Utah
Scenic Byway 12
Utah's Scenic Byways
The Utah Scenic Byway Program has been active since the mid-1980s. The combined 2,200 miles of scenic byways connect five national parks, 43 state parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas and more than nine million acres of national forest land with Utah’s vibrant cities and welcoming towns. The state’s scenic byways program is administered by the Utah State Scenic Byway Committee which includes representatives from the state’s Office of Economic Development, Utah Department of Transportation, the Division of State Parks and Recreation, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and a governor-appointed representative from the tourism industry.
Key Points
- Utah is home to nine national scenic byways and 29 state and federal scenic byways.
- A 2014 study found that Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 was responsible for generating $13 million in economic activity for the communities along its route.
- Over 10 million people visited Utah’s state parks and national recreation areas in 2017, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.
- Estimated traveler spending in Utah increased 7.2% from 2016-2017.
Utah Byways
Map Key:
- All-American Roads
- National Scenic Byways
- Federal Agency Byways
- State Scenic Byways
All-American Roads
National Scenic Byways
Federal Agency Scenic Byways
State Scenic Byways
Byways Provide Access to Public Lands
Utah byways provide access to the state’s most spectacular public lands, including five national parks, 43 state parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas, six national forests, and 35 wilderness areas.
About the National Scenic Byways Program
The National Scenic Byways Program, established by Congress in 1991, recognizes historic, scenic, and culturally important roads, all of which promote economic development and tourism in communities around the U.S. There are more than 1,200 byways in all 50 states.
All scenic byways exhibit one or more of six core intrinsic qualities — scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological, or natural. For a road to be named a national scenic byway, it must first be designated a state, tribal, or federal agency scenic byway. Once achieving that, a road may apply for national scenic byway designation, but its intrinsic quality must be of regional significance. All-American Roads are the very best of the national scenic byways, demonstrating at least two intrinsic qualities of national significance.