Unit 575

The Yellowstone River is the primary navigation corridor and water reference. Major tributaries—Bridger Creek, Meadow Creek, and Fishtail Creek—provide landmark drainages that funnel into the main river and hold reliable water. The benches (Fladberg, West Bench, Coleman) serve as elevated glassing platforms.

Cooney Reservoir and Kent Lake are visible water features. Summits like Cow Face Hill, Huntley Butte, and Church Hill offer orientation points on the foothill edges. Canyon systems including Box Canyon and Wolf Canyon are notable terrain features that break up the benchland.

Elevation ranges from roughly 3,250 feet along the river bottoms to about 6,400 feet on the upper benches and foothills—a moderate spread that creates distinct habitat zones. Lower elevations feature open sagebrush and grassland, the working heart of the valley. Mid-elevation benches like Fladberg, West Bench, and Coleman Bench are primarily grass with scattered juniper and ponderosa pockets.

Tributary drainages and side canyons hold concentrated timber and riparian vegetation. Forest is sparse overall; the unit is predominantly open country with timber as focal features rather than dominant cover.

Over 1,300 miles of roads crisscross the unit, including I-90 and extensive county road networks. Access is straightforward from Columbus and the communities throughout. However, the vast majority of land is private—small public parcels mixed within.

This creates a different dynamic than typical public-land units; success depends on understanding access rights and using public road corridors effectively. Road density and proximity to towns suggest moderate to higher hunting pressure during season, particularly near river access points and established camping areas.

Unit 575 encompasses the lower Yellowstone River valley from Laurel east to Columbus, bounded by Interstate 90 to the north and Bridger Creek and associated roads to the south. The unit spans four counties—Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, and Yellowstone—and includes the communities of Columbus, Reed Point, Absarokee, and several smaller settlements. The terrain is defined by the Yellowstone River corridor, which forms the geographic spine of the unit.

Surrounding landscape transitions from river bottom to benchland and foothills.

The Yellowstone River is the dominant water source but runs narrow and fast through much of the unit, limiting direct access in places. Major creeks—Bridger, Meadow, Fishtail, Sheep, and Magpie—provide reliable secondary water and are critical to understanding deer and elk movement. Cooney Reservoir and Kent Lake are static water options.

Springs are scattered throughout the benches but variable in reliability. The unit's water strategy centers on the main river, tributary creeks, and knowing reservoir status. Summer can be dry on the upper benches, making creeks and springs essential for planning hunting routes.

Unit 575 supports elk, mule and white-tailed deer, and mountain lion across its varied terrain. Elk use the river bottom and tributary drainages, migrating to higher benches in early season and concentrating in cooler canyons during rut. Mule deer favor the open benches and canyon rims for glassing advantage; white-tailed deer concentrate in riparian timber and side canyons.

Early season hunting targets upper benches and draws as animals disperse from lower elevations. Rut period focuses on creek bottoms and canyon systems where bugling concentrates elk. Late season pressure pushes animals to river-bottom refuges.

Limited public land requires flexible strategy and knowledge of access options. Glassing benches for deer sign and water-source hunting for elk are primary tactics.