Permits in the Uintas

[Jackson]

So this question may be silly, but I haven't found a conclusive answer anywhere online yet. I'm planning my first Uintas trip and want to know if you need a permit to camp in the High Uintas Wilderness. I've seen some say you need one if you're parking near off of Mirror Lake Highway and hiking, but that's it. I know most BCP users have been to the area at least once, so are there different requirements in different areas or what? Thanks!

 

[Nick]

You don't need a permit to camp, but you do need to pay a fee to park your car anywhere within the Mirror Lake Fee Area, which is basically all of Highway 150 running through the mountains. There are self pay kiosks and a booth coming out of Kamas that is open on weekends. Daily, weekly and annual passes are available. I think it's something like $3 per day, ~$12 for a week and ~$45 for a year. Or if you have the America the Beautiful Pass (parks pass), that works too. Just make sure whatever you have is displayed visibly on your dash or from your rear view or you'll get a ticket.

 

[Jackson]

Thanks, @Nick! That is everything I needed to know. Case closed.

 

[Nick]

Oh, and some of the dirt roads from 150 are in the fee area too. Christmas Meadows and East Fork Bear River for example.

 

[Udink]

Now the minimum is a three-day pass for $6, which will allow you to park no closer than 3/4-mile from any trailhead and have to road-walk the rest of the way.

 

[Nick]

Crystal Lake TH is awful. When are they putting in the underground parking structure there anyway? And yet you still had Duck to yourself. Unreal!

 

[Jackson]

Ok. Great info. Christmas Meadows, East Fork Bear, and West Fork Blacks Fork are my options, so thanks for the heads up!

 

[DrNed]

The China Meadows TH was $3 for seven days.