Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah 2025

The amazing colors of Cedar Breaks Amphitheater, the short and easy hiking trails, and beautiful nature of the park attract thousands of visitors annually

Best time: late May–mid-October

Cedar Breaks National Monument is an outstanding colourful rocky amphitheatre. This unique nature formation occurred due to million years of uplift and erosion. It is located in the southwest of Utah at an elevation of over 3,048 m. This giant amphitheatre is around 609 meters deep and almost 5 km in diameter. Various minerals create the amazing colours of the cliffs. Native Americans called this place the “Circle of Painted Cliffs.”

Inside the amphitheatre, you can find stone spires, columns, arches, pinnacles, and canyons. At the different time of the day and at certain angles you can watch spectacular shades of red, yellow, and purple. Cedar Breaks is surrounded by the lush alpine meadows of the Dixie National Forest.

As the park is quite small, all the popular trails and spots are located on the rim of the amphitheatre. The walls of the canyon are too steep for trails. The main road takes visitors for a spectacular 40 min drive through the entire park. If you want to walk by foot, a single day is enough to hike around. The best views can be found from the Rim Drive. The Ramparts Trail, which leads to a famous viewpoint and the Alpine Pond Trail is also good for catching the best views over the Cedar Breaks Amphitheater.

The Cedar Breaks National Monument is open for visitors all year round. However, the best season to explore the area is from late May to mid-October when you'll find all roads open for scenic drives, as well as operating visitor centre, restrooms, and campgrounds. Wintertime visits are all about seasonal recreational activities such as skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. The roads are snow-blocked, and most visitor facilities are closed.

Summer visitors shouldn't worry about the heat, as temperatures vary from 15.5 to 21 degrees Celsius due to high elevation. All visitors are advised to stop by the visitor centre and learn the peculiarities of the visit to provide minimal impact to this unique environment. Also, if you plan your visit during summer months, you’ll have the chance to marvel at the wildflower display. August is considered the best months for this.