Kamas has been the "Gateway to the Uintas" since pioneering mountain men founded it as a base camp for expeditions into the nearby wilderness. Though the area has since become a major tourism destination, Kamas has remained small and friendly -- and has kept the "gateway" open for visitors in the mood for an outdoorsy good time. Though only about 18 miles east of Park City and about 45 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, Kamas maintains a sense of peaceful isolation while remaining conveniently close to big-city amenities.
The three world-class ski resorts of Park City are about 20 minutes away from Kamas. The closest, Park City Mountain Resort, offers 3,300 acres of terrain that's consistently ranked in SKI Magazine's top-5 resort destinations. Deer Valley, which hosted the Olympic Freestyle event in 2002, reliably takes the number-one ranking in SKI Magazine's reader poll for best guest service, best on-mountain food and best mountain grooming. Canyons is slightly pricier but extraordinarily well-appointed, taking skiers and boarders to the top of its slopes in fully-enclosed lifts with heated seats.
About a 20-minute drive west from Kamas sits the all-season recreational destination of Jordanelle State Park. The park, on the shores of the Jordanelle Reservoir, offers summertime hike-in, drive-in and boat-in camping, picnicking, power boating, sailing, fishing, kayaking and hiking. In winter, visitors come to Jordanelle for ice fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Nature-viewing, equestrian trails and ATVing attract visitors across seasons.
Famous for its Sundance Film Festival, Park City offers visitors much more than posh boutiques and excellent ski slopes. Park City is less than half an hour away from Kamas, making it easy to pop over for an afternoon and evening on the Main Street of this picturesque town. Start by browsing the street's many swank boutiques, then catch a show at the historic Egyptian Theater or the much-ballyhooed Eccles Center for the Performing Arts before grabbing a bite at one of Park City's award-winning restaurants.
Unless there's significant snow on the ground, the open space around Kamas offers lots of space to play in an all-terrain vehicle. Head to Weller Recreation, the only rental outfit in town for power sports, and ask the staff to point you in the direction of the best rides. If you're looking for something a little more epic, arrange for Weller to drop your vehicles up at Wolf Creek Pass. There, in the mountains just over 40 miles southeast of Kamas, multiple well-marked trailheads lead out into the surrounding wilderness.
The Mirror Lake Scenic Byway starts in Kamas and leads east into the Uinta range, taking in 55 miles of breathtaking scenery along its 55-mile route to Evanston, Wyoming. Spring is the best season to ride the route, when the many waterfalls are in full flow, young animal families wander the nearby forest and the local wildflowers are in full bloom. Bring your fishing gear, as much of the road winds along the banks of the Provo.
