Unit 613 Yellowstone
The Yellowstone, Lake Fork and Uinta River drainages off the south face of the High Uintas — general-season mule deer, a big any-bull elk mountain, and once-in-a-lifetime moose and goat tags under Kings Peak.
Northeastern Utah — South Slope of the Uintas · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,951
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
5,400–13,528
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
South Slope, Yellowstone takes in the south-draining canyons of the High Uinta Mountains above Duchesne County — the Yellowstone, Lake Fork, Uinta and Whiterocks river drainages climbing off the reservation benches near Mountain Home, Altamont and Neola into the alpine core of the range. The high country is Ashley National Forest and the High Uintas Wilderness, crowned by Kings Peak, Utah's high point, with hundreds of glacial lakes and basins; the lower unit runs out onto Ute tribal and private farm ground of the Uintah Basin. It is a big, physically demanding general-season mule deer and any-bull elk unit that also carries some of Utah's premier once-in-a-lifetime Shiras moose and Rocky Mountain goat tags.
Terrain
South slope of the Uinta Mountains — the only major east-west range in the Rockies — rising from Uintah Basin farm benches through deep timbered river canyons to glacier-carved alpine basins, tundra and Kings Peak on the crest.
Cover: Sagebrush and agricultural benches at the base, aspen and mixed conifer through the mid-elevation canyons, dense lodgepole and spruce-fir higher, giving way to krummholz, alpine meadow and rock above timberline.
Landmarks: Kings Peak (13,528 ft) · High Uintas Wilderness · Yellowstone River drainage · Lake Fork River · Uinta River / Uinta Canyon · Moon Lake · Ashley National Forest · Duchesne / Roosevelt farm benches
Access
The mountain core is Ashley National Forest, with the High Uintas Wilderness closing the northern high basins to foot and horse travel only. Paved and graded roads follow the Yellowstone, Lake Fork (to Moon Lake), Uinta and Whiterocks canyons to trailheads, and the Ute tribal reservation and private farm ground dominate the lower benches south of the forest boundary. Much of the low country is closed Ute tribal land requiring a tribal permit or is private — verify status before hunting off the forest, as the mix of tribal, SITLA and deeded ground is complicated.
Managers: USFS Ashley NF, Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah & Ouray Reservation), SITLA, BLM, private
Access points: Moon Lake / Lake Fork Road · Yellowstone Canyon Road (Swift Creek trailhead) · Uinta Canyon Road (US Forest) · Whiterocks Canyon · Center Park / Hells Canyon area · Highway 87 / 121 out of Roosevelt and Duchesne
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityGeneral-season mule deer unit. Deer summer high in the aspen, timber and alpine fringe of the south slope and migrate down the river canyons to the sagebrush benches and tribal winter range as snow builds; low winter range and migration corridors are the limiting factor.
- →Glass aspen edges, avalanche chutes and timberline basins early season
- →Hunt the canyon transition zones as storms push deer down
- →Backpack into wilderness fringe basins to escape road pressure
- →Time late hunts to migration off the high country toward lower sage
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA strong general any-bull elk mountain — elk hold in the timbered basins, dark lodgepole and high parks of the south slope and use the burns and habitat treatments; big bulls live in the roadless country back toward the wilderness.
- →Bugle-locate rutting bulls in the timber pockets and park edges at first and last light
- →Get miles off the canyon roads into the wilderness fringe where pressure thins
- →Work meadow-timber edges and wallows in the high basins
- →Hunt the burns and vegetation treatments for feed-drawn elk
Moose
common qualityThe south-slope Uintas hold one of Utah's best Shiras moose populations; a once-in-a-lifetime tag. Moose use the willow bottoms, beaver complexes and spruce-fir riparian of the river canyons.
- →Still-hunt willow flats and beaver ponds along the Yellowstone, Lake Fork and Uinta drainages
- →Glass riparian corridors at dawn and dusk
- →Scout specific bulls to bottoms in the days before the hunt
- →Check pond and lake edges high in the basins
Mountain Goat
limited trophyRocky Mountain goats inhabit the alpine cliffs, cirques and talus of the High Uintas crest; a coveted once-in-a-lifetime Utah tag in the Kings Peak high country.
- →Backpack into the alpine and glass cliff bands and talus above timberline
- →Locate goats on the high ridges and shelf country early, then plan a stalk over multiple days
- →Be prepared for extended wilderness camps and fast alpine weather
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears work the aspen, berry pockets and timber of the south slope; hunted on the limited-entry side.
- →Focus on aspen benches and oakbrush-and-berry feed
- →Check spring greenup and riparian corridors in the canyons
- →Glass open feed slopes and burns at dawn and dusk
Pro tips
- →Sort out land status before you hunt low — the base of the unit is a patchwork of closed Ute tribal, SITLA and private ground
- →Use the Moon Lake, Yellowstone and Uinta canyon roads to reach trailheads, then pack in past the pressure
- →Time late deer and elk hunts to the first big storms that push migration down the canyons
- →For moose, glass willow bottoms and beaver ponds along the river drainages at dawn
- →Goat and high-basin hunts demand backpack fitness and multi-day alpine camps
Watch out for
- !Ute tribal reservation covers much of the low country — closed without a tribal permit; know boundaries
- !High Uintas Wilderness bans motorized and mechanized travel
- !Upper canyon and forest roads close early with snow
- !Fast, severe alpine weather near the crest and Kings Peak
- !Long, physically demanding approaches to backcountry basins
Logistics
Roosevelt and Duchesne on US-40 are the full-service hubs for the Uintah Basin, with fuel, groceries, motels and outfitters; Altamont, Mountain Home and Neola put you at the canyon mouths. The Moon Lake, Yellowstone and Uinta canyon roads are the paved and graded spines into the forest, ending at wilderness trailheads. Expect long horse or backpack approaches to reach the high basins, and plan for early-snow road closures on the upper forest routes.
Nearest towns: Roosevelt, Duchesne, Altamont, Mountain Home, Neola
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR South Slope Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (#9) · UDWR Utah Hunt Planner — Big Game Boundaries · UDWR Utah Big Game Application Guidebook 2026
FAQ
- How big is Unit 613 in Utah?
- Unit 613 (Yellowstone) covers about 1,951 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,400 to 13,528 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 613?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Ashley NF, Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah & Ouray Reservation), SITLA, BLM, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 613?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, Mountain Goat, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 613 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.