Cedar Breaks National Monument is located east of Cedar City, in southern Utah. It’s a giant amphitheater dipping over 2000 feet from the Colorado plateau from a height of over 10,000 feet. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared it a National Monument in 1933. Inside the bowl are columns, arches, pinnacles and canyons resembling a smaller version of Bryce Canyon. The range of reds, oranges and purples inspired Native Americans to call Cedar Breaks the “Circle of Painted Cliffs.” Bristlecone and ponderosa pine, along with aspens and alpine meadows with summer wildflowers fill the Dixie National Forest surrounding Cedar Breaks. The location, a bit off the typical Zion/Bryce Canyon route means less of a fight with the pesky tourist train for those (like us) who really want a place to themselves. It’s a beautiful area, and definitely worth a visit. Take a look at the Cedar Breaks area, including a short walk to the Alpine Lake, HERE.