Majestic wild mountain goats are found in just one place in southwestern Utah, the Tushar Mountains. Located 60 miles north of Zion National Park and Zion Ponderosa as the crow flies, the mountains are named for the Paiute word for white, T’shar, and peak at 12,000 feet.
Wild Mountain Goats
Tushar’s wild mountain goats are well-suited for southern Utah’s alpine-tundra mountaintops and have a penchant for hanging out near peak elevation along the rocky ridgelines and slopes. Their soft, curved hooves act like suction cups to help them navigate the sharply angled terrain, and they cover a lot of ground in any given day. Baby mountain goats are born able to walk. The goats are famous for their long, white hair.
Video created by Zion Ponderosa’s marketing director, who is always exploring unique places in the Zion National Park region.
DWR Goat Watch
The Tushar Mountains population was relocated to the area in 1986, and there are currently about 270 wild goats. Phil Tuttle, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, says the view from the top of the Tushar Mountains is amazing and seeing wildlife at such a high elevation is truly remarkable. While it’s not advisable to seek out or approach wild mountain goats on your own, the DWR does host an annual Goat Watch in August. It typically takes traveling over rough roads, a good amount of hiking, and binoculars to catch a glimpse, but participants can be rewarded with views of up to 100 wild mountain goats. Contact the DWR’s Southern Region office at 435-865-6100 for more information.
