Outdoors and wildfire - Front Range

Bighorn sheep cross the road at Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park

Bighorn sheep come down to Sheep Lakes in Horseshoe Park to lick mineral-rich mud, and the park manages a crossing area so the animals can reach it safely across the road.

Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 11, 2026

Colorado’s state animal is the bighorn sheep, and one of the more reliable places to see them is Sheep Lakes, in the Horseshoe Park area of Rocky Mountain National Park, on the Larimer County side. The name fits: bighorn come down from the surrounding slopes to the flats near the lakes to lick mud that is rich in minerals they need.

To reach that mud, the sheep often have to cross the park road. The park manages a marked crossing zone there, and during the times sheep are moving, staff and signs help traffic give them space so they can cross safely. If you stop to watch, the ask is the same as for other large wildlife: stay back at least 75 feet, do not crowd the animals, and never feed them. Stress and human food are bad for them, and a startled bighorn can bolt into the road.

This is a calm kind of wildlife watching, often from your car or a nearby pullout, and mornings are a good bet. It overlaps with the fall elk season, so parking nearby can fill quickly.

For the best times to look, the crossing-zone rules, and viewing distances, see the National Park Service bighorn sheep and Sheep Lakes pages for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Filed under: Outdoors and wildfire Larimer County

Keep reading

Related Porch Notes

More notes from Larimer County and nearby topics.

Outdoors and wildfire

In fall, give elk room near Estes Park and watch for meadow closures

Each fall, bull elk gather and bugle in the meadows around Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, and the park closes several meadows to off-trail foot travel from late afternoon through mid-morning while asking visitors to keep a safe distance.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

Getting into Rocky Mountain National Park can take a reservation

On busy stretches of the year, Rocky Mountain National Park uses a timed-entry reservation system, so a visit from the Estes Park side may need planning ahead.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

The Cache la Poudre is a federally designated Wild and Scenic River

The Cache la Poudre River, which runs out of the mountains through Larimer County and Fort Collins, carries a national Wild and Scenic River designation that shapes how the canyon is managed.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

Dispersed camping up the Poudre is not camp-anywhere

Free dispersed camping is allowed on much of the national forest along the Poudre, but the Canyon Lakes Ranger District sets real limits on how close to roads, water, and busy areas you can camp.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

Poudre fishing rules change by stretch of river

The Cache la Poudre and its North Fork hold strong trout fishing, but the rules differ by segment, with some reaches set aside for artificial flies and lures only and catch-and-release.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

Horsetooth Mountain Open Space charges an entrance permit

Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, home to Horsetooth Rock and a seasonal waterfall, is a Larimer County open space that requires an entrance permit; the reservoir below it is a separate county park with its own rules.

Read note ->

Sources and review

Where this information comes from

This note uses official or primary sources where practical. Local details can change, so confirm before acting.

Last reviewed: June 11, 2026