The Beauty of Northern Utah - Part II

Mr. UR and I were finding the beauty of Northern Utah to be unreal as we drove several scenic drives on our five day trip there. (You can read last weeks post here) We explored Antelope Island State Park ( read about that here) drove Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Canyons, saw a waterfall in American Fork Canyon and experienced a fantastic ski lift ride in Sundance Mountain Resort. Now we'll move on to our last day in Utah and drive Mirror Lake Scenic Byway.

Forty two mile Mirror Lake Highway is one of the most popular driving routes in the state. Cresting Bald Mountain Pass - at 10,715 feet - it is the highest paved road in Utah ascending high into the Uinta mountains. It's free to drive the byway but if you stop to use any of the recreation areas (it's within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest) you must pay the park fee, which is usually $6 per day.

We started our day in Park City and headed towards the Heber Valley passing by Deer Creek Reservoir. We had thought about spending the day on the lake by renting a boat but unfortunately, it didn't work out.

So we hopped in the car and started our climb, enjoying the views but thinking that they weren't nearly as picturesque as the views from previous days. (We were, however, one of the only cars on the road) Mr. UR decided to take a shortcut - which worried me as there was no cell phone service - and we ended up on a gravel road traversing Soapstone Campground, part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. In the absolute middle of nowhere, this campground had many campers set up, though none were close together, sheep grazing, dirt roads with sunlight shining through the trees and great views. You just never know what you'll find when Mr. UR is in charge of the adventure!

Our next stop was Provo River Falls of the Upper Provo River. There are 3 different sections to the Falls - an overlook (which is close to the parking lot), the lower falls (which you must walk down a path about 100 yards to) and an even lower section which requires a bit of rock skipping and getting in the water. It's a nice waterfall and a great place to stop - you can even get your feet wet.

My foot is underwater here - that's how clear it was

After the waterfall, we stopped at a pull off for some great views and info about Mirror Lake Scenic Highway. For instance, the Byway passes through the nation's longest east west mountain range - the Uintas - and through watersheds which form the headwaters of four major rivers - Provo, Bear, Weber and Duschesne. 

The highlight of the drive was definitely its namesake - Mirror Lake. Known for it's almost perfect reflection - hence, its name - Mirror Lake  reflects the magnificent Uinta Mountains including Bald Mountain. No motorized watercraft are allowed but you can canoe, fish, stand up paddle board or I guess, if you're brave and so inclined, swim. You can also camp and hike. 

We walked the lake path and then just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and fresh air. In fact, I think it may be some of the freshest air I've ever breathed. 

And with that it was time to drive back to Park City for our last night in Northern Utah. Dinner and a little hot tub time. A perfect end to a trip of incredible scenery.

Linking up with: My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand!