Mountain Lions in Olympic National Park

Count yourself very lucky if you spot one of these elusive big cats—shy and wide-ranging, the park’s mountain lions are rarely seen.

Also called cougars, mountain lions can grow up to 250 pounds (males); females are usually 75 to 100 pounds. The big cats hunt deer and elk from the treetops and favor open, rocky areas and forests.

In the very rare event you do have a close encounter with a mountain lion, never run. Instead, wave your arms, shout, and throw rocks to scare it away, then report the sighting to a ranger.

See Mountain Lions in Olympic

Throughout the park (but you probably won’t). More likely, you might spot tracks or scat on the trails.