Utah State Route 143
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| Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway Utah's Patchwork Parkway |
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| Route information | ||||
| Defined by Utah Code §72-4-120 | ||||
| Maintained by UDOT | ||||
| Length: | 51.206 mi (82.408 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1933 – present | |||
| Tourist routes: |
 Utah's Patchwork Parkway |
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| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: |
 I-15 in Parowan
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| East end: |
 US-89 in Panguitch
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| Highway system | ||||
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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 program.
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.
State Route 143 begins at Interstate 15 in Iron County just west of Parowan as 200 South and travels through the center of town before turning south into Parowan Canyon. From here, the route climbs past the Vermillion Cliffs, named for their reddish color produced by iron oxides. Farther up the canyon, the highway passes by the White Cliffs as it enters Dixie National Forest, and begins a steep climb up to Brian Head. With the grade reaching 13% in places, precipitous enough that travel by RVs or semi trucks is not recommended.
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