Unit 262 Unit 262
The Spring Mountains — Charleston Peak country between Las Vegas and Pahrump
Southern Nevada — Clark County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,146
sq mi
Public land
86%
approx.
Elevation
3,280–11,916
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 262 is the Spring Mountains range in Clark County, rising straight out of the Mojave floor between Las Vegas and Pahrump to over 11,900 feet at Charleston Peak. It is one of the few southern Nevada units with three big game species: a small pocket of elk near Cold Creek, desert bighorn on the lower rocky faces, and the unit's real workhorse — a mule deer herd that carries the bulk of the harvest. Draw tags are limited across the board, but the range's dramatic elevation band, good roads, and largely public land make it a genuinely enjoyable hunt.
Terrain
Enormous vertical range for the desert Southwest — blackbrush and creosote bajadas at the base climb through pinyon-juniper into ponderosa, white fir, and bristlecone pine near the crest. Terrain runs from rolling foothills to sheer cliff faces and rugged canyons; hunt the elevation band that matches your species.
Cover: Creosote and blackbrush scrub at the lowest elevations, pinyon-juniper woodland on the mid-slopes, then ponderosa pine, white fir, and ancient bristlecone pine up high, with aspen and meadow pockets in the canyons.
Landmarks: Spring Mountains · Charleston Peak · Mount Charleston Wilderness · La Madre Mountain Wilderness · La Madre Ridge · Brownstone Basin · Cold Creek · Kyle Canyon · Lee Canyon · SR 156 / SR 157 / SR 158
Access
About 86% public — the high country is Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area) and the lower and western flanks are BLM, with private inholdings around Cold Creek, Kyle Canyon, Lee Canyon, and Mountain Springs. Paved highways (SR 156 to Lee Canyon, SR 157/158 to Kyle Canyon and the Deer Creek loop) climb well into the range, backed by a network of Forest and BLM roads and 4WD trails; access is good overall. Large wilderness areas (Mount Charleston, La Madre Mountain) and the adjacent Red Rock Canyon NCA restrict motorized travel — those cores are foot-access only.
Managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF, BLM
Access points: SR 157 (Kyle Canyon) · SR 156 (Lee Canyon) · SR 158 (Deer Creek loop) · Cold Creek Road · US-95 west-side approaches · Red Rock / SR 159 west edge
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe unit's most-hunted species and the source of most of its harvest — a resident mule deer herd spread through the pinyon-juniper and timber of the Spring Mountains. Recent draw success has run in the mid-40% range; a solid opportunity hunt rather than a giant-buck destination.
- →Work the pinyon-juniper mid-elevations and the pine and fir benches, glassing canyon heads and meadow edges at first and last light.
- →Hunt the Kyle Canyon, Lee Canyon, and Deer Creek loop country off the paved highways, then push into the roadless drainages away from recreation traffic.
- →As fall cools and snow builds up high, deer shift to lower and mid-elevation slopes — follow the elevation band down.
- →Get away from the busy trailheads; the least-pressured deer are in the timbered pockets a walk off the roads.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA small elk pocket concentrated around Cold Creek on the northwest side of the range. Numbers are low and tags are few, but recent hunters have filled at a solid rate — a limited, localized opportunity built around one area.
- →Focus on the Cold Creek area and the timbered draws and meadows nearby — that is where the elk live.
- →Glass meadow edges and open pine benches early and late, and listen during the rut in the higher stands.
- →Cover ground quietly on foot away from the Cold Creek settlement to find undisturbed animals.
Bighorn Sheep
limited qualityDesert bighorn hold on the rocky lower faces of the Spring Mountains, with the best concentrations around La Madre Ridge and Brownstone Basin on the eastern side near Red Rock. A premium once-in-a-lifetime tag with very high recent success for the few who draw.
- →Concentrate on La Madre Ridge and the Brownstone Basin area — the eastern rock near Red Rock holds the rams.
- →Glass cliff bands and steep faces at first and last light from below before committing to a stalk.
- →Plan for rugged, cliffy terrain and long patient sits watching known rams; judge from a distance.
Pro tips
- →Pick your species, then pick your elevation band: sheep low and rocky (La Madre/Brownstone), deer in the mid pinyon-juniper and pine, elk around Cold Creek.
- →The paved canyon highways make access easy but funnel crowds — hike off the trailheads to find unpressured game.
- →Know the wilderness boundaries (Mount Charleston, La Madre Mountain) and Red Rock NCA — those cores are foot-access only.
- →Verify private inholdings around Cold Creek, Kyle Canyon, and Lee Canyon before crossing.
- →Layer for a 8,000-foot temperature swing between the desert base and the alpine crest in a single day.
Watch out for
- !Heavy recreation use out of metro Las Vegas — expect other people, especially on the Kyle and Lee Canyon corridors and weekends.
- !Large wilderness areas (Mount Charleston, La Madre Mountain) and the adjacent Red Rock Canyon NCA restrict or close motorized access.
- !Private inholdings at Cold Creek, Kyle Canyon, Lee Canyon, and Mountain Springs — confirm boundaries.
- !Rugged cliffs and canyons in the sheep and high country are genuinely hazardous; early snow can close upper roads.
- !Extreme temperature and elevation swings in a single hunt — the desert base and the 11,900-foot crest are different worlds.
Logistics
Unusually easy for a Nevada big game unit — full services (fuel, groceries, lodging, gear, repair) are minutes away in the Las Vegas metro on the east side and in Pahrump on the west. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest operates developed campgrounds in Kyle and Lee Canyons (seasonal), and dispersed camping is available on Forest and BLM ground. Cell service is good on the valley flanks and along the highways but drops in the canyons and high country. The tradeoff for easy access is crowds — this range is metro Las Vegas's backyard playground and sees heavy recreation traffic.
Nearest towns: Las Vegas, NV, Pahrump, NV, Cold Creek, NV, Mountain Springs, NV
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Desert Bighorn Sheep Unit 262 (Hunt Geometry) · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets · GoHunt — Nevada Unit 262 (cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 262 in Nevada?
- Unit 262 (Unit 262) covers about 2,146 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,280 to 11,916 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 262?
- Approximately 86% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 262?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 262 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.