Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

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Kamas portion of the Heber / Kamas Ranger District

Acres: 185,922 Counties: Summit, Wasatch, Duchesne Offices:   Kamas     50 East Center Street     PO Box 68     Kamas, UT 84036     (435) 783-4338   Heber     2460 South Highway 40     PO Box 190     Heber City, UT 84032     (435) 654-0470

Vicinity Map Larger View | PDF Version (783 Kb)

The Kamas portion of the Heber / Kamas Ranger District, located 45 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, is nestled in the foothills of the Uinta Mountains. The District encompasses more than 180,000 acres where the elevation rises dramatically – from 6500 feet to 11,943 feet at the peak of Bald Mountain. The main thoroughfare on the District, the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, wends its way north through a labyrinth of lakes, vistas and peaks towards the Evanston Ranger District and into Wyoming. The Byway is the main access to nearly 400 lakes found in the Uinta Mountain Range. The Uinta Mountains run east to west, rather than the typical north-south orientation, a unique featured shared by few mountain ranges in the world.

Recreation

The Kamas portion of the Heber / Kamas Ranger District is fast becoming a four-season destination. The mountainous terrain and abundant lakes invite visitors to hike, camp, fish, ride mountain bikes, backpack and ride off-highway vehicles in the summer. During the winter, the quality snow draws legions of backcountry skiers, dog sledders and snow mobilers.

Recreation Update: Kamas Area

Wildlife and Plants

The District’s high altitude ecosystems host a diverse range of plants and animals -- from the regal Douglas fir to the industrious beaver. Astute visitors can spot many carefully crafted beaver-built dams along the Byway’s streams and rivers, which often assuage catastrophic flooding during high-water years. Beavers are more than intriguing animals with flat tails and lustrous fur. American Indians called the beaver the "sacred center" of the land because this species creates rich habitats for other mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, birds and ducks. And, so it goes on the Kamas District. At the lower elevations, stands of giant legacy Ponderosa Pines dot the landscape. Trees within this unique stand pre-date white settlement and extend as far back in time as the Late Prehistoric era.

US Forest Service - Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Last Modified: Friday, 15 August 2008 at 17:10:52 EDT