Animals and Plants
Plants and Animals of Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Step into the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, and you’re entering a living showcase of nature’s finest! This forest is a patchwork of towering trees, vibrant wildflowers, and a wild cast of animals that call it home. Part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, it’s a hotspot of biodiversity where sagebrush meets spruce and grizzlies roam alongside grouse. Whether you’re a hiker, birder, or just love the wild, here’s a peek at the plants and animals that make this place so alive.
Plants: From Peaks to Plains
The forest’s plants paint a picture of its rugged range, from low sagebrush flats to high alpine slopes. In the west, sagebrush and bunchgrasses like bluebunch wheatgrass dominate the dry, open expanses—tough survivors built for sun and wind. Climb higher, and you’ll find lodgepole pine forests, their slender trunks crowding the mid-elevations, mixed with Douglas fir and quaking aspen, whose leaves shimmer gold in fall. Up top, above 9,000 feet, whitebark pine and subalpine fir cling to rocky peaks, feeding birds and bears with their seeds. Spring and summer bring a wildflower explosion—lupine, Indian paintbrush, and columbine splash purple, red, and yellow across meadows, especially in places like Alaska Basin. Volcanic soils from ancient eruptions—like the Island Park Caldera—give these plants a nutrient boost, making the forest a green wonderland.
Animals: A Wild Who’s Who
The Caribou-Targhee is a wildlife hotspot, buzzing with life from forest floor to sky. Grizzly bears roam the majority of the Targhee portion of the forest, concentrated mainly around the Yellowstone area, sharing space with black bears, wolves, and mountain lions—top predators that keep the ecosystem humming. Herds of elk and mule deer graze meadows, while moose munch willows near streams like the Henrys Fork. Rocky Mountain big horn sheep occupy the high elevation habitat of the Lemhi, South Beaverhead and Teton mountain ranges on the Targhee. In the sagebrush, pronghorn antelope zip across the flats, and elusive wolverines prowl the high country. Birds steal the show, too—sage grouse strut on spring leks, bald eagles soar above rivers, and peregrine falcons hunt from cliffs, thanks to recovery efforts. Down in the water, cutthroat trout glide through legendary streams, joined by brook trout. Even tiny critters like red squirrel, snowshoe hare, yellow-bellied marmot, pine marten and pygmy rabbits add to the forest’s lively tapestry.
Why It’s Special
This mix of plants and animals thrives because of the forest’s wild variety—sagebrush steppes, pine forests, and alpine zones all in one place. It’s a key piece of the Greater Yellowstone puzzle, linking habitats for big roamers like grizzlies and wolves. The forest’s volcanic past and glacial scars create niches for everyone, from trout in clear streams to wildflowers on windy ridges. Conservation keeps it going—whether it’s fighting invasive weeds like cheatgrass or restoring beaver ponds, we’re working to keep this balance intact.
See It for Yourself
Want to spot these wonders? Hike the Darby Canyon Trail for wildflowers and deer, fish the South Fork of the Snake for trout, or watch grouse dance near Curlew in spring. Bring binoculars for eagles and bear spray for safety—wildlife’s close here! The Caribou-Targhee National Forest’s plants and animals are a living show—come explore and help us keep it wild!