Smith-Morehouse Campground, near Kamas, Utah, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. With its picturesque setting surrounded by aspen and pine trees, it’s a great place to unwind and enjoy the great outdoors.

This campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, though maneuvering larger trailers can be a bit tricky due to the tight roads. Visitors have noted that some sites are right by the river, providing a soothing soundtrack of flowing water throughout the night. As one camper shared, “We had a spot close enough to the river that we could hear it all night long.”

While there are no electric hookups or drinking water available, campers appreciate the fire rings and the ability to have fires, making it perfect for roasting marshmallows and sharing stories. The nearby reservoir is a hit for kayaking and paddleboarding, and the hiking trails offer plenty of opportunities to explore the stunning scenery and wildlife.

If you’re looking for a peaceful escape, Smith-Morehouse Campground is a solid choice. Just remember to book early, as it tends to fill up quickly, especially during peak season. Whether you’re fishing, hiking, or just soaking in the views, this campground has a lot to offer for a memorable outdoor experience.

## Overview

 Smith and Morehouse Campground is located a very short distance from Smith and Morehouse Reservoir on the western edge of the Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah. The town of Oakley, Utah, is just 12 miles away. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing and exploring the Smith and Morehouse Trail.
## Recreation

 The reservoir is open to motorized boats, though a wake-less speed is enforced, making it an excellent place for canoeing and kayaking. A boat ramp is located on the northwest shore. Anglers enjoy fishing for stocked rainbow trout and other native fish species. The 14.6 mile point to point moderately trafficked Smith Morehouse Trail is popular with hikers and backpackers. The trail begins at nearby Ledgefork Campground and leads through forests, meadows and a marsh before spurring off to Erickson Basin and Island Lake. It is one of the less popular hikes in the Uintahs and at times can be difficult to navigate where the actual trail is. Be sure to take a map and compass/gps to help along the way. It is a good idea to take two cars or have someone drop your group off at one of the trail heads and meet you at your destination so you have transportation waiting for you at the other end. The trail is difficult and can be very hot in the summer months. Be sure to take an adequate amount of water. 
## Natural Features

 The campground is situated just below the reservoir in a scenic conifer and aspen forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet. Smith and Morehouse Creek runs through the campground. A variety of wildlife makes its home around the reservoir, including moose and deer. Summer temperatures range from 65-75 degrees in the day to 40-50 at night. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (385) 273-1100. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, Length 65 miles/104 km, Time to allow: 2 hours. Heading east from Kamas through the national forest, Mirror Lake Highway is one of the most popular mountain routes in the state. The road winds through farm and ranch lands and rises to heavily forested mountain terrain accented by the meadows and rugged peaks. There are numerous access points into the High Uinta Wilderness along this byway. 
## Charges & Cancellations

 Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation. Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Late Cancellations Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival. Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply. Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge. No-Shows Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date. If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under \"Late Cancellations\" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees. Refunds Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure. Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location. Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card. Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy. Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure. Recreation.gov Billing Information Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as \"Recreation.gov 877-444-6777.\" Changes to Policies and Procedures Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July 2018.

Smith-Morehouse Campground

Oakley is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Oakley, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Oakley

The Best Camping Near Oakley, Utah

Very nice host.  Campground peaceful with a nice stream.     

Chris

Clean area, plenty of activities to do close by, far enough away from civilization to make the trip worth it.

Overall great experience

Campground is on the edge of national forest. We did the long (15 miles?) Smith & Morehouse trail and this was the perfect place to crash afterward. Campsite is wooded with views of a lake surrounded by mountains. Feels very secluded. The facilities are pretty typical of a most basic state parks. Seemed less crowded than other UT campgrounds we visited that summer. 


Serious trails nearby 

Our family comes up here 2-3 times a year and we love it up here. There is always something to do up here. You can even snowmobile on the roads up here in the winter. The fishing in the lake isn't very good though, which is a bummer. Fishing in the river is a little better. You also have the option of hiking/backpacking up to Round, Sand, & Fish Lakes which have great fishing. 
In my opinion the worst time to come up here is in early July. We came up for a couple of July 4ths and were astonished at how many horseflies there were all of the sudden. That, and it is terribly hot up there in the summer. We like to go up for Memorial Day and Labor Day. It feels wonderful up there then! That's just my opinion, although you are reading this review, so I guess you care about my opinion. :)

Great Year-Round Campsite

**Campground Review**

This is a gorgeous mountain setting with perfect Summer temps. 

Pros

*   Near water; a beautiful river and the reservoir of the same name
*   It’s not far from civilization (under 30 minutes) if you need supplies, but it feels remote and secluded once you get there
*   Basic amenities for a National Forest Campground are well-maintained (trash receptacles, toilets, water, fire rings, picnic tables)
*   Camp Host on site (I guess this could be a pro or con depending on who you get [smile], but at least you know who to check in with); Camp host also notes names and dates on each camp site which added a sense of organization to the location
*   Peaceful wildlife, like deer (see “cons” for another option here)
*   Variety of vegetation (many different types of trees and wildflowers, etc.)
*   Near other US Forest disbursed camping in case you need some time before or after your stay here

Cons

*   Campsites are a bit on the small side and are close together (this is largely overcome by the lush vegetation; helps it feel private)
*   This is bear country, so the signs say (wait, is that really a “con” or something unexpected when you’re camping in the forest? Just be aware)
*   Can be crowded/booked in those lovely summer months

**Product Review**

I’m a happy Ranger for The Dyrt and from time to time I get to test and review products that may help make camping life even more awesome. Today, I am reviewing the Primus Tupike Two Burner Stove

([https://primus.us/products/tupike-stove-4](https://primus.us/products/tupike-stove-4))

I’m especially happy to review this product _now_ because we had some bumps getting started (happy to report a happy ending here, details below and in videos). 

Pros

*   Beautiful, solid, well-made stove (pans don’t move and neither does the stove)
*   Easy to use (set up is a breeze, cleaning is made easy by its removable stainless drip tray, easy to connect to larger propane tank or use with smaller fuel cans)
*   Nice features that are there if you need them, but they’re not in your way if you don’t (e.g., the wind flaps actually have a magnetic feature that stay closed if you don’t use them, the legs can be folded down when not needed)
*   Love the igniters (appreciate not needing another tool to create the flame)
*   The flames are highly adjustable which means, in part, that I can cook any type of food perfectly (even delicate things like crepes or other items that need to simmer at a specific temperature)
*   Nice size for a camp stove (under 10 pounds, large enough to handle standard size pots and pans); not a backpacking stove but Primus has you covered there too
*   Great customer service (the company quickly responded to our needs when it arrived with a broken part, felt like they would have helped us with any issues along the way; very knowledgable)
*   Stove arrived quickly (as did replacement part/s)

Cons

*   When the stove arrived, the sticker said it had been inspected/tested, yet it had a couple issues: 
*   1\. A plastic piece in the handle was broken. I could still use it, but it was wobbly and obviously needed to be fixed and 
*   2\. The igniters would not consistently light and I wasted gas and was annoyed to have to reach for a flame to manually light it. After some time and further inspection, we noticed that the igniters were adjusted differently. We took a chance and manually adjusted the ‘spark arm’ on the left burner to more closely match the angle of the one on the right (the right one lit much more often) and after some adjustment in this area, it worked like a charm…lights first time every time now! So if you have this issue and feel comfortable, you may want to try making an adjustment. If not, I’m confident the company will exchange it for you because as they did tell us, it should light easily and consistently. 

Final Analysis

*   Anything you can do with a 2-burner stove at home, you can do camping with the Primus Tupike. 
*   Construction is top-notch; stable, beautiful, easy to use and clean.
*   Customer service is excellent. 

**2\. Product Videos**

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ToHT0ueLI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ToHT0ueLI)

[https://youtu.be/uLqmMJ5LGMc](https://youtu.be/uLqmMJ5LGMc)

**3\. Reviews on Other Sites**

[https://www.amazon.com/review/RWXD1G0D4F9JR/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv](https://www.amazon.com/review/RWXD1G0D4F9JR/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv)

[http://www.trailspace.com/gear/primus/tupike-stove/?review=37717](http://www.trailspace.com/gear/primus/tupike-stove/?review=37717)

[https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-155/Tupike-Stove#reviews](https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-155/Tupike-Stove#reviews)

Ranger Review: Primus Tupike Two-burner Stove at Wasatch National Forest Campground: Smith and Morehouse

You can get to this beautiful campground in under an hour from Salt Lake City and it's my favorite place to go when I want to camp and kayak! The campground and surrounding mountains are very scenic-it doesn't get much prettier! Plus if you like to have things to do while you're camping, this is a good area. You can kayak and paddle board at the lake, four wheel, etc. We always bring our dog and she loves it as well. Can't go wrong here if you want to mountain camp!

Beautiful place with lots to do!

I have great memories of camping at Smith &amp; Morehouse as a kid! We practically had the campground to ourselves! 
This is not the case anymore- it’s always booked! 
Beautiful and clean campground in the high Unitas. Book early! 

Great memories 

Very peaceful, not a lot of people here. Perfect outdoor getaway!

Favorite place 

There are some good hiking trails near by. The lake is walking distance and is not crowded. Lots of wildlife to enjoy and to be on the look out for.

Quiet and scenic campground.

We went up pretty early in the season and it was a ton of fun! There was still snow on the ground and we got pretty cold sleeping on the ground, but we would do it again! Fished all night with a couple drinks, caught a couple and even cooked them right up at camp! Not sure what it looks like after all the snow melts, however it was an awesome experience. 

Stress free

We camped in the lower area and enjoyed it. Sites are close together though. Not much room to maneuver a trailer over about 25 feet. 

Pretty place

Lake is really low and river is barely more than a trickle, but the scenery is post card perfect. Fall colors are amazing with patches of orange and yellow. Caught 4 small rainbows in the morning hours. Definitely a great campground but not much room to maneuver a trailer. 

Great Escape 

Great little campground. Road is tight. Our 26ft trailer was a little hard to navigate within the campground. 

Nice place to get away

I really like the campground. Spots really vary in size. Pit toilets. Some spots right on the river. Some noise at night -- music and generators, but overall not bad. The reservoir is no wake and great. Not a lot of "beach" areas to sit around the edge of the water and they fill up quickly. Great kayaking.

Really nice car camping campground

We took a quick weekend trip to Smith and Morehouse. It was our first time camping here and loved the camp sites. The camp hosts were so nice and went out of their way to check on us. This is a beautiful area, surrounded by aspen and pine trees. We had a spot close enough to the river that we could hear it all night long. 

Photos of Smith-Morehouse Campground

Real photos from real campers