Unit 29

Mount Leidy stands as a prominent landmark for orientation, with Two Ocean Mountain and Tripod Peak providing additional navigation references from higher vantage points. Washakie Park and Moccasin Basin are major geographic anchors in the open country, useful for both glassing and route planning. The meadow system—including Skull Creek Meadows, Preacher Park, and Buffalo Meadow—creates natural travel corridors through the timber.

Key passes like Gunsight Pass and Sheridan Pass offer saddle routes for traversing ridge systems and managing difficult terrain.

The unit spans upper-elevation terrain, ranging from around 6,700 feet in the Gros Ventre valley to above 10,600 feet on exposed ridges and peaks. Dense conifer forest dominates—primarily lodgepole and whitebark pine with scattered subalpine fir—broken by natural meadows and parks at various elevations. These open parks and basins provide crucial forage and water access points.

The rolling topography creates a mosaic of timbered slopes and clearings, typical of the Greater Yellowstone transition zone between valley and true alpine.

Over 590 miles of Forest Service roads provide fair access, with Highway 26-287 offering the primary entry and staging near Togwotee Pass. Darwin Ranch Road and Union Pass Road allow vehicle access into the southern portions. This infrastructure means the lower meadows and accessible parks see regular hunting pressure, particularly early season.

The rolling, timbered middle elevations and upper basins offer solitude for hunters willing to leave established roads and navigate the complexity of the terrain. Pressure is moderate on known locations but drops significantly away from obvious entry corridors.

The unit wraps around Grand Teton National Park's eastern flank, bounded by the park boundary along the Gros Ventre River to the west, Highway 26-287 to the north near Togwotee Pass, and the Continental Divide to the east. The southern boundary follows the Union Pass Road and Darwin Ranch Road drainage divides. This positioning puts the unit at the intersection of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and high backcountry terrain, with significant public land providing access to remote ridges and basins.

Water is limited above the valley floors, making reliable sources critical planning points. Leidy Lake, Dallas Lake, and the scattered high-elevation lakes provide backup options but aren't guaranteed reliable. Creeks matter here: Atherton Creek, Coal Creek, Dallas Creek, and Tent Creek form the primary drainages and offer more dependable water where timber breaks.

The Gros Ventre River anchors the western boundary with consistent flow. Antelope Spring and other scattered seeps exist but require local knowledge—plan water carries for high ridges.

This is prime grizzly and black bear country. Grizzlies use the high parks and basins for spring green-up and fall whitebark pine mast, particularly around Mount Leidy and the upper reaches. Black bears are distributed throughout the timbered slopes, with concentration along creeks during berry season.

Early season hunts should focus on the parks—Washakie, Moccasin, and Purdy basins—glassing from ridges and working downwind through open areas. Late season shifts to creek bottoms and remaining forage. The terrain is moderate complexity; navigation is straightforward from the passes, but weather above 9,000 feet changes rapidly.

Water and weather exposure are the primary challenges.