For most of the way across Utah, the high-speed I-70 freeway has replaced US-50, but if you have time to take a couple of detours you’ll be rewarded with some of the most incredible scenery in the world. Most of this is concentrated in the southeastern corner of the state, where a number of national parks, including Canyonlands and Arches, preserve the sandstone “Canyon Country” of the Colorado Plateau. In the west a few old mining towns stand amidst the arid desert of the Great Basin. Distances are huge and services few and far between, but if you have the time and plan ahead, this is one of the most satisfying and memorable corners of the country.
