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Every Year the BLM takes another step closer to holding a round up of the Wild Mustangs that call the Sand Wash Basin their home.  
   
The Sand Wash herd management area (HMA) is generally located 45 miles west of Craig, Colorado, in the Sand Wash Basin. The boundary of the HMA is fenced, except along State Highway 318, generally preventing wild horses from entering or leaving the HMA. There are no fences within the HMA, allowing horses to roam freely within the confines of the basin.
 
 
     
 
 
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IT IS UP TO US,
THE HORSE LOVERS,
TO BE THEIR VOICE AND SAVE THEM.
     
 
 
  The Sand Wash HMA includes 154, 940 acres of public land, 1,960 acres of private land, and 840 acres of State school section lands, for a total of 157,730 acres. Sand Wash Basin is surrounded by ridges and mesas. Lookout Mountain on the northeast boundary is the highest point in the HMA at 8,120 feet, and the lowest point is where Sand Wash exits the HMA at an elevation of 5,800 feet. The Sand Wash Basin receives 7 to 12 inches of annual precipitation, and the climate is typical of the cold deserts of the Rocky Mountain Region, with warm summers and very cold winters. Vegetation types within the HMA include sagebrush/bunchgrass, saltbush, and pinyon-juniper woodlands.  
 
 
 
 
 
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A BREATHTAKING SITE
More than 300 wild horses roam the remote, unfenced expanse of Sand Wash Basin. No one should miss the breathtaking sight of greys, buckskins, sorrels and paints running free. Sand Wash Basin holds nearly 155,000 acres of rugged desert beauty, and while the horses have ample territory to roam, most folks find it relatively easy to spot the herd. But remember to respect the horses—they're wild, after all— and view them from a distance.
 
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Visit the Herd
To embark on your Sand Wash Basin safari, take State Highway 318 north from Maybell for about 15 miles. Cross the Little Snake River and go right on Moffat County Road 67 for an excellent chance of viewing the herd. A water-hole is a great place to lay low for a while. If you wait, they will come.
 
 
 
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Enjoy the Beauty
As with any outdoor adventure, be prepared with a topographic map of the region, water, food, adequate fuel, clothing and gear for the elements. A high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended and so are binoculars and a telephoto wide-angle lens camera.