Killpecker Sand Dunes and Boar's Tusk

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.

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.

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.

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.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Killpecker Sand Dunes, in the remote high desert north of Rock Springs in southwestern Wyoming, form one of the largest active dune fields in North America, a vast sea of shifting sand stretching across the Red Desert. Nearby rises Boar's Tusk, a striking volcanic rock spire, the eroded core of an ancient volcano, that juts dramatically from the desert like a landmark. The area is known for its dunes, unusual desert wildlife including a herd of desert elk, and stark, wide-open scenery. With their expansive dunes, the dramatic Boar's Tusk, and remote desert beauty, these landmarks offer an adventurous destination in southwestern Wyoming.

Boar's Tusk is a dramatic volcanic rock spire rising from the desert near the Killpecker Sand Dunes north of Rock Springs, the hardened eroded core, or volcanic neck, of an ancient volcano whose softer outer material has worn away over time, leaving the tough central plug standing alone like a tusk or tower. It is a well-known landmark of the Red Desert, visible for miles across the open country and significant to Native peoples. Its striking, solitary form makes it a favorite sight and photo subject. Boar's Tusk stands as a memorable geologic landmark near the Killpecker Sand Dunes in southwestern Wyoming.

This is a remote, rugged, high-desert area far from services, reached by unpaved roads that can be rough, sandy, or impassable when wet, so a high-clearance and ideally four-wheel-drive vehicle, a full tank of gas, plenty of water, food, and supplies, and a map are important, as cell service is unreliable and help is far away. Tell someone your plans and check conditions before you go. The heat, sun, and isolation demand preparation. Coming well-prepared and self-sufficient ensures a safe visit to this remote and beautiful desert country in southwestern Wyoming.

Late spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring this exposed high desert, while summer can be very hot and sunny and winter cold and snowy with the access roads potentially impassable. Avoid the unpaved roads when wet, as they can turn to impassable mud. The low light of morning and evening is especially beautiful on the dunes and Boar's Tusk. For the best combination of comfortable weather and passable roads, aim for late spring or fall, always checking conditions first, at the Killpecker Sand Dunes and Boar's Tusk in southwestern Wyoming.

The Killpecker Sand Dunes and Boar's Tusk are in the Red Desert north of Rock Springs in southwestern Wyoming, near the White Mountain petroglyphs, the town of Green River with Expedition Island, and within reach of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area to the south. That makes these remote landmarks an adventurous desert stop to combine with the White Mountain petroglyphs, Rock Springs, Green River, and the other attractions of southwestern Wyoming for well-prepared travelers visiting the state.