Desert Bighorn Sheep

Zion's Signature Wildlife Encounter

Ask a Zion ranger which animal stops the most cars, and the answer is always the same: the desert bighorn. Agile, sure-footed, and surprisingly unbothered by humans, these animals navigate sheer sandstone cliffs with a calm confidence that stops hikers mid-sentence. They are most at home on the park's rugged east side, where the slickrock domes and steep ledges give them exactly the escape terrain they evolved for.

Back From the Brink

Bighorn were largely gone from southwestern Utah by 1960, wiped out by overhunting and diseases carried by domestic livestock. In 1978, fourteen sheep were reintroduced into Zion. That small band has since grown into a herd of more than 500 - one of the most successful desert bighorn recoveries anywhere in the Southwest, and now a source herd that biologists use to reestablish populations elsewhere.

Rams, Ewes, and the Autumn Rut

The males (rams) carry massive curved horns that can weigh more than 30 pounds - nearly as much as all the other bones in their body combined. During the fall rut, rams charge one another at speeds up to 40 mph, and the crack of their clashing horns carries clear across the canyon. Females (ewes) and juveniles usually form separate herds, and are often seen picking their way across ledges that look impossibly narrow from the road below.

Where & When to See Bighorn in Zion

Your best odds are on the east side of the park, along the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway between the long tunnel and the East Entrance. Scan the slickrock around Checkerboard Mesa and the pullouts near the Canyon Overlook trailhead. Early morning and the last hours before dusk are most productive, though bighorn are visible year-round and often appear right at the roadside.