Interest in Red Desert parcels heats up

There's a sudden interest in buying land found in the Red Desert, as evidenced by an increasing number of calls to the Sweetwater County Land Use Department.

"We get quite a few calls," Stephanie Muckley, administrative assistant for the department said.

Call volumes range from a few each week to several per day, all of which come from outside Wyoming. Jim Zimmerman, the code enforcement specialist for the department, said he has spoken with people who blindly bought parcels without looking at land or an understanding of what they're buying.

Land in the Red Desert presents unique challenges...