Utah's Mirror Lake Scenic Byway Named America's Most Beautiful Road
A 42-mile alpine route east of Salt Lake City topped a new ranking based on traveler reviews, beating iconic drives in Colorado and California.
Source: Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure reported that racing organization FLBR Motorsport analyzed Tripadvisor data for 45 U.S. scenic routes, ranking Utah's Mirror Lake Scenic Byway first based on traveler mentions of the word beautiful. Colorado's 117-mile Silver Thread Scenic Byway placed second, followed by the Cherohala Skyway in Tennessee and North Carolina.
The 42-mile byway runs between Evanston, Wyoming and Kamas, Utah through the Uinta Mountains, passing alpine lakes, forests, and high-elevation summits. The Utah Office of Tourism describes it as a seasonal road typically open from mid-May through mid-fall, closed in winter due to heavy snow.
The drive sits less than two hours from the Salt Lake City metro area.
The route is free to drive, though travelers stopping at recreation areas may pay park fees. FLBR Motorsport said the ranking relied on Tripadvisor ratings, review counts, and firsthand traveler descriptions rather than editorial opinion alone.
Coastal highways get all the Instagram love, but this ranking rewards a high-elevation loop that is doable from Salt Lake City in about two hours.
Cooler air, lake views, and fewer crowds than a Pacific Coast Highway weekend make it a different kind of scenic drive.
Salt Lake's growing AAPI community makes this especially relevant.
It is the kind of trip you can squeeze between work weeks without burning much PTO, which matters for households where vacation days are saved for family overseas or holiday travel back East.
The Uinta Mountain setting also offers a break from desert heat in summer.
Pack layers, check that the road is open before you go, and remember that winter closures are real.
Mid-May through mid-fall is the window.
For families comparing this against a longer haul to Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, Mirror Lake is the understated option.
You will not get coastal seafood stops, but you will get alpine scenery ranked above 44 other American routes, and that is a strong argument for looking inland.