Best route from SLC to Bryce Canyon?

[Dougtone]

I'll be making a trip around some of the Western States in a couple of weeks, and while I have most of my route drawn out, I am debating between three different routes that take me from Salt Lake City to Bryce Canyon National Park.  Per Google Maps, all three routes are rather similar in both time and distance, so I am trying to see if I can get the best recommendation as to which route may be the most worthwhile to take, in terms of ease of the drive, scenery, etc.  I may prefer to spend a longer chunk of my time off the Interstate, but the fellow passenger in the car may want to get from Point A to Point B with the least amount of time spent.  All options are in the 260-270 mile range, and the 4 hour 10 minute to 4 hour 25 minute range, per Google Maps.

Option 1 - I-15 south to U-20 east to US 89 south to U-12 east: Shortest drive, by about 10-15 minutes, but also the longest by about 5 miles.
Option 2 - I-15 south to US 50 east to I-70 west to US 89 south to U-12 east: The middle choice of the bunch, longest in time (by a minute over Option 3).  Seems like a hybrid option.
Option 3 - I-15 south, bypass Nephi to U-28 south to I-70 west to US 89 south to U-12 east: Shortest in distance

Let me know what you think.  Thanks!

[corco]

I'd do 15 to 20 to 89 if those three are your options- that's a good road, pretty fast. I did it twice last December. The 89 corridor really isn't all that scenic north of 20 and definitely isn't going to be worth the shorter mileage.

If you have any way to convince your passenger to do I-15 South ,US-50 East, UT-24 East, UT-12 West, that's really, really worth it.

[oscar]

Another option:  I-15 to I-15BL in Cedar City, to U-14 east, to US 89 north, to U-12 east.  Would add up to an hour to your trip, but the view of the Cedar Breaks from the west is stunning.  Crossing the mountains on U-20 is fast and safe, and at lower elevations, but not as interesting.  I agree with Corco that U-20 would be the best of the three options you listed. 

But if you consider the route through Cedar City, absolutely check ahead on road conditions.  William Least-Heat Moon's book "Blue Highways" describes how he got stuck in the snow in May up in the Cedar Breaks area.

No matter which way you go, I'm pretty sure you'll see some 80mph speed limit signs on I-15, which right now are in some segments between Nephi and Cedar City.

I think Corco's "option 4" would take you on Hogback Ridge, which is pretty neat going southbound, but I've heard it's even better northbound (on the way back from Bryce Canyon).

[corco]

Yeah, it's 80 now all the way up to Nephi if not Springville with brief drops to 75 as it skirts cities, so you'll be going 80 most of the way.

I wanted to take 14 when I was up that way last June but it was closed for a landslide and had been for a few months- not sure if it's reopened so you might check on that.

Yeah, 12 goes over Hogback Ridge and through Escalante Canyon and Capital Reef, which is just as cool as Bryce. Easily one of the most scenic (if not unique- there's really nothing quite like that scenery anywhere else in America, unless I'm really missing something) routes in the entire country- I can't even imagine your passenger would object to it once that person saw what they were detouring for. 

[Rover_0]

I prefer I-15/UT-28/US-89, personally. While there isn't much on 28 besides Yuba Reservoir, I-70/US-89 through the Sevier Valley (Richfield) is quite scenic. It IMO is the best optimization of scenery and time--it doesn't take much longer than I-15/UT-20/US-89 (about 10-20 minutes), and you also have Big Rock Candy Mountain.

[Rover_0]

Yeah, it's 80 now all the way up to Nephi if not Springville with brief drops to 75 as it skirts cities, so you'll be going 80 most of the way.

I wanted to take 14 when I was up that way last June but it was closed for a landslide and had been for a few months- not sure if it's reopened so you might check on that.

Yeah, 12 goes over Hogback Ridge and through Escalante Canyon and Capital Reef, which is just as cool as Bryce. Easily one of the most scenic (if not unique- there's really nothing quite like that scenery anywhere else in America, unless I'm really missing something) routes in the entire country- I can't even imagine your passenger would object to it once that person saw what they were detouring for. 

UT-14's been opened since about August.

I've never been over UT-12 in its entirety, but I'd love to someday.

[SD Mapman]

I've never been over UT-12 in its entirety, but I'd love to someday.

I have. It's AWESOME (although Hogback Ridge was very scary (but cool) going north).