Camping Utah's Nebo Loop

Camping Utah's Nebo Loop

By:


Need to get away from the daily grind? Ascend Utah's Nebo Loop Scenic Byway nestled in the firs, aspens, oaks and maples of the Uinta National Forest where you can find the perfect getaway campsite. While relaxing in your campground, listen to the prelude of the crickets symphony and the postlude of the birds sonata. Each year, more than one million people visit the Nebo Loop, many of them reserving their campsites a year in advance to get a good spot to stay, relax, and recreate for a few days.

If your ideal camping trip includes fishing, pick one of the plentiful sites near the Payson Lake Area and let your line float while you roast marshmallows over a campfire. While Big East, the largest lake in the Payson Lake Area, is the most popular place to fish on Nebo Loop, McClellan Lake, Box Lake, and Maple Lake are all well-stocked and not far from the byway. Also, enjoy hiking the nearby trails, swimming, boating, and observing the fiery colors of the towering firs and aspen in season.

Dont forget your mountain bike on your camping adventure--you wont want to miss the Blackhawk Loop Trail. Winding through meadows and groves of pine and aspen, the singletrack Blackhawk Loop Trail is full of thrilling twists, turns and runs. You'll need to be a strong rider to tackle this 18-mile loop that rises from Payson Canyon to the heights of Nebo Loop Scenic Byway! The trail circles through Blackhawk Campground. Open to groups, horseback-riding, campers and RVs, as well as tents, this developed and shady campground is just five miles away from trout-stocked Payson Lake.

Tinney Flat Campground, about 10 miles from Blackhawk Campground, is another great area with hiking. Enjoy the scenery of the canyon setting while you hike from the Tinney Flat Trailhead to the Nebo Basin Trail. This is also a great area for bird watching and other wildlife-viewing opportunities. Check travel conditions before you go -- the campground has both group and RV sites, but the road to the campground from the byway is not paved!

Want to pack some hiking adventures into your camping trip? Open May through October, the 23-site Ponderosa Campground is right by the Loafer Mountain Trail, the easiest access to the Mt. Nebo Wilderness Area. Go six miles north of Ponderosa to the Devils Kitchen, a natural amphitheater of redrock hoodoos that looks like a miniature Bryce Canyon. The byways namesake, 11,928-foot Mt. Nebo, is also near the Ponderosa Campground. From where you perch on one of the many overlooks, Mt. Nebo looks near enough to touch. Keep in mind that all campgrounds on Nebo Loop close for winter, as does the byway.

With plenty of picnic venues, campgrounds, and fun activities available, an exciting family camping adventure awaits you on the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway.

Day 1
Start: Peteetneet Cultural Arts Center and Museum
Pioneer Fashions on Display at Peteetneet Museum

Starting your trip in Payson at the Peteetneet Cultural Arts Center and Museum. The school was built in 1901 by well-known architect Richard C. Watkins and consists of a three-story building with a bell tower and red sandstone accent on red brick walls. Today, it is used for classes in the fine arts and public meetings and events.

Stop 1: Payson Lakes Area
Moose at Payson Lakes
From previous stop: 15 minutes / 7 mi (11.2 km)
Directions:
Take County Route 015 south for 7 miles until you reach the Payson Lakes Day Use Area.
Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

Spend a couple of hours at the Payson Lakes Area. Take a leisurely hike along the shoreline nature trail, and then have a relaxing picnic on one of two beaches.

Stop 2: Blackhawk Campground
Mt. Nebo as Seen from Blackhawk Campground
From previous stop: 10 minutes / 3.1 mi (5.0 km)
Directions:
Continue south on County Road 015 for 3.1 miles until you reach Blackhawk Campground.
Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

Stop at this popular Forest Service campground, which has a horse camping facility. The area accommodates equestrian users by featuring tie racks, double wide camping spurs and easy access to the trails.

Stop 3: Mt. Nebo Loop Scenic Overlooks
Misty View from Beaver Dam Overlook
From previous stop: 3 minutes / 1.3 mi (2.1 km)
Directions:
From the campground, it is 1.3 miles to the first overlook, Beaver Dam Overlook. The last overlook, the Mt. Nebo Overlook, is 11 miles from Beaver Dam Overlook.
Suggested time at this stop: 45 minutes

Using mileposts as indicators, follow the byway south and stop at the following overlooks for a few minutes to take in the scenery. If you brought along a camera, be sure to capture some pictures.
o Beaver Dam Overlook, located at Milepost 11.5
o Santaquin Overlook, located at Milepost 16.2
o Bald Mountain Overlook, located at Milepost 17.3
o Utah Overlook, located at Milepost 18.0
o Mt. Nebo Overlook, located at Milepost 22.5

End: Devil's Kitchen
Enjoying the View From Devil's Kitchen
From previous stop: 10 minutes / 4.1 mi (6.6 km)
Directions:
From the Mt. Nebo Overlook, go south on Country Road 015 for 4.1 miles until you reach Devil's Kitchen.

Your last stop is Devil's Kitchen, where eroded layers of red-tinted river gravel and silt form spires and sharp ridges. The fiery formations stand in brilliant contrast to the surrounding mountain greenery.

Totals for Day 1
Total Distance Traveled: 15.5 miles / 24.8 km
Total Travel Time: 38 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

About the Author:
Jay Bryce is a community manger at iFished.com (http://www.ifished.com/). iFished.com has fishing and local information for over 40,000 lakes and fishing areas in the United States. Information includes current weather and forecasts, best times fishing charts, maps, local businesses, Sailfishing in Guatemala, and more.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Outdoors Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.