Tamias umbrinus
Silhouette: Chloé Schmidt · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The Uinta chipmunk or hidden forest chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus) is a species of chipmunk in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the United States. Formerly known as Tamias umbrinus, phylogenetic studies have shown it to be sufficiently distinct from the eastern chipmunk as to be placed in a separate genus, Neotamias. The same studies have also suggested that Palmer's chipmunk may actually be a subspecies of Uinta chipmunk, although the two are still generally regarded as separate species.
The Uinta chipmunk is a medium-sized chipmunk, with adults ranging from 20 to 24 cm (7.9 to 9.4 in) in length, including the tail at 7 to 11 cm (2.8 to 4.3 in), and weighing an average of 67 g (2.4 oz). The predominant color of the summer coat varies from yellowish brown-grey to dark brown, often with a reddish tinge. Three wide, distinct dark blackish-brown stripes run down the back, separated and surrounded by four paler stripes of pale grey to white fur. Also, three dark and three pale stripes are on each side of the face. In the winter, the coat becomes duller and more greyish, and the stripes become less distinct. The ears are black, and the underparts a very pale grey.... Wikipedia →
Recording0:24
United States · 2026
© zacharycarling · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Uinta Chipmunk sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 27 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Uinta Chipmunk in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Uinta Chipmunk sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Uinta Chipmunk sightings, Rocky Mountain National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Zion National Park (United States, about 70%) and Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same genus: Tamias
The closest relatives of the Uinta Chipmunk that you can see in Rocky Mountain National Park (genus Tamias, Eastern Chipmunks) are Least Chipmunk (about 20%) and Colorado Chipmunk (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Uinta Chipmunk is recorded against all the mammals logged in Rocky Mountain National Park (47 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
