Colorado OTC Elk Units › Unit 18
OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle · 2026

Unit 18 Elk Hunting, Colorado

Middle Park, North-Central Colorado. Here's the terrain, access, and license picture, plus how to hunt it under pressure.

RegionMiddle Park, North-Central Colorado
Public landRoutt and Arapaho National Forests with BLM; largely public
Elevationroughly 7,500 to 12,000 ft
2026 licenseUnlimited antlered bull, over the counter (OTC), for 2nd and 3rd rifle in 2026.

The country

Steep Middle Park terrain ringed by the Continental Divide and the Gore Range, with sage and mountain shrub on low southern exposures climbing into aspen and spruce-fir.

Access and pressure

Forest roads off Kremmling and the upper Colorado River give solid access but concentrate hunters near trailheads.

How to hunt Unit 18

Hunt the timbered benches and dark timber above the sage, working the ridgelines between the roaded valleys.

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Other Colorado elk units:
Unit 12 · Unit 23 · Unit 24 · Unit 32 · Unit 43 · Unit 61 · Unit 62 · Unit 76 · see all
Terrain, forest, and elevation details are drawn from public land and habitat sources. License types change year to year, so always confirm a unit's current status and boundaries on the official Colorado Parks and Wildlife big game brochure before you buy. ScoutIQ forecasts are confidence-weighted, not guarantees.

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