A family hiking the Highline Trail in Montana's Glacier National Park were lucky they had their wits about them, as a dangerously close encounter with wild bighorn sheep could have ended disastrously.
Footage posted by Carrie, who describes herself as a mom of three teens who loves to travel, on her TikTok account (@postcardsfromcarrie) shows her family escaping up the side of a mountain to get out of the way of two approaching rams.
@postcardsfromcarrie Crazy encounter we had with two rams on Highline Trail in Glacier National Park #glaciernationalpark #highlinetrail #montana #hiking #hikingadventures #bighornsheep #rams #mountain #traveltiktok #travel #nationalpark #wildlife #wildanimals ♬ original sound - Postcards From Carrie | Travel
The hasty move to safety was clearly worthwhile, as once they got off the narrow path, one of the rams broke into a high-speed charge. If any of the family members were on the receiving end of the animals' horns, they would likely have been gored or even sent toppling over the steep drop on the other side of the walkway.
Fortunately, all family members were safe, and they were even treated to another viewing of a ram at full tilt, as the second followed shortly after.
It was a remarkable encounter with nature, and this group handled it superbly. Not only did they give the creatures a good amount of space to continue their route, but they also kept quiet as each one passed.
Unfortunately, not all tourists demonstrate the same levels of consideration for wild animals.
"Once in a lifetime experience," one TikToker commented. "Bighorn sheep are typically very reclusive. Very cool."
"Thank you for being respectful," another added. "Hikers [need] to know this for nature."
An unexpected TikTok account won the comments battle.
"Sorry just passing through," the Los Angeles Rams said.
According to the Glacier National Park website, the horns on bighorn sheep can weigh up to 30 pounds, so being hit with them by force could lead to serious injury — that's without considering where you would land following a strike.
The park requests that visitors stay at least 23 meters (25 yards) away from wildlife at all times, but in this situation, the family had little choice. They were smart enough to take evasive action, though.
It's not unusual for wildlife to act aggressively when feeling threatened, especially if protecting offspring, so giving animals the respect they deserve in their natural habitat is essential for any tourist.
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