Continuing up the canyon, the route passes Three Creeks Reservoir, Eagle Point Ski Resort, and Puffer's Lake as it climbs into the Tushar Mountains.

[4] Shortly after the Puffer's Lake turn-off, the pavement ends[1] and the route reaches its highest overall elevation of over 10,200 feet (3,100 m).

[5] After this peak, the route turns south for a few miles before resuming its general eastward direction.

The road from Beaver east to Puffer's Lake was first added to the state highway system in 1927 as part of SR-21.

[7] In 1945, the road from Beaver to Junction was split off from SR-21 and designated as SR-153, reusing the newly vacated route number (former SR-153 was absorbed by SR-68 that same year).