Scenic Drive Around Utah Lake

Keith and I finally made the scenic drive around Utah Lake and it was everything we thought it would be... plus so much more! We packed up the Jeep with Lexi and some snacks in search of some great views. It was fun to explore a new area so close to home.

Utah Valley

Keith and I moved to Utah Valley in August 2016. Utah Valley is located in North Central Utah in Utah County. This area is considered the Wasatch Front and is often locally called, “Happy Valley.” This phrase seems to have several meanings in different contexts and can be positive or negative depending on your viewpoint. Either way, we were drawn to the valley because of the location, the view of Mount Timpanogos, Utah Lake, the friendly people, and the access to outdoor activities.

Pleasant Grove

Specifically, we live in Pleasant Grove, Utah. With an area of 9.2 square miles and an estimated population near 40,000 people, we feel like we live in a city! Pleasant Grove is represented with a large, white “G” on the benches of Mount Timpanogos. "Timp" as it’s known to the locals, is the second-highest mountain in the Wasatch Range.

Utah Lake

Utah Lake is Utah’s largest freshwater lake at around 148 square miles. The lake provides guests with a variety of options for activities. Utah Lake State Park offers swimming, boating, paddle boarding, fishing, camping, picnic areas, etc. The shallow lake averages a depth of only 10.5 feet. The lake is slightly saline since 42% of the water is lost through evaporation. The Jordan River, a tributary of The Great Salt Lake, is the lake’s only outlet.

Originally, we hoped to have a view of Timp to our east and Utah Lake to our west, but ultimately we chose a home that doesn't have a direct view of the lake. Technically, the lake is only about 3-4 miles from our home, but we are more parallel with the lake elevation so it isn’t visible from our house. We do get to see the lake quite often since the elevation changes around us. This means the lake is visible as we drive around our town, ride on the nearby bike path, etc.

Check out our video

Deciding to finally drive around the lake

Keith and I have lived here for nearly three years and we always talk about driving around the lake. Actually, one of Keith’s goals is to ride his bike around the lake. Other outdoor activities have always taken priority, but once Keith got injured the list of recreation options changed drastically. A little over 4 weeks post-surgery, driving around the lake was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Driving directions

We left our house in Pleasant Grove via State Street, UT 89, and headed northwest towards Saratoga Springs via UT 145, Pioneer Crossing. We then headed south around the lake via UT 68 where we then caught UT 6 in Elberta. Next, we made our way up to Springville where we stopped at Spring Creek Park for a snack. Finally, we continued on UT 89 through Provo and Orem, eventually landing where we started in Pleasant Grove. Google Maps indicates this drive is about 88 miles.

Our experience driving around Utah Lake

Our drive was so much better than either of us thought it would be! It was a great scenic Sunday drive that offered us a unique view of Utah Lake, the Wasatch Mountains, and the surrounding areas. These are basic areas that we know, but this was a different viewpoint so it offered a whole new perspective for us.

We ended up finding a public land area where we took the jeep off-road to get a better view of the lake and the land surrounding the west side of the lake. We continued on south to see farmland, an orchard, etc. With a quick Google search, we were able to find the perfect park to stop for a snack and get Lexi out of the jeep.

As we continued back home, we were thrilled with how the drive went and the new experience we were able to find close to home. I know it won’t be the only time we make this drive!