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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Orange Olsen

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Manti-La Sal National Forest, Emery County, Utah. About 7,000 feet. 13.6 miles from Orangeville.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest
Elevation
About 7,000 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
2 2 cabin non-electric
Longest rig
20 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Water
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Emery County

Overview

Orange Olsen is located at 7,000 feet with a panoramic view of Joes Valley. The dwelling and cabin offer amenities including solar powered lighting, LP range and heated shower. The dwelling can accommodate six visitors while the cabin sleeps four. These cabins do not have electricity.

Recreation

Joes Valley Reservoir offers boating and fishing opportunities just minutes away. A boat ramp is available on the east and west shorelines. Joes Valley Campground is located immediately south of Orange Olsen, with Joes Valley Group Pavilion only a mile away.

Facilities

The Orange Olsen Dwelling and Cabin come equipped with flush restrooms, showers, and solar powered lights. The kitchens are equipped with sinks, stove and simple cookware (pots/pans, silverware, utensils). These facilities are not equipped with refrigerators so visitors will need to plan on cooling their perishables in other ways.

The Orange Olsen Dwelling has two bedrooms. One bedroom has two single twin sized beds with mattresses and the second bedroom has two sets of bunk beds with mattresses. You are allowed to have a boat trailer or utility trailer on site, however, it may be a tight fit if other vehicles are present. No RV/Motorhomes/Travel Trailers are permitted at this site.

The Orange Olsen Cabin has one bedroom including two sets of bunk beds with mattresses. You are allowed to have a boat trailer or utility trailer on sites. No RV/Motorhomes/Travel Trailers are permitted at this site.

Natural Features

The dwelling and cabin are set in an open sagebrush meadow interspersed with pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine trees. There is no shade available.

Nearby Attractions

Renowned bouldering opportunities abound in nearby Straight and Cottonwood Canyons. Popular mountain fisheries at Grassy Lake, Pete's Hole, and Potters Ponds are all within 10 miles of Orange Olsen. The 370-mile Arapeen Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System can be accessed directly from the dwelling and cabin.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing

The land around Orange Olsen

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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