Evergreen Colorado Elk: The Best Time To See Them, And Where To Go

Seeing the Evergreen elk walk around town never gets old. No matter your age or how long you have lived in Evergreen you will always appreciate these awesome creatures. They can hold up traffic and not have a care in the world.

The Best Time to See Evergreen Elk

Fall is a great time to see elk in Evergreen as the white belly spots are more prominent and the elk are typically more active. The residents love to see the elk as well. Best Places to See Elk Elk can be seen right near Evergreen in Evergreen Park. There are plenty of places where you can see elk and feed them with a large slushy or ice block. Evergreen Park is a great place to view the wildlife, and you are also close to Baker Park and Jay Giannini Park. There is a ton of natural water sources around these places, so you will have an opportunity to feed elk in the winter as well. Elk are still roaming the forest around Evergreen, and they can also be spotted walking in along the highway.

Where to Find the Elk in Evergreen

Hunting in Evergreen, Colorado is not cheap but luckily the elk is an easy target to harvest. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) there is over 5000 elk in the greater Evergreen area, which includes the valley, foothills, surrounding farms, and National Forest. It is not too hard to find them either. The two best places to be are on the Tenderfoot Mountain Trail and the Indian Peaks Trail in Evergreen. You will see many elk walking around the Tenderfoot Mountain Trail. The elk’s favorite foods are grass and sage brush so the Tenderfoot Mountain Trail is the perfect place for them to feed. When you are walking around this area keep in mind that the elk are young and fragile so when you see them out and about remember this and be respectful of them.

How to Get the Best View of Evergreen Elk

What’s even better is when you know you can come out and see them in their natural habitat on public land. That’s exactly what you can do with this guide to where to see the elk in Evergreen. Getting Your Elk Fix at Estes Park Elk Prairie You know that you can come to Estes Park for other Elk viewing options. But did you know you can also get your elk fix from Estes Park’s Elk Prairie? This is the best place for seeing the elk in their natural habitat. Where to see them in Rocky Mountain National Park: Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is the best place to go to get the best views of elk in all of Colorado. However, this may not always be possible. Due to the fact the national park is located on the Eastern Slope it can be possible to see them only at certain times of the year.

What You Need To Know About Elk Safety

Elk are wild and you should avoid moving near them. Don’t get within 25 yards of them. There are 2 types of elk that are in Evergreen and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation lists them both in their 50 Things You Should Know About Elk guide. 1.) Roosevelt Elk 2.) Rocky Mountain Elk Always stay on the trails. And stay alert. It’s important to be aware of the weather conditions around you and know when the elk are moving around. These animals are dangerous. Don’t drive onto the trails, they’re private property. If You See A Elk, Be Alert Always take caution when it comes to elk. They can charge you, swat you with their antlers, and even lift you off the ground. When you see an elk, you are supposed to put your hands up and be extremely quiet and slowly back away. There are always elk issues every year in Evergreen, Colorado. Usually, a dumb tourist trying to get a selfie.

Evergreen CO Elk

Winter elk antlers: Not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a chance to see the elusive elk, make sure you get out there in February and March. Even though elk can be dangerous they are not an immediate threat. However, the biggest danger of them is people’s curiosity. They are used to people and will approach people. Therefore, they should be left alone. Please, allow them to stay wild. If you see one out and about be sure to give it a wide berth, they are heavy animals that can move quickly. Also, if you get too close just get out of the way. Spotting elk in their natural habitat will always be something special and nature enthusiasts can find some of the best places to see these animals. One thing to note is they are more of a herd than a buck with a doe.

Evergreen Lake – A Place the Community Hangs Out

Evergreen Lake is also a huge draw for people of the community and surrounding areas. The lake has the summer lake concerts in the summer time with fantastic local and regional bands. The summer concerts are always free and happen every other Wednesday. Evergreen Lake rents boats, kayaks and paddle boards all summer long for a reasonable price. If you own your own kayak or paddle boards you can bring them out for a small daily or annual fee. In the winter time Evergreen Lake is just as fun with their ice skating, skate rentals, ice fishing and hockey. It is the largest outdoor maintained rink in the country. Every new years they have skate the lake with skating and fireworks for the entire family.

Evergreen, Colorado is Right for Everyone! All Ages Can Enjoy This Mountain Town

If you have a family and kids at school age Evergreen has some of the highest rated schools in the area as well as Colorado. I am lucky enough to have 3 kids in the Evergreen, CO school system and I couldn’t be happier. If you ask around the community you will find that there is a great parental and community involvement in the Evergreen school system. As everyone knows that shows a strong community when parents are involved in the schools and the development of the children in the community.