The highway heads easterly for the first 0.4 mi (0.64 km) before it turns northeasterly, crossing the Little Bear River and intersects US-89/US-91 at a traffic light controlled at-grade interchange.

[3] After leaving Hyrum, SR-101 dips to the southeast again, entering the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and a canyon formed by the Blacksmith Fork River.

The final 13.9 mi (22.4 km) are inside the forest, serving as an access route to several campgrounds, as well as a diversion dam, and electric plant.

[7] The lowest amount of traffic is accounted for on the final stretch of the highway through the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, with an average of 670 cars per day traveling to the Hardware Ranch visitors center.

[10] The legislature redefined the Hyrum-area routes in 1969, taking SR-101 east from Wellsville to the Hardware Ranch over former SR-242, and returning the extension to SR-39 to local control.