EAGLE, Idaho — Every year, the sheep migration crosses Highway 55 on their journey into the foothills to graze for the summer, and it's an event that people love to come out and see.
"I’ve never seen anything like that in person," said Tamara. "To see the dogs and the people, it was just so cool. I’m such a fan."
WATCH | See the sheep migrate & how the community reacts to this classic Idaho event—
This living piece of history dates back to the 1880s, before busy highways existed. Law enforcement closed down Highway 55 so that 2,600 sheep could cross, and they did it very efficiently.
"Oh, we loved it. It is so fun, and everyone was so happy because it brings you so much joy to watch the sheep run by," said Danielle McGregor. "They were going a lot faster than I thought they were going to go; it was such a sight to see."
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Wilder rancher Frank Shirts and his team navigated the flock across the highway. Frank will bring the sheep back down before winter, and people really enjoy this piece of living Idaho history, especially if they are seeing it for the first time.
"I think it is so Idaho and I’m so happy to be here," said Hailey Popham. "I brought the whole family here, and I have some friends coming. But we are so pumped to see the sheeps."
Life on the Range producer Steve Stuebner told us more people showed up than ever before. It's the number-one video on the Life of the Range YouTube channel, with nearly 1 million views.
"It is so special," said McGregor. "It is so unique, it is definitely unique to this area, which we love, and the kids absolutely loved it."
The band of sheep is now in the foothills, so people need to be aware of them. Ranchers ask people to leash their dogs and dismount their bikes if they stumble upon the flock. It's also important to leave the dogs alone so they can do their jobs.
The sheep will follow the green grass up to the top of the foothills and then start moving towards Idaho City and the Boise National Forest.
