Scenic Byway 148 to Cedar Breaks National Monument
Savor the powerful emotion as the incredible beauty of Cedar Breaks National Monument befalls you for the very first time. Experience the high mountain wildlife in the warmth of summer, partake in the coolness of the crisp air each spring and the solace of snow capped mountains in the late fall. Think color, because it will fill your senses year-round in Color Country, giving in to overabundance in the fall on the high mountain top of Cedar Breaks. map
Utah SR-148 Annual Winter Closure
Highway 148 closes each winter from late October or early November to late May. Cross country skiers and snowmobiles visit the park throughout the winter and snowmobiles are allowed on snow packed highway 143.
Visit Cedar Mountain during your trip to Cedar Breaks National Monument and enjoy Dixie National Forest. There are lakes and streams for fishing, hiking trails that range for easy to extreme, caves to explore. The Duck Creek Visitor Center is located by Navajo Lake and has area information. Stop and stretch your legs on the Cascade Falls or Bristlecone Pine Trail. Both are fun, easy and great for the entire family. If you like mountain biking, you should enjoy the Virgin River Rim Trail, which can also be used as a foot path.
Connecting the National Parks with beauty and adventure
Consider buying the America the Beautiful Park pass. It will get you into Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and all the US Federal Lands on your want to see list. The pass can be purchased online or at the gate of any of the parks. Help out your favorite park and buy the pass from them or speed up the lines to get into the parks and get yours ahead of time on the internet.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Pack up your car, your kids and your significant other and head to high elevation country of Cedar Mountain. That's what the locals call Utah SR-14. It travels from Cedar City, Utah to US-89 at what is called Todd's Junction. Aptly named for the convince store that sits at the junction. So talk like a local when you visit. If you pass through Hurricane, the locals can tell you are a visitor unless you say it like they do - Hur-ri-cun. We have some odd names in these parts, such as Virgin, Toquerville, Beaver and others that are the butt of a lot of jokes, but it's all in good fun. The communities are down-home, safe and crime is something there is little of in the small communities of southern Utah. We pride ourselves on just that - pride, and we work hard to earn an honest dollar. Take that attitude with you while you visit and it will give you an endearing perspective of the area.
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.
Tall, white barked aspen trees populate the Cedar Breaks National Monument area as well as Cedar Mountain (SR-14) leading to the Monument. Underground they link together.
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.
Highway 143
The Utah Highway that turns off of Highway 14 to go to Cedar Breaks is U148 however as soon as it leaves Cedar Breaks and hits the junction that either goes to Panguitch Lake or Brian Head it ends as U148 and becomes U143.
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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