2026 Sand Wash Basin Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The Bureau of Land Management will begin a wild horse gather around September 17, 2026, in and around the Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area in northwest Colorado. The operation is part of ongoing, proactive efforts to manage overpopulation and maintain a sustainable herd size, safeguarding both wild horse health and the drought strained rangelands they rely on.
Details of Gather:
Helicopter-assisted gather operations are expected to take approximately 11 days, although the exact start and end dates will depend on contractor availability, weather, and the safety of the horses and people participating in the gather.
The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area can sustainably support 163 to 362 horses. The current total estimated population is 505 horses, which is 140 percent over what the range can sustainably support.
Of the 300 horses planned for gather, about 245 horses will be removed from the range, and 55 will be returned to the Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area. Fertility control is also an important tool for managing wild horse populations. By limiting reproduction, fertility control helps balance herd numbers and can reduce the need for frequent, large-scale removals. Twenty-two of the returned horses will receive fertility control treatment to help slow future population growth.
BLM staff and contractors will conduct drive-trap gather operations in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, which establishes science-based, humane handling requirements designed to protect wild horse health and safety.
Public Observation:
During the gather, the BLM will temporarily close certain public lands within the HMA to public access, however the public is welcome to observe the gather via agency escort on designated viewing days at locations that provide a safe environment for the horses, the public, BLM employees, contractors, and gather crews. Designated viewing days are September 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Federal Aviation Administration requirements, weather, and gather operations will determine the location and availability of observation sites. No pets. No exceptions.
Observation is available by reservation only and is limited to 10-15 people per viewing day. Reservations will be accepted by email only at [email protected], on or after September 10, 2026. Requests must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. the day prior to the public viewing day you wish to attend. In your reservation request, please state which calendar day(s) you prefer to attend so we can accommodate as many people as possible. Phone and voicemail reservations will not be accepted.
Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the email date and time received. Individuals may request more than one viewing day, but priority will be given to those who have not yet attended. Once all interested participants have had an opportunity to observe the gather, additional reservations may be accommodated as space allows. (Everyone gets one chance before anyone gets a second.)
Participants must receive confirmation before attending. A BLM representative will contact confirmed participants the day before their scheduled visit with meeting times, locations, and additional instructions. This confirmation could come late in the evening after daily operations planning, however observers should generally prepare to meet near Craig, Colorado, between 4:30 and 6 a.m. for caravanning to the site.
Viewing opportunities may change or be canceled on short notice because of weather, changing gather locations, safety concerns, or operational needs and limitations.
The safety of the horses, the public, BLM employees, contractors, and gather crews remains the highest priority throughout the operation.
Adoption Information:
Following the gather, removed horses will be transported to the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where they will receive veterinary care, vaccinations, identification, and evaluation. Horses determined suitable for placement will eventually be made available for adoption or other placement opportunities through the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program.
Background:
The Sand Wash Basin HMA is in northwest Colorado, about 45 miles west of Craig, and encompasses 157,730 acres of public, state and private lands in Moffat County. The landscape consists of ridges and mesas covered in sagebrush and bunchgrass, saltbush and pinyon-juniper woodlands, with gently rolling to moderately steep slopes and numerous small drainages. The area has a cold desert climate, with warm summers and very cold winters.
The BLM manages wild horses under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act while balancing other authorized public land uses, including wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, recreation, and energy development. Maintaining healthy horse populations within established management levels helps sustain healthy rangelands for all species that depend on them.
- Daily Gather Reports
This gather will begin on [DATE]
Summary: (Gather status, temp and weather conditions)
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Provide short description of each animal death
Gather Status
As of [DATE]
Animals Gathered: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released:
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"