High Uintas Wilderness
Located in northeastern Utah, the Uinta Mountains were named for the Uintaat Indians, early relatives of the modern Ute Tribe. The High Uintas Wilderness envelops the wild core of this massive mountain...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 453,863 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.7410, -110.4773 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 51 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
39 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 7 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 7 fishings. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miRed Castle Lake ↗Fishing
- 7 miIsland Lake ↗Fishing
- 15 miAmethyst Lake ↗Fishing
- 17 miCarolyn Lake ↗Fishing
- 19 miKermsuh Lake ↗Fishing
- 19 miPackard Lake ↗Fishing
- 20 miKabell Lake ↗Fishing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
92 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 625 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Uinta Highline ↗ | 92.6 | |
| Jackson Park ↗ | 21.3 | |
| Uinta River ↗ | 20 | |
| Bear River-Smith Fork ↗ | 17.8 | |
| Chain Lakes-Atwood ↗ | 17.6 | |
| Brown Duck ↗ | 16.5 | |
| North Slope Highline A ↗ | 16.2 | |
| Yellowstone ↗ | 15.7 | |
| Lake Fork ↗ | 15.3 | |
| Ottoson ↗ | 15.2 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSpring Canyon Rx
27 mi from the center point
- PrescribedPitt And Page Rx
29 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCastle Peak Rx
29 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.8 miDoggy Door Tie Cutter Cabin ↗South Jordan, UT
- 4.7 miMaycock, John, Cabin ↗Kamas, UT
- 4.8 miGrix, John, Cabin ↗Kamas, UT
- 6.3 miStockmore Ranger Station ↗Tabiona, UT
- 12.5 miStewart, Charles B., Ranch House ↗Woodland, UT
- 12.5 mi
- 12.8 miStewart, Barnard J., Ranch House ↗Woodland, UT
- 13 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is High Uintas Wilderness?
453,863 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages High Uintas Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is High Uintas Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was High Uintas Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at High Uintas Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Swift Creek Campground, 0.1 miles out. 51 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in High Uintas Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 7 recreation sites here, including 7 lake and pond fishings. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to High Uintas Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.741, -110.477. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near High Uintas Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Spring Canyon Rx at 27 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at High Uintas Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near High Uintas Wilderness?
13 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Doggy Door Tie Cutter Cabin and Maycock, John, Cabin.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.