Lonesome Highway — Centennial Road to Tensleep Canyon via Nowater Creek and the Red Wall Bench
Red walls, dry creek beds, and Wyoming's big empty.
The Bighorn Basin in north-central Wyoming sits in a rain shadow so deep that most of it sees less moisture annually than parts of the Sonoran Desert. Nowater Creek is aptly named — it runs dry more often than not, cutting through a landscape of red Triassic mudstones and sandstones that feel more like Utah than Wyoming. The route picks up on the basin floor west of Tensleep and pushes north and west through the Nowater Creek drainage, passing beneath the towering red cliffs of the Red Wall Bench before descending back into Tensleep Canyon via Forest Service roads. It’s a genuine geologic tour: you cross Permian redbeds, Triassic Chugwater formation badlands, and eventually the limestone walls of the Tensleep Sandstone before dropping into the canyon itself.
This is high-clearance 4WD territory with sections of loose shale, soft sand, and unmarked two-track that’ll test your navigation. Lockers are useful but not mandatory in dry conditions. The entire route crosses a mix of BLM and state land with no permit required, and dispersed camping is allowed throughout. No reliable water on route — carry at minimum three gallons per person. Best season is May through June and September through October; summer heat bakes the basin floor and winter snow closes the higher bench roads. Fuel up in Worland or Ten Sleep before departure.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 55 mi / 88.5 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6800 ft |
| Best season | May-June, September-October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Ten Sleep, WY |
| Land manager | BLM Worland Field Office / Bighorn National Forest |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | BLM Worland Field Office Bighorn National Forest - USFS |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or do I need a lifted rig?
Stock high-clearance 4WD can make it, but the creek bed sections along Nowater and the shelf road approaches to Red Wall Bench have loose rock, embedded boulders, and soft spots that punish low-clearance rigs. AT tires minimum — all-seasons will leave you stranded. A lift helps, but skid plates matter more.
When is this trail actually passable — what kills access?
May through June and September through October are your windows. Spring snowmelt turns the clay sections into axle-deep mud, and summer thunderstorms can flash-flood Nowater Creek with zero warning. Avoid July and August if you care about your cooling system — temps in the basin regularly hit triple digits with no shade.
Do I need a permit to drive or camp out here?
No permit required for vehicle travel or dispersed camping on the BLM Worland Field Office sections. Stay 200 feet from water sources and pack out everything. If you push into Bighorn National Forest near Tensleep Canyon, standard Forest Service dispersed camping rules apply — no fee, no permit, 14-day limit.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
The Red Wall Bench shelf road is where rigs get nervous — narrow two-track cut into loose shale with exposure on one side and no room to turn around. Add the dry creek bed crossings along Nowater where the 'road' disappears into the wash for stretches, and you'll earn that 55 miles. Plan for 6-8 hours minimum; this is not a highway.
There's zero cell service — how far is the nearest gas, and where should I fill up?
Ten Sleep is your last fuel stop heading east, and Worland covers you coming from the west — both have gas. Fill up completely before you leave; there is nothing between the Centennial Road trailhead and Tensleep Canyon. Carry at least 2 gallons of extra water per person — Nowater Creek lives up to its name most of the year.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.