Unit 51 Unit 51
A big, mostly public Carson Forest elk unit south of the Chama–Tres Piedras highway, from red-rock Chama canyon to 10,000-foot Tusas ridges.
NMDGF Northwest — Carson National Forest, Tusas Mountains & Chama River canyon (sub-units 51A, 51B) · Last reviewed 2026-07-17
Area
994
sq mi
Public land
82%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–10,600
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 51 covers roughly 994 square miles of north-central New Mexico in Rio Arriba and Taos counties, bounded on the north by US 64 between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras, on the east by US 285 above Ojo Caliente, and on the south and west by US 84 and the Rio Chama. The larger sub-unit 51A takes in the Tusas Mountains of the Carson National Forest east of US 84 — the El Rito, Vallecitos and Canjilon country climbing to over 10,000 feet near Hopewell Lake — while compact 51B lies west of US 84, wrapping the eastern side of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness below Echo Amphitheater. This is one of northern New Mexico's better public-land elk units: it sits in the state's north-central elk range (the largest elk population in New Mexico), roughly four-fifths of the ground is Carson NF and BLM, and it produces good bulls every year with a moderate but quality mule deer herd on the mesas and canyon breaks. Private ranch bottoms along the highways and the Tierra Amarilla grant country carry E-PLUS landowner elk authorizations, so the unit still demands boundary homework.
Terrain
Two personalities: east of US 84, rolling volcanic uplands and timbered ridges of the Tusas Mountains cut by the Rio Vallecitos and Rio Tusas, rising from PJ mesas past grassy parks to 10,000-foot country near the US 64 / Hopewell Lake divide; west of US 84, red-rock mesa and canyon country dropping into the Rio Chama's wilderness gorge. It hunts like classic park-and-timber elk country up high and glassing country on the mesa breaks below.
Cover: Sagebrush and pinyon-juniper on the lower mesas grading through ponderosa pine and Gambel oak into mixed conifer, aspen and big grassy parks on the high Tusas ridges; cottonwood and willow along the Rio Chama and valley bottoms.
Landmarks: Tusas Mountains (Carson NF) · US 64 Tierra Amarilla–Tres Piedras road over the Brazos uplands (north boundary) · Hopewell Lake area (US 64) · Rio Vallecitos and Rio Tusas drainages · Canjilon Lakes country · Chama River Canyon Wilderness and the Rio Chama gorge (51B) · Echo Amphitheater (US 84) · El Rito and Vallecitos villages
Access
One of the friendlier access stories in northern New Mexico: roughly 82% public overall — about 86% in 51A and two-thirds in 51B — hunted off an extensive Carson NF road network reached from US 64, US 84, US 285 and the villages of El Rito, Vallecitos and Canjilon. The exceptions matter: private ranch land concentrates in the valley bottoms, along the Tierra Amarilla grant country on the northwest, and in 51B's northeast, and many of those ranches hold E-PLUS landowner elk authorizations — confirm public status before you set up. The Chama River Canyon Wilderness edge in 51B is foot and horseback only (Forest Road 151 runs the canyon floor to the wilderness margin). The Jicarilla Apache reservation lies west of the Rio Chama outside the unit and is closed to general NMDGF hunting.
Managers: USFS Carson National Forest, BLM (Taos Field Office), private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust
Access points: US 64 between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras — forest roads dropping south into the high Tusas country · NM 554 / NM 111 through El Rito, La Madera and Vallecitos into the Rio Vallecitos drainages · NM 115 / Canjilon Lakes road out of Canjilon (51A west side) · US 285 approaches from Tres Piedras and Ojo Caliente (51A east side) · US 84 and Forest Road 151 up the Rio Chama toward the wilderness (51B)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe headline species. Unit 51 sits in New Mexico's north-central elk range — the state's largest elk population — and carries good elk numbers on overwhelmingly public Carson NF ground, with genuine 300-class potential on mature bulls in the Tusas high country and the Chama canyon fringes.
- →Glass the big grassy parks and aspen-timber edges of the high Tusas ridges at first and last light
- →September is usually dry — inventory wallows, seeps and stock tanks before the rut and let water dictate your mornings
- →Bed-hunt the north-slope mixed conifer above the parks where mature bulls hole up by mid-morning
- →Get past the first ridge from any forest road; pressure stacks near the US 64 and NM 111 access, and elk shift fast
- →In 51B, use the foot-only Chama wilderness edge — the canyon timber holds bulls that road hunters never see
Mule Deer
common qualityA moderate-density but quality mule deer herd spread across the PJ mesas, oak-brush canyons and aspen high country — good bucks come out of this unit every year, with 51A carrying the stronger deer country and 51B's numbers thinner.
- →Glass the pinyon-juniper/sage transition benches at dawn, especially along the mesa breaks above the Vallecitos and Tusas drainages
- →Hunt oak-brush pockets and aspen edges up high early, dropping with the deer as cold arrives
- →Still-hunt the broken canyon country between parks and timber at midday
- →Late-October cold fronts start the best daylight buck movement — be in the high parks when the first snow dusts the Tusas
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear work the oak-brush canyons, aspen pockets and berry slopes of the Carson NF high country — a real but secondary opportunity, mostly taken by elk hunters who carry a bear license.
- →Glass Gambel-oak slopes when the acorn mast is on in early fall
- →Watch canyon-bottom water and berry patches at dawn and dusk
- →Cover the aspen-conifer edges above 9,000 feet where bears feed before denning
Pro tips
- →This is a public-land unit that rewards depth: pick two or three drainages (Vallecitos, Tusas, Canjilon side) and learn them, rather than driving the whole unit
- →Scout water before September — wallows and tanks are the rut's chessboard in a dry year
- →Confirm E-PLUS/private boundaries in the valley bottoms and the Tierra Amarilla grant fringe before first light, not after
- →Use the Chama River Canyon Wilderness edge (51B) or the roadless heads of the Tusas drainages to escape road pressure
- →For deer, hunt the mesa breaks patiently with glass — the PJ hides more bucks than still-hunting will ever show you
- →Watch the weather: the first heavy Tusas snow relocates the elk herd downhill within days
Watch out for
- !Private ranch bottoms and E-PLUS parcels thread the highway corridors and grant lands — not all elk ground here is public
- !The Chama River Canyon Wilderness is foot/horseback only; no mechanized travel past the boundary
- !Little to no cell service off the highways — leave a plan and carry a communicator
- !High forest roads mud up badly in rain and early snow; late hunts can lose vehicle access overnight
- !September water scarcity concentrates elk but also hunters — expect company at known tanks
- !Jicarilla Apache land west of the Rio Chama is closed to general NMDGF hunting
Logistics
Chama (just north of the unit) and Tierra Amarilla anchor the northwest corner with fuel, lodging and cafes; Tres Piedras and Ojo Caliente cover the east side with fuel and basics; Española, about an hour south, is the real supply hub for groceries, gear and motels. Inside the unit, plan on self-sufficient national-forest camping off gravel and dirt forest roads — there are developed sites at Hopewell Lake and Canjilon Lakes — and expect little to no cell coverage off the US 64/84/285 corridors. High clearance is wise; the volcanic-soil roads get slick and rutted in rain and early snow.
Nearest towns: Tierra Amarilla, Chama, Tres Piedras, El Rito, Ojo Caliente, Abiquiu, Española
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official New Mexico sources:
Research sources: 19.30.4 NMAC — GMU boundary descriptions (Units 51, 51A, 51B) · NMDGF Game Management Unit 51 boundary map (PDF) · EPLUS New Mexico — elk distribution and management zones · GOHUNT — New Mexico Unit 51A / 51B profiles (ownership, elk and deer quality) · Hunters Domain — New Mexico Unit 51 hunting information · Carson National Forest (USFS) — forest and wilderness information
FAQ
- How big is Unit 51 in New Mexico?
- Unit 51 (Unit 51) covers about 994 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 10,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 51?
- Approximately 82% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Carson National Forest, BLM (Taos Field Office), private ranch (E-PLUS), NM State Trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 51?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official New Mexico agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 51 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.