City of Rocks Wildlife

Duration:

2 minutes, 19 seconds

Caught on camera! Check out this fascinating glimpse into the diverse animal lives that intersect at this little oasis. Watch till the end to see our largest carnivore! Can you name all 11 species featured in this video? This incredible critter-cam footage was captured by a local student-scientist and his dad as part of an ongoing project.

Bio-Geographic Crossroads

City of Rocks is a unique place that is home to many different plants and animals concentrated in one area. At first glance, it might seem like it would be a tough place for wildlife to survive, but there are many different types of habitats that allow this area to burst with life.

Animals at City of Rocks are equipped with special adaptations that can help them survive extreme conditions. During the summer, many animals are active at night to avoid hot, dry days. In the winter, wildlife that is not well suited for cold weather and snow either migrate to better environments or hybernate. To see as many types of animals as possible visit all the different types of habitats in the Reserve: pinyon-juniper-mahogany forest, aspen-riparian areas, sagebrush flats, and spruce-firpine forest above 7,000 feet.

Mule Deer

NPS Photo

Mammals

Most visitors to City of Rocks will observe mule deer, mountain cottontail, blacktail jack rabbit,yellow-bellied marmot and golden-mantled and least chipmunks. Also documented within the Reserve are the more elusive mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, moose, and elk.

Downy Woodpecker

NPS Photo

Birds

The high desert ecosystem and rocky cliffs of the reserve provide an excellent habitat for many birds. Within City of Rocks and Almo Valley, 180 species of birds have been documented, and are included on the City of Rocks Bird Checklist.

Common Sagebrush Lizard

NPS Photo

Reptiles and Amphibians

Common lizard species, found at the Reserve, include the Western Whiptail, Western Fence Lizard, Long-nosed Leopard Lizard, Sagebrush Lizard, and Northern Desert Horned Lizard. Snakes include the Rubber Boa, Western Rattlesnake, Great Basin Gopher Snake, Striped Whipsnake, and Wandering Garter Snake.

The only amphibian to be documented in the Reserve, is the Boreal Chorus Frog.