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The Cedar Breaks Visitor Center is open from early June to mid-October daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. All visitor facilities are closed from mid-October through late May. The Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive remains open to vehicular traffic until snow and heavy drifting occur, normally anywhere from late October to early December. Please call 435-586-9451 to check the status of the road before traveling to Cedar Breaks during this time.

On August 22, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Cedar Breaks as a National Monument.

People have been visiting the Cedar Breaks area for at least 9,000 years. Seasonal campsites left by Desert Archaic people indicate that they came to hunt and to collect chert on the lower slopes of Brian Head Peak. Chert can easily be fashioned into arrowheads and other tools; archeological evidence suggests that the Desert Archaic people collected it primarily for use as a trade item. Since that time, visitors to the area have enjoyed its resources in a variety of ways.

European Americans had settled below Brian Head Peak by 1868. Because most of the settlers were of Irish descent, the area became known as “Little Ireland.” Like the Desert Archaic people before them, their habitation of the high plateau was seasonal: most families owned small herds of dairy cattle which they moved up to the mountains for summer pasture.

By 1921, the Adams Family had built a lodge, known as “Minnie’s Mansion,” in what is now the northern section of the Monument. The Mansion offered dining, lodging, and dancing to area residents. Old timers recall that people came from as far away as Nevada to attend Utah Pioneer Day celebrations on July 24. Minnie’s Mansion was short-lived—the summer seasons weren’t long enough to turn a profit, and the establishment closed within five years. Today only traces of its foundations can be found. By the time Minnie’s Mansion ceased operation, a new establishment had opened on the south rim of Cedar Breaks: Cedar Breaks Lodge.

Cedar Breaks Lodge was built in 1924 and owned by the Utah Parks Company (a part of the Union Pacific Railroad). These lodges were built within the parks in hopes of attracting rail passengers to visit these various parks and to attract more people to ride the trains. A tour was offered of Zion, Bryce, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and Cedar Breaks. “Dudes,” as the tourists were known, traveled in small tour buses driven by “gear-jammers.” All of the lodges in the Utah Parks Company were designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. The lodge at Cedar Breaks was the smallest out of all the lodges visited. Utah Parks tour buses stopped at Cedar Breaks for dinner before heading back to the train depot in Cedar City. A dollar twenty-five bought a chicken dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade bread and dessert. The Lodge seated 120 people—some nights the tables were set three times to accommodate tour buses and locals who had come up to spend the evening. The Cedar Break Lodge was well known for its chicken dinners. People from Cedar City would drive up to the lodge just for the dinners.

In 1970, the Utah Parks Company donated all of the lodges to the National Park Service. It was determined that Cedar Breaks Lodge was uneconomical to maintain, and it was removed in 1972. After the lodge was torn down, there were so many protests that the National Park Service decided to keep the lodges at the other parks. Although one cannot see the lodge today at Cedar Breaks, one can feel comfort in knowing that because Cedar Breaks Lodge was torn down, the rest will remain because of the importance they are to the park visitors.

The Civilian Conservation Corps was established in 1933. It was designed to provide work for unemployed men during the Great Depression. Enrollees were young men between the ages of 18 and 25 whose families were on federal relief. They agreed to send $25 of their $30 monthly paycheck home to support their families. In addition, they received room, board, clothing, and technical training. In 1937, a detail of 27 men from the Zion CCC camp began construction on the Visitor Center and Ranger Cabin at Cedar Breaks National Monument. These structures exhibit the classic National Park Service rustic architecture. Both buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Visitor Center building since its construction has been and continues to be used as the Visitor Center for the monument. Make sure to stop at the Visitor Center to see this historic structure.

When the Southern Paiute used to occupy this region, they referred to it as “u-map-wich,” which translated to “the place where the rocks are sliding down constantly.” The Southern Paiutes range covered from the Great Basin to southern California. These desert dwellers lived beside water sources and would eat things such as grass seeds, pine nuts, agave stalks, crickets, rabbits, and other wild foods. They would grow corn and go out hunting for deer, elk, and other large mammals. The land that the Paiutes used was eventually taken by the Mormons’ to use for their crops, livestock, and settlements. The Paiute’s decline occurred from European diseases and unfamiliarity with the traditions of the Mormon populations. The Paiutes, however, left their impact on the land. Many of the land features in this area became named from various Paiute words: Markagunt Plateau.

The geology of Cedar Breaks, as some scientists believe, started around 60 million years ago. The amphitheater one can see from various viewpoints today was created through 3 geological events: deposition, uplift, and erosion.

During the Cretaceous period, the North American continent was slowly drifting towards the southwest, driven by the spreading of the ocean floor. A shallow arm of the sea stretched across most of what are now Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. The only traces of the Cretaceous seaway that remain in the area today are the marine sandstones and shales of the Straight Cliffs Formation found in the canyon below Cedar Breaks.

The result of these uplifts to the east and west was the creation of a large lake basin, 70 miles wide and 250 miles long—about the size of present-day Lake Erie. Streams flowing from the surrounding highlands washed sand, silt and mud into the basin. Algae living in the lake incorporated calcium carbonate (CaCO2) into their body structures. When they died, their remains left thick deposits of carbonate mud on the lake bottom. Freshwater snails fed in the muddy ooze. Periodically, the lake would dry up, leaving a level plain where soils formed, plants grew, and insects such as ants and wasps burrowed into the dry sediments. Streams ran across the basin, leaving lens-shaped sand and gravel deposits. Then the lake would fill with water and deposition would begin again, adding more layers of sediments.

Deposition continued, gradually filling up the basin as the surrounding highlands wore down. Trace amounts of iron derived from the source rocks combined with oxygen and water, “rusting” the sediments into warm red, orange, and yellow hues. Oxidized manganese stained some sediment purple. These sediments eventually hardened, becoming the siltstones, sandstones, and limestones of the Claron Formation.

Volcanoes then erupted first to the west and then to the north of Cedar Breaks, spewing ash into the atmosphere. Some of this ash settled into the dwindling basin left by the Claron Lake. The rocks of the Brian Head Formation are distinguished from the Claron Formation by their volcanic ash content. Further volcanic eruptions sent hot ash flow racing across the landscape; the ash welded together and then cooled to become the Isom Formation. Isolated blocks of this hard reddish-brown to gray rock can be found along the road and on the Alpine Pond trail. A later series of ash-flow tuffs, known as the Leach Canyon Formation, can be seen atop Brian Head peak north of the Monument.

On the rim of Cedar Breaks you stand at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau geologic province. Farther west you can see the flat valleys and the sharp north-south running mountain ranges that characterize the Basin and Range province. Between Cedar Breaks and the valley below, the Hurricane Fault divides the two provinces. The most dramatic episode of movement is believed by some scientists as beginning 10 million years ago. This period of faulting caused a massive block of the earth’s crust to drop to the west, forming the level valley far below. It also raised the Markagunt Plateau to its present altitude and exposed the edge of the Claron Formation to the elements. The tension that resulted from this movement caused the rock to crack; these cracks are known as joints.

Rain falls frequently during the Cedar Breaks summer. As it falls, the water combines with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, forming a weak acid. As this acidic water seeps into the vertical joints, it reacts with the calcium carbonate limestone, dissolving it and progressively widening the cracks into fissures.

Cedar Breaks National Monument gets about 250 days of freezing temperatures out of the year. This freezing process adds to the erosion of the rim of the breaks. When the temperature falls below freezing, water expands, shattering the rock. Roots work their way into the cracks, forcing their edges farther apart. The cracks in turn widen into fissures and then into gullies. Soon, there are only thin walls or fins left standing under capstones made of harder rock. These capstones act like umbrellas, protecting the fins from the elements and slowing the process of erosion. Eventually erosion wears through the sides of the fins leaving isolated pillars or “hoodoos.” Undercutting of cliffs and fins forms shallow caves and arches.

Gravity continually pulls rocks from the cliffs and draws them sliding down the slopes. Water, from snowmelt and summer rains, washes rock and debris into the valley. Sometimes the upper layers become so saturated with water that the slope fails; the sediments slide as a unit, creating a slump or landslide. Alpine Pond occupies one such slump.

The rim of the canyon is over 10,000 feet above sea level, and is forested with islands of Englemann spruce, subalpine fir and aspen; separated by broad meadows of brilliant summertime wild flowers. The bristlecone pines, one of the longest-living species of trees, are found along the Ramparts Overlook Trail. The oldest known tree in the monument is over 1,600 years old. You can also see Douglas-Fir and Limber Pines.

There are many wildflowers to be found at the Monument. In early spring you’ll find the white flower of the Marsh Marigold in wet meadows and along streams. The Indian Paintbrush is an orange to red flower that blooms all summer in the forests and meadows. May through July, lupine blooms white to light purple throughout the forests and meadows. Tiny and pink, Springbeauty is one of the first flowers to blossom as the snow melts. Yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot flowers in dry forest openings. Deep purple Larkspur grows in midsummer along streams and in wet meadows. The flower gets its name for the”spur” on the back of each bloom. One of the most dramatic plants in the park, Elkweed produces basal leaves one year and a tall stalk of greenish-white flowers the next. These are just a few of the wildflowers to be found at Cedar Breaks.

Please enjoy the wildflowers of Cedar Breaks, but remember that picking flowers (or removing any object) from National Parks and Monuments is not permitted. In order for their to be a brilliant display of wildflowers next year, this year’s wildflowers need to be able to go to seed.

Winter at Cedar Breaks can be a wonderful experience for those prepared for extreme winter conditions. Although the Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive is closed by deep snow during the winter months (late November to mid-May) and no visitor services or facilities are available, winter access into the park by skis, snowshoes, or snowmobiles is a wonderful way to experience the sub-alpine beauty of the park. Winter recreational activities begin once there is sufficient snow depth for cross-country ski, snowshoe, and snowmobile trails.

The Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive offers beautiful views of the rock formations, meadows, and forests. Four developed overlooks, and trailheads for two hiking trails, are located along the scenic drive.

There are numerous opportunities for hiking in the park. Spectra Point/Ramparts Overlook Trail is a four-mile round-trip along the rim, with spectacular views in all directions. The bristlecone pines, one of the longest-living species of trees, are found along this trail. At 10,500 feet, this hike is moderately strenuous and is not recommended for persons with cardiac or pulmonary health problems. If you just hike to Spectra Point Overlook, the trip is only a two-mile round-trip.

Alpine Pond Nature Trail is a two-mile double-loop trail through forest and meadows. The lower trail offers excellent views of the “breaks.” The upper trail takes you past meadows of native wildflowers, through spruce-fir-aspen forest, and past ancient deposits of volcanic materials. Located half-way through the loop is the Alpine pond. This natural, spring-fed pond offers visitors a quiet location to enjoy and relax. A small strand of bristlecone pines can also be viewed from this trail. The Alpine Pond is easy to moderate in difficulty. There is a self-guided trail brochure available at the trailhead and Visitor Center for $1.00. For a shorter trail, take the cut-off at the pond to make the hike a one-mile loop trail.

Rattlesnake Creek Trail is located just outside the park’s north entrance in part of the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area. This rugged trail drops 2,500 feet in four miles where it intersects with Ashdown Creek. Hikers can then follow the creek upstream into the canyons of Cedar Breaks, or follow the creek down through the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area, dropping an additional 1,000 feet over five miles to the lower trailhead at the 7-mile marker on Utah Highway 14 east of Cedar City. Trail markers are poor or non-existent in places, so hikers should be versed in map reading. Be prepared to do some wading.

Daily Programs are available from mid-June to mid-October. The programs are offered every hour from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The programs include Geology Talks and Porch Talks. The Geology Talks focus on how Cedar Breaks was formed or key features of the amphitheater. The Porch Talks focus on a variety of topics about the park including topics such as the History, Yellow-Bellied Marmot, Volcanology of the Area, and so on. The Geology Talks are offered on the even hours (10, 12, 2, and 4) and Porch Talks on the odd hours (11, 1, 3, and 5). These programs are held at the Point Supreme Overlook and the Visitor Center, respectively.

Evening Programs are offered every night from mid-June to mid-October at 9:00 p.m. at the Campground Amphitheater. It can be cool at night so remember a jacket. In case of bad weather, the programs will be moved to the Visitor Center. See a Ranger at the Visitor Center for the program being held each night. Topics cover a wide variety of subjects. Past topics include: Cedar Breaks History, Bats, Fire, Night Life, Night Sky, Owls, and Spruce Bark Beetle.

Cedar Breaks National Monument also offers a Junior Ranger Program. Prospective Junior Rangers can pick up their activity packet at the Visitor Center. The program includes identification of plants, animals, birds, and helping take care of the National Monument. Junior Rangers are presented with a badge upon successful completion of their packet.

This is also a great area to catch great fall color photos. The prime time-frame for viewing the gorgeous color is mid-September through October. Brian Head Tourism Bureau has come up with an updated fall color report for their website www.ScenicSouthernUtah.com

As you travel through the spruce/fir forests on the Markagunt Plateau, you will see thousands of dead and dying Engelmann spruce trees. These trees have been killed by the spruce bark beetle. These tiny insects, like fire, act as a natural agent of forest renewal.

The spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) is native to the spruce/fir forests of the Markagunt Plateau, and to many other spruce forests throughout the world. Generally the beetle population is small (endemic) with beetles preferring downed trees in areas of windfall, logging, or other ground disturbing activities.

These insects live most of their lives under the bark of spruce trees. Adults bore through the bark of the tree and lay their eggs in the cambium layer, just under the bark. This is the layer that transports water and nutrients between the leaves and roots of the tree. As the eggs hatch, the beetle larvae feed on the cambium tissue, cutting off the supply of nutrients to the tree, and killing it. When the beetles reach adulthood, they emerge from the tree and fly off to infest other trees.

When a healthy spruce tree is attacked by beetles it has an effective natural defense-sap. When a beetle bores into the bark, the tree begins to produce excess amounts of sap which is released into the holes bored by the insects. Normally, the sap kills the beetle and seals the wound.

However, under epidemic conditions, when thousands of beetles infest a single tree, the tree’s defense mechanism is ineffective. The needles of a beetle-infested tree will turn light green to yellow after the first year of the infestation, and then turn brown after the second year. The needles have usually dropped by the third year following the initial infestation.

Although the spruce bark beetle has always been a part of the spruce/fir forest ecosystem, the most recent research indicates that a fungal root disease may have affected the overall health of this forest, and made the trees more vulnerable to beetle attack.

Under natural conditions, periodic fires burn through the forest and suppress growth of the fungus that causes this disease, so the trees remain healthier and can defend themselves against the beetles. A century of fire suppression has allowed the fungal root disease to progress, weakening the trees so they are less successful in their defense. Other forest conditions, such as drought and downed trees from windfall and logging activities have also contributed to the explosion of the beetle population that began in this area about 1992.
Research also suggests that this spruce/fir forest renews itself on a cyclic basis every 300 to 500 years. The natural fire regime usually results in a “stand replacement” fire an average of every 330 years.

With the suppression of fire, conditions have developed to allow a different agent of renewal-the spruce bark beetle-to assume its natural role in the cycle of forest succession.

Although large areas of beetle-killed trees located on the Dixie National Forest will be logged to salvage the timber for log home construction and other uses, large-scale commercial timber harvests will not occur within the boundaries of Cedar Breaks National Monument.

The spruce bark beetle is a native insect and is part of the natural process of forest renewal. The National Park Service is mandated by Congress to preserve natural processes, as far as possible, within parks. Over time, as trees die and fall, the decaying logs provide habitat for many species of mammals, birds, and insects. As the wood decays, nutrients are released into the surrounding soil. The new openings created by falling trees allow sunlight to reach the forest floor, improving conditions for meadow grasses, forbs, and shrubs.
These are then followed by “pioneer” tree species such as quaking aspen. As the aspen grow tall and shade the soil, conditions become favorable for the germination of conifer seeds, such as spruce and fir, and the cycle continues.

Another tool of renewal in forests is fire. During a natural fire regime, with short intervals between fires, a wildland fire would normally consume brush and dead materials on forest floors leaving healthy standing trees alive.

Within overgrown, unhealthy forests fires tend to be devastating; consuming all trees and vegetation in the forest. As individual trees “torch,” the fire spreads along the top of the trees moving rapidly in a crown fire. Crown fires are very difficult to combat, making them the most devastating of all wildland fires.

The associated risks of a dead forest means the park management team must concern itself with the hazards of falling trees in developed recreational sites and unnatural levels of dead and downed wood that could fuel a wildfire. To address these concerns, a Hazard Fuel Management Project has been undertaken to reduce hazard trees and fuel levels around park buildings, recreation sites, along the road corridors, and where park boundaries adjoin private land. These trees were removed during the winter of 2002-2003 after a blanket of snow has been laid down. Snow and frozen ground conditions prevented damage to soils and other vegetation usually associated with tree removal. In 2005, the National Park Service approved a new fire management plan for Cedar Breaks National Monument that includes the use of fire as a tool for maintaining the health of this ecosystem.

At Cedar Breaks it snows about 15 feet during the winter and rains almost every day in July. Cedar Breaks National Monument gets about 250 days of freezing temperatures out of the year. The average summer temperature is high 80’s and the average winter temperature is low 40’s.

Current Park Weather

Bring adequate footwear for hiking, a hat and sunscreen, something to protect you from the cool winds, and lots of water to drink. Also, if you are participating in the winter sports, make sure you are adequately dressed for the elements and use a topographical map. Always have extra supplies with you in the event of any unforeseen difficulties.

Hikers should be versed in map reading. Be prepared to do some wading when hiking in the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area. Check the weather prior to your trip in case of flash floods within the gorge. Almost all the trails into the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area travel through private property at some point. Please respect the landholders and follow all the guidelines outlined by Leave No Trace. Major areas of private land include the northwestern end of the Potato Hollow Trail, Ashdown Creek from the beginning of the gorge east for about one mile, and all buildings located near the creek bed.

Watch for these signs of possible flash flooding: Sudden changes in water clarity from clear to muddy (may be accompanied by floating debris), rising water levels or stronger currents, build-up of clouds or sounds of thunder, an increasing roar of water up-gorge, and any deterioration in weather conditions. If you observe any of these signs, seek higher ground immediately. Do not try to beat a flash flood out of the gorge. Remain on high ground until conditions improve; water levels usually drop within 24 hours. If caught by flooding in an area with no high ground, try to take shelter behind a jutting fin of rock that can break the initial mass of water and debris. It may be possible to wedge yourself into a crack above water level. Even climbing a few feet may save your life.

Snow drifts can be 10-20 feet deep due to prevailing winds. For your safety, please contact the Monument office if you are planning a winter trip (435-586-9451). Utah State Highway 143 between Parowan and Panguitch, Utah, is kept open all winter, except during and immediately after heavy snowstorms. Snow tires and/or chains are required on this road for winter travel from November 30 through March 1.

Pets, bikes, or motorized vehicles are not allowed on any of the hiking trails located within the monument. Pets must be on a 6-foot leash at all times while in the park on the paved areas.

The visitor center, comfort stations, overlooks, picnic area and campground are all wheelchair accessible.

There are many birds to be seen at Cedar Breaks National Monument. The American Kestrel and the Golden Eagle are common sites. You will also find Mountain Chickadees, Brown Creepers, Cassin’s Finches, the Pine Grosbeak, Blue Grouses, the Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and Clark’s Nutcrackers, to name but a few. You will want to bring your binoculars for this trip and obtain a full list of birds from the Visitor Center.

Larger animals to be found are the black bear, elk, mountain lion, mule deer, bobcat, the grey and red fox, 2 types of skunks, the long-tailed weasel and the badger. Ask a ranger for the best time and place to get a peek at these animals.

You may get a glimpse of the many rodents and bats to be seen such as the Big Brown Bat, Spotted Bat, Longtail Vole, Northern Flying Squirrel, and Yellow-bellied Marmot. There are also pikas, white-tailed jackrabbits and shrews.

Black bears and elk can be potentially dangerous if startled or approached. See the Wildlife Precautions page for great animal safety tips. Please do not attempt to feed any animals or harass them in any way.

The entrance fee is $4 per person and is valid for 7 Days. This fee is for all visitors, age 16 or older, entering the park with a private, non-commercial vehicle. Children age 15 and under are free, and entrance fees are not charged to holders of a valid Interagency America the Beautiful Pass, Senior Passes, Access Passes, Cedar Breaks Annual Passes, National Parks Passes, Golden Eagle Passports, Golden Age Passports, or Golden Access Passports.

The Point Supreme Campground has 28 campsites with a fee of $14 per night and a 7 night limit. During the winter season (mid-October to late-May) no fees will be collected. Due to heavy winter snows, the campground is normally open from mid-June through the end of September. Before planning your trip to Cedar Breaks, please check the current status of the campground. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved ahead of your visit. There are no hook-ups available, although a number of sites are appropriate for larger self-contained motor homes. The campground has running water and flush toilets. Each campsite is restricted to no more than 8 people, 2 tents, and 2 vehicles.

Bryce Canyon National Park: 56 miles east

Zion National Park: 75 miles south

Grand Canyon National Park: 142 miles south

Capitol Reef National Park: 157 miles east

Dixie National Forest surrounds the Monument.

Grande Staircase-Escalante National Monument is to the east.

Visitors traveling south on I-15, exit at Parowan, then take Utah Highway 143 east, to Cedar Breaks National Monument. Visitors traveling north on I-15, exit at Cedar City, then take Utah Highway 14 east for 18 miles, then Utah Highway 148 north for 4 miles, until you reach Cedar Breaks National Monument. Visitors traveling north or south on U.S. Highway 89 can take either Utah Highway 143 from Panguitch to Cedar Breaks National Monument or Utah Highway 14 west, to Utah Highway 148 north, to Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Cedar Breaks National Monument:

By Car:

Flaggstaff, AZ – 274 miles

Las Vegas, NV – 194 miles

Denver, CO – 579 miles

Albuquerque, NM – 588 miles

Provo, UT – 208.01 miles

Salt Lake City, UT – 251 miles

Cedar Breaks National Monument
2390 W. HWY 56, Suite 11
Cedar City, UT 84720

(435)586-9451 Phone

(435)586-3813 Fax

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