Unit 202 San Rafael, North A
The San Rafael Swell's north end — big, wide-open BLM desert for pronghorn, general-season mule deer and Utah's premier desert bighorn
Central Utah — San Rafael Swell, Emery/Carbon County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,934
sq mi
Public land
92%
approx.
Elevation
4,300–9,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
This unit covers the northern San Rafael country — roughly 1,900 square miles of high-desert Colorado Plateau anchored by the San Rafael Swell, Cedar Mountain, the Buckhorn/Wedge benches and the San Rafael Reef. It is overwhelmingly public BLM and SITLA land, hunting as low-density general-season mule deer, a limited-entry pronghorn draw on the desert flats and benches, and a piece of the San Rafael desert bighorn range — the Swell holds Utah's largest desert sheep herd. This is spot-and-stalk desert hunting where water, roads and glass matter more than elevation.
Terrain
Classic San Rafael Swell relief — the anticline's tilted sandstone reef, deep slot canyons and the San Rafael River bottom near 4,300 ft rising to the piñon-juniper benches of Cedar Mountain and the Wasatch Plateau edge around 8,000–9,000 ft.
Cover: Salt desert shrub, sage and grass flats on the low benches; piñon-juniper woodland across the mesas and Cedar Mountain; sparse riparian cottonwood/tamarisk along the San Rafael River and washes. Broken sandstone, badlands and slickrock throughout.
Landmarks: San Rafael Swell · San Rafael Reef · Cedar Mountain · The Wedge Overlook · Buckhorn Draw · San Rafael River · Mexican Mountain
Access
Almost entirely BLM with interspersed SITLA state trust parcels (open to hunting and dispersed use in Utah), plus scattered private near Castle Valley communities and along irrigated bottoms. A dense network of BLM dirt and two-track roads — Buckhorn Draw / Wedge Road, the Green River Cutoff (Cottonwood Wash) and I-70 to the south — provides broad motorized access, but roads turn to impassable mud when wet and services are far apart.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Buckhorn Draw / Wedge Overlook Road · Green River Cutoff Road (Cottonwood Wash) · I-70 corridor (south edge) · Highway 10 / Castle Valley towns to the west
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityGeneral-season desert mule deer scattered across the piñon-juniper benches, Cedar Mountain and the broken Swell country. Densities are low in the arid terrain but the unit is huge and public; bucks tie to water, forage pockets and the woodland edges.
- →Glass piñon-juniper edges and sage benches at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt near reliable water — guzzlers, springs and the San Rafael River bottom
- →Cover country with a truck and glass, then still-hunt woodland pockets
- →Focus on Cedar Mountain and the higher benches for better forage and cover
Pronghorn
common qualityA limited-entry pronghorn unit on the open desert flats and benches of the northern Swell — draw-only tags for herds spread across the sage and grass parks where visibility is long and stalks are earned.
- →Glass the open sage and grass flats from high two-track vantages
- →Use terrain folds, washes and reef breaks to close on wary bucks
- →Locate water sources and pattern morning/evening movement
- →Judge horns carefully at distance before committing to a long stalk
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe San Rafael Swell holds Utah's largest desert bighorn herd, and this country is part of that range — a very limited, hard-to-draw once-in-a-lifetime desert ram tag on the reef and canyon rims.
- →Focus on the San Rafael Reef, canyon rims and rugged slickrock breaks
- →Long-range glass the rock ledges and water sources rams use
- →Scout by vehicle and foot well ahead — sheep hold in specific rough pockets
- →Plan for heat, water and rough-country travel on a desert sheep hunt
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer through the Swell's canyons and piñon-juniper — a pursuit/harvest opportunity in the broken country, typically hunted with the season's tracking snow.
- →Cut tracks on canyon-rim roads after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer-concentration areas and rimrock travel corridors
- →Work the woodland-canyon interface where lions travel
Pro tips
- →Water is the whole game in the Swell — hunt near guzzlers, springs and the river.
- →SITLA state trust parcels are open to hunting in Utah, so the near-total public land really is huntable.
- →Watch the sky — clay roads turn to impassable gumbo when wet; don't get stranded deep.
- →This is glass-and-cover-country hunting; a good spotting scope and a truck beat hard hiking here.
- →Cedar Mountain and the higher benches hold the better deer forage and cover.
Watch out for
- !Impassable mud on clay/shale roads after rain or snow — check forecasts and carry recovery gear
- !Scarce water and long distances between services — carry ample water and fuel
- !Scattered private and SITLA-adjacent parcels near Castle Valley — verify boundaries
- !Extreme heat early and cold desert nights — prepare for both
- !Cell service is sparse to nonexistent across the Swell — carry a satellite communicator
Logistics
Remote high-desert logistics — stage from the Castle Valley towns (Castle Dale, Huntington, Ferron) on the west or Green River to the southeast for fuel, lodging and supplies. Inside the unit there are no services; carry extra water, fuel and recovery gear. Dispersed camping is easy on BLM, but distances between reliable water and help are long.
Nearest towns: Castle Dale, Huntington, Ferron, Price, Green River
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) · hunting.toposports — San Rafael, North pronghorn unit (public land %, area) · BLM — Bighorn Sheep Conservation in the San Rafael Swell · Emery County / Visit Emery County — San Rafael Swell geography
FAQ
- How big is Unit 202 in Utah?
- Unit 202 (San Rafael, North A) covers about 1,934 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,300 to 9,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 202?
- Approximately 92% 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 202?
- Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 202 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.