Green River, Wyoming.

In October 2023 we headed out west on a short autumn junket to visit friends in Green River Wyoming. Fred Mast and his wife Ellen are gracious hosts and with Fred’s expert guidance, we can always expect to find beautiful places to photograph. Fred selected a perfect place for a Sunday drive in mid-October. Outside Green River is a road known to locals as Wild Horse Loop Drive. The 24-mile (38 km) self-guided tour winds through stunning high-desert landscapes and offers the chance to see wild horses in their natural habitat. On the day of our drive, we were not to be disappointed in seeing small groups of the descendants of mustangs brought to the region by Spanish explorers in the 16th century.

The scenic drive ascends to a high plateau and offers panoramic vistas of the vast desert below. Along the way, informational placards detail the surrounding landscape, this image featuring the prominent Pilot Butte. Though a dedicated road leads directly to the butte, it requires a suitable vehicle for the rugged terrain. Given our vehicle’s limitations, we opted to enjoy the beautiful view of the butte from the scenic highway itself.

Not far from the Pilot Butte placard, we spotted our first wild mustangs! The trio, seemingly a family with a young colt, grazed peacefully in the distance. The opening photo provides a closer view as captured through my Nikon D500 and Tamron lens at 250mm.

Standing at this vantage point, we can see the ridge carving a line between the parched lowlands and the desert highlands. Even in mid-October, the mountains wear their winter covering of snow, a stark contrast to the desert’s sun-baked palette.

At one point, a road with a steep dropoff leads to the town of Rock Springs. We chose not to take this route as the scenic drive provided a much less precipitous descent to the highway that led us to the city and our late lunch. After our meal, we headed back to Green River, a 20-minute drive on I-80 and a tunnel through a rock ridge separating the two small communities.

The views on the scenic highway are spectacular, especially where the roadway winds toward the edge of the high desert plateau. The journey’s many viewpoints provide lots of opportunities to stop and enjoy the natural desert beauty. At each stop, we hoped we might encounter a larger herd of wild mustangs.

Near the end of the drive, we spotted a larger herd. They were spread across a larger area than I could encompass in a single shot. Fred was driving and he elected to turn off the scenic drive to an unimproved road to get us a bit closer to the herd. I stepped out of the vehicle to capture a few shots. This image, captured at 110 mm with my Tamron lens allowed me to keep my distance to avoid scaring off the mustangs. Interestingly, the mustangs appeared completely unfazed by our presence and another vehicle that had followed suit. Their indifference provided a unique opportunity for observation and photography.

If you’re on I-80 and seeking a wildlife encounter, the Wild Horse Loop is a welcome scenic byway. Accessible from Rock Springs or Green River, this scenic detour offers a chance to witness wild mustangs in their natural habitat before rejoining the highway at the opposite city. Though the drive is paved, certain sections require caution due to loose gravel and potential wildlife encounters. Ensure your vehicle is suitable for such conditions before embarking on the adventure.

The scenic drive offers numerous pullouts and opportunities to soak in the scenery and unique wildlife at your own pace. Consider packing water, snacks, and comfortable shoes for exploring the area further.

My Flickr gallery also includes several extra images captured on our scenic drive. You can see all of the images above as well as the extras in 2K HD here.

John Steiner