Sheep Lakes
Sheep Lakes
4.5
About
Duration: < 1 hour
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Sheep Lakes and nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
1 within 3 miles
Attractions
71 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
68 reviews
Excellent
35
Very good
20
Average
11
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Lee G
Philadelphia, PA276 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
We saw the most wildlife here, without trekking into the woods. Coyote in the fields stalking prey, moose coming down from the woods to the larger pond on the left. We missed the bighorn sheep every time we stopped by ("ten minutes ago" *sigh*). You'll need a telephoto lens for good photos (one member in our group took photos through her binoculars). The ceremony to declare the area a National Park was held in this beautiful spot for photos. Parking wasn't a problem here.
Written September 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabrielle W
Mobile, AL392 contributions
Jun 2021
When doing research about the park, this was not mentioned anywhere and it doesn't seem to be too popular or highly rated on here, either. I am baffled about why because it's a great stop for wildlife. We visited several times and saw tons of animals each time. On our last night there, we saw a whole herd of elk, 3 coyotes, and a moose all from the parking lot (and all at the same time), and then saw tons more elk and another moose maybe 2 minutes past it. Go around evening/sunset or the early morning, we had heard a bear was seen that morning. It's a great place to sit and observe all the animals, and was pretty crowded when we were there so others obviously had the same idea as us. We also did a bit of star gazing one night and a coyote ran right in front of our car. You can really get some nice pictures as well from the stop. You just have to know when to go to see the wildlife as afternoon isn't great.
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dixiepeach
Kansas City, MO9,485 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
This is often a good spot to see bighorn sheep. Yesterday the only animal there was a large bull moose who lingered on the shore before going in to eat the aquatic plants on the lake’s bottom. What a treat for all the visitors to watch him!
Written June 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sailorsgirl
Springfield, MO5,920 contributions
Oct 2020
I should start by saying that we love Rocky Mountain National Park and try to visit once a year when possible. Due to the pandemic, visitors must make Park reservations which can be easily done on the NPS website at a cost of $2.00 per visit to control the crowds inside the Park, plus the entrance fee which at the beginning of October was $25.00, or free if you have a lifetime Senior Pass.
We decided to visit at this time to see the annual Fall Elk Rut. We arrived October 1 and sadly the Rut was non-existent the four days of our stay. We see more animals in and around the Park in spring and summer.
The entire area seems to have been experiencing a drought as everything was brown and dry. The Sheep Lakes were down to large puddles, so the area did not look lush and green as it does in the spring and summer. There is a little Ranger hut but no one was occupying it when we visited. There are lots of information boards to learn about sheep that inhabit this area of the Park. Several years ago in early summer, the entire flock of sheep came running down the mountain on the opposite side of the road right in front of our car, and down to the Lakes. No sheep this visit.
The Park Rangers are doing an exceptional job under difficult circumstances. We are grateful to them for the important work they do. We will return at a better time of year.
We decided to visit at this time to see the annual Fall Elk Rut. We arrived October 1 and sadly the Rut was non-existent the four days of our stay. We see more animals in and around the Park in spring and summer.
The entire area seems to have been experiencing a drought as everything was brown and dry. The Sheep Lakes were down to large puddles, so the area did not look lush and green as it does in the spring and summer. There is a little Ranger hut but no one was occupying it when we visited. There are lots of information boards to learn about sheep that inhabit this area of the Park. Several years ago in early summer, the entire flock of sheep came running down the mountain on the opposite side of the road right in front of our car, and down to the Lakes. No sheep this visit.
The Park Rangers are doing an exceptional job under difficult circumstances. We are grateful to them for the important work they do. We will return at a better time of year.
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carrie C
Huntsville, AL21 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
The Sheep Lakes viewing area is not far from the Fall Creek Entrance. The lot has plenty of parking places for those wanting to see wildlife. Unfortunately on our trip, we saw no wildlife. We had read the Big Horn Sheep frequent here, as well as moose. We got there around 5:30 and stayed for a bit. We didn’t see anything :(. The site offers pretty views of Big Horn Mountain, but I wouldn’t plan your trip around stopping here to see wildlife. I read the sheep will come down the mountain on the other side of the road and cross over to go to the field/lake. I also read, in the summer months they tend to stay up on the mountain. Either way, I wouldn’t count on seeing anything. Please note this viewing area does not have a restroom. Closest ones are back at the visitor center or up the road on one of the trailheads.
Written August 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tlceey
Littleton41 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
We had the great, good fortune to see moose two days and Bighorn sheep another day at Sheep Lakes. The first time we've seen a Bull moose east of the divide; we were told we had missed a large group of Bighorns a few days ago with lambs. In the fall, elk accumulate nearby during the rut. Usually the elk come out in the evening along hwy 34. Always magpies and steller's jays around.
Written June 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LSUTraveller
Watson, LA1,933 contributions
May 2023
Probably the best and more secure bet for wildlife viewing in the park. You can certainly see animals in other places, but this offers the best congregation (elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mule deer, WY gophers, etc. Plenty of parking and the volunteer Rangers are very helpful. Nice that the lot is dog friendly.
Written June 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ann p
Walker, LA38 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Sheep Lakes is a beautiful valley in Rocky Mountain National Park. There is no hiking involved..a roadside attraction. The lakes attract wildlife. However, you apparently need to be there early in the morning or late in the evening to see anything. We were there is the afternoon and saw no wildlife. However, it is still a lovely place for lunch.
Written October 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stijntailly
Waregem, Belgium295 contributions
Oct 2019
Good spot to see elk grazing on the meadows, but you should probably bring binoculars. There's a large parking area, indicating that this is a spot where the elk always congregate. Best time to see them is probably in the morning or the evening. For an even better chance to see elk (and much more up close) around Estes Park, head to the golf course closest to downtown. We even saw an elk cross the street.
Written April 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suzanne
Dallas, TX320 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
In our 2 days at RMNP, this was THE place to spot wildlife. There was always a full parking lot and something going on. We spotted a moose in the evening and also the next morning which was the highlight of our visit. Absolutely stop here!
Written October 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing