Unit 225 Wasatch Mtns, Box Elder Peak
Box Elder Peak's granite spine — Timpanogos goats and trophy Wasatch bulls above Utah Valley
Northern Utah — Wasatch Front, American Fork Canyon · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
79
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–11,752
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
This is the American Fork Canyon corner of Utah's famed Wasatch Mountains trophy unit, anchored by 11,101-ft Box Elder Peak between Lone Peak and Mount Timpanogos. It is a compact, brutally steep block of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest wrapped in the Lone Peak and Mount Timpanogos wilderness areas, holding once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain goats, trophy-managed limited-entry bull elk, and quality mule deer. Access is almost entirely on foot or horseback, and the terrain rises from valley trailheads to alpine granite in just a few miles.
Terrain
Explosive vertical relief — canyon floors near 4,800 ft climb to Box Elder Peak (11,101 ft) and Mount Timpanogos (11,752 ft) within a few horizontal miles. Glacial cirques, granite faces, talus fields and knife-edge ridgelines dominate the high country.
Cover: Gambel oak and maple brush on the lower benches, aspen and mixed conifer (Douglas-fir, white fir) on mid-slopes, subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce near timberline, giving way to alpine tundra, cliff and scree above 10,500 ft.
Landmarks: Box Elder Peak (11,101 ft) · Mount Timpanogos (11,752 ft) · American Fork Canyon / Tibble Fork · Deer Creek and Dry Creek drainages · Lone Peak Wilderness · Mount Timpanogos Wilderness
Access
Overwhelmingly National Forest, but two designated wilderness areas (Lone Peak, Mount Timpanogos) cover much of the high country and are foot/horse only. Private inholdings and homes line the canyon mouths at Alpine, Highland and American Fork Canyon; the Timpooneke and Alpine Loop (SR-92) corridor is the main paved artery. Salt Lake/Utah County firearm-discharge restrictions apply near populated benches.
Managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA
Access points: American Fork Canyon (SR-92) / Tibble Fork Reservoir · Timpooneke trailhead · Dry Creek trailhead above Alpine · Deer Creek trailhead · Granite Flat
Species notes
Mountain Goat
common trophyA marquee once-in-a-lifetime species here — the Mount Timpanogos herd (transplanted 1981 from Olympic NP) and Box Elder Peak goats occupy the high granite. Drawing a tag is a lifetime event.
- →Glass the Timpanogos cirques, Roberts Horn and Box Elder's summit ridges at first light from below
- →Plan a physical, multi-day backpack hunt — goats live on cliffs and won't come to you
- →Prioritize a safe, ethical shot placement above stable ground to prevent lost animals off the faces
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyPart of the trophy-managed Wasatch Mountains limited-entry elk unit, which produces 320-340+ bulls in good years. This corner holds fewer elk than the roaded south end but offers wilderness solitude for a mature bull.
- →Hunt the aspen benches and dark timber pockets between American Fork Canyon and the wilderness boundary
- →Work the timbered heads of Deer Creek and Dry Creek during the rut
- →Be prepared to pack a bull out on your back or with stock from wilderness
Mule Deer
common qualityThe Wasatch supports quality mule deer, with the late muzzleloader hunt famous for 170-inch potential and high success. Bucks summer high on the alpine benches and migrate to the oak-brush foothills.
- →Glass alpine basins and timberline edges early season for velvet bucks
- →Focus the oak-and-maple transition zones during migration and late hunts
- →Still-hunt maple pockets on north-facing slopes after a cold snap
Moose
limited qualityA once-in-a-lifetime Shiras moose species in Utah, scattered through the willow-lined drainages and aspen of the Wasatch. Numbers are modest but the wilderness holds bulls.
- →Hunt willow bottoms and beaver ponds in the American Fork drainages at dawn and dusk
- →Check aspen stands adjacent to water
- →Move slowly and glass — moose here hold in thick cover
Cougar
common opportunityHealthy cougar numbers follow the abundant deer herds across the Wasatch Front canyons.
- →Cut tracks on canyon roads and ridge saddles after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer wintering benches
- →Houndsmen work the American Fork and Dry Creek drainages
Pro tips
- →This is a draw-only trophy zone for elk and a once-in-a-lifetime hunt for goat and moose — build points and know which sub-unit your tag covers
- →Glass from the valley up at dawn: goats and high bucks are easiest to locate before the sun hits the granite
- →Be in mountaineering shape — the vertical relief here punishes the unprepared more than the mileage does
- →Scout trailhead access and wilderness boundaries in advance; the best country is foot/horse only
- →Have a stock or heavy-pack plan before you pull the trigger deep in the Lone Peak or Timpanogos wilderness
Watch out for
- !Firearm-discharge restrictions near populated Wasatch Front benches — confirm legal areas
- !Private inholdings and homes at every canyon mouth; respect posted land and access easements
- !Wilderness designations prohibit motorized/mechanized travel — plan for muscle-powered pack-out
- !Fall storms can strand hunters on exposed alpine terrain; carry layers and check forecasts
- !Steep granite and talus are genuinely dangerous — falls and rockfall are the real risk, not the game
Logistics
Wasatch Front services are minutes away — lodging, fuel and outfitters in American Fork, Lehi and Pleasant Grove, with the whole Utah Valley metro at the canyon mouth. This is a rare trophy unit where you can sleep in a hotel and hike to alpine goat country. Trailhead parking fills fast; the physical challenge is the vertical, not the remoteness.
Nearest towns: American Fork, Alpine, Highland, Pleasant Grove, Lehi
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Mountain Goat Unit Management Plan — Wasatch and Central Mountains · UDWR Elk Herd Unit Management Plan #17 — Wasatch Mountains · GOHUNT — Utah Wasatch Mtns Limited Entry Elk Unit Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 225 in Utah?
- Unit 225 (Wasatch Mtns, Box Elder Peak) covers about 79 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 225?
- Approximately 80% 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 225?
- Mountain Goat, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 225 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.