Anza Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California, just a two hour drive from downtown San Diego. The Peninsular Bighorn, or Borrego Cimarron as it was called by Spanish explorers, was one of the reasons this land was set aside in 1933. Of the world’s remaining desert bighorn sheep, two thirds of them live in Anza Borrego State Park.

Lambs are born in late winter/early spring, usually near steep, rocky cliffs. Ewes, yearlings and lambs can be seen together in the spring. There is safety in numbers, especially for the young ones. Coyotes are a common predator, and mountain lions have been documented in increasing numbers taking radio-collared sheep.

A park visitor in fall is most likely to see the Bighorns close to campgrounds and roadways. This is mating season, so the males are bolder than they are the rest of the year. Seeing a mature male is quite a treat—their curving horns can each reach over 30 inches in length and a foot in circumference at the base.

There is an overlook off Montezuma Valley Road (SR-22) that talks about the desert sheep lifecycle and habitat. That is because the bighorn spend a lot of time on these rocky slopes…keep a particular eye out between mile markers eleven and thirteen. It is not easy to see bighorns, so be patient. They often sit in one place for hours with moving, and their brown coloring makes great camouflage among the rocks. If a sheep is moving, the first thing you will see is a black tail against a white rump.

Other places where you may see sheep in the park are Lower Coyote Canyon Trail, the Tamarisk Grove Campground, Yaqui Pass Road, the Bill Kenyon Trailhead, and Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail.