5 Best Sights in Southwestern Utah, Utah

Fans of epic scenic drives—along with mountain and even road bikers—should consider tackling at least a portion of this storied, 66-mile route that was established as a rugged and remote cattle trail in the 1870s. This remote backcountry byway crosses east through the northern end of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and then across the southern portion of Capitol Reef National Park. The 31-mile stretch from Boulder to the park's western border is paved, making it easily passable and thus more popular if you're driving a passenger car. Beyond the paved stretch, it's another 35 miles of unpaved and often very bumpy road that passes briefly through Capitol Reef, crossing the amazing scenery of Waterpocket Fold via a dramatic series of switchbacks, and then eventually to paved Highway 276 and the village of Bullfrog, at the northern end of Glen Canyon.

If you don't have a lot of time, drive the first 12 miles or so, following the route as it descends into Long Canyon, with its sheer red-rock walls. Hop out at the turnoff for Singing Canyon, where an easy 0.3-mile trail leads into a slot canyon with impressive 80-foot-high walls. See the Capitol Reef National Park chapter for more on exploring the section of Burr Trail that passes through the park and connects with Notom Road, which you can follow north about 35 miles to reach Highway 24 just east of the park boundary—turn left here, and you can loop all the way back to Boulder via Torrey. Note that the unpaved sections of Burr Trail and Notom Road can get washed out and become impassable after heavy rains, especially in summer—monitor weather forecasts carefully, and at the first sign of stormy weather (even in the distance), it's best to turn back. 

Keep your camera handy and steering wheel steady along this entrancing 123-mile route that begins at U.S. 89 south of Panguitch and meanders in a generally northeasterly direction through Red Canyon, the south end of Bryce Canyon National Park, and the towns of Escalante and Boulder, before climbing Boulder Mountain and winding through Dixie National Forest to Torrey, just west of Capitol Reef National Park. The roughly 25-mile stretch from Escalante to Boulder is the most spectacular. Allow time to pull off and stop at the many scenic overlooks; almost every one will give you an eye-popping view, and interpretive signs let you know what you're looking at. Pay attention while driving, though. The road is sometimes twisting and steep—the section over Hogback Ridge, with its sheer drop-offs on both sides, will really get your heart pumping.

This 11,312-foot stone lookout hut was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935 atop the highest summit in Iron County. You can see for miles in every direction, as far as Nevada and Arizona, enjoying especially dramatic views of nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument. The windy and dramatic nearly 3-mile drive along bumpy and unpaved Forest Road 047 from Highway 143 (take it slowly) is part of the fun; when there's snow, the last section of road is closed to vehicles, but you can still hike or snowshoe up to the top. You can also hike to the summit from the junction of Rocky Road and Highway 143—the rugged and picturesque trek is about 3½ miles each way.

For a scenic, topsy-turvy backcountry drive or a challenging mountain-bike ride, follow 35-mile Hell's Backbone Road (aka Forest Road 153) from Escalante, where it begins as Posey Lake Road, to Boulder. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, it's a gravel-surface alternate route to scenic Highway 12. You can make the drive with an ordinary passenger car in summer (it's impassable in winter), assuming dry conditions, but a four-wheel-drive vehicle is more comfortable. Allow about two hours to drive it. At roughly the midway point, the dramatic 109-foot-long Hell's Backbone Bridge, which crosses over a breathtaking 1,500-foot chasm, makes for a memorable photo op.

On the way to southeastern Utah in 1879, Mormon pioneers chipped and blasted a narrow passageway in solid rock, through which they lowered their wagons. The Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, now an extremely rugged 60-mile unpaved washboard road that's officially known as BLM 200, leads south from Highway 12, 5 miles southeast of Escalante, to the actual hole-in-the-rock site in Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The original passageway ends where the canyon has been flooded by the waters of Lake Powell—you can hike the half-mile from the end of the road to a dramatic viewpoint overlooking the lake.

Just keep in mind that it can take up to three hours to drive to the end of the road, and high-clearance vehicles are best (and a requirement when muddy—check with the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center before setting out). However, there are some amazing hiking spots located along the route, including Zebra Slot Canyon (at mile 8.5) and Devil's Garden (at mile 12), which are less daunting to reach. Other worthwhile hikes and stops along the route include Peek-A-Boo Gulch (off Dry Fork Road, at mile 26) and Dance Hall Rock (at mile 36).