Unit 68, Colorado

Elevations range from approximately 7,400 feet on the valley floor near the eastern boundary to 14,020 feet at San Luis Peak in the La Garita Wilderness. The unit encompasses steep, rugged terrain with numerous barren ridges, rocky peaks, high-alpine basins, and boulder slides above timberline, transitioning downward through broad spruce-fir forests, timbered canyons, and open parks to foothills with gentler slopes. The eastern fringe grades into rolling, open land at the margins of the San Luis Valley. Four-wheel-drive is recommended on many interior roads, and backcountry travel to high-elevation areas typically requires significant hiking or horseback travel.

The unit is bounded on the north by Colorado State Highway 114, on the east by US Highway 285, on the south by Saguache County Roads G and 41G and USFS Roads 675 and 676 and USFS Trails 796 and 787 (with the Saguache-Mineral County line marking the southwestern corner), and on the west by the Continental Divide. The primary land manager is the Rio Grande National Forest, Saguache Ranger District (district office: 46525 State Highway 114, Saguache, CO; phone 719-655-2547; forest supervisor office in Monte Vista). Approximately 20,000 acres lie within the La Garita Wilderness, where no motorized vehicles are permitted; wilderness access is via Forest Road 787 from CO-114 west of Saguache through Saguache Park, reaching Stone Cellar Campground approximately 58 miles from Saguache (36 miles of dirt road). Additional backcountry access uses Cochetopa Pass via Saguache County Road NN14. The Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail traverse the wilderness. Maintained campgrounds include Buffalo Pass (19 sites, off CO-114 approximately 27.6 miles west of Saguache, no horses/pack animals), Stone Cellar (6 sites, Saguache Park; wilderness and 4WD road access including USFS roads 774 and 776), Poso, and Luders Creek (horse corrals available). OHV use is permitted on designated forest roads. State Trust Land parcels (Burro Springs: 28,905 acres, GMU 68 confirmed, open May 1-end of Feb, foot/horseback/designated roads only, no camping; Mishak Lakes, Mogotas Arroyo, Carnero area) provide additional public hunting access with varying seasonal open dates. Private land (~40 sq mi) is concentrated along the eastern and northeastern edges bordering US-285 and the San Luis Valley floor; a few scattered deeded parcels exist elsewhere. BLM San Luis Valley Field Office (Monte Vista, 719-852-7074) manages portions of the lower-elevation margins. Snow and rain can close interior roads seasonally; 4WD and ATVs are recommended for most interior travel.

The unit spans a full elevational gradient of vegetation zones. High-alpine areas above timberline support grassy parks, willow riparian corridors, and low tundra shrubs. The subalpine belt contains dense Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pine forests. Mid-elevations transition through Douglas fir, quaking aspen, bunchgrass parks, and sagebrush meadows. Lower foothill terrain on the eastern side supports pinyon-juniper woodland, oakbrush (Gambel oak) scrub, mountain mahogany, serviceberries, and sagebrush. Carnero Creek and other drainages provide riparian habitat throughout.

Elk and mule deer are the dominant game species. Elk summer at high elevations in the alpine and subalpine zones and migrate downward as snowpack builds, concentrating in mid-elevation aspen and Douglas fir parks by late rifle seasons; heavy early snowfall can push herds down quickly. During the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons the unit receives significant hunting pressure on public land, which pushes elk toward private land pockets and sanctuaries, particularly along the eastern edge. Mule deer are described as more plentiful than elk across the unit. Pronghorn antelope occupy the lower, open sagebrush terrain on the eastern margins near the San Luis Valley, with heavy winters driving them onto adjacent private land. Shiras moose are present, associated with willow riparian corridors and wet subalpine parks. American black bear inhabit the mid-elevation timber and oakbrush zones. Mountain lion are present throughout. Bighorn sheep are present in the La Garita Mountains and listed as a huntable species on the Carnero state trust land parcel. Wild turkey use the lower pinyon-juniper and oakbrush transition zones. The La Garita Wilderness core and the Machin Lake and Benito Lake basin areas provide de facto elk and deer sanctuaries due to limited motorized access.

1. Per-species hunter_success_pct and reported_harvest are null; CPW unit-specific harvest PDFs were inaccessible. 2. Tag quotas for all species are null; CPW draw recap PDFs were inaccessible. 3. 2026 season dates sourced from Colorado Private Ranches and confirmed consistent with Colorado Outdoors Magazine 2026 preview; treat as current best available until CPW publishes the official 2026 brochure. 4. La Garita Wilderness spans 129,626 acres across Gunnison and Rio Grande National Forests; ~20,000 acres fall within GMU 68. San Luis Peak (14,020 ft) is in the Gunnison NF portion. 5. Public land pct of 88 is from HuntScore; GoHunt cites 86.9%. 6. Saguache Ranger District office is at 46525 State Highway 114, Saguache, CO (not Monte Vista; Monte Vista is the forest supervisor office). 7. Buffalo Pass Campground does not allow horses/pack animals. Stone Cellar provides access to 4WD roads 774 and 776. 8. Burro Springs state trust land confirmed in GMU 68 (CPW): 28,905 acres, open May 1–end of Feb, bear/deer/elk/rabbit/turkey (no pronghorn listed at this parcel). 9. Mountain lion season dates cited are 2025-26; 2026-27 dates pending CPW publication.