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

Forest Service group campground

Ponderosa Group Campground

Forest Service group campground in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Wasatch County, Utah. 9.8 miles from Francis.

Managed by
Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Sites
1 1 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
37 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Ponderosa Group Campground is located just off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway at an elevation of 7,400 feet. The byway is part of the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah, which are known for their abundant recreational opportunities and scenic beauty.

Recreation

Numerous hiking, biking and horseback riding trails crisscross this beautiful region, including Yellow Pine, North Fork and Shingle Creek Trails, which all begin nearby. Off-road vehicle trails are in the vicinity.

The Lower Provo River is below the site and across the highway, offering good trout fishing.

Facilities

Ponderosa contains one group site that can accommodate up to 100 people. It is equipped with large picnic tables and campfire circles. Smaller tables are scattered around the edges of the site.

Vault toilets are provided but campers must bring their own water and garbage bags. Access is via a short but steep, rough dirt road. Campers will find plenty of room for tents and smaller RVs or trailers.

Natural Features

The campground is located on a forested hillside above Highway 150 and is quite secluded. Ponderosa pines tower over the site, offering nice shade. Sagebrush and summer wildflowers dot the landscape.

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.

Fishing, canoeing, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding and biking are popular activities. The High Uintas Wilderness can be accessed from several trails along the byway.

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

What people do here

  • backpacking
  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • hunting
  • mountain biking
  • scenic drive
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Ponderosa Group Campground

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

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.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated March 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.