Nebo Loop Scenic Byway
Thirty-eight winding miles over the back of Mount Nebo, the highest peak in the Wasatch — a CCC-built byway from Payson to Nephi, past alpine lakes, a 9,300-foot overlook, and a pocket of red-rock hoodoos. Closed in winter, unforgettable in fall.
The Nebo Loop is the high, quiet counterpart to the Wasatch's busier canyons — thirty-eight paved miles that climb over the back of Mount Nebo, the 11,928-foot peak that caps the southern end of the range. It runs between Payson, at the south edge of Utah Valley, and the ranching town of Nephi in Central Utah, and it was cut across the mountain by the Civilian Conservation Corps beginning in 1933. It climbs past 9,000 feet, closes all winter under snow, and in late September turns as gold and red as any road in the state.
From the Payson side the road climbs through scrub oak and maple into the firs, and the first real stop is Payson Lakes, three cold alpine lakes about twelve miles up the canyon — the green, swimmable heart of the drive, ringed with picnic spots and easy paths. Above the lakes the byway keeps climbing to the Nebo Loop Summit, a string of overlooks above 9,300 feet where the trees fall away and the Utah Valley Overlook drops clear down to Utah Lake.
The highest stretch runs along the back of Mount Nebo itself, its triple summit and east face filling the western sky — wilderness you can take in from the car or, with a full day and strong legs, climb. Farther south comes the drive's odd delight: Devil's Kitchen, a small amphitheater of red-rock hoodoos that looks like a stray piece of Bryce Canyon, reached by a short paved walk to an observation deck.
From there the road bends down through aspen and meadow to Nephi, the quiet town at Nebo's foot, and back to I-15. A few practical notes: the byway is fully paved but narrow and winding, and it is closed by snow from roughly late October until Memorial Day — check conditions before you commit. Payson Lakes charges a day-use fee; the overlooks and Devil's Kitchen are free. Give yourself two to three hours; this is a drive made for stopping.
The Drive, Stop by Stop
5 stops along the route, in driving order from Payson to Nephi.
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That's the drive. Take your time, pull over often, and let Nebo Loop Scenic Byway do what it does best.
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