Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary

Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Baramulla district among the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. The landscape stretches across heavily forested valleys and rocky slopes between 2400 and 4300 meters (7900 and 14100 feet) in elevation, where pines, firs, and meadows shape the vegetation.

The government established a game reserve here in 1981 to protect threatened animal species. Six years later the area received sanctuary status with expanded conservation measures.

Local people walk these mountain slopes to gather wild medicinal plants used in traditional healing. Some villages still use old trails through the reserve as their ancestors have done for generations.

The sanctuary is reached by roads from Srinagar to the southwest or from Baramulla to the northwest. Road conditions vary by season and some routes may become impassable during winter months.

The reserve serves as a passage zone for migrating Himalayan brown bears and markhor goats between different forest regions. These natural corridors allow the animals to move between the Poonch highlands and the Kashmir valley.

GPS coordinates: 34.07889,74.36194

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:30