The McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area spreads across roughly 109,814 acres of BLM badlands 12 to 27 miles east of Cody, Wyoming — about 70 miles east of Yellowstone National Park. The herd is known for an unusually wide range of coat colors, from bays and buckskins to grays, palominos, and roans, set against the open sagebrush and eroded hills of the Bighorn Basin.
Best season — Late spring through fall (Bighorn Basin badlands)
At a glance
The facts worth checking before you roll out
Conservative, source-minded facts for planning your visit — always worth confirming against current conditions before you travel.
State
Wyoming
Managed by
BLM — Cody Field Office
Location
12–27 miles east of Cody (≈70 miles east of Yellowstone)
Size
109,814 acres (includes a Wilderness Study Area)
Known for
Wide diversity of coat colors and patterns
On the ground
The McCullough Peaks horses are among Wyoming's most photographed wild bands, partly for their striking variety: the BLM lists coat colors including bay, brown, black, sorrel, chestnut, white, buckskin, gray, palomino, and blue, red and strawberry roans, plus piebald and skewbald patterns. They range over 109,814 acres of BLM badlands — including the McCullough Peaks Wilderness Study Area — 12 to 27 miles east of Cody, managed by the agency's Cody Field Office.
The basin sits about 70 miles east of Yellowstone National Park, which makes it a natural add-on to a self-contained RV loop through northwest Wyoming. The BLM's own viewing tip is simple: bring your binoculars and watch both sides of the road for the mustangs and other wildlife. These are free-roaming wild animals protected under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, so keep a safe distance and never feed or approach a horse.
Wide-open wildlands mean limited services and rough, unpaved access, so come prepared with water, fuel, and a full tank of patience. Confirm road and access conditions on the official BLM source before heading out, and let the herd set the terms of the encounter.
Official sources
- BLM — McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area (Wyoming) Bureau of Land Management
- BLM — Wild Horse and Burro Program Bureau of Land Management
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