Where to See Ptarmigan in Icefields Parkway (Highway 93)

Sighting map

Ptarmigan sightings in Icefields Parkway

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Where Ptarmigan has been reported, from 10 sightings. Not a live tracker: animals move, and an empty area doesn’t mean there are none.

Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Timing

When to look

12 AM2% of the busiest hour1 AM2% of the busiest hour2 AM2% of the busiest hour3 AM5% of the busiest hour4 AM13% of the busiest hour5 AM32% of the busiest hour6 AM74% of the busiest hour7 AM95% of the busiest hour8 AMBusiest hour9 AM89% of the busiest hour10 AM68% of the busiest hour11 AM58% of the busiest hourNoon47% of the busiest hour1 PM42% of the busiest hour2 PM47% of the busiest hour3 PM58% of the busiest hour4 PM74% of the busiest hour5 PM89% of the busiest hour6 PM97% of the busiest hour7 PM84% of the busiest hour8 PM58% of the busiest hour9 PM26% of the busiest hour10 PM11% of the busiest hour11 PM5% of the busiest hour

Ptarmigan is most seen 7–10 AM and 5–7 PM. Bars compare each hour with the busiest one.

Ptarmigan sightings by hour, as a share of the busiest hour
Hour	Share of busiest hour
12 AM	2%
1 AM	2%
2 AM	2%
3 AM	5%
4 AM	13%
5 AM	32%
6 AM	74%
7 AM	95%
8 AM	100%
9 AM	89%
10 AM	68%
11 AM	58%
Noon	47%
1 PM	42%
2 PM	47%
3 PM	58%
4 PM	74%
5 PM	89%
6 PM	97%
7 PM	84%
8 PM	58%
9 PM	26%
10 PM	11%
11 PM	5%

Audio tour

Hear about Ptarmigan on the drive.

Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays stories like this one as you drive Icefields Parkway, triggered by GPS and read through your car’s speakers.

Icefields Parkway Tour Guide

The Bird Inside the Snowbank

0:00 / 0:30

“A white-tailed ptarmigan can spend a winter night inside a snowbank. This small mountain grouse burrows into the snow, where it's sheltered from the wind and bitter temperatures above the surface.”

Plays as you drive near Jasper Park Information Centre in Parkwolf’s Icefields Parkway Tour Guide.

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Where to look

Icefields Parkway spots that mention Ptarmigan

Compare with the sightings

Places and trails whose Parkwolf guides talk about Ptarmigan. A good start, never a guarantee.

Places

SightBow Summit ViewpointA longer hike beyond Peyto's platform into a high alpine lookout.

Trails

ModerateBow Summit Viewpoint Trail6.8 km · 2.5 hrContinue past Peyto Lake for Bow Lake and wider mountain views.

ChallengingThe Whistlers Trail13.6 km · 7 hrSteep 14 km out and back to alpine summit views over Jasper.

Wolf sightings in Yellowstone on Parkwolf’s Find Wildlife map, brightest around Lamar Valley — Wolf sightings in Yellowstone, in the app

Find Wildlife in Parkwolf

Every sighting map, in your pocket.

16 sighting mapsfor Icefields Parkway, on the same park map as your route
Works offlineout where the animals are and the signal isn’t
141 audio storiesplay as you drive Icefields Parkway, wildlife included

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Wildlife

More wildlife in Icefields Parkway

All 16 sighting maps

12 sightingsGrizzly BearUrsus arctos horribilisMost seen 6–8 AM & 8 PMSighting map

127 sightingsBlack BearUrsus americanusMost seen 6–8 AM & 6–9 PMSighting map

16 sightingsMooseAlces alcesMost seen 6 AM & 7–9 PMSighting map

100 sightingsElkCervus canadensisMost seen 6 AM & 7–9 PMSighting map

34 sightingsMountain GoatOreamnos americanusMost seen 7 AM & 6–9 PMSighting map

53 sightingsBighorn SheepOvis canadensisMost seen 7 AM & 5–8 PMSighting map

12 sightingsMule DeerOdocoileus hemionusMost seen 7 AM & 6–9 PMSighting map

16 sightingsMarmotMarmota caligataMost seen 6–9 AM & 6–9 PMSighting map

Where to see Ptarmigan in Icefields Parkway