Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep once thrived in the thousands in this part of the Rockies.
Plan Around Bighorn Sheep
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Bighorn Sheep Details
Bighorn sheep once thrived in the thousands in this part of the Rockies, but by the 1960s only about 140 remained within Rocky Mountain National Park thanks to a combination of overhunting and diseases caught from domesticated sheep. Today, however, there are three major herds of bighorns roaming the higher elevations of the park. The approximately 350 bighorns in the park generally roam the higher elevations but also periodically come down to the valleys to graze, which is the best time to see them.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
Region
Learn About the Park
Nearby Parks Around Bighorn Sheep
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Bighorn Sheep
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Bighorn Sheep while the map context is still fresh.
0.2 mi away
Sheep Lakes Bighorn Crossing
The sheep cross Highway 34, aided by park rangers and volunteers who stop traffic.
0.4 mi away
Sheep Lakes
This area of Horseshoe Park is one of the best places to see Rocky Mountain wildlife.
0.6 mi away
Creating a National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park was established on January 26, 1915.
0.6 mi away
Elk Exclosures
A lack of natural predators has led the elk to overgraze the lower meadows and forests.
0.6 mi away
West Horseshoe Park/Horseshoe Inn
Glaciers carved this valley and deposited the sands that became the meadows of West Horseshoe Park.
