SLC · United States
The proper starting point for a Utah loop, with Byway 12, Capitol Reef and the Zion Mount Carmel highway all within reach.
Great roads in range
5
First road from the terminal
Utah Scenic Byway 12, about 6 hr 54 min
Best months
April to June and September to October
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Drive times are estimates from the terminal to the start of each road, padded for mountain routing. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 23 May 2026
Ranked
01 · Utah
Slickrock, the Hogback ridge with drops both sides, and red canyon after red canyon.
About 6 hr 54 min from the airport · 123 mi · Rating 9.6 / 10
Snow on Boulder Mountain from November to April
02 · Utah
Switchbacks out of Zion Canyon into a mile long tunnel with windows cut in the rock.
About 8 hr 31 min from the airport · 24.2 mi · Rating 9.3 / 10
Escort required for large vehicles in the tunnel
03 · Colorado
Narrow shelf tarmac to 3687 metres, tight, exposed and completely absorbing.
About 9 hr 51 min from the airport · 31.7 mi · Rating 9.3 / 10
Closed from early November to late May
04 · Wyoming
Switchbacks over Dead Indian Pass into a canyon nobody else seems to know about.
About 9 hr 57 min from the airport · 47.2 mi · Rating 9.3 / 10
Closed by snow in winter above Dead Indian Pass
05 · Utah and Arizona
The straight every film crew shoots, buttes rising straight out of the desert floor.
About 9 hr 13 min from the airport · 44.7 mi · Rating 8.9 / 10
Summer heat and sudden dust storms
Practical
Good value and plenty of choice. Fill up before you head south because gaps between fuel stops get long.
April to June and September to October. Prices and availability move sharply either side of those months, so lock the car in before the flights if you want anything more interesting than a diesel hatchback.