Scenic Drive: Highway 12

Anyone making the drive from Moab to Bryce Canyon should consider adding an hour or so to the journey by taking Utah's Highway 12, an incredibly scenic road that starts behind Capitol Reef National Park and snakes through the Dixie National Forest (particularly stunning when the Aspen and Birch trees are in full yellow foliage during the fall) and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

There are vistas of expansive canyon landscapes, as well as beautiful valleys and small (very small) towns along the way. At the top of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, stop for a quick break at Kiva Koffeehaus (Hwy 12, Milemarker 73.86; Escalante), a lofty coffee place with homemade cinnamon rolls and the most breathtaking of views.