Are There Flying Squirrels in Wyoming?
Yes, Northern Flying Squirrels live in Wyoming's mountains. They inhabit the Teton Range, Absaroka Range, and Wind River Range, where mature coniferous forests provide cavities and dense canopy. These nocturnal gliders are present in mountain forests but rarely observed due to their nighttime activity. Flying squirrels remain active year-round in high-elevation regions.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 22, 2026.
Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel · Evan M. Raskin CC BY
Southern Flying Squirrel · Hila Taylor CC BY
Southern Flying Squirrel · Nik Hughes CC BY
- 65
- GBIF records
Yes, flying squirrels are in Wyoming. Next you'll want:
Yes, Northern Flying Squirrels live in Wyoming's mountains. They inhabit the Teton Range, Absaroka Range, and Wind River Range, where mature coniferous forests provide cavities and dense canopy. These nocturnal gliders are present in mountain forests but rarely observed due to their nighttime activity. Flying squirrels remain active year-round in high-elevation regions.
Where Flying Squirrels Live in Wyoming
Northern Flying Squirrels in Wyoming are restricted to mountainous regions with suitable forest habitat. The Teton Range, including areas around Grand Teton National Park, supports healthy populations in old-growth coniferous and mixed forest stands. The Absaroka Range along the northern boundary provides extensive suitable habitat. The Wind River Range in central Wyoming hosts flying squirrel populations in its remote mountain forests. The Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming offer good habitat where forests remain intact. The Medicine Bow Mountains in southeastern Wyoming provide additional suitable territory. Flying squirrels are absent from Wyoming's vast plains, desert regions, and areas of sparse sagebrush and grassland. The Shoshone National Forest and Bridger Teton National Forest provide large contiguous forest blocks supporting healthy populations. You can learn more aboutWyoming wildlifethrough state resources and guides. Flying squirrels depend on high elevation forests with abundant tree cavities and dense canopy cover, which is why their distribution is restricted to Wyoming's mountain cores. Lower elevation foothills with sparse forest generally lack flying squirrels.
Season and Timing
Northern Flying Squirrels in Wyoming remain active throughout the year without migration. Winter is extremely harsh at high elevations where flying squirrels live, with deep snow and severe cold. They survive by relying on food caches created during abundant fall months and by conserving energy in their tree-cavity homes. Activity levels decrease in winter as temperatures plummet and snow covers foraging areas. Spring brings increased activity as food becomes available and breeding season approaches. Breeding occurs from February through April, with females raising litters in tree cavities. Young emerge from nests in late spring and early summer, learning to glide and forage as they become independent. Summer is moderately active with abundant insects and fresh vegetation. Fall is the busiest season in Wyoming's mountains, as flying squirrels frantically gather and cache seeds and nuts to prepare for the long, severe winter months. Autumn nights extend their foraging time. Vocalizations increase noticeably during spring courtship and early summer when young are learning independence.
How to Identify a Flying Squirrel
Northern Flying Squirrels are tiny, weighing only two to three ounces and measuring approximately five inches in body length. Their fur is soft and dense, colored gray or grayish-brown on the back and pure white on the undersides. The most distinctive feature is the loose fold of skin, the patagium, stretching between their front and hind legs. When they spread their legs during a glide, this membrane creates a wing-like surface for flight. Their eyes are large and forward-facing, perfectly adapted for seeing in darkness. Their ears are small and rounded, often hidden within dense fur. The tail is long, feathery, and heavily furred, serving as a rudder and balance tool during glides and perching. Their incisors are continuously growing and typically orange or yellowish in color. They must gnaw constantly to maintain proper tooth length, as teeth never stop growing throughout their lives.
Where Sightings Concentrate in Wyoming
Flying squirrel sightings concentrate in the high-elevation, old-growth forest patches of Wyoming's mountains. Grand Teton National Park and surrounding national forest lands in the Teton Range offer good habitat and relative accessibility. The Absaroka Range along the park's northern boundary supports high densities in remote, undisturbed forest. The Wind River Range, particularly in wilderness areas with mature coniferous forest, hosts populations. Northern Bighorn Mountain forests provide suitable habitat, especially on western slopes receiving adequate precipitation. The Shoshone National Forest offers extensive suitable territory. Sighting opportunities increase during spring and early summer when young are becoming independent. Night hikes in mountain regions during warmer months offer the best chance to hear flying squirrel calls. VisitWyoming wildlife pagesto explore information about forest mammals and their habitats. Campgrounds and hiking trails in national parks and national forests provide access to flying squirrel habitat. Areas with recent logging or heavy human development typically host fewer flying squirrels than remote wilderness areas.
Typical Behavior
Northern Flying Squirrels are strictly nocturnal, remaining in their tree-cavity homes throughout daylight and emerging only after sunset. They are solitary by nature but may den communally during brutal Wyoming winters to share warmth and conserve energy. Their diet consists primarily of seeds from coniferous trees, including Douglas fir, spruce, and pine, along with some fungi, insects, and plant matter. Flying squirrels are expert gliders, launching from high branches with legs spread and tail flexed. Glides can cover 50 to 80 feet or more, and they make multiple consecutive glides to traverse the forest canopy. They use their claws to brake and cling firmly to bark upon landing. They produce quiet chirps, squeaks, and chattering sounds, especially during breeding season and when communicating warnings. Flying squirrels create extensive food caches throughout their territories, storing thousands of seeds in separate locations and relocating them using spatial memory and navigation skills. For more information, visitwildlife guidesto learn more.
Coexistence and Safety Notes
Flying squirrels in Wyoming are protected by state wildlife law and cannot be trapped, killed, or removed without a permit from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. They are beneficial forest inhabitants that disperse seeds and promote forest regeneration through their feeding and caching behavior. Flying squirrels pose no threat to humans and are too shy and small to cause conflict. Encountering a flying squirrel in a home is virtually impossible given their mountain forest habitat preference far from development. If an injured or orphaned flying squirrel is found, contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center. The presence of flying squirrels indicates healthy, intact old-growth forest with good structure and biodiversity. These nocturnal gliders serve as indicators of forest quality and ecological health in Wyoming's mountains. Learn aboutall Wyoming wildlifeto appreciate the complete mountain ecosystem. Protecting old-growth forest and wilderness areas ensures flying squirrels continue to thrive.
Species People Confuse With Flying Squirrels
The most common confusion involves the Fox Squirrel or Eastern Gray Squirrel, though these eastern species are not found in Wyoming. In the western mountains, Abert's Squirrel might be mistaken for a flying squirrel at distance, but Abert's Squirrel is much larger, weighs a pound or more, and is diurnal. The Red Squirrel found in Wyoming's coniferous forests is larger than a flying squirrel and lacks the gliding membrane. Chipmunks are much larger and active during daylight. Some confusion might occur with flying mice or gliding mammals, but no flying mice occur in Wyoming. Raccoons and other small mammals are much larger and lack the distinctive flying membrane. Once you understand the tiny size and nocturnal habits of flying squirrels, confusion with other mountain mammals becomes unlikely, and their distinctive gliding silhouette and quiet vocalizations make positive identification clear. For more aboutflying squirrel identification, check state resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are flying squirrels found throughout Wyoming? A: No. Flying squirrels are restricted to mountainous regions with suitable forest habitat, particularly the Tetons, Absaroka Range, Wind River Range, and Bighorn Mountains. Plains and desert areas have no flying squirrels. For more details, visitwildlife guidesto learn more. For more information, visitwildlife guidesto explore more. Q: Can I see a flying squirrel at Grand Teton National Park? A: Flying squirrels do live in Grand Teton's forests, but seeing one requires darkness, patience, and knowledge of their habits. Listen for their calls after sunset in forested areas. Q: What do flying squirrels eat in Wyoming? A: They primarily eat seeds from spruce, fir, and pine trees, supplemented with fungi, insects, and other plant material. In Wyoming, they rely heavily on conifer seed crops. Q: How do flying squirrels survive Wyoming winters? A: Flying squirrels survive harsh Wyoming winters by caching enormous quantities of seeds and nuts in fall, growing thick insulating fur, and sometimes sharing nests for shared warmth.
Plan your flying squirrel sighting in Wyoming
65 verified flying squirrel records have been logged in Wyoming, most recently in 2025. See the GBIF records.
Where to look in Wyoming
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Devils Tower National Monument · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Fossil Butte National Monument · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Grand Teton National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- Yellowstone National Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
- California National Historic Trail · Find hotels
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