Unit 718 Panguitch Lake/Zion, North
High volcanic plateau country above Panguitch Lake and Cedar Breaks — a big, diverse southern-Utah general deer unit with a solid elk herd
Southern Utah — Markagunt Plateau / Panguitch Lake · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
987
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–11,307
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
The Panguitch Lake / Zion North unit rides the Markagunt Plateau of southwestern Utah, a high volcanic tableland of aspen, spruce-fir and lava country topping out above 11,000 feet at Brian Head, then dropping east into pinyon-juniper high desert. It is a general-season mule deer unit — good numbers and honest, sometimes surprising quality across varied terrain — paired with an established Rocky Mountain elk herd (Herd Unit #28) and strong cougar and bear populations. Diverse country from roadless timber basins to desert bowls, mostly on the Dixie National Forest and BLM, with Cedar Breaks National Monument closed to hunting.
Terrain
West of Highway 143 the Markagunt Plateau rises through steep aspen-and-conifer basins and lava fields to Brian Head Peak (11,307 ft); east of the highway the country falls into moderately steep basins and bowls of high desert. A landscape of plateau tops, glacial-carved amphitheaters, and pinyon-juniper breaks.
Cover: High country of quaking aspen, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir and ponderosa pine with alpine meadows and lava outcrops on the plateau; pinyon-juniper, mountain mahogany and sagebrush on the drier eastern benches and desert bowls.
Landmarks: Brian Head Peak (11,307 ft) · Panguitch Lake · Cedar Breaks National Monument · Markagunt Plateau · Navajo Lake · Duck Creek · Mammoth Creek · Highway 143 (Scenic Byway)
Access
Heavily public — the plateau core is Dixie National Forest with BLM on the lower flanks and SITLA state trust (open to hunting) mixed in; private land does not significantly impede access. A dense network of Forest roads and four-wheel-drive trails reaches nearly every part of the unit, and ATVs/side-by-sides are genuinely useful here. Cedar Breaks National Monument in the west is closed to hunting, and there are cabin/private inholdings and CWMU parcels around Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek and Brian Head to respect.
Managers: USFS Dixie National Forest, BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Highway 143 (Panguitch to Cedar City via Panguitch Lake / Brian Head) · Highway 14 (Cedar City to Duck Creek / Long Valley) · Mammoth Creek Road · Dixie NF road network off the plateau · Brian Head / Parowan Canyon approaches
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityThe primary draw — a general-season buck unit with good deer numbers and diverse terrain that can produce better-than-expected bucks. Resident herds run throughout; high-elevation aspen basins hold deer early, while cold and snow push them to the eastern high-desert benches later in the season.
- →Early season, glass the high aspen basins, meadow edges and lava-rim benches west of Highway 143 at first and last light
- →As storms hit, follow deer to the pinyon-juniper and sage benches on the eastern, lower-elevation side of the unit
- →Hunt the aspen/conifer edges and mountain-brush pockets where mature bucks bed
- →Use the ATV road network to cover ground, then still-hunt away from trails into pressure-free timber
- →Time effort to weather — a hard cold front triggers movement and concentrates deer
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityAn established Rocky Mountain elk herd (Panguitch Lake Herd Unit #28), with recent aerial surveys estimating roughly 1,000-1,400 animals. Bulls use the high plateau timber and roadless basins; the mix of general spike and limited-entry opportunity makes this a productive elk range.
- →Work the aspen and spruce-fir basins and roadless timber pockets of the high plateau during the rut for bugling bulls
- →Set up on saddles and meadow edges between bedding timber and feeding parks at dawn and dusk
- →Get away from the road network into the steep roadless heads where mature bulls hold
- →Glass big burns and open lava-country parks for feeding elk
Black Bear
common qualityBlack bears thrive in the aspen, oakbrush and berry country of the Markagunt Plateau, concentrating on fall mast and serviceberry crops.
- →Hunt oakbrush, chokecherry and serviceberry benches during fall feed-up
- →Watch aspen edges and spring-fed green pockets on the plateau at first and last light
- →Glass burns and meadow openings for feeding bears
Cougar
common qualityA strong mountain-lion population follows the abundant deer and elk across the plateau and desert breaks.
- →Cut fresh tracks on Forest roads and in canyon-bottom mud after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer-wintering benches on the eastern side and the timbered rims where cats travel and ambush
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open desert valleys and sage flats on the lower eastern and southern margins of the unit — a limited, secondary opportunity compared with the deer and elk.
- →Glass the open sagebrush valleys and use terrain folds to close distance across the flats
- →Watch water and green feed in the drier eastern basins
Pro tips
- →Play the elevation: hunt the high aspen basins early, then chase weather to the eastern high-desert benches as snow moves deer down
- →Use the ATV/Forest-road network to scout broadly, then hunt on foot into the roadless timber where pressure drops off
- →Time your best days around cold fronts — movement and bull activity spike with weather
- →Know the Cedar Breaks National Monument boundary (closed to hunting) and the private/CWMU inholdings around Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek and Brian Head
- →Glass burns, lava-rim benches and meadow edges at first and last light for both deer and elk
Watch out for
- !Cedar Breaks National Monument is closed to hunting — know the boundary
- !Private cabin inholdings and CWMU parcels around Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek and Brian Head
- !Fast-changing high-elevation weather and early snow on the plateau tops
- !Fire/smoke closures possible in dry early seasons
- !General-season crowding on the accessible plateau road network — get off the trails for solitude
Logistics
This is one of southern Utah's more comfortable units to hunt logistically — lodging, fuel and groceries are close in Panguitch, Cedar City, Brian Head and Parowan, with cabins and resorts right on the plateau near Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek and Brian Head. The dense Forest and ATV road network makes access and pack-out manageable; a side-by-side genuinely helps. Cell coverage is spotty in the deep timber and desert breaks but generally recoverable near the highway corridors and towns. Trout fishing on Panguitch Lake, Navajo Lake and the creeks is a nice camp bonus.
Nearest towns: Panguitch, Cedar City, Brian Head, Parowan, Hatch
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Utah Panguitch Lake Deer Unit Profile · UDWR Elk Herd Unit Management Plan #28 — Panguitch Lake · Avenza / HuntData — Panguitch Lake Utah Mule Deer Unit Map (land ownership)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 718 in Utah?
- Unit 718 (Panguitch Lake/Zion, North) covers about 987 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 11,307 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 718?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Dixie National Forest, BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 718?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 718 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.