Custer to Dryhead Overlook — Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range Road

The Pryor Mountains sit in a forgotten wedge of Montana between Billings and the Wyoming line, and that obscurity is exactly what makes this run worth loading up for. Starting outside Lovell, Wyoming, or approaching from Custer country to the north, the route climbs through juniper and limestone karst before breaking onto the high plateau where Bureau of Land Management-managed mustangs roam free — descendants of Spanish colonial horses that have run these ridges for centuries. The Dryhead Overlook stares down 2,000 feet into Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, one of the most dramatic canyon panoramas in the lower 48 that most overlanders have never seen.

Roads here are BLM two-track and USFS gravel — manageable for a capable stock 4WD in dry conditions, but the limestone turns to greasy death when wet. Do not attempt after rain. No fuel between Lovell, WY and Billings, MT — top off before you leave. Water is scarce; carry everything you need. Dispersed camping on BLM ground throughout. Best window is June through September; snow closes the high plateau roads well into May. Permits not required. Cell service disappears completely once you’re off Highway 37.