Unit 86

Key landmarks for navigation include the Sangre de Cristo crest itself—ridgelines like those near Wulsten Baldy, Galena Peak, and Marble Mountain provide excellent glassing terrain with expansive views into multiple drainages. South Colony Lakes and Venable Lakes serve as reliable high-country water landmarks. Hermit Pass, Music Pass, and Venable Pass are recognizable saddles crossing the main divide.

Wet Mountain Valley and Cloverdale Basin anchor lower-elevation navigation. Distinctive features like Phantom Terrace and Copperstain Cliff provide visual reference points. The South Arkansas River corridor and Cherry Creek drainages offer navigation corridors through the country.

The unit spans nearly 8,000 feet of elevation, from high-desert basins around 6,200 feet to alpine peaks exceeding 14,000. Lower elevations in Wet Mountain Valley and surrounding basins support sagebrush and grassland with scattered ponderosa and piñon-juniper. Mid-elevations transition through Douglas-fir and aspen groves. Upper slopes feature dense subalpine forest—primarily spruce-fir with open parks and meadows.

Above timberline, alpine tundra occupies the ridge crests. This vertical zonation creates distinct seasonal habitat—lower country early season, high country during summer and early fall rut before snow drives elk down.

Over 700 miles of Forest Service and county roads provide scattered access to major drainages, though density varies considerably. US 50 and US 285 offer primary entry points, with secondary roads penetrating toward Hermit Pass, Music Pass, and Venable Pass trailheads. Accessible ridgelines and lower parks near roads see moderate pressure during opening weeks.

Deeper drainages require significant effort on foot, reducing competition. The moderate terrain complexity and 8-plus elevation band makes exploration rewarding for hunters willing to hike—ridge systems offer glassing advantages, but accessing them demands endurance and navigation skill.

GMU 86 occupies the high country straddling the Sangre de Cristo divide in Fremont, Custer, and Chaffee counties. The unit's northern boundary follows US 50 and the South Arkansas River, eastern edges trace Colo 69 and Forest Service roads, southern line marks the Huerfano-Custer county divide, and the western boundary runs along the Sangre de Cristo crest and US 285. Towns like Westcliffe, Coaldale, and Poncha Springs provide staging points. This is vertical country—the landscape transitions from mid-elevation valleys on the east to high alpine ridgelines crowned by 14,000-foot summits along the crest.

High-country water is reliable through numerous lakes—South Colony Lakes, Venable Lakes, Stout Creek Lakes, and others—plus consistent springs at upper elevations. The South Arkansas River and its tributaries (Cherry Creek, Howard Creek, Smith Creek, Little Cottonwood Creek, Big Cottonwood Creek) provide water corridors through the unit. Mid-elevation country has scattered springs including Wolf Spring, Koch Springs, and Poncha Hot Springs.

Lower basins and parks become increasingly water-limited, especially in late season. This distribution shapes hunting strategy—high elevation offers abundant water but demanding terrain; lower country requires planning around limited sources but easier travel.

GMU 86 supports elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, moose, bear, and mountain lion. Lower-elevation sagebrush and grassland country suits pronghorn and early-season deer. Mid-elevation aspen and meadow parks hold deer and elk, especially during rut.

High-country spruce-fir with park openings is prime elk terrain—animals migrate upward through summer, concentrate during September rut in subalpine parks, then move downslope as snow arrives. Moose occupy willow corridors along streams and in wet parks. Success hinges on elevation-specific seasonal timing and willingness to glass from distance across the substantial vertical terrain.

Water at high elevations makes peak-season hunting productive but crowded on popular ridges.