Unit 6B Unit 6B
A draw-only trophy-bull hunt inside a volcanic caldera preserve, all public and all controlled
Valles Caldera National Preserve — the Baca · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
139
sq mi
Public land
100%
approx.
Elevation
8,000–11,253
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Unit 6B is the Valles Caldera National Preserve — the roughly 89,000-acre former Baca Ranch set inside a 13-mile-wide volcanic caldera in the heart of the Jemez Mountains, Sandoval County. It is one of the best places in New Mexico to hunt mature bull elk: 2,500 to 3,000 elk use the preserve's grassy volcanic valles (parks) rimmed by mixed-conifer domes. This is a fully public federal unit, but access is unlike anywhere else — the entire unit is closed to hunting and trapping except for tightly managed elk and turkey draw hunts. There is no E-PLUS private ground and no general over-the-counter access; drawing a tag is the entire game.
Terrain
A high volcanic basin of expansive grassland valles ringed by forested resurgent domes, topping out at 11,253-foot Redondo Peak, with fumaroles, hot springs and gas seeps marking its volcanic origin.
Cover: Open montane grasslands (valles) in the basin floors surrounded by mixed conifer, ponderosa, Douglas fir and aspen on the domes and rims.
Landmarks: Redondo Peak (11,253 ft) · Valle Grande · Valle San Antonio · Valle Toledo · the caldera rim · Valles Caldera National Preserve
Access
The unit is entirely the federally owned Valles Caldera National Preserve. It is closed to all hunting and trapping except managed elk and turkey draw hunts, so there is no general public or private access here — a drawn tag is the only way in, and the preserve administers hunter access, entry points and any road/area assignments. Jemez Pueblo retains recognized traditional hunting rights within the preserve. No E-PLUS landowner tags exist for this unit.
Managers: National Park Service (Valles Caldera National Preserve), tribal (Jemez Pueblo — traditional/treaty hunting rights)
Access points: Preserve main entrance off NM 4 (Valle Grande) · NM 4 corridor from La Cueva or Los Alamos · preserve-administered hunt access points assigned to drawn hunters
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant trophyThe reason the unit exists as a hunt — a large resident elk population inside the caldera that produces mature bulls, hunted only through limited draw tags with low pressure and controlled access.
- →Glass the open valles from the timbered edges at first and last light
- →Work the transition between grassland parks and conifer domes where bulls stage and bed
- →Use the rim and dome benches to spot bulls moving between valles
- →Hunt water and wallows during a dry rut
- →Follow preserve hunt-access rules and cover ground on foot into quieter basins
Pro tips
- →Getting the tag is the whole challenge — this is a coveted limited draw
- →Read the preserve's hunt-access rules closely; entry and movement are managed, not free-roam
- →Glass the big open valles from timbered edges rather than walking into the middle of them
- →Plan for high-elevation cold and possible snow even on early hunts
- →In a dry rut, key on water and wallows in the timber between the parks
Watch out for
- !Closed to all hunting except managed elk/turkey draw hunts — no general or private access
- !Access is administered by the preserve; follow assigned entry and area rules
- !Jemez Pueblo holds traditional hunting rights within the preserve
- !High elevation brings cold and early snow — prepare for winter conditions
- !No E-PLUS tags or over-the-counter opportunity exist for this unit
Logistics
Los Alamos, about a half-hour away in good weather, is the nearest full-service town, with Jemez Springs and La Cueva along the NM 4 approach from the southwest and Espanola to the northeast. Successful applicants hunt under the preserve's managed-access system, so read the hunt package carefully for entry, camping and vehicle rules. High elevation means cold nights and the chance of early snow.
Nearest towns: Los Alamos, Jemez Springs, La Cueva, White Rock, Espanola
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official New Mexico sources:
Research sources: Valles Caldera National Preserve — Hunting (National Park Service) · GOHUNT New Mexico Unit 6B Profile · National Parks Traveler — Jemez Pueblo Retains Rights to Hunt Within Valles Caldera
FAQ
- How big is Unit 6B in New Mexico?
- Unit 6B (Unit 6B) covers about 139 square miles, ranging from roughly 8,000 to 11,253 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 6B?
- Approximately 100% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: National Park Service (Valles Caldera National Preserve), tribal (Jemez Pueblo — traditional/treaty hunting rights). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 6B?
- Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official New Mexico agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 6B on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.