Unit 55 Walla Walla
A compact 'Big 3' trophy elk unit on the Oregon-Washington line — high-quality bulls above Tollgate with a few big mule deer and canyon whitetails.
Blue Mountains — Walla Walla Highlands · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
305
sq mi
Public land
33%
approx.
Elevation
1,800–5,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Walla Walla Unit (~305 square miles) is a compact northeastern-corner unit running from Weston up State Hwy 204 to the Tollgate high country and north to the Oregon-Washington state line, in the Umatilla National Forest of the Blue Mountains. High-quality bull elk are the draw — it's counted alongside Mt. Emily and Wenaha as one of Oregon's 'Big 3' once-in-a-lifetime elk units — with a few big mule deer and whitetail deer rounding out the deer hunting. About 33 percent is public, concentrated in the Umatilla NF highlands, where Forest Service land largely between 2,500 and 5,500 feet is heavily timbered on the north- and east-facing slopes.
Terrain
Climbs from the Walla Walla River drainages and lower canyon country on the north edge up to the forested Blue Mountain highlands around Tollgate, with most national-forest ground between 2,500 and 5,500 ft. Deep timbered canyons, benchy ridges and drainages draining north toward Washington define the country.
Cover: Bunchgrass and shrub-steppe on the lower and south canyon slopes grading into dense ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and grand fir on the highlands; north- and east-facing slopes are largely forested and thick, with meadows and creek-bottom brush breaking the timber.
Landmarks: Tollgate / State Hwy 204 summit country · Spout Springs area · Walla Walla River drainages · Oregon-Washington state line (north boundary) · Umatilla National Forest highlands
Access
About a third of the unit is public, concentrated in the Umatilla National Forest highlands around Tollgate; the lower canyons and north-edge farmland toward Washington are largely private and require permission. The forest-road network opens the highlands but expect travel-management and seasonal (snow) closures on the upper roads. Carry an ownership map — the public/private boundary at the forest/canyon transition is not obvious on the ground.
Managers: USFS Umatilla National Forest, BLM (Vale District), Oregon Department of Forestry, Private rangeland, timber and canyon ranches (north and west)
Access points: State Hwy 204 (Weston–Tollgate–Elgin) — the spine of the unit · Tollgate / Spout Springs forest-road network · Umatilla NF roads into the highland drainages · Walla Walla River canyon access (lower, much private)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant trophyWalla Walla is a trophy Rocky Mountain elk unit — one of Oregon's 'Big 3' — producing high-quality bulls. The good bull tags are prized once-in-a-lifetime limited-entry draws; this is a scouting-and-patience trophy hunt, not a general over-the-counter bull unit.
- →Hunt the dark north- and east-facing timbered slopes where bulls hold, working the timber/meadow edges at first and last light.
- →Glass openings, benches and old cuts in the Tollgate highlands to locate herds, then still-hunt into cover.
- →Push into the roughest, least-roaded timber for mature bulls once general pressure builds.
- →With a coveted tag, invest pre-season scouting to pin specific herds in the compact unit.
Mule Deer
common qualityThe unit produces a few big mule deer among a solid population; bucks work the open ridges and bunchgrass/timber edges of the highland and upper-canyon country.
- →Glass open south-facing ridges and grassy benches at dawn for bucks feeding before bedding near timber.
- →Hunt the ridge tops and timber edges during the rut when mature bucks move with does.
- →Still-hunt canyon heads and timber pockets on public ground under pressure.
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail deer hold in the canyon bottoms, riparian corridors and valley-edge farmland on the north and west sides toward Washington, giving a second deer species.
- →Hunt brushy creek bottoms and ag/canyon edges at first and last light.
- →Watch cover edges — whitetails stay tight to bottom brush.
- →Most whitetail ground is private canyon/valley land — secure permission first.
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common in the timbered highlands and brushy drainages of the Umatilla forest ground.
- →Glass green spring slopes and meadow edges for feeding bears.
- →In fall hunt berry and mast concentrations in the mid-elevation timber and canyons.
Cougar
common opportunityCougars follow the deer and elk herds throughout the unit and are open on a general tag.
- →Cut fresh tracks on snow along ridge roads after storms.
- →Hunt near winter deer and elk concentrations.
Pro tips
- →This is a 'Big 3' trophy elk unit — a bull tag is a once-in-a-lifetime draw; scout it like a career hunt.
- →Focus effort on the dark north/east-facing timbered slopes between 2,500 and 5,500 ft where the forest and elk concentrate.
- →It's a small unit that draws serious attention — beat the crowd into the roughest roadless timber.
- →Hunt two deer species: mule deer up in the highlands, whitetails down in the north/west canyons.
- →Map ownership — only about a third is public and the productive canyon edges are private.
Watch out for
- !Only ~33 percent public; lower canyons and north-edge farmland toward Washington are largely private and need permission.
- !Compact unit + coveted elk tags means concentrated pressure during prime seasons.
- !Public/private boundary at the forest/canyon transition is unmarked on the ground.
- !Early snow closes upper Tollgate-area forest roads and can strand vehicles.
- !Don't drift across the Oregon-Washington state line — licenses and tags are state-specific.
Logistics
Weston, Milton-Freewater and Pendleton are the staging towns for fuel, lodging and supplies; the ODFW Pendleton office (541-276-2344) covers the unit. State Hwy 204 provides good access to the Tollgate summit country, with dispersed camping standard on the Umatilla NF. Being a small unit, ground fills up fast during the prized elk seasons. Upper roads snow in early and cell coverage is limited off the highway.
Nearest towns: Weston, Milton-Freewater, Pendleton, Elgin, Athena
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Walla Walla Unit 55 · ODFW Northeast Area Big Game Hunting · GOHUNT Oregon Unit 55 — Walla Walla Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 55 in Oregon?
- Unit 55 (Walla Walla) covers about 305 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,800 to 5,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 55?
- Approximately 33% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Umatilla National Forest, BLM (Vale District), Oregon Department of Forestry, Private rangeland, timber and canyon ranches (north and west). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 55?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 55 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.