Unit 108 La Sal, Dolores Triangle
Remote red-rock mesas and river canyons on the Colorado line — a weather-driven limited-entry sleeper
Southeastern Utah — La Sal / Dolores Triangle · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
183
sq mi
Public land
96%
approx.
Elevation
4,318–7,682
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
The Dolores Triangle is the wild slice of southeastern Utah wedged between the Colorado River to the north and west and the Dolores River to the south, hard against the Colorado state line east of Moab and the La Sal Mountains. It is a country of low canyons, broken mesas, and pinyon-juniper benches at 4,300–7,700 feet, roughly 96% publicly accessible and hours from the nearest services. As part of Utah's limited-entry La Sal / Dolores Triangle unit, it offers quality mule deer and elk on a late, rut-timed hunt — but its fortunes swing entirely on weather, since most of the game migrates in from Colorado when high-country snow pushes it across the line.
Terrain
Low canyons and large and small mesas dropping toward the Colorado River, most small canyons running east–west; rugged, dry, and physically demanding to hunt.
Cover: Pinyon-juniper woodland on mesas and benches, sagebrush and grass parks, desert shrub and greasewood in the canyon bottoms, with cottonwood and riparian growth along the Colorado and Dolores river corridors.
Landmarks: Colorado River (north/west border) · Dolores River (south border) · Dolores Triangle mesas · Utah–Colorado state line · La Sal Mountains (to the west)
Access
Overwhelmingly public — BLM-dominated with SITLA state-trust sections that are open to dispersed hunting — but genuinely remote. Some areas are hours from the nearest town, and much of the interior is reached only by high-clearance four-wheel-drive roads, several of which enter from the Colorado side. Carry plenty of supplies and spare tires; there are no services inside the unit.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: 4WD roads entering from the Colorado side (Gateway/Bedrock area) · routes off Utah SR-128 and the Moab area to the west · river-corridor access along the Colorado and Dolores
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-entry deer unit with genuine trophy potential, but hit-or-miss year to year. Buck quality hinges on weather: pre-season snowstorms in Colorado push good, mature bucks across the state line, while a mild, open fall leaves deer holding on the Colorado side and the unit hunting thin.
- →Glass mesa rims and canyon heads at first light for bucks feeding out of the pinyon-juniper
- →Hunt the transition benches deer use as they migrate in off the Colorado high country
- →Time your effort to storms — a cold front before or during the season is the single biggest quality driver
- →Cover country from vehicle-accessible glassing points, then still-hunt the canyon breaks
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe Dolores Triangle is essentially winter range for the Colorado elk herd, so elk use is highly variable and snow-dependent. On the limited-entry La Sal tag, patient hunters can find quality bulls when snowfall in the higher Colorado ranges concentrates animals onto the mesas.
- →Focus on sage parks and mesa tops where migrating elk feed
- →Hunt harder after significant high-country snow to the east
- →Locate wintering herds by glassing large mesas at dawn and dusk
- →Be prepared to relocate — elk distribution shifts week to week with weather
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyDesert bighorn inhabit the rugged Colorado and Dolores river canyon country along the unit's borders — a rare, once-in-a-lifetime-caliber opportunity for the few who draw.
- →Glass the steep canyon walls and rimrock above the river corridors
- →Focus on broken cliff bands and side canyons where desert sheep hold
Cougar
common qualityHealthy lion numbers track the deer through the canyon-and-mesa country; best hunted with hounds when tracking snow reaches the lower benches.
- →Cut roads and canyon bottoms for tracks after fresh snow
- →Work the deer wintering concentrations where lions follow
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears range in from the higher, wetter La Sal Mountain fringe to the west; the arid Triangle itself is marginal bear habitat.
- →Concentrate on the higher, greener western edges near the La Sals
- →Check oak and riparian pockets holding late-summer forage
Pro tips
- →Weather is everything — build your plan around storm timing, not fixed dates; the animals migrate in from Colorado on snow
- →Scout early and understand movement corridors between the mesas and the river breaks before the season
- →Come completely self-sufficient: spare tires, extra fuel, water, and recovery gear — help is hours away
- →Consider approaching from the Colorado side, where several good 4WD roads shorten access to the interior
- →On the limited-entry tag, patience and glass-first tactics beat covering random ground
Watch out for
- !Extreme remoteness — hours from services, no cell coverage, and rough 4WD-only roads
- !Boom-or-bust game presence tied entirely to weather and Colorado migration timing
- !Sharp, technical canyon terrain and heat/water concerns in early season
- !Scattered private inholdings and the state line — know exactly which side of the Utah–Colorado boundary you are on
Logistics
Moab is the realistic full-service hub for fuel, lodging, groceries, and tire repair, but it is a long, roundabout drive to the Triangle's interior; some access is actually shorter from the Colorado side (Gateway/Naturita). Plan as a remote, self-contained trip — top off fuel, carry water, extra spares, and recovery gear, and expect no cell service.
Nearest towns: Moab, UT, Gateway, CO, Naturita, CO, Cisco, UT
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Elk Herd Unit Management Plan — Elk Herd Unit 13 La Sal · GOHUNT — La Sal, Dolores Triangle deer unit profile (terrain, elevation, ~96% public) · GOHUNT — La Sal, Dolores Triangle elk unit profile · UDWR Utah Hunt Planner
FAQ
- How big is Unit 108 in Utah?
- Unit 108 (La Sal, Dolores Triangle) covers about 183 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,318 to 7,682 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 108?
- Approximately 96% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 108?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Cougar, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
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