Cedar Breaks National Monument takes a little extra effort to reach, but it's worth it/Rob Whitmore via NPS

At Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah you can stand at 10,000 feet elevation on the rim of a spectacular 2,000-foot deep amphitheater of eroded rock stretching a width of about three miles. You will marvel at the dramatic shapes of the columns and spires, and at the reds, yellows and oranges of the stone formations.

Here you can view 1,600-year-old bristlecone pines; revel in one of the showiest summer wildflower displays you have ever seen; hike in beautiful lush woods; walk through wildflower meadows; hike the rim of the spectacular amphitheater; or enjoy a picnic at serene, spring-fed Alpine Pond. The woods and alpine meadows of the mountains are also a wonderful place to escape the summer heat.

Cedar Breaks is fun to visit any time of year. While the park road is closed for about five months through the winter when several feet of snow blanket the mountains, winter sports here draw snowshoe, snowmobile, and cross-country ski enthusiasts. The park road opened this year on May 9, and visitor facilities on May 22.

Summer is both very special and packed with activities.

At this high elevation, wildflowers begin to bloom in late May and reach their peak in mid July, continuing on through August. In fact, Cedar Breaks draws visitors from around the world for its magnificent wildflower display. Its annual Wildflower Festival runs through July 19. Multiple ranger talks and guided walks are offered daily. Evening programs are offered in July and August, and there are additional activities during the Wildflower Festival. More activities oriented to the whole family are offered on weekends.

Drive the six-mile scenic drive with its five turnouts and overlooks for viewing the amphitheater. Or hike one of the monument’s four trails. The monument itself offers only six-and-a-half miles of hiking trails, but many other hiking opportunities are found nearby. Late September brings spectacular fall color to the high country.

The national monument has developed three free smart phone apps to help visitors enjoy and learn more about the monument: a Wildflowers of Cedar Breaks app, a Scenic Drive app, and an Alpine Pond Trail app.

This year the monument is sponsoring its first Plein Air Art Festival July 24-August 1. The festival will include artists’ demonstrations, and original works from participating artists will be on display and for sale July 31.

Cedar Breaks has one of the darkest skies in North America, and star-gazing parties are held weekly on Saturday nights and on the full moon in summer.

There is one campground in the monument, with 25 sites and accommodations for both tents and RVs. 

If you are traveling anywhere in southern Utah during the summer, consider a day or more at Cedar Breaks. The monument is an easy drive from several other popular national park destinations. It is only 57 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park and 64 miles from Zion National Park. Six miles down the road you'll find the ski resort town of Brian Head, while a 24-mile drive takes you to Cedar City, a popular summer destination thanks to its Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Being smaller and somewhat “off the beaten track,” Cedar Breaks is equally spectacular, offers some unique experiences, but is far less congested with visitors and traffic than nearby Bryce and Zion. All three routes leading to Cedar Breaks, from the east, west, and north, are national scenic byways.