Unit 617 La Sal, La Sal Mtns
The island-in-the-sky La Sal Range east of Moab — Utah's second-highest mountains rising off the red-rock desert, managed for quality mule deer and trophy limited-entry bull elk
Southeastern Utah — La Sal Mountains / Moab Country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,482
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
4,200–12,721
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The La Sal, La Sal Mtns unit is built around the La Sal Mountains, a compact, glacially sculpted range straddling Grand and San Juan counties that towers over Moab and the Colorado River canyons. Mount Peale tops out at 12,721 feet — the highest point in Utah outside the Uintas — with alpine peaks dropping abruptly into pinyon-juniper benches and slickrock desert. It is a limited-entry mule deer unit with healthy, growing herds and a limited-entry elk hunt managed for mature bulls, plus moose, bear and cougar. Public access is excellent: Manti-La Sal National Forest blankets the high country and BLM and SITLA lands surround it, though private ranchland fills the valley bottoms.
Terrain
An extreme vertical range — from roughly 4,200 ft in the Colorado River desert benches to 12,721 ft atop Mount Peale, with Mount Mellenthin and Mount Tukuhnikivatz also above 12,000 ft. Steep timbered flanks, alpine basins and cirques give way fast to red-rock foothills and desert.
Cover: Blackbrush and salt-desert shrub on the low benches; pinyon-juniper and oak brush on the mid-elevation foothills; aspen, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and spruce-fir cloaking the mountain flanks; alpine meadow and tundra on the peaks above timberline.
Landmarks: Mount Peale (12,721 ft) · Mount Mellenthin · Mount Tukuhnikivatz · La Sal Loop Road · Geyser Pass · Warner Lake / Oowah Lake · Castle Valley · Colorado River corridor
Access
The mountain core is Manti-La Sal National Forest with very good access via the paved La Sal Loop Road and forest spurs like Geyser Pass. BLM desert wraps the flanks and SITLA state-trust sections are scattered throughout and open to hunting. Private ranches dominate the valley bottoms near La Sal, Old La Sal and the Spanish Valley/Moab fringe — verify boundaries before dropping off the forest. Some higher spurs are rough and close early with snow.
Managers: USFS (Manti-La Sal NF), BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: La Sal Loop Road (from Moab or Castle Valley) · Geyser Pass Road · Warner Lake / Oowah Lake area · US-191 and SR-46 near La Sal and Old La Sal · BLM roads off the Colorado River corridor · Dark Canyon / Beaver Basin forest roads
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-entry mule deer unit with healthy and increasing herds — the Wildlife Board recently raised population objectives here. Good public access and moderate terrain give drawn hunters strong odds, with mature bucks concentrated in the high timber and, during the rut, dropping to the foothills.
- →Early in the season hunt the aspen and conifer edges and high basins where bucks summer
- →As snow builds, shift down to the pinyon-juniper and oak-brush foothills where deer migrate
- →Muzzleloader and late hunts can catch the rut — glass foothill draws for cruising bucks
- →Glass the big open slopes at first and last light before deer slip into timber
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyA limited-entry elk unit managed for trophy bulls. Hunters willing to bank points for years get a genuine shot at a mature six-point, and a premium resident tag allows hunting across all seasons. Elk hold in the timbered mid-elevations and rut in the aspen basins.
- →Locate rutting bulls by bugling along the aspen-conifer benches in September
- →Work the dark timber and high meadows early and late; bulls water at the mountain lakes and springs
- →Glass the open slopes and parks of the upper mountain at dawn
- →Push into the roadless drainages where the biggest bulls escape pressure
Moose
limited qualityA small Shiras moose population uses the willow-lined creeks, aspen pockets and mountain lake margins of the La Sals. Tags are once-in-a-lifetime and few, but bulls are present in the high riparian country.
- →Hunt willow bottoms, beaver ponds and the margins of Warner and Oowah lakes at dawn and dusk
- →Glass wet aspen meadows and drainage heads
- →Move slowly and quietly through riparian corridors
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are well-established in the oak brush and timbered flanks of the range, feeding on acorns and berries through fall. Densities are good in the mid-elevation cover.
- →Focus on oak-brush and berry-heavy benches in early fall
- →Glass avalanche chutes, aspen slides and open slopes at dawn and dusk
- →Check south-facing green-up for spring bears
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer across the La Sal foothills and canyons. Winter tracking on snow behind hounds is the productive method.
- →Cut fresh tracks on snow along the loop road and forest spurs after a storm
- →Hunt the deer-rich pinyon-juniper foothills and canyon rims
- →Work with experienced hound handlers
Pronghorn
limited opportunityA small pronghorn population occupies the open desert flats and sagebrush valleys on the low-elevation margins of the unit, well below the mountains.
- →Glass the open valley flats and sage benches at first light
- →Cover ground between water sources — bands range widely in the sparse desert
Pro tips
- →Play the elevation — hunt high timber early, then follow the migration down to the foothills as snow builds
- →Time muzzleloader and late deer hunts to catch bucks moving to the pinyon-juniper benches in the rut
- →For trophy elk, scout the aspen basins and glass at first light before bulls slip into dark timber
- →Verify private-ranch boundaries in the valley bottoms — much of the low country is deeded
- →Watch the weather; a single storm can close Geyser Pass and the high loop and turn desert roads to gumbo
Watch out for
- !Private ranchland dominates the valley bottoms — confirm boundaries before leaving the forest
- !Early, heavy snow closes the high peaks and passes
- !Slick desert two-tracks after rain on the BLM flanks
- !Extreme elevation change and exposed alpine terrain above timberline
- !Afternoon thunderstorms on the high peaks
- !Fire closures possible in dry late summer
Logistics
Moab is the hub — full services, lodging, fuel, groceries and outfitters — with La Sal, Old La Sal and Monticello serving the south and east sides. The Manti-La Sal offers abundant camping, including developed sites at Warner and Oowah lakes and dispersed spots along the loop road. High-clearance/4WD is useful on the mountain spurs and essential on the BLM desert two-tracks, which turn slick when wet. Cell service is reasonable near Moab and the highways but disappears on the mountain and in the canyons.
Nearest towns: Moab, Monticello, La Sal, Castle Valley, Blanding
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook 2026 · GOHUNT — Utah La Sal, La Sal Mtns Limited Entry Deer Unit Profile · GOHUNT — Utah La Sal, La Sal Mountains Limited Entry Elk Unit Profile · La Sal Mountains — Wikipedia (elevation, geography) · Manti-La Sal National Forest — Wikipedia (terrain, wildlife)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 617 in Utah?
- Unit 617 (La Sal, La Sal Mtns) covers about 2,482 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,200 to 12,721 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 617?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS (Manti-La Sal NF), BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 617?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, Black Bear, Cougar, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 617 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.