The United States National Forest System encompasses over 193 million acres of forests and grasslands, providing some of the most pristine habitats for North American bird species. Unlike the more traveled National Parks, National Forests often offer solitude and undisturbed ecosystems where birds thrive in their natural environments. From the dense evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest to the cypress swamps of the Southeast, these protected lands host incredible avian diversity across various ecosystems. Bird enthusiasts of all experience levels can find exceptional birding opportunities throughout these forests, with well-maintained trails specifically known for their abundance of resident and migratory bird species. The following trails represent some of the finest birding destinations within the U.S. National Forest system, each offering unique species compositions and spectacular natural settings.
Cave Creek Canyon Trail – Coronado National Forest, Arizona
Often called the “Hummingbird Capital of the United States,” Cave Creek Canyon in the Coronado National Forest stands as one of the premier birding destinations in the Southwest. This biodiverse sky island ecosystem hosts over 375 bird species, making it one of the richest avian habitats in North America. The South Fork Trail winds through riparian areas where birders might spot the elegant trogon, painted redstart, sulphur-bellied flycatcher, and up to fifteen species of hummingbirds during peak migration. The canyon’s unique position at the intersection of four major ecological zones—the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sonoran Desert—creates an extraordinary concentration of species normally requiring extensive travel to encounter. Spring and early summer bring the best viewing opportunities when neotropical migrants arrive to breed in this lush mountain habitat.
Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge Trails – Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana
Deep in Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest, the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge offers exceptional opportunities to observe birds of the southern bottomland hardwood forests. The refuge contains some of the last remaining habitat that once supported the now-extinct ivory-billed woodpecker, but today serves as critical habitat for its cousin, the impressive pileated woodpecker. The Bluebird Trail and Boardwalk Trail provide accessible routes through this swampy ecosystem, where patient birders might spot prothonotary warblers, Mississippi kites, swallow-tailed kites, and numerous species of herons and egrets. During winter months, the forest fills with migratory waterfowl including wood ducks and hooded mergansers utilizing the oxbow lakes and wetlands. The juxtaposition of pine ridges and bottomland hardwoods creates diverse habitats supporting over 200 bird species throughout the year.
Opal Creek Trail – Willamette National Forest, Oregon
The Opal Creek Trail in Oregon’s Willamette National Forest guides birders through one of the largest remaining old-growth forests in the Western Cascades. This ancient forest, with trees exceeding 1,000 years in age, provides critical habitat for species dependent on mature forest ecosystems. The trail follows the crystal-clear waters of Opal Creek, where American dippers perform their underwater foraging acrobatics among the moss-covered rocks. The dense canopy hosts northern spotted owls, varied thrushes, and the elusive varied thrush, while mixed flocks of chickadees, kinglets, and brown creepers move through the middle story. Pacific wrens sing their complex songs from the understory, and in spring, hermit warblers, Wilson’s warblers, and Hammond’s flycatchers establish breeding territories throughout the watershed. The trail’s relatively flat grade makes it accessible for birders of all physical abilities while providing access to pristine forest habitat.
Whitewater Canyon – Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon
Whitewater Canyon in Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest offers birders a remarkable opportunity to observe species across multiple elevations and habitat zones within a single trail system. Beginning in the lower canyon’s oak savanna habitat, where western bluebirds, white-breasted nuthatches, and acorn woodpeckers reside, the trail climbs through mixed coniferous forests hosting western tanagers, evening grosbeaks, and pine siskins. As hikers ascend, they enter subalpine habitats where Clark’s nutcrackers, gray jays, and mountain chickadees become prevalent. The trail follows the rushing Whitewater Creek, creating riparian micro-habitats that attract American dippers, spotted sandpipers, and various songbirds dependent on water features. The diversity of habitats compressed into this single canyon makes it possible to observe over 100 species during migration periods, with each elevation zone offering distinct avian communities.
Big Thicket Trails – Sam Houston National Forest, Texas
The Sam Houston National Forest in East Texas contains portions of the ecologically significant Big Thicket, a region where southeastern swamps blend with central plains and eastern deciduous forests to create extraordinary biodiversity. The Lone Star Hiking Trail, particularly its Kelly Pond section, provides exceptional birding opportunities where birders might encounter species from multiple bioregions within short distances. Spring migration brings an explosion of colorful wood warblers including the prothonotary warbler, hooded warbler, and Kentucky warbler, which nest in the forest’s dense understory. The forest’s mature pine stands support populations of red-cockaded woodpeckers, a federally endangered species dependent on old-growth pine ecosystems for nesting. Bachman’s sparrows, brown-headed nuthatches, and pine warblers also thrive in this habitat, making the trail system a destination for birders seeking southeastern pine specialists. The interconnected trail system allows for customized routes ranging from easy day hikes to more challenging multi-day expeditions.
Great Smoky Mountains – Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee
While the adjacent Great Smoky Mountains National Park receives most visitor attention, the trails in Cherokee National Forest offer equally impressive birding with significantly fewer crowds. The Cherohala Skyway corridor provides access to high-elevation spruce-fir forests where northern species like black-capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, and northern saw-whet owls reach the southern limit of their range. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest Loop showcases old-growth cove hardwood forest, where over 30 species of warblers, including the cerulean warbler and black-throated blue warbler, establish breeding territories each spring. During summer, visiting birders might spot scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and wood thrushes singing from the forest canopy. The diverse elevation gradient, ranging from 1,000 to over 5,000 feet, creates compression of multiple life zones and consequently hosts one of the highest concentrations of breeding neotropical migrants in North America.
Pintler Scenic Route – Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana
The Pintler Scenic Route through Montana’s Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest offers exceptional opportunities to observe birds of the northern Rocky Mountain ecosystem. The Continental Divide Trail segments in this area traverse subalpine meadows where white-crowned sparrows and mountain bluebirds establish breeding territories each spring. Higher elevations host specialized birds like the gray-crowned rosy-finch, American pipit, and the elusive white-tailed ptarmigan, which changes plumage seasonally to match its surroundings. Lower elevation riparian zones feature breeding populations of MacGillivray’s warblers, Lincoln’s sparrows, and fox sparrows, while mature conifer stands may harbor northern goshawks, boreal owls, and three-toed woodpeckers. The forest’s numerous alpine lakes attract common loons, which establish some of their southernmost breeding territories in these protected mountain waters, their haunting calls echoing across the pristine landscape during summer evenings.
Birding in Chugach National Forest, Alaska
As America’s northernmost national forest, Chugach National Forest in Alaska offers birding experiences unlike any other in the U.S. forest system. The Winner Creek Trail near Girdwood provides access to temperate rainforest habitat where birders might encounter boreal chickadees, varied thrushes, and the distinctive Steller’s jay. Coastal trails along Prince William Sound host impressive concentrations of bald eagles, which gather to feed on salmon during spawning runs. During spring and fall migrations, the Portage Valley becomes a crucial flyway for thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds moving between Arctic breeding grounds and southern wintering areas. The Russian Lakes Trail traverses multiple habitats where spruce grouse, northern hawk owls, and great gray owls maintain year-round territories. Perhaps most remarkable are the forest’s coastal areas, where marine birds including black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, and marbled murrelets can be observed from shoreline trails, creating a blend of terrestrial and pelagic birding opportunities.
Ocala National Forest – Florida
Florida’s Ocala National Forest provides critical habitat for several southeastern bird specialties that draw birders from across the country. The Yearling Trail traverses the world’s largest contiguous sand pine scrub forest, home to the federally threatened Florida scrub-jay, which exists nowhere else in the world. These curious, brilliant blue corvids often approach birders closely, making for exceptional observation opportunities of this highly range-restricted species. The forest’s numerous springs and wetlands, accessible via the Salt Springs Recreation Area trails, attract limpkins, anhinga, and various herons and egrets throughout the year. During winter, the forest hosts northern migrants including yellow-rumped warblers, ruby-crowned kinglets, and hermit thrushes. The forest’s oak hammocks and longleaf pine stands support populations of red-headed woodpeckers, Bachman’s sparrows, and brown-headed nuthatches, creating a diverse avian community across the forest’s varied ecosystems.
Superior National Forest – Minnesota
Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, which encompasses portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, represents one of the best places in the continental United States to observe boreal forest bird species. The Echo Trail provides access to mature spruce-fir habitat where birders might encounter boreal chickadees, gray jays, and black-backed woodpeckers year-round. During summer months, the forest resonates with the songs of northern warblers including blackburnian warblers, Cape May warblers, and Connecticut warblers, the latter being one of North America’s most sought-after breeding warblers due to its secretive nature and restricted range. The extensive bog ecosystems support breeding populations of palm warblers, Lincoln’s sparrows, and sedge wrens, while larger lakes host common loons and bald eagles. During irruption years, winter visitors may encounter northern owls including great gray, boreal, and northern hawk owls moving south from Canada in search of food, making this forest a year-round destination for serious birders.
Mark Twain National Forest – Missouri
The diverse ecosystems of Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest create exceptional birding opportunities at the convergence of eastern and western bird populations. The Ozark Trail segments through the forest provide access to extensive glades and oak-hickory woodlands where summer tanagers, Kentucky warblers, and yellow-breasted chats establish breeding territories. The forest’s restored pine-oak woodlands, best accessed via the Kaintuck Hollow Trail, provide habitat for red-headed woodpeckers, prairie warblers, and blue-winged warblers. Riparian corridors along the forest’s numerous spring-fed streams host Louisiana waterthrushes, which arrive early in spring to establish territories along crystal-clear waters. During fall and spring migrations, the forest serves as critical stopover habitat for neotropical migrants, with over 30 species of warblers potentially observed during peak periods. The forest’s large size and varied topography create microclimates that support diverse plant communities and consequently, highly varied avian populations across relatively short distances.
Angeles National Forest – California
Located just outside Los Angeles, the Angeles National Forest offers exceptional birding opportunities within easy reach of one of America’s largest metropolitan areas. The Burkhart Trail in the San Gabriel Mountains provides access to montane chaparral habitat where California threshers, wrentits, and California towhees maintain year-round territories. Higher elevation sections of the trail enter coniferous forests where mountain quail, white-headed woodpeckers, and Steller’s jays become prevalent. During spring, the forest’s numerous canyons host breeding populations of black-chinned sparrows, Lawrence’s goldfinches, and Costa’s hummingbirds, species largely restricted to California and the Southwest. Riparian corridors along the forest’s streams provide habitat for yellow warblers, warbling vireos, and the increasingly rare yellow-billed cuckoo, which relies on dense streamside vegetation for breeding. The forest’s elevation gradient, ranging from chaparral to subalpine habitats, creates compression of life zones that allows birders to observe species from multiple ecosystems within a single day’s outing.
Tips for Successful Forest Birding
Birding in National Forests presents unique challenges and opportunities compared to more developed settings. Carrying detailed maps or GPS devices is essential, as cell service is often unavailable in remote forest areas, and trail markers may be less prominent than in National Parks. Early morning visits typically yield the highest bird activity, particularly during spring and early summer when territorial singing peaks shortly after dawn. Investing in quality binoculars with good light-gathering capability proves especially valuable in forest settings, where birds often appear as silhouettes against the canopy. Learning bird vocalizations before visiting significantly enhances the forest birding experience, as many species will be heard far more often than seen in dense vegetation. Checking with local Forest Service offices before visiting can provide valuable information about seasonal closures, special permits, and recent bird sightings that might influence trip planning. Many National Forests maintain bird checklists specific to their region, which can help birders prepare for species they might encounter.
The Value of National Forests for Birders
The National Forest System represents an extraordinary resource for bird enthusiasts seeking authentic experiences in diverse, functioning ecosystems. Unlike more heavily visited National Parks, these forests often provide solitude and the opportunity to observe birds behaving naturally in undisturbed habitats. The network of National Forests spans nearly every major ecosystem in the United States, from tropical hammocks in Florida to boreal forests in Alaska, allowing birders to access an incredible variety of habitats and species. Many threatened and declining bird species depend on these protected forest lands for breeding habitat, making birding in National Forests not just a recreational activity but an opportunity to witness conservation in action. As climate change and habitat loss increasingly threaten bird populations worldwide, these protected landscapes take on ever greater importance as refuges for biodiversity. For birders willing to venture beyond the well-traveled paths, National Forests offer some of the most rewarding and authentic birding experiences available on public lands in America.