While I love international travel, I’m just as happy to hop in the car and enjoy a road trip. Utah has so many scenic destinations, and the highways to and from them are just as scenic. In fact, Utah has 28 scenic byways! There are 9 National Scenic Byways in Utah, and an additional 19 State Scenic Byways. Whether you have a day trip, a long weekend, or an extended vacation, each of these Utah scenic drives is well worth the trip!

If you can imagine, many of these scenic drives are also fantastic places to see fall colors in Utah! I’ve been to the majority of these, but still have a few on my list to check out.

National Scenic Byways in Utah

• All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12
• Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway National Scenic Byway
• Energy Loop: Huntington and Eccles Canyons National Scenic Byway
• Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway
• Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway
• Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway
• Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway
• Utah’s Patchwork Parkway National Scenic Byway
• Zion National Scenic Byway

All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12

Scenic Byway 12 has the added distinction of being the only All-American road in Utah. These highways have features that do not exist anywhere else in the country, and they are seen as tourist attractions all on their own. Highway 12 begins just west of Bryce Canyon National Park and continues for 119 miles to just west of Capitol Reef National Park. Along the route, you’ll see every type of topography, from red and white desert formations to huge aspen groves on Boulder Mountain. I recently drove this road again for the third time and was still blown away by the changing scenery.

Highway 12 is the best way to drive between Bryce Canyon National Park and Capitol Reef National Park, but it’s also a destination all its own. I recently got to stay in the tiny town of Escalante and was overwhelmed by all of the amazing hikes. It’s definitely a place I will return to many times.

Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway National Scenic Byway

While I haven’t driven the entire Dinosaur Diamond, I have been on several beautiful sections. This 512-mile loop stretches across northeast Utah and western Colorado and includes some of the most fossil-rich areas of the country. Of course, the trip starts at Dinosaur National Monument and the nearby town of Vernal, also known as Dinosaurland. They really lean into the dinosaur theme here! There are tons of fun things to do in Vernal , especially if you love dinosaurs.

From here, the road travels southwest to Price, home of the Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum. The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, now the Jurassic National Monument, is also nearby. It’s pretty remote, but well worth the drive if you want to visit an active dinosaur dig. From here, you head towards Moab, home of Moab Giants Dinosaur Park and Museum, before heading back towards Vernal. This scenic drive is best done as a multiple-day road trip, given all of the cool places to stop!

Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway

The Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway stretches north from Vernal to Manila at the Wyoming border. Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is popular for boaters, and one of the best places to fish in Utah. There are many interpretive signs along the way, showing which layers of history you are driving through. This byway is 120 miles round-trip from Vernal, so it can be done as a full day trip from Vernal.

Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway

In Northern Utah, Logan Canyon is a beautiful scenic drive between the college town of Logan, past Bear Lake, and ending up in Idaho. If you are traveling from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole or Yellowstone, this is a beautiful back way to go! You’ll pass by Beaver Mountain Ski Area and Beaver Creek Lodge, a great spot for snowmobiling in the winter!

Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway

This 38-mile scenic road circles Mt. Nebo, the high point of the Wasatch Mountains. I’ve only driven this road from south to north, so I would start in Nephi, which is about 90 minutes south of Salt Lake City. The route then drops you off at the north end in Payson. There are no services or towns along this route, just a nice escape from the faster route along I-15. When I have time and the weather is good, I always opt for this route rather than staying on the Interstate. It adds about an hour to your trip, but the views are worth it!

Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway

This scenic drive in Utah covers my favorite corner of the state! The scenic byway is over 400 miles, so you may want to break it up into multiple days or separate trips. There’s a LOT to see in this region, especially if you are fascinated by native history like I am. The route starts on 191 south of Moab, continues past Canyonlands National Park, Bears Ears National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This is one of the best areas to find native ruins in Utah!

Along this route, I highly recommend taking a side trip along the Moki Dugway. This is a dirt road, but it’s passable in most cars as long as it’s dry. It’s not as scary as it looks, and the views are incredible! The nearby towns of Blanding and Bluff are hotels, cabins and campgrounds. Blanding is a bit larger than Bluff, but I find Bluff more charming. However, when I visited in early April, several of the restaurants were not yet open for the season.

Utah’s Patchwork Parkway National Scenic Byway

I’ve driven this road many times, and I knew it was a scenic byway, but I never knew it was called the Patchwork Parkway! The Patchwork Parkway connects I-15 from Parowan to Panguitch, traveling 50 miles through the Dixie National Forest. If you are starting at I-15, you’ll climb up to Cedar Breaks, which is probably the most beautiful national monument in Utah. It’s a great alternative to Bryce Canyon, with fewer people!

If you start this trip from Parowan, you’ll also drive through Brian Head, a ski resort and summer adventure destination. I loved skiing Brian Head; I don’t know of any other ski resorts that have a view of beautiful red mountains like this!

Zion National Scenic Byway

Of course, Zion National Park has some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire country. Everyone should visit Zion at least once in their lifetime! I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve visited Zion since moving to the Southwest, but I’ll never forget my first trip in 2008. We arrived very late at night and had no idea of the amazing views that were flying by us.

State Scenic Byways

Just because these roads are not National Scenic Byways does not make them any less spectacular. I would highly recommend any of these drives if you’re in the area; you won’t be disappointed! Some of these, including the Alpine Loop and Mirror Lake Scenic Byway are closed in the winter, typically from late October through the end of May. Always check with UDOT to make sure the road is open.

• Alpine Loop Scenic Byway from Sundance to American Fork; take the side trip to Cascade Springs!
• Bear Lake Scenic Byway is a perfect summer road trip to a beautiful turquoise lake
• Big Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway
• Great Salt Lake Legacy Parkway Scenic Byway
• Little Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway visits Snowbird and Alta ski resorts
• Mirror Lake Scenic Byway is my favorite Park City Day Trip!
• Morgan-Parleys Scenic Byway
• Ogden River Scenic Byway
• Provo Canyon Scenic Byway
• Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway
• Capitol Reef Country Scenic Byway
• Cedar Breaks Scenic Byway
• Fish Lake Scenic Byway is home to Pando, the largest aspen forest in the world!
• Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway
• Markagunt High Plateau Scenic Byway
• Mount Carmel Scenic Byway
• Bicentennial Highway
• Dead Horse Mesa Scenic Byway
• Indian Creek Scenic Byway
• Potash-Lower Colorado River Scenic Byway has some great petroglyphs, hikes and views near Moab!

Guardsman Pass

One of my favorite scenic drives from Park City is the road over Guardsman Pass. Leaving Park City’s Main Street, the road climbs through Deer Valley, past the Montage, and drops down into Big Cottonwood Canyon. There’s a junction where you can go left into Midway or go right to Brighton, which happens to be my favorite place to hike in the summer. Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to both Brighton and Solitude ski resorts, and both have lots of fun summer activities like outdoor movies, scenic chairlifts, and live music! This is a great scenic drive from Park City!