- High number of mountain goats can be viewed in the high elevation peaks
- Some trophy class bull elk can be seen while hunting
- Good trout fishing on the many lakes located on this unit
- Be sure to shoot a goat where it is retrievable
Located north of Vernal, Utah, and south of Flaming Gorge, US Highway 191 is the eastern boundary, and state route 44 acts as much of the northern boundary for this unit. This is a high success Mountain Goat hunt with a number of ways to hunt the unit.
Goat number counts are growing on this unit, so hunters can be selective of what billy to take. This is a remote and rugged unit, but there are a few dirt roads that hunters can use to access mountain goats. Hunters should be prepared for a physically challenging hunt.
Much of the Leidy Peak unit is steep and rugged. There are a couple of good roads that will take you to different areas of this unit. Most of the deep canyons run north to south and a lot of them have small creeks that run the length of the canyon. Maintained hiking or horseback trails that head to the bottom gives hunters access to the high elevations. Marsh Peak, at 12,240 feet above sea level and Leidy peak at 12,028 feet above sea level are both in the unit, and both hold mountain goats. Mountain goats can be found above tree line in steep, cliffy areas. Goats are frequently found in cliffy habitat throughout the unit with goats being found in all drainages.
The high elevations contain dense Engelmann spruce that mingle with Ponderosa pines and fir trees. This unit has some alpine tundra found at the high elevations areas and particularly around the high peaks. Middle elevations have Douglas fir, aspens, Manzanita, grass meadows and sagebrush, and low elevations have pinyon/juniper, sagebrush, oak brush, grasses and other browse. Water is spread throughout the unit with springs, small lakes and perennial streams.
There is some road access in this unit. The more popular roads to access the unit are Hacking Lake Road, Elk Loop Road, Paradise Park Road, and Marsh Peak Road. Much like other units in the Uinta Mountains, much of this unit is roadless and mountain goats are found in rugged remote country. Some of the trailheads that hunters can use to access these parts of the unit are the Weyman Park trailhead, Cheta Lake trailhead and the White Rocks Canyon trailhead.
Vernal has lodging, gas, groceries and other supplies. Camping permitted on most public land.
Roughly 474 square miles
99% public land
Elevations from about 5,950-12,133 feet
Some vehicle access
Snow and rain can impede travel in some areas
A lot of remote areas to hunt