Mill Hollow Road: Camping and Exploring in Utah’s Uinta National Forest
Mill Hollow Road: Camping and Exploring in Utah’s Uinta National Forest
We recently traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, and decided to make the most of the opportunity by spending an extra day exploring and camping in the Uinta National Forest. The Uinta National Forest is roughly 45 minutes to an hour east of Salt Lake City, and the drive was both pleasant and scenic.
Once we entered the National Forest, our plan was to drive Mill Hollow Rd (Forest Service Rd 70054). Mill Hollow Rd starts off paved for about an eighth of a mile before turning to dirt. After leaving the pavement, we stopped to air down. The road was wide and in excellent condition. You could easily pull a trailer along this road, as many people had. We saw several horse trailers and RVs set up at dispersed campsites along the way.
This is a high-elevation area, with the road starting at 7,726 feet and climbing to over 10,000 feet. We visited in the last few days of September, so fall was in full swing at this elevation. Daytime temperatures were in the upper 60s, while nighttime temperatures dropped into the mid-30s. The fall colors were nearing their peak, making for a stunningly beautiful drive.
Recreation
We visited the area during archery season, so there were plenty of hunters around. About 3 miles in, you’ll come to the Mill Hollow Reservoir, which is known for decent trout fishing. Other fishing opportunities can be found at Current Creek. There are a number of side roads branching off from the main road, and we saw many people on ATVs exploring the area. From what I saw on AllTrails, there are only a handful of shorter trails, but I’m sure there are more hiking opportunities if you’re willing to venture beyond Mill Hollow Rd.
Camping
As you drive along, you’ll notice numerous excellent campsites. In addition to those along the main road, there are several side roads with additional camping options. We took one of these side roads to reach our campsite. The road was rough, rutted, and had large rocks. At one point, it became quite narrow, and we definitely picked up some more pinstriping on the truck and camper. We took it slow, and fortunately, we didn’t have to travel far to find a great camp spot.
Once the sun set, the temperatures dropped into the 30s. We’ve been having some issues with our Four Wheel Camper furnace at higher elevations—it doesn’t seem to want to ignite once we’re above 7,000 feet. Thankfully, we were prepared with plenty of blankets, so it wasn’t a big deal.
In the morning, we got up early and hit the road. We had a 10-hour drive back to northwest Montana ahead of us. Although it was a short trip into the mountains, we were glad to explore a new area and enjoy the outdoors.
October 3, 2024
