The autumn foliage is magnificent in the Wasatch Range south of Salt Lake City. Take fall color drives on these scenic routes for spectacular mountain and canyon scenery.

The Rocky Mountains are known for autumn color, and Utah's fall foliage is among the best. Starting in mid-September, the aspen trees of the Wasatch Range turn a bright yellow-gold. Interspersed with fiery red oaks and maples, they blanket the canyons and mountain slopes in brilliant fall color.

Fall foliage season is the most colorful time in Utah. Together with Colorado it contains the world's largest natural area of aspen forest. The slender, white-barked trees are sometimes known as quaking aspen because their thin, translucent leaves shimmer in the autumn breeze. South of Salt Lake City, several scenic drives lead to spectacular autumn foliage.

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Provo Canyon

Location: The drive begins northeast of Provo, 47 miles south of Salt Lake City. From I-15 take exit 272 and follow SR 52 east to US 189 and the start of Provo Canyon.

Provo Canyon is a designated scenic byway that winds 28 miles northeast to Heber City. It runs alongside the Provo River, full of trout and a favorite spot for flyfishing.

Soaring rock walls and jagged rock formations make this one of the most dramatic canyons of the Wasatch Range. Only 4 miles along is Bridal Veil Falls, a stunning two-tiered cascade plunging 607 feet over the rugged cliffs. It is visible from the road, and a hiking trail leads to the base of the falls, where fiery red autumn leaves make a striking contrast.

At the top of the canyon, Deer Creek Reservoir sprawls into the Heber Valley, a fertile agricultural region. Swimming, boating and watersports are popular here, while the Deer Creek State Park and the nearby Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah's largest, offer land-based recreation.

Another great way to enjoy fall color is on the Heber Valley Historic Railroad, a steam train that runs between Heber City and Provo Canyon.

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Alpine Loop Scenic Byway

A detour off US 189 in Provo Canyon onto SR 92 is highly recommended. This 20-mile scenic byway, known as the Alpine Loop, is one of the most awesome drives in central Utah. The narrow, winding road is paved, but full of adventure as it circles the Mount Timpanogos wilderness.

The road runs past Sundance, Robert Redford's resort and home of the Sundance Film Institute. It then enters the Uinta National Forest, swathed in Douglas fir and the aspen trees that make this one of the outstanding fall color drives. Rising above is 11,750-foot Mount Timpanogos and other striking peaks.

An unpaved side road leads to Cascade Springs, with a boardwalk trail above natural pools. Along the main Alpine Loop is the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, a series of limestone caverns with remarkable cave formations, reached by a steep trail. SR 92 then turns west through American Fork Canyon and eventually runs back to I-15.

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Mount Nebo Scenic Loop

Location: The drive begins at Payson, about 65 miles south of Salt Lake City, and runs east of I-15 between Payson and Nephi. It takes about an hour and a half.

This fall foliage drive runs for 38 miles along a scenic byway through the Uinta National Forest. It circles around the east side of Mount Nebo, one of the Utah's highest mountains and, at 11,928 feet, the tallest peak in the Wasatch Range.

The road winds through forests of aspen and oak that flaunt their brilliant yellow, orange and red autumn foliage. It reaches over 9,000 feet, with stunning views over the Utah Valley, the Wasatch Mountains and the wilderness area around Mount Nebo. It is simply some of the finest fall color to be seen anywhere. Be sure to visit the observation deck of the Devil's Kitchen, a geologic site with an amphitheatre of red spires.

For more autumn color and fall foliage drives from Salt Lake City, click here.