While the pavement melts in the city of salt, cool air and wilderness are under two hours away: the Uinta Mountains. Hiking, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, overnight or week-long backpacking—the Uinta Mountains deliver. So if you’re thinking about making a pilgrimage to the Rockies, the Uintas are a great alternative to the higher traffic areas to the south and north (see: Colorado, Jackson Hole).
Overview
Sunset over the Uintas
The Uinta Mountains are a sub-range of the Rockies that lie about 70 miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah. The Unitas have the distinction of being the highest mountain range that run east to west in the lower 48, and they offer a stark high-alpine environment that feels very different from the nearby Wasatch.
The Uintas boast over a thousand lakes, hundreds of streams, and Utah’s highest mountain: Kings Peak at 13,528 feet. Given its close proximity to Salt Lake City, the trails and lakes near the Mirror Lake Highway can be somewhat crowded on Saturdays and Sundays. However, all it takes is a two-mile jaunt into the wilderness, and you’ll leave the weekend warriors behind.
Essential Gear
Insect Repellent: Lots of lakes + temperate mountain air = plenty of skeeters. So bring along your trusted DEET.
Rain Shell: Afternoon thunderstorms are a common occurrence in this high alpine environment. The storms don’t last long, but they definitely pack a punch.
Fishing is a must.
Bear Canister: While bear encounters are rare in the Unitas, it’s always a good idea to practice good bear safety.
Fishing Gear: If you’re hiking or backpacking to any of the lakes, definitely throw a line in the water. Don’t forget a lightweight frypan. You can pick up a fishing license at the 7-11 in Kamas if you forgot to do so in SLC.
Logistics:
Required Reading / Maps
- Hiking Utah – highlights a few popular day hikes, good overnighters, and even a couple lesser-knowns.
- Utah’s High Uintas – great resource for day hiking.
- Trails Illustrated: High Uintas Wilderness #711 – waterproof topo that covers the entire area
- Utah GIS Portal – use the books above to figure out which topos you need, then download them from this site.
POOR HIKER’S TIP: the Utah GIS Portal is an indispensable site if you spend time anywhere in Utah’s Wilderness. You can zoom in on just the area you’ll be in, print it out at home, and then store your custom topo map in a plastic bag.
Getting There
Since the Uintas cover a huge area in Utah’s northeast, there are numerous trailheads and access points.
Mirror Lake Highway
US-150 or the Mirror Lake Highway runs between Kamas, Utah, and Evanston, Wyoming, and provides the most popular access points into the Uintas. Mirror Lake at the heart of the Uintas lies about an hour and a half from downtown Salt Lake City.
Oakley / Weber Canyon
Oakley and Weber Canyon provide the quickest way into the Uintas. This region provides access to popular Smith and Morehouse Reservoir, as well as great overnight hikes such as Abes Lake and Fish Lake.
Eastern Uintas: Access via Duchesne and Vernal
For longer hikes deep into the wilderness, start from outside Duchesne, Utah, or use the guidebooks to find access points near Vernal.
Kings Peak – Start from WY
For forays to Utah’s highest peak, many guidebooks recommend starting from near Mountain View, Wyoming.
Teal Lake in the Uinta Mountains
Permits
If you enter along the Mirror Lake Highway, expect to pay $6 for a 3-day permit, $12 for a week. There are no fees if you enter at any of the other areas.
Recommendations
Everyone has a secret spot, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Stillwater Drainage: About 2-½ hours from Salt Lake City, the lakes and streams in this drainage offer great hiking and fishing.
- Three Lakes Divide – A loop trail off the Mirror Lake highway that makes for a good day or easy overnighter.
- Round, Sand, Fish Lakes – Tranquil lake system accessed via Weber Canyon.
- Grab a topo and go – Since the majority of land in the Uinta Mountains is designated wilderness areas, often the best thing to do is find a small lake way out there, and then use your navigation skills to get out there … don’t forget your compass.
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Tags: backpacking, fishing, hiking, Trip of the Month, uinta mountains, utah
