Park Service Launches Desert Bighorn Sheep Study
Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef are partnering with federal and state agencies on a bighorn sheep monitoring effort.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in National Parks
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The National Park Service has launched a desert bighorn sheep study in Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks, working with the Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah State University. The Bureau of Land Management separately asked climbers to voluntarily avoid Long Canyon near Moab from April 1 through June 15.
Why it matters
The sheep move across agency boundaries and face stressors including disease, changing conditions and human recreation, so coordinated monitoring is needed across the parks and surrounding lands. For Utah travelers, the study may eventually shape seasonal closures that affect where visitors can go.
The study includes helicopter surveys and capture-and-release of bighorn sheep, with GPS-based monitoring data expected as an output. The release does not provide population figures or identify specific flight locations or closed areas.
The players
National Park Service
The federal agency that manages Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks and leads the bighorn sheep study.
Bureau of Land Management
The federal agency that manages public lands in Utah, which requested the climbing avoidance in Long Canyon to protect bighorn during their reproductive season.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
The state agency responsible for managing Utah's wildlife, partnering on the bighorn sheep study.
Utah State University
The public university in Logan, Utah, partnering with federal and state agencies on the bighorn sheep study.
The details
The study covers disease, population and habitat across the three parks and nearby lands, using helicopter surveys and the capture and release of sheep. The Park Service said the data will guide park decisions, including possible seasonal closures to protect sensitive habitat such as lambing grounds.
Timeline
Early November through December: helicopter surveys and sheep capture work in the parks
April 1 through June 15: requested voluntary climbing avoidance in Long Canyon near Moab
Park Management
The study extends the cross-agency coordination the Park Service and Bureau of Land Management already use for desert bighorn sheep, now adding the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah State University. Its scope covers disease, population and habitat across three Utah parks and the surrounding federal lands.
Visitors planning trips to Arches, Canyonlands or Capitol Reef should check park alerts for possible seasonal closures tied to the sheep study. Climbers heading to Long Canyon near Moab should consider avoiding the area from April 1 through June 15 as the Bureau of Land Management has requested.
The takeaway
Keep an eye on park alerts before visiting Utah's national parks in the coming months, since monitoring results could lead to seasonal area closures. Respecting voluntary requests like the Long Canyon climbing avoidance helps protect sensitive bighorn habitat during key seasons.
Further reading
For more on the region's protected landscapes, explore National Parks across Utah.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Moab Sun News.
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