Area 30 is the Cloud Peak Wilderness and surrounding high Bighorn Mountains — the crown jewel of the Bighorn Range. The unit centers on Cloud Peak itself at 13,171 feet, the highest point in the Bighorns, and encompasses the alpine lakes basin, high tundra plateaus, and steep timbered canyons that drain both east and west. Elevations range from about 7,500 feet at the forest boundary to the Cloud Peak summit. The lower country is lodgepole pine and mixed conifer, transitioning through spruce-fir forest into subalpine meadows and finally alpine tundra, boulder fields, and cirque lakes above 10,000 feet. Elk summer in the high meadows and timber edges, then move to lower elevations as snow accumulates. Mule deer prefer the sage and mountain-mahogany transition zone on the lower edges. Mountain goats inhabit the high cliffs near Cloud Peak. The Cloud Peak Wilderness is the core of this area, so motorized access is prohibited — everything is foot or horseback. US-16 over Powder River Pass provides access from both Buffalo on the east and Ten Sleep on the west, with several trailheads along the highway. Hunter Corrals and Circle Park are popular trailheads for pack-in elk camps. The wilderness is roughly 190,000 acres, so there's room to spread out, but the accessible drainages near the trailheads get solid pressure during rifle season. Buffalo and Sheridan are the main supply towns on the east side; Ten Sleep and Worland serve the west. Cell service works at the trailheads and dies immediately once you're on the trail. Weather in the high Bighorns is no joke — the range creates its own weather, and early-October storms can close the passes and dump several feet of snow. The east slope gets drier conditions; the west slope catches more moisture. Plan for winter conditions by mid-October and bring enough food for an extra day or two in case weather pins you down. Area 30 in the Cloud Peak Wilderness is one of Wyoming's premier elk units, and nonresident demand pushes the preference point requirement to 5-8 points for most tag types. The Cloud Peak Wilderness (189,039 acres) prohibits all motorized and mechanized access — no ATVs, no mountain bikes, no chainsaws. No grizzly bears inhabit the Bighorns, which is a meaningful difference from the Absaroka wilderness units. Access is 100% Bighorn National Forest (public), with trailheads reachable from US-16 and various forest roads on both slopes. The area is known for producing quality 6-point bulls in the 280-320 class in the high basins and timber edges, with occasional 340+ bulls for hunters who pack deep. Mountain goats on the Cloud Peak cliffs are available through a separate limited-quota draw. Pack-in hunts by horseback are standard; the 2-4 mile hike from trailhead to timberline is manageable for fit backpack hunters.