Unit 138 North Slope, Summit
High-alpine western north slope of the Uintas — Kings Peak country, general-season deer plus premium elk, moose, goat and sheep.
Northern Uintas — North Slope (West/Summit) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
607
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
7,500–13,528
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
North Slope, Summit is the western half of the Uinta Mountains' north slope, the highest and biggest east-west range in the Lower 48. It runs from the Mirror Lake Highway (SR-150) east toward Burnt Fork, draining the classic Henrys Fork, Smiths Fork and Blacks Fork basins off the Uinta crest. Most of the high country sits inside the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and the High Uintas Wilderness, making this a walk-in, horse-country unit rather than a road hunt. It's a general-season mule deer unit and a coveted limited-entry destination for elk, Shiras moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn and mountain goat.
Terrain
Deeply glaciated north-slope drainages climbing from foothill benches to a crest topping out near Kings Peak (13,528 ft), Utah's highest. Long parallel forks (Henrys, Smiths, Blacks) with basins, lakes and cirques below the divide.
Cover: Sagebrush and aspen on lower benches, extensive lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce/subalpine fir mid-slope, giving way to krummholz, alpine meadow and rock above treeline.
Landmarks: Kings Peak · Henrys Fork Basin · High Uintas Wilderness · Mirror Lake Highway (SR-150) · Smiths Fork · Blacks Fork
Access
Overwhelmingly national forest, with a large roadless core in the High Uintas Wilderness (foot/horse only). Forest roads and trailheads feed the drainages off the north flank; private and SITLA parcels are mostly on the low benches near the Wyoming line. Mechanized travel is prohibited in the wilderness.
Managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Henrys Fork Trailhead · Mirror Lake Highway (SR-150) · China Meadows · Smiths Fork Trailhead · Blacks Fork drainage roads
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityGeneral-season unit (grouped with West Daggett for the general hunt). Bucks summer high near the wilderness edge and drift to lower sagebrush/aspen benches with snow.
- →Glass timber edges and aspen pockets on the transition benches early season
- →Hunt the wilderness fringe where pressure thins
- →Time later hunts to migration off the high basins after the first snows
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityManaged for quality bulls on the limited-entry side; rugged wilderness holds elk that push into the timbered forks.
- →Backpack or use pack stock into the Henrys/Smiths Fork headwaters
- →Work timbered benches and parks at first and last light
- →Get above the wilderness trailhead crowds and glass avalanche chutes
Moose
common qualityShiras moose thrive in the willow bottoms and spruce-fir of the north-slope drainages; a once-in-a-lifetime Utah tag.
- →Still-hunt willow flats and beaver ponds along the forks
- →Check riparian benches at dawn and dusk
- →Scout lake-basin willows in the days before opener
Mountain Goat
limited qualityPart of the Uintas mountain-goat herd; a once-in-a-lifetime tag on the high crest and cirque walls.
- →Backpack into the high basins and glass rock faces near the divide
- →Expect multi-day off-trail effort at 11,000+ ft
- →Locate goats before the hunt and be ready to climb
Bighorn Sheep
limited qualityRocky Mountain bighorn on the high north-slope escarpments; a rare limited-entry Utah opportunity.
- →Glass the crest and cirque rims from below
- →Plan a physically demanding backcountry hunt
- →Cover country with quality optics to find rams
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears use the aspen and spruce-fir of the north slope; hunted on the limited-entry side.
- →Focus on aspen benches with berry and forb feed
- →Watch avalanche-chute greenup in spring
- →Check oak/berry pockets on transition ground
Pro tips
- →Approach from the Wyoming trailheads (Henrys Fork, China Meadows) for the shortest route into the wilderness basins
- →Treat this as a walk-in/horse hunt — the best country is roadless
- →Watch the forecast; an early storm can bury the high country and end the hunt
- →For deer, hunt low aspen/sage benches early and the migration corridors late
- →Glass willow bottoms at dawn for moose before committing to a basin
Watch out for
- !Wilderness travel bans motorized and mechanized access — plan for foot or stock
- !Rapid, severe alpine weather and early snow at 11,000+ ft
- !Private and SITLA benches near the state line — verify boundaries
- !Trailhead crowding at Henrys Fork during peak seasons
- !Long pack-outs from the high basins
Logistics
Most access is from the Wyoming side (Evanston/Mountain View) via the Henrys Fork and China Meadows roads, or from the west off the Mirror Lake Highway out of Kamas. Fuel and lodging in Evanston and Kamas; the high country is remote with no services. Pack stock is common for the wilderness drainages.
Nearest towns: Evanston, WY, Mountain View, WY, Lonetree, WY, Kamas
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR North Slope Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (#8), 2020 · UDWR Mountain Goat Unit Management Plan — Uintas · UDWR Hunt Planner — Big Game Boundaries · GOHUNT Utah North Slope, Summit/West Daggett unit profiles
FAQ
- How big is Unit 138 in Utah?
- Unit 138 (North Slope, Summit) covers about 607 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,500 to 13,528 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 138?
- Approximately 90% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 138?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, Mountain Goat, Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 138 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.