National Park Service · Utah
A high-elevation amphitheater of red and orange hoodoos above 10,000 feet near Cedar City, famous for summer wildflowers and dark skies.
Field briefing
Cedar Breaks National Monument changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The entrance fee is $25 per vehicle. The key planning fact is the elevation and season: the access road is buried in snow for much of the year and typically opens around late May or June, so the monument is really a late-June-to-September destination. Come in July or August for the wildflowers, bring a warm layer even in summer, and pace yourself for the altitude.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Snowbound well into June at this elevation, with the rim road often still closed.
Pack Winter gear if early; check road status before driving up.
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Cool, pleasant days at 10,000 feet, with afternoon storms and wildflower meadows.
Pack Warm layer, rain shell, sun protection, and altitude awareness.
Crisp, clear days with turning aspen, until snow closes the road.
Pack Warm layers, headlamp, and a willingness to leave before storms.
Deep snow with the rim road closed to cars and open for skiing and snowshoeing.
Pack Full winter kit, traction or skis, and a plan for a closed road.
Point Supreme Overlook
The easy, immediate payoff: a rim view straight into the 2,000-foot-deep amphitheater of red and orange hoodoos, right by the visitor center.
Spectra Point and Ramparts Overlook Trail
A rim trail past ancient bristlecone pines to overlooks deeper into the amphitheater, with strong summer wildflowers. High and exposed.
Summer wildflowers
In July and August the meadows fill with paintbrush, lupine, and columbine, one of the best high-elevation flower displays in the region.
Put the timed or highest-demand stop first, then keep the rest of the day close and low-friction. For one day in Cedar Breaks National Monument, time Point Supreme Overlook first, then keep Spectra Point and Ramparts Overlook Trail and Summer wildflowers close enough that the visit still feels relaxed.
Turn Cedar Breaks's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Cedar Breaks National Monument. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Cedar Breaks National Monument packing list
0 of 22 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
22 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Cedar Breaks asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Point Supreme Campground inside the monument is the only camping, a high-elevation campground open only in summer. There is no lodging inside the monument. Brian Head, the small ski-resort town just north, has the closest lodging and food, and Cedar City, about 45 minutes down the mountain, has the broadest options. Many visitors pair Cedar Breaks with Brian Head or with a Bryce Canyon and Zion loop.
Camping reservations
Cedar Breaks has one campground, Point Supreme, open only in the short high-elevation summer. Because the season is so brief, securing a site is the main camping decision.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
Point Supreme Campground is generally open mid-June to mid-September, weather dependent. Some sites are reservable on Recreation.gov, with others first come, first served.
Where to book or verify
Official NPS page with season, fees, and amenities.
Recreation.gov listing for reservable Point Supreme campsites.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the last mile as carefully as the destination.
Airports, roads, entrances, and local movement belong in the same plan.
Getting there
Arrival note
Cedar Breaks sits high in the mountains east of Cedar City, Utah, reached by UT 14 and UT 148.
Car strategy
The roads climb steeply to over 10,000 feet, and the rim road is closed by snow for much of the year, usually opening around late May or June.
Car strategy
Check road status before you drive up in spring or fall, and base in Cedar City or Brian Head for the nearest services.
Pair this with lodging: the simplest base is the one that removes a real morning problem, not just the one nearest the map pin.
The rim road is closed by snow for much of the year and typically opens around late May or June, staying open until the first heavy snows in fall. The monument is really a late-June-to-September destination by car, though it stays open for skiing and snowshoeing in winter.
The entrance fee is $25 per private vehicle, valid for 7 days. Motorcycles are $20 and individuals on foot or bike are $15, with children under 16 free.
Yes. Point Supreme Campground inside the monument is open only in summer, roughly mid-June to mid-September. Some sites are reservable on Recreation.gov and others are first come, first served. At over 10,000 feet, nights are cold even in midsummer.
July and August are peak, when the high meadows fill with paintbrush, lupine, columbine, and more. It is one of the best high-elevation wildflower displays in the region and a major reason to visit in midsummer.