Chilton Road runs north out of Rock Springs across the open sagebrush flats of the Red Desert, ending at the Killpecker Sand Dunes Open Play Area. It is a wide, packed dirt route that serves as the main access road into one of the largest active dune fields in the country. The drive itself is easy going, but the payoff at the end, miles of rolling sand dunes with the Boar's Tusk rising in the distance, makes it worth the trip.
Trail Summary
- Location: Sweetwater County, Wyoming, north of Rock Springs
- Distance: 22.9 miles (one way)
- Difficulty: Level 1 - Suitable for high clearance 2WD
- Minimum Elevation: 6,345 ft
- Maximum Elevation: 7,133 ft
- Elevation Gain: 781 ft
- Travel Time: About 55 minutes
Difficulty
Suitable for high clearance 2WD
Stock equipment is sufficient and no special equipment is needed. The road surface is dirt and occasionally washboarded, with no obstacles of any real consequence. Grades are gentle throughout and traction is good in dry conditions. The road is wide enough for two vehicles for nearly its entire length, and any passenger vehicle can make the drive when the ground is dry. Clay soils in the area turn slick and can become impassable after rain or snowmelt, so timing the trip around weather matters more than vehicle capability.
Elevation
The route climbs gradually from about 6,345 feet near the start to a high point of 7,133 feet, a gain of roughly 781 feet spread out over more than 22 miles. There is very little descent along the way, just under 105 feet total, since the road generally trends uphill as it moves north toward the dune field. Grades stay mild the entire way, nothing that would tax a drivetrain or require gearing down.
Terrain
This is desert and foothill terrain typical of the Red Desert region. The road crosses open sagebrush flats and low rolling hills, with the surface alternating between hard packed dirt and looser sandy sections as it nears the dunes. Vegetation is sparse and the landscape opens up into wide views in every direction. There are no tree lines or tight passages to navigate, and the route stays wide and easy to follow from start to finish.
4WD Experience
A high clearance 4WD vehicle has no trouble on this road and will find it a relaxed cruise rather than a technical drive. Two wheel drive is sufficient in dry conditions, and 4WD is mainly useful as a buffer for softer sandy patches near the dune field or if rain has left the clay surface greasy. Drivers should air down before entering the actual dunes at the end of the road, since the packed road surface gives way to loose sand once inside the open play area.
Travel Time
Recorded travel time for the full 22.9 mile route was about 55 minutes, with roughly 47 minutes of that being moving time. A high clearance 4WD vehicle covering the same distance at a steady, unhurried pace should expect a similar window, likely 45 minutes to just over an hour depending on stops for photos or washboard sections that call for slowing down.
Highlights
The main draw is the destination itself, the Killpecker Sand Dunes, the second largest active dune field in the world, with some dunes reaching close to 100 feet tall. The 400 foot volcanic plug known as Boar's Tusk is visible from much of the route and makes for a distinctive landmark. The drive also passes through classic Red Desert scenery, open rangeland, distant buttes, and big sky views with little development in sight. A free, first come campground with fire rings and a vault toilet sits at the end of Chilton Road near the dunes.
Trail GPS File
Map