Best scenic drives in Utah
There's no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, there are 184 designated byway routes with beautiful vistas, as well as historic and cultural sites across the country. That means, no matter where you are in the U.S., a stunning drive isn't too far away.
Some drives have reached celebrity status, one of the most well known being Historic Route 66, which stretches from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica Pier in California. For nearly 100 years, travelers have been hitting the 2,448-mile road that has more than 250 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Other famous drives include the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which hugs 650 miles of the state's coast; the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic 444-mile route from Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi; and the highest fully paved road in North America, Colorado's Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, which sits at a cool 14,264 feet at its peak.
Of course, there are plenty more drives that may not be as famous but are just as alluring. The Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia gives riders a picturesque view through the Monongahela National Forest. Make a pit stop in the Cranberry Glades for an unusual site: bogs full of carnivorous plants. Further north, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampshire is a particularly beautiful drive as the leaves turn in the fall and won't take you too long to drive—it's on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.
For those looking to take to the open road, Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Utah using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024. Note that Tripadvisor ranks attractions using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a drive with a 5/5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4/5.
Once you locate the closest scenic drive near you, gather your favorite passengers, turn on an epic playlist, and take in the beauty that Utah has to offer.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and are not of the specific drives listed.
#30. Grand Wash Road
- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Notom Road Scenic Backway
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. House Rock Valley Road
- Rating: 4/5 (80 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Hole In The Rock Road
- Rating: 4/5 (196 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. White Rim Road
- Rating: 5/5 (42 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway
- Rating: 4.5/5 (74 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Hell's Backbone Road
- Rating: 4.5/5 (80 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Logan Canyon Scenic Drive
- Rating: 5/5 (77 reviews)
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#21. Sheep Creek Geological Loop
- Rating: 5/5 (131 reviews)
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#20. Kolob Canyon Road
- Rating: 4.5/5 (159 reviews)
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#19. Road to Needles District
- Rating: 4.5/5 (393 reviews)
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#18. Monument Valley – Highway 163 Scenic Drive
- Rating: 4.5/5 (120 reviews)
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#17. Kolob Terrace Road
- Rating: 4.5/5 (135 reviews)
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#16. Mirror Lake Scenic Byway
- Rating: 5/5 (196 reviews)
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#15. Utah State Route 95
- Rating: 4.5/5 (185 reviews)
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#14. Arches National Park Scenic Drive
- Rating: 5/5 (246 reviews)
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#13. Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel
- Rating: 4.5/5 (644 reviews)
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#12. Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
- Rating: 5/5 (257 reviews)
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#11. Colorado Riverway Recreation Area
- Rating: 5/5 (310 reviews)
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#10. La Sal Mountain Loop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (565 reviews)
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#9. Scenic Byway Route 12
- Rating: 5/5 (401 reviews)
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#8. Potash Road
- Rating: 4.5/5 (789 reviews)
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#7. Scenic Byway of Highway 128
- Rating: 5/5 (218 reviews)
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#6. Guardsman Pass Scenic Backway
- Rating: 4.5/5 (499 reviews)
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#5. Moki Dugway
- Rating: 5/5 (383 reviews)
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#4. Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
- Rating: 5/5 (887 reviews)
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#3. Highway 12 Scenic Byway
- Rating: 5/5 (778 reviews)
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#2. Zion Shuttle
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,215 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
- Rating: 5/5 (2,674 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 46 states.