GMU 27 GMU 27 — Grand/Routt Co.
Limited-draw Middle Park elk and pronghorn in ranch-and-canyon country
North-central Colorado — Grand & Routt Counties (western Middle Park / Gore Range / State Bridge) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
198
sq mi
Public land
45%
approx.
Elevation
6,500–11,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 27 is a roughly 198-square-mile unit on the western edge of Middle Park, running from the Colorado River and its Gore Canyon country up onto the timbered spine of the Gore Range Divide. It is a limited-draw unit — unlike the OTC Flat Tops units to the west, elk here are managed on limited tags across the seasons — with a mix of BLM and forest public land woven through heavy private ranchland along the river valleys. Elk carry the unit, mule deer is a modest draw, and the open sagebrush parks near Kremmling and State Bridge hold a genuine, if small, pronghorn population.
Terrain
River-canyon and sagebrush park country rising to a timbered mountain divide. The Colorado River cuts the southern edge through Gore Canyon near Radium and State Bridge (~6,500 ft); from there the land climbs through sage benches and oakbrush to spruce-fir timber and rocky ridges on the Gore Range Divide to the west (near 11,800 ft).
Cover: Big sagebrush and grassland parks in the valleys and benches, oakbrush and aspen on the mid slopes, and dark spruce-fir timber with rocky ridgelines up on the Gore Range Divide.
Landmarks: Gore Range Divide · Colorado River / Gore Canyon · State Bridge · Radium · Sheephorn Creek · Blacktail Mountain · Muddy Creek · Trough Road (Grand County Road 1)
Access
A patchwork unit — genuine BLM and national forest public ground threaded through extensive private ranchland along the Colorado River, Muddy Creek, and the valley bottoms. The Trough Road (Grand County Road 1) between State Bridge and Radium and BLM tracts around Gore Canyon are the main public entries, but a lot of the valley is locked private, so map ownership carefully and expect landlocked public parcels. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: BLM Kremmling Field Office, USFS White River National Forest (Gore Range fringe), private ranch
Access points: Trough Road (Grand County Road 1), State Bridge–Radium · US 40 near Kremmling · Colorado Highway 9 · BLM Gore Canyon / Radium tracts · Sheephorn Creek road
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe unit's headliner, managed as limited-draw across the seasons rather than OTC. Elk are well distributed through Middle Park and use the timbered Gore Range slopes and the private-public seams in the valleys. Tags are drawable but pressure and private-land refuge keep success modest — recent bull success ran near 10%.
- →Hunt the timber-and-park edges high on the Gore Range Divide where public forest gives elk cover away from the private valley refuge.
- →Watch the seams where public BLM/forest meets private ranch — elk shuttle onto private ground under pressure, so catch them on the public side at first and last light.
- →Early hunts on the limited-draw tags catch elk higher and less bumped; time archery to bugling bulls in the aspen pockets.
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-draw deer unit with bucks scattered through the oakbrush, aspen, and sage-benches of the western Middle Park country. Numbers are moderate and much of the best ground is private. Recent success was around one in four tags.
- →Glass the oakbrush-and-sage benches and aspen pockets at dawn and dusk on the public tracts.
- →Later hunts improve as snow moves deer down onto the lower sage benches near the river.
- →Focus on the public-private edges, but confirm boundaries — the productive bottoms are often ranch ground.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA real if small pronghorn opportunity in the open sagebrush parks of Middle Park near Kremmling and the valley flats. Limited tags with respectable success for those who draw. Recent success was around one in three.
- →Hunt the open sagebrush parks and grassy flats of the valley floor where pronghorn hold.
- →Glass long and use rolling terrain and fencelines to close the distance in open country.
- →Much of the prime antelope ground is private ranch — line up public access or permission before the season.
Pro tips
- →Unlike the Flat Tops units to the west, GMU 27 elk are limited-draw — plan on the draw, not OTC.
- →The whole game here is public-vs-private — carry a reliable ownership map and watch for landlocked parcels.
- →The Trough Road corridor and BLM around Gore Canyon are your main public footholds.
- →Hunt the Gore Range Divide timber for elk that use public cover above the private valleys.
- →Pronghorn ground is largely private ranch — arrange access early if you draw an antelope tag.
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranchland and landlocked public parcels — verify ownership before every stalk.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Elk retreat onto private refuge under pressure, denying access to public hunters.
- !Gore Range and Trough Road two-tracks turn slick and difficult with rain or early snow.
- !River-corridor rafting and recreation traffic near Radium/State Bridge can add pressure.
Logistics
Kremmling on US 40 is the main supply town — fuel, groceries, motels, and basic repair — with Silverthorne and the Eagle-valley towns a longer drive for anything bigger. Access is a mix of paved highway and the gravel Trough Road along the Colorado River; getting up onto the Gore Range Divide means slower forest and BLM two-tracks that soften with rain and snow. The real work here is sorting public from private: carry a good ownership map, and expect to hunt around a checkerboard of ranch ground.
Nearest towns: Kremmling, CO, State Bridge, CO, McCoy, CO, Wolcott, CO, Silverthorne, 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 · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 27, Grand & Routt Counties (secondary cross-check) · CPW — Colorado Game Management Units (GMU boundaries) · BLM Kremmling Field Office
FAQ
- How big is GMU 27 in Colorado?
- GMU 27 (GMU 27 — Grand/Routt Co.) covers about 198 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,500 to 11,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 27?
- Approximately 45% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Kremmling Field Office, USFS White River National Forest (Gore Range fringe), private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 27?
- 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 27 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.