Unit 171 Plateau
The Greater Plateau high country — Boulder Mountain and the Aquarius, home to some of Utah's biggest bull elk.
South-Central Utah — Fishlake / Boulder Mountain Plateaus · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
3,291
sq mi
Public land
88%
approx.
Elevation
6,500–11,317
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Plateau unit sprawls across the high tablelands of south-central Utah — Boulder Mountain and the Aquarius Plateau, the Fishlake and Thousand Lakes high country — the highest forested plateau country in North America. Boulder Mountain alone tops out above 11,300 feet and consistently produces some of the largest bull elk taken in the state each fall, alongside quality mule deer. This is big, timbered, lake-dotted plateau terrain almost entirely within the Fishlake and Dixie National Forests, framed by the desert canyons below and reached by scenic byways from Torrey, Loa and Boulder.
Terrain
Massive high plateaus rising to 11,000+ feet, with rolling timbered benches, glacial lake basins and meadow parks up top breaking abruptly to slickrock canyons and desert margins below.
Cover: Dense spruce-fir and mixed conifer, vast aspen stands and high meadows on the plateaus; ponderosa and pinyon-juniper on the flanks; sagebrush and mountain-brush on the lower benches.
Landmarks: Boulder Mountain / Blue Bell Knoll (11,317 ft) · Aquarius Plateau · Fish Lake · Thousand Lake Mountain · Fremont River · Scenic Byway 12 · Capitol Reef country (below)
Access
Overwhelmingly public national forest across the plateaus, laced with forest roads and trailheads, though the high country is snowbound roughly November through late May or June. Access climbs from the valley towns via SR-12 (over Boulder Mountain), SR-24 and the Fish Lake road. Private and SITLA parcels cluster in the valleys around Loa, Lyman, Bicknell and Torrey; there are no services atop the mountain, so fuel and supply in town first.
Managers: USFS Fishlake NF, USFS Dixie NF, BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Scenic Byway 12 over Boulder Mountain · Fish Lake / SR-25 corridor · SR-24 (Torrey / Loa / Bicknell) · Aquarius Plateau / Posey Lake roads · Thousand Lakes Mountain roads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyThe headline species — Boulder Mountain and the Greater Plateau complex are renowned for producing some of Utah's biggest bull elk, hunted on coveted limited-entry tags. Big timber and high meadow parks hold heavy-antlered mature bulls.
- →Bugle the aspen/meadow edges and spruce-fir pockets at dawn during the rut
- →Glass the big open parks and burns on the plateau tops at first and last light
- →Hunt wallows and springs hard in the dry early season
- →Get deep into the timber away from the byway corridors for the oldest bulls
- →Watch the timber-to-meadow transitions on north slopes at midday
Mule Deer
common qualityThe plateaus carry good mule deer numbers with quality-class buck potential in the limited-entry/quality sub-units. Deer summer high in the aspen and conifer and migrate to lower benches with weather.
- →Glass aspen fringes and mountain-brush openings at dawn and dusk
- →Push into the rough canyon breaks off the plateau rims for mature bucks
- →Follow the migration to lower benches as snow builds late in the fall
- →Focus on the mosaic of parks and timber on north-facing slopes
Pronghorn
limited opportunityAntelope occupy the open sage valleys and lower flats along the plateau margins near Loa and the Fremont valley.
- →Glass open sage flats and grass benches in the valleys
- →Set up near water sources in the dry season
Black Bear
common qualityThe vast aspen, oak-brush and berry country of the Fishlake and Dixie forests supports a strong black bear population.
- →Glass oak-brush and serviceberry slopes and aspen benches in late summer and fall
- →Work creek bottoms and food-rich draws
- →Focus on the mast and berry transition zones
Cougar
common qualityAbundant deer and elk support a healthy cougar population across the plateau and canyon country.
- →Hunt after fresh snow along canyon rims and plateau edges
- →Follow deer wintering areas on the lower benches
Pro tips
- →Boulder Mountain's big-bull reputation is real — glass the high parks and hunt deep timber for a mature elk.
- →Provision fully in town; there are no services atop the mountain and roads are long.
- →Time late hunts around snow — it improves tracking but can strand you on high roads.
- →The migration off the plateau to lower benches turns on with the first hard storms.
- →Scout the wallow-and-spring network before an early elk hunt in the dry high country.
Watch out for
- !High-country roads snowbound November-May/June
- !No fuel or services on the mountain — long distances between towns
- !Private and SITLA parcels in the valley bottoms near Loa, Lyman and Torrey
- !Fast, severe weather at 10,000+ feet and thin cell coverage
- !Early-season dryness concentrating game — and fire-closure risk
Logistics
Torrey, Loa and Bicknell are the main hubs for lodging, fuel and groceries; Boulder and Escalante serve the southern flank via SR-12. Fill up and provision in town — there are no services on the mountain. High roads are excellent when open but close with the first heavy snows and stay closed into early summer. Cell coverage is thin off the highways.
Nearest towns: Torrey, Loa, Bicknell, Lyman, Boulder, Escalante
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Utah Hunt Planner · UDWR Greater Plateau Elk Complex Management Plan (Units 23/24/25) · Boulder Mountain (Utah) — Wikipedia · Fishlake National Forest — U.S. Forest Service
FAQ
- How big is Unit 171 in Utah?
- Unit 171 (Plateau) covers about 3,291 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,500 to 11,317 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 171?
- Approximately 88% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Fishlake NF, USFS Dixie NF, BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 171?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 171 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.