Lonesome Highway — Centennial Road to Tensleep Canyon via Bighorn Basin Desert Floor and Ten Sleep Creek
Alkali flats and red canyon on Wyoming's basin floor.
Most overlanders coming through Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin hit the paved highway and move on — they miss the real dirt entirely. This route follows a chain of county and BLM two-tracks west from Worland through the basin’s raw desert floor, threading between dry creek drainages and alkali flats before climbing into the cottonwood-choked mouth of Ten Sleep Creek canyon and arriving in Tensleep. The terrain is wide-open Wyoming: broad sage flats, eroded badland shoulders, occasional ranch gates, and the kind of solitude you can only find in the middle of nowhere on a Tuesday. The canyon approach at the end — where the creek carves through red Permian sandstone — is the reward for grinding through the flat miles.
This is an easy to moderate route on dry surfaces but do not take it lightly in wet conditions — the basin clay becomes a skating rink. A high-clearance 2WD can manage most of it dry; 4WD advised when in doubt. No services, no water on route — carry plenty of both from Worland before you leave pavement. Best run in spring or fall when temperatures are tolerable. No permit required. Cell service is nonexistent through most of the basin. Plan an overnight camp in the canyon mouth and you’ll understand why this basin was worth exploring in the first place.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel |
| Features | Camping, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 38 mi / 61.2 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 5450 ft |
| Best season | April-June, September-October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 2WD (4WD advised) |
| Nearest town | Ten Sleep, WY |
| Land manager | BLM Worland Field Office |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | BLM Worland Field Office |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this without modifications?
Yes. A stock high-clearance 4WD handles this comfortably. High-clearance 2WD is listed as the minimum, but when the desert surface is wet, 4WD matters — alkali clay goes slick fast and offers zero traction when saturated.
Is this trail passable in summer, or does the Wyoming heat make it a bad idea?
July and August are the worst months — extreme basin heat, baked alkali flats, and afternoon thunderstorms that can turn the clay surface into an axle-deep mess in minutes. Stick to April–June or September–October for predictable conditions.
Do you need a permit to run this route or camp along it?
No permit required. The route crosses BLM land managed by the Worland Field Office — dispersed camping is allowed under standard BLM rules (14-day stay limit, 200 feet from water and roads). No fees.
What's the hardest part of this trail and what makes it sketchy?
There's no single technical obstacle — the challenge is the terrain itself. Wet alkali flats can strand a vehicle regardless of drivetrain, and the route is genuinely remote with zero cell service for the full 38 miles. Getting stuck here means waiting for another rig to come through, which could be a long wait.
How far is it to the nearest gas from the start and end of this route?
Worland (near the Centennial Road start) has fuel and is your best bet to top off before heading in. Ten Sleep at the canyon end has limited services — a small town, not a full stop. Fill up in Worland, carry extra if your rig is thirsty.
Trail track
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