Pine Valley, Virgin River, Utah

Rugged canyon country carved by the Virgin River, with steep cliff faces, narrow gorges, and talus slopes. The Virgin River Gorge cuts through the unit; Interstate 15 traverses the gorge floor. The canyon floor of the gorge sits at approximately 2,700 feet elevation, with canyon rims and mesas rising to roughly 3,500–5,000 feet. The steep cliff faces and talus above the gorge walls are the primary sheep escape terrain. Mesa tops above the canyon rims offer expansive glassing terrain.

Modeled bighorn habitat within the unit is approximately 77% BLM, 12.3% tribal, 7.2% SITLA, and 3.5% private (total ~47,677 acres of modeled habitat per UDWR 2019 plan). Interstate 15 passes through the Virgin River Gorge along the canyon floor and provides the primary travel corridor; Exit 18 (Cedar Pocket) leads to the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area and campground. SR-18 forms the northeastern boundary running northwest out of St. George. US-91 (largely paralleled by I-15) runs southwest to the Arizona state line and defines the western boundary. The rugged terrain and lack of developed roads in the canyon interior make most BLM canyon segments difficult to access on foot; the canyon walls where sheep are found are largely roadless. There are no designated wilderness areas within this subunit.

Desert shrub and desert scrub dominate the lower canyon elevations, transitioning to Utah juniper and pinyon-juniper woodland on the mesas and upper slopes. Riparian cottonwood and willow communities line the Virgin River canyon floor. Cliff faces and talus slopes — the primary bighorn escape terrain — support sparse desert vegetation. The area sits at the transition between the Mojave Desert and Colorado Plateau ecoregions. Habitat is managed by the BLM St. George Field Office.

Desert bighorn sheep are the primary game species. The Virgin River Gorge herd is estimated at approximately 100 animals (population objective 125) and is one of the more stable desert bighorn herds in southwestern Utah. Rams can exceed 200 lbs. The rut runs from mid-November through mid-December. Sheep inhabit steep cliff faces above I-15 and move through canyon terrain. The herd was partially established from natural dispersal from Arizona populations (following 1979–80 reintroductions into the Virgin Mountains) and was supplemented by transplants from the Zion unit (26 sheep in November 2014, 10 more in November 2015 to the adjacent Beaver Dam subunit). Mule deer use the unit seasonally. Mountain lion is the primary predator of concern. Golden eagle and other raptors occupy canyon walls. Native fish of the Virgin River system (Virgin spinedace, flannelmouth sucker) inhabit the river corridor.