Unit 22

Independence Rock and Point of Rocks provide dominant terrain anchors for navigation and distant glassing. The Ferris Mountains form the eastern spine, with Granite Mountain and Fort Ridge serving as orientation landmarks. Sentinel Rocks break up the visual monotony of the basin and mark key terrain transitions.

Major drainages—notably Willow Creek, Pete Creek, and the Garden Creek system—offer travel corridors and potential water sources. Whiskey Gap and Youngs Pass are natural saddles across ridge systems. These features help with route planning in country where long views are possible but orientation can be tricky in the maze of similar-looking basins.

The unit spans from about 5,850 feet in the basin to just over 10,000 feet in the high Ferris peaks, though most productive terrain sits between 6,500 and 8,500 feet. Low-elevation basins and flats support sagebrush and native grasses with scattered cottonwoods along creek bottoms. As elevation increases, juniper and scattered ponderosa pines appear on ridges and north-facing slopes.

The terrain is predominantly open—wide meadows interrupted by rocky outcrops and shallow canyons. Forest cover is sparse overall, with timbered patches concentrated in higher drainages and ridge systems. This creates excellent visibility for glassing but limited thermal cover for elk during temperature extremes.

About 127 miles of roads exist in the unit, but they're sparse and disconnected, giving an access density that favors those willing to hike. Highway 287 and 220 border the unit but the interior road network is fragmented, with many sections limited to seasonal use or private access. This isolation actually reduces pressure compared to more connected units—most casual hunters concentrate on the highway corridors.

The real challenge is staging logistics; there are few developed camping areas or trailheads. Expect to either camp on private land with permission or use distant staging areas and plan long approach days. The trade-off is hunting pressure tends to stay light in the basin interior.

Unit 22 occupies the country between Muddy Gap Junction and the Ferris Mountains in south-central Wyoming, bounded by Highway 287 to the west and Highway 220 to the north. The unit forms a rough rectangle encompassing basin and lower-mountain terrain across roughly 400 square miles. The landscape transitions from sagebrush-dominated flats on the western side to juniper-studded foothills as you move toward the Ferris range on the east.

Marvin Place and Muddy Gap are the nearest settlements, with Highway 287 and 220 providing the primary vehicle access corridors.

Water scarcity is the defining constraint in Unit 22. Seasonal creeks including Willow, Pete, Garden, Cress, and Cottonwood drainages flow intermittently depending on snowmelt and precipitation timing. Little Sand Spring and Big Sand Spring offer reliable water in their immediate areas, but spacing between sources is significant. Several reservoirs—Hannah Mahoney numbers one and two, Marsh Reservoir—provide reliable summer water but are relatively small and may concentrate animal movement.

Early and late season hunting may require water carries or careful planning around known seeps. Plan water strategies before entering the unit, as relying on finding water can leave you stranded.

Unit 22 is elk country, with the basin and foothill terrain supporting resident herds and seasonal migration corridors. Early season finds elk in higher timber patches and riparian areas near reliable water—focus on the upper Pete Creek and Garden Creek drainages where juniper and scattered ponderosa provide cover. Rut activity concentrates in mid-to-high elevation basins and saddles where bulls can cover ground; Whiskey Gap and Youngs Pass are natural funnels.

Late season pushes herds into lower, snow-free basins where sagebrush provides feed; hunt south-facing slopes and sheltered valleys. The sparse forest and open terrain reward glassing strategies—locate animals from distance and plan careful approaches. Water scarcity means elk concentrate where available—hunt near springs and reservoir areas during dry periods.