what some of the areas and some of the trails look like.

www.AlandSueJohnson.com click on the bison picture.

Yellowstone is on a plateau(the caldera)and gives you less feeling that you're in the mountains.Whereas Glacier is all ups and downs.You have to loose a lot of sweat to see the wildlife there.PAul

We were in both parks (and the Tetons) last July. We saw much of the same wildlife in Glacier as did AIJ. We saw more wildlife in one day at Yellowstone than in several days in Glacier. Yellowstone seemed to have what Yellowstone did, plus more such as elk, antelope, bison, etc. You should be able to see most of the highlights of Glacier and do some hiking in three to four days. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Sorry - meant to say that Glacier had what Yellowstone had, plus more.

Oh my goodness - sorry again. Yellowstone had the most wildlife.

Thanks all for the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to hold off on Glacier til we can spend a whole week there or combine with canadian rockies. As we have two weeks I wasn't sure if we would be ready to change but it sounds like there is a lot to see in Canada. Decisions, decisions! Thanks again, sue

Tell me how to compare a sapphire with a ruby and I will answer your question.

I doubt if you will see a bull elk in Glacier, or a bull moose, or a wolf.
But you might not see them in Yellowstone either.

You will not see bison in Glacier, but you will in Yellowstone.

On the other hand, you might see big horn rams in Glacier, provided you get off the highway and into the backcountry.

You will see mountain goats if you get off the roads and up or down a trail.

So I have no answer.

Since you are planning 2 weeks in teh Canadian Rockies, I probably wouldn't add Glacier National Park (the US one) to that. The areas are too similar geographically to have a significant different wildlife. The biggest difference likely is the Bison. All the other animals likely to be seen in Yellowstone or Glacier (the US one) can be seen in Canada also. Spend time outside in the early mornings and late evenings and keep your eyes open. We've seen sheep and goats and bears and elk in the Canadian Rockies in June and the animals don't just leave.

Hmmm, that didn't come through like I intended. You will likely see bison in Yellowstone, not Glacier (the US one). All the other animals likely to be seen in Glacier are the same likely to be seen in the Canadian Rockies.

i've done the glacier/canadian rockies trip. i ended up visiting glacier for two weeks another time as both areas deserve their own trip as does yellowstone. i plan on getting back to jasper soon.

you will see much the same wildlife in the rockies as glacier (it is part of the rockies high country afterall), although i was in jasper during the elk rut and man were there elk everywhere and bugelling (sp??) and blocking roads in my cabin place

(Pine bungallows in jasper, not high end, but clean nice and location fantastic. right on the athabasca river - what a way to drink your morning coffee or tea)

i am going to yellowstone this year and think that the trip to glacier is too far and "wastes" time on the road!

as to wildlife, IF you are lucky enough to see a wolf at yellowstone, that's something you won't see at glacier or the c. rockies. you will see bison at yellowstone, not glacier or c. rockies,

you will likely see antelope at yellowstone not at glacier/c. rockies.

you have a very good chance of seeing mountain goats at glacier and c. rockies, not at yellowstone

you have a good chance of seeing rocky mountain big horn sheep in c. rockies and glacier, not yellowstone. (wilcox pass on the icefields highway short steep hike gets you high and the bighorns were plentiful)

i've seen moose at yellowstone not at c.rockies/glacier

coyote at c rockies and yellowstone

porcupine at c. rockies not yellowstone.

grizzlies at glacier

black bear at glacier and c. rockies


i think you might need to make a check list to see what we all have told you! i have to say that i am quite partial to glacier. but i love to hike.... and there is no doubt that the main attraction at glacier is all the great hikes

OK. I do need a list. Thanks for the Jasper lodging recommendation. I'm looking at that stuff now, too. I may be able to get a timeshare in the Banff area but still need Jasper. I'm assuming I should divide the two weeks over two or three spots to stay.

We love to hike, too, but trying to break up the trip so we don't exhaust ourselves. We LOVED Yellowstone. Will go back and saw tons of wildlife. I think what I've gotten from most of the posts is that although I could combine Glacier with Canadian Rockies, the ideal is to give each place as much time as I can. I won't make wildlife a deciding factor - just enjoy what comes.
Thanks again, sue

In Jasper we stayed at the Becker chalets.Great,near the river,gourmet restaurant.Paul

Becker was on my list to investigate when i went but pine bungallows were a little closer to town if i recall but i could be wrong. and becker was a little more expensive but they looked good.

I don't know about September, but in July in Banff & Jasper we saw lots of wildlife!!!! We usually see a lot of wildlife in Yellowstone. We haven't been so lucky with Glacier.

Utahtea

I have been to Glacier,Yellowstone and Grand Teton in early September and found them all spectacular. The sheer number of animals you see in Yellowstone is amazing but be aware that most of them will be elk and bison. Glacier has a much more wild feel to it and a greater sense of being in the mountains. I have seen moose, mule deer, an occasional elk and picas on most of my eight trips there. On the east side of the park at Many Glacier I have seen many bears both black and grizzly. Bear watching in this area is almost a sport especially in late summer. I know you will have a great trip no matter where you go and don't fret too much about the driving. Glacier is an easy one day drive from Yellowstone.