Unit 58 Sage Creek (Area 58)
Sage Creek — transition country from Cody's sage flats up into the Shoshone timber
Absaroka Front / Cody Country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
255
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
5,100–11,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Area 58 runs south from Cody along Wyoming Highway 120 toward the Meeteetse Rim, spanning the transition from low sage-and-rim country near town up into the timbered peaks and valleys of the Shoshone National Forest along the Absaroka front. It is part of the Cody elk herd, which sits above objective, so cow licenses are generous and cow-elk season dates have been liberalized. The northeastern end toward Cody is largely private ranch with some checkerboard BLM and State sections, while the western high country is public forest. Elk are the draw, with pronghorn on the lower flats and mule deer throughout.
Terrain
Low sage flats, rims and foothills near Cody rising west into rough, steep Absaroka forest of valleys and peaks. Upper elevations hold grassy meadows, open rocky faces and pine pockets; mid-elevations are heavily timbered.
Cover: Sagebrush, grass and greasewood on the lower rims and flats; heavy lodgepole and spruce-fir on mid-slopes; subalpine meadows and rock up high.
Landmarks: Wyoming Highway 120 · Meeteetse Rim · Sage Creek · Meeteetse Creek Road · Shoshone National Forest boundary
Access
A two-part unit: the northeastern lower end toward Cody is largely private ranch with scattered checkerboard BLM and State sections, so verify land status and secure permission there; the western high country is open Shoshone National Forest. Primary forest access comes off the Meeteetse Creek Road from the east. Check WGFD Park County walk-in/Hunter Management areas and map section lines carefully in the checkerboard near town.
Managers: USFS Shoshone NF, private ranch, BLM, WY state trust
Access points: Wyoming Highway 120 corridor · Meeteetse Creek Road (primary forest access) · Shoshone NF trailheads on the west side · Park County walk-in/HMA parcels (verify annually)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe primary quarry. Part of the above-objective Cody elk herd, with liberal cow opportunity and liberalized cow-elk dates. Elk hold in the western forest and move with weather; the lower private ground can hold animals hunters can't always reach.
- →Access the public high country via Meeteetse Creek Road
- →Hunt timbered basins and meadow edges, glassing open faces at first and last light
- →Time later hunts to snow that pushes elk down toward the front
- →Sort out land access before committing — much of the low ground is private
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe lower sage flats and rims near Cody and along Highway 120 hold pronghorn, a solid plains opportunity in the checkerboard-and-private country at the unit's east end.
- →Glass the open sage flats and rim breaks from high vantages at dawn
- →Confirm you are on public or permissioned ground before every stalk
- →Use terrain folds and drainages to close the distance
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer range from the sage foothills up into the forest pockets and basins, a dependable opportunity across the elevation gradient.
- →Glass rim edges and foothill draws morning and evening
- →Still-hunt timbered north slopes and aspen pockets higher up
- →Look to creek-bottom brush for bucks holding cover
Pro tips
- →Split your plan: pronghorn and deer on the low east end, elk in the western public forest
- →Use Meeteetse Creek Road to reach the public high country
- →Map the checkerboard and private ground near Cody before hunting the low end
- →Time elk hunts to snow that concentrates animals toward the Absaroka front
- →Carry bear spray — the western high country edges into grizzly range
Watch out for
- !Largely private northeastern end with checkerboard BLM/State near Cody — verify access
- !Corner-crossing issues in the low-country checkerboard sections
- !Grizzly presence in the western forest — carry bear spray
- !Gumbo dirt roads when wet in the lower country
- !Fast-changing high-elevation weather and early snow to the west
Logistics
Cody, at the north end of the unit, is the full-service hub with lodging, fuel, groceries, restaurants and sporting goods. Meeteetse to the south has limited services. Lower hunts are road-accessible off Highway 120; the western forest requires backcountry travel, often on horseback. Cell coverage fades quickly off the highway.
Nearest towns: Cody, Meeteetse
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Wyoming Elk Unit 58 - Sage Creek · WGFD 2025 Wyoming hunt forecast · WGFD Elk Hunting
FAQ
- How big is Unit 58 in Wyoming?
- Unit 58 (Sage Creek (Area 58)) covers about 255 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,100 to 11,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 58?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Shoshone NF, private ranch, BLM, WY state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 58?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 58 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.