The Capitol Reef Scenic Byway stretches 64 miles along Highway 24 from Loa in the west, through Capitol Reef National Park, to Hanksville in the east.
The reason seems pretty obvious: Billboards aren’t conducive to the natural beauty that we have sought to preserve.
According to the state tourism office, Utah has 19 state-designated scenic byways that highlight “a state road network with unparalleled vistas and heritage.” But just because they have been deemed worthy of protection now, doesn’t mean that will always be the case.
Last week I wrote about the extent to which billboard companies have gone to influence state legislators, throwing around hundreds of thousands of dollars to overturn city ordinances and gut state laws that make it difficult for them to operate — in Salt Lake City, yes, but statewide.