Last updated: August 12, 2024
Thing to Do
Fire-Adapted Woodpeckers
NPS photo.
Glacier is the perfect home for several fire-adapted woodpeckers. These are birds that depend on regular wildfire to create their habitat. Listen for “thunks” or knocking sounds of woodpeckers as they excavate tree cavities in search of a meal.
- Black-backed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)
- American three-toed woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis)
- Lewis’s woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis)
Details
Activity
Birdwatching
Pets Allowed
No
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Forests
These woodpeckers are among the first to return to an area after it burns. Locating them is a bit more predictable compared to other birds. Simply look in areas of the park that have burned in the past decade.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Time of Day
Any Time
Accessibility Information
In addition to driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road and other park roads, the Running Eagle Falls Nature Trail, the Swiftcurrent Nature Trail, and the Trail of the Cedars are three of Glacier’s most accessible areas.
Improvements in accessibility are being made each year, and with a bit of pre-planning, all visitors can find Glacier to be a rewarding experience. Details on Glacier's accessible facilities and services can be found on the park's website nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
Improvements in accessibility are being made each year, and with a bit of pre-planning, all visitors can find Glacier to be a rewarding experience. Details on Glacier's accessible facilities and services can be found on the park's website nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.