12 route & road-trip ideas
Desert distances, sculpted sandstone and the Colorado River crossing make this one of Utah’s memorable open-road journeys. The Natural Bridges area can add a separately planned stop near the route.
Explore this route →The Dinosaur Diamond runs through the best land in the world to learn about dinosaurs. Numerous sites are available to the public where bones and tracks are still visible in the ground. Many museums along the way add to the opportunities to see and learn about dinosaurs.
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The byway meanders over the eastern flank of the Uinta Mountains and through the Ashley National Forest and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. View wildlife in their native habitats and experience the real West as passed down through western folklore of early explorers, homesteaders, mountainmen, outlaws and cowboys.
Explore this route →Not every scenic journey needs a small backroad. I-15 links Mojave Desert distances, the Virgin River Gorge and the mountain-and-valley country farther north. Plan selected stretches with worthwhile stops rather than one nonstop transit.
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From Logan to Garden City, this byway parallels the Logan River through Logan Canyon, passing through dense forests, lush meadows, rugged rock formations and panoramic views. Each season brings a colorful show, especially in autumn.
Explore this route →Sandstone buttes rise above open desert on the approach to Monument Valley. The public highway views and a visit within the Navajo Tribal Park are different experiences and should be planned separately.
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From Nephi to Payson, this route has breathtaking views of the Wasatch Range and 11,929-foot Mt. Nebo, its tallest mountain. See flat bottomlands, high-alpine conifers, red rock formations, gray sandstone cliffs and salt flats all in the same day. Sights include Devil s Kitchen, Walker Flat and Mt. Nebo Wilderness.
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Scenic Byway 12 takes you to the heart of the American West. This exceptional 124-mile route negotiates an isolated landscape of canyons, plateaus, and valleys ranging from 4,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level. You ll encounter archaeological, cultural, historical, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities while driving this exhilarating byway.
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Scenic Byway 143 - Utah’s Patchwork Parkway serves as the western gateway to a breathtaking route across Utah’s high plateaus, connecting to Heritage Highway 89 and Scenic Byway 12, Utah’s first All American Road. These routes allow travelers to experience a nationally renowned passage through two national parks and two national monuments as they explore the vast landscape between Interstate 15 and Interstate 70.
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The Energy Loop: Huntington/Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway winds across the Manti-La Sal National Forest, rising up to 10,000 feet above sea level. Explore the rich history of industrial development as you view coal mining operations, historic mining towns, and coal-fired power plants. Nearby Sanpete Valley contains some of the best-preserved Mormon Pioneer settlements in existence.
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Explore the long and intriguing occupation of the Four Corners region by Native American peoples. Travel through the archaeological heartland of America while crossing the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. World-renowned Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley Tribal Park, and Four Corners Monument are highlights on the trail.
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Zion Scenic Byway showcases unparalleled scenery, sensitive natural resources, and diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation. This renowned landscape demonstrates a confluence of geology, climate, vegetation, wildlife, and human settlement that awes and exults all who enter. Ancient inhabitants left petroglyphs carved along the corridor, along with the remains of dwellings and storage granaries. Travelers along this byway enjoy activities such as hiking, road and mountain biking, fishing, river running, swimming, camping, picnicking, bird watching, Off-highway vehicle riding, and photography. With towering peaks, canyons, mesas, cinder cones, cliffs, and vivid colors, the Zion Scenic Byway offers some of the most beautiful and interesting vistas on earth.
Explore this route →Multistate routes appear in each relevant state. Some entries describe a byway, others a selected stretch or a broader road trip; routes can overlap.