Coyotes in Colorado: where to look and what signs to watch for

Coyotes adapt to almost any habitat in Colorado. Your best odds are on the eastern plains in shortgrass prairies, around scrub oak and juniper woodlands in the foothills, and even in suburban greenbelts. They avoid dense forests but thrive in open country and agricultural fields. Look for them near water sources like streams and ponds. For more on coyote habits, see our coyote hub.

In Colorado, coyotes sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to where the animal is most likely in the state. Use the state wildlife hub and the route guide to narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.

Coyotes are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. Plan your outings for the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, especially during the cooler months. In summer, they shift activity to early morning and late evening. Nighttime howling is common, but actually spotting them is easier in low light.

Most misses happen when people arrive at the wrong hour or expect nonstop activity. Build around time-of-day or seasonal behavior, keep one backup area in mind, and use the animal facts page plus tour planning ideas to compare what a realistic outing looks like in Colorado. If movement slows, stay longer at one promising spot, listen for calls or watch for edge movement, and reset around weather, light, water, or feeding changes instead of jumping to a totally new area too early.

Coyote tracks are oval, 2 to 2.5 inches long, with four toes and visible claw marks. The heel pad is smaller than a dog's. Scat is often twisted, full of hair and bone fragments, and left on trails or rocks. Den sites are usually on south-facing slopes, near water, with multiple entrances. Compare with fox tracks to avoid confusion.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Coyote vocalizations are a mix of high-pitched yips, barks, and long howls. They often call in groups, creating a chorus that rises and falls. Listen at dusk or right after dark. Lone howls are rare; group calls are used to reunite pack members or defend territory.

Coyotes are opportunistic feeders. Their diet includes small mammals (rabbits, rodents), birds, carrion, insects, and berries. In Colorado, they also take fawns and livestock when available. This flexible diet overlaps with deer in some areas, but they are not primarily grazers.