GMU 58 GMU 58 — Fremont/Park Co.
Big, rolling volcanic mesa country with the area's best pronghorn and limited-draw elk
Central Colorado — Thirtynine Mile Mountain & Guffey high country (Fremont/Park) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
874
sq mi
Public land
40%
approx.
Elevation
6,500–11,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 58 is a large (roughly 874-square-mile) unit sprawling across the Thirtynine Mile Mountain volcanic highlands and the Guffey country between Cañon City and South Park, straddling Fremont and Park counties. All big game here is limited-draw — there is no over-the-counter elk — and CPW manages the unit for moderate hunter density. Pronghorn are the standout (recent success in the low 50s% and the highest antelope harvest of the neighboring units), mule deer run well (success in the mid-40s%), and elk (success near 31%) hold in the timbered pockets and migrate through with weather. Much of the unit is big private ranch, so knowing where the public ground lies is everything.
Terrain
High, rolling grassland mesas and volcanic uplands centered on Thirtynine Mile Mountain, broken by ponderosa parks, timbered draws, and rimrock. The country undulates rather than towering — open sage-grass basins between forested ridges and dome-shaped volcanic peaks.
Cover: Wide sage-grassland parks and mountain grassland on the mesas, ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper on the ridges and draws, with aspen and scattered spruce-fir on the higher, cooler slopes.
Landmarks: Thirtynine Mile Mountain · Guffey · Black Mountain · Waugh Mountain · Currant Creek · Fourmile Creek · High Park
Access
A genuine checkerboard: substantial Pike-San Isabel National Forest and BLM ground interwoven with very large private ranches, so a good ownership app is non-negotiable — the open basins that look most inviting are often deeded ranch. Colorado State Trust lands scattered through the unit are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Access is via a network of county gravel and Forest roads off US 50 (south) and CO 9 (west); some public parcels are effectively landlocked behind private and require careful map work to reach legally.
Managers: USFS Pike-San Isabel NF, BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Guffey / CO 9 corridor · US 50 to Currant Creek Pass (south) · Fourmile Creek county roads · Forest roads onto Thirtynine Mile Mountain · High Park Road
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe unit's calling card — recent success in the low 50s% on a hard-to-draw tag, with good buck quality on the high sage-grass parks. The open mesas around Thirtynine Mile Mountain and the Guffey basins hold speed goats in numbers unusual for this much timber.
- →Glass the wide sage-grassland parks and mesa tops at dawn; pronghorn here use the open high basins between the timbered ridges.
- →Use the rolling terrain to your advantage — get above a herd on a mesa rim and stalk down through folds rather than across open flat.
- →Verify you are on public ground before the stalk; the best goat basins are often private ranch.
Mule Deer
common qualityA strong limited-draw mule deer unit — mid-40s% success is good for Colorado. Bucks work the ponderosa parks, pinyon-juniper ridges, and sage draws, dropping to lower country with weather.
- →Hunt the ponderosa-park and pinyon-juniper edges and the sage draws off the mesa shoulders rather than the open middles.
- →Later seasons concentrate bucks as they push down off Thirtynine Mile toward the creek bottoms.
- →Glass hard from rimrock vantage points — this is patient spot-and-stalk terrain.
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityLimited-draw only (no OTC), managed for opportunity and density rather than trophy age class; 5-year success near 31%. Elk hold in the timbered pockets and volcanic uplands and shift with weather and pressure from adjacent units.
- →Focus on the timbered ridges, dark draws, and aspen pockets on and around Thirtynine Mile Mountain — elk use cover between the open parks.
- →Later rifle hunts improve as weather moves elk and concentrates them; glass the park edges at first and last light.
- →Break well off the county and Forest roads into the timber where pressured elk retreat.
Pro tips
- →This unit shines for pronghorn — apply here if a quality speed-goat tag is the goal.
- →No OTC elk: budget preference points, especially as a nonresident.
- →Carry a current ownership map — the inviting open basins are frequently private ranch, and state trust parcels are closed to hunting.
- →Some public parcels are landlocked; scout legal access routes before season instead of assuming you can reach every green square.
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch interwoven with public — landlocked public parcels are common.
- !Colorado State Trust lands here are closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Volcanic-soil roads turn slick and impassable with rain or early snow.
- !Big country and long drives between huntable ground — plan fuel and time accordingly.
Logistics
Cañon City (south) is the main supply hub with fuel, groceries, lodging, and repair; Cripple Creek sits off the northeast corner and tiny Guffey anchors the middle. Expect long gravel-road drives between huntable public parcels. High-clearance is smart, and the volcanic-soil roads turn to grease with rain or snow. Cell service is spotty away from US 50 — carry maps and a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Cañon City, CO, Guffey, CO, Cripple Creek, CO, Salida, 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 & GMU Info · USFS — Pike-San Isabel National Forest · BLM — Royal Gorge Field Office · Public Lands Interpretive Association — Colorado Unit 58
FAQ
- How big is GMU 58 in Colorado?
- GMU 58 (GMU 58 — Fremont/Park Co.) covers about 874 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,500 to 11,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 58?
- Approximately 40% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Pike-San Isabel NF, BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 58?
- Pronghorn, 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 58 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.