GMU 444 GMU 444 — Eagle/Garfield/Pitkin Co.
Basalt-country benches and Red Table timber between the Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan
Central Colorado — Roaring Fork / Frying Pan (White River NF) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
371
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
6,400–11,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 444 is a roughly 371-square-mile unit tucked into the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan valleys of Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin counties, climbing off the resort-valley floor onto Basalt Mountain, the Crown, and Red Table Mountain. It shares an elk tag pool with neighboring units 44, 45, and 47, and the character is classic mid-valley Colorado: heavily private, ranch-and-subdivision valley bottoms giving way to White River National Forest high ground. Mule deer is the stronger, more consistent hunt here (recent buck success ran near 45%), while elk is the marquee species and carries a 2nd- and 3rd-rifle over-the-counter bull component alongside limited-draw antlerless tags.
Terrain
Steep transition country rising from the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan river corridors up onto broad timbered mesas and ridgelines. Basalt Mountain, the Crown, and the long spine of Red Table Mountain separate the two valleys, with aspen benches, oakbrush slopes, and dark-timber pockets stacked between rock rims.
Cover: Sagebrush, Gambel oak, and pinyon-juniper on the lower benches; extensive aspen and mountain shrub on the mid slopes; spruce-fir and lodgepole with grassy parks on the high ground of Basalt and Red Table Mountains.
Landmarks: Basalt Mountain · Red Table Mountain · The Crown · Ruedi Reservoir · Frying Pan River · Roaring Fork River · Cattle Creek · Light Hill · Mount Sopris (southwest)
Access
The valley floors around Basalt, El Jebel, and Carbondale are heavily private — ranches, subdivisions, and resort-corridor development — so most public hunting happens up on the White River National Forest above the private benches. Colorado State Trust lands here are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program, so do not count them as huntable. Public access hinges on a handful of Forest Service roads climbing onto Basalt Mountain and Red Table Mountain; know your boundaries where public brushes against private inholdings.
Managers: USFS White River NF, BLM, private ranch
Access points: Basalt Mountain Road (FSR 524) · Frying Pan Road to Ruedi Reservoir · Cattle Creek / Red Table Mountain roads · Crown / Prince Creek area out of Carbondale
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe stronger, more reliable hunt in 444 — limited-draw mule deer with solid recent success (near 45%). Bucks work the oakbrush and aspen benches between the private valley floor and the high timber of Basalt and Red Table Mountains.
- →Glass oakbrush and aspen edges at first and last light on the benches above the private valley bottoms.
- →Later rifle seasons improve as bucks slide down off Red Table and Basalt Mountain ahead of snow.
- →Hunt the transition between public timber and private benches carefully — deer feed low, and boundaries are tight.
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk share a tag pool across units 44, 45, 47, and 444, with 2nd- and 3rd-rifle bull tags available over-the-counter and antlerless tags limited-draw. Recent success ran modest (near 18%) — pressure and private-land refuge, not a lack of elk, drive that number. Herds hold on the mountain benches and dark timber and shift with pressure toward private ground.
- →Get well back onto Basalt Mountain and Red Table Mountain, away from the road-accessible edges, on OTC rifle hunts.
- →Work aspen and dark-timber pockets and the grassy parks up high where pressured elk retreat.
- →Time archery to the September rut and locate bugling bulls off the mesa benches before opening light.
Pro tips
- →Elk tags in 444 are shared with units 44, 45, and 47 — a bull tag drawn or bought in one is valid across the group.
- →The best public hunting is up on Basalt Mountain and Red Table Mountain; the valley floors are almost entirely private.
- →Mule deer is the higher-odds tag here — treat it as the primary hunt and elk as the OTC add-on.
- →Do not assume State Trust lands are open; verify CPW Public Access Program enrollment before hunting them.
- →Scout Forest Service road conditions before season — the climbs onto the mountain get slick fast with weather.
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch and subdivision land on the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan valley floors — respect boundaries and inholdings.
- !State Trust lands are closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !OTC bull elk seasons bring crowding on the road-accessible White River NF ground.
- !Slick forest roads and early snow on Basalt and Red Table Mountains.
Logistics
Basalt, El Jebel, and Carbondale offer fuel, groceries, lodging, and repair, with Glenwood Springs and Eagle nearby for anything larger — this is a well-serviced resort corridor, not backcountry. The catch is that convenience comes with private land and development on the valley floors; plan your hunt around Forest Service access points up on the mountain. Forest roads onto Basalt and Red Table Mountain turn greasy with rain or early snow, so carry recovery gear and expect high-clearance conditions up high.
Nearest towns: Basalt, CO, El Jebel, CO, Carbondale, CO, Eagle, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW — Over-the-Counter (OTC) Licenses · CPW — Hunting Elk · USFS White River National Forest
FAQ
- How big is GMU 444 in Colorado?
- GMU 444 (GMU 444 — Eagle/Garfield/Pitkin Co.) covers about 371 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,400 to 11,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 444?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS White River NF, BLM, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 444?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 444 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.