GMU 574 Wind River
Public Wind River country between the Columbia Gorge and Gifford Pinchot — a productive Mount St. Helens elk unit with good road access.
WDFW Region 5 — Southwest Washington (District 9) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
271
sq mi
Public land
74%
approx.
Elevation
100–4,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 574 (Wind River) straddles the Columbia River Gorge and the west Cascades in WDFW District 9, following the Wind River drainage in Skamania County. It is primarily public land — most within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and Gifford Pinchot National Forest, plus a large block of WDNR land in the western quarter — with WDFW rating it roughly 74% public. A couple of private industrial timber owners (TCT Holdings and Broughton Lumber) in the southwestern part allow free walk-in hunting access. WDFW lists Wind River among District 9's productive Roosevelt elk units (part of the Mount St. Helens herd); deer densities are low as in the Cascade units, but the unit offers good road access, bear, cougar, forest grouse, and turkeys in the lower southern and eastern ground.
Terrain
Rises from the Columbia River and the Gorge floor near Home Valley and Carson up the Wind River canyon into the Gifford Pinchot high country toward the Trapper Creek Wilderness. Terrain grades from low Gorge slopes and river bottoms to steep timbered Cascade ridges, with clearcuts and recent thinnings scattered through the public forest.
Cover: Mixed conifer forest of Douglas-fir and western hemlock, transitioning to Oregon white oak and drier stands toward the eastern and lower southern edges near the Gorge. Clearcuts and forest thinnings create the openings where deer and elk feed; oak and lower-elevation ground hold turkeys.
Landmarks: Wind River · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area · Trapper Creek Wilderness (north) · Trout Lake area (northeast) · Mt. Adams Ranger Station (Gifford Pinchot NF) · Buck Creek · Carson / Home Valley (Gorge)
Access
WDFW rates the unit roughly 74% public — Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and Gifford Pinchot National Forest ground, plus a large WDNR block in the western quarter. In the southwestern part, private industrial owners TCT Holdings and Broughton Lumber (managed by American Forest Management) allow free walk-in hunting access, though timber-company ground is generally not open to motorized vehicles — check the company hotlines/websites for current closures. Road access on the public lands is good. This is a Western Washington elk tag area. WDFW maintains forest grouse wing-submission barrels at Buck Creek and Trout Lake and an elk hoof collection barrel at Trout Lake.
Managers: USFS Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, USFS Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WDNR, TCT Holdings, Broughton Lumber
Access points: Wind River Road / Hwy corridor from Carson (SR-14 / Columbia Gorge) · Gifford Pinchot NF road system up the Wind River drainage · WDNR block in the western quarter · TCT Holdings / Broughton Lumber walk-in ground (southwest)
Species notes
Roosevelt Elk
common opportunityWDFW lists Wind River among District 9's productive elk units, and being mainly public Forest Service and DNR land it's one of the better DIY elk options in the Mount St. Helens herd. The herd sits below its mid-2000s highs but a 2024 survey showed a 38% increase, a hopeful recovery sign. Elk concentrate where clearcuts and recent thinnings offer forage; WDFW even photographs 'elk in the oaks' at the unit's lower edges.
- →Hunt clearcuts and recent thinnings where elk feed, then work timbered benches and creek bottoms where they bed by day
- →Run the good Forest Service road network to cut fresh sign, then move in on foot to the drainage holding the herd
- →Check the lower oak-edge country toward the Gorge, where elk drop and feed
- →Harvest and turn in hooves from limping elk at the Trout Lake collection barrel under the TAHD incentive program
Blacktail Deer
limited opportunityDeer populations are generally low in the Cascade Mountain units including Wind River. The country is steep and heavily timbered, so deer are thin and concentrated near openings; district-wide harvest has recovered somewhat, with 2024 the best deer year since 2015.
- →Key on clearcuts, thinnings, and burn or oak edges where the few deer browse
- →Be in position at first and last light for these nocturnal blacktails
- →Hunt the four-day November late buck window when rutting bucks cross open cuts
- →Work the lower southern and eastern ground near the Gorge where habitat is more productive
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common through the timbered and berry-rich country; 574 is in the South Cascades West Black Bear Management Unit, open Aug. 1-Nov. 15 with a two-bear limit. District 9 fall success is modest (about 6% in the South Cascades), so scouting and patience pay.
- →Glass clearcuts and edges for bears on grass, forbs, and ripening berries — huckleberry, blackberry, salmonberry — at dawn and dusk
- →Sit berry-rich openings on long watches rather than covering ground
- →Check for cubs before shooting; taking a cub or a sow with cubs is illegal
- →Submit the mandatory premolar tooth after a successful hunt
Cougar
common opportunityCougars follow the elk and deer and are mostly taken incidentally by big-game hunters. The general season runs Sept. 1-March 31 or until the Cougar Hunt Management Unit harvest cap is met, whichever is first.
- →Carry a tag while elk or deer hunting for an opportunistic cat
- →Cut for tracks on muddy or snow-dusted roads after weather; look for four-claw vertical rake marks
- →Check CHMU status via the WDFW Cougar Hotline (866-364-4868) or the weekly Thursday openings page before hunting
Pro tips
- →This is a mostly public DIY unit — Gorge Scenic Area, Gifford Pinchot, and a big DNR block, all with good Forest Service road access.
- →Hunt it for elk first: it's one of District 9's productive elk units and largely public.
- →Target clearcuts, thinnings, and the lower oak edges where both elk and the thin deer numbers concentrate.
- →Use the TCT Holdings / Broughton Lumber walk-in ground in the southwest for foot access, but leave the truck at the gate — timber ground here is non-motorized.
- →Watch early-season snow levels up the Wind River, which drive elk movement and high-road access.
- →Turn in limping-elk hooves at the Trout Lake collection barrel for a shot at a bonus TAHD incentive bull permit.
Watch out for
- !Timber-company walk-in lands (TCT Holdings, Broughton) are generally non-motorized — confirm current status on company hotlines before relying on them.
- !Elk hoof disease (TAHD) is confirmed throughout Skamania County and the Mount St. Helens herd; clean mud from boots and tires to limit spread.
- !Early snow at elevation can close high Wind River roads during modern firearm elk season.
- !Deer densities are low; treat elk as the primary draw and deer as a bonus.
- !Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area has its own land-use and access rules in places — know the boundaries.
- !Cell coverage disappears up the drainage — carry offline navigation and tell someone your plan.
- !Fire-season road and area closures can shut down access year to year.
Logistics
Base out of Carson or Stevenson on the SR-14 Columbia Gorge corridor for fuel, lodging, and supplies, or Trout Lake to the northeast; the Wind River Road runs the drainage north into the Gifford Pinchot. Dispersed camping is available on the National Forest, subject to fire restrictions. Because the unit is mostly public with good Forest Service roads, access is comparatively easy for District 9 — the homework is checking fire-season closures and confirming TCT Holdings/Broughton walk-in status in the southwest. Carry offline maps; cell coverage fades quickly up the drainage.
Nearest towns: Carson, Stevenson, Home Valley, Trout Lake, Cook
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 — GMU 574 Wind River access, elk, deer, bear, cougar · WDFW — Game Management Units (GMU maps & boundaries) · WDFW — Elk Hoof Disease (TAHD)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 574 in Washington?
- GMU 574 (Wind River) covers about 271 square miles, ranging from roughly 100 to 4,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 574?
- Approximately 74% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, USFS Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WDNR, TCT Holdings, Broughton Lumber. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 574?
- 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 574 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.