Unit 22 Ferris (Area 22)
A small, rugged island range of elk, deer and sheep rising abruptly from the high desert.
Ferris Mountains / Great Divide Basin edge · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
326
sq mi
Public land
88%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–10,037
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Area 22 wraps the Ferris Mountains, a compact but spectacularly steep range north of Rawlins and southwest of Casper where Ferris Peak tops out near 10,000 feet, the high point of the Great Divide Basin. The country is roughly 88 percent public, mostly BLM (including the Ferris Mountain Wilderness Study Area) and state land, with a small but healthy elk herd holding in the timbered core and mule deer, bighorn sheep and pronghorn using the range and surrounding sage. It is a scout-hard, cover-ground unit that rewards preparation.
Terrain
High-desert sage basins abruptly meeting the steep, rocky, timbered wall of the Ferris Mountains, which rise some 3,000 feet from the valley floor to Ferris Peak (10,037 ft).
Cover: Sagebrush-grass basins and mountain shrub on the flanks; Douglas fir, limber pine and aspen pockets with rock cliffs and talus in the high core.
Landmarks: Ferris Mountains · Ferris Peak · Ferris Mountain Wilderness Study Area · Great Divide Basin · North Platte River / Miracle Mile · Seminoe Reservoir · Muddy Gap
Access
Largely contiguous BLM and state land, but the surrounding Great Divide Basin fringe carries Union Pacific checkerboard sections and private ranch inholdings on the approaches, so verify section lines before crossing. The Ferris Mountain WSA is non-motorized; foot/horseback access only inside it.
Managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch
Access points: US 287/WY 220 corridor near Muddy Gap · BLM roads off the Rawlins-to-Muddy Gap country · county/ranch roads to the range base (permission where private) · North Platte/Miracle Mile access from the east
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited qualityA small but healthy elk herd holds in the timbered Ferris Mountain core; limited-quota tags and rugged terrain make for a quality, low-pressure hunt for those who draw.
- →Get into the timbered high core and glass parks at daylight
- →Be ready for steep, rocky climbs from the sage floor
- →Hunt the timber/rock edges and hidden basins away from access points
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer use the mountain flanks and surrounding sage; mature bucks tuck into the rough breaks and mountain-shrub pockets.
- →Glass rocky draws and shrub benches on the flanks
- →Still-hunt aspen and fir stringers
- →Work the sage-to-timber transition morning and evening
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Ferris cliffs and talus hold bighorn sheep; a rare limited-draw opportunity for the very lucky.
- →Glass cliff bands and talus at long range
- →Plan multi-day backpack access into the WSA core
- →Watch escape terrain near the peaks
Pronghorn
common qualityPronghorn work the sage basins ringing the range on abundant public BLM.
- →Glass from the range foothills across the flats
- →Spot-and-stalk using terrain folds
- →Check water and two-tracks midday
Pro tips
- →Scout hard first, this is a small range where knowing the timber pockets and access is everything.
- →Plan for steep, rocky climbs; the elk and sheep live in nasty terrain far from the truck.
- →Respect the WSA boundary, non-motorized inside; pack in on foot or horseback.
- →Confirm section lines on the Great Divide Basin fringe to avoid checkerboard trespass.
- →The nearby North Platte/Miracle Mile is a bonus for an evening of blue-ribbon trout fishing.
Watch out for
- !Checkerboard and private inholdings on the basin approaches to the range.
- !Non-motorized Ferris Mountain WSA core.
- !Extreme wind, early snow and gumbo clay roads.
- !Very remote, minimal services and poor cell coverage; rattlesnakes on the lower flanks.
Logistics
Muddy Gap is little more than a junction with fuel; Rawlins to the south and Alcova/Casper to the northeast are the practical bases for lodging, groceries and fuel. This is remote high desert with poor cell coverage; carry water, recovery gear and extra fuel. 4WD/high-clearance needed for BLM tracks, and the range core is a boots-and-horses proposition.
Nearest towns: Rawlins, Muddy Gap, Alcova, Sinclair, Casper
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Wyoming Elk Unit 22 (Ferris) Profile · BLM Ferris Mountain Wilderness Study Area · GOHUNT Wyoming Deer Unit 87 (Ferris) Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 22 in Wyoming?
- Unit 22 (Ferris (Area 22)) covers about 326 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 10,037 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 22?
- Approximately 88% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 22?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 22 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.