GMU 26 GMU 26 — Eagle/Garfield/Routt Co.
OTC elk on the high, lake-studded eastern Flat Tops
Northwest Colorado — Eagle, Garfield & Routt Counties (Flat Tops / Deep Lake / Derby Creek) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
241
sq mi
Public land
78%
approx.
Elevation
6,300–12,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 26 is a roughly 240-square-mile unit on the eastern Flat Tops, straddling the Eagle-Garfield-Routt county lines and rising from the Colorado River near Burns onto a high volcanic plateau riddled with lakes and willow basins. It sits squarely inside the White River elk herd — the largest in North America — and shares the OTC framework with neighboring 25 and 231: bull elk tags are sold over-the-counter for the second and third rifle seasons. Mule deer is limited-draw, a thin pronghorn opportunity exists on the lower sage benches, and the willow-lake country of the Flat Tops holds a small once-in-a-lifetime moose herd.
Terrain
Steep river canyons climbing to a broad, high plateau. From the Colorado River and Derby Creek benches (~6,300 ft) the country rises through timbered slopes onto the rolling, lake-dotted top of the Flat Tops above 11,000 ft, with Deep Lake and dozens of subalpine ponds scattered across the plateau.
Cover: Sagebrush and mountain shrub on the lower benches, oakbrush and aspen through the mid-elevations, and dark spruce-fir timber giving way to subalpine meadows, willow flats, and open tundra-edge parks on the plateau.
Landmarks: Flat Tops Wilderness · Deep Lake · Sweetwater Lake · Derby Creek · Crooked Creek Pass · Coffee Pot Road / plateau road system · Colorado River corridor · Sweetwater Creek
Access
Mostly public high country — the plateau is White River (and a slice of Routt) National Forest, with BLM and private ranch on the lower river benches. Crooked Creek Pass out of Eagle and the Coffee Pot / Deep Lake road system are the main ways onto the top; Sweetwater Lake road reaches the shared 25/26 corner. Private ranches control much of the Colorado River and Derby Creek bottoms, so know the line before dropping off the plateau. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: USFS White River National Forest, USFS Routt National Forest, BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Crooked Creek Pass from Eagle · Coffee Pot Road / Deep Lake plateau roads · Sweetwater Lake road · Derby Creek · Colorado River Road near Burns / McCoy
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant opportunityThe marquee species and a high-opportunity OTC unit — part of the world's largest elk herd, with over-the-counter bull tags in the second and third rifle seasons. Elk are plentiful but pressure is real, and heavy hunting keeps bull age-class modest. Recent bull success ran near 12%.
- →In rifle seasons hunt the plateau — work the dark-timber benches and willow basins around Deep Lake and the wilderness edge, away from the road-hunting crowd.
- →Let opening-day pressure push elk into the steep timbered heads of Derby Creek and Sweetwater and set up on the escape routes.
- →Time archery or muzzleloader to the September rut and bugle-locate bulls in the aspen-and-park mosaic below the wilderness before rifle crowds arrive.
Mule Deer
common qualityA quality limited-draw deer unit overshadowed by the elk. Bucks hold on the oakbrush and aspen benches and mountain-shrub slopes rather than the high plateau. Recent success was strong at roughly one in three tags filled.
- →Glass the oakbrush-aspen transition and shrub benches at the edges of light and dark.
- →As snow builds, hunt lower where bucks slide toward the sage and pinyon-juniper above the Colorado River.
- →Work the seam between private ranch bottoms and public timber, but confirm the boundary first.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA thin, incidental pronghorn opportunity on the open sage benches and parks at the lower end of the unit — a handful of tags and modest numbers. Not a reason to come here, but a real bonus tag. Recent success was around one in three on very few tags.
- →Focus on the open sagebrush parks and grassy benches on the lower, drier end of the unit.
- →Glass long from the two-tracks and use terrain to close in open country.
- →Pair it with elk or deer scouting rather than treating it as a standalone hunt.
Moose
limited qualityA small, high-quality moose population uses the willow basins and lake margins of the Flat Tops plateau. Tags are a rare once-in-a-lifetime draw, but the animals are genuine and well-fed.
- →Hunt willow-choked drainages and the edges of Deep Lake and the plateau ponds at dawn and dusk.
- →Glass thick willow patiently — bulls only expose themselves briefly morning and evening.
- →Scout specific willow complexes ahead of a bucket-list draw tag.
Pro tips
- →Elk is OTC for 2nd and 3rd rifle (shared with 25/231) — plan to out-hike the pressure off the road corridors.
- →Crooked Creek Pass and the Coffee Pot/Deep Lake roads are the keys onto the plateau — scout and watch the weather.
- →Deer draw here is a quality sleeper; the willow-lake country also holds genuine once-in-a-lifetime moose.
- →Nail down the private ranch boundaries along the Colorado River and Derby Creek before dropping off the top.
- →Don't get caught above the mud line with early snow — carry recovery gear.
Watch out for
- !Heavy OTC hunting pressure during the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons.
- !Private ranch inholdings along the Colorado River and Derby Creek bottoms.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Plateau roads turn to impassable mud and drift shut with early snow.
- !Flat Tops Wilderness no-motorized rules — know the wilderness boundary.
Logistics
Eagle and Gypsum on I-70 are the practical supply bases — fuel, groceries, motels, and repair — with the tiny river towns of Burns and McCoy closer to the eastern access. The hunt itself is a climb: reaching the plateau means Crooked Creek Pass or the Coffee Pot/Deep Lake road system, both slow, rough, and quick to turn to mud or drift shut with snow. Plan on a plateau camp or long daily climbs, high-clearance 4WD, and company at the trailheads during OTC rifle seasons.
Nearest towns: Eagle, CO, Gypsum, CO, Burns, CO, McCoy, CO, Glenwood 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 · HuntTalk — Colorado OTC Units 25, 26, 231 (secondary cross-check) · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 25/26 Flat Tops profiles (secondary cross-check) · White River National Forest — Flat Tops (USFS)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 26 in Colorado?
- GMU 26 (GMU 26 — Eagle/Garfield/Routt Co.) covers about 241 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,300 to 12,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 26?
- Approximately 78% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS White River National Forest, USFS Routt National Forest, BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 26?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 26 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.