Where to See Elk in Wind Cave National Park

Sighting map

Elk sightings in Wind Cave

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Where Elk has been reported, from 59 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 AM6% of the busiest hour1 AM3% of the busiest hour2 AM2% of the busiest hour3 AM2% of the busiest hour4 AM11% of the busiest hour5 AM72% of the busiest hour6 AMBusiest hour7 AM94% of the busiest hour8 AM67% of the busiest hour9 AM44% of the busiest hour10 AM33% of the busiest hour11 AM28% of the busiest hourNoon22% of the busiest hour1 PM28% of the busiest hour2 PM33% of the busiest hour3 PM39% of the busiest hour4 PM56% of the busiest hour5 PM78% of the busiest hour6 PM94% of the busiest hour7 PMBusiest hour8 PM89% of the busiest hour9 PM22% of the busiest hour10 PM9% of the busiest hour11 PM6% of the busiest hour

Elk is most seen 6–8 AM and 6–9 PM. Bars compare each hour with the busiest one.

Elk sightings by hour, as a share of the busiest hour
Hour	Share of busiest hour
12 AM	6%
1 AM	3%
2 AM	2%
3 AM	2%
4 AM	11%
5 AM	72%
6 AM	100%
7 AM	94%
8 AM	67%
9 AM	44%
10 AM	33%
11 AM	28%
Noon	22%
1 PM	28%
2 PM	33%
3 PM	39%
4 PM	56%
5 PM	78%
6 PM	94%
7 PM	100%
8 PM	89%
9 PM	22%
10 PM	9%
11 PM	6%

Audio tour

Hear about Elk on the drive.

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

Wind Cave Tour Guide

Elk Mountain Campground

0:00 / 0:30

“You're coming up on the Elk Mountain Campground area, a simple overnight base near the cave tours.”

Plays as you drive near Elk Mountain Campground in Parkwolf’s Wind Cave Tour Guide.

One more story about Elk in the app

Antlers in Velvet

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Where to look

Wind Cave spots that mention Elk

Compare with the sightings

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

Places

CampgroundElk Mountain CampgroundA pine-and-prairie base near cave tours, with seasonal elk bugles.

Trails

EasyElk Mountain Nature Trail0.7 mi · 45 minShort prairie-and-pine loop; listen for elk bugles in autumn.

ModerateLookout Point Trail and Centennial Trail Loop4.8 mi · 2.5 hrPrairie dogs, creek bridges and one steep climb on a 4.8-mile loop.

ModerateBoland Ridge Trail5.2 mi · 2.5 hrFour rolling climbs lead to wide views over Red Valley.

ModerateCentennial Trail: Norbeck to Highland Creek6 mi · 2.8 hrA six-mile one-way mix of prairie, ponderosa forest and creek crossings.

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 Wind Cave, on the same park map as your route
Works offlineout where the animals are and the signal isn’t
28 audio storiesplay as you drive Wind Cave, wildlife included

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Wildlife

More wildlife in Wind Cave

All 16 sighting maps

600 sightingsBisonBison bisonMost seen 7 AM & 6–8 PMSighting map

258 sightingsPronghornAntilocapra americanaMost seen 6–9 AM & 6–8 PMSighting map

14 sightingsBighorn SheepOvis canadensisMost seen 7 AM & 6 PMSighting map

131 sightingsCoyoteCanis latransMost seen 6 AM & 7–9 PMSighting map

26 sightingsGolden EagleAquila chrysaetosMost seen 9 AM–4 PMSighting map

35 sightingsPrairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridisMost seen 7 AM & 5–8 PMSighting map

609 sightingsPrairie DogCynomys ludovicianusMost seen 7–10 AM & 4–6 PMSighting map

49 sightingsBurrowing OwlAthene cuniculariaMost seen 6 AM & 6–8 PMSighting map

Where to see Elk in Wind Cave