Ashley National Forest

A ranch building at the Oscar Swett Ranch National Historic Register Site in Ashley National Forest.

The Ute Tower Lookout in Ashley National Forest.

The Ashley forest's 1.38 million acres in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming are home to steep canyons, high mountain peaks, glaciated basins, meadows and rugged desert "badlands," all with a rich diversity of vegetation and wildlife.

Many visitors enjoy the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and the High Uintas Wilderness within the forest.

The High Uintas wilderness, which includes 500,000 acres in the Wasatch-Cache and Ashley forests, is accessible from July through September. Numerous marked trails offer backpackers and horsepackers wilderness adventure ranging from moderate to strenuous. Kings Peak at 13,512 feet is the higest peak in Utah, and is within the wilderness.

The Flaming Gorge Reservoir extends almost 90 miles into Wyoming, offering great boating and fishing. Rafting the Green River from the Flaming Gorge Dam to the Little Hole Day Use Area is another favorite pastime. The Little Hole National Recreation Trail parallels this section of the river, which is a Blue Ribbon trout fishery.

The Uinta Mountains are the only East-West Mountain range in the continental United States. Also in this region is the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, a spectacular canyon filled with twisted, folded rock formations. During the first two weeks of September, Kokanee salmon run from the reservoir to spawn in Sheep Creek.

The visitor centers are at Red Canyon and Flaming Gorge Dam.