A large portion of this unit is public land, consisting of Colockum and L.T. Murray Wildlife Areas, with a bit of BLM and state ground, mainly along the western boundary. Wild Horse Wind Facility offers Hunt by Reservation creating 9,000-acres of limited public access. Broken conifer forests along the western border quickly fade out to large expanses of rolling rangeland and sagebrush to the Columbia River, serving as the eastern border. The terrain and sage make for easy stalking, however, finding game is not so easy. Sage can be tall enough to hide game which can make for a slow, challenging hunt. This unit gets better as elk and deer move out of the surrounding mountains once their browse is completely covered by snow. Deer hunting reports indicate that not a lot of deer are seen in this unit, there are even some days where no deer are glassed up. Elk hunting is good here.

It can be hard to find a true spike bull in this unit. This area is more rugged than it looks from the roads.

Year-round surface water is scarce with the exception of the Columbia River and the eastern boundary area. The northern border is the high ground and quickly drains through multiple streams including the Colockum, Trapiscan, and Coleman. Intermittent creeks and springs with a few small seasonal ponds are the only water sources.

There is a lot of public land that offers excellent access. Watch for green dot roads to open up access as they can. Road systems throughout wildlife areas are primitive and 4-wheel drive vehicles with high clearance and a good spare tire are recommended.

Conifer forests of ponderosa pine, douglas fir, grand fir, and larch follow the drainages along the western border. This arid rangeland consists of sagebrush and bunchgrass interspersed with rock outcrops.

Primitive camping is allowed in the National Forest for the majority of the year, but various fire bans and forest road closures may happen, so double check any restrictions or permits necessary prior to your trip. If you are more interested in a bed and a shower, and staying closer to gas stations, restaurants, and a grocery store, your best option will be the small town of Ellensburg at the southern point of the unit.