Photographing Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah

Before the pioneers settled the area, the southern Paiutes called it “u-map-wich”, or “the place where the rocks are sliding down all the time". When western tourism began to explode in the early 1900s, the lands that comprise the national monument were included within the boundaries of Sevier National Forest, and then were subsequently incorporated into the Dixie National Forest. Management responsibility transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Interior and the National Park Service on August 22, 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Cedar Breaks a national monument.

The amphitheater of Cedar Breaks is located near the west end of the Colorado Plateau and covers the western side of the Markagunt Plateau, the same plateau that forms parts of Zion National Park. Being at such a high elevation, access to the park by vehicle is closed November through May because of deep snow. All the photographs in this blog were taken on July 3, 2023. At the time the lower Alpine Lake Loop Trail was still closed because it was buried under 5-8 feet of snow. We found snowdrifts 5 feet high on a number of the open trails and the daytime temperature reached about 75 degrees F, which was a relief from the 110 degree temperatures in Saint George, Utah.

The Markagunt Plateau is covered in fir, pine, and quaking aspen forests. These forests create homes for many animals including deer, fox, coyotes, porcupine, squirrels, and pica. The abundant trees create perfect compositions for photography.

There are many great hoodoo and fin formations in Cedar Breaks, and like Bryce Canyon, are best photographed when the light is low and backlit. With the amphitheater of Cedar Breaks facing west, the setting sun can really light up the rock formations making it glow. Plan your photography trip so you can scout for locations throughout the day and then be ready to start photographing when the evening light begins to get low and perfect.

I found the best places to photograph the hoodoo rock formations were from the North View Lookout and the Chessman Ridge Overlook. Use a telephoto lens to zoom in on the hoodoo formations and isolate the specific scenes you want to photograph.

The geology of Cedar Breaks is one of uplift along the Hurricane Fault Line pushing the plateau upward. As the Markagunt Plateau has been pushed upward, erosion of water and wind have carved the layers of shale, sandstone, and limestone into the formations that make up the wonders of Cedar Breaks National Monument.

One of the main techniques to getting great photographs is to take your time and explore. Look for compositions that are out of the ordinary and show the environment of the area. Cedar Breaks has many spectacular views of the amphitheater through the trees. I love framing my images with trees to help show depth and contrast of colors.

If you are visiting southern Utah and want to see Cedar Breaks National Monument take Interstate 15 to Cedar City and then take Center Street East. Follow Cedar Canyon into the mountains and the signs will guide you to the National Monument. Remember the road is closed between November and May so access is not available in the wintertime.

Always be mindful of the wilderness where National Parks and Monuments reside. Be respectful of nature, DO NOT approach wildlife, and DO NOT litter. Our national parks and monuments are treasures to be cherished despite the multitudes of people that visit every year. We can keep the parks and monuments clean and beautiful if we leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but great photographs.