Wildlife Viewing
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Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in a remote section of Beaverhead County in southwestern Montana. The area contains nearly 50,000 acres at the base of the Continental Divide and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lakes and ponds cover 9,000 acres of the Refuge. The remaining acreage consists of diversified wildlife habitat ranging from marshes to stabilized sand dunes and from conifer and aspen timber types up to subalpine. Elevations vary from 6,600 to nearly 10,000 feet.
Most visitors drive through Red Rock Pass Road, stopping to view and photograph scenery and wildlife. Others choose to observe wildlife by hiking the forested mountains or canoeing the wilderness lakes (after appropriate opening dates).
Wildlife viewing is best in the cooler portions of the day, such as morning or evening. However, many wildlife species are chance sightings. All visitors are encouraged to use good wildlife viewing practices and ethics, especially when viewing species sensitive to human disturbance, such as trumpeter swans.
On Red Rock Lakes NWR, wildlife viewing sites are not specifically designated. Refuge wildlife, such as moose and eagles, roam freely throughout and visitors are encouraged to learn about the habitats various wildlife species use. Knowing their habitats is the key to seeing wildlife in such a wilderness landscape. For example, moose are best seen in willow areas along creek bottoms or boggy areas.
