High Uintas Wilderness
Located in northeastern Utah, the Uinta Mountains were named for the Uintaat Indians, early relatives of the modern Ute Tribe. The Uinta Mountains were carved by glaciers from an immense uplift of Precambrian rock. Some of this rock is exposed as colorful quartzite and shales. The High Uintas Wilderness envelops the wild core of this massive mountain range. Characterized by the highest peaks in Utah, countless lakes, and a unique alpine ecosystem, it is among the nation's most outstanding wilderness areas. The main crest of the Uinta Mountains runs west to east for more than 60 miles, rising over 6,000 feet above the Wyoming and Uinta Basins to the north and south.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 453,863 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.74° N, 110.48° W |
| 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
None of the 44 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
32 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. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWestern Roughneck Rx
15 mi from the center point · 472 acres
- PrescribedCarter Creek Rx
20 mi from the center point · 150 acres
- PrescribedWhitney Bear Rx
22 mi from the center point
- PrescribedHighway 150 Rx
25 mi from the center point · 190 acres
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
- 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
- 13 miStewart, Samuel W., Ranch House ↗Woodland, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
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?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to High Uintas Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.741° N, 110.477° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near High Uintas Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Western Roughneck Rx at 15 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near High Uintas Wilderness?
The National Register has 12 listings within 15 miles, including Maycock, John, Cabin and Grix, 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.