Bighorn Sheep in Rocky Mountain

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep once thrived in the thousands in this part of the Rockies.

Guide Sections

Use Bighorn Sheep's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.

Information

Bighorn Sheep Details

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

Region

Learn About the Park

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.