Unit 619 Manti/San Rafael
A vast two-worlds unit: a high aspen-and-spruce plateau on the west, raw slickrock desert on the east, holding one of Utah's biggest elk herds.
Central Utah — Wasatch Plateau / San Rafael Swell · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
7,665
sq mi
Public land
69%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–11,285
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
The Manti/San Rafael unit is one of the largest hunt units in the state, running from the timbered spine of the Wasatch Plateau (Skyline Drive country) eastward down through Castle Valley into the canyon-and-slickrock desert of the San Rafael Swell. The Wasatch Plateau holds a major elk herd — roughly 11,000-plus animals by recent aerial surveys — managed with general-season spike hunts and limited-entry any-bull tags for mature bulls. Deer are hunted on a general-season tag but the unit still grows good, mature bucks and has added a limited-entry muzzleloader hunt timed near the rut. Public access is excellent: most of the unit is Manti-La Sal National Forest on the plateau and BLM desert on the Swell.
Terrain
Two distinct landscapes. The west is the high Wasatch Plateau — a long, rolling 10,000-11,000 ft tableland cut by steep canyons dropping east into Castle Valley. The east is the San Rafael Swell: a maze of mesas, reefs, deep canyons and slickrock benches from 5,000 to 7,500 ft.
Cover: Aspen, spruce-fir, and high mountain meadows on the plateau top; oakbrush, mountain mahogany and pinyon-juniper on the mid-slope breaks; sagebrush, greasewood and scattered juniper across the desert Swell.
Landmarks: Skyline Drive (Wasatch Plateau crest) · Ferron Reservoir · Joe's Valley Reservoir · San Rafael Swell / The Wedge Overlook · Muddy Creek and the San Rafael River · Manti-La Sal National Forest
Access
Access is a strength here. The Manti-La Sal National Forest covers the entire Wasatch Plateau, reached from Skyline Drive and the many canyon roads climbing out of Castle Valley (Ferron, Cottonwood, Huntington, Straight canyons). The San Rafael Swell is almost entirely BLM, laced with graded and rough roads off I-70 and the Buckhorn Draw / Green River cutoff. SITLA parcels are scattered and generally open. Private ground concentrates in the irrigated Sanpete and Castle valleys at the base of the plateau.
Managers: USFS Manti-La Sal NF, BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Skyline Drive (SR-31 / Fairview Canyon) · Ferron Canyon to Ferron Reservoir · Huntington Canyon (SR-31) / Electric Lake · Joe's Valley (SR-29) · Buckhorn Draw / The Wedge (San Rafael Swell) · I-70 corridor and Green River cutoff into the Swell
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe marquee species. The Manti herd is one of Utah's largest elk populations and is managed with general-season spike hunts plus limited-entry any-bull tags that produce mature 320-340 class bulls. Elk hold the aspen-conifer high country of the Wasatch Plateau.
- →Glass the aspen-meadow edges and spruce pockets along the Skyline Drive high country at first and last light
- →For limited-entry bulls, hunt the heads of the east-side canyons where mature bulls hold in timber
- →During the rut, locate bugling bulls in the aspen benches and work canyon drainages
- →Spike hunters should focus on the general-season timber near the plateau top
Mule Deer
common qualityA general-season unit that still grows good, mature bucks thanks to solid genetics and habitat. A limited-entry muzzleloader hunt puts hunters closer to the rut. Deer use the plateau's brush-and-aspen transition in early fall and drift toward the mid-elevation breaks with weather.
- →Glass oakbrush and mahogany benches on the east face of the plateau at dawn
- →Hunt the aspen-conifer edges high early, then follow deer down the canyons as storms push them
- →Cover big country with good optics — this is a spot-and-stalk unit
- →Look at the pinyon-juniper breaks above Castle Valley for pressured bucks
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn occupy the open sage flats and desert benches on the San Rafael side and in the valley grasslands. Numbers are modest and tags limited, but the open desert makes for classic spot-and-stalk.
- →Glass the open sage and greasewood flats of the Swell and Castle Valley margins
- →Set up on water and two-track intersections in the desert heat
- →Use terrain folds to close the distance on open ground
Cougar
common opportunityCougars follow the deer herds through the canyon breaks and plateau timber — a strong houndsman unit given the deer density and broken terrain.
- →Cut tracks on plateau and canyon roads after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer-wintering breaks above Castle Valley
- →Work the canyon rims of the San Rafael Swell for desert cats
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears use the oakbrush and aspen-conifer belts of the Wasatch Plateau. Best odds come in fall when bears hit oakbrush mast, or over bait/hounds where permitted.
- →Glass oakbrush draws and aspen edges during fall mast
- →Check canyon stringers with berry and acorn production
- →Focus on the timbered mid-elevations of the plateau
Pro tips
- →Treat this as two separate hunts — decide up front whether you're chasing plateau elk/deer or desert country, and plan logistics accordingly
- →For elk, the aspen-conifer high country along Skyline Drive is the heart of the herd
- →The limited-entry any-bull and muzzleloader deer tags are the way to hunt mature animals here — general-season is high-opportunity but pressured
- →Carry good glass — success on this big unit is about covering ground with optics, not walking
- →Watch the weather on the plateau; a single early storm can close the high roads overnight
- →In the Swell, never travel the clay roads after rain and haul all your own water
Watch out for
- !Early snow can close Skyline Drive and the high canyon roads with little warning
- !The San Rafael Swell is waterless and remote — carry ample water, fuel and recovery gear
- !Clay desert roads become impassable when wet
- !General-season crowding on the accessible plateau ground, especially opening weekend
- !Private irrigated land at the base of the plateau in the Sanpete and Castle valleys — verify boundaries
Logistics
Base out of the Sanpete Valley towns (Fairview, Ephraim, Manti) for the west side of the plateau, or the Castle Valley towns (Huntington, Castle Dale, Ferron, Price) for the east-side canyons and the Swell. Full services are in Price and Manti; smaller towns have fuel and basics. Ferron Reservoir and the many forest campgrounds along Skyline Drive make good high-country bases; the Swell is dispersed camping with no services — pack everything.
Nearest towns: Ferron, Castle Dale, Huntington, Price, Ephraim, Manti, Fairview, Green River
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Manti Elk Herd Unit Management Plan (2023) · UDWR Utah Hunt Planner · GOHUNT Manti/San Rafael Unit Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 619 in Utah?
- Unit 619 (Manti/San Rafael) covers about 7,665 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 11,285 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 619?
- Approximately 69% 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 619?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Cougar, 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 619 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.