Cedar Breaks National Monument, one of Southern Utah’s popular outdoor attractions, closed its facilities for the 2024 winter season. As of October 13, the Cedar Breaks Visitors Center, along with any tours or seasonal events, are closed to travelers and will reopen soon after the new year. Visitors are still able to drive through the scenic landmark and visit the four roadside overlooks.
After welcoming over 21,000 visitors during the Visitors Center’s first year open, park service and locals are excited to see what is in store for upcoming years.
Chief Ranger Jonathan Pyne expressed his gratitude to all the summer season’s visitors.
“We thank all of our supporters for another great season and look forward to reopening our Visitor Center next summer!” said Pyne.
Cedar Breaks National Monument is home to some of Utah’s well-known hiking trails and tourist attractions. It’s just over a thirty-minute drive from Cedar City, making it a great trip for outdoorsy T-Birds. Nicknamed a “miniature Bryce Canyon,” the monument’s brilliant colors and sights draw the attention of many travelers and Southern Utah locals.
Once snowpack starts to build, State-Route 148 will close to thru-traffic within the upcoming month. This road is the most common access to the park, as well as other locations such as Brian Head and Panguitch Lake. With that, these areas will need to be accessed using other roads throughout the winter months.
All tours of the monument and the park are paused until mid-January, but this is subject to change depending on the weather. Because of the high elevation in Cedar Breaks, snowpack can reach record-breaking levels. This can put a major damper on outdoor facilities and travel.
During the warmer seasons, Cedar Breaks and its surrounding areas host a variety of events and activities such as bike races and ATV riding. Unfortunately, snowstorms limit the amount of activity in the park during winter, but cross-country skiing and guided snowshoe hikes are available.
Visit the Visit Cedar City website to stay current on the park’s reopening and upcoming events.
Author: Briar Adams
Editor: Nick Stein
outdoors@suunews.net
