Utah State Route 20

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State Route 20
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-107, maintained by UDOT
Length:	20.492 mi[1] (32.979 km)
Formed:	1927[2]
West end:	I-15 near Paragonah
East end:	US-89 near Panguitch
Counties:	Iron County Garfield County
State Routes in Utah < SR-19 SR-21 >

State Route 20 (SR-20) is a state highway in southern Utah, running 20.492 miles in Iron and Garfield Counties, without directly serving or connecting any cities. It serves as a truck connection between I-15 and US-89 and an access to Bryce Canyon National Park. It may also be used to travel between Salt Lake City and Phoenix, Arizona. The highway follows the route of the Old Spanish Trail.^[3]

Contents 1 Route description 2 History 3 Major Intersections 4 References

[edit] Route description

SR-20 begins at I-15, Exit 95, 14 miles north of Paragonah, and heads east and southeast through a pass between the Markagunt Plateau and the Tushar Mountains. It ends at an intersection with US-89 at Bear Valley Junction. Trucks are routed from I-15 and US-89 onto SR-20 in preference to SR-9 and SR-14 to avoid steep grades and switchbacks required to cross the Markagunt Plateau. SR-20 itself is a difficult route, featuring 7% grades on the approaches to the 7910 foot summit, and oversize vehicles are required to have a pilot escort.^[1][4]

[edit] History

The route of SR-20 was used in 1864 by the first nonnative settlers of Panguitch.^[5] It crosses the Tushar Mountains just south of the crossing for the Old Spanish Trail. The highway has existed as a dirt road at least as far back as the 1920s.^[6] The highway was paved and numbered by the 1960s.^[7] It has had no changes since it was first commissioned.^[8]

[edit] Major Intersections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Iron	Paragonah	0.000-0.162[1]	I-15 – Cedar City, Salt Lake City	Exit 95 Western terminus
Garfield	Bear Valley Junction	20.492	US-89 – Panguitch, Junction	Eastern terminus

[edit] References