McCullough Peaks Wild Mustang Tour

Cody is a Wild West town, and this tour lets you meet the Wild West's real inhabitants. A guide takes a small group out of town into the McCullough Peaks, a dry, colourful badlands landscape east of Cody where a herd of wild mustangs roams free, and the group watches the horses from a respectful distance with binoculars and a spotting scope that bring them into clear view. The tour lasts about three hours, starting from a central meeting point on 12th Street in Cody, and includes bottled water. Expect to see family bands of mares, foals and stallions grazing, moving between water and shade, and interacting with one another, and to learn how they are managed, how they fit the landscape and why they matter to the American West. Wildlife is wild, so sightings cannot be guaranteed, but the herd is well known and the guides know where to look. The group is limited to fifteen travelers, which keeps the experience quiet and unhurried. Reviews describe a calm, informative morning rather than a close-contact encounter, because a distance of at least 100 yards is kept from the horses. Seasonal conditions and weather matter, as the dirt roads can be difficult after rain, so check the schedule and be flexible. It is a good fit for visitors staying in Cody, horse lovers and photographers.

The McCullough Peaks country looks nothing like Yellowstone. It is arid, rolling and strangely beautiful, with banded hills in red and cream, sagebrush flats and wide skies. The mustang herd living there is one of the most accessible in Wyoming, and watching it is a quiet, absorbing experience. Mares keep foals close, stallions watch for rivals, and bands move across the hills with the unhurried confidence of animals that have always lived here.

The guide does more than drive. Expect context about how wild horse herds are managed on public land, what they eat, how they survive winters and how the bands are structured, plus identification of individual animals that the guide knows by sight. Spotting scopes let the group see detail from a distance, and photographers will want a long lens.

Dress for the weather, in layers, with sun protection and sturdy shoes, because the viewing involves some standing on uneven ground. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and the 100-yard distance rule means the horses are watched, not approached.

Plan the day. Morning departures give cooler temperatures and active animals, and the tour fits well before a visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West or Old Trail Town. Because the roads are unpaved, rain can affect access, so keep your plans flexible. Combine it with a Yellowstone day trip from Cody on another day, as the east entrance is about an hour away. Fit: horse lovers, photographers, families with older children and anyone who wants a different side of Wyoming.

Bring a hat, sunglasses and plenty of water, because the badlands have almost no shade, and closed shoes help on loose ground. Children enjoy the scope views, and a short wildlife checklist makes the three hours pass quickly. Ask the guide about the best light for photographs, since the cliffs behind the horses can glow orange in the early sun.