Trial Lake Campground, near Kamas, Utah, is a scenic spot that offers a mix of beautiful views and outdoor activities. Set at a high elevation, it’s a great place for those who enjoy cooler nights and a chance to experience quick weather changes.

The campground features sites that are pet-friendly and equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. Visitors have noted the cleanliness of the facilities and the friendly camp hosts, who help maintain a welcoming atmosphere. One camper shared, “We feel like now when we come to Trial Lake we are coming home not camping!”

For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby lake provides opportunities for fishing and kayaking, while the surrounding area boasts numerous hiking trails. Some campers have enjoyed the stunning scenery, with bald eagles soaring overhead and a night sky filled with stars. Just keep in mind that it can get crowded, so if you’re looking for solitude, you might want to plan your visit accordingly. 

Whether you’re here for a weekend escape or a longer adventure, Trial Lake Campground has plenty to offer for a memorable camping experience.

## Overview

 Trial Lake Campground is located just off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway on the shores of Trial Lake at an elevation of 9,500 feet. The byway cuts through the Uinta Mountains, which are known for their abundant recreational opportunities and scenic beauty.
## Recreation

 Trial Lake offers canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout. Popular trailheads for Crystal Lake and Bald Mountain are located a mile away at Washington Lake Campground. Numerous additional hiking, biking, horseback and off-road vehicle riding trails crisscross this beautiful region.
## Natural Features

 A dense forest of Engelmann spruce and white fir covers the shores of the lake, providing ample shade in the campground. Summer wildflowers dot the landscape. Summer temperatures range from 65-75 degrees during the day to 40-50 degrees at night. 
## Contact Info

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

 Mirror Lake Scenic Byway parallels the Lower Provo River as it snakes across a portion of the Uinta Mountains, leading to numerous high alpine lakes and streams, countless trails, breathtaking scenic viewpoints and various campgrounds. The High Uintas Wilderness can be accessed from several trails along the 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.

Trial Lake Campground

Join the fun near Kamas. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Kamas. Find the best campgrounds near Kamas, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Kamas

The Best Camping Near Kamas, Utah

What a beautiful area to camp! Bald eagles flying around, plenty of fish to catch and a night sky that shows every star in the sky. Now for the bad: There's like 60 spots. Some campsites are right on top of each other. We had a big spot on a hill over looking the lake through the tall pines, and the site next to us was big but their table and fire pit was just down the hill so there was no privacy at all from their big, wooded site. A big group with several cars and about 5 dogs showed up at this spot and so we listened to them party until way past 2am and their dogs fighting with each other. After they left, one of the paths from our spot to the lake, had dog crap on it. Awesome they didn't bother to clean up after their dogs! Then 2 spots down, campers showed up, and they had 2 dogs that ran amok with no leash. It was hard to walk our dog because their dogs would come up to him as we walked. Also one of their dogs would end up in our camp. WTH! Lastly, we asked the camp host for fire wood and she told us at her site at #11 as she drove by on her golf cart. Ok?? Every camp host we've encountered brought the wood. Not her and again 60 camp sites so it was about a jaunt to her area. It sounded like a big inconvenience for her and so I hiked over to it and there she was to take my money. We have a roof top tent so driving to their site was out of the question. It was a hell of a walk back dead lifting 2 huge bundles of wood tied to twine. At least I got a good work out in.

Anyways, awesome area, too many people and campsites to really make it a 5 star rating!

Beautiful Area

Very similar to the dispersed camping around [Trial Lake](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/trial-lake-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&amp;parkId=70141) this campground resides on the East side and features picnic tables and fire rings at the developed sites. The host at the campground offers wood but definitely bring your own water as due to the dry water year they have shut off all of the spigots at most of the campgrounds along Mirror Lake Hwy. Trial Lake has been especially hit hard this year with the lake resembling more of a puddle and is visibly about 50' lower than where the shoreline previously was at springtime. So if you're looking for some pristine lakeside mountain camping your best bet is to head to Mooshorn, Lilly Lake, Butterfly Lake, Mirror Lake, or do some backpacking if those are all filled up. Fees are $23 a night in addition to the [Mirror Lake Hwy Rec. Pas](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/uwcnf/recarea/?recid=9908)s which is $6 for 3 days and $12 for the week

Not worth it in dry years.  Maybe during spring but no way in summer fall

Beautiful spot next to trial lake which has amazing fishing, and some historic markers on the dam. Only down side is it's kind of pricey and usually pretty crowded with people

Beautiful and pricey

Loved this place will definitely go back. Spacious and not too crowded. Lots of hiking spots!

So pretty

Loved the views, camp host was helpful and nice. If you are looking for solitude at your campsite this is not the place. It was very crowded and we were lucky we got a campsite. If you don’t mind a crowded campground then this is a really good option. My wife and I still loved every minute. 

Beautiful but crowded

I cannot begin to tell you the difference it has made to have Shannon&amp; Mindy as the camp hosts at Trial Lake. They are amazing. We have been going to Trial Lake every year for the last 16 years. Three years ago when they started hosting the site, there was a noticeable difference. They are so much more friendly than others in previous years. The bathrooms are always extra clean and the campsites are so tidy. We feel like now when we come to Trial Lake we are coming home not camping! It's really nice to feel like their main goal is to keep us safe during this Covid-19 timeframe. Way to go!

Trial Lake

I decided last minute to book a campsite at the Trial Lake campground.  It had been years since I had visited the Uintas.  I was lucky to get a great spot fairly close to the lake (not a view).  The hosts were kind and kept their distance with covid.  The campsite was clean and beautiful.  We had visits from animals, was generally quiet (minus a couple that fought at 2am).  The weather was incredible, just what I hope for in a late summer trip.  Warm during the day (short sleeves, etc.)  cool at night.  I will recommend this campground, and will definitely be going back.  The other great thing, it isn't fair from other sites and so close to many trails!

Absolutely Gorgeous

Trial Lake is one of my favorite campgrounds. Elevation is 9500 feet, so be prepared for cold nights and quick change in weather. Once when we camped, it rained, hailed, was crazy windy, and sunny, all in the same weekend. 

  

This year because of the snow and flooding, we were there mid-July and the campground had just opened. We've stayed in site#7(right on the water) and#1(a double site.) Site#1 is at the bottom of a big hill which really limited where we could put our tents. There are 2 10x10 tent pads, but one of our tents is 14x14, so we had to put it in the grass and sleep on an incline. The location of the site is literally right across the road from the lake. We would just walk across with our chairs and kayaks and enjoyed the day, but it also meant that other people were parking at our site or literally walking thru the middle of the site to get to the water(nothing to do with the campground, just people's bad manners.) The water was beautiful. The site itself had a ton of bugs and small worm like bugs were falling out of the trees over the picnic tables. I like the lake, but I wouldn't stay at site#1 again.

Photos of Trial Lake Campground

Real photos from real campers