Lake Canyon WMA: hunting, access and rules
Lake Canyon WMA is a 7,586-acre wildlife management area owned by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in Duchesne County, in DWR's Northeastern Region, managed for big game winter range. DWR lists no seasonal closure dates for it. Within 3 miles of it, 30.6% of the land is public, mostly national forest.
Data updated October 2026. Property facts: DWR's public access properties layer. Units: DWR's 2026 boundaries. Land around it: UGRC, 2023.
National forestDWR wildlife landTribal land (tribe's rules)State park (park rules)Other public land (highways, other state land)Lake Canyon WMAGeneral-season deer unit lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 7,586 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Duchesne |
| DWR region | Northeastern Region |
| Managed for | Big game winter range |
| Seasonal closure | None listed by DWR |
| Access | Legal Access, Public Access |
| DWR property since | 1956 |
| Nearest towns | Duchesne (12 mi), Tabiona (19 mi) and Helper (22 mi) |
| A point inside it | 40.0355, -110.6207 (latitude, longitude) |
What are the rules on Lake Canyon WMA?
DWR lists no seasonal closure dates. Motorized vehicle use is restricted to existing roads. DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet.
DWR runs Lake Canyon under its habitat management plan of 1998.
What is allowed where on a WMA: DWR's WMA map.
Which hunt units is Lake Canyon WMA in?
Lake Canyon WMA lies in 3 units with a page of their own; on the Wasatch Mountains, East general-season deer unit as a whole, hunters took 1,658 bucks in 2025 (DWR):
| Unit | Hunt type | Share of the WMA in it |
|---|---|---|
| Wasatch Mountains, East | general-season deer | 100% |
| Wasatch Mountains | limited-entry bull elk | 100% |
| Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains | 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 Lake Canyon WMA?
Douglas fir, pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, mountain brush, deer, elk, Colorado Cutthroat trout.
DWR's own words for the property's primary habitat and species.
What land surrounds Lake Canyon WMA?
Within 3 miles of the WMA's boundary, 30.6% of the land is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (16,359 acres). Tribal land (tribe's rules) covers 39.5% of the ring (26,708 acres); it is not counted above, and its own rules apply.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the 3-mile ring |
|---|---|---|
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 26,708 | 39.5% |
| National forest | 16,359 | 24.2% |
| DWR wildlife land | 4,297 | 6.4% |
| Private and other land not shown | 20,166 | 29.9% |
Measured by FilledTag from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
What other WMAs are near Lake Canyon WMA?
DWR's other wildlife management areas within 25 miles, as the crow flies from center to center: Skitzy WMA (5,198 acres, 6 miles northeast), Rabbit Gulch WMA (9,198 acres, 12 miles north), Cottonwood Ridge WMA (6,751 acres, 12 miles east), Horse Ridge WMA (14,283 acres, 14 miles west), Strawberry River WMA (22,929 acres, 18 miles west) and Tabby Mountain WMA (50,226 acres, 18 miles north).
How do you get to Lake Canyon WMA?
Highways within 8 miles: US 191 and US 40. Nearest towns: Duchesne (12 miles), Tabiona (19 miles), Helper (22 miles) and Altamont (24 miles). DWR also lists it under the older name Avintaquin WMA.
Questions hunters ask
When is Lake Canyon WMA closed?
DWR lists no seasonal closure dates for Lake Canyon WMA. Its rules: Motorized vehicle use is restricted to existing roads.
Do you need a permit to enter Lake Canyon WMA?
DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet, by DWR's 2026 listing for Duchesne County.
How much public land is around Lake Canyon WMA?
30.6% of the land within 3 miles of the WMA is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (16,359 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
Which deer and elk units is Lake Canyon WMA in?
The Wasatch Mountains, East general-season deer unit and the Wasatch Mountains limited-entry elk 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.