Unit 231 Wasatch Mtns, Lone Peak
Lone Peak's granite wilderness above Salt Lake — trophy Wasatch bulls, goats and big-city watershed rules
Northern Utah — Wasatch Front, Cottonwood Canyons · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
241
sq mi
Public land
78%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–11,330
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
This is the Salt Lake end of Utah's Wasatch Mountains trophy unit, dominated by 11,253-ft Lone Peak and the Cottonwood Canyons that supply the city's drinking water. It is a large, rugged block of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest laced with designated wilderness (Lone Peak, Twin Peaks, Mount Olympus) and holds once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain goats, trophy limited-entry bull elk, and quality mule deer. The scenery and access are world-class, but Salt Lake City watershed regulations and firearm restrictions make this one of Utah's most constrained trophy units.
Terrain
Classic glaciated Wasatch — the Salt Lake Valley floor near 4,500 ft rises to Lone Peak (11,253 ft), Twin Peaks (11,330 ft) and Box Elder Peak within a few miles of horizontal distance. Granite cirques, U-shaped canyons, avalanche paths and cliff bands define the high country.
Cover: Gambel oak, maple and sagebrush on the foothill benches; aspen and mixed conifer through the mid-canyons; subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce to timberline; alpine tundra, talus and bare granite above 10,500 ft.
Landmarks: Lone Peak (11,253 ft) · Twin Peaks (11,330 ft) · Little Cottonwood Canyon · Big Cottonwood Canyon · Bells Canyon · Lone Peak Wilderness · Twin Peaks Wilderness
Access
Mostly National Forest, but three wilderness areas (Lone Peak, Twin Peaks, Mount Olympus) and the Salt Lake City watershed cover the core. The Cottonwood Canyons (SR-190, SR-210) are the paved arteries but are strict watershed zones — dogs are banned and human activity is regulated. Private land and dense residential development line the entire foothill bench from Draper to Cottonwood Heights.
Managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA
Access points: Little Cottonwood Canyon (SR-210) · Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190) · Bells Canyon trailhead (Sandy) · Draper / Corner Canyon access · Alpine Dry Creek (south end)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyCore of the trophy-managed Wasatch Mountains limited-entry elk unit, which yields 320-340+ bulls annually with occasional 350-class animals. Elk use the timbered mid-canyon benches and roadless heads throughout this block.
- →Hunt aspen benches and dark north-facing timber between the canyon roads and wilderness boundary
- →Work drainage heads during the rut where bulls hold cows away from crowds
- →Glass avalanche-path openings at first and last light
Mule Deer
common qualityQuality Wasatch mule deer, with the unit's late muzzleloader hunt renowned for 170-inch potential and strong success rates. Bucks summer alpine and shift to the oak foothills with weather.
- →Glass high alpine basins and timberline in early season
- →Hunt the oak-maple migration corridor on the foothill benches during late hunts
- →Focus north slopes and shaded maple pockets after cold fronts
Mountain Goat
common trophyA once-in-a-lifetime species — the original 1967 Wasatch transplant was released on Lone Peak, and goats still occupy the Lone Peak, Twin Peaks and Little Cottonwood granite. A hard-earned, spectacular hunt.
- →Glass the Lone Peak cirque and Little Cottonwood headwalls from valley or canyon vantage at dawn
- →Plan a physical backpack approach — goats live on cliffs off-trail
- →Choose shots above stable footing to recover animals off steep faces
Moose
limited qualityA once-in-a-lifetime Shiras moose species in Utah, present in modest numbers in the willow bottoms and aspen of the Wasatch canyons.
- →Hunt willow and beaver-pond bottoms in Big Cottonwood and Bells Canyon at dawn/dusk
- →Glass aspen stands next to water
- →Still-hunt thick riparian cover slowly
Cougar
common opportunityAbundant deer along the Wasatch Front support strong cougar numbers throughout these canyons.
- →Cut tracks on ridge saddles and canyon benches after fresh snow
- →Focus deer wintering foothills from Draper to Cottonwood Heights
- →Note watershed and discharge restrictions before hunting near the canyons
Pro tips
- →Know Salt Lake City watershed rules cold — dogs are prohibited and activity is regulated in Little and Big Cottonwood and City Creek
- →Confirm Salt Lake County firearm-discharge boundaries; much of the foothill bench is closed to shooting
- →Elk and goat are draw-only trophy/once-in-a-lifetime tags — build points and verify your sub-unit
- →Glass from the valley or canyon roads at dawn to locate goats and high bucks before sun hits the granite
- →Expect people on every named trail — earn solitude by leaving the trail into the roadless heads
Watch out for
- !Salt Lake City watershed restrictions (no dogs, regulated use) in the Cottonwood Canyons and City Creek
- !Firearm-discharge restrictions across the populated Wasatch Front bench
- !Dense private/residential land from Draper to Cottonwood Heights — access is via specific trailheads only
- !Wilderness areas prohibit motorized/mechanized travel — plan muscle-powered pack-outs
- !Serious alpine hazards: avalanche terrain, granite cliffs, rockfall and fast fall storms
Logistics
The entire Salt Lake metro sits at the base of this unit — full lodging, fuel, gear and outfitting minutes from the trailheads. This is a rare trophy hunt reachable from a city hotel, but that access means crowds, watershed rules and residential boundaries to navigate. The real work is vertical, not remote.
Nearest towns: Sandy, Draper, Cottonwood Heights, Alpine, Salt Lake City
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 231 in Utah?
- Unit 231 (Wasatch Mtns, Lone Peak) covers about 241 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 11,330 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 231?
- Approximately 78% 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 231?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Mountain Goat, 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 231 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.