That their beloved Mount Nebo always took second billing to a neighboring peak on the Wasatch Range bothered some of the locals more than a half century ago.
The annual Mount Timpanogos hike Eugene Roberts organized complete with his own Native American "legends" made the mountain a popular attraction. Some Payson and Nephi residents decided to stage their own hike on Mount Nebo in the 1930s. And not to be outdone, they created their own Indian stories."These people made up a Ute legend," said Charmaine Thompson, a Uinta National Forest archaeologist and historian. "They tried really hard to get this hike off the ground."
Neither the hike nor the tale ever took off, partially because reaching the top of 11,877-foot Mount Nebo is far more strenuous for the novice hiker than climbing Timp.
"It's a really steep, hard climb," Thompson said.
But persistent residents made sure Mount Nebo, the tallest mountain on the Wasatch, would get its due.
Officials Wednesday dedicated the Nebo Loop National Scenic Byway, a 37-mile stretch of winding road between Payson and Nephi that provides access to numerous historical and recreational sites. It joins the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway as Utah's only other such scenic route, as designated by the Federal Highway Administration. The Nebo road was already officially one of Utah's 27 state-declared scenic byways.
Scenic overlooks, wildlife viewing, brilliant fall foliage, campgrounds, trail systems (both pedestrian and equestrian) and geologic features are among the loop's attributes.
More than 1 million people visit the area each year, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Some just drive the byway to soak in its splendor, especially in autumn when the leaves turn colors. Splashes of red, orange and yellow are already emerging in the lush forest like dabs of paint on a green canvas.
Wildlife is easily viewed without stepping out of the car. Deer prancing through a stand of fir trees or wild turkeys strutting across a meadow are common sights.
Recreational opportunities abound just off the byway.
Seven trailheads lead hikers into the Mount Nebo Wilderness. The Payson Lakes, Maple Bench, Blackhawk, Bear Canyon and Ponderosa recreation areas offer excellent fishing, hunting and camping. There are six developed campgrounds that provide tables, fire rings, restrooms and water. Three of the campgrounds are designed for large groups.
Mount Nebo also is a popular horseback riding area. Blackhawk campground features tie tacks, double-wide camping spurs and easy access to nearby trails.
In connection with the Nebo Loop's designation as a national scenic byway, the Forest Service received a $200,000 grant for several projects aimed at improving visitors' trips to the canyon.
Four orientation centers with information kiosks are planned at Nephi, Payson and the north and south entrances of the Uinta National Forest. The Forest Service also intends to pave the path to Devil's Kitchen, an unusual red rock formation near the loop's south end. Interpretive materials including an audio tape, guide book and video also will be produced with the grant money.
Fathers Escalante and Dominguez visited the nearby Utah Valley in 1776. Later explorers like Jedediah Smith in 1826-27 and John C. Fremont in 1843-44 traversed the area. Mormon pioneers settled the nearby towns of Payson, Mona, Santaquin and Spring Lake.
Turn-of-the-century farmers actually carved out the Payson Lakes using horse-drawn scrapers to hold spring runoff for late-summer irrigation. "That's an amazing example of the effort farmers were willing to go through to get that water," Thompson said.
The FHWA program designates All-American Roads, which represent the country's finest byways, and National Scenic Byways, which "possess outstanding qualities that exemplify the regional characteristics of our nation." Such roads reflect attributes in six possible areas: archaeological, cultural, historical, natural, recreational and scenic.
The Forest Service is promoting the loop around the theme "Mount Nebo: Reverence, Respect and Renewal."
Ute Indians held the natural world as a sacred part of life circle and were careful not to abuse the resources. Forest Service officials want to encourage present-day visitors to value the balance needed to keep the Nebo Loop protected.
Thompson said Native Americans used the forest in much the same way people do now. "They went camping in the mountains just like we do," she said, adding their excursions to Mount Nebo were also for hunting, gathering food and escaping the summer heat.
"It must have been an amazingly important landmark to the Utes who lived in the area because it's such a striking thing," Thompson said.
And it remains so today, even without concocted "legends" to enhance the experience.