Unit 88

Little Jenny Lake provides a notable water feature and reference point in the unit's drainage system. Stewart Creek serves as both a major navigation corridor and reliable water source running through the unit's heart. Burns Creek and McNeel Creek offer additional drainage routes and water access for hunters working the eastern and central portions.

The ridge system dividing the Greys River from the Salt River drainage provides natural travel corridors and glassing opportunities. The Stewart Sheep Trail crosses the unit east-west and remains a useful landmark for orientation despite the dense timber.

The unit spans medium elevations between roughly 5,600 and 9,000 feet, creating a transition zone where dense forest dominates the landscape. The terrain transitions from river-bottom vegetation along the Snake and Greys Rivers upward through increasingly thick conifer stands. Douglas fir and spruce characterize the higher slopes, with ponderosa and lodgepole dominant on mid-elevation transitions.

The rolling topography means most of the unit sits in forest rather than open parks, requiring hunters to work creeks and navigate through timber to find elk. Higher ridges and divide country break the monotony and offer glimpses into adjacent terrain.

The unit benefits from connected access via Highway 89 and Stewart Creek Road, making entry straightforward from Alpine. Over 51 miles of roads traverse the unit, providing good penetration for staging camp and reaching different drainage systems. The moderate accessibility and compact size suggest moderate to fair hunting pressure, particularly near major roads and creek bottoms.

However, the dense forest limits long-distance glassing and visibility, which naturally disperses hunters and creates pockets of solitude away from primary routes. Patient hunters willing to work the timber will find less-pressured terrain than road-access metrics alone suggest.

Unit 88 occupies a compact area along the Wyoming-Idaho border, anchored by the Snake River on the western boundary and extending eastward through rolling forested slopes. The unit's geography is defined by major drainages: the Snake River forms the western edge, the Greys River cuts through from the north, and Squaw Creek marks a significant interior feature. The Stewart Sheep Trail and Stewart Creek Road provide east-west reference lines through the unit.

Highway 89 and McCoy Creek Road form the southern and eastern access corridors. Alpine lies just outside the unit's southern boundary, providing the nearest town services.

Water is consistently available throughout the unit, with the Snake River providing perennial flow along the western boundary and the Greys River cutting through the northern section. Stewart Creek, Burns Creek, and McNeel Creek offer reliable water sources for the interior of the unit. Little Jenny Lake supplements the creek network.

The multiple drainage systems mean hunters can plan routes with water access in mind, reducing the need for long dry stretches. Spring conditions may vary on smaller tributaries, but the creek network is robust enough to support extended hunting without water concerns.

Unit 88 is elk country, with the timbered rolling terrain providing excellent cover for bulls and cows throughout the season. Early season hunters should focus on higher ridges and parks where elk migrate into forest, using Stewart Creek and McNeel Creek drainages as travel corridors. Rut period hunting benefits from the multiple drainage systems and creek bottoms where bulls post up in dense timber.

The rolling forest means success often comes from glassing openings and ridge systems, then working downslope through timber toward sounds and sign. Late-season elk concentrate in lower elevations near the Snake and Greys Rivers where snow pressure pushes animals down from higher country. The modest terrain complexity makes this unit accessible to hunters of varying experience levels.