Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [470]
The national monument is 23 miles east of Cedar City, 56 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park, and 247 miles south of Salt Lake City. If you're coming from Bryce Canyon or other points east, the park is accessible from the town of Panguitch on Utah 143. If you're coming from the north, take the Parowan exit off I-15 and head south on Utah 143. It's a steep climb from whichever direction you choose, so take care, especially if your vehicle is prone to vapor lock or (like many motor homes) to loss of power on hills.
Information & Visitor Center. One mile from the south entrance gate is the visitor center, open daily from early June through Labor Day 8am to 6pm and Labor Day through mid-October 9am to 5:30pm (closed the rest of the year). The visitor center has exhibits on the geology, flora, and fauna of Cedar Breaks. You can purchase books and maps here, and rangers can help you plan your visit. For information, contact the Superintendent, Cedar Breaks National Monument, 2390 W. Utah 56, Suite 11, Cedar City, UT 84720-4151 (☎ 435/586-9451; www.nps.gov/cebr).
Fees. Admission is $4 per person for adults, free for children under 17. Camping costs $14 per night.
Health & Safety Concerns. The high elevation—10,350 feet at the visitor center—is likely to cause shortness of breath and tiredness. Those with heart or respiratory conditions should consult their doctors before making the trip to Cedar Breaks. During thunderstorms, avoid overlooks and other high, exposed areas—they're often targets for lightning.
Ranger Programs. During the monument's short summer season, rangers offer nightly campfire talks at the campground; talks on the area's geology at Point Supreme, a view point near the visitor center (daily on the hour from 10am–5pm); and guided hikes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. A complete schedule is posted at the visitor center and the campground.
EXPLORING CEDAR BREAKS BY CAR
The 5-mile road through Cedar Breaks National Monument offers easy access to the monument's scenic overlooks and trailheads. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to make the drive. Start at the visitor center and nearby Point Supreme for a panoramic view of the amphitheater. Then drive north, past the campground and picnic ground turnoff, to Sunset View, for a closer look at the amphitheater and its colorful canyons. From each of these overlooks you'll be able to see out across Cedar Valley, over the Antelope and Black mountains, and into the Escalante Desert.
Continue north to Chessman Ridge Overlook, so named because the stone hoodoos directly below the overlook seem like massive chess pieces. Watch for swallows and swifts soaring among the rock formations. Back in your car, head north to Alpine Pond, to walk among the wildflowers on the self-guided nature trail (see "Hiking," below). Finally, proceed to North View, which offers perhaps the best views of the amphitheater and its stately rock statues.
SUMMER SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
Hiking. There are no trails from the rim to the bottom of the amphitheater, but the monument does have two high-country trails. The fairly easy 2-mile Alpine Pond Trail loop leads through woodlands of bristlecone pines to a picturesque forest glade and a pond surrounded by wildflowers, offering panoramic views of the amphitheater along the way. A trail guide pamphlet is available at the trailhead.
A somewhat more challenging hike, the 4-mile Spectra Point Trail (also called the Ramparts Trail) follows the rim more closely than the Alpine Pond Trail, offering changing views of the colorful rock formations. It also takes you through fields of wildflowers and by bristlecone pines that are more than 1,500 years old. You'll need to be especially careful of your footing along the exposed cliff edges, and allow yourself some time to