While grizzly bears and wolves capture most visitor attention at Yellowstone National Park, a quieter drama unfolds among the park’s smallest mammals.
Four species of rabbits and hares navigate Yellowstone’s extreme conditions—enduring winter temperatures plunging to -40°F, evading numerous predators, and adapting to elevations ranging from 5,282 to over 11,000 feet.
These lagomorphs (the scientific order encompassing rabbits, hares, and pikas) display remarkable survival strategies including dramatic seasonal coat changes, explosive reproductive rates, and specialized habitat preferences spanning sagebrush flats to dense conifer forests.
Many visitors mistakenly use “rabbit” and “hare” interchangeably, yet significant biological differences separate these groups—hares are born fully furred with eyes open and ready to run, while true rabbits arrive helpless, naked, and blind in underground burrows.
Understanding which species inhabit different Yellowstone ecosystems, how to distinguish between similar-looking lagomorphs, and when seasonal changes make them most visible transforms casual wildlife watching into engaging natural history observation during your park visit.
1. Snowshoe Hare
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) stands as Yellowstone’s most dramatic example of seasonal adaptation, undergoing complete color transformations that have fascinated naturalists for centuries.
This medium-sized hare weighs 3-4 pounds and measures 15-20 inches in length, with disproportionately large hind feet—the “snowshoes” that give the species its common name.
These oversized feet, measuring up to 6 inches long and densely furred on the bottom, function like natural snowshoes by distributing weight across snow surfaces and preventing the hare from sinking during winter travel.
You’ll recognize snowshoe hares by their seasonal appearance: pure white winter coat (October through April) with only black-tipped ears remaining visible, transitional brown-and-white patchy appearance during spring and fall molts, and rusty brown to grayish-brown summer pelage.
The transformation between white and brown coats represents one of nature’s most complete camouflage adaptations, triggered by changing day length rather than temperature or actual snow presence.
This photoperiod-driven molt occasionally creates mismatches when early snowmelt or late snowfall leaves white hares conspicuous against brown landscapes or brown hares exposed on white snow.
Snowshoe hares inhabit dense coniferous forests, riparian willow thickets, and shrubby areas throughout Yellowstone, preferring locations with thick understory vegetation providing cover from the numerous predators hunting them.
They occur across a wide elevation range from valley bottoms to subalpine forests, concentrating in areas where young conifers, willows, aspens, and dense shrubs create the tangled habitat structure they require.
Prime snowshoe hare habitat includes regenerating forest areas, stream corridors with abundant willows, and forest edges where different vegetation types meet.
Pro Tip: Look for snowshoe hares during dawn and dusk hours in willow thickets along the Madison River, Lamar Valley stream corridors, and forested areas throughout the park. Winter provides the easiest viewing when their white coats stand out against tree trunks and rocks, and their tracks create obvious trails across snow surfaces.
These largely nocturnal and crepuscular animals spend daylight hours resting in shallow depressions called “forms” beneath dense vegetation or overhanging branches. Unlike true rabbits, hares don’t excavate burrows but instead rely entirely on concealment and speed for predator avoidance.
When threatened, snowshoe hares freeze motionless, depending on camouflage, then explode into rapid, zigzagging escape runs reaching speeds of 27 mph.
Their powerful hind legs enable 10-foot leaps, and they can change direction instantly mid-jump—crucial abilities when pursued by lynx, coyotes, foxes, hawks, owls, and other predators.
The snowshoe hare’s diet shifts dramatically between seasons. Summer brings abundant options including grasses, forbs, ferns, and leafy vegetation from numerous plant species.
Winter forces specialization on woody browse—twigs, buds, and bark from willows, aspens, conifers, and various shrubs. They practice coprophagy (eating their own fecal pellets), which allows them to extract additional nutrients from fibrous plant material through two-stage digestion.
Snowshoe hare populations exhibit famous boom-and-bust cycles, fluctuating dramatically over approximately 10-year periods. Peak populations can reach extraordinary densities before crashing to minimal numbers, creating cascading effects throughout the ecosystem.
These population cycles correlate closely with Canada lynx numbers (their primary predator in northern forests), though multiple factors including food availability, predation pressure, and stress-related physiological changes all contribute to the cyclical pattern.
Breeding occurs from March through August, with females producing 2-4 litters annually containing 1-7 young (called leverets). The precocial young are born fully furred with eyes open after only 36-37 days gestation—remarkably short for mammals their size.
Leverets can hop within hours of birth and begin eating vegetation within days, though they continue nursing for about a month. This rapid development reflects the high predation pressure hares face and the need for offspring to achieve independence quickly.
2. White-Tailed Jackrabbit
The white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) claims the title of Yellowstone’s largest lagomorph, displaying impressive size and remarkable adaptations to open sagebrush habitats.
This substantial hare weighs 6-10 pounds—double the snowshoe hare’s weight—and measures 22-26 inches in length with enormous ears reaching 5-6 inches long.
These conspicuous ears serve multiple functions: detecting predators through exceptional hearing, dissipating excess body heat during summer, and providing species identification from considerable distances.
You’ll identify white-tailed jackrabbits by their large size, extremely long ears with black tips, proportionally very long hind legs built for explosive speed, and notably, their namesake white tail that remains visible year-round.
Like snowshoe hares, white-tailed jackrabbits undergo seasonal color changes—transitioning from grayish-brown or buff summer pelage to white or pale gray winter coat.
However, northern populations (including Yellowstone) show more dramatic winter whitening than southern populations, where many individuals retain brown coloration year-round.
| Feature | Snowshoe Hare | White-tailed Jackrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 3-4 pounds | 6-10 pounds |
| Habitat preference | Dense forest/willow | Open sagebrush/grassland |
| Ear length | Moderate | Very long (5-6 inches) |
| Winter coat | Always pure white | White to pale gray |
| Escape strategy | Zigzag through cover | Straight-line speed in open |
These hares prefer open habitats including sagebrush flats, grasslands, agricultural areas, and meadows—quite different from the snowshoe hare’s dense cover requirements.
In Yellowstone, look for white-tailed jackrabbits in the northern range’s sagebrush expanses, particularly around Mammoth Hot Springs, the Blacktail Plateau, and throughout Lamar Valley’s open grasslands.
They typically avoid heavily forested areas, instead selecting habitats offering good visibility for predator detection combined with scattered shrubs providing minimal cover.
White-tailed jackrabbits rely on speed and endurance rather than the snowshoe hare’s zigzag evasion tactics. When threatened, they burst into straight-line runs reaching 40 mph and sustaining 35 mph for extended distances.
Their powerful legs enable 15-20 foot leaps, and they can bound at 10 feet per leap while maintaining high speed. This cursorial (running) adaptation reflects their open-habitat lifestyle where cover is scarce and outrunning predators becomes the primary defense strategy.
Important Note: White-tailed jackrabbit populations have experienced concerning declines across their range over recent decades. Climate change, habitat loss, and shifting predator dynamics all contribute to population pressures. In Yellowstone, they remain present but relatively uncommon compared to historical abundance, making sightings noteworthy events.
Their diet mirrors snowshoe hare patterns—diverse herbaceous vegetation during summer transitioning to woody browse in winter. However, as creatures of more arid, open habitats, white-tailed jackrabbits show greater tolerance for tough, fibrous vegetation and can survive on lower-quality forage than snowshoe hares require.
They feed on grasses, forbs, sagebrush, cultivated crops (in agricultural areas outside the park), and during winter, primarily sagebrush, other shrub twigs, and bark.
White-tailed jackrabbits remain active year-round, not hibernating but adjusting activity patterns seasonally. Like other hares, they’re primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, spending daylight in shallow forms beneath sagebrush or other vegetation. Their forms often face multiple directions, allowing vigilant animals to monitor surroundings from the resting position.
Breeding extends from late winter through summer, with peak activity in March-April. Females produce 3-4 litters annually containing 1-6 young (average 3-4).
The leverets arrive fully furred with eyes open after 42 days gestation and can move about within hours. This reproductive output helps offset the high mortality these visible, open-country hares experience from predators including coyotes, foxes, eagles, hawks, and occasionally badgers.
3. Pygmy Rabbit
The pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) represents North America’s smallest rabbit species and presents one of Yellowstone’s most challenging wildlife viewing opportunities due to its rarity, tiny size, and specific habitat requirements.
This diminutive true rabbit weighs only 14-16 ounces (less than one pound) and measures a mere 9-11 inches in length—small enough to fit comfortably in a person’s hand.
The species’ restricted range, specialized ecology, and vulnerability have earned it protected status in several states, though in Yellowstone it maintains small populations in suitable habitat.
You’ll recognize pygmy rabbits by their extremely small size (noticeably smaller than cottontails), uniform gray coloration with pinkish or buff tones (lacking any white on the body), very short, rounded ears barely exceeding two inches in length, and virtually invisible tail hidden by body fur.
Unlike hares, pygmy rabbits are born helpless, naked, and blind in underground burrows—displaying the altricial birth pattern characteristic of true rabbits. Their uniform coloration, rounded body shape, and proportionally shorter ears distinguish them from both hares and cottontail rabbits.
Pygmy rabbits demonstrate extreme habitat specialization, occurring almost exclusively in dense, tall sagebrush stands (particularly big sagebrush) with deep, loose soils suitable for burrow excavation.
They’re the only North American rabbit species that digs its own burrows rather than using existing structures or simple forms. These burrow systems, usually positioned beneath large sagebrush plants, extend 2-3 feet underground with multiple entrances and escape routes.
The combination of specific sagebrush requirements and suitable soils limits pygmy rabbit distribution to small, scattered habitat patches.
Key Insight: Pygmy rabbits depend on sagebrush for survival more completely than perhaps any other wildlife species—it provides their primary food (up to 99% of winter diet), burrow sites beneath large plants, protective cover, and essential microclimate. Conservation of healthy sagebrush ecosystems directly determines pygmy rabbit persistence.
Within Yellowstone, pygmy rabbits occupy very limited range in appropriate sagebrush habitat, primarily in the northern sections of the park where conditions meet their requirements.
Sightings remain extremely rare even in occupied habitat due to the rabbits’ small size, cryptic behavior, and low population density. They’re most active during dawn and dusk but remain wary and quick to vanish into burrow entrances when threatened.
Unlike wide-ranging hares that cover substantial territories, pygmy rabbits maintain very small home ranges—typically less than 3 acres for females and slightly larger for males.
This sedentary lifestyle reflects their burrow dependence and the energetic costs of maintaining underground tunnel systems in often rocky or compacted soils. Multiple individuals may share burrow complexes, though aggressive interactions occur during breeding season.
Their diet consists almost entirely of sagebrush, particularly during winter when it may comprise 99% of consumption. Summer brings modest dietary diversification with grasses, forbs, and other vegetation supplementing sagebrush, but even then sagebrush remains the primary food source.
This extreme dietary specialization makes pygmy rabbits vulnerable to sagebrush habitat loss and degradation from fire, development, invasive species, and climate change.
Pygmy rabbits breed from late winter through summer, producing 3-4 litters annually with 4-8 young per litter (average 6). The altricial young remain in underground nest chambers lined with grass and fur for several weeks, developing slowly compared to precocial hare leverets.
This reproductive strategy—many, helpless young in protected burrows—contrasts completely with hares’ approach of fewer, well-developed young born above ground.
Conservation concerns for pygmy rabbits have intensified as sagebrush habitats decline across the West. Several states list them as species of concern or threatened, and some populations require active management including captive breeding and reintroduction programs.
Climate change threatens their persistence through altered sagebrush community composition and increased wildfire frequency reducing suitable habitat.
4. Mountain Cottontail
The mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) represents Yellowstone’s only true cottontail rabbit species, occupying diverse habitats across the park’s lower and middle elevations.
This medium-sized rabbit weighs 1.5-3 pounds and measures 12-15 inches in length, displaying the quintessential “cottontail” appearance familiar from childhood storybooks.
The species’ adaptability to varied habitats, relatively common status, and less specialized requirements make it more frequently encountered than pygmy rabbits though still less visible than hares.
You’ll identify mountain cottontails by their brownish-gray to yellowish-gray upperparts, white underparts, characteristic fluffy white tail prominently displayed when hopping (the “cottontail” feature), relatively short, rounded ears compared to hares, and compact, rounded body shape.
Unlike hares with their long legs built for speed, cottontails have proportionally shorter legs and more compact builds. The white tail patch, visible as rabbits bound away, provides instant identification and has given this group its common name.
Mountain cottontails inhabit brushy areas, forest edges, rocky slopes with scattered vegetation, riparian zones with dense shrubs, and areas where sagebrush meets grasslands or forests.
They prefer habitats offering both food resources and protective cover within close proximity, avoiding both dense, closed-canopy forests (too dark and lacking herbaceous vegetation) and wide-open grasslands (insufficient cover).
This intermediate habitat preference—edge habitats with mixed vegetation—allows them to exploit diverse Yellowstone ecosystems from valley bottoms to mountain slopes.
Within Yellowstone, look for mountain cottontails around developed areas including Mammoth Hot Springs, along forest-meadow edges throughout the northern range, in rocky areas with scattered junipers and shrubs, and along stream corridors providing dense willow and shrub cover.
They tend to be most visible during summer months, though they remain active year-round. Early morning and evening hours provide the best viewing opportunities when cottontails emerge from daytime resting spots to feed.
Common Mistake: Don’t confuse mountain cottontails with young snowshoe hares. Cottontails maintain their brown coloration year-round (never turning white), have proportionally shorter ears, smaller hind feet, and compact body shapes even when young. Snowshoe hares appear lankier with longer legs and ears, and undergo seasonal color changes.
Mountain cottontails create shallow depressions or “forms” beneath vegetation for daytime resting, though they also utilize rock crevices, hollow logs, and occasionally burrows excavated by other animals.
Unlike pygmy rabbits that excavate complex burrow systems, cottontails typically don’t dig but instead repurpose existing structures or rely on surface cover. They’re less fossorial (burrowing) than other rabbit species, showing greater willingness to utilize above-ground retreats.
Their diet varies seasonally from primarily green vegetation in summer (grasses, forbs, garden plants near developed areas) to woody browse in winter (bark, twigs, and buds from sagebrush, willows, aspen, and various shrubs).
Like all lagomorphs, they practice coprophagy, producing special soft pellets during daytime resting periods that are consumed to extract additional nutrients. The nighttime hard pellets (what most people observe as “rabbit droppings”) represent the final waste product after two-pass digestion.
Cottontails breed prolifically from March through August, producing 3-4 litters annually with 4-8 young per litter. Females create shallow nest scrapes lined with grass and fur pulled from their own bodies, positioning nests in concealed locations beneath shrubs or in thick vegetation.
The altricial young are born blind, deaf, and nearly naked, requiring several weeks of maternal care before venturing from the nest. This helpless birth condition reflects their status as true rabbits rather than hares.
Predation pressure on cottontails remains intense, with coyotes, foxes, bobcats, various raptors, weasels, and even large snakes consuming both adults and young.
Their defensive strategy combines camouflage (freezing motionless when threatened), vigilance (frequently scanning surroundings), and rapid escape into dense cover when detected. Unlike hares that rely on open-country speed, cottontails dart into brush, rock piles, or burrows, using obstacles to break pursuit lines.
Yellowstone’s four rabbit and hare species demonstrate remarkable adaptations to the park’s challenging environment, from the snowshoe hare’s seasonal camouflage transformations to the pygmy rabbit’s extreme sagebrush specialization.
Understanding the differences between true rabbits (cottontails and pygmies born helpless in burrows) and hares (snowshoes and jackrabbits born ready to run) enhances your appreciation of these often-overlooked mammals.
Each species occupies distinct ecological niches—dense forests for snowshoe hares, open sagebrush for jackrabbits, specialized big sagebrush stands for pygmy rabbits, and edge habitats for mountain cottontails.
During your Yellowstone visit, watch for seasonal coat changes in hares during spring and fall, increased visibility of all species during dawn and dusk hours, and the distinctive features that distinguish each species from similar-looking relatives.
Remember that these prey animals face constant predation pressure and contribute essential links in Yellowstone’s food webs, supporting populations of coyotes, foxes, eagles, owls, and many other predators.
Maintain respectful viewing distances, avoid pursuing or disturbing rabbits and hares, and report any unusual behaviors or population changes to park rangers to support ongoing wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts in Greater Yellowstone’s remarkable ecosystem.
