Spotting Scopes vs Binoculars: What’s Best for Yellowstone Wildlife Viewing?
- Eric Beuning
- May 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Spotting wildlife in Yellowstone National Park in the distance is easy. Yet getting a good view of them in places like the Hayden and Lamar Valleys often requires a spotting scope or a quality pair of binoculars. Of course, there are tons of high-end options at nosebleed prices that leave you wondering if they’re really worth the money.
As a Yellowstone wildlife viewing veteran, and a former product tester, I thought I’d cut through the confusing marketing messages. The following are what I think are the best spotting scopes, wildlife viewing binoculars, and smartphone-compatible spotting scopes for the money.
Which Is Better a Spotting Scope or Binoculars?
A quality pair of binoculars will do just fine if you’re just going to drive a wildlife viewing tour of the Hayden or Lamar Valley. They’re handy for viewing buffalo and you might even spot a moose lazing in a willow thicket, but binoculars won’t help you much if you’re trying to see grizzlies or wolves at a distance.
A spotting scope is the best option for seeing bears, wolves, mountain goats, and moose at a distance. If you want to get a picture of them on your smartphone, you’ll want to buy a model that’s specifically designed to work with an adapter. I put a few in the entries below.
If you’re going to connect a spotting scope to your smartphone, it’s best to set it up at the start of your wildlife viewing trip. Getting the phone’s camera and the eyepiece of the spotting scope to work together can be tricky.
You can then use a pair of quality binoculars to spot an animal at a distance. Then dial it in with sharp focus quickly. Attaching a tripod makes it easier to capture a steady image. Especially if you’re trying to safely snap a pic of a grizzly or black bear at long range.
Best Binoculars for Yellowstone Wildlife
The following are some of my top picks for spotting scopes and binoculars that you can use for wildlife viewing in Yellowstone, stargazing, hunting, and other purposes.
Best Budget Binoculars: Nikon 8x42 Monarch M5 Binoculars
Nikon's Monarch M5 binoculars are renowned for their superior optics and rugged design, which matters on a Yellowstone wildlife viewing trip. With 8x magnification and a wide field of view, they are perfect for tracking moving animals.
The binoculars are waterproof and fog-proof, ensuring clear vision in various weather conditions. Their lightweight and ergonomic design makes them comfortable for all-day use in the field.
👉 Get the Nikon 8x42 Monarch M5 Binoculars
Best Binoculars: Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 Binoculars
Bushnell's Legend Ultra HD binoculars deliver the high-definition clarity that you need for wildlife viewing. I also appreciate the ED Prime Glass and ultra-wide-band coatings. The 10x42 configuration balances magnification and field of view, ideal for spotting wildlife at varying distances.
These binoculars are also equipped with a RainGuard HD water-repellent lens coating, ensuring clear vision during unexpected weather changes. My daughter uses these, and she’s put them through a lot in recent years without any trouble.
Best Spotting Scopes for Yellowstone Wildlife
A quality spotting scope lets you get a close-up view of Yellowstone wildlife without actually getting close to them. They're ideal for things like grizzlies, black bears, moose, and wolves. You can spend a lot of money on a fancy high-end spotting scope, but I find the following are more affordable options that you can use for other applications other than fall hunting.
The Vortex Diamondback HD 20-60x85 is a top-tier spotting scope for Yellowstone wildlife. It’s known for its exceptional clarity and durability. Its HD optical system provides outstanding color fidelity and edge-to-edge sharpness, crucial for spotting distant wildlife in Yellowstone's vast landscapes.
I love how the helical focus allows for smooth and precise adjustments, and I appreciate its rugged construction for times when I need to take it with me on a hike in the Lamar Valley. There’s a good reason why this scope is a favorite among both amateur and professional wildlife observers.
Budget Pick: Celestron Ultima 80 Angled Spotting Scope
The Celestron Ultima 80 offers a 20-60x zoom range with an 80mm objective lens, providing bright and clear images when looking for wildlife in Yellowstone. They’re even great in low-light conditions, which is handy if you’re trying to spot animals at sunrise or sunset.
Its 45-degree viewing angle is comfortable for extended use, and the multi-coated optics enhance light transmission. This scope is both affordable and reliable, making it an excellent choice for those new to wildlife spotting or looking for quality on a budget.
Best Smartphone Compatible Wildlife Spotting Scopes
If you want a wildlife spotting scope that you can connect to your smartphone to take pictures, I think the following do a good job of working with modern tech, without compromising their optical performance. You can use them as a spotting scope or keep them attached to your smartphone camera all day. When I worked in agency life, I had the chance to test these amongst others.
If you're planning a wildlife adventure in Yellowstone and you want to take pics with your smartphone the URBANCOAST 25-65x75mm Spotting Scope is one of your best-priced options.
Optical Performance
The URBANCOAST spotting scope features a 25-65x magnification range paired with a 75mm objective lens. This combination allows for detailed observation of distant wildlife, such as elk grazing in meadows or eagles soaring above.
It uses a BAK4 prism system, which enhances image brightness and clarity, essential for early morning or late evening viewing when animals are most active.
Smartphone Adapter
This spotting scope’s smartphone adapter is designed to accommodate phones ranging from 2.2" to 3.5" (55-90 mm) in width. This is compatible with most modern smartphones.
Pro Tip: Aligning the phone camera with the eyepiece can be a little tricky. So, I recommend setting it up first and leaving it set up. You can use a cheap pair of binoculars like the Nikon 8x42 Monarch M5 to find the animal and then take the picture with the URBANCOAST.
If you're gearing up for a Yellowstone wildlife viewing expedition and you want a reliable yet budget-friendly spotting scope, the Gosky 20-60x80 Spotting Scope with Tripod deserves consideration. I had the chance to test this out on a product testing weekend.
I appreciated how easy it was to use compared to some of the more complicated scopes that needed a lot of fine-tuning. That matters more than you think it would when you need to dial in a perfectly crisp shot.
Optical Performance
The Gosky spotting scope offers a versatile 20x to 60x magnification range is paired with an 80mm objective lens. I appreciate that it gave me bright and clear images, even in low-light conditions. I think this is thanks to the fully multi-coated optics and BAK4 Porro prism system.
Smartphone Adapter
The smartphone adapter was engineered to be compatible with a wide range of smartphones. However, it might take a little bit to properly align your phone with the eyepiece. So I would leave it set up the whole time you’re on a wilderness viewing tour.
Pro Tip: The closer you get to maximum magnification, the more image stability can be affected. Using a sturdy tripod for long-range shots of bear, moose and Yellowstone’s elusive wolves is a good idea.
Final Thoughts on Yellowstone Wildlife Spotting Scopes and Binoculars
If you’re serious about a Yellowstone wildlife viewing experience, then it helps to have a reliable spotting scope. Still, I’m not going to tell you that you need to break the bank by dropping big money on high-end optics. Especially if you’re not an avid hunter or wildlife photographer.
If you just want to look at some animals from a handheld set of binoculars, the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10x42 Binoculars will take care of you. They’re durable and easy to take care of. This is a good option if you want to spot some buffalo in a Lamar Valley meadow or spot a moose down in the thickets.
If you want the chance to see more elusive Yellowstone animals at a distance like wolves and grizzlies, then a high-quality, good-value spotting scope like Vortex Optics Diamondback HD 20-60x85 is the better route. If you want to take pictures with your smartphone, I’d go with the URBANCOAST 25-65x75mm Spotting Scopes with Full Size Tripod. Being able to keep the rig mounted to a tripod will give you the stability you need to capture high-quality Yellowstone wildlife photos at long range.
If you want to learn more about how to safely hike, camp, drive and spot bears in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, check out this article.
If you want to learn more about Yellowstone and other outdoor adventures, you should follow Eric Beuning's Author Page.
Disclaimer: As an affiliate marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. However, the cost remains the same for you.
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