Photo by Jeff Vanuga
Although the greater Yellowstone region occupies much of the Rocky Mountain Range, there are more than mountains here. You may be surprised to know that here are also numerous high deserts.
The vast and fascinating Red Desert, in south-central Wyoming, is located in the Great Divide Basin. Here the Continental Divide splits, forming the Great Divide Basin. What scarce water there is here drains to neither the Atlantic nor the Pacific oceans, but rather is absorbed into the ground or evaporates.
The Red Desert encompasses, and is home to more than 350 wildlife species, including cougar, mule deer, bobcat, badgers, coyotes, owls, falcons and eagles. More than 50,000 pronghorn antelope and a rare desert elk herd also call this region home.
Among the unusual landforms in the desert are Boar’s Tusk, an immense volcanic spire; Killpecker Sand Dunes, part of the largest active sand dune field in North America; the White Mountain Petroglyphs; Honeycomb Buttes; Steamboat Mountain; and The Pinnacles.
The Red Desert also features painted badlands, volcanic cones and shifting sand dunes containing ice deposits and fossil beds from an ancient inland sea. Except for a few roads and the loss of bison herds, the landscape of the desert looks much the same today as is it did 175 years ago.
Emigrants traveling on the Oregon and Mormon trails passed through the Great Divide Basin. Wagon tracks still exist from the arduous journey West.
Prior to early settlers’ arrival, Shoshone Indians lived here. Throughout the desert are 2000-year-old rock art sites and other cultural and spiritual sites.
And don’t forget the wild horses. Wyoming is home to the second-largest wild horse population in the country, and many of them inhabit the Red Desert. It is also home to the highest density of raptors in the country.
To enjoy the Red Desert, we recommend you set aside a few hours or a full day to drive and explore a driving loop.
To get there, head north from Rock Springs on U.S. Highway 191 for about 10.5 miles and turn east (right) onto the Tri-Territory Road (County Road 4-17). This 35-mile-long loop will lead you to many landmarks found in the Red Desert.
