Why You Should Visit Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah

If you are wondering why you should visit Cedar Breaks National Monument you should know that it is a breathtakingly beautiful geological wonder and a great spot for nature lovers!

On our road trip from California to Utah we visited several national parks. One of them was Cedar Breaks which is actually a national monument, but is still managed by the National Parks System.

Cedar Breaks National Monument is said to be the little brother of Bryce Canyon since they look very much alike. However, it is much smaller and doesn’t attract as many visitors as Bryce Canyon National Park, so it’s perfect for those who want to avoid crowds.

Cedar Breaks is absolutely beautiful and you should definitely stop there if you are passing by! It also offers many activities for those who love being outdoors.

Cedar Breaks is located close to Cedar City in Southern Utah. The drive from Cedar City is only about 40 minutes. Salt Lake City is a little less than four hours away and the drive from Las Vegas is less than three hours.

Why you should visit Cedar Breaks

Cedar Breaks is a geological wonder

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a beautiful area with an amphitheatre of red rocks, hoodoos, columns, pinnacles and arches. The views are just breathtaking! It’s 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 2,000 feet (610 m) deep.

Red, orange and yellow colours on the rocks come from iron and manganese.

The amphitheatre was formed by the erosion moving the sediment by wind and water. A very long time ago there used to be a lake in this area and fossils have been found from the monument to confirm that. It has taken over million years for the canyon to take on its beautiful shapes and to become such an amazing geological wonder.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Cedar Breaks as a national monument in 1933.

Hike in breathtaking views

There are four hiking trails at the monument varying from 0.6 miles to 5 miles. Even though the rock formations are the main sight, there is also beautiful nature all around.

During our visit most of the trails were covered in snow, but we did hike the Sunset Trail from Point Supreme Overlook to Sunset View Overlook. It was an easy trail and really great with kids. We really enjoyed the amazing views on this trail. You read our tips for hiking with kids from here.

If we visit again we will for sure hike to the Alpine Pond. It is supposed to be beautiful, and the trail takes you trough a forest and some meadows where you can see wild flowers.

Alpine Pond Loop Trail as a total is 2 miles, but you can also do a shorter hike on it.

Enjoy some wintersports

The elevation at the Cedar Breaks is over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) which makes the area very cold. Most of the year the rocks are covered by snow and ice.

The monument is especially popular among snowmobilers, skiers and snowshoers during the winter months. There is even a ski resort along the road to Cedar Breaks.

The Brian Head Ski Resort is typically open from late-November to March, and also offers some tubing. Definitely a fun way to spend a day!

Camp by the wildflowers

Point Supreme Campground is open approximately from mid-June to mid-September.

Summer months at Cedar Breaks are nice since due to its high elevation, it doesn’t get very hot there. Most flowers are blooming by the meadows near the campground.

There are spots for both tents and RVs. Cedar Breaks offers very few services, so if you choose to camp, come prepared. The closest stores and restaurants are at Brian Head.

See different seasons

Cedar Breaks has a very long winter, a shorter spring and fall, and a very short summer. The spring starts in June with the snow melt, followed up with 260 different wildflower species blooming. The bloom goes all the way into August, but usually peaks at the first two weeks of July.

In the fall many people like to come to Cedar Breaks to see the foliage. Fall is relatively short, starting in September and continuing until October to early-November. But during that time, you might be able to see some beautiful fall colours.

We were there in the middle of November, when all the roads were still open, but the best fall colours were already gone. We thought it was a great time though, because the amphitheatre was not covered in snow yet and we saw some amazing icicles along the road. It was chilly, but not too cold and the days were sunny.

Winter is the main season at Cedar Breaks and it goes all the way from November to May. This is the time when people bring out their snowshoes or snowmobiles and enjoy the nature. Some of the roads will be closed even though the park is open all year around.

Enjoy the nature

Cedar Breaks has gotten its name from the nature. The early settlers were fooled by the juniper trees as they thought they were cedar. So they started calling the area Cedar Breaks.

Junipers are not the only trees in the area, as also the world’s oldest trees: Bristlecone Pines grow there among pine and fir species. Also many different shrubs live in the rocky canyon. Another place to see Bristlecone Pines is the Great Basin National Park which is not too far away from Cedar Breaks.

During the spring and summer months, the meadows in the park bloom with wildflowers.

There are many different kinds of birds and critters you can see at Cedar Breaks. For example ravens, jays and sparrows live there, or if you are very lucky you might spot a California condor which we have seen at Pinnacles National Park. They are at high risk of extinction, but they do nest among the Cedar Breaks cliffs. 

Also mule deer and porcupines are relatively easy to spot. Elk, fox or alpine dwelling pika live in the park with many other animals, but are not so easy to see.

Visiting Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar Breaks is a great little stop for a day or two. Depending on what time of the year you are there, the park will be beautiful but different.

In the winter time, some of the roads will be closed due to snow even though the park remains open. The conditions can vary daily and every year is different, so make sure to check the park website for updates and closures before going.

It is also best to check the weather forecast when planning a visit to Cedar Breaks. Due to the altitude, the snow storms can surprise visitors even in June. Severe thunder storms are also common and they can be dangerous.

On our visit to Cedar Breaks we first drove the scenic drive and stopped at different lookouts. The views were amazing and there were very few people. We basically had one of the lookouts completely to ourselves.

Then we went for a little hike and enjoyed the mountain air. It was such a fun day!

We stayed in Cedar City and booked our room at Abbey Inn based on the very good reviews. Although the hotel itself was maybe average, there were many things we really loved about it.

The staff was beyond friendly and helpful, breakfast was great and the room was very clean. They also made us happy with many little gestures like chocolate gifts and a big tea selection in our room. I definitely recommend this little place!

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A visit to Cedar Breaks is easy to combine with a trip to Zion or Bryce Canyon National Parks. If you are heading back to California from Cedar Breaks you could consider taking the Loneliest Road in America (Highway 50) back like we did, and do a stop at Great Basin National Park in Nevada side along the way.

We drove over to Utah and Cedar Breaks from Las Vegas after we had visited Hoover Dam. One of the best places to stay the night along the way is St. George. We stayed at very interesting Bed & Breakfast called Seven Wives Inn. St. George is also a home for the Snow Canyon State Park which is also worth a visit.

We had such a fun day at Cedar Breaks and I can definitely recommend it to everyone!