Unit 632 Thousand Lakes
A compact aspen-and-lake plateau above Capitol Reef — a growing restricted-weapon mule deer unit inside Utah's trophy Fishlake elk zone.
Southern Utah — Thousand Lake Mountain / Capitol Reef country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
508
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
7,000–11,306
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Thousand Lakes unit is built around Thousand Lake Mountain, a flat-topped plateau of aspen ridges and scattered high lakes that looks out over the red-rock of Capitol Reef National Park to the east. It is a small, single-range unit on the Fishlake National Forest that drops off to farmland on the south and west and to slickrock canyon country on the east. Managed as an opportunity mule deer unit — recently enrolled as a restricted-weapon deer hunt — it holds good and improving buck numbers, while its elk fall under the trophy-managed Fishlake/Thousand Lakes limited-entry bull unit.
Terrain
A single flat-topped plateau, Thousand Lake Mountain, topping out above 11,300 feet, with rolling forested ridges and lake-dotted parks up high breaking into steep creek drainages that fall to farm valleys on the west and south and red-rock canyons on the east.
Cover: Spruce-fir and extensive aspen cloak the high ridges around lakes and springs, grading through ponderosa pine and Gambel oak to pinyon-juniper and sage on the lower slopes; large grassy meadows with springs or lakes break the timber on top.
Landmarks: Thousand Lake Mountain (Flat Top, ~11,306 ft) · Capitol Reef National Park (adjacent east) · Fremont River valley · Cathedral Valley · Fish Lake National Forest high lakes
Access
The plateau core is Fishlake National Forest (Fremont River Ranger District) with BLM desert land wrapping the lower east and south flanks and open SITLA parcels mixed in, giving strong public access. Well-maintained dirt roads ring the mountain and feed rougher four-wheel-drive roads and ATV trails onto the top. Private farm and ranch ground fills the Fremont River valley towns to the south and west; Capitol Reef National Park borders the unit on the east and is closed to hunting.
Managers: USFS Fishlake NF, BLM, SITLA, private, NPS Capitol Reef (closed to hunting)
Access points: SR-72 / Fremont-Loa road corridor (west) · Elkhorn Campground / Forest Service roads onto Thousand Lake Mountain · Cathedral Valley / Hartnet road (east) · Fremont and Lyman county roads (south)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityAn opportunity unit recently made restricted-weapon, holding good bucks with a growing share of mature deer thanks to the added management. Deer hold in the aspen-conifer ridges and meadow edges on top and on the brushy transition slopes.
- →Glass aspen-meadow edges and the heads of creek drainages at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt spruce-fir and oak-brush pockets where older bucks bed
- →Work the transition zone between the timber on top and the lower sage-juniper benches
- →Follow deer to lower slopes as early storms move them off the plateau
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyPart of the trophy-managed Fishlake/Thousand Lakes limited-entry elk unit — low tag numbers and a large management zone let bulls reach mature age class. Bulls use the aspen basins, high meadows and timber pockets around the lakes.
- →Bugle-locate bulls at dawn from high points, then close in the aspen and timber
- →Hunt the meadow-timber edges and lake basins where cows feed
- →Check springs and wallows in the high parks during the rut
- →Be selective — the unit is managed for older, larger bulls
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears use the aspen, oak brush and berry draws on the plateau in modest numbers.
- →Glass oak-brush and aspen benches feeding on mast in early fall
- →Check thick spring-fed draws on the timbered slopes
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer through the timber and canyon breaks of the plateau.
- →Cut for tracks on the plateau and rim roads after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer concentration areas on the lower benches
Pro tips
- →This is a small single-mountain unit — learn the road system ringing Thousand Lake Mountain and the routes onto the top before the hunt.
- →Hunt the aspen-meadow and lake basins on top early, then drop to the transition slopes as weather pushes deer down.
- →Mind the Capitol Reef National Park boundary on the east — it is closed to hunting.
- →For the limited-entry elk tag, be patient and selective in the aspen basins during the rut.
- →Carry mud and snow gear; the top gets slick and cold fast.
Watch out for
- !Capitol Reef National Park boundary on the east — no hunting
- !Private farm and ranch ground in the Fremont River valley to the south and west
- !Snow and slick roads on top of the plateau early in the fall
- !Small unit — expect other hunters, especially on the restricted-weapon deer hunt
Logistics
Loa and Bicknell are the closest towns for fuel, lodging and groceries, with Torrey to the southeast serving Capitol Reef visitors. Dirt roads ringing the mountain are generally well maintained but the routes onto the top get rough and greasy when wet and hold snow into fall. Dispersed camping and developed forest campgrounds are available on the Fishlake National Forest.
Nearest towns: Loa, Fremont, Lyman, Bicknell, Torrey
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Utah Big Game Application Guidebook 2026 · GOHUNT — Utah Thousand Lakes Deer Unit Profile · GOHUNT — Utah Fishlake/Thousand Lakes Elk Unit Profile · UDWR Deer Herd Unit Management Plan #25/26
FAQ
- How big is Unit 632 in Utah?
- Unit 632 (Thousand Lakes) covers about 508 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,000 to 11,306 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 632?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Fishlake NF, BLM, SITLA, private, NPS Capitol Reef (closed to hunting). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 632?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 632 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.