Fifteen Mile Knoll Cutoff - Level 1
Fifteen Mile Knoll Cutoff is a backcountry road in the northern Red Desert of southwest Wyoming. It leaves US 191 south of Farson and Eden and heads east across open high desert. It is part of the longer Wyoming Red Desert Driving Tour.
The country is wide and quiet, with sagebrush flats, low rises and long views. It is also an access road for the Buffalo Hump Wilderness Study Area, so you may see people heading out to hike, camp or hunt.
Trail Summary
- LocationSweetwater County, Wyoming
- Distance13.3 miles
- DifficultyLevel 1
- Elevation6,569 ft to 7,017 ft with a 448 ft change
- Travel Time24 minutes
Difficulty
Suitable for high clearance 2WD
This trail is rated Easy (Level 1). It suits high-clearance 2WD vehicles, and stock equipment is enough. Expect a dirt or rocky road with gentle grades. Obstacles such as rocks, dips or ruts stay under about 5 inches. The road is typically two vehicles wide and traction is good. The driver's log lists no obstacles or spots needing special care. As on any desert dirt road, conditions change after rain or snowmelt, so check the surface before you commit.
Terrain
The road crosses high-desert sagebrush and grassland country at roughly 6,500 to 7,000 feet. The surface is dirt, with some rockier sections reported by other drivers. To the east are the sand valleys, active dunes, meadows and seasonal ponds of the Buffalo Hump area. Wind moves the sand there, so the landscape shifts with every storm. Shade is scarce and there is little shelter from wind.
Highlights
Buffalo Hump and the neighboring Sand Dunes WSA are part of the range of Wyoming's only herd of desert elk, so wildlife viewing is a good reason to bring binoculars. The Finley and Eden-Farson archaeological sites nearby produced a distinctive projectile point that points to some of the earliest human occupation in North America. The BLM describes the area as having very few outside sounds. That makes it a good place for stargazing and photography.
Trail GPS File
Map
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