Unit 11

Names Hill provides a distinctive navigation reference on the Oregon Trail Lander Cutoff corridor. The Fontenelle Hogbacks, Hams Fork Ridge, and Oyster Ridge offer high vantage points for orientation and glassing. Major basins including Raymond Basin, Pomeroy Basin, and Fontenelle Basin create navigational anchors across the rolling terrain.

The Sublette Range frames the eastern boundary. Windy Gap, Sheep Pass, and Fontenelle Gap provide natural travel corridors through otherwise complex country. These named features help break the rolling monotony and provide glassing opportunities.

Terrain spans from mid-6000-foot basin floors to peaks above 10,500 feet, with the median around 7,400 feet. Lower elevations support open sagebrush parks and grasslands broken by occasional juniper, while mid-elevation slopes transition to scattered ponderosa and limber pine. Higher ridges and plateaus feature sparse forest with extensive windswept flats and alpine meadows.

The rolling topography means constant elevation changes rather than dramatic ridgelines—expect steady climbs through mixed cover interspersed with open country ideal for glassing.

The limited road network—838 miles total with minimal major highways through the unit—means most access comes from few entry points near towns like Cokeville, Fontenelle, and Fossil. This creates bottleneck pressure near these gateways, but terrain beyond the immediate road corridors sees minimal use. Most hunters won't venture more than 5-10 miles from vehicles.

The rolling, complex topography and lack of trail network means navigation demands attention. Those willing to move into the maze of basins and ridges quickly escape crowds.

Unit 11 encompasses the westernmost section of Wyoming along the state's tristate corner, bounded by Highway 89 on the south, the Utah-Wyoming line on the west, and the Idaho-Wyoming line on the north. The Sublette Range and surrounding mountains define the eastern margin. This is big country—roughly 60 miles north-south and 40 miles east-west—straddling the Continental Divide with drainages flowing to both the Green River (Colorado drainage) and Bear-Salt River systems (Snake River drainage). The unit includes the Hams Fork Plateau and multiple high basins interspersed with rolling ridgelines.

Water is the primary challenge in this unit. The Green River forms the southeastern boundary and provides reliable flow, but accessing it requires significant travel. Scattered small lakes—Huff Lake, Spring Lake, Twin Creek Lakes, Fontenelle Lakes—offer seasonal water but aren't dependable year-round.

Named springs like Stirrup Spring, Gooseberry Spring, and Big Spring exist but require local knowledge to locate. Creeks including Rabbit Creek, Pine Creek, and Wyman Creek flow seasonally. Hunters must plan water strategy carefully; carrying capacity or finding reliable springs will dictate camp locations and movement patterns.

Unit 11 supports black bear hunting across the unit's varied elevations and habitat types. Bears use the transition zones between sagebrush parks and scattered timber, following natural drainages and ridge systems. Lower basins and creek bottoms in early season hold bears feeding on vegetation; mid-elevation timber offers better security and thermal cover as season progresses.

High-country ridges provide glassing opportunities to spot movement. The sparse road network means strategy centers on foot travel—plan multi-day camps away from access points. Success requires either finding reliable water and setting up camp, or aggressive ridge-running to cover territory.