BLM Red Desert Great Divide Basin Dispersed Area

The Great Divide Basin offers some of the most remote dispersed camping in the Lower 48, where the Continental Divide splits and creates an endorheic basin with no drainage to either ocean. This BLM land stretches for hundreds of square miles of sagebrush steppe and alkali flats, broken by sandstone formations and seasonal playas. Wild mustang herds roam freely through the area, and on clear nights the dark skies reveal the Milky Way in stunning detail.

Access via numerous dirt roads branching from Highway 287, most suitable for high-clearance vehicles due to washouts and rough surfaces. No amenities whatsoever — this is true wilderness camping requiring complete self-sufficiency. Wind can be relentless, and summer temperatures swing from 90°F days to near-freezing nights. Winter camping possible but challenging due to snow and extreme cold.

Remote high desert basin camping with wild horses