Driving across the Southwest is mighty pretty

March 4, 2011 12:00 AM

While some people might claim that the best drives in America are found on the coast, BudgetTravel.com believes the best roads are in the Southwest, more specifically Utah.

The mostly ignored Highway 12 runs 124 miles between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks.

"This is remote country - nothing but waves of Navajo and Wingate sandstone, slot canyons, and funky little towns," raves the budget travel guide website.

Starting at Capitol Reed National Park, drivers will explore a scenic area that looks like a backdrop from one of John Wayne's western films. As they drive through Torrey, a small town outside the park, they'll notice a thriving art community with several beautiful cafes.

Torrey is technically the Mile 0 for Highway 12, so once travelers depart the town, they'll officially begin their beautiful Southwestern American journey. The first landscape encountered are the Henry Mountains, followed by the tiny village of Boulder, Utah.

After that, drivers will pass "through seemingly endless fields of sage and... a stomach-twisting ridgeline," reports the news source. "It didn't even feel like driving-more like flying an aircraft at low altitude," they stated of the experience.

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