GMU 471 GMU 471 — Pitkin Co.
OTC bull elk in the rugged Maroon Bells high country — spectacular, steep, and hard-earned
Central Colorado — Elk Mountains south of Aspen (Maroon Bells-Snowmass, White River NF, Pitkin County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
104
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
7,800–14,200
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 471 is a compact (roughly 104-square-mile) Pitkin County unit in the heart of the Elk Mountains south and southwest of Aspen, taking in the upper Roaring Fork and Crystal River high country. It is dominated by the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and some of Colorado's most vertical, photogenic terrain, with fourteeners on the skyline. It hunts as an over-the-counter bull elk unit — steep, heavily wilderness, and demanding, with recent elk success near 10% reflecting that difficulty. A limited-draw mule deer hunt, a thin pronghorn opportunity on the lower benches, and black bear round out the picture.
Terrain
Extreme mountain terrain — valley floors near Aspen at around 7,800 feet climbing brutally to a wall of fourteeners including Castle, Maroon, and Snowmass peaks. Public land here is exceptionally steep and largely roadless wilderness reachable only on foot or horseback.
Cover: Sage and mountain-shrub on the lower valley benches, dense aspen and Gambel oak through the mid-slopes, spruce-fir and lodgepole timber on the high shoulders, and expansive alpine willow, krummholz and tundra above timberline.
Landmarks: Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness · Maroon Peak · Castle Peak · Snowmass Mountain · Crystal River · Conundrum Creek · Ashcroft · Independence Pass · upper Roaring Fork
Access
Very high public-land percentage on White River National Forest, but the huntable terrain is overwhelmingly steep wilderness — access is by trailhead and boot. The lower valleys around Aspen, Woody Creek and the Crystal River hold private ranch and resort ground; know those boundaries. Motorized access is minimal beyond a few valley roads (Castle Creek/Ashcroft, Maroon Creek, Crystal River). Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: USFS White River NF, private ranch
Access points: Castle Creek Road / Ashcroft · Maroon Creek Road (seasonal restrictions) · Crystal River / Redstone corridor · Independence Pass (CO 82) trailheads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe marquee species and an over-the-counter bull unit — no draw needed for archery or 2nd/3rd rifle bull tags. Recent success was low (near 10%), a direct reflection of the punishing wilderness terrain and OTC pressure. Elk hold in high timbered basins and slip deep into the wilderness under pressure.
- →Commit to a backcountry camp well inside the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness — road-accessible elk here are pounded.
- →Hunt the high timbered basins and dark north slopes at first and last light; early seasons find elk from timberline down into the aspen.
- →Use the September rut to locate bugling bulls in the upper drainages, then be prepared for a steep, difficult pack-out.
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-draw deer hunt with recent success near 31%. Bucks work the aspen and oak-brush mid-slopes and the sage benches on the lower valley shoulders, dropping lower as fall advances.
- →Glass the aspen-oak transition and open shrub faces above the valley floors at dawn.
- →Focus on the lower sage-and-shrub benches early, then push into the aspen for the rut in later hunts.
- →Snow pushes deer down toward the Roaring Fork and Crystal valley bottoms — hunt the migration.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA very thin, incidental pronghorn opportunity on the open sage benches of the lower valley — only a handful of animals in the harvest. This is a bonus, not a reason to draw the unit.
- →Focus on the open sage-grassland benches on the lower, western end near the valley floor.
- →Glass long from the benches and use terrain to close in open country.
- →Pair a pronghorn tag with elk or deer scouting rather than treating it as a standalone hunt.
Black Bear
common opportunityGood black bear numbers through the oak-brush, aspen and berry country of the mid-elevations, commonly taken alongside elk and deer.
- →Hunt oak-brush and serviceberry/chokecherry patches in early fall when bears feed hard on mast.
- →Glass avalanche chutes and south-facing shrub fields.
- →Work the aspen-oak transition on the lower mountain where feed concentrates bears.
Pro tips
- →Elk bull tags are over-the-counter (archery, 2nd, 3rd rifle) — the barrier is the mountain, not the draw.
- →This is fourteener country — be honest about your fitness and plan a deep wilderness camp.
- →Check Maroon Creek Road seasonal vehicle restrictions before relying on that access.
- →Learn the private-ranch and resort boundaries in the lower Roaring Fork and Crystal valleys.
- →Pronghorn is a thin incidental tag on the low benches, not a destination hunt.
Watch out for
- !extreme, dangerous high-altitude terrain and pack-outs
- !OTC crowding at accessible trailheads
- !wilderness no-motor rules and road/seasonal closures
- !early snow closing high routes
- !private ranch/resort inholdings on the valley floor
- !State Trust closures
Logistics
Aspen is the staging town, with full services, though it is an expensive resort base; Basalt, Carbondale and the Crystal River corridor (Redstone, Marble) offer alternatives. A few valley roads — Castle Creek/Ashcroft, Maroon Creek (note seasonal vehicle restrictions), and the Crystal River road — reach trailheads, but the hunt itself is horse-and-backpack wilderness. Plan for steep pack-outs, fast-changing high-altitude weather, early snow, and little to no cell service; carry a satellite communicator and be fit for the elevation.
Nearest towns: Aspen, CO, Snowmass Village, CO, Basalt, CO, Carbondale, CO, Redstone, 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 471 (Pitkin County) · Hunt Talk — Colorado Unit 471 discussion
FAQ
- How big is GMU 471 in Colorado?
- GMU 471 (GMU 471 — Pitkin Co.) covers about 104 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,800 to 14,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 471?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS White River NF, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 471?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, 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 471 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.