Unit 69 Chalk Creek
Rolling private-ranch elk and deer country east of Coalville to the Wyoming line — a limited-entry unit where access, not game, is the challenge
Northern Utah — Uinta Foothills / Weber River · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
618
sq mi
Public land
10%
approx.
Elevation
6,200–11,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Chalk Creek unit (Deer Herd Unit #6) covers the rolling sagebrush-and-aspen foothills of the western Uintas east of Coalville, following the Chalk Creek and Weber River drainages up to the Wyoming border. It is an overwhelmingly private unit — countless ranches east of Rockport and Echo reservoirs — that holds good numbers of elk with a healthy bull-to-cow ratio and limited-entry mule deer. Only a small slice of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is publicly accessible, so securing access to private ground is the defining challenge of hunting here.
Terrain
Rolling foothill and mid-mountain terrain rising from the Weber River and reservoir valleys near 6,200 ft through sagebrush benches and aspen ridges to higher timbered country and the western Uinta uplands approaching 11,000 ft along the Wyoming line.
Cover: Sagebrush and grass on the lower benches and winter range, extensive aspen and mountain brush on the mid-slopes, and mixed conifer (spruce-fir, lodgepole) on the higher ground. Riparian meadows line Chalk Creek and the Weber River.
Landmarks: Chalk Creek drainage · Weber River · Rockport Reservoir · Echo Reservoir · Coalville · Wyoming state line · Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Access
This is a predominantly private unit — roughly 90% private ranchland, with only a few square miles of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and scattered SITLA/BLM parcels open to the public. The large ranches east of Rockport and Echo reservoirs up the Chalk Creek drainage control most of the elk and deer range; many landowners charge for or tightly limit access. Public forest at the upper end of the drainages sees heavy pressure. Verify access and boundaries carefully before hunting.
Managers: private, USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, SITLA, BLM
Access points: Chalk Creek Road (from Coalville, east up the drainage) · I-80 at Coalville / Echo · SR-133 and county roads near Rockport · Upper Chalk Creek forest access (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF) · Wyoming-side access to the eastern high country
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityChalk Creek holds good numbers of elk with a good bull-to-cow ratio, and elk have been expanding — increasingly occupying and dominating the limited winter range. Hunters with access to the large private ranches see high success and mature bulls; public-land hunters face heavy pressure and thinner odds.
- →Secure private-land access early — that is where the elk and the bulls are
- →On public forest, hunt the upper timbered drainages hard and expect competition
- →Work aspen-conifer edges and meadow openings at dawn and dusk
- →Time the hunt to weather that pushes elk down onto accessible ground
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-entry mule deer unit where herd size is capped by limited, largely private winter range and growing elk competition for that range. Access to private ground drives buck quality and success; the age structure of a limited-entry unit produces good bucks for those who can hunt the right country.
- →Hunt the aspen-and-sage transition and mountain brush on the foothill benches
- →As snow builds, deer concentrate on the lower winter range — much of it private
- →Glass ridgelines and draws at first and last light
- →Line up landowner access before the season to reach the best buck country
Pronghorn
limited opportunitySmall numbers of pronghorn occupy the open sagebrush valleys and benches on the lower end of the unit near the Weber River and reservoir country.
- →Glass the open sage flats and valley bottoms at first light
- →Cover ground between water and forage — bands range widely
- →Watch land boundaries closely; much of the open country is private
Cougar
limited opportunityCougars follow the abundant deer and elk through the timbered drainages and mountain brush of the unit, hunted under limited-entry management.
- →Hunt fresh snow to cut tracks along ridgelines and drainage bottoms
- →Focus on deer and elk winter concentrations where lions follow prey
- →Work the timbered canyon country and rimrock edges
Pro tips
- →Access is everything here — line up private-land permission months ahead or expect crowded, low-odds public hunting
- →Public forest is confined to the upper drainages and is heavily pressured; get in early and deep
- →Use weather to your advantage — storms push game down, but often onto private winter range
- →Map ownership meticulously; the private/public checkerboard is unforgiving and boundaries matter
- →Scout the aspen-sage transition where deer and elk stage between summer and winter range
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private land — do not assume access; roughly 90% is private ranch
- !Heavy pressure on the small public forest slice
- !Fenced boundaries and a tight private/public mosaic — verify ownership before crossing
- !Early snow closing high roads and pushing game onto inaccessible ground
- !Growing elk numbers competing for limited winter range
Logistics
Coalville, just off I-80, is the closest hub for fuel and supplies, with Kamas and Park City nearby and Evanston, Wyoming to the northeast. The unit is close to the Wasatch Front, so services are easy, but the real logistical work is arranging private-land access — most of the productive ground is behind gates. Chalk Creek and forest roads are high-clearance and can drift shut with snow; carry offline maps and confirm ownership before crossing fences.
Nearest towns: Coalville, Kamas, Park City, Evanston (WY), Echo
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 6 Chalk Creek (2023) · GOHUNT — Utah Chalk Creek Unit Profile (elk general) · GOHUNT — Utah Chalk Creek Unit Profile (deer limited entry) · UDWR Hunt Planner
FAQ
- How big is Unit 69 in Utah?
- Unit 69 (Chalk Creek) covers about 618 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,200 to 11,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 69?
- Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private, USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, SITLA, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 69?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 69 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.