What to do

Wildlife Viewing

Okanogan Country is a wildlife-watcher's paradise! We are home to Washington's largest mule deer population along with a mind boggling variety of critters from butterflies to bears. North Central Washington’s glacier carved slopes, river valleys, and thousands of acres of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests is a wildlife watchers paradise. Natural habitats such as boreal forests, alpine grasslands, and shrub-steppes create an eco-region favored by a diverse wildlife population in Okanogan Country

Methow Region

You can get up-close and personal with some of the wildlife. Mule deer abound in the Methow Valley – in fact some residents consider them a pest! They can be found walking right through town, especially in the winter. You may see a bear ambling through the trees in late summer berry season, or catch a glimpse of the wild turkeys, whistling marmots, bobcats, squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons that inhabit the area. There is a healthy cougar population, but these shy, elusive cats are rarely seen. Boreal species like snowshoe hares and northern flying squirrels share the eco-region with Great Basin species like pallid bats and burrowing owls. The Pasayten Wilderness is home to several species of large herbivores, such as moose, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. Migratory carnivores roam the Pasayten Wilderness, although small populations and a dwindling gene pool raise conservation concerns for the grizzly bears, wolves, wolverines, lynx, and cougar populations. Be sure to pack binoculars to view animals from a safe distance and a field guide to identify animal tracks.

Heart of the Okanogan

Deer, quail, water fowl, coyotes, snakes, osprey, turkey buzzards, wild turkey, bear, and bald eagles in winter can all be found in the Heart of the Okanogan. You may get lucky and see the occasional moose or elk in higher elevations. Rattlesnakes do live here, but they are not a problem if you watch where you step while hiking.

North Okanogan Region

Many Lakes abounds with deer, coyotes, yellowbellied and whistling marmots, wild turkey and quail . Elk can be found along the Sinlahekin and the occasional moose in the Palmer Lake and Conconully areas. The Loomis Natural Resources Conservation Area has over 24,000 acres of protected wildlife habitat. There are rare sightings of bear, cougar, and bobcat and if you’re truly lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a lynx. The Scotch Creek and Sinlahekin Wildlife Refuges offer bountiful wildlife.

Columbia River Region

The Columbian River Region is home to a wide assortment of amphibians and reptiles such as western rattlesnakes, painted turtles, and Great Basin spade foot toads. Elk, deer, bear, moose, badgers and whistling marmots can all be found in the Columbia River Region. You can watch beaver swim in the river at Pateros as well as see many eagles fishing along the Methow and Columbia Waterways.

• Scotch Creek Wildlife Area – 10 miles northeast of Omak

and Okanogan on Conconully Highway, 9,067 acres. Sharptailed

grouse, mule and white-tailed deer, ruffed and blue

grouse, pheasants, quail, chukar, and Hungarian partridge,

along with a full complement of non-game species.

• Sinlahekin Wildlife Area – 5 miles S of Loomis or 4.5 miles

NE of Conconully, 14,000 acres l wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_

areas/sinlahekin

• Tunk Creek Wildlife Area – 12 NE of Omak. This 1,080

acre area with sharp-tailed grouse, mule deer, ruffed grouse,

quail, and gray partridge as well as many non-game species.

Deer hunting is very popular in the area, and wildlife viewing

opportunities also exist.

Other Attractions:

• Curlew Lake State Park - Osprey nests & wildlife

• Driscoll Island Bird sanctuary

Beaver, muskrats, near Oroville.

• Sidley Lake near Molson. Large public access.

Columbia River Region

Elk, deer, bear, moose, badgers and whistling marmots can all

be found in the Columbia River Region. You can watch beaver

swim in the river at Pateros as well as see many eagles fishing

along the Methow and Columbia Waterways.

• Alta Lake State Park - From Hwy 153 at milepost 1.5, turn

west onto Alta Lake Rd; drive 2.2 miles to parking.

• Columbia River Fish Farm Nespelem l 634-4228

• Grand Coulee Bald eagle viewing & festivals

• Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Bald eagle, bear, elk, bobcat, raptors, waterfowl.

• Rufus Woods Lake 51 miles long above Chief Joseph Dam;

wildlife viewing and birdwatching.