Take This Utah Drive To See Wild Horses Running Free
By Catherine Armstrong|Published September 14, 2017
×
Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
There’s truly no sight in the world like that of wild horses running free. The Bureau of Land Management manages 22 herds of wild horses in Utah, but the most accessible to the public is the Onaqui herd in the West Desert. You can take a drive to see these majestic animals.
The Onaqui Mountains Herd Management Area is located far from Utah's populated areas, near the Pony Express Trail in the Simpson Springs area.
To find the horses, you'll drive many miles from civilization, and much of your trip will be via a dirt road. The road is typically accessible to most vehicles as long as it's not muddy. Avoid taking this trip during bad weather, and make sure you're prepared with plenty of gas, water and a spare tire.
About 450 horses make this one of the largest herds that the BLM manages.
These magnificent animals are so beautiful that you'll want to spend as much time observing them as possible. Don't forget your camera, and bring some binoculars in case the horses are far away from the road so you can see them up close.
Seeing wild horses is like taking a trip right back to the Old West, when these herds were much more common. In this part of Utah, you can almost forget that 1.5 million people live in the valley just west of the mountains.
Advertisement
It's important to remember that these horses are wild.
You may encounter horses near to the road, and some may even seem unafraid of you. Please don't approach the animals; view them from a distance. Though they might look like domesticated horses, they're far from it. If they feel threatened, they can injure you or themselves. Federal laws protect these wild horses. It's illegal to chase them or disturb them. While we love writing about amazing opportunities like this, we hope that none of our readers will bring harm to these beautiful horses. If you see someone harassing this herd (or any of Utah's wild horses), please contact the BLM office immediately at 801-977-4300.
To visit the Onaqui herd, you'll drive through Tooele toward Simpson Springs.
Take I-80 West to the Tooele exit, then drive on Highway 36 through Rush Valley. Watch for the turnoff to Fish Spring Wildlife Refuge, then turn onto Lookout Pass Road. Along the 25 miles between this turnoff and Simpson Springs, you'll likely encounter the herd.
If you’re interested in viewing more of Utah’s wild horse herds, visit WildHorseTourist.com. It’s a great resource with lots of helpful tips and some absolutely gorgeous photography by Robert Hammer.
Have you ever seen any of Utah’s wild horse herds? Tell us about your experiences, and share your photos if you have any!
