Explore Scenery Like Bryce Canyon National Park Without The Crowds At This Underrated Monument

Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its towering orange hoodoos that protrude up from the bottom of a canyon to create a striking mars-like landscape, is the 15th-most visited national park in America. Although it may not sound like much, this feat is actually quite impressive considering that Bryce Canyon is one of the smaller national parks. People love visiting Bryce Canyon because it is not only close to Zion (in fact, all five Utah parks can be visited in one incredible road trip) but also offers plenty of hiking routes ranging from moderate trails to those that are best reserved for experienced trekkers. However, because Bryce Canyon is so beautiful and so close to other popular national parks, it can get pretty busy — especially in the summer months.

Luckily, if you want to visit a place similar to Bryce Canyon but without the crowds, we have the perfect spot for you: Cedar Breaks National Monument. Located in Utah between Zion and Bryce Canyon, this national monument has a landscape very similar to Bryce Canyon, complete with a large ravine filled with towering pink and orange hoodoos. However, compared to Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks is less well-known and, therefore, less crowded. On top of this, due to its elevation of over 10,000 feet above sea level, this national monument often experiences cooler weather than both Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, which is especially important if you plan to visit the scorching Utah summer.

Because the number one draw of Cedar Breaks National Monument is the incredible scenery of its hoodoo-filled amphitheater, one of the best things you can do is to explore the rim while taking in the view. One way to do this is to drive along the scenic route of the Cedar Breaks Highway (U-148) stopping at the four overlooks and viewpoints along the way.

If you are up for hiking, then you are in luck, because there are plenty of trails at Cedar Breaks and most of them are rated as easy or moderate (although you should keep in mind that you will be at an elevation of over 10,000 feet, so even easy hikes may make you feel out of breath). The Alpine Pond Trail and Spectra Point Trail are both beautiful and short hikes that are rated the most-popular at the monument on AllTrails. If you are looking for a longer hike, you can opt for the 4-hour moderately-strenuous South Rim Trail which offers spectacular views.

If you are interested in astronomy, then you should know that just like Bryce Canyon — which is one of the best national parks for stargazing – Cedar Breaks is an official Dark Sky location from which you can even see the Milky Way. The National Park Service  also hosts a Dark Sky Tour in the summer every week Friday through Sunday in the evening at Point Supreme where rangers lead visitors through telescope viewings and a laser tour of the constellations.

If you are already visiting Utah, then getting to Cedar Breaks National Monument should be pretty quick and is easily doable on a day trip or as you travel between parks. Cedar Breaks is about an hour and a half drive from the town of Springdale (just outside of the Zion National Park South Entrance) and about an hour and 15 minutes from Bryce Canyon. The road to the Cedar Breaks National Monument and visitor center (U-148) is closed to cars during the winter season (from October 15 to May 26) due to heavy snowfall; however, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers are still allowed inside.

If you'd like to stay at the national monument, then there are both tent and RV campsites available at the Point Supreme Campground for $30 a night. If you'd like to stay in a hotel, you can head to the nearby town of Cedar City which is only a 30-minute drive from the Cedar Breaks visitor's center and is a college town offering plenty of reliable chain hotels as well as more local options like The Bard's Inn, Big Yellow Inn, and the Iron Springs Luxury Lodge and Spa.