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Tracking the Monarch's Spring Migration Migration Route of Monarch Butterfly Map by Carol Gersmehl Macalester College Every spring, millions of monarch butterflies re-populate eastern North America after surviving the winter in the high mountains west of Mexico City. They flew up to 2,500 miles to get there last fall and spent the winter living off their fat reserves. With just a few weeks to live, they'll race to produce the next generation. The following fall, by instinct alone, the great-grandchildren of these butterflies will return to the very same mountain sanctuaries. The information for this incredible journey is somehow passed from generation to generation so that miraculously the butterflies return to a place they've never seen before. In a unique partnership, you can join students and scientists across North America to gather and analyze data about this fascinating event. We'll explore how wind and weather affect the journey. We'll discover the routes the monarchs take and the risks they face along the way. We'll learn about conservation efforts on the wintering grounds and at points along the path. Perhaps most importantly, we'll celebrate the return of this delicate sign of spring as it moves across the continent. Link to the Final Monarch Migration Map of Spring, 1997