GMU 85 GMU 85 — Huerfano/Las Animas Co.
A top OTC 2nd/3rd-rifle elk unit under the Spanish Peaks, with big harvest and lots of company
Southern Colorado — Spanish Peaks & the Cuchara country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,177
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
6,025–13,626
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 85 sits in southern Colorado's Huerfano and Las Animas counties, running from the Sangre de Cristo crest and the twin Spanish Peaks down through the Cuchara and La Veta country to the piñon foothills above Trinidad. It's one of the region's better over-the-counter elk units — a perennial leader in 2nd- and 3rd-rifle bull harvest — but that OTC access means heavy pressure and a modest success rate (recent success near 18% on a large ~548 harvest). Mule deer hunting is limited-draw and productive (success near 48%), and the open sage-grass benches carry a pronghorn hunt as well.
Terrain
Steep and varied. The west and north rise to the Sangre de Cristo crest and Trinchera Peak (13,517 ft); the distinctive Spanish Peaks — West at 13,626 and East at 12,683 — stand isolated above timberline in the center; from there the country steps down through forested foothills and piñon-juniper mesas to valley bottoms near Trinidad.
Cover: Spruce-fir and alpine tundra on the high peaks and crest; aspen and ponderosa on the mid-slopes; extensive pine-oak and mountain shrub in the foothills; piñon-juniper and grassland on the lower mesas and valley floors.
Landmarks: West Spanish Peak · East Spanish Peak · Spanish Peaks Wilderness · Trinchera Peak · Sangre de Cristo Mountains · Cuchara / Cucharas Pass · Silver Mountain · Apishapa drainage
Access
About 25% public — roughly a quarter of the unit is huntable ground, centered on the San Isabel National Forest and the Spanish Peaks Wilderness in the middle of the unit, plus the ~6,000-acre Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area open to deer and elk hunting. The middle and lower elevations are largely private, including large hunting ranches; the Twin Peaks area is a limited-license Ranching for Wildlife property. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Access to public is good, to private reasonable through leases and vouchers.
Managers: USFS San Isabel National Forest, private ranch, CPW Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area
Access points: La Veta / CO 12 (Highway of Legends) · Cuchara and Cucharas Pass · North Fork Purgatoire / forest roads south of Cuchara · Spanish Peaks Wilderness trailheads · Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe headline hunt — an over-the-counter 2nd/3rd-rifle elk unit that consistently posts big total bull harvest (recent harvest ~548). Because it's OTC, it draws crowds and success runs low (near 18%). The better elk country is the National Forest west and southwest of La Veta around Silver Mountain, south of Cuchara, and the Spanish Peaks forest and wilderness.
- →Beat the OTC crowds by hiking well past the trailheads into the Spanish Peaks Wilderness and the timber south of Cuchara.
- →Focus on the Silver Mountain forest west/southwest of La Veta, where elk hold on public ground.
- →Hunt the dark-timber pockets and north-facing benches where pressured elk bed midday.
- →Later rifle seasons and snow move elk down off the crest — intercept them on the forest-private transition.
Mule Deer
common qualityA productive limited-draw mule deer hunt — recent success near 48%. The south half of the unit generally outproduces the north; in later seasons deer concentrate in the Apishapa drainage and the Jarosa, Burro, Chicosa, and Road Canyon country.
- →Focus the south half of the unit and the piñon-juniper and oak-brush foothill benches.
- →In late seasons, hunt the canyon systems — Apishapa, Jarosa, Burro, Chicosa, Road Canyon — where deer bunch up.
- →Glass mesa edges and mountain-shrub draws at dawn and dusk.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA modest pronghorn hunt on the open sage-grass benches and lower mesas — a limited number of tags with recent success near 49%. Mostly a private-land glass-and-stalk hunt away from the mountains.
- →Glass the open grassland benches and valley flats in the lower, drier parts of the unit.
- →Use terrain and stock ponds to close on antelope in the open country.
- →Secure private permission early — most antelope ground is ranch land.
Pro tips
- →GMU 85 is a genuine OTC elk unit for 2nd/3rd rifle — great for tag availability, but you'll share it, and success is low.
- →Escape the pressure: the Silver Mountain forest west/southwest of La Veta and the Spanish Peaks Wilderness reward legs.
- →The ~6,000-acre Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area is open public elk/deer ground worth scouting.
- →For deer, work the south half and the late-season canyon concentrations (Apishapa, Jarosa, Burro, Chicosa, Road Canyon).
- →State Trust land is closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — don't count it as open.
Watch out for
- !OTC elk seasons bring heavy hunter pressure and low success — the good animals are earned off the roads.
- !About three-quarters of the unit is private, including large hunting ranches; know your boundaries.
- !Twin Peaks is a limited-license Ranching for Wildlife property, not general public access.
- !State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Spanish Peaks Wilderness is non-motorized and early snow can close the high forest roads.
Logistics
Walsenburg (north) and Trinidad (southeast), both on I-25, are the full-service hubs — fuel, groceries, lodging, gear, and hospitals. La Veta and Cuchara sit right at the mountain front with basic supplies, lodging, and quick access to the forest. Public camping is workable on the San Isabel NF; high-clearance helps on the forest roads south of Cuchara. Cell service is decent along I-25 and CO 12 but drops in the Spanish Peaks high country.
Nearest towns: La Veta, CO, Cuchara, CO, Walsenburg, CO, Trinidad, 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 · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 85 profile (Spanish Peaks, OTC harvest ranking, SWA; secondary cross-check) · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 85 (land ownership, elevation, terrain; secondary)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 85 in Colorado?
- GMU 85 (GMU 85 — Huerfano/Las Animas Co.) covers about 1,177 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,025 to 13,626 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 85?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS San Isabel National Forest, private ranch, CPW Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 85?
- 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 85 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.