Uinta County was created on December 1, 1869 by the legislature of the Wyoming Territory, with its temporary seat located at Fort Bridger. Originally, it ran along the entire western border of Wyoming, including Yellowstone National Park. The county was named for Utah's Uinta Mountains, which are visible from many places in the county. The county was given its present boundaries in 1911 when Lincoln County was carved out of the northern part of Uinta County.