Index for Category - Wild Horses

Last Updated 02/22/2020

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Wild Horses:
      Wild Horses - Lake Mead Northshore Drive - 05/18/2017
      Wild Horses at Goodsprings Valley - 05/03/2017
      Cold Creek Trip Notes for 10/22/2014
      Cold Creek Trip Notes for 10/01/2014
      Cold Creek Trip Notes for 09/16/2014
      Free Roaming Mustangs - Benton Hot Springs, CA
      Daytrip - Feral Horses at Cold Creek, NV
     The Family Portrait - Wheeler Pass Road
     Wild Horses at Cold Creek - Triptych #1
     Wild Horses at Cold Creek - Triptych #2
     Wild Horses at Cold Creek - Triptych #3
     Wild Horses at Cold Creek - Triptych #4
     Wild Horse - Siesta Time
     Wild Horse - Painted Pony

Wild Horses - Lake Mead Northshore Road

(Fig. 01)

Picture Notes: On 05/18/2017, Bob Croke, Blake Smith and myself visited Valley of Fire to hike the Rainbow Vista and Canyon Overlook Trails. Driving along the Lake Mead Northshore Road we spotted a family of three wild horses just a short distance off the road. Using our telephoto lenses we took dozens of pictures. These wild horses were some of the most beautiful horses we have encountered in a long time. 

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

Wild Horses at Goodsprings Valley

(Fig. 01)

Picture Notes: Today I made a trip with Jim Herring and Harvey out to Aztec Tank and a ride up Pauline Road on the west side of Goodsprings Valley. About halfway out, after a very rough ride up Pauline Mine road, we came across a group of 12 wild horses. This was the largest grouping I have ever encountered. I think there are nine in the picture in (Fig. 01). It was pretty amazing how close they allowed us to get to take pictures. I think the horse in (Fig. 03 & 06) was the leader of the pack. He was the only one that whinnied when we got too close. We counted at least four foals in the pack. The one in (Fig. 09) looked like he was barely walking like he may have only been a few days old. 
                                     

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

(Fig. 08)

(Fig. 09)

(Fig. 10)

Cold Creek Trip Notes for 10/01/2014

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This page last updated on 04/12/2018

(Fig. 01)

10/01/2014 Trip Notes: Always a great place to take visitors, I took Jim Herring and his friend Ray Osborne to Cold Creek to find some of the wild horses at Cold Creek. This was my second visit here in two weeks (Cold Creek Trip Notes for 09/16/2014). In addition to seeing three groups with 8-10 horses in each group, we spotted nearly two dozen more in smaller groupings (Fig 01). It was probably the most sightings I've ever seen in any one day visit. Rather than provide individual pictures for this visit, I decided to create a collage of some of the better captures (Fig 01).

(Fig. 02) This area is part of the Wheeler Pass Herd  Management Area (HMA). Covering 273,260 acres, it is actually divided into two separate sections by the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area (SMNRA), the green area in the center of the map (Fig. 02). It has an estimated wild horse population of greater than 80 individuals. When the term “Wild Horses” is mentioned, most people envision running herds of wild mustang. However, most of the horses you see in the HMA are feral horses, horses living in the wild, but descended from from domesticated individuals. They generally appear to be calm, docile, and even tame as they forage for food and water in this wild and extreme desert environment. Probably the biggest attraction for the horses in this eastern section of the HMA are the three ponds, one of which is shown below in (Figs. 03 & 04), that lie just south of town and are fed by a year-round spring in the mountains just west of the town. Most of these horses are colored as pintos, blacks, cremellos, palominos, bays, browns, and sorrels.  Visitors to these areas need to remember that it is illegal to feed, water, pet, or otherwise harass a wild horse or burro and that any individuals found doing so can be subject to a minimum fine of $500.00.

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

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Cold Creek – Trip Notes for 09/16/2014

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(Fig. 01)

(Fig. 02) 09/16/2014 Trip Notes: During their visit from Lake Tahoe, I took my sister Bonnie and her husband Paul (Fig. 02), out to the town of Cold Creek (Fig. 01) to photograph the wild horses. The view in (Fig. 01) was taken from the north edge of town looking back down towards the Sheep Mountain Range and the desert flats that were once part of the governments’ atomic testing range. Even though rain had been predicted, it turned out to be a beautiful day and we got to see more than 25 horses during the time we spent there. Though both are into photography, Paul is now into shooting movie videos and took a lot of footage. They couldn’t believe how many horses we saw roaming the open desert and how tame they were. As you can see from just the handful of pictures below (Figs. 03 thru 07) out of the dozens that I took on today’s visit, we were presented with a wide variety of horses, ranging from beautiful chestnut brown stallions (Figs. 03 & 06), grey mares (Figs. 04 & 05), Pintos (Fig 97), to a palomino (Fig. 08).

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04) (Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

(Fig. 08)

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Free Roaming Mustangs

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Picture Notes: On 08/08/2013, on a return drive home from Lake Tahoe, we drove down HWY-365 to HWY-120 to HWY-6 to US-95 and on to Tonopah. Just after driving through a high mountain canyon (around 6,500 feet) along HWY-120 headed east towards Benton Hot Springs, you pass through Upper Benton Range into Adobe Valley with spectacular views of the White Mountains and Sierra Nevada (Fig. 02). Research of this area indicates that this area is known for its sightings of wild mustangs.  On today’s trip we came upon this beautiful grouping of about five wild mustangs (Fig. 01) that were spread out feeding on the high desert plain. Because this location is way out in the middle of nowhere, I don't think they are used to seeing humans. Once they spotted us, they appeared quite threatened by our presence and started to gather together, becoming quite protective of a new foal. They then quickly herded her across the road (Fig. 03) several hundred feet in front of us and headed off running until they achieved a comfortable distance (Fig. 04). Luckily I was able to use the 600mm zoom on my camera to capture a few good shots of these beautiful animals (Fig. 05). In addition to the expansive mountain views, we considered this happenstance encounter to be one of the highlights of our drive through this area.

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05)

Cold Creek Feral Horses - Trip Notes for 07/10/2013

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Picture Notes: On 07/10/2013, I drove some company that was visiting from Kansas out to Cold Creek to see if we could get lucky and capture some pictures of feral horses that commonly roam the area. We were not disappointed. During the nearly two hours we spent there, we must have observed more that 25 of these wild animals either walking the road or roaming the desert areas along side the road leading to town. Stopping on several occasions for a closer look and some “petting” opportunities, I was able to capture several dozen pictures, which I narrowed down to the half dozen or so shown here. As you can see in (Figs. 06 & 07), Jim and his daughter Christina were both amazed at how “tame” most of the animals were; many times walking right up to us for closer inspection, or more likely looking for a handout. If you have never been to Cold Creek, I encourage you to make the time for a visit. As many times as I have been here, I never come away disappointed. Note: If you do go to visit this area, please resist the urge to offer them food, as it is illegal to feed them.

The Family Portrait

06/05/2013 Trip Notes: On a 4-wheeling adventure with my friend Harvey Smith, we headed out for Wheeler Pass, located about 7,500 feet up into the Spring Mountain Range west of Vegas. Driving up Wheeler Pass Road from Pahrump on the west side of the range, we encountered a group of several feral horses nourishing themselves along the edge of the road. Before taking off, three of them (Fig. 01) turned in the road and looked directly at me, as if to say, “OK, here’s a pose, take the picture and stop bothering us!”

When we first approached them, several appeared to be nibbling on the dirt embankment (Fig. 02) along the side of the road. We couldn't figure out if they were seeking some moisture or minerals from the soil. After ignoring us for the longest time, they turned and started to head (Fig. 03) up the road,  eventually disappearing over the hillside on the opposite side of the road (Fig. 04).
          

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

Wild Horses at Cold Creek - Triptych Number 4

On 04/11/2013, I visited Cold Creek with the rock-hounds from the Henderson Heritage Park Senior Facility for the fifth time in two years and captured some more great pictures of the wild horses that roam the area. Though our sightings seemed less than last year, we once again found several young foal walking with their ‘momma’. I grouped what I thought were three of the better pictures into this triptych.

Wild Horses at Cold Creek – Triptych Number III

On 04/19/2012, I visited Cold Creek with the rock-hounds from the Henderson Heritage Park Senior Facility for the fourth time in two years and got some more great pictures of the wild horses that roam the area. On this visit we were witness to sightings of more than 30 horses, three of which included sightings of young foal. I grouped what I thought were three of the better pictures from one of these sightings into this triptych. Markings on horses usually occur on the head and are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some type of markings that help to identify the horse as a unique individual. These markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life. There are as many as a dozen common facial markings that are usually described by their shape and specific location. A white marking between or above the eyes is called a “Star”.

Wild Horse at Cold Creek