Cedar Breaks National Monument

Trip Start May 06, 2010

101

137

Trip End Oct 14, 2010

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Where I stayed

Valu Inn Cedar City

Flag of United States Cedar City, Utah
Friday, September 10, 2010

I woke up early today and drove over to Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks is the highest step in the Grand Staircase, which starts at the Grand Canyon and continues up through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bryce Canyon National Park. The top of the rim at Cedar Breaks is around 10,500 feet. They have one large amphitheater similar to the ones at Bryce Canyon. This amphitheater is around 2,500 feet deep, which I believe is a good deal deeper than the ones at Bryce Canyon.

I started by going to the Visitor Center. I then hiked the Ramparts Overlook Trail, which also goes by Spectra View. It's a 2-mile each way trail with somewhere around 700 feet of elevation change. After I finished that hike I went to Point Supreme, which is the viewing area next to the Visitor Center. I continued down the road to the next viewing area, Sunset View.

There are only four viewing areas at Cedar Breaks. The next two, Chessman Ridge Overlook and North View are closed for repairs. There were some workers around Chessman Ridge Overlook so I had to skip that one. There was nobody working today at North View and there were already a few people on the viewing platform so I joined them. I then went a little further north and cut through the woods to the edge of the amphitheater in a few places. There are some nice views from there. They should add another viewing area.

It was around 3:30 when I got done around North View. I drove back to town and got something to eat. I intended to go back to take pictures from Spectra Point around sunset. To do that I'd have had to have left the hotel around 6:00. It's now around 6:30. I had trouble getting myself motivated. I'm tired, my feet hurt and it's tough lugging my camera around at this altitude. I'm staying here until morning when I'll leave for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.