GMU 364 Rimrock
High Cascade Goat Rocks backcountry above Rimrock Lake — 96% public, Yakima elk herd country.
Region 3 — East Cascades / Yakima County · Last reviewed 2026-06-03
Area
175
sq mi
Public land
96%
approx.
Elevation
2,400–7,903
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 364 Rimrock is a 174-square-mile East Cascades unit in western Yakima County, draped over the North and South Fork Tieton drainages and rising from Rimrock and Clear Lake reservoirs to the alpine crest of the Goat Rocks. It is almost entirely Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (roughly 96% public), much of it roadless wilderness, and falls within the range of the Yakima elk herd — one of Washington's largest (about 10,500 animals against a ~9,500 objective). The country runs from buckbrush-choked draws and grassy river meadows up through pine and grand fir into talus, glaciers, and timberline forbs above 7,000 feet. The 2024 Retreat/Rimrock Fire burned the Tieton Canyon corridor and adjacent ridges mostly east and northeast of Rimrock Lake (toward neighboring GMUs 368 Cowiche and 360 Bethel); its footprint inside GMU 364's western backcountry was limited.
Terrain
A dramatic west-rising profile: Rimrock and Clear Lake reservoirs and the Tieton River valley on the east, climbing through dense conifer onto the Cascade crest. The western edge is rocky alpine — steep talus slopes and cliffs drop over 2,000 feet in under a mile from peaks like Old Snowy and Gilbert down to timberline. The North and South Fork Tieton Rivers drain the unit, fed by the Conrad, Meade, and McCall glaciers off the Goat Rocks.
Cover: Conifer forest of ponderosa/lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, and grand fir blankets most of the unit. Tieton valleys mix narrow buckbrush draws with open grass meadows. Above timberline, short-season alpine forbs, lichen, and grass provide high summer grazing. Burn mosaics — notably the 2018 Miriam Fire along the North Fork Tieton Road, and the 2024 Retreat/Rimrock Fire on the lower eastern Tieton corridor — create regenerating browse edges.
Landmarks: Rimrock Lake (Tieton Reservoir) · Clear Lake · North & South Fork Tieton River · Goat Rocks (Old Snowy Mtn, Ives Peak, Gilbert Peak) · Conrad, Meade & McCall glaciers · Pinegrass Ridge · Lost Lake · Divide Ridge / Ahtanum State Forest edge · White Pass / US-12 corridor
Access
Overwhelmingly public, but described by WDFW as a lot of public land with very little road access. The US-12/White Pass corridor along the Tieton River and Rimrock Lake is the spine; Forest Service roads branch off it to reach trailheads, but the western half is roadless wilderness reachable only on foot or stock. Verify road closures and the Yakama Nation reservation boundary on the southwest before hunting — that land is not open to general hunters.
Managers: U.S. Forest Service (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest), Goat Rocks & William O. Douglas Wilderness areas (USFS), Yakama Nation Reservation (adjacent SW boundary — closed to non-tribal), Scattered checkerboard private timber sections (southern border)
Access points: US Highway 12 / White Pass corridor along Rimrock Lake and the Tieton River · North Fork Tieton trailheads into the Goat Rocks Wilderness · South Fork Tieton drainage access · Pinegrass Ridge / Divide Ridge area off the eastern side · Clear Lake and Rimrock Lake recreation/road access
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityPart of the Yakima elk herd (roughly 10,500 animals, one of the state's largest). Bulls summer high in the roadless Goat Rocks/Tieton backcountry; once pressure builds, animals push to higher elevations and away from roads. As snow accumulates they begin migrating to the Oak Creek winter range east of the unit.
- →Hunt the high, roadless country away from the US-12 corridor — pack in toward the North/South Fork Tieton headwaters where bulls hold
- →Glass timbered burn edges (the 2018 Miriam Fire near the North Fork Tieton Road) for fresh graze
- →Check the Lost Lake area, a noted elk pocket
- →Early season, work alpine basins and timberline meadows; expect elk to drop and migrate east as snow accumulates in late fall
Mule Deer
common opportunityManaged as mule deer country; the East Cascades here hold mule deer plus mule/blacktail hybrids that stratify by elevation. General-season opportunity rather than a trophy unit.
- →Glass open ridges, burn edges, and the buckbrush draws of the Tieton valleys at first and last light
- →Push higher for mature bucks early, then key on migration routes toward lower elevation as weather pushes deer down
- →Still-hunt timber-meadow transitions; investigate regenerating burn mosaics for concentrated browse
Blacktail Deer
limited opportunityThis is a transition zone where Cascade blacktail genetics blend with mule deer; pure blacktails are more a fringe presence on the wetter, lower-elevation western timber. Most deer here behave as mule deer or hybrids.
- →Hunt thicker, lower-elevation conifer on the western/wetter side for blacktail-type deer
- →Still-hunt slowly through dense cover rather than glassing open country
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are well distributed through the forested mid-elevations. Good numbers in the berry and regenerating-burn zones.
- →Glass open burns, avalanche chutes, and berry fields in late summer/early fall
- →Watch regenerating fire mosaics where browse and berries concentrate
- →Focus on north-facing timber and riparian draws during warm spells
Cougar
common opportunityCougars track the deer and elk; densities are highest in late fall and winter at lower elevations as cats follow herds migrating to winter range.
- →Hunt lower elevations and winter-range fringes in late season when cats concentrate with migrating deer and elk
- →Cut tracks after fresh snow along the Tieton corridor and lower drainages
- →Glass kill sites and prey concentrations
Mountain Goat
limited qualityThe Goat Rocks high country in the western part of this unit holds mountain goats and overlaps WDFW's Goat Rocks West (5-4) goat permit area — a well-regarded, very-limited special-draw opportunity in steep alpine terrain.
- →This is a once-in-a-lifetime special-permit pursuit only — confirm the exact Goat Rocks West (5-4) hunt-area boundary, which differs from the GMU
- →Glass the alpine cliffs, talus, and basins of the Goat Rocks (Old Snowy, Gilbert Peak) and be prepared for serious backcountry/stock travel
Pro tips
- →Get off US-12 and away from roads — the elk reward effort. WDFW notes the better opportunity is in the high, roadless backcountry.
- →Scout the 2018 Miriam Fire mosaic near the North Fork Tieton Road: regenerating burns pull deer, elk, and bear with tender browse and berries.
- →Check the Lost Lake area and Pinegrass Ridge — both are named local elk/deer pockets.
- →Pre-plan a pack-out strategy; much of the productive country is steep wilderness with 2,000-ft drops and no road access.
- →Time late-season hunts to the migration — animals funnel east toward Oak Creek as snow accumulates.
Watch out for
- !The southwest boundary abuts the Yakama Nation Reservation, which is closed to non-tribal hunters — know exactly where that line is.
- !The southern border has checkerboarded private timber sections amid the public ground; verify ownership before crossing.
- !The 2024 Retreat/Rimrock Fire (~45,600 acres) burned mostly the lower eastern Tieton corridor and adjacent ridges toward GMUs 368 and 360, largely east of Rimrock Lake; expect blowdown, hazard trees, and possible road/area closures on the eastern approaches more than in the western backcountry.
- !Western wilderness is steep, glaciated, and remote with cliffs dropping 2,000+ feet — serious terrain demanding fitness and navigation.
- !Early high-country snow can close Forest Service roads and trails fast; carry recovery and winter gear.
- !Goat Rocks goat hunting is special-permit only (Goat Rocks West 5-4) with its own hunt-area boundary distinct from the GMU.
Logistics
Access the unit from Yakima/Naches via US-12 (the White Pass Scenic Byway) up the Tieton River past Rimrock and Clear Lakes; this highway is the main artery and stays open year-round (plowed over White Pass). Forest Service roads off US-12 reach trailheads, but the western half is wilderness requiring foot or stock travel. Fuel and full services in Naches and Yakima; limited seasonal services at White Pass. Primitive camping is allowed on national forest land most of the year, subject to fire bans and seasonal road closures — verify current Okanogan-Wenatchee NF restrictions before the trip.
Nearest towns: Naches, Yakima, Packwood, White Pass (seasonal services)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: GoHunt — Washington Unit 364 Rimrock Profile · WDFW 2024 District 8 Hunting Prospects (Yakima & Kittitas) · WDFW Game Management Units · WDFW Mountain Goat Permit Hunt Area Boundary Maps · Okanogan-Wenatchee NF — Goat Rocks Wilderness · Retreat Fire (2024) — Wikipedia · Seattle Times — Oak Creek Wildlife Area elk winter feeding
FAQ
- How big is GMU 364 in Washington?
- GMU 364 (Rimrock) covers about 175 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,400 to 7,903 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 364?
- Approximately 96% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: U.S. Forest Service (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest), Goat Rocks & William O. Douglas Wilderness areas (USFS), Yakama Nation Reservation (adjacent SW boundary — closed to non-tribal), Scattered checkerboard private timber sections (southern border). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 364?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Blacktail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar, Mountain Goat. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 364 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.