GMU 2 GMU 2 — Moffat Co.
The biggest of Colorado's four legendary trophy units, north of Dinosaur
Far Northwest Colorado — Moffat County (Douglas Mountain / Sand Wash Basin) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,195
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
5,800–8,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 2 is a sprawling, roughly 1,195-square-mile unit in the extreme northwest corner of Colorado, bounded by Wyoming to the north, the Little Snake River, the Yampa, and the Green, and sitting on the north side of Dinosaur National Monument. It is the largest of the four fabled 'trophy' units (1, 2, 10, 201) — a limited-draw-only unit where mature 300-class bulls are common and mule deer average near 175 inches. Tags are famously hard to draw, running well over two decades of preference points. Elk, mule deer, and pronghorn all hunt well here, with the Sand Wash Basin adding classic high-desert antelope country.
Terrain
Rolling foothills and long mesas mostly between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, cut by numerous washes, gullies, and dry creek drainages, rising to Douglas Mountain in the west. Vermillion Bluffs in the central unit stand at about 7,204 feet, and the open Sand Wash Basin sprawls across the eastern country.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush and sage-grassland across the basins and mesas, thickening into pinyon-juniper on the breaks and benches, with aspen, mountain shrub, and conifer on the higher ground of Douglas Mountain.
Landmarks: Douglas Mountain · Vermillion Bluffs · Sand Wash Basin · Irish Canyon · Little Snake River · Yampa River · Green River · Dinosaur National Monument boundary
Access
A large expanse of BLM land in a checkerboard with private ranches — public access is good but broken up, so map ownership carefully and watch for private inholdings between BLM sections. Dinosaur National Monument forms the south side and is closed to all hunting. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Roads are rough dirt and two-track that turn to greasy clay when wet; high-clearance 4WD is essential.
Managers: BLM Little Snake Field Office, private ranch, NPS Dinosaur National Monument (closed to hunting)
Access points: CO 318 (Maybell toward Browns Park) · CR 10 / CR 10N (Irish Canyon Road) · CR 34 · BLM two-tracks off CO 318
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyA genuine trophy elk unit where mature, heavy 300-class bulls are common and the herd holds on the unit. Fully limited-draw — no OTC — with strong recent bull success (around 63%). Tags can take well over 20 preference points to draw.
- →Glass the sage basins, pinyon-juniper edges, and aspen pockets on and around Douglas Mountain at first and last light.
- →Time archery or muzzleloader hunts to a rut that can fire in early September and locate bugling bulls off the mountain benches.
- →Break well off the two-track roads; the age class improves the further you get from access points into the broken country.
Mule Deer
common trophyA premier limited-draw mule deer hunt with bucks averaging near 175 inches. Deer use the pinyon-juniper benches, sage draws, and the shoulders of Douglas Mountain and the Vermillion Bluffs. Recent success ran roughly two of three tags filled.
- →Grid-glass the pinyon-juniper edges and sage pockets on the breaks and mesa shoulders rather than the open flats.
- →Later hunts improve as bucks slide down off Douglas Mountain toward the lower benches and river breaks.
- →This is optics-and-boots spot-and-stalk country — cover ground from high rimrock vantage points.
Pronghorn
common qualityClassic high-desert antelope in the open sage-grassland of the Sand Wash Basin and surrounding flats, with strong recent success (around 56%). A legitimate trophy-country pronghorn opportunity, though tags are limited.
- →Glass the wide-open Sand Wash Basin flats and rolling sage parks from vantage points, then use terrain to close.
- →Watch water sources and use the two-tracks to cover country while scouting bucks.
- →Note that Sand Wash Basin also holds wild horses — glass carefully and be patient picking a buck.
Pro tips
- →Every tag in GMU 2 is limited-draw — budget many years of preference points, especially as a nonresident.
- →Public BLM is checkerboarded with private — map ownership precisely and watch inholdings.
- →Learn the Dinosaur National Monument boundary on the south; it is closed to all hunting.
- →Bulls and big bucks reward time in the unit patterning specific animals off Douglas Mountain.
- →Come with high-clearance 4WD and recovery gear; the roads are treacherous when wet.
Watch out for
- !Dinosaur National Monument (south boundary) is closed to all hunting.
- !BLM/private checkerboard means private inholdings are easy to stray onto — verify boundaries.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Remote country with no services and no cell coverage off the highway.
- !Clay roads and early snow can strand vehicles fast.
Logistics
This is remote, self-contained country. Maybell is a wide spot on US 40; Craig to the east and Vernal, Utah to the southwest are the nearest towns with fuel, groceries, motels, and repair. Plan to camp and haul your own water, extra fuel, and recovery gear. High-clearance 4WD is mandatory, and the dirt and clay roads turn treacherous with rain or early snow. Cell service is essentially nonexistent off the highway — carry a satellite communicator and leave an itinerary.
Nearest towns: Maybell, CO, Craig, CO, Dinosaur, CO, Vernal, UT
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 2 Profile · Town of Dinosaur — Trophy Elk Hunting (GMUs 1, 2, 10, 201) · Colorado Hunter — The 'Trophy' Units: GMUs 1, 2, 10 and 201
FAQ
- How big is GMU 2 in Colorado?
- GMU 2 (GMU 2 — Moffat Co.) covers about 1,195 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,800 to 8,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 2?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Little Snake Field Office, private ranch, NPS Dinosaur National Monument (closed to hunting). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 2?
- 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 2 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.