Unit 200 Wasatch Mtns, Timpanogos
The Timpanogos face — steep Wasatch Front deer and elk under an 11,700-foot skyline, plus once-in-a-lifetime goat and sheep
Northern Utah — Wasatch Front, Mount Timpanogos · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
98
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–11,752
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
This is the Timpanogos subunit of the greater Wasatch Mountains — a compact, brutally vertical slice of the Wasatch Front dominated by 11,752-foot Mount Timpanogos rising straight off the valley floor between American Fork and Provo Canyons. It hunts as steep, high-country general-season mule deer and strong limited-entry elk, with mature bucks living above the crowds up near the alpine. The peaks here (Timpanogos and the adjacent Lone Peak country) also carry Rocky Mountain bighorn and a once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat herd, making this small unit disproportionately deep in opportunity for the hunter willing to climb.
Terrain
Extreme relief over a very short horizontal distance — Gambel oak and maple foothills near the Utah Valley floor climbing through aspen and dense conifer to the alpine cirques, glaciated basins and summit ridge of Mount Timpanogos at 11,752 ft.
Cover: Oak-brush and bigtooth maple on the lower benches, aspen and Douglas-fir/white-fir mid-slope, spruce-fir and alpine tundra, rockslide and cliff up high. Steep, brushy avalanche chutes and hanging basins throughout.
Landmarks: Mount Timpanogos · American Fork Canyon · Provo Canyon · Mount Timpanogos Wilderness · Lone Peak Wilderness · Sundance · Timpanooke basin
Access
Mostly Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest with two designated wilderness areas (Mount Timpanogos and Lone Peak) where travel is foot/stock only. Access is dominated by American Fork Canyon (SR-92 / Alpine Loop) and Provo Canyon (US-189). Lower foothills on the valley side include private and developed land; much of the high terrain is roadless and physically demanding.
Managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA
Access points: American Fork Canyon (SR-92 Alpine Loop) · Timpooneke Trailhead · Aspen Grove / Provo Canyon (US-189) · Provo Canyon corridor
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityGeneral-season mule deer on a steep Wasatch Front unit where buck quality climbs with elevation — the best bucks summer in the high aspen and alpine basins above where most hunters are willing to hike. Pressure is real near the trailheads and light once you gain the ridges.
- →Glass high aspen pockets and alpine basins at first and last light from a vantage
- →Hike past the trailhead crowds — quality increases with every 1,000 ft of gain
- →Work oak-brush and maple benches in the transition when snow starts pushing deer down
- →Late storms drive bucks off the summit ridges toward the mid-slope timber
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe greater Wasatch Mountains carries a strong elk population and is managed as a quality limited-entry bull unit — mature bulls hold in the dense conifer and mixed meadow country, using the roughest, least-accessible pockets.
- →Locate bulls in the timber-meadow edges and hanging basins away from roads
- →September archery calling in the dark timber before pressure scatters herds
- →Cover ground with optics; elk shift between north-slope timber and alpine feed
- →Plan for steep pack-outs — the terrain punishes anyone who shoots far from a route
Mountain Goat
limited trophyMount Timpanogos holds an established Rocky Mountain goat herd and a coveted once-in-a-lifetime tag — a true trophy hunt on cliff-and-alpine terrain for the very few who draw.
- →Glass the summit cliffs, cirques and rockslides of Timpanogos from a distance
- →Scout the alpine basins early and mark billy groups before the season
- →Be prepared for exposed, technical climbing near goats
- →Time the hunt to weather windows on the high peak
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyRocky Mountain bighorns inhabit the high rock and alpine of the Timpanogos/Lone Peak country, supporting a very limited, hard-to-draw tag — trophy-caliber and once-in-a-lifetime in feel.
- →Focus on the steep bunchgrass and rock ledges the rams favor high on the peaks
- →Long-range glass the cirques and rimrock before committing to a climb
- →Budget serious physical prep for the alpine terrain
- →Scout access routes to sheep country before the hunt
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears use the oak-brush and aspen benches, especially during fall mast — an opportunity add-on rather than a primary draw on this small unit.
- →Glass oak-brush and berry benches during the fall feed
- →Key on avalanche-chute brush and aspen mast pockets
- →Pair with a deer hunt to make the effort pay
Pro tips
- →Elevation is everything here — the mature bucks live above the hikers, so climb.
- →Two wilderness areas mean foot/stock only on the best high terrain; plan pack-outs accordingly.
- →American Fork Canyon and Provo Canyon are the two arteries — learn both trailhead systems.
- →This small unit punches far above its size: deer, elk, goat and sheep all overlap on Timpanogos.
- →Proximity to the Wasatch Front means company near roads; solitude is earned with elevation.
Watch out for
- !Extreme vertical relief and exposed alpine/cliff terrain — real fall and rockfall hazard
- !Wilderness boundaries prohibit motorized and mechanized travel — verify before you ride
- !Private and developed land on the lower valley benches — confirm access low on the slope
- !Heavy recreation and hunter traffic near trailheads on the Wasatch Front
- !Early alpine snow can close high routes and strand hunters up high
Logistics
One of the most accessible major-city-adjacent units in the West — full services in the Utah Valley towns (Provo, Orem, American Fork) minutes from the trailheads. Stage from American Fork Canyon or Provo Canyon. Day-hunting is possible given the short approaches, but the vertical relief means the real hunting still demands backcountry fitness.
Nearest towns: American Fork, Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Heber City
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Utah Hunt Planner (unit boundaries, biologist notes) · GOHUNT — Wasatch Mtns, West / Timpanogos unit profile (public land %, elevation, species) · UDWR Mountain Goat Unit Management Plan — Wasatch and Central Mountains · USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF — Wilderness (Timpanogos, Lone Peak)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 200 in Utah?
- Unit 200 (Wasatch Mtns, Timpanogos) covers about 98 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 11,752 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 200?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 200?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 200 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.