High Uintas East, Utah

Rugged glacially carved alpine and subalpine terrain in the northeastern Uinta Mountains, the only major east-west trending range in the contiguous United States. Elevations span approximately 5,950 to 13,220 feet within the hunt unit, with numerous peaks and ridgelines exceeding 12,000 feet. The interior is characterized by deep north-to-south draining canyons — including the Uinta River, Whiterocks River, and Henry's Fork drainages — each with small creeks running their full length. Canyon walls are steep, with significant vertical relief between canyon floors and the alpine ridge crest. The high-elevation core sits within the High Uintas Wilderness (453,900 acres total per USFS Ashley NF; the largest wilderness in Utah), administered jointly by the Ashley and Wasatch-Cache National Forests. Glacial cirques, talus fields, and cliff bands dominate the upper elevations and provide escape terrain heavily used by mountain goats.

The unit is approximately 100% public land (Ashley National Forest and Wasatch-Cache National Forest; 497 sq mi per GoHunt profile). The majority of mountain goat and upper-elevation habitat lies within the High Uintas Wilderness, where motorized vehicles and mechanical transport are prohibited. Road access to trailheads is limited; hunters must use foot travel or pack stock to reach the high country. Key trailheads include: Henry's Fork Trailhead (accessed from Wyoming via USFS roads south from Mountain View, WY); Hoop Lake Trailhead (approximately 9,000 feet elevation, northeastern Utah near the Wyoming border, managed by the Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District of Wasatch-Cache NF); Uinta Canyon Trailhead (on the Ashley National Forest south slope, accessing Krebs Basin, Atwood Basin, and Painters Basin); Chepeta Lake Trailhead (on the Elk Horn Road near Whiterocks, south-side access). SR-44 (Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway area) and US-191 frame the eastern and northeastern margins. Indian trust lands are excluded from the broader South Slope Wildlife Management Unit boundary; the northern unit boundary is the Utah-Wyoming state line. No CWMUs are documented within this specific mountain goat boundary.

Vegetation follows a distinct elevational gradient. Low-to-mid elevations (below approximately 8,000 feet) support pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, oak brush, and mixed grasses. Mid-elevations transition to Douglas-fir, aspen, and grass meadows. Upper mid-elevations (roughly 9,000–11,500 feet) are dominated by Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and lodgepole pine interspersed with alpine meadows. Above treeline, alpine tundra prevails across high ridges, peaks, and cirque basins. Hundreds of high-altitude lakes are distributed across the unit, supporting fishing populations. Riparian corridors run along the canyon-bottom creeks and rivers.

Mountain goats are the primary documented species for this named hunt boundary. The UDWR 2019 management plan records 55 total goats (43 adults, 12 kids) in the High Uintas East sub-unit during the September 2017 helicopter survey; the plan notes the population has stabilized on the east end of the Uintas. GoHunt (2026) notes goat numbers have been steady in recent years. Mountain goats occupy steep cliff and talus terrain above approximately 10,000 feet in summer, ranging down to 8,000 feet in some drainages in winter. The broader Uinta Mountains support Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep — their core use area is documented between Gunsight Pass and Divide Pass in the UDWR mountain goat management plan, near the western edge of this boundary. The High Uintas Wilderness is documented by the USFS as supporting elk, mule deer, moose, mountain goats, black bears, bighorn sheep, cougars, river otters, pine marten, ptarmigan, raptors, and approximately 75% of Utah's bird species. Mountain lion, coyote, and golden eagle are identified as predators of mountain goats on the Uintas in the UDWR management plan.

1. The named hunt boundary 'High Uintas East' is a UDWR mountain goat-specific boundary designation (Appendix B of the 2019 Uinta Mountains Mountain Goat Unit Management Plan). Deer and elk within the same geographic footprint are managed under the broader North Slope (Deer Unit 8) and North Slope/Summit/West Daggett (Elk) general season units. 2. Mountain goat tag quota of 2 reflects 2025 resident permits per GoHunt; a reported 2026 increase to 3 could not be verified from the proclamation PDF. 3. Nonresident mountain goat tags were eliminated from High Uintas East beginning 2025, confirmed by Huntin' Fool. 4. Mountain goat permits are once-in-a-lifetime regardless of harvest outcome. 5. The boundary excludes Indian Trust Lands within the broader South Slope WMU; the Ute Tribe also issues separate Exterior Boundary Permits for mountain goats. 6. 100% public land figure sourced from GoHunt profile (497 sq mi); the broader Uinta Mountains mountain goat unit land ownership is 98% USFS per the management plan. 7. Population survey data (55 goats, 43 adults in 2017) is the most recent publicly available from UDWR. 8. High Uintas Wilderness acreage is 453,900 acres per the USFS Ashley NF page (wilderness.net lists 460,000 acres — USFS figure used as more authoritative). 9. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and moose are documented in the North Slope area but dedicated hunt boundaries overlapping High Uintas East specifically were not confirmed. 10. Exact 2026 season dates for deer, elk, moose, and bear were not confirmed unit-specifically; statewide framework dates were referenced.