Though the gaping maw of Cedar Breaks National Monument is the main attraction, there are other sides to the monument worth exploring/Kurt Repanshek
Though it's only about a two-hour drive through the countryside from Zion National Park to Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah, relatively few folks know about the monument. This short video primer provides an introduction.
While more than 4 million people visited Zion in 2016, fewer than 900,000 made the short drive over to Cedar Breaks. As a result, fewer crowds to negotiate as you explore the national monument.
Comments
Thanks Kurt. Cedar Breaks is a great little park. Should note that there are some lovely bristlecone pines in the park When it is sweltering down low, as you mention, it is always pleasant at Cedar Breaks which means that if someone is looking for a lovely, cool place to camp, the park campground is the place to be. It is also a great place to view the night sky.
I should mention that the common answer to the question, "why do they call it Cedar Breaks?" is not because of the "cedar" (juniper) trees that grow in the park area. Cedar Breaks is on Cedar Mountain. To get there from Cedar City you drive up the road along Cedar Creek. A bit south of Cedar City is the town of Kanab and above Kanab is Kanab creek and Kanab Mountain. Cedar City was named for the trees, but everything else is named for Cedar City just as the creek and Mountain to the south is named for the town of Kanab.
Thanks for the additional details, Grizz. As they say, it takes a village...;-)
Also, great to see you back in the comment queue!
Kurt--
Yes Cedar Breaks is a hidden gem. Also, it is only open seasonally: in the winter you can drive along the state highway 148 along the eastern edge (if it is plowed), but the park itself is closed.
So, my question: how many other parks have seasonal closures? Devil's Postpile (another hidden gem) does, and I suspect many of the Alaska parks & preserves at least have no staffing in the winter, but can you & readers name other parks that close in the off-season?
Timpanogos Cave closes in winter. (Although the visitor center might remain open . . . )
Actually, Tomp, the park's not closed in winter. You can ski/snowshoe/snowmobile to it, and they have a warming hut at the north Alpine Pond Trailhead where you can get some hot chocolate on most weekends. You can access the Point Supreme Overlook and, I suppose, other trails if you're a strong skier/snowshoer.