Colorado OTC Elk Units › Unit 82
OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle · 2026

Unit 82 Elk Hunting, Colorado

Sangre de Cristo and the San Luis Valley, South-Central Colorado. Here's the terrain, access, and license picture, plus how to hunt it under pressure.

RegionSangre de Cristo and the San Luis Valley, South-Central Colorado
Public landRio Grande National Forest and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness with BLM and private on the valley floor; mostly public in the mountains
Elevationroughly 7,700 to 13,000+ ft
2026 licenseUnlimited antlered bull, over the counter (OTC), for 2nd and 3rd rifle in 2026.

The country

The west face of the Sangre de Cristos above the San Luis Valley near Crestone and the Great Sand Dunes. Sage and pinon foothills rise abruptly into aspen, spruce-fir and rugged alpine.

Access and pressure

Very steep, with short brushy foothill approaches to a wall of high peaks, so pressure concentrates at the canyon mouths.

How to hunt Unit 82

Climb the steep drainages into aspen and timberline benches. Elk hold high and use the timbered folds.

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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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