Cedar Breaks National Monument is a National Monument in Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 8 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Cedar Breaks
We matched 8 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Cedar Breaks. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (2)
Natural Arches (2)
Mountain Peaks (1)
Volcanoes (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
Wilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Cedar Breaks the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 244° | 9h 51m |
| February | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 255° | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:43 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 283° | 13h 10m |
| May | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 295° | 14h 12m |
| June | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 301° | 14h 45m |
| July | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:53 PM | 298° | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 289° | 13h 38m |
| September | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 274° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:55 PM | 260° | 11h 15m |
| November | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 247° | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 241° | 9h 35m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.6355, -112.8453); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Cedar Breaks, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:36 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:40 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:39 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 10:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet in elevation and is usually 10-20 degrees cooler than surrounding parks. Be prepared for cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather. Snow, sleet, and hail can occur at any time of the year, even in the summer! Summer-time highs are between 60 and 70°F and night-time lows dip to 30-40s°F. Thunderstorms frequently develop in the afternoons. Be aware of lightning and avoid exposed trails and overlooks until storms pass.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Cedar Breaks National Monument is located east of Cedar City, Utah, just a short drive from Interstate-15. The park is centrally located between Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. For detailed driving directions, please visit our Directions & Transportation page by clicking the green button below.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snow Play
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
UT
UT
AZ
AZ/CA
AZ/UT
AZ