HD 212 takes in the western flank of the Elkhorn Mountains and the country east of Boulder along the upper Boulder River drainage. Elevations climb from about 4,800 feet at Boulder up to 9,000-plus feet on the divide ridges above Crow Peak. The terrain is granite-cored, with rocky outcrops poking through Douglas fir and lodgepole forest, big grassy parks ("balds") on south aspects, and dense mixed conifer in the cooler drainages. The named drainages worth knowing: the upper Boulder River, Galena Gulch, the Little Boulder, and the headwaters of Muskrat Creek. Old mining scars show up everywhere—this whole range was prospected hard in the 1880s and the abandoned shafts and cabins are still scattered through the timber. Elk are the focus and the western Elkhorns have the same wildlife-management-unit treatment as HD 211, which means lower road density and bulls that get to grow up. Helena-Lewis and Clark NF dominates the upper drainages, BLM covers the lower benches and patented mining claims, and private ranch ground ribbons the valley floor along the Boulder. I-15 is the paved spine; the Boulder River Road (FR 86) climbs east into the range and several spurs reach trailheads in the wildlife management area. Boulder is small—gas, a couple of bars, the historic state hospital grounds—Helena is 30 minutes north. Cell service hangs on along I-15 and dies fast in the canyons. Many of the bull tags are limited-permit, so check current regs and plan accordingly. The country rewards hunters who walk past gates and put miles on boot leather; you can road-hunt the perimeter all season and never see what the big bulls are doing in the closed-travel core.