GMU 18 GMU 18 — Grand Co.
Big, high-public OTC elk unit managed for mature animals — reshaped by the East Troublesome Fire
North-Central Colorado — Grand County (Rabbit Ears to the Colorado River) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
647
sq mi
Public land
89%
approx.
Elevation
7,562–12,779
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 18 is a large, roughly 647-square-mile Grand County unit running from the Rabbit Ears Mountains south to the Colorado River, with the Never Summer Wilderness anchoring its northeastern corner against Rocky Mountain National Park. It is nearly 89% public land — one of the more accessible big units in the region — and elk is over-the-counter for bull hunters in the second and third rifle seasons. Both elk and mule deer come in good numbers and the unit is managed to produce some mature bucks and bulls. Much of the country was burned in the 2020 East Troublesome Fire, which reshaped cover and shifted animal movement, so recent on-the-ground scouting matters more here than almost anywhere.
Terrain
Country climbs from the Colorado River bottoms around 7,500 feet up through timbered benches and burn scars into alpine peaks approaching 12,800 feet in the Never Summer Wilderness. Steep drainages, park meadows, and standing and blown-down timber from the fire define the mid-country.
Cover: Sage and grass parks and willow bottoms low down, lodgepole and spruce-fir on the slopes (much of it burned or beetle-killed), aspen pockets, and alpine tundra on the high peaks. Expect extensive burn regrowth and deadfall from the 2020 fire.
Landmarks: Rabbit Ears Mountains · Never Summer Wilderness · Colorado River corridor · Willow Creek Reservoir · Rocky Mountain National Park boundary (closed to hunting) · Arapaho National Recreation Area
Access
Overwhelmingly public — close to 89% — with Arapaho and Routt National Forest ground and BLM parcels making up most of it. The Rocky Mountain National Park boundary on the northeast is closed to all hunting, so know that line precisely; the Never Summer Wilderness is huntable but non-motorized. Colorado State Trust lands are generally NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Private ranches cluster along the Colorado River and valley bottoms. Numerous forest roads and trailheads off US 34, US 40, and Grand County roads provide access, and the Arapaho National Recreation Area offers developed camping.
Managers: USFS Arapaho National Forest, USFS Routt National Forest, BLM Kremmling Field Office, NPS Rocky Mountain National Park (closed to hunting), private ranch
Access points: US 34 / Trail Ridge corridor · US 40 near Granby · Arapaho National Recreation Area (Willow Creek, Lake Granby) · Grand County forest roads into the Rabbit Ears and Never Summer country
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant opportunityThe unit's headline species, with good numbers and OTC bull tags in the second and third rifle seasons. Success runs modest per hunter (recently around one in nine) given the pressure, but total harvest is high and the unit produces some mature bulls. The East Troublesome burn has scrambled where elk hold, so scout current conditions.
- →Focus on burn edges and pockets of surviving green timber next to the 2020 fire scar, where regrowth draws elk but security cover still exists.
- →Get well off the road network — the unit's size and heavy public access mean the roadside country is hammered by rifle season.
- →Glass park meadows and willow bottoms at first and last light, then push into adjacent standing timber for daytime bulls.
Mule Deer
common qualityA strong limited-draw mule deer unit managed for mature bucks, with high total harvest. Bucks use the sage-timber transition, aspen benches, and burn-edge regrowth. Tags require preference points.
- →Grid-glass aspen and sage-timber edges and the green fringes of the burn where new browse is coming in.
- →Later hunts improve as bucks drop toward the Colorado River benches with weather.
- →Hunt high vantage points with quality optics and let the country come to you rather than road hunting.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA thin, incidental pronghorn opportunity on the open sage parks and valley bottoms — a handful of tags with modest success (recently about one in five). Not the reason to come, but a bonus tag for those who draw.
- →Focus on the open sage-grass parks and lower valley flats where the country opens up.
- →Glass long from the two-tracks and use terrain to close in open ground.
- →Treat it as a scouting-and-bonus tag paired with elk or deer plans.
Pro tips
- →Scout the East Troublesome burn in person — where elk hold has shifted, and green-timber pockets next to the scar are gold.
- →With near-89% public land, pressure is the limiter, not access; go deep and steep for OTC elk.
- →Know the Rocky Mountain National Park boundary exactly — it is closed to all hunting.
- →Carry a saw and recovery gear; blowdown and deadfall block roads and trails throughout the burn.
- →The Never Summer Wilderness offers non-motorized escape from the crowds if you can pack in.
Watch out for
- !East Troublesome Fire deadfall, blowdown, and shifted animal patterns
- !Rocky Mountain National Park boundary — closed to all hunting
- !Heavy OTC rifle pressure on a large, very accessible unit
- !Private ranch inholdings along the Colorado River bottoms
- !Colorado State Trust lands closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program
Logistics
Granby and Grand Lake offer fuel, groceries, lodging, and services along US 34/US 40; Kremmling anchors the west end and Steamboat Springs is the nearest larger town. The Arapaho National Recreation Area has developed campgrounds around Lake Granby and Willow Creek, and dispersed camping is plentiful on the national forests. Expect deadfall and blowdown across roads in the burn — carry a saw, recovery gear, and current maps, and plan for cold, wet weather at elevation.
Nearest towns: Granby, CO, Grand Lake, CO, Kremmling, CO, Hot Sulphur Springs, CO, Steamboat Springs, 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 · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 18 Profile · USFS — Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
FAQ
- How big is GMU 18 in Colorado?
- GMU 18 (GMU 18 — Grand Co.) covers about 647 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,562 to 12,779 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 18?
- Approximately 89% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Arapaho National Forest, USFS Routt National Forest, BLM Kremmling Field Office, NPS Rocky Mountain National Park (closed to hunting), private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 18?
- 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 18 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.