This is a 10 mile hike. The time it takes to hike depends on the water levels and how many side canyons you explore. Plan on 6 hours to a full day of hiking. With so much to see and explore the hike is often stretched out to a 2 or 3 day backpack. The hike is one way and two cars are needed or hitchhike back to your vehicle.
This route takes backpackers or day hikers to the bottom of the impressive Cedar Breaks hoodoos and allows wilderness camping. You can't hike to the hoodoos in Cedar Breaks like you can in Bryce Canyon, unless you take this route through the forest.
Camping in Cedar Breaks
The area of Cedar Breaks and even the surrounding Dixie National Forest does not lend itself to a lot of backpacking routes, but there are several day hikes and camping in the forest or near the National Monument are great. Ranger hold campfire programs during the busier times of the year. There is no camping inside Cedar Breaks itself. More information on that can be found at the Cedar Breaks Visitor Center. The elevation is high at Cedar Breaks so be prepared with warm clothing if you intend on camping. It's always a good idea to be ready for a summer thundershower. They are very common in the month of June. Cedar Breaks is a great place to lay in a sleeping bag and look up at the clean black sky that seems to be bombarded with stars due to the lack of air pollution in and around Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Directions to Cedar Breaks
U-148 Closure Dates. U-148 to Cedar Breaks closes in the winter due to snow depth.
From Las Vegas: Take I-15 north to Cedar City. Take U-14 east from Cedar City to U-148 and turn left to Cedar Breaks. From Arizona: Take US-89 north through Mount Carmel Junction and turn west on U-14. Turn right at U-148 to Cedar Breaks. From Salt Lake City: Take I-15 south, exit at Parowan. Take U-143 to Cedar Breaks. From Mount Carmel Junction: Take US-89 north to U-14. Follow U-14 to U-148 and Cedar Breaks.
Bo Beck on the route for Ashdown Gorge - Rattlesnake Creek. This is an outstanding hike in the Cedar Breaks National Monument area.
Lodging and services are available on the gorgeous east side of Zion National Park, where guests are close to Zion National Park (12 miles), Bryce Canyon National Park (60 miles), Cedar Breaks National Monument (45 miles), Coral Pink Sand Dunes (12 miles), and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (85 miles). It's where city traffic is absent and the skies are bright and clean.
Utah's Dixie National Forest: Cedar Mountain
Cedar Breaks National Monument is surrounded by Utah's Dixie National Forest. From Mt. Carmel Junction, drive north on US-89 to the junction with SR-14. SR-14 is known as Cedar Mountain which is the scenic byway to travel to Cedar Breaks. Once on Cedar Mountain, travel through the beautiful forest, and then turn at the signed highway to Cedar Breaks - SR-148. It's 22 miles from Mt. Carmel Junction to boundary of Dixie National Forest and 45 miles to Cedar Breaks.
Utah's Dixie National Forest: Red Canyon Red Canyon is a unique part of Dixie National Forest that is not only traveled through on the way to Bryce Canyon, but it has eroded hoodoos like Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks. It is found along Scenic Byway 12.
Mileage from
Mt. Carmel Jct.
Zion National Park 12
Bryce Canyon 60
Grand Canyon 85
Cedar Breaks 45
Grand Staircase 9
Dixie Forest 22
Sand Dunes 11
Coyote Butte 57
Red Canyon 47
Tuweep 90
Stay in the heart of the parks, Mount Carmel Junction, and visit the treasures of the Southwest and Utah.
This is my new favorite quote:
"I don't know who Mary Cisneros is, but I mean zionnational-park.com
It's a better site than the NPS's anyway."
Written by the authors of the book: Favorite Hikes in and around Zion National Park
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