Guides/Off-road trails/Montana
Off-road traildifficulty: difficult

Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range

RegionMontanaAlso inWyomingAgencyBureau of Land Management, National Park ServiceLast verified—
Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range — off-road trail near Lovell, Wyoming, Montana
Photo by Brad Purdy / BLM via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Trail vitals5 facts
Technical difficulty
Difficult
Direction
Loop
Vehicle
High-clearance 4WD with off-road tires for the backcountry roads (Burnt Timber Ridge, Sykes Ridge, Penn's Cabin). The paved approach via Highway 37 handles any vehicle.
Best months
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Cell coverage
Spotty
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The Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range is a 38,000-acre BLM area on the Montana-Wyoming border, established in 1968 as the first federally protected wild horse range in the United States. The range is home to a herd of about 130 wild horses descended from Spanish Colonial bloodlines — distinct from most North American mustangs and a focus of genetic research. The range borders Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, with about a quarter of the horse range falling inside the recreation area.

The most popular access uses paved State Route 37 along Bighorn Canyon for distant horse viewing. Closer access requires high-clearance 4WD on rough ridge roads — Burnt Timber Ridge Road, Sykes Ridge Road, and the spur to Penn's Cabin. These backcountry roads become impassable when wet and close informally for winter.

Hazards

Read before you go

  • Mud. Backcountry roads become impassable after rain. Vehicles get stranded.
  • Steep grades. Burnt Timber and Sykes Ridge climb thousands of feet quickly.
  • No cell coverage. Higher elevations have no signal.
  • Wildlife. Wild horses, mountain lions, black bears.
  • Thunderstorms. Summer storms hit the ridges quickly. Lightning is a risk.
  • Closed for winter. Snow closes the backcountry roads October through May.

Location

Off-road trail

Approx. location 45.130, -108.450

Trail facts

5 fields
AgencyBureau of Land Management, National Park Service
Nearest townLovell, Wyoming
Websitewww.blm.gov/visit/pryor-mountains-wild-horse-range
ClosedNov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
Approx. location45.130, -108.450

Getting there

Directions

Eastern paved access. From Lovell, Wyoming on US-14 ALT, drive north on State Route 37. The road parallels Bighorn Canyon and provides distant horse viewing.

Backcountry 4WD access. Burnt Timber Ridge Road and Sykes Ridge Road climb from Highway 37 onto the ridges. Look for marked turnouts; both are signed but rough.

Northern approach (Billings). From Billings, drive south on US-310 to the Forest Service land south of Bridger. A gravel road leads to the Dryhead Overlook.

Approximate range center coordinates: 45.13° N, -108.45° W.

Photos

2 photos

Photos · 2

Field notes

Getting Oriented

The Pryor Mountains rise on the Montana-Wyoming border, with the wild horse range extending south of Billings, Montana into northern Wyoming. Lovell, Wyoming is the gateway service town for the eastern access via Highway 37. Billings is the larger metro 90 miles north. The range overlaps Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area on its western edge; the BLM administers the rest of the wild horse range.

Trail Overview

Drivers have two distinct access styles. The easy route uses paved State Route 37 north from Lovell, which provides distant horse viewing from overlooks on the canyon's east side. The 4WD route requires committing to one of three rough ridge roads:

  • Burnt Timber Ridge Road climbs from Highway 37 onto the eastern ridge, with views into the horse range and the canyon.
  • Sykes Ridge Road follows the western ridge into the heart of the range.
  • Penn's Cabin Road ends at a historic cabin site, a known horse-watering area.

All three are rough graded gravel and require 4WD. Mud after rain can leave vehicles stranded.

Points of Interest

  • Wild horse herds. ~130 horses in family bands. Spanish Colonial bloodlines.
  • Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center. Visitor education in Lovell, Wyoming.
  • Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Overlapping the western edge of the range.
  • Dryhead Overlook. Panoramic view from a Forest Service road accessed from Billings via US-310.
  • Penn's Cabin. Historic cabin and reliable horse-watering site.
  • Big Ice Cave. Permanent ice cave in the high Pryors. Limited access.

Where to Camp

Dispersed camping is allowed on most BLM portions of the range with the 14-day stay limit. Bighorn Canyon NRA has developed campgrounds at Horseshoe Bend and Barry's Landing on the lake. Lovell has commercial RV parks. There are no developed campgrounds in the wild horse range itself.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

  • Visit June through September. Mud and snow close the backcountry roads otherwise.
  • Stay at least 100 feet from wild horses. Approaching them is illegal and disrupts behavior.
  • Carry water and recovery gear. The backcountry roads are remote.
  • Cell service is spotty in the canyons, absent on the higher ridges.
  • Visit the Wild Mustang Center in Lovell for current horse-band tracking maps.
  • Stay on designated roads. Off-road driving damages habitat.
  • Watch for sudden afternoon thunderstorms. The high ridges are exposed.
  • Contact the BLM Billings Field Office at 406-896-5013 for current conditions.

Frequently asked

Common questions

How difficult is Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range?
Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range is rated difficult.
What kind of vehicle do you need for Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range?
High-clearance 4WD with off-road tires for the backcountry roads (Burnt Timber Ridge, Sykes Ridge, Penn's Cabin). The paved approach via Highway 37 handles any vehicle.
When is the best time to visit Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range?
The best months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Avoid Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.
Is there cell service at Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range?
Spotty