Cedar Breaks National Monument

⭐ Cedar Breaks National Monument. Unreal Winter Views Above 10,000 ft ❄️🏔️ Cedar Breaks National Monument is one of the most powerful and unforgettable places I’ve visited in Utah. Sitting at over 10,000 feet above sea level, this area offers dramatic high mountain scenery that feels completely different from the desert landscapes nearby. I actually have a crazy personal story from this mountain a moment when I was caught in a snowstorm near the peak in the evening and nearly lost my way toward the canyon. It was one of those situations where nature reminds you how small you really are. I managed to make it back safely to my room in Cedar City at the very last moment but that full story is for another time. What makes this place truly special is the scenery itself. The views are stunning in every season, but winter is on another level. When everything is white and frozen, the contrast between the snow and the deep red rock formations is absolutely breathtaking. The natural amphitheater looks massive, silent, and almost unreal. The drive up the mountain is part of the experience. The road climbs gradually, with multiple pullouts where you can stop and look over the entire valley below. Even during heavy snowfall, the road is usually plowed and drivable, which allows visitors to enjoy the views safely. That said, winter conditions here should never be taken lightly. It’s highly recommended to check the weather forecast before heading up and avoid the drive during active snowfall if you don’t have proper winter equipment. Having emergency contact numbers available is also a smart idea, just in case. All essential services gas, food and accommodations are available in nearby Cedar City, making it a convenient and safe base for visiting. Cedar Breaks is a place that leaves a deep impression. Beautiful, powerful, and unforgettable. ❄️📸🏔️

Go up there if you can. Very similar to Bryce, but 2000 ft higher in elevation. The ride up there from Zion to Bryce (yes it is a detour) in late September with the aspens in bloom was spectacular. Even had to stop to allow some grazing sheep to cross. WELL WORTH A TRIP.

Let's call it a small version of Bryce Canyon. Very nice park with a minimalist approach to Park Hqs. We visited in Sep 2017. Cold, misty almost snowy kind of day so the views were a bit subdued. Highly recommend you don't miss a quick trip here when in the area.

WOW! Let me tell you, if you can make it up to cedars break I would highly recommend the drive. When you’re seeking peace this is the place to be. Just under a 35 minute drive from cedar city this look out is quite phenomenal. With a priceless view and onlookers from all over it’s truly breathtaking. Every time I’m in town I go to Cedars Break to catch the sunset and just sit in awe of such an amazing spectacle.

This place is all inspiring. From the southern visitor Center just walk straight out and you are greeted with this massive landscape. You can see for miles and miles and the landscape is very unique. Take a moment and read the various information that's available at the visitor center as they are very helpful. The geological formation at this area is quite amazing. They are restrooms you can use and it's easily accessible from the parking lot. There are several viewpoints around this monument and I highly recommend you go to her the Northern viewpoint as it gives you a very different perspective. I think the best time to visit is doing sunrise and not sunset.

Nice place for a quick stop to see Bryce canyon NP-like views. The spectra trail was nice, but they also have an observation deck area that will give you equally nice views of you don't have time to walk the trail. The gift shop has reasonably priced shirts and sweatshirts. You're required to have your state park pass to enter this location but no one checks so you can basically just walk the trail and see the observation deck without having to show your park pass at all. As long as you don't go into the visitor center, you're good. There is a clean bathroom at the parking lot.

Out of the way but what an amazing stop. It was 80 degrees and felt like 68 with the breeze. Nice new visitors center, and incredible views. We didn’t have time to do any hikes this time, but have done them in the past and they provide more awesome views of the canyon and you pass some ancient trees. Worth the stop and worth going out of the way to visit. Our national park pass was good to get us in, so no extra charge!

The views from Cedar Breaks are really beautiful! There is also a museum near the monument. Stargazing is also beautiful here! A plus, its walkable to Point Supreme campgrounds, where you can stay the night!

When it's HOT in Southern Utah, Cedar Breakes is THE place to to escape the heat. The elevation is so high here it's considerably cooler. When we were visiting it was 114 in Hurricane, about 85 up here. - There are several parking lots with short walks to Epic viewpoints. Must visit when staying in the area.

I'm a big fan of Cedar Breaks National Monument. It's breathtaking to look at. There are multiple places to pull over and view it with in seconds of parking. They re-built the visitor center. It's new and fantastic. Cedar Breaks National Monument is definitely a place that you should go check out and enjoy.

Beautiful views while driving through and up to a specific point to an overlook - Point Supreme. Had to pull over to take videos and photos of the gorgeous trees changing colors too!

Beautiful place still very untouched by humans the best time is spring when everything comes back to life

Love this park! The 10,000 ft elevation makes for great summer hiking without the crowds of Zion or Bryce. The south rim trail to Spectra Point, Ramparts Point and the Bartizan is a must do, with the last leg to Bartizan for serious hikers with proper boots only. The views are great and the July wildflowers are fantastic, lupine, columbine, fireweed, paintbrush, flax, bluebells and plenty of butterflies. The best flowers are in the area between the two viewpoints. There is also a small historic 1930's cabin near the very beginning of the trail, a relic from when there used to be lodging at the park. The last half mile to the Bartizan is single track with narrow, steep, loose rock portions and drop offs, do not attempt in poor quality footwear. The Bartizan is a window rock and gives you good views to the west, you will also have fewer fellow hikers on this portion. The Alpine pond loop nature trail is a nice easy family hike to a small pond and goes through some thick forest areas, good for cooling off in the summer. This short hike will be more crowded due to it's relatively flat nature. Even though there is not much elevation gain there are gentle ups and downs and some loose gravel portions so best not to do this in sandals.

This is one of the lesser known national parks (actually referred to as a momument) in southwestern Utah. Most people who travel to Zion and Bryce miss out on this amazing place. I recommend planning an extra hour and half drive to check it out, especially in late fall when snow has fallen. They do a great job with snowplowing the roads and I believe there are 5 vista turnouts and several hiking trails. Be careful however if you have a problem with heights because of either anxiety or altitude issues since it is about 10,500 ft. High and sometimes a bit icy. But the views are amazing and the whole trip along the highway is beautiful.

Being surrounded with parks like Bryce Canyon, Kanab and Zion it's very easy to miss this place. There is so much to see in this part of the country. But this place is worth the short drive off of the I-15. It has breathtaking vistas and is easy to get to. During the weekends, the Forestry Staff holds lots of activities to do that are a ton of fun things including Astronomy, flower identification and other activities. The staff here is fantastic. It isn't as big as most national parks but this is something to behold. And when you are done there are lots of cool places to see and eat at in both Brianhead and Cedar City!

This place is spectacular! We stop by here on our way to Bryce national park, and didn't expected to be so beautiful. The view point area was well-maintained and had railings that gives you a pretty comprehensive 360° view of the monument. Easy parking, but the bathrooms there are currently closed due to Covid. It's super close to Brian head ski resort, definitely stop by if you're going skiing. Good photo opportunity!

I feel like I'm running out of words to describe the beauty in nature. Okay, how about this: Astonishing! Is that too cheesy?! I just feel like saying beautiful, amazing, gorgeous, and stunning probably aren't even enough to truly describe Cedar Break National Monument. It's all of that and so much more. I can't believe that I was planning on shortchanging this monument! I'm so glad that the park ranger talked me into spending my day here because a few hours really isn't enough time, even with the park being on the smaller side. Cedar Breaks National Monument is just a short 30 minute drive outside of Cedar City, but it's located 10,000 feet above sea level. It's a natural amphitheater comprised of thousands of multicolored hoodoos and unique rock formations. The park itself is quite small and many of its' popular trails and landmarks can be seen in a day or two. But there's lots to explore and people often camp here too. I did a 4 mile out and back hike down to Lampart's Overlook and enjoyed every single second of it. It felt like I was looking at a painting with each and every turn, except this was real life. It just doesn't even seem real. The fact that there's an amphitheater of natural hoodoos like this just blows my mind. It's truly exceptional and I just couldn't take my eyes off this beauty. The hike to Lampart's Overlook starts out near the information center (you'll see a sign that says Trailhead Spectra Point Lampart's Overlook). The trail starts off with an insane view of the amphitheater. In my mind I was thinking: Can it even get better than this?! Oh, but it does. The trail begins to gently incline around the perimeter of the canyon while casting some terrific angle views of the amphitheater. Soon, you'll find yourself immersed within a vibrant bristlecone pine tree forest amongst colorful wildflowers and the cutest little squirrels and chipmunks. The forest will then open up the first mile marker known as Spectra Point which will afford you sweeping views of the hoodoo canyon and Dixie National Forest. Get your camera ready! Most people who visit the park will stop here and then turn around for a short but sweet 2 mile hike. I decided to make it worth my while and hike down Lampart's Outlook because... well, why not?! The hike will begin to decline rapidly back down into the forest along a few switchbacks and a narrow pathway until you reach Lampart's Overlook. Here, you'll feel like you're literally right next to the hoodoos. I was up and close and personal and it felt amazing. Took a lunch break at this point while enjoying the view, and then headed back up to the parking lot. The hike back up is much more challenging on the way back. If you're not into hiking or if you want to add some scenic stops to your visit, take the 8 mile drive throughout the part and stop at the 3 major vista points along the road (Sunset View, Chessman Ridge, and North View). Each vista point gives way to a different but equally stunning view of the amphitheater. I personally enjoyed the view from the Sunset View Overlook the most because it allows you to see right into the bottom crevices of the canyon. Just gorgeous views all around this park. You really can't lose. There's also a loop trail that circles the Alpine Pond, but I was short on time couldn't explore it this time around. Restrooms are located near the entrance of the park behind the information center, and there's a small gift shop as well. The rangers are super informative and friendly here. It's $10 to visit if you don't have a pass (make sure you to show your pass to the park ranger at the information center). The park ranger will also provide you with a map and suggestions for hikes and/or activities. One thing to note is that if you aren't used to the elevation gain, you may find it harder to breathe. I literally felt like I was gasping for air while just walking during some points. Just take your time and enjoy the park. Because it's so high above sea level, it tends to stay cooler. It was around low to mid 70's when I went in early August which was perfect. Would recommend to dress in layers but still bring sunscreen and of course water because the sun will still be out. I'm so glad that I added Cedar Breaks to my list of places to visit while I was in Utah. I would definitely come back again to explore the rest of the park that I didn't get a chance to see.

Absolutely breathtaking with a lot less people. Stunning views especially the first overlook. We did the alpine pond trail counter clockwise starting lower so it would be less of a climb and it was beautiful. Excellent visitor center with friendly staff. Going back to explore more in depth. We stayed in Brian head and next morning got up to make our way to red canyon and kodachrome with a beautiful drive past panguitch lake. Be sure to drive up to Vista point just outside the park. You can see four states at the top just take your time on the road.

I visited here with a friend of 40 years, we were co-celebrating a big birthday. What a magnificent place. My experience has been that in order to get views like the ones at Cedar Breaks, you have to do a long arduous hike. Not here, the views are right there as soon as you arrive. We did an easy hike and were rewarded with the most breathtaking views I've ever experienced. I will drag all of my friends here, one by one!!!

Stunning National Monument. Totally worth the half hour drive off I-15 even if you're only passing thru. National Park entry fee required. Colorful canyon views, abundant wildflowers, and numerous easy hiking paths. Highly recommend.

This is definitely worth seeing! The view is amazing! It can be a little windy at the top so bring some layers. And if drive through in the evening watch for deer.

This National park is small but breathtaking! The alpine lake trail is gorgeous. Come during wildflower season to really get an incredible experience. The trails are well maintained and great for kids and older adults. The visitor center has a nice selection of gifts.

Stunning views! None of the pictures do it justice. Lots of deer and wildflowers too. Well, well, well worth the visit - a national treasure for sure!!

It's a mini-Bryce Canyon! Located at over 10,000 feet elevation, Cedar Breaks offers beautiful views with great hiking. After entering the park, it's a short distance to the main parking lot where the hiking trails begin for Spectra Point and Ramparts Overlook. The parking fee is on the honor system. They provide envelopes to pay fees or to write your National Parks Pass number on. It starts at the same point and follows the same trail for both points of interest. The dirt trail hike is about half around the rim and half through the trees. Once you reach Spectra Point, you can continue on for another mile to the Ramparts Overlook. Both points give your a spectacular view. It's not a strenuous hike so I wouldn't suggest bringing the poles. There are some steep drop offs along the trail to keep a close eye on children getting too close to the edge. Just like most of our National Parks, Cedar Breaks is a wonderful place to be in touch with nature.

I didn't even know this place existed until some colleagues and I went to Zion on a road trip and someone suggested taking the scenic route to visit here before we headed home to Vegas. Try to time your visit around sunset because the views are just incredible! The park itself is fairly small, but they do allow camping. Signage indicates that this is one of the NPS fee areas but if the station is closed for the day you can still go in. Consider grabbing a sweater before you step out of the car, because even just coming from Zion (about an hour?), the temperature dropped from 92 to 46- which is reason enough to come after making it through the summer temperatures. Use this info responsibly though, so this place doesn't get crowded!

A nice condominium complex. We stayed in a studio that was decorated well. The hot tub and pool was nice to use. The restaurant service was perfect and the food pretty good. We played pool one evening. The staff was always helpful and friendly. We stayed late summer.

When you think of Utah, you think of so many parks to visit, trails to hike, slopes to ski, and stunning vistas to view. We were seeking an escape from the Las Vegas summer temperatures so we headed north up to Brianhead and Cedar Breaks National Monument. I had been through here before but never stopped to take in the amazing, colorful, transcendent views of this place. The monument is filled with geological formations, hoodoos and edges that drop out from underneath you! The weather was perfect for hiking so off we went. We started out on the Alpine Pond trail which has an upper and lower trail. We opted for the lower trail and I am so glad we did since the lower trail provided the best vistas for viewing the vast canyon. In addition, there were a ton of beautiful Noble fir trees, wildflowers of every color imaginable, aspen trees singing with their leaves and a wild animal or two. We actually spotted several chipmunks and we saw a mule deer doe as well. We came upon the beautiful alpine pond and then made our way to the next trail. The trails are marked well and although there were quite a few people in the park, you still could find areas where you were alone. After lunch, we hiked the easy Sunset Trail which took us to the visitors center and provided a chance to check out the campground for future trips. The visitors center is small, but the Rangers are very educated and can answer all your questions. There is of course the fee for the park or you can show your National Park pass. Plenty of parking at the visitors center and restrooms are available as well. Depending on the weather, they have star shows at night at the visitors center where there are large telescopes set up for viewing The Milky Way, Jupiter etc. The next day, we chose to hike the Spectra Point Trail. This trail leads you out onto the rim of the canyon and the views are sensational. The hike itself is only a two miles round trip but well worth it just for the photographic advantages provided at every step. In addition, this trail leads to the Rampart Overlook which is another mile from Spectra Point. This trail is filled with gorgeous, and commanding Bristlecone pine trees. These hikes are easy to moderate for those that are not use to hiking. This trip was worth it in so many ways. It was not too crowded, weather was perfectly comfortable, and only 3.5 hours away from home. I plan to return in the fall to enjoy the fall colors. This monument is a treasure!

Our first day in Utah and I found that if we took a not-too-circuitous route, I could drive us up from Cedar City to Cedar Breaks National Monument. It was incorrectly named 'Cedar' because of the many fir trees, and (I didn't know this) 'Breaks', which means a place that's mostly uninhabitable. Like "badlands". But it was breathtaking place. The elevation was incredible. At one point we were standing at 10,500 feet. And the weather was perfect. The views were vast, colorful and unspoiled. We did a 2 mile hike on the Spectra Point Trail. Bristlecone pines, one of the longest-living species of trees, are found along this trail. The oldest known tree in the monument is over 1,600 years old! At 10,500 feet, this hike is moderately strenuous but well worth it for our first hiking trip in Utah.

I was told by 2 of my friends on the same day that if I stopped in Cedar City, that I needed to go visit Cedar Breaks. It is only about 30 minutes from Cedar City. We arrived at about 6:30 PM. It was perfect summer evening with enough daylight to see the sights. The visitor center was closed and all the park rangers had gone home. Entrance was only $5 per person at the booth. But, since we arrived when everything was closed, they had envelopes where you could pay on the "honor system". Parking was easy with the Visitor's Center already closed. We parked in front, hopped out the car, walked past the Visitor's Center to the nice overlook. The scenery there was absolutely amazing. The other late park visitors were nice and helped us to take photos. The little I saw of Cedar Breaks was nice. Hopefully, the next time I go there, I can get there a little earlier and explore a little more.

What a gorgeous underrated place! Although it is smaller compared to it's neighboring National Parks, the views at this place cannot be beat. There are a few major viewpoints and trails to enjoy, and a nice, small visitor center paired with an outstanding view.

Having hit the big parks in the past, we decided to do a road trip to the "lesser known" parks. After driving thru the chaos of Zion, it was great to escape to Cedar Breaks. The amphitheater was stunning. Around every corner was another breathtaking view. The Ramparts trail to Spectra point lead down into the amphitheater. Only 3 trails in park. Definitely worth a good day to enjoy!

Jr. loves nature. The park and the scenic drive is North-South and the Visitor center is on the south entrance. (If you come from Cedar City). All the vista point (overlook) are on the west side, so I would suggest you drive up to the North View overlook and then drive back for each overlook, that way its easier not to miss any, Entrance fee: $4 per person, pay at the booth before Visitor center. Valid for 7 days. Visitor Center and restrooms: Opens Daily 9am - 6pm restroom is flush toilet to my surprise!!! There are total 4 trails and 4 overlook. -Spectra Point/Ramparts Overlook Trail (difficult) -Rattlesnake Creek Trail (difficult) -Campground Trail (very easy, paved, totally flat, wasn't really think it as a trail. It starts from Visitor Center, like Grand Canyon, the paved trail takes you to have a mile round trip view of the amphitheater). Also this is the ONLY trail that allow dogs, must be leashed. *Alpine Pond Nature Trail (easy to moderate) Alpine pond trail (Upper and lower) its a 2-miles double loop trail. The lower trail is easier than the upper one with less elevation gain also the scenery is more beautiful. At least for early Sep, the color of lower trail is more pretty. This is a MUST see if you have some time. All the Overlook are just few steps from the parking lot. -North View Overlook -Chessman overlook (seem the most popular one) -Sunset View -Point Supreme We did Alpine Pond Trail, Campground trail and stopped at all 4 overlooks, totally took us about 3.5 hours in the park, I walked extremely slow on the trail because the above 10000 ft elevation made me slightly short of breath but I do enjoy the Alpine Pond Trail very much. This is NOT a big park, driving from south to north end only took about 15 mins. I do see why some people think it's boring if you just drive and stop at all overlook you probably can done it in 1 hr. The park is at above 10000 ft elevation so the weather is colder than the ground.It was a very hot Labor Day weekend St George UT was over 100 degree but Cedar Break was under 80. It was started getting chill after 5pm. Be sure you have jacket even when it is summer. Scenic Drive (Utah Highway 148) Open from late May until the first heavy snowfall, usually in mid-November Check the road condition before you go. Best place to escape the heat of endless summer! * no cell phone reception after some point at Main street connect to hwy 14. (Verizon)

We forgot to book the shuttle in Zion nand decided to come here. Not so crowded as Bryce and Zion and drive is very scenic too. Trails are easy and have plenty breathtaking scenes. Thank

Late September. A rainy, misty morning, a magnificent drive to get there, through the Dixie Forest with her brilliant autumn colors of red, orange and golden aspens and rich green conifer forests. Mother Nature had been unsure of how to behave, but once we finally got there, the low lying clouds began to roll in and the rain drops started to pound. We got to see the frighteningly deep, raw gorge from the only lookout that was not yet swallowed up in clouds, and it was getting quite cold and windy. So colorful, so magnificent, so uncrowded, but Cedar Breaks was already preparing for Winter and she was not hospitable. Even the Visitor's Center was closed for the season. Fifteen minutes and we found ourselves engulfed in clouds; there was no more scenic drive around the gorge for us. We turned around and headed back into Panguitch and over towards Bryce and Kodachrome where the weather was still friendly.

Cedar Breaks is a great day visit from Las Vegas... But, if you want to camp, they also have an amazing campground!. Located about 1/2 mile from the visitors center. It has spaces for both tents and RVs, a great restroom & shower, fire rings, tables, trash contains, and if you forgot...firewood for sale from the camp host. ($3 a bucket our last visit). We had limited cell service IF you need it. However, it is great to detach from tech a few days. We were there 3 days, ($14 a day and $7 if a senior), in the 1st part of Aug. and the high was in the mid 60's every day. Sites 12, 13, 14 have an amazing view, but the sheep nearby might keep you awake all night, bleating.

Gorgeous. Stunning. Breathtaking. These are some words I can use to describe this place, but you'll have to see you for yourself. I was informed about this place from my AirBnb hosts at Brian Head who told me that I should visit Cedar Breaks since I will be arriving late afternoon and I wouldn't be able to make it to Bryce in time to make the best of the day light. Cedar Breaks was only a quick 15 minute drive compared to Bryce Canyon which was a little over an hour. I've never heard of this place, but the pictures on Google made it worth checking out and I'm so glad I did. We came back to visit before we left and saw snow just sprinkling the mountains. If you visit their visitor center, you can stay warm and have a great view also! The entrance fee is $6.00 a person or if you have an annual pass, the card holder and 3 others get in for free. There are dog friendly trails, but you have to stay on the paved trails. There's one paved trail that's about a mile long and you basically walk along the side of the mountain to the outlook.

This is about 35 to 40 minutes outside of Cedar City, Utah. It is a canyon featuring various geological formations. This park offers a picnic area, hiking trails, scenic view points and a campground. It is a fee area so make sure you bring cash or a credit card. Also, check the weather report prior to visiting and layer your clothing because the temperatures can shift quickly.

If you don't have the time to visit Bryce Canyon, you can cheat and visit Cedar Breaks instead. It has some of the same orange rock formations and it doesn't have the crowds of Bryce, either. It's a takeout version of your favorite restaurant meal. Plus, the sites are close to their respective parking areas so if you are embarrassingly lazy then you can think of this as nature's own drive-in movie.

We were staying in Duck Creek over the 4th of July and wanted to explore the nearby sights. Cedar Breaks National Monument is only about 20 minutes from Duck Creek and is dog friendly as long as your pup is on a leash and stays on the paved paths. It was nice that we didn't have to pay an entrance fee since we had our military national parks pass. Absolutely breathtaking scenery!

Only bad thing about posting a review, I don't want it to get too popular. The nice thing was we went middle of summer on a weekend and it wasn't crowded. So much better than the national parks. This was the best couples getaway I've had. Most breathtaking views, feeling close to Gods grand designs in such a small area. Absolutely loved the camping area. Good accommodations and so close to walk to the visitors center, hiking trails, and the scenic overlooks. Awesome place!! Definitely going again.

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a gem! What a beautiful place!! There are two hiking trails from or near the Visitor Center area. The Spectra Point Trail goes out a mile, losing some elevation on the way. If you want a more difficult hike, you can continue to Ramparts Overlook, another mile but with an elevation drop of over 300 feet. That makes two miles coming back with an elevation gain of about 500 feet. That's a tough return for people not accustomed to the 10,000+ foot elevation of Cedar Breaks. The other hiking trail is the Alpine Pond. This hike is about 2 miles beyond the visitor center and can be done as a 2.25 mile figure eight loop taking the Upper and Lower trails at different places. Buy the $1 trail map and it will explain the things you see along the way. There are numbered logs with matching descriptions in the guide. This is a special place!

I am so in love with this place. When it's over 100 degrees in Vegas and you need some cooler air, this place is just over 3 hours away and on 7/4/2016 it was only 65 degrees. Absolute perfection. The breeze was blowing and life was truly beautiful. This is a fairly small park and that's what I enjoyed most about it. Not too many people around, especially on a national holiday. There are several trails and we decided to go to the pond and walk through the fields of flowers which is just over 2 miles round trip. This trail is an absolute must as you walk along the canyon. Stunning views in all directions. The pond is so beautiful and surrounded by trees and so many different types of flowers. All the aromas in the air consume you. I will be back & I'm definitely bringing my mom as she appreciates this type of stuff as much as I do. On a side note, this park is located right next to Brian Head and that's another little town that shouldn't be missed. Come see both places for a cooler weekend in the summer.

Beautiful high elevations so be mindful of this. I'd like to come back for a camping trip. Great hikes easy for those who have children.

Expect more than cedars! In fact, there are none. Most of the trees are pinyon pine and Utah junipers - but there are also bristlecone pine trees, which are thousands of years old (but still younger than the ones I've seen in Nevada and California). Several short hikes are available as well as many views. It is also possible to hike from a nearby viewpoint to the area where people need to pay the ranger (for those who don't have an annual parks pass letting them visit all national parks and monuments and seashores that charge an entrance fee). The most popular hike is along the rim - for 1-2 miles (each way) to Spectra Point or Ramparts Overlook (to see the bristlecone pines up close). Allow an hour or more - due to elevation, terrains, and the desire to stop and take photos along the way. Views are not really much better than from visitors center- just different. You can see the bristle cones from afar (and photos of them in the visitors center). Also popular is the alpine pond trail - from Chessmen Ridge Overlook - with a short loop possible if you don't want to go all the way to the North Alpine parking lot. Water refill at visitor center ranger station is shut off from first forecast freeze (later September/early October) until summer - because pipes are not insulated. Water in (pit toilet) restroom sinks is on - and exact same quality as refill station. Cell phone service is intermittent and very unreliable. If you are really lucky you might see pika. On the drive up you might also see domestic sheep. I think the best view is from the North View Overlook. Starting October 1st snow tires or chains are required. This is a popular place for snowmobiling. There is also a campground.

Cedar Breaks is in many ways a smaller and more intimate version of Bryce Canyon. It is higher in elevation, with the overlooks iat 10300 to 10500 feet of elevation. A short walk uphill will put many out of breath, since most of us do not live at such elevations. Anyway when we arrived the main parking area was full so we dropped down to the overflow area and hiked the quarter mile trail back to the main area, including Point Supreme. Then we went back to the car and had our picnic lunch inside, because it was too cold to eat outside in mid--September. After lunch we walked the Sunset Trail both ways before moving the car to all of the viewpoints heading north. Each viewpoint gave a different perspective and along the way we saw plants and animals that live in the park. It was a very worthwhile time in the National Monument and recommend it to anyone visiting the area, including those visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.

Great place to visit. The rangers were excellent and very informative. It's really a little version of Bryce Canyon NP. At 10,300 ft it was a nice break for the warmer temps in Cedar City. If your in the area it's worth the trip up the mountain to get there. Definitely recommend. Additionally, there are several nice scenic drives in and around the area.

We love escaping the Las Vegas heat every summer to camp here. The Cedar Breaks view is absolutely amazing. You can hike a 1/2 mile one way from the campsite to one of the overlooks. Bryan Head is a short drive away if you need anything. At night, the sky is the best view ever! If you get the chance, join in on the summer night star party. Point Supereme Campground is one my my favorite places to camp! It's so peaceful and quaint. The flushing toilets, free showers and firewood for a small donation is so convenient. The elevation is definitely something to get used to, but it's worth it. Every weekend the ranger hosts an educational session in the amputheater. The last time we learned about the spruce bark beetles. You won't regret it.

National Memorials are a funny thing under the National Parks service because each one can be so different.  Cedar Breaks was not what I was expecting, but this Memorial seems to be easily overlooked.  It's well worth pulling over to see this interesting point. After pulling into parking lot, walk along a short path to an overlook called Point Supreme, which is at 10,350 feet.  After driving through forests to get here, I had no idea I would come upon this beautiful sight.  There are also a few trails to walk around, but we just took in the sights on our visit. Don't look at the photos and just come for the surprise!

Been here a few times, this is my first time checking in. Just got my NPS Passport book and wanted a stamp, not to mention Cedar Breaks isn't far from Cedar City. Look out for the signs because it's very easy to miss the turnoff as we learned the hard way and got lost deep into Kane County before we realized. The park wasn't to crowded, they did have some activities by the visitor office, the park volunteers and employees were super friendly! They had these telescopes set up by the office to look at sun spots and eruptions on the sun, pretty bad ass narration by the astronomer guide. Very informative. On to the hike!! It's not to crazy, at least for me it isn't. Spectra Point is about a mile, not to much elevation gain. Definitly check out the 1600 year old bristle cone on the way to the overlook, can't miss it as I included a picture along with this review. The overlook is an awesome picture spot as it offers a scenic view of the natural amphitheatre. A little less than a mile and a half more toward the Ramparts Overlook is definitely more challenging. It offered about a 1100 ft elevation gain on the way back. At 10k feet above sea level this can be challenging for some people. You can hear the Shooting Star Creek along this trail which isn't far down the hill. Overall not to strenous but for sure worth a visit if you never been here and like to visit national parks. Took us about 2 hours but that included farting around the visitor's center. If your in Cedar City bring some proper footwear and go for the drive and check out Cedar Breaks, you might catch a Marmot whistling at you!

Breathtaking park. Very beautiful views of the surrounding area. Great trails with wildflowers and interesting wildlife.

We loved Cedar Breaks! A great place to visit in summer due to its cooler temperatures due to its elevation (over 10,000 feet). Similar geology to Bryce Canyon, but without: 1. The throngs of crowds of Bryce 2. The hiking trails down into the hoodoos (all hikes are along the rim) The Alpine Pond loop is great - about 2 miles, with several overlooks, a crystal clear alpine pond and many cool trees to photograph. Good for families but remember to drink water ! Also, at over 10,000 feet in elevation, you may notice you lose your breath more easily than at lower elevations. Our family participated in the Junior Ranger program here and loved completing our workbooks. All National Parks and National Monuments offer these programs and they are great fun and informative for kids of all ages.

One of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. We didn't have time to hike through the trails we wanted at Cedar Breaks, but luckily there are several different vantage points that you can drive to in order to get different views of the amphitheater. The colors and the formations are magnificent. I saw the sunset here and stayed until dark to watch the stars in early December. Due to the high elevation, it was freezing, but I would willingly do it again. The roads may or may not be closed during that time of year depending on the weather. At that time, Google maps told us that the roads were closed, but they weren't because the weather conditions weren't bad at all. Cedar breaks is an international dark sky park and if you ever get the opportunity, do stay to see it for yourself. For the first time, I understood what it meant for stars to twinkle. I'm at a loss for words to describe how beautiful and surreal it felt to see that many stars. It's definitely something you need to experience for yourself.

Worth the drive. It is a bit cold. Plenty of walking space. Easy to get to. The walk is well paved and easy to use. I went before sunset and the gold light enhance the warm tones of the rocks.

DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE. EYE-POPPING TERRAIN. Just a short drive off of the main highway cutting through the Dixie forest. Coming from St. George, you can visit this place as you are going to Bryce Canyon NP. Just look at the photos.

Cedar Breaks looks a lot like Bryce Canyon -- mostly because it is made of the same rocks. If the crowds at Bryce drive you crazy, you can breathe easily here. Note that you won't be able to go directly into the amphitheater. Park rangers can tell you a route in the Dixie National Forest where you can climb into the lower extremities. Climbers should note that this is not climbing rock: it breaks easily. There are no facilities other than a campground and a tiny visitor center. Don't make plans to come in winter: heavy snows keep the monument closed at this 10,650 foot elevation. Tired of looking at hoodoos? Hike the rimside Alpine Pond Nature Trail which takes you into an evocative forest filled with wildflowers, aspens, pines, and -- as advertised -- a pond.

How can you give Mother Nature anything but 5 stars? You can't! I love this place! Especially during the Wild Flower Festival in July! I love how the rangers are so involved with the kids and offer so many educational things! So beautiful and worth the drive!

Absolutely beautiful spot in Southern Utah. A pretty easy drive up from I-15 (in the summer) despite the 10000 ft + elevation. We were happy to make this the first destination of Epic Road Trip '10 because we had missed it on Epic Road Trip '07 (It was late November and it was questionable if the road thru the park would be open or snowed in...however if you like to cross-country ski or snowshoe I understand it's also a nice visit in the winter!) We arrived on a Thursday evening and were hoping to find a campsite in the first-come-first-served campground. We had planned to arrive much, much earlier in the day but you know how plans are...well we were pleased to find that only a small fraction of the 28 campsites were occupied. Also it was about 20-25 degrees cooler than it was down in Cedar City - very refreshing! Nice, quiet, small campground (with running water and flush toilets!) and I understand that there's a ranger program on weekend nights this summer. They have a nice visitors center, knowledgable rangers, and incredible overlooks. We attended both a ranger program about lightning and a nature walk with a volunteer naturalist about all of the wildflowers that were in bloom. The road that runs right through the park has several stops for scenic overlooks or short hikes, and leaves the park going north toward Brian Head ski area. There were a good amount of people at the visitors center but not by any means what I would call crowded. However at the stops along the scenic drive route we only saw about three other cars and saw almost nobody on the trail we hiked. I found this surprising considering the proximity to Bryce and Zion.