The Uinta Mountains

A beautiful forest road that goes up and over Gold Hill and drops back down to Whitney Reservoir. It has deeply rutted and steep climbs, semi-shelf sections, rocky areas, and narrow areas with fallen trees. It is slow going, but the views over the pass are amazing and worth it. There aren't any camping areas directly on this route until you reach the bottom by Whitney Reservoir, but side roads offer options before the reservoir.

Whitney Road starts at SR 150 and ends at the top of the road to the Whitney Reservoir boat launching area. The road is rough and rocky, but most two-wheel drive vehicles with a little bit of ground clearance can make it during normal conditions. This route goes through private property before emerging into a national forest. There are numerous camping areas in the public land portions, which are clearly marked along this route, that can accommodate single vehicles up to large groups of several RVs. There are no improved camp grounds and only a few vault toilets along the route. Whitney Reservoir is a picturesque lake with good fishing and Bald Eagle watching! Kayaking, SUP, and small non-gas vessels are allowed. While this route is a bit rough, that helps to keep the crowds down!

Jogging east off of Soapstone Basin, Soapstone Creek follows its namesake (usually dry) through beautiful open meadows and patches of lush forest. At its end, this trail meets up with Rhodes Canyon, making for a great day loop. The trail conditions consist of packed dirt and loose rocks, with two small sections of exposed rock warranting high clearance and 4wd in less-than-ideal conditions. Camping is abundant near the trailhead in the open meadow, where multiple large sites offer man-made fire rings and plenty of room for multiple vehicles among the soft ground.

Rhodes Canyon is an easy but bumpy forest service road leading from Highway 35 to the end of Soapstone Creek. Any vehicle with high clearance can handle this trail, as the small rocky patches are nothing more than a few inches tall. Although the trail is mainly contained within the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests, camping is fairly limited. There are only a handful of good preexisting dispersed sites with man-made fire rings, and none of them are much larger than 3-4 vehicles in size.

Near the end of Upper Setting is this surprise of a trail. Not many trails in the Uintas force you into 4WD, but this one just might. Its loose sharp rocks deter the average vehicle with street tires and low clearance. Camping is satisfactory in many spots, distancing you from the more popular sights closer to the Mirror Lake Highway. Be sure to venture down this spur if you are aired down and ready for adventure.

Silver Meadows is a popular, well-traveled forest service road leading to an abundance of camping. Aside from a few blind curves and occasional potholes, this trail has nothing in the way of obstacles, making it suitable for just about any vehicle with a moderate amount of clearance. Connecting this with Rhodes Canyon, Soapstone Creek, and Soapstone Basin creates a fantastic loop to explore the fresh Uinta air. Camping is abundant and offers great places to pitch a tent, set up a hammock, or pull your trailer into. Sites range in size from 2-3 vehicles up to multiple RV's. All camping along Silver Meadows is dispersed and offers no amenities.

If isolation is your goal, then this might be your trail. Near the end of Upper Setting is this unsuspecting, unmaintained spur leading you to Castle Lake. Although it may not require a well-built vehicle or even 4WD, the occasional rocks and mud puddles keep the low clearance crowd away. Once you reach the end, you are treated to a single, solo campsite right near the edge of the lake. A short walk takes you down to the water, where you can enjoy pure solitude.

The western half of Castle Lake is a bit reminiscent of the eastern half, with one big exception, a long and deep water hole. A few camping opportunities lie along this trail, with one decent site after fording the water. This trail sees little traffic so seclusion may be achievable. Since this trail is no longer a loop, the campsite at the trail's end may just be the ticket.

Cold Springs is a popular option in the area that provides incredible camping along its entire route. Spanning from Silver Meadows to Soapstone Basin, this trail is usually part of a loop for exploring the refreshing Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The trail is very easy, with only a few potholes to avoid, so just about any vehicle can handle it. There are many campsites to choose from. Along the eastern half of the trail, many of the sites are tucked into the trees, offering a little bit of privacy from the main road, while on the western side, campsites are typically perched on small hills, providing great views of the lush forest and meadows below. Many sites can fit multiple large campers, while a few are considered small and personal. None of the campsites have any amenities aside from man-made fire rings.

This point-to-point route starts at the intersection with Whitney Road and dead ends about a half mile past the intersection with Gold Hill Pass Road. It is a relatively flat and easy drive that has numerous camping options, including some areas for large groups and RVs. If you plan on parking and using any recreation facility, don't forget that day-use permits are required and available at any of the many self-service permit areas along the Mirror Lake Highway.

Acting as the only connector between Mill Creek Road and China Meadows, Blacks Fork is a slightly less-maintained, bumpy dirt road climbing to over 9,800 feet in elevation as it winds 12.8 miles through the north end of the Uinta Mountains. Despite not offering direct access to many of the activities that this region is known for, Blacks Fork makes a great addition to an extended overland adventure across the thick forests of northeastern Utah.

Camping is rather limited and comes in the form of scattered, dispersed sites. Most of the sites lie near either end of the trail, and none of them are very large, with room for only a handful of vehicles. If you are looking for more developed camping, there are many campgrounds along either Mill Creek Road or China Meadows.

Norway S13 is a great little spur off of Norway Flat. It resides within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest which is home to thousands of miles of forest roads, along with endless camping, fishing, and many other recreational activities. S13 takes you to a great campsite on a small lake that would be a fantastic spot to kayak or paddleboard. The trail is not challenging and is suitable for any high clearance vehicle. Be sure to check this one out if you are in the area!