Look for the large, dark objects in open marshy area along the Alaska Highway and Tok Cutoff. 145 Taylor Highway and along the Top of the World Highway in summer. Both black and grizzly bears inhabit the Tok area. Look for their tracks in mud along area trails and near rivers. Bears can often be viewed safely with binoculars on the open hillsides between Tok and Northway and on mountain slopes along the Tok Cutoff between Tok and Mentasta Pass.
Late evenings are best for viewing bears.
The entire Upper Tanana Valley offers excellent waterfowl nesting habitat and is a main migration corridor for the birds each spring and fall. Moon Lake, about 22 miles northwest of Tok on the Alaska Highway, and Mineral Lake, about 40 miles south of town along the Tok Cutoff, offers excellent viewing opportunities. There is a handy highway turnout from which the swans and other water fowl can be viewed. Mallards, pintails, wigeon, green-winged teal, buffleheads, and scaup and locally common. Look for Lesser Canada Geese on gravel bars of the Tanana River.