GMU 560 Lewis River
District 9's biggest, most public elk unit — Gifford Pinchot high country between Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams.
WDFW Region 5 — Southwest Washington / South Cascades (District 9) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
744
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
900–12,276
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 560 (Lewis River) is a large South Cascades unit — roughly 744 square miles straddling the Lewis River drainage in Skamania and eastern Cowlitz counties — and it is overwhelmingly public land, about 90% within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. WDFW rates it as offering the best elk hunting in District 9 in terms of both size and opportunity, and unlike neighboring Toutle it runs a general elk season under a Western Washington elk tag. This is genuine national-forest country: mixed conifer forest with riparian, subalpine, and alpine pockets, good road access on the forest network, and free walk-in access on PacifiCorp lands along the Lewis River reservoirs. Deer densities are low for a Cascade unit, but the public-land freedom and elk make 560 a standout for hunters who want to roam without solving timber-company permits.
Terrain
Big, high, forested Cascade terrain climbing from the Lewis River reservoirs (Swift, Yale, Merwin corridor, roughly 900-1,000 ft) up through mixed-conifer benches and ridges to subalpine and alpine ground on the flanks of Mount Adams — the Mount Adams Wilderness reaches its 12,276 ft summit at the unit's high edge. Deep river drainages, extensive Forest Service roads, meadows, and recently burned areas structure the country.
Cover: Mixed conifer forest dominated by Douglas-fir and western hemlock, transitioning to subalpine fir and open alpine near Mount Adams. Meadows, natural openings, recent thinning units, and fire-regenerated burns provide the grass-and-forb forage that concentrates deer and elk.
Landmarks: Lewis River (main drainage) · Swift Reservoir · Yale Lake / Lake Merwin · Mount Adams and Mount Adams Wilderness · Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (northwest edge) · Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Recently burned areas on the eastern side of the unit
Access
About 90% public and only ~9% private, so 560 is a rare SW Washington unit where access is largely open rather than permit-gated. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest and WDNR lands are open to public hunting with good road access on the forest network, and motorized access and dispersed camping are generally allowed unless fire danger triggers closures. PacifiCorp adds free walk-in (non-motorized) hunting along the Lewis River reservoirs, including the north side of Swift Reservoir and the reservoirs in the southern part of the unit. The main access limiter is not ownership but weather and fire: early-season snow can shut down the high country, and Gifford Pinchot fire closures shift year to year — check the forest before scouting.
Managers: USFS Gifford Pinchot National Forest (majority), PacifiCorp (Lewis River reservoir lands — free walk-in access), Washington DNR (state forestland), Private industrial / small private (~9%)
Access points: Forest Road 90 (Lewis River corridor) from Cougar/Swift Reservoir · Forest Road 25 (north-south spine) · Forest Road 23 toward the Mount Adams side · PacifiCorp walk-in access on the north side of Swift Reservoir · State Route 503 west end via Cougar and Yale/Merwin
Species notes
Roosevelt Elk
common qualityGMU 560 offers the best elk hunting in District 9 by size and opportunity and is managed as part of the Mount St. Helens (MSH) herd under a general Western Washington elk season. The MSH herd sits below its historic mid-2000s highs — a deliberate management outcome combined with hard winters and hoof disease — so expect a challenging general-season hunt, but the vast public land lets you cover country to find animals. Elk are most abundant and accessible around meadows, recent thinning, and burns.
- →Confirm you hold a Western Washington elk tag — 560 is in the westside tag area
- →Target meadows, natural openings, thinning units, and fire-regenerated burns where elk feed, then hunt the timbered benches and drainages where they bed
- →Cover the Forest Service road network to cut fresh sign, then commit on foot to the drainage holding a herd
- →Hunt cool, wet, higher north-facing timber in warm early weather; elk are most active at dawn and dusk
- →Watch early-season snow on the Mount Adams side — it can both push elk down and cut off your access
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian blacktails provide a general-season hunt across the unit, but WDFW notes deer densities are generally LOW in the high Cascade units including 560, with recovery ongoing after the severe 2016-17 winter. Effort pays here: put in the miles on public ground and hunt the openings, especially during the late-November buck period.
- →Glass meadows, clearcut/thinning edges, and burns at first and last light; blacktails here are largely nocturnal
- →Hunt the four-day late buck period around the rut, when bucks travel and appear in openings
- →Focus lower-elevation cover early and follow deer up or down with weather and snow
- →Still-hunt damp timber quietly and be in position before shooting light
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear inhabit the unit's berry-rich forest and lie within the South Cascades West Black Bear Management Unit (fall season generally Aug. 1-Nov. 15, two-bear statewide limit). WDFW reports District 9 bear success is modest (around 6% in the South Cascades), so this is an opportunity hunt rewarded by scouting food sources.
- →Scout huckleberry, blackberry, salmonberry, and snowberry patches late summer into fall
- →Glass clearcuts, thinning, burns, and subalpine openings at dawn and dusk
- →Predator-call brushy drainages, and check for cubs before shooting
- →Submit the required premolar tooth after a harvest
Cougar
common opportunityCougars range unit-wide following deer and elk. Most are taken incidentally by big-game hunters; the unit lies within a Cougar Hunt Management Unit that closes when its seasonal harvest cap is reached.
- →Hunt cougar alongside deer/elk seasons where prey concentrates
- →Cut tracks on forest roads after rain or fresh snow; look for claw raking
- →Focus rugged, timbered drainages near winter deer range
- →Confirm the CHMU is open via the WDFW closures page or hotline before hunting
Pro tips
- →This is the public-land play in District 9 — ~90% Gifford Pinchot NF, no timber permit needed to roam.
- →Prioritize meadows, recent thinning, and burns; that fresh forage is where deer and elk concentrate.
- →Add PacifiCorp's free walk-in reservoir ground (north side of Swift) to your options.
- →Watch the forecast — early snow on the Mount Adams side both moves elk and can strand you.
- →Cover the FR 90/25/23 network to locate herds, then hunt in on foot away from the roads.
Watch out for
- !Early-season snow in the high country and on Mount Adams can close roads and end access mid-hunt.
- !Gifford Pinchot fire-season closures and lingering hazards in recently burned eastern areas shift year to year — check the forest before scouting.
- !Deer densities are genuinely low for the region; don't expect the deer numbers of the lowland units.
- !Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) affects Mount St. Helens herd elk — report affected animals and leave deformed hooves in the field.
- !Confirm your westside vs. eastside tag and season dates — District 9 spans the Cascade crest and rules vary by GMU.
- !The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument on the northwest edge has its own restrictions — know the boundary.
Logistics
This is a national-forest hunt — base out of Cougar or Amboy near Swift/Yale reservoirs for the western/central country, or approach the Mount Adams side from Randle or Trout Lake. Fuel and full supplies are back in Woodland or Vancouver, so top off before heading up. Dispersed camping is generally available on Gifford Pinchot and DNR land. Carry chains and offline maps; the road network is extensive but high, and early snow or fire closures can change access overnight. Check the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for current closures before you scout.
Nearest towns: Cougar, Amboy, Woodland, Randle, Trout Lake, Vancouver
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW — 2025 District 9 Hunting Prospects (Region 5) · WDFW — Game Management Units (GMUs) · USFS — Gifford Pinchot National Forest · GoHunt — Washington Unit 560 (Lewis River) Profile · WDFW — Elk Hoof Disease (TAHD)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 560 in Washington?
- GMU 560 (Lewis River) covers about 744 square miles, ranging from roughly 900 to 12,276 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 560?
- Approximately 90% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Gifford Pinchot National Forest (majority), PacifiCorp (Lewis River reservoir lands — free walk-in access), Washington DNR (state forestland), Private industrial / small private (~9%). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 560?
- Roosevelt Elk, Blacktail Deer, 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 560 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.