10 replies to this topic

[romiscd]

My son and I will be hiking this August in RMNP.

Where is the best place to hike if we wanted to have a chance to see the Big Horn Sheep.

Thanks!

[DeeCeeM]

I haven't been there myself, but I understand that the Crater would be a good choice. See here for a recent discussion on it.

[clickhiker]

The Crater is the correct answer. It is also the area you are most likely to run into restrictions from the Park Service. Watching must be done from the ridge above the crater area, but they are almost always visible from there. I went up three times last Summer with varying degrees of success for good viewing and getting close, but every time I have been there since the mid-sixties, there have never failed to be Bighorn visible. It is a short, but steep hike (not much more than a mile). Be there early as possible (as always in RMNP) for the best chance to see something good. Sometimes you may see flocks grazing on the side of Specimen Mountain above, but that area is off-limits to all but researchers. Last year I think I remember hearing of someone spotting a Mountain Lion or two above the Crater sunbathing.

[DeeCeeM]

BTW, the best views of RMNP bighorn sheep I've ever had actually involved no hiking at all. I've seen them more than once right on the side of the hill just outside the Fall River entrance station on September/October trips. I've also gotten held up for the morning sheep crossing at Sheep Lakes; if I'm not mistaken, that was in June. I've spotted one or two with binoculars on the upper part of Fall River Road, too.

[clickhiker]

BTW, the best views of RMNP bighorn sheep I've ever had actually involved no hiking at all.  I've seen them more than once right on the side of the hill just outside the Fall River entrance station on September/October trips.  I've also gotten held up for the morning sheep crossing at Sheep Lakes; if I'm not mistaken, that was in June.  I've spotted one or two with binoculars on the upper part of Fall River Road, too.

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This was from last August just off Trail Ridge near Rock Cut...

[Andy]

I saw a big herd last summer between Ypsilon and Chiquita, south of Donner Ridge. There must have been around 30 of 'em.

[cardinal]

I have also seen a heard while hiking up to Lawn Lake. They were meandering along the creek that the trail borders on. Also seen them around Crystal Lake. If you are hiking on the east side I would say the odds are best on the Lawn Lake Trail Head. I have never seen any around the Bear Lake, Glacier, or CUb Lake trail heads for example. I would say the odds are 50/50 you would see bighorns if you went up to the Crater, but it is only a mile or so hike.

[coons10]

If you strike out at The Crater, then I suggest hiking up Milner Pass. The trail is pretty easy and last summer when we got near treeline (and I think a formation called sheep rock is near there) we saw dozens of bighorn sheep. They are a little tough to see in this photo, but there were even more present than the 9 or 10 that you can see here.

The sheep didn't seem too concerned about us being there watching them, even though we were only about 35 yards away.

Edited by coons10, 02 May 2005 - 08:43 AM.

[Andy]

I also saw a small herd on the summit of Flattop in January '04. I doubt you'll see them there in the summer though.

[R from A]

Bighorns are definitely elusive, but the northwest part of the park seems to be your best shot. My experience is they are relatively common in the Milner Pass area, especially the Crater as others have mentioned, but the Park Service is really encouraging people not to use the Crater trail (even when it isn't officially closed).

I have seen small herds both from Trail Ridge Road near Milner Pass, and just below the summit of Mount Ida on the south slope toward Timber Lake. Last summer, we saw a herd of 36 ewes and lambs at the Sheep Lakes area in Horseshoe Park from the highway, but 95% of the time I go by there I never see any sheep. You just need some luck: I have seen them in remote areas like Lake of Many Winds in Wild Basin, and crowded areas like the shoulder of Highway 34 in Big Thompson Canyon.

This one is from the Sheep Lakes area last summer:

Edited by Mike Amfahr, 02 May 2005 - 10:35 AM.

[greg126]

I vote for the Crater (and vicinity) that time of year also. Other areas seem to be real hit or miss and our luck hasn't been real good the last few years at Sheep Meadow or Fall River Entrance.....Greg