GMU 47 GMU 47 — Eagle/Pitkin Co.
OTC bull elk in the wild Fryingpan high country between Basalt and the Continental Divide
Central Colorado — Fryingpan & upper Roaring Fork (White River NF, Eagle/Pitkin County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
294
sq mi
Public land
75%
approx.
Elevation
6,600–13,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 47 covers roughly 294 square miles of the Fryingpan River drainage and upper Roaring Fork valley, bounded by the Fryingpan River and Ivanhoe Creek on the north, the Continental Divide on the east, State Highway 82 on the south, and the Roaring Fork River on the west. It is high, steep White River National Forest country — nearly 40% designated wilderness — and it hunts as an over-the-counter bull elk unit, meaning archery and 2nd/3rd rifle hunters can buy in without drawing. Elk are the marquee species and drew the most harvest recently, backed by a limited-draw mule deer hunt, a scarce Shiras moose tag, and good black bear numbers.
Terrain
Big, steep mountain country climbing from the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork valley floors up drainage after drainage to timberline and the Continental Divide. Public land here is genuinely steep, and roughly 40% is roadless wilderness where access is by boot and horse only.
Cover: Sagebrush and mountain-shrub on the lower valley benches, aspen and Gambel oak through the mid-elevations, dark timber (spruce-fir, lodgepole) blanketing the high slopes, and alpine willow, krummholz and tundra above timberline.
Landmarks: Fryingpan River · Ruedi Reservoir · Ivanhoe Creek · Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness · Holy Cross Wilderness edge · Hagerman Pass · Continental Divide · Roaring Fork River · Basalt Mountain
Access
Strong public access via White River National Forest, but the lower valley benches along the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork are private ranch and resort ground, so the private-to-public transition matters. The Fryingpan River Road (past Ruedi Reservoir) and Hagerman Pass Road are the main arteries onto the mountain, feeding a network of forest trailheads into the Hunter-Fryingpan and Holy Cross wilderness. Roughly 40% of the unit is wilderness — no motorized travel. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: USFS White River NF, private ranch, BLM
Access points: Fryingpan River Road / Ruedi Reservoir (Basalt to Meredith) · Hagerman Pass Road · wilderness trailheads off the Fryingpan · Frying Pan / upper Roaring Fork FS roads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe unit's marquee species and an over-the-counter bull opportunity — no draw required for archery or 2nd/3rd rifle bull tags. Recent success ran around 18%, typical for heavily hunted OTC wilderness country. Elk hold in dark timber and wilderness basins and slide with pressure and weather.
- →Get well back from the Fryingpan Road and trailheads — the further into the Hunter-Fryingpan and Holy Cross wilderness you push, the less OTC pressure you share the country with.
- →Early seasons find elk from about 7,500 feet to above timberline; work the aspen-timber edges and high basins at first and last light.
- →During the September rut, locate bugling bulls off the high benches and dark north-facing timber, then move in on the wind.
Mule Deer
common qualityA solid limited-draw deer unit — recent tags filled near 41%. Bucks use the oak-brush and aspen mid-slopes and the sage benches on the lower valley shoulders, dropping in elevation as fall progresses.
- →Grid-glass the Gambel-oak and aspen faces above the valley benches at dawn.
- →Hunt the sage-and-shrub transition on the lower shoulders early; move higher into the aspen for rutting bucks in later hunts.
- →Later seasons and snow concentrate deer lower toward the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork bottoms.
Moose
limited qualityA scarce, coveted limited-draw Shiras moose opportunity tied to the willow bottoms and riparian zones of the Fryingpan drainage and Ruedi country. Tags are few and take a long point wait.
- →Focus on the dense willow flats and beaver complexes along the Fryingpan and its feeder creeks.
- →Glass willow bottoms at first and last light when bulls move to feed.
- →Treat a moose tag as a rare draw — scout riparian zones thoroughly before season.
Black Bear
common opportunityGood black bear numbers through the oak-brush and berry country of the mid-elevations, often hunted concurrently with elk and deer.
- →Hunt oak-brush and serviceberry/chokecherry patches in early fall when bears are feeding hard.
- →Glass avalanche chutes and shrub fields on south-facing slopes.
- →Watch the aspen-oak transition on the lower mountain where mast crops draw bears.
Pro tips
- →Elk bull tags are over-the-counter (archery, 2nd, 3rd rifle) — no points needed, but the trade is crowding near access.
- →Distance from the Fryingpan Road is the single biggest quality lever; plan a backcountry camp.
- →Nearly 40% of the unit is wilderness — no motorized access; horses or a strong back are the ticket.
- →Learn the private-ranch boundaries on the lower Fryingpan and Roaring Fork benches.
- →Moose here is a rare limited-draw tag worth many years of points.
Watch out for
- !OTC crowding near trailheads and roads
- !steep, dangerous terrain and pack-outs
- !wilderness no-motor rules
- !private ranch inholdings on the valley floor
- !early snow closing high roads
- !State Trust closures
Logistics
Basalt is the natural staging town at the mouth of the Fryingpan, with fuel, groceries, lodging and gear; Aspen, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs round out services within a short drive. The Fryingpan River Road runs up past Ruedi Reservoir to Meredith and the trailheads. Beyond the roads this is horse-and-backpack wilderness — plan for steep pack-outs, changeable high-country weather, and thin-to-no cell service in the drainages; carry a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Basalt, CO, Aspen, CO, Carbondale, CO, Meredith, 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 · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 47 (Eagle & Pitkin Counties) · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 47 Shiras Moose
FAQ
- How big is GMU 47 in Colorado?
- GMU 47 (GMU 47 — Eagle/Pitkin Co.) covers about 294 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,600 to 13,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 47?
- Approximately 75% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS White River NF, private ranch, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 47?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 47 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.