Cimarron National Grassland: hunting, rules and access
Cimarron National Grassland is 108,000 acres by KDWP's count, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, centered about 7 miles north of Elkhart, in Morton County and deer Unit 18. Camping: yes, in designated areas; equipment: none (KDWP 2026-27).
Data updated October 2026. KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 summary; KDWP GIS; WIHA 2026-27.
National forest or grasslandWalk-in (WIHA)Cimarron National GrasslandOther wildlife areasDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 108,000 (KDWP); 102,347 inside the mapped boundary, water included |
|---|---|
| Location (KDWP) | N of Elkhart |
| Phone | (620) 697-4621 |
| Camping | Yes, in designated areas |
| Boating | NA |
| Equipment restrictions | None |
| Daily check-in/check-out | Not listed for this area |
| County | Morton |
| Deer unit | Unit 18 |
What are the rules on Cimarron National Grassland?
KDWP's 2026-27 listing puts no equipment restriction on the area. No other rule is listed.
Source: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 16.
Which deer unit is Cimarron National Grassland in?
Deer Unit 18, 4,532 square miles, with 587 deer taken across the whole unit in 2021. Whitetail Antlerless-only permits are not valid in Unit 18.
Unit 18 gets 228 nonresident whitetail permits in 2026 (KDWP deer quotas and draw statistics; KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 30).
Harvest: KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021).
What public and walk-in land is near Cimarron National Grassland?
Within five miles: 109,633 acres of national forest or grassland (this area included), and 22,699 acres of WIHA walk-in land on 115 tracts. The biggest walk-in tracts reaching into that ring: 640 acres next to it on the northwest side (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31), 640 acres 0.5 miles northeast (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31), 630 acres 2.7 miles east (Nov. 1 to Jan. 31) and 518 acres next to it on the north side (Sept. 1 to Jan. 31).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts. County walk-in totals: Morton County.
How do you get to Cimarron National Grassland?
KDWP's directions: N of Elkhart. Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: KS-51, US 56, KS-27 and KS-25.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Rolla | 2 | east |
| Elkhart | 2 | south |
| Richfield | 4 | northeast |
| Hugoton | 11 | east |
| Manter | 16 | north |
Questions hunters ask
Can you camp at Cimarron National Grassland?
Yes, in designated areas, by KDWP's 2026-27 listing, for up to seven days in a row.
Do you have to check in to hunt Cimarron National Grassland?
Not by KDWP's 2026-27 list of check-in areas.
Where is Cimarron National Grassland?
Its middle is about 7 miles north of Elkhart, in Morton County and deer Unit 18.
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Sources: KDWP's Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Hunting & Furharvesting Regulations Summary, page 7 to 16; KDWP wildlife areas; USGS PAD-US 4.1; KDWP Walk-In Hunting Access (WIHA) tracts; KDWP deer harvest by unit (2017 to 2021). General KDWP public land rules: all wildlife areas. FilledTag is not part of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.