Best mountain towns for birding
Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the birding scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.
- SpokaneInland Northwest hub — the Spokane River, Mt. Spokane & Riverside State Park.4 groups
- AshlandThe Rogue Valley — the Ashland watershed, Mt. Ashland & the Rogue River.3 groups
- BellinghamWestern Washington U town — Galbraith Mountain, Mt. Baker & the Salish Sea.3 groups
- BendCentral Oregon — Phil’s trails, Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock & the Deschutes.3 groups
- BillingsMontana’s largest city — the Rimrocks, the Yellowstone River & the Beartooths.3 groups
- FairbanksUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks — Birch Hill Nordic, the Chena River & the Interior.3 groups
- JacksonThe Tetons — Grand Teton, Snow King & the Snake River.3 groups
- JuneauThe Tongass — the Mendenhall Glacier, Eaglecrest & the Inside Passage.3 groups
- OgdenWeber State University — the Ogden River Parkway, Snowbasin & Pineview.3 groups
- Sun ValleyKetchum & Hailey — Bald Mountain, the Big Wood River & Galena’s Nordic trails.3 groups
- TacomaSouth Sound — Point Defiance, the Foothills Trail & the Mt. Rainier gateway.3 groups
- Teton ValleyThe quiet side of the Tetons — Grand Targhee, the Big Holes & the Teton River.3 groups
- YakimaThe Yakima Valley — Cowiche Canyon, the Yakima River & White Pass.3 groups
- AnchorageThe Chugach — the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Kincaid Park & Chugach State Park.2 groups
- BoiseIdaho’s capital — the Ridge to Rivers foothills, the Boise River & Bogus Basin.2 groups
The 15 towns where we track the most recurring birding groups (of 62 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.