Protecting the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses
A Living Legacy of the American West
Few places in Montana capture the spirit of the American West quite like the Pryor Mountains. Roaming these rugged landscapes is one of the nation’s most remarkable wild horse herds—a population whose history, resilience, and remarkable adaptation have inspired generations of visitors, naturalists, photographers, historians, and conservationists.
For centuries, these horses have survived in an environment shaped by wind, weather, and time. Their story is deeply woven into the natural and cultural heritage of Montana and continues to remind us of the enduring connection between wildlife, landscape, and the people who care about both.
Recognizing the significance of the Pryor Mountain wild horses as part of Montana’s natural and cultural heritage, the Board of Directors of Our Montana has adopted the protection and responsible long-term management of the herd as one of the organization’s official areas of concern and project interest. Through education, thoughtful conversation, and the sharing of credible information, Our Montana is honored to help preserve and share their remarkable story.
Our Montana believes that informed stewardship begins with understanding. By sharing history, science, and the perspectives of those who know these horses best, we hope to encourage appreciation for one of Montana’s most treasured wild populations and respectful, informed conversations about their future.
For those wishing to explore, learn more, or plan a visit, excellent information is available at the Pryors Coalition website: pryormountains.org
Saving Pryor Mountain Horses
In our first featured conversation, Mike Penfold sits down with naturalist Phyllis Caha Wray, whose decade of experience studying the Pryor Mountain horses have made her one of Montana’s most respected voices on the subject.
Together they explore the unique history of the herd, the remarkable ways these horses have adapted to their environment, current questions surrounding their management, and why preserving both the horses and their habitat matters for future generations.
Watch the Community 7 interview below to begin exploring the incredible story of the Pryor Mountain wild horses.
The Work of Ginger Kathrens
& The Cloud Foundation
For decades, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author Ginger Kathrens has helped bring the story of the Pryor Mountain wild horses to audiences around the world.
Beginning in the 1990s, Kathrens spent years documenting the herd and became especially known for following the life of Cloud, a pale palomino stallion born in the Pryor Mountains in 1995. Her remarkable documentation of Cloud and his family became the subject of three PBS Nature documentaries and helped introduce millions of people to the complex social lives and family relationships of wild horses.
Kathrens later founded The Cloud Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of wild horses and burros on America’s public lands.
Her films, photography, writing, and years of observation provide an extraordinary historical record of the Pryor Mountain herd and its changing generations.
The Pryor Mountains
Nestled between the Beartooth and Bighorn Mountains, and the land of the Crow, lie the Pryor Mountains.
Never covered by glaciers, this region hosts unique ecological systems—home to plants and animals found in both northern and southern habitats. Jagged limestone canyons rip through the land and beckon to the adventurer, just as they once did to the first people who migrated from the north and found shelter in the numerous caves.
Vision quest sites of the old ones are still used by the Crow today, as they seek spiritual guidance. Wild horses roam freely here, carrying the genes of their Spanish forebears. Tough as the terrain, they survive the icy bite of winter winds.
For us today, the Pryor Mountains offer a rare opportunity—to learn, to explore, to experience, and to conserve.
The Pryors are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Crow Tribe of Indians. This layered jurisdiction creates fractured protection and complicates long-term management.
Over the past decade, the Forest Service and BLM launched planning efforts to chart the conservation future of the Pryors. Our Montana, working in collaboration with the Pryors Coalition, was deeply involved. Roads and trails were walked, cultural sites identified, ecologists consulted, meetings attended, testimony delivered, and many written comments submitted to the agencies.
The resulting agency plans reflect a positive impact—much success. Areas with wilderness characteristics were expanded. But the work is not over. Ongoing diligence, monitoring, and cooperative relationships with the agencies and the Crow Tribe remain critical.
For those wishing to explore, learn more, or plan a visit, excellent information is available at the Pryors Coalition website: pryormountains.org
The Amazing Pryor Mountains of Montana: A Visual Journey
We’re excited to share an Our Montana video offering a breathtaking look at the Pryor Mountains, one of Montana’s most rugged and awe-inspiring landscapes.
In this short feature, Mike Penfold narrates the story of this geologically and culturally rich region, with stunning drone footage captured by Ryan Willett. From sweeping views of cliffs and canyons to quiet valleys full of story, this video offers a glimpse into a place both wild and sacred.
We hope you enjoy this beautiful tribute to one of Montana’s hidden treasures.
