Unit 58 58 (Beaverhead)
A high sagebrush trough between the Lemhi Range and the Continental Divide — pronghorn country first, with backcountry mule deer and general elk in the timber above.
Eastern Idaho — Birch Creek Valley, Beaverhead Mountains (Clark, Lemhi, Butte & Jefferson County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
601
sq mi
Public land
89%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–12,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 58 covers the Birch Creek drainage northwest of State Highway 22, a broad high-desert valley squeezed between the towering Lemhi Range to the west and the Beaverhead Mountains along the Idaho-Montana Continental Divide to the east. It is overwhelmingly public — a mix of BLM sagebrush flats and Salmon-Challis / Caribou-Targhee timber — and the pronghorn hunting is the standout, with strong success on the open benches. Mule deer and general-season elk hold to the higher timbered and above-timberline country on both mountain walls, while black bears are a limited add-on. This is part of the Beaverhead Elk Zone.
Terrain
A long, high sagebrush valley floor near 6,000 ft draining Birch Creek, flanked by two big ranges — the Lemhi Range on the west climbing toward Diamond Peak (12,197 ft) and the Beaverhead Mountains on the east along the Continental Divide. Slopes run from gentle desert benches to steep, rugged canyons and peaks well above timberline.
Cover: Predominantly rangeland (roughly 70%) — big sagebrush, bunchgrass and rabbitbrush on the valley floor and lower benches — grading into Douglas-fir, lodgepole and subalpine fir in the mountain draws (about 28% forest), with alpine tundra and rock above timberline and willow-lined riparian strings along Birch Creek and its tributaries.
Landmarks: Birch Creek valley · Lemhi Range (Diamond Peak) · Beaverhead Mountains / Continental Divide · Gilmore ghost town · Kaufman Guard Station · State Highway 28 corridor
Access
One of the most public units in the region — nearly half BLM and over 40% national forest, with only ~3% private. State Highway 28 runs the Birch Creek valley and Highway 22 forms the south boundary; BLM two-tracks and Forest roads climb the alluvial fans into both ranges. The small southern edge near the Idaho National Laboratory (DOE) is closed to public entry.
Managers: BLM Idaho Falls District, USFS Salmon-Challis NF, USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, US DOE (Idaho National Laboratory — closed), Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private ranch
Access points: State Highway 28 (Lone Pine to Leadore side) · State Highway 22 (south boundary) · Birch Creek Rd and BLM fan roads · Gilmore / Meadow Lake area into the Beaverheads · Forest roads into the Lemhi Range
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe signature hunt of Unit 58 — a controlled-tag pronghorn hunt with high success on the open Birch Creek sagebrush benches. Buck quality is solid for the region and drawing the tag is the main hurdle.
- →Glass the sage flats and low benches at dawn and last light from a truck or a knob
- →Locate a good buck the evening before, then plan a stalk using terrain folds
- →Use the valley's gentle rises to close the distance across open ground
- →Water sources and green strips concentrate antelope in dry early seasons
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold in the broken country and timbered pockets on both mountain walls; general-season success runs modest, and the biggest bucks live high and remote away from the valley roads.
- →Climb above the sagebrush into the aspen and fir pockets and glass open pockets at dawn
- →Hunt the transition where rangeland meets timber on the Lemhi and Beaverhead fronts
- →Cover ground and glass a lot — deer are scattered across big country
- →Late-season storms push deer down onto the winter benches
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA Beaverhead Zone general-season elk opportunity with typical modest success — the elk are here in the timbered high country and canyon heads, but they use big, rough terrain and pressure moves them fast.
- →Hunt the timbered canyon heads and north slopes of the Beaverheads and Lemhis
- →Bugle and cow-call the September ridges before the crowds
- →Cut fresh sign on the BLM/Forest boundary and push into dark timber
- →Be ready to hike well off the valley roads to find undisturbed elk
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears are a limited opportunity here — numbers are lower than the wetter forests to the north, but bears use the timbered draws and berry brush of both ranges.
- →Spring: glass green-up on south-facing slopes and old burns
- →Fall: check chokecherry and mountain-ash pockets in the timbered draws
- →Focus on the forested high country, not the open sage
- →Watch for color-phase (cinnamon) bears common in this region
Pro tips
- →Treat this as a pronghorn unit first — the sagebrush flats, not the mountains, are the draw
- →This is nearly all public land, so cross-referencing a BLM/Forest ownership map still pays off around the few private ranch parcels along Birch Creek
- →Carry more water than you think for both you and any early hot-weather stalk
- →For deer and elk you must climb — the valley floor is antelope ground
- →Pre-scout on the IDFG Hunt Planner and glass extensively; big country rewards patient optics work
Watch out for
- !The Idaho National Laboratory (DOE) land on the southern fringe is closed to public access — stay off it
- !Services are minimal in the Birch Creek valley; fuel up in Mud Lake, Dubois or Idaho Falls
- !BLM two-tracks and Forest roads become impassable when wet and drift shut with early snow at elevation
- !Respect the scattered private ranch inholdings along the creek — verify boundaries
- !High Lemhi and Beaverhead terrain is steep and remote; weather turns fast above timberline
Logistics
Highway 28 up the Birch Creek valley and Highway 22 across the south are the arteries; Interstate 15 to the east links Dubois and Idaho Falls, the nearest full-service town for fuel, groceries, lodging and processing. Services in the valley are extremely limited — carry fuel, water and recovery gear. Many BLM and Forest side roads are unmaintained two-tracks that turn greasy when wet and gain snow early up high.
Nearest towns: Mud Lake, Dubois, Leadore, Lone Pine, Idaho Falls
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 58 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Beaverhead Zone · USFS Salmon-Challis National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 58 in Idaho?
- Unit 58 (58 (Beaverhead)) covers about 601 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 12,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 58?
- Approximately 89% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Idaho Falls District, USFS Salmon-Challis NF, USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, US DOE (Idaho National Laboratory — closed), Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 58?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 58 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.