The weather is getting nasty in some parts of Wyoming, but it’s not too late to sneak in one last scenic drive before the landscape is covered in a blanket of snow. If you’ve never traveled down to Rock Springs for the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop, plan a trip for the end of October and you’ll fall in love with the countryside once again.
The Wild Horse Scenic Loop will take you on a journey you will always remember, but hurry up - the roads are only maintained through October.
Google Maps Click HERE for an interactive map.
Along the drive, you’ll catch stunning views into Wild Horse Canyon, and up to 14 Mile Hill. Look down into Rock Springs from way up high!
Flickr / Erin Kinney The Wild Horse Scenic Loop is a 24 mile drive, but the entire detour from I-80 will take you about an hour and a half, and runs just over 30 miles. Along the way, you’ll see Pilot Butte, Boar’s Tusk, the singing Killpecker Sand Dunes, Steamboat Mountain, Table Mountains, Aspen Mountain and Wilkins Peak. The Wyoming, Wind River, and Uinta mountain ranges are all in view, too. Be sure to have a full tank of gas and emergency supplies, as this rural road offers no services and is very lightly trafficked.
You’ll spot an abundance of wildlife no matter when you go - but plan for dawn or dusk to see them at their most active.
Flickr / Erin Kinney This canyon is home to wild horses, desert elk, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, eagles and much more. Early morning and late afternoon is the best time to spot wildlife. Be sure to bring your camera and your binoculars.
The most impressive part of the drive will be spotting the wild horses that first appeared on this land as descendents of wild Spanish-bred horses.
Flickr / Bureau of Land Management You can learn more about the history of Pilot Butte, White Mountain, and the Wild Horses of Sweetwater County by watching the short video below:
While it’s hard to top the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Loop if you’re a nature lover, there are plenty of scenic byways in Wyoming, and they’re each worth exploring. If you’re looking for more of a hair-raising ride, travel the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway – it’s open year-round.
Google Maps
Click HERE for an interactive map.
Flickr / Erin Kinney
The Wild Horse Scenic Loop is a 24 mile drive, but the entire detour from I-80 will take you about an hour and a half, and runs just over 30 miles. Along the way, you’ll see Pilot Butte, Boar’s Tusk, the singing Killpecker Sand Dunes, Steamboat Mountain, Table Mountains, Aspen Mountain and Wilkins Peak. The Wyoming, Wind River, and Uinta mountain ranges are all in view, too. Be sure to have a full tank of gas and emergency supplies, as this rural road offers no services and is very lightly trafficked.
This canyon is home to wild horses, desert elk, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, eagles and much more. Early morning and late afternoon is the best time to spot wildlife. Be sure to bring your camera and your binoculars.
Flickr / Bureau of Land Management
You can learn more about the history of Pilot Butte, White Mountain, and the Wild Horses of Sweetwater County by watching the short video below:
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