The state of Utah is filled with historic puebloan dwellings, ancient petroglyphs, natural bridges and arches, incredible canyons and a huge variety of scenic wonders ... and the southeast region is no exception. Pictured here is a wonderful view of the Cheese Box Butte, one of the distinctive sights found on Utah Route 95. This scenic byway bisects a stark, yet striking desert land. Known as the Bicentennial Highway and also the Trail of the Ancients, this lonely highway passes through some of the most popular scenic sights in the state.
   The byway begins in the east nearby the town of Blanding and the Edge of the Cedars State Park. Route 95 heads northwest, passing by a concentration of huge rock wonders at Natural Bridges National Monument, over the Colorado River at Hite Crossing, and ends at Hanksville and neighboring Capitol Reef National Park.
   The Bicentennial name arose when the construction of the Hite's Crossing Bridge and highway paving were completed on time for America's bicentennial year (1976). The original crossing at the Hite area was flooded after the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam and the creation of Lake Powell. The road realignment, bridge and other improvements modernized a 40 year old roadway. Some may recall a rough and rocky road to Natural Bridges National Monument, but today ... "easy street"!

     Byway Route