Scenic Drive Nevada Scenic State Route 167 – Rare Wild Horse Sighting

TwoUp Route Rating

Nevada State Route 167
Sights – colorful rocky landscape, sand dunes, desert flowers, (for us – wild horses)
Road type – flat, curvy
Road Condition – excellent
Traffic – light
Speed – 35MPH
Elevation – approx. 2000 feet

Nevada State Route 167

Nevada’s State Route 167, also known as Northshore Road, is 42 miles of spectacular desert scenery and beautiful serpentine roads in generally good to excellent condition (it seems as though it was recently repaved). As you can see from some of our photos along the road, the highway twists, turns, rises, and falls all within view of beautifully colored mountains, hills, and valleys. While the road doesn’t really get great views of Lake Mead (some of the turnoffs get closer with better views), you do get a few glimpses of the reservoir, but the main feature is the desert. Going in the spring after some good winter rains made the wildflowers simply sing with beauty. All along the roadside there were desert marigolds, yellow brittlebush, desert primrose, beavertail cactus and other desert wildflowers. In the summer this place is pretty toasty, so a ride fully dressed in typical riding gear wouldn’t likely be very pleasant, but in March, April, and May it can be really nice. October through December is also a nice time to visit, you just don’t get the benefit of the wildflowers at that time of the year.

Entry to SSR 167 with Lake Las Vegas in the background

View of Lake Las Vegas from SSR 167 Northshore Dr.

Northshore Dr. — S-curve of SSR167 through the barren landscape

Scenic Route 167 Nevada — Northshore Dr. in Clark County Nevada – the SSR167

Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Us Away

Along State Route 167, a bit more than halfway along the road and a few miles west of the turnoff for Echo Bay, we came around a long sweeping curve and over a small bridge that traversed a wide, dry wash. Somehow Rebecca noticed four wild horses down in the wash romping around and being pretty active for the heat of the day. To us they looked like wild horses for as good as they looked, there was nothing around that we could see as far as a farm or stables to house these magnificent beasts. We pulled along the side of the road and watched them for about 15 minutes or so. One of the males was “in the mood” and was mounting both of the females. Besides the carnal activities, they were running around, bucking, rearing up, putting on a display like I’ve never seen. At one point Rebecca went down into the wash to get closer photos. While she was getting some nice close ups with the zoom, the horses went through an active spurt and put the fear of God into her. She wasn’t sure quite what they’d do with her getting closer, so she backed off and eventually came back up the wash and we headed out. It was a great experience we won’t soon forget.