Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah


Cedar Breaks National Monument is one of those places that you might just miss as you zip along. On our trip to Yellowstone we passed by here on our trip through Utah. The only thing that alerts you to this interesting area is a small parking lot and sign pointing you to an overlook. There is one ranger station and one small visitor's center. You walk to all the viewpoints from adjacent parking lots, but the walk is short. This area looks like a cross between the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon. According to the official NPS Web site, Cedar Breaks is 2000 feet deep with a rim at 10,000 feet elevation and its 3 miles long. Its worth a stop just to be surprised at the view from the rim.

We were there on a late rainy afternoon and almost didn't stop because of the rain, however it let up enough to get a few shots. The most stunning portion is the drive through the meadow area before you suddenly hit civilization and rows of ski lodges, because this is near one of Utah's more popular ski areas.


As it implies, paying to enter Cedar Breaks is voluntary. There is no official entrance station because there really isn't a road into the monument, basically only around it.

This is actually a walkway to the main overlook, visitor's center and museum. It looks like at one time you would have driven in since the remnants of a parking lot are still there.

A shot from the main overlook. The colors of the valley change with the direction of the light.

This shot gives you some idea of the depth. Not nearly as deep as the Grand Canyon, but surprising for this area.

Another view as the dark clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped.

This is actually dust from a landslide. I have no idea what started it, perhaps an animal, but the rangers were at first concerned because it looked like smoke.

As the sun came in and out the colors changed. This shows how vivid they would be on a sunny day.

A shot from a different view pint. There are several on the road around the monument.

A better view down into the canyon showing how erosion sculpted the interesting shapes.

An alpine medow adjacent to the canyon. There are few areas to pull off to fully appreciate the view.

Another meadow. Note how empty the road is. No cars, no people, and no animals. Still, it was a beautiful area.

Our last view of Cedar Breaks National Monument before the road departed the area and the rains came!


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All information and photos Copyright © 1999-2011 John R. Powell

updated 8/25/2011