We love hanging out in Utah’s High Uintah Mountains. With their rugged terrain, stunning scenery, and miles of backcountry roads, the Uintah Mountains offer us the perfect get away in Itch. Located in northeastern Utah, the Uintah Mountains’ high peaks, pristine lakes, and extensive trail system refresh our souls!
Several improved campgrounds throughout the area are accessible by camper van, including Mirror Lake Campground, which offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, and the Uintah Canyon Campground, near Neola, Utah, which is located right on the banks of the Uintah River and near the High Uintahs Wilderness Trailhead.
Reservations are not accepted for the Uintah Canyon Campground, so we always plan to get there early to snag a spot. The fee is $5 per night for a single unit. No water is available, but there are two vault toilets.
Located just off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, Mirror Lake Campground is a well-developed campground with many amenities, including picnic tables, campfire rings with grills, equestrian sites, vault toilets, drinking water, trash collection, firewood for purchase from campground hosts, and a boat launch ramp. It’s very popular, so we have to make reservations early if we hope to get a spot!
Most often, however, we decide to visit the area spur of the moment, so any hope of finding a spot in an established campground is dim to none. But, we have found that a day trip in Itch, parking in the day use lot and hiking around the gravel surfaced interpretive trail that surrounds the lake, or veering off into other lesser-known trails in the area (such as the Fehr Lake Trail that begins just outside the Mirror Lake Campground) satisfies our nature craving. Itch is a welcome oasis for a renewing rest and tasty lunch! If we decide we aren’t quite finished with our adventure and want to spend the night in the area, we generally can find a dispersed camping spot nearby.
Dispersed camping in the High Uintah Mountains is a unique and rewarding experience. It’s our favorite way to experience this magnificent area! Dispersed camping (sometimes known as primitive camping) is camping outside designated campgrounds in areas where there are no amenities, such as bathrooms, running water, power hookups, or dump stations. Generally disbursed camping is free, and allows us to have a more private, secluded, and peaceful camping experience.
Powered by solar, and equipped with heated fresh, grey, and black water tanks, Itch is the perfect way for us to camp in disbursed camping areas. We are self-contained and practice Leave No Trace camping.
Dispersed camping is allowed in most parts of the High Uintah Mountains, but the disbursed camping areas are not usually well marked. We bring a paper map with us that shows where the disbursed camping areas are, even without GPS/cell service, which is spotty in the High Uintahs. The maps can be obtained for free from the U.S. Forest Service Bear River Ranger Station, open June-October, and located about 33 miles south of Evanston, WY, on the Mirror Lake Highway. We have found it to be well worth the time to pick up the map!
A few rules to keep in mind when disbursed camping: You can’t camp within 200 feet of lakes or streams, and less than 100 feet away from trails and roads. Additionally, you can’t camp in areas that are posted as no camping zones. Always pack out all of your trash and waste. We work hard to minimize our impact and leave the area as we find it.
Finally, it’s time to explore! The High Uintah Mountains offer endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, and more. Some of the most popular trails in the area include the Highline Trail, the Uinta River Trail, and the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway. With over 1,000 lakes and streams in the area, there are plenty of opportunities for fishing and water-based activities.
We enjoy all that Utah’s High Uintah Mountains have to offer, immersing ourselves in the beauty of the wilderness!