Wyoming's Red Desert, a Wildlife Tour

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DRwyoming

DRwyoming

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Spent a few days last week exploring the Red Desert in South central Wyoming. It's been quite a few years since I was last down there so I loaded up the van and spent a couple of days driving around, hiking and camping.

With over 9,000 square miles of high sagebrush desert ringed with mountains and encompassing sand dunes, deep gorges, hundreds of miles of dirt roads and many opportunities of primitive camping it's an easy place to explore and get lost in. Here's some images I captured on that trip:

The Red Desert is known for its herds of wild Mustangs, I saw plenty of droppings along the road but was on my second day when I came across this small herd.
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Horned Larks were everywhere, many feeding on the dirt roads but most flying off as I approached. Was happy when this guy showed off his namesake horns and wasn't too concerned about my presence.
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Also saw a lot of Pronghorn, most in a hurry to be somewhere else.
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Was happy to come across this Mountain Bluebird.
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Woke to this small herd of Elk cruising past my campground.
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Came around a bend to find Sage Grouse on both sides of the road displaying. Have spent a lot of time researching and finding active grouse leks but this is the first time I just tripped across one and enjoyed the early morning show.
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Mule Deer are pretty common around much of Wyoming and the desert was no exception.
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View from my campsite on the first night...
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All in all a fun trip and I won't wait so long to get back down that way. A good reminder that there's a lot more than the national parks in Wyoming and some of it has no crowds :)
 
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Awesome! I'm with you on getting away from the beaten path. The same thing is true in CA, I haven't been to yosemite Valley in years, too crowded except in winter, maybe. There are so many great places to go.
Wonderful photos, very inspiring. Thanks
 
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Wonderful series of photos, Dave!. I wasn't aware of the Red Desert and now only know that it is beautiful and over 9300 sq. mi., which is slightly larger than the state I live in -- NH. How could I have missed something that big?
 
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Awesome set, Dave. I'd love to camp out there and roam around for a few days myself. Plenty to explore and see, I'm sure. The wild horses are the most awesome capture.
 
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DRwyoming said:
Spent a few days last week exploring the Red Desert in South Western Wyoming. It's been quite a few years since I was last down there so I loaded up the van and spent a couple of days driving around, hiking and camping.

With over 9,000 square miles of high sagebrush desert ringed with mountains and encompassing sand dunes, deep gorges, hundreds of miles of dirt roads and many opportunities of primitive camping it's an easy place to explore and get lost in. Here's some images I captured on that trip:

The Red Desert is known for its herds of wild Mustangs, I saw plenty of droppings along the road but was on my second day when I came across this small herd.
View attachment 87440


Horned Larks were everywhere, many feeding on the dirt roads but most flying off as I approached. Was happy when this guy showed off his namesake horns and wasn't too concerned about my presence.
View attachment 87441

Also saw a lot of Pronghorn, most in a hurry to be somewhere else.
View attachment 87442

Was happy to come across this Mountain Bluebird.
View attachment 87445

Woke to this small herd of Elk cruising past my campground.
View attachment 87446

Came around a bend to find Sage Grouse on both sides of the road displaying. Have spent a lot of time researching and finding active grouse leks but this is the first time I just tripped across one and enjoyed the early morning show.
View attachment 87447


Mule Deer are pretty common around much of Wyoming and the desert was no exception.
View attachment 87448

View from my campsite on the first night...
View attachment 87449

All in all a fun trip and I won't wait so long to get back down that way. A good reminder that there's a lot more than the national parks in Wyoming and some of it has no crowds :)
Click to expand...
Wonderful set of images Dave.
Happy trails.
 
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DRwyoming said:
Spent a few days last week exploring the Red Desert in South Western Wyoming. It's been quite a few years since I was last down there so I loaded up the van and spent a couple of days driving around, hiking and camping.

With over 9,000 square miles of high sagebrush desert ringed with mountains and encompassing sand dunes, deep gorges, hundreds of miles of dirt roads and many opportunities of primitive camping it's an easy place to explore and get lost in. Here's some images I captured on that trip:

The Red Desert is known for its herds of wild Mustangs, I saw plenty of droppings along the road but was on my second day when I came across this small herd.
View attachment 87440


Horned Larks were everywhere, many feeding on the dirt roads but most flying off as I approached. Was happy when this guy showed off his namesake horns and wasn't too concerned about my presence.
View attachment 87441

Also saw a lot of Pronghorn, most in a hurry to be somewhere else.
View attachment 87442

Was happy to come across this Mountain Bluebird.
View attachment 87445

Woke to this small herd of Elk cruising past my campground.
View attachment 87446

Came around a bend to find Sage Grouse on both sides of the road displaying. Have spent a lot of time researching and finding active grouse leks but this is the first time I just tripped across one and enjoyed the early morning show.
View attachment 87447


Mule Deer are pretty common around much of Wyoming and the desert was no exception.
View attachment 87448

View from my campsite on the first night...
View attachment 87449

All in all a fun trip and I won't wait so long to get back down that way. A good reminder that there's a lot more than the national parks in Wyoming and some of it has no crowds :)
Click to expand...
Awesome set Dave! Looks & sounds like you had a great time.Well done👍👍👍
 
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A truly delightful set of images, Dave! Each one so well done and such a wide variety of subjects. I'd never heard of the horned lark....great shot! Sage looks like it is in full bloom. Even the images of the more common residents are interesting in that they are mid-flight/mid-run, etc!
 
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Dave, wonderful series, love the landscape - the colours and lack of green! Nice action images too and then that Sage Grouse will win no prices for his hair do but it is a priceless image!
 
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