9 Stunning Places You Can See Wild Horses In Nevada
By Mychelle Blake|Published October 15, 2016
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Mychelle Blake
Author
Mychelle Blake is a freelance writer, website designer and social media consultant. She happily tolerates the insane Las Vegas heat with her three wacky pit bulls, one fish, one bird and one husband.
Did you know there are currently about 67,000 wild horses and burros in the West? Most of them free-roam on ranges controlled by the Federal Bureau of Land Management. You can view the horses either by hiking or driving by where the herds roam, or signing onto a specialized tour. Read on to find out how to see these beautiful creatures roaming free on the range.
The wild horse ranges can be found in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and of course, Nevada! Most of the wild horse population is in Nevada.
The horses are protected through Federal legislation that was enacted through the hard work of a Reno woman named Velma Johnston, dubbed “Wild Horse Annie” by her fans. Her efforts to lobby congress led to laws that have prevented the extinction of the wild horse herds. The horse herds near the Virginia Range have come to be known as “Annie’s Horses.”
The Virginia Range near Reno is one of the best areas to see wild horses. Look for hiking trails on the Eastern side of Reno. The herds tend to be found around watering holes in the area. You can also possibly see them driving along route 341.
Driving along US Highway 50 can often lead to seeing the herds of the New Pass/Ravenswood Herd Management Area. It’s located about 35 miles northwest of Austin, Nevada. You can also see them along the 50 going east out of Carson City and heading toward Dayton.
There are several areas in the Las Vegas area where wild burros can be seen, such as the Red Rock National Conservation Area, Lake Mead National Conservation Area and Valley of Fire State Park. Be careful not to get too close to the burros! They have acclimated to people and can be quite assertive when looking for food.
If you are thinking about potentially adopting a wild horse, herds can be visited at the National Wild Horse and Burro Center just north of Rene. It’s located at 1780 State Route 445, Palomino Valley, NV.
Another area near Las Vegas is the site of the Wheeler Pass Herd Management Area. Horses have been viewed from the Willow Creek Campground by Wheeler Pass Road and along the road to the Village of Cold Creek. Road 572 just off of Cold Creek Road is another option, although be sure you have a high clearance 4x4 car for this road.
Sonny Boy Tours located in Reno can take you on several tours to view the horses. One is by a nearby wild horse sanctuary. Another goes along the Truckee Meadows Historic Trail in the Virginia Range.
Wild Horse Safaris offers tours in Central Nevada near the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. You can also view mines, ghost towns, and Native American sites on their tours.
Great Basin Expeditions has Ecology Field Trips that focus on not only the horses but other wildlife and plant life in the area around Great Basin National Park. The Park is in Eastern Nevada close to the Utah state border.
