Cedar Break National Monument

Karla had heard that there was a spot to see wildflowers between Cedar City and St. George.  We had never heard about it, but while we were at Zion's I saw a poster for the "Wildflower Festival" at Cedar Break.  We found it on our map and discovered it was about 30 miles east (and up) from Cedar City.  We were going to save it for another trip as we were trying to get home before the rush hour traffic, but Wednesday morning Gary and I decided to try it.  We are so glad we did.

I don't remember ever hearing about Cedar Break although I had heard of the nearby ski area of Brianhead.  I can't believe that more people don't talk about it.  It is awesome and amazing.  Everyone in Utah should see it sometime in their lives and July is a great time as it is wildflower season there.  I have probably told 6-8 people about it since I got home.

It is basically an overlook with trails and wildflowers everywhere.  There is a small range station with a shop, but the actual spot is small....the views are spectacular!  The pictures don't do it justice at all, but here they are to make you want to go there in person and see it.

They had a solor telescope set up so we were able to see the sun
and the sun spots and learn more about the sun form the rangers.
It was "cool".

Some of the wild flowers

The trail to the overlook..
you can see the break!

 

It is called Cedar Break---because of the cedars of course, but also because the ground literally was broken and created these amazing landscapes.  You look down into them from the overlook.


Gary called this "The Temple"
It is hard to see it but the area in the middle
reminds us of the Salt Lake Temple

The edge and the break



Jena and I posing on the bench near the beginning
of the trail into Cedar Break.

More wildflowers
 

 The festival goes throughout the month of July.  We missed the day when you could register for a class and go on a wildflower hunt.  They would teach you how to sketch the flowers you saw and to make a plant journal (they promised that you did not have to be an artist to learn how to do this).  I would love to do that so I have added "Wildflower journaling" to my bucket list and hope they offer it again next year.  Karla said she would go with me.  Anyone else want to go?

It made us a bit later getting back to Salt Lake and then home to Syracuse, but we got Gary to the bowling alley to help with the league and Jena to Young Womens.  However we were a bit too late to get to the Davis Chapter Swim party which I had wanted to go to but we were all tired and Jena wanted to go to Young Womens anyway.

Cedar Break---you don't want to miss it!