GMU 516 Packwood
The district's biggest, wildest unit — Goat Rocks and Gifford Pinchot backcountry with open access but low deer and elk density.
WDFW Region 5 — South Cascades / Southwest Washington (District 10) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
541
sq mi
Public land
95%
approx.
Elevation
1,000–8,000
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 516 "Packwood" is District 10's largest unit at 538 square miles, lying south of State Route 12 entirely within Lewis County. It is almost entirely U.S. Forest Service (Gifford Pinchot National Forest) — roughly 95% public with only a ~2% ribbon of private timber along SR 12, and about a fifth of the unit is the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Access is excellent by district standards, but WDFW rates the unit low for both black-tailed deer and elk: rugged, high-relief terrain and limited road penetration keep hunter success down (about 68 bucks and 19 elk in 2024, at single-digit-to-low-double-digit success). It's a big-country unit for hunters willing to hike, glass, and trade harvest odds for public ground and scenery.
Terrain
Expansive, rugged Cascade backcountry rising from the Cowlitz and Cispus river valleys near SR 12 to the alpine crest of the Goat Rocks Wilderness (peaks over 8,000 ft). Deep timbered drainages, steep ridges, and a large roadless/wilderness core.
Cover: Douglas-fir, western hemlock and silver fir at lower and mid elevations grading into subalpine fir, huckleberry fields, avalanche chutes, and alpine meadow/rock near the Goat Rocks crest; regen clearcuts limited to the narrow private SR 12 corridor.
Landmarks: Cowlitz River (north boundary along SR 12) · Cispus River · Goat Rocks Wilderness · Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Pacific Crest Trail · U.S. Forest Service Roads 20 and 24
Access
About 95% of GMU 516 is open Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which WDFW notes generally stays open through high fire danger when private timber closes — a real advantage in early seasons. The catch is scale and ruggedness: it's the district's biggest unit but road access is limited, and roughly 20% is the Goat Rocks Wilderness (foot and stock only, no motorized or mechanized travel). The only private ground is a thin corridor along SR 12; get permission there and hunt the federal land freely elsewhere. Forest Service Roads 20 and 24 are the main vehicle arteries into the interior.
Managers: USFS Gifford Pinchot NF (Cowlitz Valley Ranger District), Small private timber along SR 12
Access points: State Route 12 corridor along the Cowlitz River · U.S. Forest Service Road 20 (Cispus/Johnson Creek country) · U.S. Forest Service Road 24 · Pacific Crest Trail and Goat Rocks Wilderness trailheads for backcountry access
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityWDFW rates 516 low for black-tailed deer, though its size yields more total bucks than 513 — about 68 bucks in 2024 at 10.4% success across 520 hunters (0.10 bucks/sq mi). Deer are spread thin across big, rugged public country, so it's an opportunity unit that pays off for hunters who cover ground.
- →Glass timber edges, old cuts, and avalanche chutes on mid-elevation slopes at first and last light, then still-hunt the cover.
- →Use the Goat Rocks high country and its meadow/timber transitions for bucks that summer away from roads.
- →Focus effort on the late buck season, when the rut and cooler, wetter weather improve still-hunting.
- →Get well off Roads 20 and 24 into pockets other hunters skip — density is low but pressure concentrates near the mainlines.
Roosevelt Elk
limited opportunityGMU 516 lies in the South Rainier elk herd area; Cascade-crest elk here are of mixed origin (native Roosevelt blended with introduced Rocky Mountain elk). Density and harvest are low — about 19 elk in 2024 at just 3.8% success over 519 hunters, the lowest success of the three neighboring units. Big country, few elk.
- →Backpack into the high basins, meadows, and roadless benches of the Goat Rocks fringe where elk summer.
- →Locate elk pre-season and stay on them — herds are scattered and move once pressure hits.
- →Hunt the timbered Cispus drainages and their meadow edges for elk holding in cover.
- →Be realistic: low success here rewards fitness and persistence over road access.
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are the unit's brightest spot among the big game — 11 taken in 2024 and 31 in 2022 (Mount St. Helens BBMU), reflecting strong berry country in the Gifford Pinchot high ground. Most are taken by hunters glassing openings and berry fields.
- →Glass huckleberry fields, avalanche chutes, and alpine openings at dawn and dusk during the berry feed.
- →Key on cascara and blackberry pockets lower down and huckleberry slopes up high.
- →Find fresh sign in a berry-rich basin and sit it for long watches rather than covering ground.
- →Predator calling can work in the dense Cascade cover; carry the tag while deer and elk hunting.
Cougar
common opportunityCougars range throughout the unit and are taken almost entirely incidentally by deer and elk hunters. The season is cap-managed (CHMU) and can close mid-season, so status must be verified.
- →Hunt after fresh snow or rain and cut roads and ridges for tracks.
- →Look for four-clawed vertical scratches and claw-raked trees.
- →Try calls where deer concentrate; cougars follow the prey.
- →Check the Cougar Hotline or online openings before and during the hunt.
Pro tips
- →Hunt 516 for its size and open access, not its odds — WDFW rates it low for deer and elk despite being the district's biggest unit.
- →Bear is arguably the best big-game bet here — glass the huckleberry high country during the berry feed.
- →Roads 20 and 24 are your interior arteries; get well beyond them and into the roadless/Goat Rocks fringe to escape pressure.
- →Respect the Goat Rocks Wilderness boundary — foot and stock only, no vehicles or e-bikes.
- →Plan for real backcountry: long approaches, early snow, and steep terrain reward fit, mobile hunters.
- →Time deer effort for the late buck season and the rut for your best mature-buck window.
Watch out for
- !WDFW rates the unit low for both deer and elk; elk success in particular is very low (about 3.8%).
- !Roughly 20% is Goat Rocks Wilderness — no motorized/mechanized travel; plan foot or stock.
- !Road access is limited relative to the unit's huge size — don't underestimate approach distances.
- !Early Cascade snow can close high roads and trails and strand vehicles on remote spurs.
- !The private SR 12 corridor requires permission; know where federal ground begins.
- !Cougar and bear seasons are cap-managed/regulation-specific — confirm current status before hunting.
Logistics
Packwood, right on US 12 at the unit's north edge, is the natural base for fuel, lodging, and groceries, with Randle and Morton as alternates. The Cowlitz Valley Ranger District office is nearby. Gifford Pinchot National Forest offers extensive dispersed and developed camping (subject to fire and seasonal closures). Forest Service Roads 20 and 24 are the main interior arteries; beyond them expect long gravel spurs and foot travel into the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Carry a national-forest motor vehicle use map and verify road conditions, as high spurs can be gated or snowed shut.
Nearest towns: Packwood, Randle, Morton
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW 2025 District 10 Hunting Prospects (GMU 516 overview, land table, elk/deer/bear harvest tables) · WDFW Game Management Units (GMU boundaries & maps) · Gifford Pinchot National Forest (Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, Goat Rocks Wilderness)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 516 in Washington?
- GMU 516 (Packwood) covers about 541 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 516?
- Approximately 95% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Gifford Pinchot NF (Cowlitz Valley Ranger District), Small private timber along SR 12. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 516?
- Blacktail Deer, Roosevelt Elk, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 516 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.