You are here

Home » A Short Introduction To Cedar Breaks National Monument

A Short Introduction To Cedar Breaks National Monument

Share
By Kurt Repanshek - July 2nd, 2017

Though the gaping maw of Cedar Breaks National Monument is the main attraction, there are other sides to the monument worth exploring/Kurt Repanshek

Though it's only about a two-hour drive through the countryside from Zion National Park to Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah, relatively few folks know about the monument. This short video primer provides an introduction.

While more than 4 million people visited Zion in 2016, fewer than 900,000 made the short drive over to Cedar Breaks. As a result, fewer crowds to negotiate as you explore the national monument.

Comments

Submitted by Grizz on July 2, 2017 - 7:19pm.

Thanks Kurt. Cedar Breaks is a great little park. Should note that there are some lovely bristlecone pines in the park When it is sweltering down low, as you mention, it is always pleasant at Cedar Breaks which means that if someone is looking for a lovely, cool place to camp, the park campground is the place to be. It is also a great place to view the night sky.

 

I should mention that the common answer to the question, "why do they call it Cedar Breaks?" is not because of the "cedar" (juniper) trees that grow in the park area. Cedar Breaks is on Cedar Mountain. To get there from Cedar City you drive up the road along Cedar Creek. A bit south of Cedar City is the town of Kanab and above Kanab is Kanab creek and Kanab Mountain. Cedar City was named for the trees, but everything else is named for Cedar City just as the creek and Mountain to the south is named for the town of Kanab.


Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on July 2, 2017 - 7:54pm.

Thanks for the additional details, Grizz. As they say, it takes a village...;-)

Also, great to see you back in the comment queue!


Submitted by tomp2 on July 2, 2017 - 10:18pm.

Kurt--

Yes Cedar Breaks is a hidden gem.  Also, it is only open seasonally: in the winter you can drive along the state highway 148 along the eastern edge (if it is plowed), but the park itself is closed.

So, my question: how many other parks have seasonal closures?  Devil's Postpile (another hidden gem) does, and I suspect many of the Alaska parks & preserves at least have no staffing in the winter, but can you & readers name other parks that close in the off-season?


Submitted by Lee Dalton on July 2, 2017 - 10:56pm.

Timpanogos Cave closes in winter.  (Although the visitor center might remain open . . . )


Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on July 3, 2017 - 7:52am.

Actually, Tomp, the park's not closed in winter. You can ski/snowshoe/snowmobile to it, and they have a warming hut at the north Alpine Pond Trailhead where you can get some hot chocolate on most weekends. You can access the Point Supreme Overlook and, I suppose, other trails if you're a strong skier/snowshoer.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.