Brighton, Silver Lake, and Stewart Falls

Playing a little bit of catch up! Shane and I had a full weekend off a few weeks ago, so we decided to spend it exploring the outdoors. We have been trying to enjoy as much as possible before everything freezes over.

Our first stop was Brighton. We had originally planned to hike out to several of the nearby lakes, but when we arrived we discovered there was a bike race happening that day. The road was scheduled to close at 1:00 pm and we arrived around 11:00 am, so we decided to keep things simple and take a relaxing walk around Silver Lake.

In the end, it was probably the right choice. The drive back later was already chaotic with bikers and traffic, so trying to squeeze in a longer hike would have been stressful.

Silver Lake is the perfect easy stroll. There is a well maintained trail that circles the entire lake. Half of the path is a wooden boardwalk over the water and wetlands, and the other half winds through the forest.

The wetlands area was especially beautiful. This trail really has a little bit of everything. We saw wildlife, wildflowers, and amazing mountain scenery all along the walk.

We spotted a little duck family enjoying the water.

At one point we saw a mama deer standing just off the trail. She actually had a baby hidden right underneath her, though I could not quite get the little one in the photo.

We also saw another deer along the trail and even watched a bird hunting for food in the wetlands.

And of course, the star of the area is Silver Lake itself, which is absolutely beautiful.

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After our walk around the lake, I decided to take Shane to Stewart Falls. I had hiked it a few weeks earlier with my friend Erin, but Shane needed to see it for himself.

The hike was just as beautiful the second time around, and Shane was definitely impressed once we reached the waterfall. It is one of those spots that makes the hike completely worth it.

The water was freezing, but of course I still had to test it.

On the way back down the trail we stopped for our usual “feet photo”, which has become a bit of a tradition for us.

On our way home we also made a quick stop at Sundance. By that point we were pretty worn out, so we just walked around for a bit before heading back to Orem.

Overall it was a great day outside and another reminder of how many beautiful places there are to explore here in Utah.

Scenic Drive: The Nebo Loop Byway

Well, we actually took this drive along the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway over a month ago. I have several trips I still need to post about, so I’m hoping to catch up and add a few over the weekend. After seeing how beautiful this drive was, I definitely want to go back soon! Especially now that the leaves are starting to change colors.

Before we started, I found a helpful map on HowStuffWorks.com and saved a screenshot of it on my phone. I’m really glad I did because I lost all cell reception during most of the drive. If you’re planning on doing the Nebo Loop, I would definitely recommend saving a map beforehand. It came in very handy!

We started our drive in Payson and followed the loop south toward Nephi. Be prepared for narrow mountain roads and plenty of sharp turns, but the views along the way make it completely worth it.

The entire drive was full of incredible scenery and endless photo opportunities. At times it honestly felt like we were driving through something straight out of The Sound of Music.

One of the things I loved most about the Nebo Loop was how many pull-off areas there were along the road. It made it easy to stop, stretch your legs, and take in the views whenever something caught your eye.

At one point we could even see Utah Lake way off in the distance and somewhere down there is where we now call home.

The moon decided to join us for part of the drive as well, hanging in the sky over the mountains and making the views even more dramatic.

Of course, we also had to stop and admire the rock formations along the way. We tend to look at rocks everywhere we go, but when you see formations like these it’s easy to understand why.

One thing that surprised me was how much the landscape changed throughout the drive. Some areas almost reminded me of southern Utah, even though we were much farther north.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Utah road trip without a few cows… and even a cowboy or two along the way.

Overall, the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway is an amazing drive and something I would absolutely recommend if you’re in the area. Next time, we’ll definitely be coming back in the fall when the mountains are covered in color.