Daniel's Summit from Google Street View

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Description:
Daniel's Summit has become a popular winter destination for snowmobilers, with the Summit Lodge catering to this niche.  During the summer months OHV and horse riding is a popular activity replacing the winter sports here.  A restaurant and gift shop are available if you have any food or drink needs.  The Uintah National Forest can be accessed to the south and north here, while Lodge Pole Campground sits just down canyon.  Aspen and mixed conifer forest dominate the habitat here, with mountain meadows and various montane riparian habitat.  At the summit the lodge sits on the southwest side of the highway while a number of private residences sit to the northeast.   A wet pasture at the lodge is the extent of the other habitat here.  There is a forest service road accessible about 1/4 miles south that follows Hobble Creek to the west  behind where the lodge is.  The habitat here is shrubsteppe with forest rising off to the sides of the meadows and flats.  Various forest roads can be accessed from the area providing great opportunities to get away from the main road.  If you are headed to Strawberry Reservoir you will pass the summit--so it might be worth a short stop to check things out!

Birding:
Birders typically don't trek here in the winter.  I'm not sure if there are feeders, but if there were, they could attract some good high elevation species in search of food.  Summer is the ideal time to visit to get away form the hot valleys and enjoy the mountains.  The summit is really a tourist destination for OHV users, but the surrounding forest provides plenty of birding opportunities.  Form June through September you will be able to find the species typical of the aspen habitat in the area like: RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, DUSKY FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, HOUSE WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROW, and WESTERN TANAGER. In the meadows and sage flats you can expect to see MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, SAGE THRASHER, VESPER SPARROW, and BREWER'S SPARROW.  If you make your way into the forest where there are pine you will come across PINE SISKIN, CASSIN'S FINCH, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.  The area is really great for birding and fairly typical of most similar habitat in the area.  If you  are looking to explore some place new, the side roads here might make a good day trip.

Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Center Streets in Heber, follow Main Street / US-40 south for 17.4 miles up Daniel's Canyon till you reach the summit and lodge on your right.

Upper Beaver Canyon from Google Street View

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Description:
The lower stretch of the upper canyon starts at Mahogany Cover Rec Site Campground where the habitat is a mixed juniper and oak woodland along the montane riparian corridor on the Beaver River.  Cliffs rise form the canyon floor and some talus slopes and rock slides can be found along the road.  A ponderosa forest and mid elevation mixed conifer forest on the south side of the road eventually mix with aspen woodland as you gain elevation. Lush mountain meadows can be found in low areas where the canyon floor widens and the river slowly tumbles by. Side roads lead to various canyons, and deeper into the mountains away form the highway. Three Creeks Reservoir and Puffer Lake add a high elevation lake habitat to the mix, while the Eagle Point Ski Resort adds some open terrain in between the trees on the mountainside just below the summit.  The drive here is beautiful, and worth the trip into the mountains alone!

Birding:
Most birders visit here in the summer months--although the ski resort here would allow for winter birding if you were inclined--I would imagine ROSY-FINCH flocks could be found here if there were feeders present.  During the summer months though the high elevations here provide relief form the heat in the valleys below--and the bird life changes dramatically from below.  Finches like RED CROSSBILL, PINE SISKIN, and CASSIN'S FINCH are common while PINE GROSBEAK are occasionally seen.  WESTERN TANAGER, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE, and HERMIT THRUSH are easy finds along the road.  STELLER'S JAY and CLARK'S NUTCRACKER can both be found here, while MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET are easy finds in the forest.  Looking to the sky you might see a soaring GOLDEN EAGLE or RED-TAILED HAWK; and along the river SPOTTED SANDPIPER and AMERICAN DIPPER are both likely to be found.  If you find yourself here on the scenic byway, please share your sightings--not many birders find themselves here so you might discover something great!

Directions:
From the Intersecton of Main Street and 200 North in Beaver, head east on 200 North for 3.6 miles till you reach the mouth of Beaver Canyon.  Continueon the road up the canyon 7.5 miles till you reach the S-curve and the Mahogany Cove Rec Site Campground. The hot spot begins here and continues approximately 11 miles past Eagle Point Ski Resort.