Visit Sunnyside, see bighorn sheep

Free viewing event on June 13

Sunnyside — Those who live in Sunnyside have an advantage no one else in Utah has: they get to share their town with a herd of wild Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep!

You can see Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep at a free wildlife viewing event in Sunnyside. The DWR will host the event on June 13.

Photo by Brent Stettler

You can see what the residents of Sunnyside get to see by attending a free viewing event. The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the event on June 13.

Biologists will be available from 3 - 7 p.m. on June 13 to help you locate the animals and answer your questions. Late afternoon until dusk is usually the best time to see the sheep.

Sunnyside bighorn sheep herd

The Sunnyside bighorn sheep herd consists almost entirely of rams. The number of rams you can see varies from 25 to 40 depending on the day and the year.

Each year, the sheep spend the summer in the general vicinity of the Sunnyside fire station and the cliffs that surround the area near the station. They water at Grassy Trail Creek and forage on native and reclaimed vegetation in the area.

This band of bighorns is used to cars and people, so you can often observe and photograph them at close range.

"We'll have some spotting scopes and binoculars available, but if you have your own optics, please bring them," says Brent Stettler, DWR regional conservation outreach manager.

The viewing event is free, and Stettler encourages everyone to attend. You can see the sheep from the road, so those who have physical challenges won't need to worry about hiking or walking.

Stettler also has some requests.

"Please leave your dog at home," he says. "Dogs can startle the sheep.

"Noisy children can also startle the sheep. We encourage you to bring your kids, but please help your kids remain quiet while they view the sheep."

Directions

Sunnyside is less than 20 miles east of Price. To reach the town from Price, travel southeast on US Highway 6 to its junction with Route 123 (the East Carbon/Sunnyside junction). Travel east on Route 123 to Sunnyside. Signs will guide you to the viewing area.

If you need gasoline or food, there's a gas station in East Carbon and a grocery store in Sunnyside.

Viewing continues through the summer

If you can't attend the event on June 13, don't be discouraged. Stettler says you can drive up another day.

"The sheep will remain in the same general area until early fall," Stettler says. "You can often see them near the road at the far side of the town or in the canyon between the town and as far up the canyon as the rodeo grounds.

"Whether you'll see the sheep is a gamble any time you go, but you'll have the best luck from late afternoon until dark."