Today we are going to visit an HMA that I spent a lot of time playing in the first few years of my wild horse adventures..... Green Mountain was the place I started to really learn about wild horses - I had seen them from the highway in Dishpan Butte and I had read about them on White Mountain, but I had not been able to find anything else about where to find wild horses in Wyoming.

Given that it was 2011, and we had a computer with internet in our home, you can assume I was fairly bad at researching for information, I also did not go into a BLM office and ask for information for reasons I cannot fathom - because that truly would have been the most logical and easiest thing to do!

In fairness (to me) I really am anti-social.... literally - I could go weeks without speaking to other humans and be just fine! Probably why I love wild horse lands so much - they are mostly lonely places with few humans around.

So anyways.... back to finding adventures on Green Mountain!

Green Mountain has around 117,000 acres per BLM information, there is private property mixed into the HMA areas with summer cabins, ranches, and mining property found in different parts of this mountain HMA.

Please know that when you visit it is important to recognize and respect private property lines! Trespassing onto private lands is one of those things that makes us look bad and does the horses no favors!

Low AML for Green Mountain is 170 horses and high AML is 300 horses.

This would seem to allow for good genetic diversity (per scientific study), but that is assuming the wild horses move around the entirety of the HMA, and as there are some known physical barriers such as fences, I am not sure how much travelling actually occurs across the entirety of the HMA.

I know the southwestern side of the mountain best, and can vouch for at least some diversity there occurring with documented (by me) Arapaho Creek horses crossing in and out of the HMA - some of those horses staying in that area of Green Mountain and some having returned to Arapaho Creek.

The wild horses of Green Mountain are an amazing mix of beautiful bays, fiery sorrels, dappled greys, fancy roans, and unique pintos!

How I found this place of magic.... after the snows had melted in 2011, and I had haunted the side of the highway where I saw the Dishpan Butte wild horses, one day I was stopped at the Split Rock rest area, reading kiosks that show the history of the area (lots of Oregon Trail history here for you history buffs!), and one of the kiosks mention wild horses on Green Mountain!

I am standing there staring at wonder at this little piece of information, and I remember a nice couple walking around the same area and they started talking to me, and as they were from Wyoming, I ask - is it true, there are wild horses on that mountain over there!?!

They laughed and said - yes!! You should go see them!!!

And so began my adventures on the incredibly beautiful Green Mountain of Wyoming.

Green Mountain terrain makes 117,000 acres seem much larger... SO - MUCH - LARGER!!

Seriously! Green Mountain has depth to it because it is a mountain, it holds unknown mystery and keeps it secrets, there are places that I want to revisit and there are parts that I have not yet been too, but are on my to-go-see bucket list!

It is a mountain full of adventure - of course there are the wild horses - but also you can camp, either in one of the developed campgrounds or at a random spot anywhere on the mountain, sleeping under the stars on the same land as wild horses call home... or you can take a day trip to the top and drink in the incredible vistas that reach to distant horizons, you may find old mining and logging equipment long abandoned and now part of the landscape, and there are roads and 2-tracks that take you to hidden meadows and forest groves full of wild magic.

Driving north from Rawlins on Hwy 287 you will pass by the eastern end of Green Mountain HMA, it is on your left-hand side of the highway, beginning just a few miles north of the Bairoil turn.

As you drive up the hill after Bairoil/Lamont and look to your left you will see Whiskey Peak and the hills below.... travelling along you will keep an eye on the landscape on the left side of the highway for wild horses - the Ferris Mountains on your right are pretty spectacular so enjoy that view too, just know any horses to that side are rancher owned horses!

This area of Green Mountain is mostly unknown to me - beyond driving the highway, the rare 2-tracks I have tried here tend to disappear into sketchy trails, that have then ended in washed out draws.

Also there is private land that you need to be aware of so as to not trespass.

There is unique and pretty vistas with rocky bluffs here, I have seen a few wild horses from the highway over the years, and my guess is there are other wild horses hiding in those hills.... so this area is on my to explore bucket list, when I have time and maybe an ATV, to try a little more seriously following those questionable trails!

After you have driven along the eastern side of the HMA you will see the Muddy Gap (Three Forks) gas station & unique tourist shop, if you need fuel this is your last stop for a long while - just be prepared for extravagant fuel prices!

And now we go west on Hwy 287... west to explore these wild lands!

The northern side of Green Mountain is the easiest area to access.... the main road can be driven in a car and some parts can often be accessed even in winter.

About 15 or 20mins drive after leaving Muddy Gap you will see, on your left-hand side, the main road that travels up and across Green Mountain, there is a nice big BLM sign that helps identify where you are turning... the first few miles of the main road are not actual HMA, which is not to say you won't see a wild horse that has wandered down, but it is not something that happens often.

Along this route you will enjoy the mountain views, and as the road climbs towards the top, you will see beautiful vistas surrounding the mountain.

As you can see from the below map, the main road is a large loop, allowing you to go up one way and down the other if you want, there are random roads and 2-tracks along the way that are wonderful adventures if you have a vehicle with a little bit of clearance, or if you want to park and hike through the trees.

I strongly recommend taking the road out to Wild Horse Point and taking a walk.... the views there are really quite spectacular!

And be on the lookout for wild things of all kinds... Green Mountain is home to elk, deer, pronghorn, black bear, mountain lions and bobcats, along with coyotes!

Another road you can travel down fairly easily does not have an official name so is a little trickier to explain.... the below map screenshot gives you an idea of how to find it from the Split Rock Rest Area - which is maybe 5 or 10 mins drive from Muddy Gap, and I know this is a bit confusing because I am back-tracking from the main entrance, but this is the best way I could figure to show you another road to explore!

There are 2-tracks that you can drive or hike along from this road.... be aware there is a privately owned ranch down one of the roads (it is marked) that you will want to avoid trespassing onto.

This road will often have several wild horse bands wandering about on any given day at any time in the year.... in winter you can often see them from the highway!

It is also the road that BLM uses when they set up their roundup trap just a few miles from the highway entrance - probably not something you really want to think about when you are visiting, but it is a part of this HMA and its history.

Some of the horses in this particular area have seen a few roundups, and having gotten wise to the helicopter and its traps, they have started to ignore it and refuse to enter the traps, and at the last removal in 2020 an entire large band kept their freedom - despite multiple attempts to take them.

And now we continue onward to Jeffrey City and the dirt road that leads to my favorite part of the HMA.... it is not where the biggest number of wild horses wander and not quite as geographically spectacular as the northern side, but it has its own unique vistas and it is where many wild horse I have known to wander across or now live - the western side of Green Mountain.

Once you reach Jeffrey City you will turn south onto the Crooks Gap Rd, which is just past the little bar at the main part of this tiny almost ghost town - the bar is usually open early in the morning, it is owned by local folks, and I often stop in to grab a cold can of Pepsi and sometimes the local gossip.

There is also a gas pump at the bar that actually does offer fuel! Be aware that it is a limited selection - diesel and low-grade unleaded only! And the card reader may or may not be working.... I often stop here to top off my tank when I am going to take a longer drive across the desert.

So now we are going south on the dirt road, headed towards that literal gap between Crooks Mountain and Green Mountain..... the first few miles are not super interesting, you will see old buildings and a church as you are leaving Jeffrey City, there are a couple ranches along the way, and there is (again) private property that may or may not be clearly marked so you have to be a little extra careful to avoid trespassing.

After driving along for a bit and have crossed a little creek you will see the last ranch on your right, and after you cross a cattleguard across from the ranch you will see this really cool rock jutting up into the sky and a road that goes in that direction, you are going to turn onto that road to explore more of Green Mountain!

Sheep Creek Rd (see below map) is a decent road most days, I do not recommend it on muddy days unless you just really like muddy ruts, and in winter it often gets drifted in right about the cattleguard (or a few miles past) that is within sight of Crooks Gap Rd.

This road will take you up the mountain a few miles, past more private property (I know from personal experience that the ranchers here are as friendly as can be so long as you respect their private property), there are some really cool rock formations up here to see, and near where the road begins to get a little less friendly there is a small oilfield, and if that is as far as you are comfortable driving you can park and start hiking along the road, 2-tracks, or wild trails.

Once you go past the oil rig the road gets a bit interesting.... it is not maintained as a regular road, and the last few years of heavy snows and summer thunderstorms have left things a bit sketchy in places. And there are sharp unfriendly rocks.... so I encourage you to continue with caution in a 4x4 with clearance and quality tires!

This is where I will leave you to decide if you go further or turn around.... there are many 2-tracks that are great fun to follow into wonderful adventures and that will find wild horses wandering this lesser known piece of Green Mountain.

Back at the main dirt road of Crooks Gap driving south.... there are a few cattle guards and fence-lines you will notice, and if you study the fence-line you will be able to figure where the lines of the HMA is here, there is a very small part of Green Mountain HMA that crosses the main dirt road, before the fences take the horses back away from it - if you have followed me long enough to know the wild mare Calypso and her family, then you may be happy to learn that sometimes they wander along this stretch of the HMA!

I personally prefer not to see the horses too close to the road as there is a lot of traffic, and some people that drive crazy fast like its a highway, and there have been wild horse deaths due to that, that is how Calypso's first stallion Zeus was killed in 2018.

Back to adventuring..... after you pass the Jeffrey City town dump and a couple of other random roads, you will see a big curve with Crooks Gap taking a big turn and crossing the creek, and a haul road going straight (see below map), this is going to be your last (easy) chance to visit Green Mountain.

Go straight... it can seem a little intimidating as this is a mining road and you will immediately see an old mine that is now in reclamation, but at this point this is still a public road that you can drive along for several miles.

There used to be more wild horses back along this road, before they took them in the removal in 2018, it is only in the last few years that I have seen wild horses begin to return to this place.

There is private property along this road, down by the creek is all private so please do not wander down there - even though there may be wild horses!

After several miles you will run into a sign that warns you the road is now private, the Big Eagle uranium mine is on private land and there are various reasons they are blocking use of the road and access to the area, not only are they concerned that someone may damage or sabotage their equipment, but they also don't want anyone who is not familiar with their work to be injured - so please be respectful.

And along the way you will see 2-tracks that you can explore.... something to be aware of is that if you take any 2-tracks going south from the mine road, it is very sandy and at times can be a bit tricky, I have driven a few of those 2-tracks and am always nervous when my rig starts to bog down in the soft and deep sands.

But there are wild horses to be seen along those 2-tracks!

Now for the southern side of Green Mountain... the more challenging to access part of the HMA, but if you have a trusty vehicle, an adventurous spirit, time to slow trek across the 2-tracks, and maybe be a little bit lost for a few miles, there are wild horses and wild adventures to be found!

And, if you are looking for a great adventure, if you have a dependable 4x4 rig and are ready for anything to happen, if you really truly don't mind maybe getting lost a few times as you trek along those trails, you can work your way from the south side of the HMA (accessing 2-tracks from Bairoil Rd) to the north side of the HMA, and for the truly adventurous person, you could then go across the north side of the mountain and into the western end of the HMA and out to Crooks Gap road.

I am going to very strongly caution that if you take on that adventure, plan on a very long day, or better would be to plan on camping along the way so that you have time to enjoy what you discover..... and I cannot stress enough that not only do you need a good 4x4 with clearance (or an ATV) and rugged tires, but you need experience on tricky roads that will involve rocks to be avoided, washed out roads that have to be maneuvered, and narrow steep climbing roads with little to no room for error - I have traversed these roads a few times, I loved every single second of it, and I also sweated out a couple places with a twisted tummy wondering if I was going to make it - these are remote roads and you may or may not have any cell signal - be prepared to survive an emergency if you take on this adventure!!

The south side of Green Mountain is bordered by Arapaho Creek HA and Stewart Creek HMA.... so this is where migration of wild horses occurs when they wander from Green Mountain and south into other HMAs, and then in reverse when horses from Stewart Creek or Arapaho Creek choose to wander into northern Green Mountain HMA.

Why? Because they can.... but also because they need to, for reasons that change with time and seasons, winters are often harsh in one place but easy in another across the desert, and the wise wild horses hold the knowledge of where to go to survive those harsher winters.

It also is about water.... there is a wonderfully nice creek that runs along the south side of Green Mountain that is a resource for the horses before the rancher controlled water is turned on in summer, and after the ranchers have shut off the water for the season in fall, which is especially important when it is a mild winter and the horses may not have enough snow to munch on for needed moisture.

Because of the time that I spend documenting Red Desert wild horses, I have been incredibly lucky enough to observe herds move from Green Mountain into Arapaho Creek and Stewart Creek, as well as the reverse migration going north.

This migration also allows for and encourages genetic diversity in the horse herds - ensuring a healthy population of wild horses that can thrive in the wild.

And now you know a little bit more about how to explore the amazing Green Mountain HMA, as much as I written here, there is so much more that can be found than what I know or have shared with you - this is already a long blog and would be a book if I wrote much more.... and there is always more!

It is a place of magic that draws many people to its deep draws and high ridges, hidden meadows and creeks, tall trees of pine and aspen, unique rock formations, and wild flower summer meadows, I hope that you are so lucky as to find your own adventures here, wandering the roads and trails along with the wild horses of this land.

Many happy adventures my friends!!