Elk Hunting in Colorado GMU 27 - Grand and Routt Counties

The Continental Divide and the Gore Range Divide encircle Middle Park. Most of this terrain is steep to very steep. Sagebrush/shrubs are common on southern exposures at lower elevations. The past decadefts mountain pine beetle killed an estimated 80 percent of mature lodgepole pine trees in Grand County, creating numerous hazards along public roadways as these trees begin to fall.

The Gore Range, north of the Colorado River, is a long ridge (10,000 feet elevation) that runs north to Rabbit Ears Pass. The landscape north of Gore Pass Highway is heavily timbered, primarily with lodgepole pine, aspen, Engelmann spruce and sub-alpine fir. The terrain is not rugged by Colorado standards. South of Gore Pass the elevation drops rapidly into piñon and juniper habitat.

There are several major geographical features besides the Gore Range in this area. They are: Thorpe Mountain, Blacktail Mountain, Green Ridge, Black Mountain, Congor Mesa, and Yarmony Mountain. The main drainages in the Yampa River drainage are Harrison Creek, Green Creek, Sarvis Creek, Silver Creek, and Morrison Creek. The main drainages in the Colorado River drainage are Muddy Creek, Blacktail Creek, Rock Creek, and Egeria Creek.

The highest elevation is Red Dirt Peak (10,811ft.) on Gore Divide and the lowest is the Colorado River at State Bridge (6,744 ft.)