Unit 28, Colorado

The unit covers approximately 664 square miles (424,736 acres) of steep to very steep mountain terrain, with elevations ranging from about 6,300 feet in the lower river valleys to 13,397 feet at Parry Peak. Notable peaks include James Peak (13,271 ft), Byers Peak (12,815 ft), and Mount Flora (13,146 ft, unverified from primary source). Much of the high country rises above timberline into alpine tundra and exposed rock. Bark beetle infestations have killed extensive lodgepole pine stands at middle and high elevations, creating areas of dense blowdowns and standing dead timber. Lower-elevation terrain transitions to broad sagebrush flats and shrub slopes along the Colorado River corridor and around Williams Fork Reservoir.

The dominant managing agency is the Arapaho National Forest, Sulphur Ranger District (970-295-6600), headquartered in Granby. The unit contains three fully designated wilderness areas — Byers Peak Wilderness (8,913 acres), Vasquez Peak Wilderness (12,300 acres), and the portion of Indian Peaks Wilderness west of the Continental Divide — plus portions of James Peak and Ptarmigan Peak wilderness areas along the eastern boundary (confirm GMU overlap before hunting). No motorized vehicles are permitted within any designated wilderness. U.S. Highway 40 is the primary paved corridor running through the unit from Granby east through Fraser and Winter Park to Berthoud Pass (11,307 ft). County Road 3 out of Fraser provides the primary access corridor into the Byers Peak and Vasquez Peak wilderness areas, leading to Forest Road 139 (Keyser Road) and FSR 140 (Keyser Ridge Road). Kinney Creek Road (NFSR 141.1) off County Road 30 serves as a key backcountry road, though a persistent seep approximately 3 miles from its junction with CR 30 can trap vehicles in wet conditions. Key developed trailheads include Keyser Ridge Trailhead (10,600 ft, FSR 140), Kinney Creek Trailhead, Lake Evelyn Trailhead, and Darling Creek Trailhead, all providing entry to the Byers Peak Wilderness. Indian Peaks Wilderness is accessed primarily from the east but portions fall within GMU 28 on the west slope. Forest roads are generally unmaintained once snow falls; Keyser Ridge Road is closed to motor vehicles November 15 through June 15. Thousands of acres of private land line U.S. Highway 40 south of Granby and around Williams Fork Reservoir. The Arapaho National Recreation Area (Shadow Mountain, Granby, and Arapaho reservoirs) occupies the northern portion of the unit.

Vegetation zones stack vertically across the unit. Lower elevations and south-facing slopes feature sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and native grasslands in the Middle Park basin floor. Mid-elevation hillsides support oakbrush, serviceberry, and mountain shrub communities transitioning to dense lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir forests. Upper montane and subalpine zones hold Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and aspen stands. Bark beetle damage has converted much of the lodgepole zone into blowdown thickets, which provide dense cover and forage. Timberline transitions to alpine tundra, talus, and rock fields on the highest ridges and basins. Riparian corridors along the Colorado River, Williams Fork River, and tributary streams provide willows and cottonwoods important to moose and other wildlife.

Mule deer occupy all elevations throughout the unit, with populations distributed from the alpine zone down to sagebrush flats. Deer commonly migrate downward to low-elevation winter range in the Middle Park basin during late October and early November as high-country snowpack deepens. Elk range throughout the mountain portions of the unit into the subalpine until snowfall drives them to lower-elevation winter range; elk are present in the mountains through rifle seasons until snow gets too deep, at which point they move toward river valleys and adjacent private lands. A 4-point-or-better antler restriction on one side (or a brow tine of at least 5 inches) applies to bull elk taken in all seasons in this unit. Shiras moose inhabit riparian willow corridors along the Colorado River, Williams Fork River, and tributary streams and are present year-round. Pronghorn occupy the lower sagebrush and open grassland areas of Middle Park, with the rut running early September through mid-October. Black bear are distributed throughout the forested portions of the unit in summer, feeding on berry crops and other seasonal foods, and typically den at higher elevations. Mountain lion are present, utilizing deer and elk as primary prey. Large parcels of wilderness and private land allow a subset of mule deer and elk to reach mature age classes.

Corrections applied during fact-check: Parry Peak elevation corrected to 13,397 ft (from 13,391 ft per Wikipedia); James Peak elevation corrected to 13,271 ft (from 13,294 ft per Wikipedia); Byers Peak elevation corrected to 12,815 ft (from 12,703 ft per Wikipedia); Vasquez Peak Wilderness acreage added (12,300 acres per Wikipedia). Mount Flora 13,146 ft elevation could not be confirmed from a primary source and is flagged. Public land pct 70% sourced from HuntScore (USFS 60%, BLM 7%, State 1%, Wilderness 7%, Other 2%). Season dates are 2026 statewide standard dates from HuntWise and CPW 5-year structure; individual hunt codes may be restricted — verify in official 2026 Big Game Brochure. Tag quotas and hunter success data not publicly available without CPW draw recap reports.