Unit 12B

Major landmarks provide critical navigation aids across this expansive country. The Paria Plateau offers glassing vantage points for lower basins. Buckskin Mountain and surrounding ridges (One Toe, Horse, Pinnacle) anchor the central plateau.

Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Beehive Rock serve as visual markers visible across vast distances. Johnson Run, Navajo Creek, and associated washes provide drainage corridors and water sources. Lees Ferry historically anchors the Colorado River crossing.

Multiple named pockets and basins (Dead Man, Big Pocket, White Pocket, Thousand Pockets) define terrain divisions. These features break monotony and aid navigation in country lacking roads.

The unit spans from 3,000-foot low desert to 7,400-foot plateau country, with most terrain between 5,000 and 6,500 feet. Vegetation transitions from sparse desert scrub and sagebrush flats in lower reaches to scattered pinyon-juniper woodland and ponderosa forest on higher benches. The Paria Plateau dominates the eastern portion.

Open grasslands and bunch grass intersperse with dense pockets of timber. Habitat supports multiple species through elevation transitions—lower country favors pronghorn and desert bighorn, mid-elevation benches hold mule deer and elk, high plateaus provide mountain goat terrain and mountain sheep range.

Over 1,800 miles of road network provide extensive access, though roads are rough, high-clearance-vehicle country. The well-distributed road system suggests moderate to light pressure if hunters are willing to navigate rough conditions. Most access comes from Fredonia to the west or through Utah to the north and east.

Highway 89A provides the primary paved gateway. Beyond pavement, roads degrade quickly and seasonally; spring mud and winter snow can isolate sections. The unit's remoteness and road roughness filter casual hunters.

Staging from Fredonia is most straightforward; expect company near major tank access but solitude deeper into the plateau.

Unit 12B encompasses the Arizona Strip north of the Grand Canyon, bounded by U.S. Highway 89A to the west near Fredonia, the Kaibab National Forest boundary to the south and west, Grand Canyon National Park to the south, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the southeast, the Colorado River to the east, and the Arizona-Utah state line to the north. Kanab Creek runs along the western boundary. The unit excludes Kaibab Band of Paiute Indian sovereign lands.

This vast strip of high desert represents Arizona's most remote hunting country, accessible primarily from Fredonia or through Utah.

Water defines hunting strategy in Unit 12B. Reliable sources include springs scattered across the plateau—Emmett, Fisher, Coyote, Cottonwood, Hancock, House Rock, and Johnson Springs anchor water strategies. Multiple catchment tanks and reservoirs (Gunsight, Swapp, Cedar Ridge, Whiting, Muggins) supplement natural springs. Navajo Creek, Johnson Run, and associated washes provide seasonal water.

The Colorado River borders the eastern boundary but remains distant from most hunting country. Spring location directly influences where game concentrates, especially pronghorn and sheep during dry periods. Understanding tank maintenance and spring reliability is essential for planning.

Unit 12B supports diverse species across elevation bands. Lower desert benches and flats hold pronghorn and desert bighorn sheep year-round; early season antelope hunting focuses on open grasslands with water access. Mule deer inhabit mid-elevation pinyon-juniper and scattered timber, responding to seasonal migration patterns.

Elk presence is moderate in high-country timber and benches, with fall rut movement driving accessibility. Mountain sheep concentrate in rimrock and canyon country, particularly along the Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon boundaries. Desert bighorn favor lower canyon breaks.

Bison presence is limited. Mountain lion and bear follow deer and elk. Success requires water knowledge, comfortable backcountry travel, and willingness to cover distance in open or brushy terrain.