Camping at Cedar Breaks National Monument

There’s something fun about packing up the family in the minivan and heading to the mountains for a vacation. After our summer vacation to Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah, we’ve discovered a campground that has it all: hiking, open space for games, flushing toilets and most importantly (at least to my wife)… hot showers!

Here’s your guide to camping at Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah.

When and How to Book Your Campsite

The campground at Cedar Breaks National Monument is only open from mid-June to September 30 (times may vary based on how much snow Utah received that winter). One of the busiest times of year at the campground is the Fourth of July. The holiday, combined with the annual Wildflowers Festival, brings a fair amount of visitors.

To be safe, it’s best to book your campsite a couple of months in advance. But if you decide to take a last-minute trip to Cedar Breaks National Monument, there’s a chance you’ll still be able to find a campground.

You can book one of 10 campsites available for reservation online. There are 15 sites set aside on a first-come, first serve basis. Fees are $24 per night, or $12 Per Night with a Senior Pass or Access Pass. Credit cards are required for payment – no cash or check accepted at the self-pay station at the campground. The nightly camping fee does not include the park entrance fee. Be sure and pay that at the Visitor Center.

There are sites available for tents and RVs. More details about the campsites can be found on their website.

NOTE: The campground is at an elevation of 10,000 feet. So even in July, there can still be snow on the ground (in the shade) and nighttime temperatures can drop to high 30s or 40s.

Campground Features at Cedar Breaks National Monument

One of the biggest selling points for this campground – at least according to my wife – is the flushing toilets and hot showers. While they are definitely a benefit, there are a few other features of the campground that are worth noting.

Don’t worry about bringing your own firewood. They have an place where you can fill up an orange bucket with firewood and carry it back to camp. There is a suggested donation of $5 per bucket.

There are a lot of open spaces in the campground, so if you want to play Frisbee, toss around a football, or hook up a hammock, there’s space for just about any interest.

Attached to the bathroom building is a sign that shows some of the other activities in the area. We studied that and found some amazing places to explore (which I’ll share later on in this post).

Hiking Trails in Cedar Breaks National Monument

There are two trails that make their way out of the campground. A paved trail splits just before crossing the road – the trail on the right takes you to Sunset Point. The trail on the left leads you to the visitor center and Point Supreme Overlook.

Cedar Breaks National Monument has several trails for you to explore. From Point Supreme Overlook, hike the trail to Spectra Point (2 miles round trip) or continue the trail to Ramparts Overlook (4 miles round trip).

Another trail near the north end of the national monument is Alpine Ponds trail. It’s a 2.4 mile round trip hike. You can start on the north end by the yurt, or the south end by Sunset Point.

Near the north entrance of the national monument is the Rattlesnake Trailhead. While not officially in the national monument, I’ve been told it’s an amazing hike down into the Cedar Valley.

Catch a Star Party in the Campground

Our favorite part of the whole vacation was probably the Star Party in the campground. Every Thursday evening around 8:30, volunteers set up telescopes, teach and fascinate you with the night sky.

The benefit of being at 10,000 feet is the fact that there’s less atmosphere to have to look through. That means the stars and planets are clearer than if you were looking from lower elevations. Plus, Cedar Breaks National Monument is a designated International Dark Sky area.

We looked at the surface and craters of the moon, saw Jupiter and the lines of red and white. The volunteers also taught us about the Milky Way and we saw numerous stars and star clusters.

The highlight was getting a close-up view of Saturn. We could see the rings around the massive sphere. It looked surreal – almost like something you’d see on the old Star Trek movies when they show the U.S.S. Enterprise streaking through space.

Other Activities Near Cedar Breaks National Monument

One of the advantages to having your base camp at Cedar Breaks National Monument is the proximity to so many other cool places.

During our vacation, we ventured down to Cedar City to explore Frontier Homestead State Park and Museum. We had lunch at The Pizza Cart, which was super delicious.

We spent another day checking out Mammoth Cave and had so much fun exploring the caves – including the one we had to army crawl through.

I wish we would’ve had our kayak with us. We stopped by Navajo Lake and Panguitch Lake to skip rocks. I had the best skip with 7 bounces. We continued in to the city of Panguitch for lunch, and noted that Bryce Canyon National Park can also be a day trip from our base camp. But we opted out of making the drive there.

Because sometimes it’s fun to just relax in a hammock, play a few games or sit around the campfire talking.

The Details

Address: Along Highway 148 just east of Cedar City, Utah.

Cost: $24 per night for a campsite. Reservations can be made online or you can pay at the self-pay box at the campground entrance. For entrance to the park, a fee of $7 per person ( for those ages 16+) is required. An annual pass allows you to enter the park, and all other national parks and monuments, without paying the park entrance fee.

Hours: Cedar Breaks National Monument is open 365 days a year. However, winter weather may restrict road travel and visitor amenities (like bathrooms and the Visitor Center). The campground is open mid-June to September 30 – weather permitting.

Website: https://www.nps.gov/cebr/index.htm

Phone: (435) 586-9451 x4420

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