Utah
Bryce National Park
In August 2010 I visited Bryce National Park, primarily to see Utah Prairie Dogs. They were easy to spot. There is a prairie dog town a mile or two after the entrance gate, and it is clearly signposted as such.
Utah Prairie Dog, Cynomys parvidens
If you don’t want to go into the park then you ought to be able to see them near Cedar City. In late April 2019 they had gone from the golf course there, but John Rogers found an active “town” on the west side of Cedar city. He very easily saw prairie dogs within the first 0.3 miles of Aviation Way (north of Hwy 56): three on the east side and one on the west side pf the road at lunchtime.
Utah Prairie Dog, Cynomys parvidens
During a couple of hours in the park we also saw a herd of Pronghorn and a few Black-tail Deer.
Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana
And there were both Least and Uinta Chipmunks in the campsite.
Uinta Chipmunk, Neotamias umbrinus
It is probably also worth stopping to check out some of the scenery….
Hoodoos, Bryce
Community Reports
Western USA Road Trip, 2025: Ian Thompson, 3 weeks, 11,000km & 60 species including Pygmy Rabbit, American Badger, Craters of the Moon Chipmunk and Panamint Kangaroo Rat.
California, Utah & Arizona, 2019: Jan Ebr, 3 weeks & 31 species including Round-tailed Ground Squirrel, Ringtail & Arizona Grey Squirrel.
Western USA, 2019: Ralf Bürgin, 10 days & 31 species including Panamint Kangaroo Rat and Water Vole and plenty three subspecies of Bighorn Sheep.
California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah & Nevada, 2017: Jan Ebr, 4 weeks & 31 species including Grizzly, Wolf and a variety of chipmunks.
Western Rodents, 2015: John and Karen Shrader, 10 days & 35 species including Apache Pocket Mouse, Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat, Plains Harvest Mouse and Spotted Ground Squirrel.
Western USA, 2017: Romain Bocquier, 40 days & 84 species including Hooded Skunk, Fisher and Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat.
Chasing Squirrels and Chipmunks in the West, 2016: Andy Murch, 2 weeks. 1 marriage proposal & many rodents including Hopi and Cliff Chipmunks.
Western USA, 2015: Michael Kessler, 6 weeks & 88 species(!) including Spotted Bat, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, Long-tailed and Water Voles, Wolf and Long-tailed Weasel.
The Rockies, 2012: Jan Luis Ortega, 2 weeks & 25 species including Wolves, Grizzlies and a Badger.
The Southwest, 2012: Vladimir Dinets, 1 month through NW New Mexico, N Arizona, SE Utah and Colorado with selected highlights (mainly interesting rodents and bats).
Utah, 2009: Scott Flamand, 2 weeks & 35 mammals including Bighorn Sheep and several bats.
Also See
RFI Winter mammalwatching in Utah, January 2025
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