10 Places to See Horses Roam Free in North America

What is it about wild horses? There's nothing quite so elemental as watching these social creatures roam free in some of the most scenic spots in North America.

Incidentally, while many people refer to these equine herds "wild," in fact they are "feral" meaning they are descendants of domesticated breeds. For the purposes of this slideshow, we use the two terms interchangeably.

Whatever you call them if you're looking to see horses free from fences, cages and other enclosures, the following North American destinations are sure to delight.

A gateway to the Canadian Rockies, Sundre, Alberta, population 3,000, welcomes more than 7 million road trippers every year. While many of them are headed to Jasper National Park, a significant number also stop to see Alberta's free-roaming wild horses, which are concentrated off Highway 40, nearby. While in town, be sure to drive along Highway 27/22, the town's Main Avenue, also known as the Cowboy Trail.

Several hundred wild horses make their home along the Salt River, located within Arizona's Tonto National Forest. Up until a year ago, the horses were in danger of being rounded up and auctioned off, but today the herds are protected under a deal between the Arizona Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service. The herds,, which can be viewed from numerous recreation areas in the park, are managed by the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, which is equally tasked with educating the public. Avid horse lovers can even sponsor some of the horses that have been rescued and resuscitated by the group.

The Devil's Garden Plateau in Modoc National Forest has seen the presence of wild horses for nearly 150 years. Many of the early horses escaped from their settlements or were released into the wild after they outlived their usefulness. Currently, about 3,000 wild horses make their home in the protected area, although a wild horse gather is planned for early fall when about 1,000 horses will be herded, housed and auctioned off to responsible buyers. The wild horse gather, which is open to the public, is just one of several measures to help support a healthy herd by reducing competition for food, water and habitat.

Although the earliest record of horses on Cumberland Island, Georgia, dates back to 1742, it is believed the first horses actually arrived when Spanish missions were built in the late 1500s. The horses on the island today, which are considered non-native, are related to American Quarter Horses, Arabians, Paso Fino and Tennessee Walkers, according to genetic studies. Cumberland is unique as it has the only herd of feral horses on the Atlantic coast that is not managed in any way. They are not provided food, water or veterinary care nor are they subject to population control.

In Waipio Valley, located on the northeastern coast of Hawaii Island, Hawaii's first settlers thrived, growing taro and building fishponds to feed themselves. When Captain Cook arrived in Hawaii, bringing with him the islands' first cattle, life in Hawaii changed. Soon Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) were brought in to help round up the destructive cattle.

These early cowboys would eventually lead way to the Paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboy. By the mid 20^th century, tough times on Hawaii Island caused many residents to move away, often abandoning their horses when they left. Today, the herd-the only wild horses in Hawaii-continues to roam free. Book a tour with Waipio on Horseback to view the scenic beauty of the valley and to catch a glimpse of Hawaii's wild horses in their natural habitat.

Some of the most famous wild horses in America are the wild ponies on Assateague Island, Maryland, which inspired the children's book, Misty of Chincoteague. Every July, some 150 adult ponies and 60-70 newborn foals are rounded up and guided in a swim across the channel connecting Assateague Island with Chincoteague.

After a brief rest, ponies are paraded through town before being auctioned off. Some go home with the highest bidder, while others are designated "buy backs" and are to be returned to Assateague Island to live out the rest of their life. The festivities are a popular spectacle, well worth a visit, but horse lovers can also see the wild ponies grazing on Assateague Island all year long.

It is believed that horses have run wild near the Pryor Mountains since the late 1600s. By the time pioneers started settling in the region, the number of feral horses had swelled to the thousands. Today, the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, which was the first nationally designated space for free-roaming horses, is believed to house some 120 wild horses. Visitors entering the range should plan to do so with a 4x4 vehicle, but there are also plenty of outlooks from a paved road within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

The wild horses found along North Carolina's Outer Banks have been roaming here for nearly 500 years although how they arrived remains a mystery. They are believed to be descendants of Colonial Spanish Mustangs, and some say they swam ashore after surviving shipwrecks off the coast of the Carolinas.

The two largest herds can be found at Corolla, to the north and on Shackleford Banks, the southernmost island, with each herd sporting about 120 horses. Guided tours are available in both areas or visitors can rent a jeep and drive on the beach into the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. As always, visitors are reminded to stay at least 50 feet away from any wild or feral horses.

The Badlands of North Dakota have been home to feral horses since the mid-1800s. During the early years, cowboys would capture these horses to use on their ranches or on the rodeo circuit. But after Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947, a horse round-up was held in 1954 to remove 200 branded animals. Today, the park is home to numerous bands of horses, which are preserved as a cultural resource, and the park is one of the areas in the West where free-roaming horses may easily be observed by visitors.

Among the more remote horse sighting experiences on this list are the wild horses found some 200 miles off of mainland Nova Scotia on Sable Island. The horse population, estimated to be about 550, are believed to have been introduced to Sable Island during the mid 18^th century when the British deported native Acadians to the American colonies. To see the horses, guests must book in advance with an experienced tour company or expedition company. Adventure Canada, for one, offers periodic expeditions to the remote island.