Things to Do in Payson, Utah (2026)

Abigail Giordano Senior Writer, Provo.com

Payson is where Utah Valley stops feeling like one continuous city. Far enough south that the development thins out, close enough that you can be there in twenty-odd minutes, it's a town with a mountain road behind it, a 1901 schoolhouse turned museum in the middle of it, and a Labor Day celebration older than most of the state's traditions.

Here's what's worth the drive.

Golden Onion Days

Payson's signature is Golden Onion Days, held over Labor Day weekend and running continuously since 1929 — which makes it Utah's oldest Labor Day celebration. In 2026 it lands on September 4–7.

The name is agricultural and unglamorous and the town has entirely embraced it. The weekend brings a parade, a rodeo, a carnival, the Onion Days 5K, a children's treasure hunt, and fireworks, with most of it anchored around Memorial Park. It's the weekend the population of the town effectively doubles.

It's also the last of the south valley's big summer festivals — Spanish Fork's Fiesta Days, built around a PRCA rodeo that has been running more than 80 years, lands in July around Pioneer Day.

We've written it up separately, including the practical side of visiting: see Golden Onion Days for the full picture.

The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway

The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway climbs out of Payson Canyon and runs south along the flank of Mount Nebo, the highest peak in the Wasatch Range. It is, without much argument, one of the best drives in the state — and it's the single biggest reason to point a car at Payson.

Along the way: Payson Lakes, an easy and family-friendly set of lakes with picnicking and fishing; Devil's Kitchen, a red-rock formation that gets compared to Bryce and is a very short walk from its parking area; and Grotto Falls, a short hike to a waterfall that spills over a rock shelf.

The critical caveat is seasonal: the loop closes in winter and reopens in late spring, with exact dates depending on snow. Our complete Nebo Loop Scenic Byway guide covers the route, the closure honestly, the stops, and a half-day plan that works.

The Peteetneet Museum

Right in town sits one of the more charming small museums in the valley. The Peteetneet Museum and Cultural Arts Center occupies a 1901 schoolhouse — a substantial three-story building that was saved from demolition and restored by a volunteer nonprofit, People Preserving Peteetneet.

Inside are roughly a dozen display areas: a preserved historic schoolroom, a Victorian house display, a fashion collection spanning about 150 years, a western room, a blacksmith shop, a historic photograph collection, and an art gallery with exhibits that rotate through the year. Admission is free.

Outside, the grounds hold a statue of Chief Peteetneet, the Ute leader the building and the town's early history are named for, along with a fountain, lawns, and an outdoor amphitheater used for community events. Public tour hours are limited and have been listed inconsistently in different directories — call before you go.

The temple grounds and historic downtown

The Payson Utah Temple sits on the north end of town, and while the temple itself is open only to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the grounds are open to visitors and are meticulously landscaped — a pleasant, quiet stop, particularly in spring.

Payson's historic downtown has held onto its older commercial buildings better than most Utah Valley cities, which is part of why it periodically turns up as a filming location. It's a short, walkable stretch, best combined with something else rather than treated as a destination on its own.

Parks and community events

The city maintains a large park system — 28 parks — with Memorial Park serving as the civic center of gravity and the home base for most of the festival calendar.

Beyond Golden Onion Days, Payson runs a Scottish Festival and an annual Salmon Supper, both long-standing local traditions. Dates and details shift year to year; check the city's current calendar.

Make a day of it

The best Payson day is built around the mountain. Drive up the Nebo Loop in the morning, stop at Payson Lakes and Devil's Kitchen, come back down for lunch downtown, and finish with an hour at the Peteetneet. That's a full, unhurried day and it costs almost nothing.

In late September and early October, do exactly that but reserve more time for the drive — the fall color on the Nebo Loop is the main event, and you'll want to stop more than you planned. If you want a shorter version of the same idea, Springville's Hobble Creek Canyon is the other south-valley fall drive, and it draws far less traffic than the Alpine Loop does. Over Labor Day, forget all of the above and come for Golden Onion Days. And in winter, when the loop is closed, Payson becomes a shorter stop: museum, downtown, temple grounds, and home.

Thinking about living here?

Payson consistently comes up when people want more space and a lower price than the north valley offers, and are willing to trade commute time for it. Our complete guide to living in Payson covers housing, schools, the commute, and what daily life is like this far south. For nearby comparisons, Salem, Santaquin, and Spanish Fork each make a different trade.

Payson doesn't perform for visitors. That's most of its appeal.

Abigail Giordano

Senior Writer

Abigail Giordano is a senior writer at Provo.com covering student life, family resources, and community events across Utah Valley. Her writing focuses on making Provo more accessible and navigable for newcomers, students, and families — the practical guides that help people feel at home faster.