These days, with still-limited trips beyond your own yard, it’s easy to feel cooped up. Experience the restorative powers of the great outdoors — and some of America’s most stunning treasures — by checking out these webcams that take you right into the heart of a handful of our 60-plus national parks and their wondrous wildlife. And who knows? These virtual visits just might whet your appetite for a real trip once the current crisis comes to an end.
Related: 33 Historic National Park Photos for Vintage Views
Rocky Mountain National Park | Colorado
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Elk, bighorn sheep, moose, coyotes, and eagles When to watch: Elk, moose, and deer are most active at dawn and dusk; bighorn sheep are known to be lambing in the spring. This park boasts 66 species of mammals and 260 species of birds, so it’s basically a wildlife paradise. The Kawuneeche Valley webcam, one of three, may yield you quite a view of moose.
Yellowstone National Park | Idaho, Montana and Wyoming
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Elk, bison, and pronghorn When to watch: Mornings are ideal. You can certainly see Old Faithful via webcam, but multiple cameras set up through this park offer the chance to catch some animals, too. For example, the North Entrance-Electric Peak webcam spotlights “wildlife — elk, bison, and pronghorn can be seen grazing here.”
Acadia National Park | Maine
Click Here for WebcamWhat to look for: Seagulls When to watch: Daylight This webcam of the North Atlantic Coastline may be more scenic than scientific but you may get a treat as the website says its webcam offers “glimpses of sunrise, storms, sailboats, and the occasional seagull.”
Yosemite National Park | California
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Waterfalls, soaring mountains, scenic vistas, snowy terrain When to watch: Every season yields memorable views One of the most well-known national parks, Yosemite is noted for its “sculpted granite rock formations, towering ancient sequoia trees and spectacular waterfalls.” The webcam for Yosemite Falls is at its peak in early summer, but the wonders of the park are year-round.
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve | Alaska
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: River otters, harbor seals, waterfowl, moose, black bears, humpback whales, orcas When to watch: Daily sightings on multiple cams Glacier Bay offers stunning views with the Bartlett Cove inner lagoon hosting all kinds of wildlife. Summits of the Fairweather Range provide dramatic backdrops to the scene.
Trending on Cheapism
Guadalupe Mountains National Park | Texas
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Kit fox, coyote, mountain lion, bobcat, badger, Texas banded gecko, bats, mule deer, javelinas, and black-tailed jackrabbits When to watch: Early mornings or late evenings The Guadalupe Mountains rise sharply from the surrounding desert floor, creating a virtual “island” of diversity with the park hosting several ecosystems including desert, woodlands, canyons, and mountaintop forests. It adds up to hosting 60 species of mammals, some 280-plus species of birds, and 50-plus species of reptiles. Though most animals are nocturnal, mule deer, javelinas, and black-tailed jackrabbits may be seen when the weather cools, early morning, or late evening.
Glacier National Park | Montana
Click Here for Webcams What to look for: Bears, mountain goats, pika, bighorn sheep, moose, wolverines, harlequin ducks, lynx When to watch: Every season offers a glimpse at another species. The Goat Haunt webcam is currently out of commission, but you may catch the majestic park’s other wildlife thanks to no less than 14 other webcams throughout the soaring property.
Everglades National Park | Florida
Click Here for WebcamWhat to look for: Birds, alligators, and more When to watch: Daily The Everglades offers “the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States,” a park that offers a home to rare and endangered species including the manatee, American crocodile, and the “elusive” Florida panther. Its webcam on Anhinga Trail captures one of the park’s most popular visitor areas and offers glimpses of birds and alligators on the move.
Sign up for our newsletter
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park | Hawaii
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Webcams offer differing views of the active summit. When to watch: Multiple cameras offer views 24-7, including a thermal-image cam. This park is home to some of the world’s most unique geological features, extending from sea level to nearly 14,000 feet including the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Crater Lake National Park | Oregon
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Three webcams, plus a gallery of photographs, are available with the Crater Lake cam taking center stage, its shores surrounded by snow-capped peaks When to watch: Dawn to dusk This awe-inspiring park was formed nearly 8,000 years ago when a tall peak collapsed in the wake of an eruption. Now, fed by rain and snow, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the nation, a scenic site that has inspired generations of artists.
Saguaro National Park | Arizona
Click Here for Webcam What to look for: Jackrabbits, javelina, roadrunners, horned lizards, black bears, and white-tailed deer When to watch: Daily appearances on a variety of cams This park may be best known for its cacti — and desert sunsets — but it’s also host to a variety of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. The Rincon Mountain Visitor Center webcam focuses on the pond during winter and during the summer months, spotlights the regular visits of the javelina. There is also an array of wilderness camera video clips online, showcasing everything from badgers to coyotes, desert tortoise to pocket mice.
Channel Islands National Park | California
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Eagles, peregrine falcons, sea birds, fish, sharks, and other sea mammals including sea lions When to watch: Springtime is ideal to tune in, especially to catch the eagle nests; even a quick peek at the ocean cam yields some colorful fish swimming by. This park encompassing five islands off the coast of Southern California sports several webcams including one dedicated to bald eagles and another, an underwater one, featuring the kelp forest and sea life.
Katmai National Park & Preserve | Alaska
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: Brown bears, salmon, trout, beluga whales, swans, geese, ducks When to watch: In the spring, watch beluga whales and thousands of birds such as swans, geese, and ducks via the Naknek River Cam. Six webcams encourage the following of the brown bears of Brooks River, with the park and explore.org teaming up to offer the sneak peeks. The bears are best seen live during summer and early fall with past-year highlights screened the rest of the year.
Big Bend National Park | Texas
Click Here for WebcamWhat to look for: Panoramic views captured from the park’s headquarters When to watch: The peaceful scene, capturing a view to the Northwest, refreshes every 15 minutes. This park in Far West Texas is a place of tranquility, deep, dark nights, rivers winding through canyons, and birds taking refuge in mountains, escaping the desert heat as cacti bloom.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park | North Dakota
Click Here for WebcamWhat to look for: Majestic views of Painted Canyon When to watch: From dawn to dusk, the view remains sweeping This park, named in honor of the onetime U.S. president, recognized the impact the land had on Theodore Roosevelt, who came to the region to hunt bison in 1883, as a “skinny, young, spectacled dude from New York.” His time here not only molded his life and character but planted the seeds for his dedication to conservation, a legacy we all benefit from today.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks | California
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: The California Buckeye webcam offers a scenic, woodlands view. When to watch: Dawn to dusk Operated as one site, the adjoining properties offer five unique areas: Foothills, Mineral King, Giant Forest (home of the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest living tree) & Lodgepole, Grant Grove, and Cedar Grove. Expect hiking trails, meadows, and plenty of rugged beauty.
Isle Royale National Park | Michigan
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: The peaceful feeling from the Mott Island Dock or the dramatic vista of Tobin Harbor When to watch: The Mott Island Dock cam is solar-powered; the Tobin Harbor cam will resume at the end of AprilThis park, surrounded by Lake Superior, is noted for its stunning scenic beauty that offers an escape from the “sights and sounds of civilization.” Whether visitors seek solitude or outdoor adventure, they usually find it.
Denali National Park & Preserve | Alaska
Click Here for WebcamsWhat to look for: ‘Resting Grizzly’ When to watch: During park hours Play along on this one — “Regardless of season, ‘Resting Grizzly’ by William Berry, located just outside the entrance to the Denali Visitor Center, may well be the most hugged and photographed work of art in all of Alaska.” One of the most charming webcams in the park, this joins more traditional webcams, which showcase the park’s stunning views.
