Directions to the Range
IMPORTANT: Check the weather first. If there is a chance of rain, we recommend
postponing the trip for another time. The roads are dirt roads that get very slippery when wet—even for 4-wheel drive vehicles. High clearance vehicles are also recommended.
Note: There are two different routes to get to the horse range from De Beque.
Route 1: Exit I-70 at De Beque, CO (EXIT #62). Drive towards the town of De Beque, but instead of turning left to go through the town, drive past it and ignore the sign that says, Wild Horse Area. After about 3.5 miles, there will be another Wild Horse sign that points left. Turn left onto X.5 Road. You will now be on washboard, gravel road. Continue for 6.8 miles until the road forks. Take the left fork (South Dry Fork), drive by the High Lonesome Lodge, and in about 5.5 miles, look for the sign that says, To Wild Horse Area. Turn left, go over the cattle guard (this is Corcoran Wash Road), and proceed on the dirt road. Note that this is the easiest turn to miss. In about 2 miles, when you see a sign pointing left that says, "Corcoran Wash", DO NOT GO LEFT! About 4.2 miles later, you will have passed a unique geologic feature named The Gobblins. In about another 3⁄4 mile you will go through a gate that says private land. You may continue on this road since it is a county road. If the gate is closed, open it, drive through and close the gate again.
About 1/2 mile later, the road will fork. Go left (there should be a sign). The road is steep. Continue driving for another 1.5 miles, cross a cattle guard, and the road forks again. You will see a sign that says:
Wild Horse Area Indian Park Entrance 8 miles
Wild Horse Area N. Soda Entrance 2 miles
For North Soda, take the right fork. In about 1.5 miles, there is a cattle guard and a sign that says, "Entering Little Bookcliff Wild Horse Area." The drive is short into North Soda, and the road ends at a cabin. However, there are usually plenty of horses in this area, if you look carefully.
For Indian Park, Low Gap, Round Mountain, and Monument Rock, go back on the
"loop" road driven in on, and continue driving about 3 or 4 miles where the road forks and go right. You will go down and back up a steep hill. Stay on the main road for another 4 or 5 miles where you cross a cattle guard when entering the wild horse range. Shortly after entering the area, there is a sign at Indian Park and another fork. To go to Low Gap and Round Mountain, stay LEFT. This is the best chance of seeing horses. The road is about 6 miles and ends at an old gas pad where you can see Main Canyon. To go to Monument Rock, stay RIGHT at the fork at Indian Park and continue driving for about 7.5 miles. This road is impassable if it is wet, and best to have 4WD even when dry. It's an interesting drive, but horses can be hard to find because it is a heavily wooded area. If you don’t see horses in the big sage park near the rocks, you probably won’t see them in this section of the range. To return to De Beque via Winter Flats and Deer Park, get back on the "loop" road and turn right. There is a sign that says, De Beque 19 miles. Route 2: Exit I-70 at De Beque, CO (EXIT #62), and turn into the town of De Beque. Turn left at the first stop sign and proceed down the street through several turns, crossing a bridge, and then turn right onto V 2/10 road. Stay on this main dirt road (there are several signs to keep you on this road) for 19 miles until you hit the intersection with the signs, Wild Horse Area Indian Park Entrance 8 miles (arrow points
up), Wild Horse Area N. Soda Entrance 2 miles (arrow points right). Once you reach the signs, refer to the same instructions noted in Route 1 above.
Wild Horse Viewing Tips
Wild horses are most frequently seen in sagebrush parks scattered throughout the horse range. They typically travel in small bands, consisting of a stallion and his harem of mares, or bachelor bands of young stallions ages 1-6 years old. Horses use the higher country in spring, summer, and fall, moving to the lower country in winter where there is less snow for them to find food. Both the Indian Park and North Soda areas provide some of the best opportunities for viewing during summer months. During the winter, they may be spotted in Coal Canyon or Main Canyon (Coal Canyon entrance). Herds are constantly on the move, so bring binoculars to scan the area.
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