GMU 67 GMU 67 — Gunnison/Hinsdale/Saguache Co.
Limited-draw Gunnison Basin elk from sage hayfields up to 14,000-foot San Luis Peak
Southwest Colorado — Gunnison Basin / Cochetopa & La Garita · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
675
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
7,600–14,014
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 67 stretches from the hayfields, meadows, and river bottoms around Gunnison in the north nearly 40 miles south to the alpine crest of the La Garita Wilderness, climbing roughly 7,500 vertical feet to 14,014-foot San Luis Peak. It sits squarely in the Gunnison Basin, which converted entirely to limited-draw elk in 1999 — there is no over-the-counter opportunity here. Elk is the marquee species (recent bull success near 29%), with a solid limited-draw mule deer hunt and a small pronghorn allotment on the lower sage. The mix of Cochetopa Hills timber, La Garita alpine, and open sage parks gives elk room to hide.
Terrain
Enormous vertical relief. The north end is low sage hills, hayfields, and river bottom near Gunnison; the south end rises through the Cochetopa Hills — dominated by 11,132-foot Cochetopa Dome — into the La Garita Wilderness and peaks well above timberline, including Baldy Alto, Organ Mountain, and 14,014-foot San Luis Peak. About 35 miles of the Continental Divide crest the southern boundary.
Cover: Roughly a third shrub/scrub (big sagebrush) and a fifth grassland on the lower and mid country, with about 27% evergreen forest and 12% aspen climbing the slopes, topping out in alpine tundra. Willow bottoms and aspen pockets are key elk edges.
Landmarks: San Luis Peak · Cochetopa Dome · Cochetopa Hills · La Garita Wilderness · Baldy Alto · Organ Mountain · Continental Divide · Cochetopa Creek · Cebolla Creek
Access
About 80% public — roughly 170,000 acres of Gunnison National Forest (plus ~27,000 acres of La Garita Wilderness) and ~179,000 acres of BLM, laced with scattered private. The private ground concentrates on the productive valley floors and hayfields in the north around Gunnison, which are prime winter range — verify boundaries. Colorado State Trust lands (a few thousand acres here) are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. The La Garita Wilderness in the south is non-motorized foot-and-horse country.
Managers: USFS Gunnison National Forest (GMUG), USFS La Garita Wilderness, BLM Gunnison Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Gunnison / US 50 corridor · Cochetopa Creek road and trailheads · Cochetopa Pass (CO 114) area · Los Piños / Cebolla Creek roads · USFS trailheads into La Garita Wilderness
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA fully limited-draw Gunnison Basin elk unit — no OTC. It's a mid-tier basin unit with big country and good elk numbers; recent bull success ran near 29%. The blend of Cochetopa timber and La Garita wilderness lets bulls scatter and age.
- →Push into the Cochetopa Hills timber and the La Garita drainages where bulls hole up away from roads.
- →Glass the sage parks and aspen edges of the mid unit at dawn and dusk; elk feed the openings and bed in cover.
- →Early archery hunts can catch the rut around the timber-park edges south of Gunnison.
- →Later rifle seasons improve as snow at elevation nudges elk down toward the northern winter range.
Mule Deer
common qualityA dependable limited-draw deer hunt with solid success recently (roughly two of three tags filled). Bucks use the sage, oak-brush, and pinyon-juniper benches and the aspen-conifer edges.
- →Grid-glass the sage and pinyon-juniper benches on the mid-elevation shoulders.
- →Hunt aspen and mountain-shrub edges in the transition zone morning and evening.
- →Later hunts concentrate deer as they drift toward lower winter range near the valley.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA small pronghorn opportunity on the open sage parks and low hills of the north end — a modest number of tags and a small annual harvest. Incidental to the unit's big-game draw.
- →Focus on the open sage-grassland parks and hayfield fringes in the lower northern portion.
- →Glass long from the two-tracks and use folds in the terrain to close.
- →Pair it with elk and deer scouting rather than a standalone trip.
Pro tips
- →GMU 67 is fully limited-draw for elk and deer — no OTC. Plan your points accordingly.
- →Use the extreme elevation range: hunt high early, follow snow and animals down as the season progresses.
- →The Cochetopa Hills timber and La Garita drainages hold the older bulls that leave the roads.
- →Northern private ground is critical winter range and off-limits without permission — verify status before season.
- →Be self-contained for the remote south end; services thin out fast past Gunnison.
Watch out for
- !Private ranches and hayfields (prime winter range) cluster on the northern valley floor — know the boundaries.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !La Garita Wilderness is non-motorized — plan the pack-out from the high basins.
- !High-elevation weather and early snow can close roads and strand vehicles.
- !Scattered private inholdings within the forest require permission to cross.
Logistics
Gunnison anchors the unit — full fuel, groceries, lodging, gear, and repair, right on US 50 at the north edge. The south end into the Cochetopa and La Garita country is remote; plan to camp and be self-sufficient. High-clearance 4WD helps on the forest roads, and horses or strong legs are near-mandatory to reach the wilderness basins. Cell service fades fast off the highway — carry a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Gunnison, CO, Doyleville, CO, Sargents, CO, Saguache, 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 · USFS — La Garita Wilderness: Gunnison · Colorado Outdoors — 2026 Gunnison Basin OTC/Limited elk changes · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 67 profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 67 in Colorado?
- GMU 67 (GMU 67 — Gunnison/Hinsdale/Saguache Co.) covers about 675 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,600 to 14,014 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 67?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Gunnison National Forest (GMUG), USFS La Garita Wilderness, BLM Gunnison Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 67?
- 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 67 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.