Area 7 covers Sunlight Basin and the surrounding Absaroka front between the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone and the upper Greybull River drainage. The terrain is classic Absaroka: steep volcanic ridges, deep timbered canyons, avalanche chutes full of alder and slide debris, and open parks above timberline. Elevations range from about 6,200 feet on the Clark's Fork near Crandall to over 12,000 feet on the Absaroka divide. The lower benches carry sagebrush, grass, and scattered Douglas fir. Mid-elevation is lodgepole and spruce-fir forest with aspen groves on south aspects. Above timberline, the country opens into rolling alpine meadows broken by bands of volcanic cliffs and talus. Mule deer thrive on the south-facing sagebrush ridges, and elk use the dark timber basins and upper meadows. Sunlight Basin Road (WY-296 / Chief Joseph Highway) provides the main access, and several forest roads and trails branch off into the Shoshone National Forest. The North Absaroka Wilderness boundary limits motorized access on the western side, but the eastern portions have forest roads that get you within striking distance of good country. Dead Indian Pass at 8,071 feet offers a dramatic overlook of the basin and is a useful landmark for orientation. Cody is about 45 minutes east for full services. Meeteetse works as a secondary staging point from the south. Cell service is available near the highway and dead everywhere else. Grizzly bears are common — you are in the heart of the Yellowstone grizzly recovery zone. The basin gets less pressure than areas closer to Cody, partly because the terrain is steep and the pack-outs are punishing. Bring good horses or strong legs, and plan your pack-out route before you pull the trigger. Area 7 is Sunlight Basin — a spectacular drainage on the east side of the Absaroka Range between the Clark Fork canyon and the North Fork Shoshone. The Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (Hwy 296) runs through the unit, providing one of the few road-accessible approaches to the Absaroka high country. Dead Indian Campground and Sunlight Wildlife Habitat Management Area anchor the public access. The Sunlight Creek drainage is a long, relatively gentle valley by Absaroka standards, flanked by massive limestone cliffs and timbered ridges exceeding 11,000 feet. This unit is more accessible than Areas 1 or 5 but still holds quality elk. The key feature is the Sunlight Basin WHMA — a state-managed property with specific access rules including walk-in only areas, designated camping, and sometimes controlled vehicle access during hunting seasons (check WGFD regulations annually). The WHMA was designed to protect wintering elk and provide public hunting access. Elk migrate through the Sunlight Basin between summer range in the Absarokas and winter range in the Clarks Fork valley. The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness borders the north side of the unit, and the North Absaroka Wilderness is to the west — both provide roadless hunting opportunities for those willing to hike or ride in. Grizzly bears are present throughout — the same precautions as Area 1 apply. The Dead Indian Creek area and Sunlight Creek are the most productive drainages for elk. Crandall Creek on the west side also holds elk but access is more limited. The town of Cody (45 miles southeast) is the service hub. The Painter Outpost at the Clark Fork/Sunlight junction has limited fuel and supplies during hunting season. The Chief Joseph Highway closes in winter — check road conditions if hunting late season. Moose are present in the valley bottoms and occasionally cause confusion with elk at dawn/dusk — know your target.