Unit 13B

The Cockscomb and The Grandstand ridges provide notable east-west travel corridors and glassing platforms across the open country. Lava Point and Paiute Point offer higher vantage for studying the Shivwits Plateau. The Colorado River's Grand Wash section defines the western boundary with dramatic Grand Wash Cliffs and several canyons (Balanced Rock, Tank, Cow, Corral) offering shelter and potential water.

Cold Spring Wash and Whitmore Wash serve as navigable drainages connecting the plateau to river country. Wolf Hole Lake and scattered reservoir tanks (Pakoon Tank, Ferguson Tank) mark reliable water locations hunters need to locate before heading into the backcountry.

Terrain spans from river bottom sagebrush flats and desert scrub near 1,000 feet to pinyon-juniper benches and sparse forest patches climbing toward 8,000 feet. The Shivwits and Sanup Plateaus dominate the landscape as rolling high-desert table lands broken by scattered low mountains and ridges. Most country sits in low-elevation desert with widely scattered timber—expect open sagebrush plains interspersed with small juniper and pinyon stands.

Vegetation transitions gradually rather than dramatically, creating a mottled patchwork of bare rock, brush, grass, and sparse tree cover across the rolling topography.

Over 2,700 miles of roads cross this vast unit, but most are rough BLM and ranch tracks requiring high-clearance vehicles—no maintained highways penetrate the interior. The road network follows washes and ridgelines rather than direct routes, making navigation slow and deliberate. Mt.

Trumbull and Beaver Dam sit as logical staging points for access from the north. The remote location and rough roads naturally limit hunting pressure, though those willing to navigate the backcountry will find established camps and use areas. Fair accessibility combined with rough terrain means most access pressure concentrates on drivable areas; hiking deeper yields genuine solitude.

Unit 13B encompasses a massive section of northwestern Arizona's Strip Country, anchored by the Hurricane Rim along the Utah border to the north and the Colorado River as its western and southern spine. The eastern boundary follows BLM Road 1045 and Cold Spring Wash drainage south from Mt. Trumbull, while the western edge runs along the Nevada state line.

Small communities like Mt. Trumbull and Littlefield sit at the unit's periphery. This remote region sits squarely between major population centers and interstate corridors, creating a true backcountry experience with minimal development and heavy isolation.

Water is the critical challenge in Unit 13B. Reliable permanent sources are sparse and scattered—Cold Spring Wash, Whitmore Wash, and Mountain Sheep Wash carry water seasonally, while named springs like Whiskey, Cottonwood, and Sullivan's exist but require bushwhacking to locate. Small reservoir tanks and ponds (Wolf Hole Lake, Eds Pond, Pakoon Tank) hold water when not dried by heat, but their reliability varies dramatically by season. The Colorado River itself forms a reliable water source at the unit's base but requires serious elevation loss to access.

Hunters must scout water locations thoroughly before the season or carry significant capacity.

Unit 13B holds elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, desert bighorn sheep, and mountain lions across its varied elevations. Desert sheep hunt the river canyons and cliff bands, demanding optics and patience from ridges for spotting. Mule deer scatter across the high plateaus and pinyon-juniper benches, responsive to spring water sources.

Elk concentrate in the sparse timber patches and higher drainages during cooler months, dropping to lower elevation washes in harsh seasons. Pronghorn use the open flats and valleys where visibility spans miles. Water location is the tactical linchpin—find reliable tanks or springs and hunt the travel corridors feeding them.

The terrain complexity demands solid maps, GPS work, and willingness to cover ground on foot in big country.