Time to get away: A look at Utah attractions county-by-county

The Memorial Day Weekend is here, and a lot of people are probably wondering if they'll be able to get away and, if they can, where they'll go.

Time being as valuable as it is and gas prices as high as they are, there's no need to travel far to enjoy some of the sites and activities Utah has to offer.

Just look to the nearest county or to whatever it is that is of interest.

Here is a county-by-county look at some of the possibilities:

Garfield County

Located within the county is state Route 12, probably Utah's most famous stretch of highway. The highway, from start to

finish, all 120 miles, is breathtaking. There is a blend of natural attractions seldom seen anywhere, let alone over such a short stretch of road. It is considered one of the top 10 scenic byways in the country.

It starts with Red Canyon a few miles from the turnoff near Panguitch and ends with a ride over the Boulder Mountains. Past Red Canyon there are Bryce Canyon National Park, Mossy Cave, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area, the Escalante Canyons and the Anasazi Indian Village State Park.

There are the towns of Tropic, Cannonville, Henrieville, Escalante and Boulder, quaint farming communities with small stores and down-home restaurants and not a single stoplight among them.

There are streams and lakes, hiking and biking paths and attractions dating from pre-man to modern cowboys and Indians.

Beaver County

Fishing is one of the popular activities within Beaver County. There is one major reservoir and seven mountain lakes, four of those holding brook trout, long considered one of the more popular sport fish in Utah.

Minersville Reservoir, west of Beaver, is being managed as a trophy fishery. Fishermen can use only artificial flies and lures and are allowed to keep only one trout, and it must be over 22 inches. One of the better known mountain waters is Puffer Lake, located a few miles past the Elk Meadows Ski Resort east of Beaver.

Within the town of Beaver is the Territorial Museum. A number of very interesting items can be found in the museum, including the flag that flew over the USS Utah when it was hit in the attack on Pearl Harbor.