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Geological · United States

Cedar Breaks Amphitheater

A vast crimson amphitheater carved into Utah's Markagunt Plateau, Cedar Breaks offers a Bryce Canyon-scale spectacle at 10,000 feet — with far fewer crowds.

When
May — Oct, peak Jun — Aug
Best viewing
A scenic rim drive with multiple overlooks above a colorful eroded basin; short rim walks possible. High elevation means cooler temperatures and afternoon lightning risk.
Category
Geological
Status
In season

About this spectacle

Cedar Breaks Amphitheater is a vast natural colosseum carved into the edge of the Markagunt Plateau in southern Utah, plunging nearly 2,000 feet into a bowl of eroded limestone, sandstone, and volcanic rock. Visitors peer over the rim at a swirling palette of reds, oranges, pinks, and whites — colors produced by iron and manganese oxides in the rock strata. The scale is staggering: the amphitheater stretches more than three miles wide. At over 10,000 feet elevation, the air is thin and cool even in summer, and afternoon thunderstorms regularly roll across the plateau. Twisted ancient bristlecone pines cling to the rim, gnarled by centuries of wind and snow. In summer, the meadows behind the rim burst with wildflowers. In winter, deep snow blankets the plateau and the canyon glows rose-pink in flat light. The silence at the overlooks is profound, broken only by wind and the occasional raven.

When to go

May — Oct, peak Jun — Aug

Getting there

Nearest airport: CDC. Nearest city: Cedar City.

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