Utah State Route 143
State Route 143 (SR-143) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire highway has been designated the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program. This road has also been designated as Utah's Patchwork Parkway as part of the National Forest Scenic Byway and National Scenic Byway programs.
State Route 143 | ||||
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| Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway Utah's Patchwork Parkway | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by UDOT | ||||
| Length | 51.206 mi (82.408 km) | |||
| Existed | 1933–present | |||
| Tourist routes | Utah's Patchwork Parkway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | I-15 in Parowan | |||
| East end | US 89 in Panguitch | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Utah | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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At just over 51 miles (82 km) long, it connects Parowan to Panguitch while providing access to Brian Head, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Panguitch Lake. It is also the second-highest paved road in the state at 10,626 feet (3,239 m) above sea level.
The western section of the road from Parowan started as a logging road for nineteenth century Mormon pioneers and was designated a state highway in 1933. Twenty years later, the route was extended to Cedar Breaks National Monument, and again in 1985 to its present-day eastern end in Panguitch.