Francis & Kamas

About Francis & Kamas

Francis and Kamas are the two principal communities in the Kamas Valley, a wide agricultural basin that opens up east of the Parleys Canyon corridor. They share a valley but have distinct characters — Kamas is the commercial center with a hardware store, grocery, and services; Francis is smaller and more residential.

Land in the Kamas Valley is affordable relative to the rest of Summit County, and it comes in larger parcels. One- to ten-acre parcels are common. Agricultural land with irrigation water rights exists here that you won't find closer to Park City.

The appeal for land buyers is twofold: value and outdoor access. The Uinta National Forest begins essentially at the eastern edge of the valley, with access to the Mirror Lake Highway, the High Uintas Wilderness, and some of the best fly fishing in Utah along the Provo River headwaters.

Development in the Kamas Valley is moderate. The communities haven't experienced the explosive growth of Heber Valley, partly because they're further from the I-15 corridor and partly because the valley has maintained more of an agricultural identity. That's changing as buyers priced out of Park City and Heber look further afield.

What buyers need to know

Most Kamas Valley land is unencumbered by HOA. Unincorporated parcels are governed by Summit County land use ordinances. Within Kamas and Francis town limits, municipal ordinances apply.

Water rights are essential to evaluate in the Kamas Valley. Many agricultural parcels carry irrigation water rights through local water companies or Weber River Water Users Association shares. These rights have value and should be verified and transferred properly at closing.

Summit County's hillside overlay doesn't apply to the flat valley floor parcels, but parcels on the valley edges — where views are better — may be subject to slope restrictions if they rise into hillside-defined terrain.

Market position

The Kamas Valley is not a land banking play in the same way Coalville is — there's no imminent rezoning catalyst. It's more of a value play: Summit County land at prices that reflect the valley's distance from the resort core rather than its fundamentals.

As Park City and Heber Valley prices continue rising, the Kamas Valley naturally becomes more attractive as an alternative. Buyers willing to accept a longer drive to services get significantly more land per dollar.

The Mirror Lake Highway corridor — connecting Kamas to the Uintas and eventually to Wyoming — is a draw for outdoor-oriented buyers. If Utah Highway 150 ever receives expanded access or investment, Kamas Valley land values would likely respond.