# tell me about the bookcliffs roadless area.



## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I could have this archery elk tag if I wanted but I need to do some scouting and gather info. So I think I will start here. A couple questions. What is the best route to access the area? I have been looking on google earth and have not found many roads leading to it.
Where do most people enter the area from? Is there a parking lot or somewhere to park horse trailers? What part of the unit is the best for hunting elk in? I am going to try to scout it out a little bit this year so any info on where to start would be awesome. Thanks.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

That I know of there are only two ways into it. One is out of Thompson Springs up Sego Canyon to the gate that goes into the reservation and I don't know of any real good area up that way to park a horse trailer. The other is just to the west of Ten Mile Knoll where there is a area to park trucks and trailers. This is the area that most will access it from if they have horses off of HWY 40. As far as hunting elk in it I don't think that it will matter that much. It is really a small area and you should be able to scout a lot of it in a couple of weekends.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

thank you critter.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Ten mile knoll and ride the ridges and use your glass. It is a great unit. Pm me and I can help you out.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

thank you judd. I am not going to put in for it this year. I have to get down there sometime this year and get some firsthand info. Maybe go hunt spikes in there on labor day weekend. I am still not sure how to even get down there. Do you drive south from ouray or jensen? That place is really in the middle of nowhere!


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Correct, you just go South of Ouray and be ready for a long dirt road. We hunted the Bitter Creek side last year and really enjoyed it. Some great country. I would love to try the roadless area one day.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Go to google.com, maps. Click on directions and type in SLC (for this example) and Ten Mile Knoll, UT. It might take you down a route to the South first, but just drag the route over to Roosevelt and it should pull it up. It will take you down Seep Ridge Rd and later on to Moon Ridge Rd just before the turn off for Ten mile Knoll.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Have they put any signs up out there yet? The last time that I was there only a couple of main roads were marked.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

I didn't see very many. I had to take a very detailed print out (google earth pictures/etc.) to make sure I got there. :lol:


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

That's what I figured. For 10yearquest the main thing to remember when and if you head out there is that the road going to 10 Mile Knoll is on the south side of the books and there are no other roads out there except for the ones that head down to wards I-70 such as Hay Canyon and East Canyon. So if you start to head down you need to go back up and figure out where you are at. 

Also as JuddCT said you are out in the middle of nowhere. It is a good idea to have extra fuel and tire patching materials on hand when you head out there.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> Also as JuddCT said you are out in the middle of nowhere. It is a good idea to have extra fuel and tire patching materials on hand when you head out there.


+1000


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Critter said:


> Also as JuddCT said you are out in the middle of nowhere. It is a good idea to have extra fuel and tire patching materials on hand when you head out there.


And make sure you can get your lugnuts off and on! I blew a trailer tire and stripped TWO studs trying to get the rusted lugnuts off (the stud stripped at the hub face, not on the lugnut). Had to pull the hub off the axle and drive to Duchesne to a trailer repair place.

-DallanC


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

thanks guys. This is just the type of info I am lookin for. Going to a place like this is a little intimidating. I would hate to draw the tag and have it be too much to handle just in the getting there. Good advice dallanC I will have to double check the trailers readyness before heading that way. This is already sounding like the adventure I want it to be.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

What I learned to do after that disaster is to grease my wheel studs, firmly attach the lugnuts, then I cut pieces of 1/2" vinyl tubing and slide it over the exposed wheel studs. This of course was on a ATV trailer with exposed lugnuts. Travel Trailers usually have caps to protect the stud's.


-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Since you didn't put in for it this year you could make some scouting trips down there starting in July. If you just take a truck and no trailer it helps a lot until you get to know your way around there. I'm sure that some of the others know where you will be coming from but I-70 is a quick trip and personally I believe the quickest way up onto them. Just take the Westwater exit and then north to old HWY 6 then follow it for a couple of miles and then turn North. Once you hit the canyons you can go up either Hay Canyon or East Canyon to the top. Then you will see elk all over the place when you either walk or drive down the side ridges.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

anyone here ever go in on the south side. Like sego canyon thompson spings route?


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

10yearquest said:


> anyone here ever go in on the south side. Like sego canyon thompson spings route?


Yes. It's a bit steep, switch back dirt road. Dead ends at the trail head, at
the Indian res.....Its the best horse trail access, IF you can get your
horse trailer there.....If it's wet. dont try it with a trailer.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

goofy elk said:


> 10yearquest said:
> 
> 
> > anyone here ever go in on the south side. Like sego canyon thompson spings route?
> ...


I agree with goofy.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

thanks goofy. I am really leaning toward starting my scouting there this year and just doing some light backpacking. Wish it was summer already!


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

10yearquest said:


> thanks goofy. I am really leaning toward starting my scouting there this year and just doing some light backpacking. Wish it was summer already!


Go to Ten mile Knol in July, Hike out Diamond ridge a mile or two and glass..
Let me know what you see... 8) ....


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

+1 On what Goofy said. Also you might want to check out the rest of the Books also, there are big elk all over that unit.


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