Scenic Byway 12
Upper Blues Overlook, UT

East of Henrieville, just after crossing the Paria River drainage, Scenic Byway 12 climbs through the eroded badlands of green-gray mudstone and sandstone of the Kaiparowits Formation, referred to locally as The Blues. Sparse in vegetation, this stunningly eerie, "blue" landscape yields some of the richest fossil specimens ever discovered from the Cretaceous Period. The Blues are a part of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The grey-brown rocks of this area are in startling contrast to the brilliant reds and golds of the rest of the area.

At the Lower Blues Overlook, travelers find a viewpoint of the Blues where there is information on geology, exploration, and paleontology. Striking views of the Blues and Powell Point, as well as beautiful rockwork walls make Upper Blues Pullout a "must-stop" pullout.