GMU 50 GMU 50 — Park Co.
Lost Creek Wilderness backcountry rimming the high grassland of South Park
Central Colorado — North & Central South Park (Park County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
501
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
8,800–12,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 50 takes in the center and northern half of South Park along with the mountains that wall in the park to the north and east, including the granite backcountry of the Lost Creek Wilderness. It is a limited-draw unit for every big-game species — no over-the-counter elk here — with elk the primary quarry, mule deer secondary, and a small high-park pronghorn allocation. Success rates run modest, reflecting big, open country, wary animals, and a mix of rough wilderness and heavily private valley floor. The Hayman burn scar and the timbered edges of the Tarryall Mountains hold the better elk hunting.
Terrain
A vast high-elevation grassland basin (South Park) rimmed by forested and rocky mountains — the Tarryall and Kenosha Mountains and the granite domes and spires of the Lost Creek Wilderness. The park floor is open and wind-swept; the surrounding high country is steep, timbered, and rugged.
Cover: Open bunchgrass and sage across the South Park floor, giving way to ponderosa and lodgepole on the lower slopes, aspen and spruce-fir higher, and rock and krummholz near timberline. Much of the Hayman burn is regenerating grass and shrub.
Landmarks: Lost Creek Wilderness · Tarryall Mountains · Tarryall Reservoir · Tarryall Creek · Kenosha Mountains · Hayman burn scar · Bison Peak
Access
The mountains rimming the park — especially the Lost Creek Wilderness and the Tarryall/Kenosha high country — are largely Pike National Forest and offer real public access, while the South Park floor is dominated by large private cattle ranches. Colorado State Trust lands (including the Tarryall Creek parcel) are NOT open to general public hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program, so do not treat them as open. The Lost Creek Wilderness is non-motorized; plan to hike or pack in.
Managers: USFS Pike National Forest (South Park Ranger District), BLM, private ranch
Access points: US Highway 285 corridor (Kenosha Pass, Jefferson) · County Road 77 (Tarryall Road) along Tarryall Reservoir · US Highway 24 on the south · Lost Creek Wilderness trailheads (Goose Creek, Ute Creek)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe primary draw. Elk use the timbered rims and the Lost Creek Wilderness, where rough country and limited access let some bulls reach respectable age. Success is modest — roughly a quarter of hunters — and sightings can be limited, but the payoff for hunting hard in the wilderness or the regenerating Hayman burn is a mature, unpressured bull.
- →Pack into the Lost Creek Wilderness away from trailheads — rough granite country and non-motorized access hold the better bulls.
- →Work the regenerating Hayman burn edges, which have grown more productive over the years, and the timber-park transitions at dawn and dusk.
- →Glass the forested rims above the South Park floor rather than the open, wind-swept park itself, where elk are hard to approach.
Mule Deer
common qualityA secondary limited-draw species. Deer use the ponderosa and oak-shrub benches, aspen pockets, and burn edges around the park rim. Success is modest (around a third of tags), typical of big, open high-country deer hunting.
- →Focus on the timber-and-sage transition zones on the flanks of the Tarryall and Kenosha Mountains.
- →Hunt the Hayman burn and forest edges where new browse concentrates deer.
- →Later hunts and weather push deer lower and make them more visible along the park margins.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA small pronghorn allocation on the high grassland of South Park, which holds a managed park herd. A limited, incidental opportunity — recent success ran around four in ten tags on few licenses.
- →Glass the open bunchgrass flats of the South Park floor, working around the large private ranches to find accessible public or PAP-enrolled ground.
- →Use the rolling swells of the park to stalk within range in wide-open terrain.
- →Treat it as a bonus high-park tag rather than the reason to apply for this unit.
Pro tips
- →Apply — every species here is limited-draw; there is no OTC elk option.
- →The Lost Creek Wilderness is the quality card: pack in past the trailhead crowds.
- →Hunt the regenerating Hayman burn edges, which keep improving for elk and deer.
- →Don't count the South Park floor as public — it is largely private ranch and non-open state trust land.
- →Prepare for hard high-country weather at any point in the season.
Watch out for
- !The South Park valley floor is dominated by large private ranches — verify access before hunting it.
- !State Trust lands (including Tarryall Creek) are not open to general public hunting without CPW Public Access Program enrollment.
- !Lost Creek Wilderness is non-motorized — no vehicles or e-bikes past the boundary.
- !High-elevation weather can turn severe with little warning.
- !Open park terrain makes pronghorn and park elk very hard to approach.
Logistics
Fairplay (west) and the small crossroads of Jefferson and Lake George are the closest services, with fuller resupply toward Bailey or over the passes to the Front Range. Weather at 9,000-plus feet is serious — snow, wind, and cold can arrive any month of the hunt. Pike National Forest roads reach much of the timber, but Lost Creek Wilderness travel is on foot or horseback. Carry layers, recovery gear, and a satellite communicator; cell coverage is spotty off the highways.
Nearest towns: Fairplay, CO, Jefferson, CO, Lake George, CO, Bailey, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: HuntScore — Elk Hunting in Colorado's GMU 50 (Park County) · Cowboy Camp Outfitters — South Park Units 49/50/500/501 Hunting · CPW — Tarryall Creek State Trust Land · USFS — Lost Creek Wilderness (Pike NF)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 50 in Colorado?
- GMU 50 (GMU 50 — Park Co.) covers about 501 square miles, ranging from roughly 8,800 to 12,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 50?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Pike National Forest (South Park Ranger District), BLM, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 50?
- 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 50 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.