GMU 10 GMU 10 — Moffat/Rio Blanco Co.
The big-country member of Colorado's northwest trophy-elk quartet
Northwest Colorado — Moffat & Rio Blanco Counties (Blue Mountain / Cross Mountain / Yampa River) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
832
sq mi
Public land
78%
approx.
Elevation
5,500–8,600
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 10 is a large (roughly 830-square-mile) limited-draw unit in far northwest Colorado, bounded by the Yampa River on the north, US Highway 64 on the south, and Utah to the west. Together with units 1, 2 and 201 it forms Colorado's famous northwest trophy quartet, and it carries the biggest elk harvest of the group — mature 300-class bulls are common and animals tend to hold on the unit across seasons. Elk here is fully limited-draw (no OTC), and while the unit is mostly BLM, it holds more scattered private ground than its neighbors, so public access takes homework.
Terrain
Sprawling sage and sage-grassland basins broken by rugged uplifts — Blue Mountain, Cross Mountain, and the Godiva Rim — and cut by the Yampa River and its canyon on the north edge. Elevation climbs from river-bottom benches into timbered and shrub-covered high country, with steep rimrock and deep draws throughout.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush and sage-grassland dominate the basins, thickening to pinyon-juniper on mid slopes and mountain shrub, aspen, and scattered conifer on the higher ground of Blue and Cross Mountains.
Landmarks: Blue Mountain · Cross Mountain · Godiva Rim · Yampa River · Cross Mountain Canyon · Deerlodge Park · Vermillion Bluffs · US 64 corridor
Access
Roughly three-quarters public, mostly BLM, but with more scattered private inholdings than units 1, 2 or 201 — mapping ownership before you go is the difference-maker. The Dinosaur National Monument boundary along the Yampa (Deerlodge Park / Cross Mountain Canyon) is closed to hunting, and there is designated wilderness within the unit. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Access comes off US 40 and US 64 onto a web of BLM two-tracks; high-clearance 4WD strongly recommended.
Managers: BLM Little Snake / White River Field Office, NPS Dinosaur National Monument (closed to hunting), designated wilderness, private ranch
Access points: US 40 (Maybell / Elk Springs) · US 64 · Deerlodge Park Road · BLM two-track network off Blue Mountain
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant trophyThe workhorse of the trophy quartet — the largest elk harvest of units 1/2/10/201 (well over 200 animals recently) at roughly 50% success. Mature 300-class bulls are common and the herd offers a range of age classes because elk tend to stay put across seasons. Fully limited-draw, no OTC.
- →Break away from the road network and work the Blue Mountain and Cross Mountain high country and the sage-timber transitions where bulls hold.
- →Time archery/muzzleloader to the September rut and locate bugling bulls off the mountain shoulders and canyon heads.
- →Glass the sage basins at dawn and dusk and watch elk trade between feed and the timbered/pinyon-juniper security cover.
Mule Deer
common qualityA quality limited-draw deer unit within the same trophy country, with strong recent success (roughly 85% of tags filled). Bucks work the pinyon-juniper benches, sage draws, and the rims off the mountains.
- →Grid-glass pinyon-juniper edges and the Godiva Rim / Blue Mountain benches rather than open flats.
- →Later seasons concentrate deer as they slide down toward the Yampa River benches and lower sage country.
- →Hunt from high rimrock vantage points with good optics — spot-and-stalk, not road hunting.
Pronghorn
limited qualityA small but high-quality pronghorn opportunity — very few tags but recent hunters filled nearly all of them on the open sage-grassland basins. An incidental species behind elk and deer.
- →Focus on the open sage-grassland flats and basins where the country opens up between the uplifts.
- →Glass long from the two-tracks and use swales and rises to close distance in open terrain.
- →In dry early seasons, key on the limited water sources that concentrate antelope.
Pro tips
- →GMU 10 is fully limited-draw and carries the biggest elk harvest of the trophy quartet — worth the point wait for the volume of mature bulls.
- →Map private inholdings carefully; GMU 10 has more scattered private than units 1, 2 or 201.
- →Know the Dinosaur National Monument boundary along the Yampa (Deerlodge Park / Cross Mountain Canyon) — it's closed to hunting.
- →Get off the road system onto Blue and Cross Mountain for the best age-class bulls.
- →Bring high-clearance 4WD and recovery gear; BLM roads are treacherous when wet.
Watch out for
- !Dinosaur National Monument along the Yampa (Deerlodge Park / Cross Mountain Canyon) is closed to hunting.
- !Designated wilderness within the unit prohibits motorized and wheeled game carriers.
- !More scattered private inholdings than neighboring units — verify boundaries and get permission.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !BLM two-tracks become impassable clay with rain or early snow.
Logistics
Remote, big country with little infrastructure inside the unit. Maybell sits on US 40 at the north edge; Craig (east), Dinosaur (west), and Rangely (south) offer fuel, groceries, motels, and repair. Plan to camp and be fully self-contained — haul water, extra fuel, and recovery gear. High-clearance 4WD is strongly recommended, and BLM roads turn slick and impassable with rain or early snow. Cell coverage is minimal off the highways; carry a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Maybell, CO, Craig, CO, Dinosaur, CO, Rangely, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Big Game Hunting · Town of Dinosaur — Trophy Elk Hunting (GMUs 1, 2, 10, 201) · Colorado Hunter — The 'Trophy' Units: GMUs 1, 2, 10 and 201 · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 10 (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 10 in Colorado?
- GMU 10 (GMU 10 — Moffat/Rio Blanco Co.) covers about 832 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,500 to 8,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 10?
- Approximately 78% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Little Snake / White River Field Office, NPS Dinosaur National Monument (closed to hunting), designated wilderness, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 10?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 10 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.