Pine Nut Mountains Wild Horses: An RV Traveler's Guide

The Pine Nut Mountains rise just east of Carson City, an easy reach from the western Nevada population centers, yet the herd management area is big and open — more than 100,000 acres of public and mixed land. Wild horses range across the pinyon-juniper slopes, so sightings depend on where the bands are watering and grazing on any given day.

These horses are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and are protected under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the federal law that directs the BLM to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands. As with all wild horses, the right way to enjoy them is from a distance: stay on roads and trails, never feed them, and do not try to touch or approach them.

Carson City and the surrounding valleys offer RV parks and BLM-area access, making this a convenient stop on a western Nevada or Lake Tahoe-area itinerary. Check the BLM for current access, road conditions and any active management operations before you visit, and observe the horses quietly without disturbing them.