Unit 308 San Juan, North
Ponderosa-topped Elk Ridge falling into the Indian Creek and Beef Basin canyon maze — big San Juan bulls, premium bucks and a desert bighorn herd rolled into one
Southeastern Utah — Elk Ridge / Indian Creek & Beef Basin · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
613
sq mi
Public land
92%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–8,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The North subunit of the San Juan complex stitches together the forested north end of Elk Ridge and the Manti-La Sal high country with the great canyon systems below — Indian Creek, Beef Basin, Bridger Jack Mesa and the Dark Canyon country running down to the Colorado River. This is core San Juan trophy ground: the unit is one of Utah's premier premium limited-entry destinations for both mule deer and elk, famous for producing exceptional bulls, and the North subunit also carries a once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn herd in its Colorado River canyons. National Parks are excluded from the boundary.
Terrain
A dramatic tilt from timbered mesa to slickrock abyss. The north spur of Elk Ridge rises to ponderosa- and aspen-clad plateaus near 8,000+ feet, then breaks off through Bridger Jack and the Indian Creek/Beef Basin benches into the deep sandstone canyons of the Dark Canyon system and the Colorado River gorge.
Cover: Ponderosa pine, aspen, oakbrush and mountain shrub on the high ridge; pinyon-juniper woodland across the mid-elevation mesas and benches; blackbrush, sage, grass and cottonwood-lined washes in the canyon bottoms, with extensive slickrock and cliff bands.
Landmarks: Elk Ridge (north end) · Indian Creek · Beef Basin · Bridger Jack Mesa · Dark Canyon / Dark Canyon Wilderness · North Cottonwood Creek · Canyonlands National Park — Needles (excluded) · SR-211 / Newspaper Rock corridor · Manti-La Sal National Forest (Monticello Ranger District)
Access
Almost entirely public — BLM canyon country blending into Manti-La Sal National Forest on top of Elk Ridge, plus scattered SITLA sections (open to hunting) and minor private. Paved access via SR-211 (the Needles/Indian Creek road) off US-191; the forest and canyon interior are reached by graded and 4WD roads including the Beef Basin road, Bridger Jack road, Cottonwood/North Cottonwood roads and the Elk Ridge (Causeway) road system, which are rough, remote and weather-sensitive. Canyonlands National Park is closed and excluded.
Managers: BLM (Monticello Field Office / Bears Ears NM), USFS Manti-La Sal National Forest, SITLA, private
Access points: SR-211 (Indian Creek / Newspaper Rock road) · Beef Basin road (4WD) · Bridger Jack road · Elk Ridge / Causeway forest roads from the south · North Cottonwood Creek road · US-191 near Monticello
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophySan Juan has a statewide reputation for giant bulls, and the timbered north end of Elk Ridge is prime elk country. Managed as a premium limited-entry unit where a tag can span all seasons, it offers a genuine chance at the bull of a lifetime for the rare hunter who draws.
- →Work the ponderosa and aspen benches of Elk Ridge, locating bulls by bugle at dawn and dusk in the rut
- →Glass the transition where forest meets the canyon rims and Beef Basin parks
- →Hunt water and wallows in dry early seasons on the plateau
- →Push into the roadless canyon heads where mature bulls escape pressure
Mule Deer
common trophyPremium San Juan mule deer management and excellent Elk Ridge genetics produce mature, heavy bucks. Deer summer in the high timber and mesa tops and shift to the pinyon-juniper foothills and canyon breaks as snow arrives, giving hunters different looks through the season.
- →Glass high aspen and oakbrush pockets early season, then follow deer down into pinyon-juniper as weather pushes them
- →Hunt the rut for mature bucks moving in daylight
- →Cover ground on the canyon-rim benches where big bucks bed in security terrain
- →Scout hard — this is a low-tag, high-payoff draw where patterning a specific buck pays off
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA desert bighorn herd (managed toward ~125 animals) occupies the Colorado River canyons on the west edge of the subunit, contiguous with the Canyonlands and Lockhart sheep. Tags are once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn permits — a rare and prized draw.
- →Glass the cliff bands, talus and river benches of the Dark Canyon / Colorado River corridor
- →Hike the canyon rims to look down into escape terrain where rams hold
- →Invest days in optics before attempting a stalk in the vertical sandstone
Black Bear
common qualityBlack bears inhabit the oakbrush, aspen and ponderosa of Elk Ridge, feeding on mast and berries in the forested high country. A solid opportunity where the timber meets the canyons.
- →Focus on oakbrush and berry patches on the ridge in fall
- →Glass avalanche-style shrub pockets and canyon-head thickets
- →Check drainages and water sources on the plateau
Cougar
common opportunityAbundant deer and rugged canyon terrain support strong cougar numbers throughout the subunit.
- →Cut tracks on snowy forest roads on top of Elk Ridge and in canyon-bottom sand
- →Hunt around deer winter concentrations in the foothills
Pro tips
- →Treat a San Juan tag as a once-in-a-career opportunity — scout multiple times and glass both the timber and the canyon breaks to find the caliber of animal the unit is known for
- →Time your hunt to the rut when big bulls and bucks move in daylight
- →Have a 4WD and an escape plan before snow or rain traps you on the Elk Ridge/Beef Basin roads
- →Know exactly where the Canyonlands National Park boundary is — the park is closed and excluded
Watch out for
- !Remote 4WD roads that turn to impassable clay when wet or snow-covered
- !Canyonlands National Park is closed to hunting and excluded from the boundary
- !Early snow can close the top of Elk Ridge
- !Long distances from services — carry fuel, water and recovery gear
- !Steep pack-outs from canyon-rim country
Logistics
Monticello is the closest full-service town and the logical base, with Blanding and Moab as alternates. Expect long, rough drives to the good country — the Beef Basin and Elk Ridge roads are remote, slow and 4WD in spots, and become impassable clay when wet or snowed in. Carry extra fuel, recovery gear and water. Cell service is limited to nonexistent once off the highways; download offline maps and tell someone your plan.
Nearest towns: Monticello, Blanding, Moab, La Sal
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Deer Herd Unit Management Plan — Unit 14 San Juan (2020, boundaries & ownership) · UDWR San Juan Bighorn Sheep Unit Management Plan (North subunit) · GOHUNT — Utah San Juan Elk Limited-Entry Unit Profile · GOHUNT — Utah San Juan Elk Ridge Deer Unit Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 308 in Utah?
- Unit 308 (San Juan, North) covers about 613 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 8,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 308?
- Approximately 92% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM (Monticello Field Office / Bears Ears NM), USFS Manti-La Sal National Forest, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 308?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 308 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.