Wyoming’s Vast Killpecker Dunes: Like Another Planet Where The Sand Sings To You

Wyoming is full of unusual, surreal places, but among the strangest are the Killpecker Sand Dunes in the Red Desert about 30 miles north of Rock Springs.

Covering 109,000 acres, it’s the second-largest active dune field in the United States and the largest where you can drive motorized vehicles.

Although the overall largest sand dune field in the U.S. is in western Nebraska and the tallest dunes are in Colorado, these Wyoming dunes are absolutely magnificent. 

First, where did that crazy name come from? 

Nearby is Killpecker Creek, which was named by early pioneers. The creek is full of saltpeter which can diminish a man’s potency. 

Yes, that is really where the name comes from.

After mentioning my desire to ride the dunes in a column about my Wyoming Bucket List dreams, a desert rat from Lander named Pat White said he would like to be my guide. 

So, on the last day of July, Pat, his son Shane, his friend Perry Roberson of Shoshoni, and I headed out to the desert southwest of Lander. 

We first drove 70 miles to Farson, and then 10 miles south on Highway 191, and then we turned off on a nice gravel road and headed for the dunes. 

Our first stop was the impressive Boar’s Tusk, a 400-foot-high volcanic monolith that serves as a landmark for the extreme western portion of Red Desert and overlooks the 55-mile long stretch of sand dunes.  

This Boar’s Tusk and Devils Tower in northeast Wyoming are considered to be somewhat similar center cones of long-extinct volcanoes. Both are in Wyoming, 412 miles apart. 

Now, About That Sand

Scaling 15-story-high sand dunes in a side-by-side has been on my bucket list for more than 50 years. 

This year I finally got to experience this amazing adventure. 

White leads tours by folks who drive these off-road-vehicles across deserts and over mountains in western Wyoming. On this day, he was driving a very nice Polaris General that probably cost more than $35,000. It even had air conditioning. 

His friend Perry had a Honda version of the same machine.

After looking over the Boar’s Tusk up close and personal we headed over to a huge parking lot that was well equipped with restrooms, some camping areas and plenty of space for club or family gatherings. 

You could see the dunes stretching out to the north and the east. They actually run for more than 55 miles.

Pat has been visiting all parts of the desert for 30 years and says the dunes have moved considerably (over a mile) during that time. 

My original request had also been to go to the summit of Steamboat Mountain, the biggest mountain in the desert. My old friend Dave Kellogg had always planned to take me there but unfortunately passed away two years ago.

The Sand Sings

The sand dunes are immense and made up of very, very fine sand. 

The sand grains are famous for “singing” in the wind. They are so small and perfectly polished that they emit a singing noise when that perennial wind blows across them. 

On this day, the wind kicked up late in the day and was as fine as snow. 

We were able to drive almost to the summit of the biggest dune. 

I wanted to walk to the top, so we struggled up the side. It was a hard slog and we held on to each other as we balanced on the fine, narrow edge on the top. 

The sand seemed like a mixture of newly poured cement and the heaviest wet snow you ever saw. What an experience. 

Experts say these dunes were formed over millennia by sand washed from the Big and Little Sandy rivers left behind during glacial melt, then driven by prevailing westerly winds through the volcanic Leucite Hills to pile up into a swirling, whirling sea of sand. 

Within the Killpecker Sand Dunes Open Play Area, roughly 11,000 acres are designated for motor use. Dune buggies, ATVs, dirt bikes, and side‑by‑sides can roam widely, but strict rules apply. 

All vehicles must have a whip mast and red or orange safety flag, and must drive under 15 mph within 500 feet of access roads. Glass containers are prohibited, and Wyoming state trail registration is required on ORVs.

The dunes host a fee‑free campground, located at the terminus of Chilton Road near the open play area. 

The Killpecker Sand Dunes Open Play Area Campground offers fire rings, picnic tables, and ADA‑accessible features. No reservations, vault toilets, first‑come, first‑served for stays of up to 14 days.

Steamboat Mountain And The Spanish Gold?

I first heard about Steamboat Mountain from the late Randy Wagner of Cheyenne, who was a former head of the state travel commission and an expert on South Pass and the Oregon Trail.

He said he had always heard stories about a mysterious cave in the vicinity where an old sheepherder had discovered some Spanish helmets and other items. 

He left them there, but told some folks. When some archeologists went to check on it, the cave was there but the artifacts were gone.

Had the Spanish come this far north with Montezuma’s Gold? That was a question that Randy was always hoping to find an answer to.

On this day, we drove through 10-foot-high sagebrush over some old trails and worked our way to the top of the mountain. 

We could see the famous buffalo jump that was used for millennia by early members of Indian tribes, according to St. Stephens Indian Mission Foundation. 

The Shoshone Tribe that occupies the Wind River Indian Reservation roamed these areas for millennia, according to historians. The Northern Arapaho Tribe moved onto the reservation in the 1870s and probably did not participate in those early buffalo jump hunts. 

The summit of Steamboat at 8,683 feet is the highest point in the vast Red Desert, which some folks claim is over 9,320 square miles. 

The view looking back toward the dunes and the Boar’s Tusk is magnificent, and it was possible to even see the tall smokestacks of the Jim Bridger coal-fired power plant off to the southeast.

Tri-Territorial Marker, Animals

Northeast of Steamboat Mountain and back on good roads, drivers come up to the Tri-Territorial Marker, which marks a spot where the Continental Divide and the 42^nd parallel intersect. 

It shows where the Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Territory, and the Mexican territory meet at one agreed-upon spot among the different countries. 

Wild horses are abundant in the Red Desert and can be found in most parts of the vast area. They usually are found in small herds headed by a big stallion. 

Watching them on the gallop kicking up dust is a sight to see.

Much harder to see are members of the famous Red Desert Elk Herd. These are usually mountain animals in the rest of Wyoming, but this solitary herd rules anyplace in the desert it chooses to reside in. On this day, we saw one elk.

The White Mountain petroglyphs are incredible as they are located in an area just north of Rock Springs that also features rocks which appear to have hand holds carved into them. 

Some observers think these were birthing areas where indigenous women would hang on while giving birth. 

Well Worth The Trip

Visiting the Killpecker Sand Dunes and its surrounding areas in the Red Desert should be on everyone’s bucket list. These are amazing sights and sites to see in Wyoming. 

I am so glad to finally experience them up close, although it took me 55 years to get the job done.