Killpecker Sand Dunes and Boar's Tusk
Red Desert north of Rock Springs, WY
Rock Springs, WY
A vast field of shifting, singing sand in the Red Desert, guarded by the volcanic spire of Boar's Tusk.
The Killpecker Sand Dunes are among the largest active dune fields in North America, a sea of shifting sand that runs for miles across Wyoming's Red Desert. This is one of the emptiest quarters of the Lower 48, a place of sagebrush flats, badlands, and long horizons where a traveler can drive for a long time without seeing another person. Out of that emptiness rise the dunes, some of them tall enough to feel like a landscape from another planet.
The dunes are famous for more than their size. Killpecker is one of only a handful of places in the world where the sand sings, giving off a low hum as it slides down the steep faces of the dunes. Standing over the whole scene is Boar's Tusk, the eroded core of an ancient volcano, a lone tower of dark rock that has become the signature landmark of the Red Desert.
What Guests Love
- Standing among enormous, constantly shifting dunes far from any crowd
- Hearing the sand hum and sing as it slides down the dune faces
- The dramatic sight of Boar's Tusk rising alone from the desert floor
- The chance to spot the area's rare herd of desert elk
Worth Knowing
- Access is by unpaved desert roads that can be impassable when wet, so check conditions and carry recovery gear
- There are no services, water, or reliable cell signal, so come fully self sufficient
- Summer heat and sudden storms both pose real risks in this open country
- A portion of the dunes is open to off road vehicles, while other areas are set aside as quiet
Details
Rock Springs, WY
Learn about Killpecker Sand Dunes and Boar's Tusk
A sea of shifting sand
The Killpecker dune field spreads east across the Red Desert from the Green River Basin, crossing the Continental Divide and reaching into the Great Divide Basin. It ranks among the largest active dune fields on the continent, a landscape that is constantly on the move as the prevailing winds push the sand steadily along.
The scale is hard to grasp until you are standing in it. Ridges of sand roll toward the horizon, some of them rising into tall dunes, broken here and there by pockets of vegetation and small ponds fed by snowmelt trapped beneath the sand. The result is a desert that is far from lifeless, supporting plants and animals adapted to its harsh conditions.
The singing sand
Killpecker belongs to a rare group of dune fields whose sand actually makes sound. The grains here are unusually rounded and polished, and when wind moves across the dunes or a person walks along a steep face and sets the sand sliding, it produces a low humming or booming note. It is one of only a small number of places on Earth known for this phenomenon.
The effect depends on dry conditions and the right movement of the sand, so it is not guaranteed on every visit. When it happens, though, it turns a walk over the dunes into something genuinely strange, a landscape that seems to answer back.
Boar's Tusk
Rising from the desert near the dunes is Boar's Tusk, the eroded remnant of an ancient volcano. Over immense spans of time the softer material around the volcano's throat wore away, leaving the harder core standing alone as a dark spire several hundred feet high. It is visible from far off across the flats and has become the defining landmark of this stretch of the Red Desert.
For many visitors the tusk is the anchor of a trip out here, a fixed point in a landscape that is otherwise all open space and shifting sand. It holds cultural importance as well and is regarded as a significant site by Native peoples of the region.
A rare desert elk herd
The country around the Killpecker dunes is home to a herd of desert dwelling elk, animals that have adapted to live in this dry, open landscape rather than the forested mountains where elk are usually found. It is an unusual population, and spotting the animals against the sand and sagebrush is one of the quiet rewards of a visit.
The wider Red Desert is also known for pronghorn, wild horses, raptors, and other wildlife that thrive in wide, undisturbed country. The remoteness that makes the area hard to reach is exactly what allows so much life to persist here largely undisturbed.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Rock Springs
White Mountain Petroglyphs
Elsewhere in the Red Desert north of Rock Springs
A sandstone cliff carved with figures of bison, elk, and riders, left by Native peoples over many generations.
Rock Springs
About 30 miles south
A former coal and railroad town, the nearest place for fuel, food, lodging, and supplies before heading into the desert.
Flaming Gorge
South of Rock Springs
A deep red rock canyon reservoir on the Green River, offering boating, fishing, and dramatic overlooks.