Nolan Creek Road to Mount Nebo Summit — Wasatch Plateau High Road via Juab County

Mount Nebo at 11,928 feet is the tallest peak in the entire Wasatch Range, yet it sits far enough south of Salt Lake City that the crowds thin out fast once you leave Payson and climb into Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The Nolan Creek Road and Nebo Loop approach winds through oak brush and aspen before breaking into high alpine terrain with views east across the San Pitch Valley to the Book Cliffs. The USFS dirt road gains elevation quickly past the Ponderosa Group Camp and along the ridge toward the Nebo Bench trailhead, where the pavement ends and the real fun begins — a rocky, rutted jeep track that traces the western flank of the summit massif with steep drop-offs and no guardrails.

The upper section requires a true 4WD vehicle with solid ground clearance; the loose shale on the steep pitches above 10,000 feet will slide out under anything with highway tires. Don’t attempt after mid-October — snow comes early and the road closes. The main Nebo Loop Road (Forest Road 015) is a popular scenic byway but the backcountry spurs off it are where the serious terrain lives. No permit required; the Tinney Flat Campground near Payson makes a solid base. Fuel in Payson — there’s nothing on the mountain. This is one of Utah’s most underrated high-country drives.