Unit 301 Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon
The southern desert rim of Utah's legendary Book Cliffs — low-density mesa-and-canyon country with genuine trophy-buck potential and slow-building elk.
Eastern Utah — Book Cliffs / Green River · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
439
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
4,300–8,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon is the southern, lower-elevation edge of Utah's famed Book Cliffs complex, sitting north of I-70 and the town of Green River along the wall of eroded cliffs and secluded side canyons. It is a mesa-and-badland landscape of rolling pinyon-juniper benches, deep dry canyons and good winter range rather than the high timber of the Book Cliffs' northern quality-buck core. Deer densities are relatively low, but the unit still grows a handful of exceptional bucks, and elk hunting improves markedly once weather pushes animals down off the higher country. Access is mostly wide-open BLM with a web of dirt roads and productive roadless canyons for hunters willing to hike.
Terrain
Eroded Book Cliffs escarpment breaking into mesas, rolling pinyon-juniper hills and secluded canyons that fall toward the Green River and the I-70 corridor. Classic desert winter range with long-range glassing.
Cover: Desert shrub, salt desert and sagebrush on the flats, extensive pinyon-juniper on the benches and mesas, with pockets of mountain browse and scattered aspen in the higher heads of canyons.
Landmarks: Book Cliffs escarpment · Floy Canyon · Green River · Sego Canyon · Thompson Springs · Interstate 70 corridor
Access
Overwhelmingly BLM public land laced with miles of dirt and two-track roads off I-70 near Green River and Thompson Springs; SITLA state-trust parcels are also open to hunting. Roadless canyons off the main tracks hold the least-pressured deer. Roads turn to impassable gumbo when wet, and there are no services once you leave the interstate.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Interstate 70 (Green River / Thompson Springs exits) · Sego Canyon Road · Floy Wash / Floy Canyon two-tracks · Book Cliffs BLM road network
Species notes
Mule Deer
limited trophyLow-density desert mule deer on winter range, but part of the greater Book Cliffs country that is managed for older age classes — a patient hunter can turn up a buck pushing 180 inches. Often offered as a restricted-weapon (HAMSS-style) buck hunt.
- →Glass pinyon-juniper benches and canyon rims at first and last light
- →Hike into roadless side canyons away from the road network to find undisturbed bucks
- →Focus on winter-range concentration areas as weather pushes deer down
- →Cover big country with quality optics — density is low, so spend the whole day glassing
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited qualityElk numbers on the Floy Canyon side are modest and can be spotty early, but hunting improves through the season as cold and snow move herds down out of the higher Book Cliffs into the canyon heads.
- →Hunt later in the season after weather concentrates elk on the lower benches
- →Work the timbered and brushy canyon heads that hold escape cover
- →Glass at dawn from high vantage points, then still-hunt into pockets
- →Check water sources and quiet canyons well off the main roads
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open desert flats and sage benches along the lower margins of the unit toward the Green River and I-70.
- →Glass the open flats and low sage benches
- →Cover ground between feed and scarce desert water
- →Use terrain folds to close the distance on bucks in the open
Bighorn Sheep
limited qualityDesert bighorn inhabit the rugged cliff bands and broken canyon country of the Book Cliffs escarpment; a coveted, hard-to-draw once-in-a-lifetime tag.
- →Glass the cliff bands, rims and rough breaks for rams
- →Plan for long spotting sessions and difficult foot approaches
- →Scout water and shade pockets in the heat
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer through the canyon and pinyon-juniper country and are hunted here, typically with snow for tracking.
- →Cut tracks on canyon-bottom roads after fresh snow
- →Focus where deer winter and concentrate
- →Work the rim-and-canyon transitions where lions travel
Pro tips
- →Bring top-end optics and glass all day — deer density is low but the country lets you see a long way
- →Hike into the roadless side canyons to reach bucks that never see pressure
- →Hunt elk late, after weather concentrates them in the lower canyon heads
- →Carry extra tires, fuel and water — this is remote desert with no services
- →Watch the weather: wet clay roads turn to gumbo and can trap a truck for days
Watch out for
- !Clay/gumbo roads become impassable when wet — a storm can strand you
- !No services, water or reliable cell coverage north of I-70
- !Scattered SITLA and private parcels near the interstate and river — verify boundaries
- !Low deer density means low success without serious glassing effort
- !Extreme early-season heat and scarce desert water
Logistics
Green River, right on I-70, is the natural staging town with fuel, lodging and groceries; Moab to the south offers fuller services. Everything north of the interstate is remote BLM with no services, spotty-to-no cell coverage and long dirt approaches — carry extra fuel, water, food, recovery gear and a full-size spare (or two). The clay roads become impassable gumbo when wet, so watch the forecast closely.
Nearest towns: Green River, Thompson Springs, Crescent Junction, Moab
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Utah Hunt Planner — Big Game Boundaries · GOHUNT Utah Unit Profile — Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon · UDWR Utah Big Game Application Guidebook 2026
FAQ
- How big is Unit 301 in Utah?
- Unit 301 (Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon) covers about 439 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,300 to 8,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 301?
- Approximately 90% 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 301?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 301 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.