East Canyon WMA: hunting, access and rules
East Canyon WMA is a 5,862-acre wildlife management area owned by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in Morgan and Summit counties, in DWR's Northern Region, managed for big game winter range. DWR's seasonal closure: Closed January 1 to second Saturday of April. Within 3 miles of it, 0.7% of the land is public, mostly bureau of Reclamation.
Data updated October 2026. Property facts: DWR's public access properties layer. Units: DWR's 2026 boundaries. Land around it: UGRC, 2023.
BLMDWR wildlife landBureau of ReclamationState park (park rules)East Canyon WMAGeneral-season deer unit lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 5,862 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Morgan, Summit |
| DWR region | Northern Region |
| Managed for | Big game winter range |
| Seasonal closure | Closed January 1 to second Saturday of April |
| Access | Legal Access, Public Access |
| DWR property since | 1985 |
| Nearest towns | Henefer (5 mi), Morgan (5 mi) and Coalville (7 mi) |
| A point inside it | 40.9499, -111.6059 (latitude, longitude) |
What are the rules on East Canyon WMA?
Seasonal closure: Closed January 1 to second Saturday of April. No motorized vehicles, walk in access only. DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet.
DWR runs East Canyon under its habitat management plan of 2026.
What is allowed where on a WMA: DWR's WMA map.
Which hunt units is East Canyon WMA in?
East Canyon WMA lies in 3 units with a page of their own; on the East Canyon general-season deer unit as a whole, hunters took 325 bucks in 2025 (DWR):
| Unit | Hunt type | Share of the WMA in it |
|---|---|---|
| East Canyon | general-season deer | 100% |
| East Canyon, Morgan-Summit | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
| East Canyon | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
Shares measured by FilledTag from DWR's 2026 unit boundaries and the WMA boundary. Harvest: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025; each unit's page has it year by year.
What wildlife does DWR list for East Canyon WMA?
Mule deer, elk, moose, Rio Grande turkey, upland game (grouse, chukar, and dove), neotropical migrant birds, small mammals, and raptors.
DWR's own words for the property's primary habitat and species.
What land surrounds East Canyon WMA?
Within 3 miles of the WMA's boundary, 0.7% of the land is public land open to hunting, most of it bureau of Reclamation (278 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the 3-mile ring |
|---|---|---|
| State park (park rules) | 1,066 | 2.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 278 | 0.6% |
| BLM | 28 | 0.1% |
| DWR wildlife land | 2 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 45,582 | 97.1% |
Measured by FilledTag from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
What other WMAs are near East Canyon WMA?
DWR's other wildlife management areas within 25 miles, as the crow flies from center to center: Henefer-Echo WMA (14,939 acres, 10 miles northeast), Weber Face WMA (563 acres, 20 miles northwest), Farmington Bay WMA (28,699 acres, 22 miles west), Blackhawk WMA (665 acres, 24 miles southwest) and Causey WMA (646 acres, 25 miles north).
How do you get to East Canyon WMA?
Highways within 8 miles: I-84, I-80 and US 189. Nearest towns: Henefer (5 miles), Morgan (5 miles), Coalville (7 miles) and Bountiful (12 miles). DWR also lists it under the older name Red Rock WMA.
Questions hunters ask
When is East Canyon WMA closed?
Closed January 1 to second Saturday of April, by DWR's listing for the area. No motorized vehicles, walk in access only.
Do you need a permit to enter East Canyon WMA?
DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet, by DWR's 2026 listing for Morgan and Summit counties.
How much public land is around East Canyon WMA?
0.7% of the land within 3 miles of the WMA is public land open to hunting, most of it bureau of Reclamation (278 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
Which deer and elk units is East Canyon WMA in?
The East Canyon general-season deer unit, by DWR's 2026 boundaries. Hunting on the WMA follows that unit's seasons and DWR's rules for the property.
Get a Utah hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Utah are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Utah included.
Sources: DWR property data, DWR's WMA page, DWR unit boundaries, UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023). FilledTag is not part of DWR.