Utah State Route 12 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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| A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway | ||||
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SR-12 highlighted in red
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| Route information | ||||
| Defined by Utah Code §72-4-107 | ||||
| Maintained by UDOT | ||||
| Length | 122.863 mi (197.729 km) | |||
| Existed | 1914 as a state highway; 1920s as SR-12–present | |||
| Tourist routes |
 Utah's Scenic Byway 12 - A Journey Through Time |
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| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  US-89 near Panguitch |
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| East end |  SR-24 near Torrey |
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| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Garfield, Wayne | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| State highways in Utah Interstate • US • State
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→State Route 12 or Scenic Byway 12 (SR-12) is a special road in Utah. It is also known as "Highway 12 — A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway". This amazing highway is about 123 miles (nearly 200 kilometers) long. It has been named an All-American Road, which means it's one of the most beautiful and interesting roads in the United States! SR-12 travels through Garfield County and Wayne County in Utah.
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Exploring Scenic Byway 12
Imagine a super cool road trip! State Route 12 takes you on an amazing adventure through some of Utah's most beautiful places. The highway starts near Panguitch at a junction with US-89. From there, it heads east, crossing parts of the Dixie National Forest and even going through Bryce Canyon National Park.
As you travel, you'll pass through small towns like Tropic, Cannonville, and Henrieville. The road then enters the huge Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. This area is full of incredible landscapes!
The Hogback and Boulder Mountain
After passing through Escalante and crossing the Escalante River, you'll reach a famous part of the road called the Hogback. This section is a narrow ridge with steep drop-offs on both sides. It's a thrilling part of the journey!
The highway then turns north, continuing through more of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It goes through the town of Boulder and climbs up the Aquarius Plateau. The part of SR-12 that goes up and down Boulder Mountain on the Aquarius Plateau is known as Boulder Mountain Highway. This section is about 30 miles (48 km) long.
Finally, the highway passes through Grover and ends in Torrey. Here, it meets SR-24, which is just a few miles west of Capitol Reef National Park.
Traffic on the Byway
The busiest part of SR-12 is at its western start, near US-89. In 2005, about 2,430 vehicles used this part of the road each day. The quietest part is at the eastern end, near SR-24, where about 435 vehicles traveled daily in 2005.
History of SR-12
The story of State Route 12 began a long time ago. In 1914, the road from Bryce Canyon Junction to Tropic became part of Utah's state highway system. Later, in 1923, a branch to Bryce Canyon National Park was built as a forest road.
Naming the Highway
In the 1920s, the State Road Commission gave the road to Bryce Canyon the number SR-12. By 1927, the state legislature officially named both branches (to Bryce Canyon and Tropic) as SR-12. However, in 1931, the branch to Tropic was given a new name, State Route 54.
Over the years, different parts of roads were added and changed. For example, a road from Widtsoe to Escalante, which was called State Route 23, eventually became part of SR-54.
Connecting the Communities
In 1969, many of these different road sections were combined to form the SR-12 we know today. At that time, SR-12 stretched from Bryce Canyon Junction to the northern edge of Boulder. A small side road to Bryce Canyon became a new highway, SR-63, in 1975.
Finally, in 1985, SR-12 was extended even further north from Boulder to SR-24. This made the highway a complete route, connecting many beautiful and important places in Utah.
