By Señor Rojo in collaboration with Jim Case
Photos by Monique Beeley
Southwestern Utah’s Cedar City bills itself as “ Festival City USA”, a deserving title since the colorful town is home to the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival and the new Neil Simon Festival. Arts and culture aficionados are also are attuned to Southern Utah University and the Cedar City Heritage Center that presents plays, symphonies, the ballet and art showings throughout the year. But cultural attractions are not the only reason to visit Cedar City. Some of Utah’s best hiking opportunities are but minutes from downtown Cedar City. Here are but a few of many.  Cedar Breaks
About 20 miles east of Cedar City and two miles south of the high alpine town of Brian Head, lies Cedar Breaks National Monument, perched high atop the Markagunt Plateau.
Nature has carved a giant amphitheater along the western edge of the plateau producing an abyss 2500 feet deep and more than three miles across. Spectacular colors formed by iron and manganese oxides, the Cedar Breaks formation is made up of ridges, pinnacles and buttresses carved from the steep cliffs by wind and water erosion over more than 30 million years. From sunrise to sunset in blazing sun or cloudy skies, the rocks of Cedar Breaks display an ever changing display of brilliant hues.
A six-mile scenic drive leads past four overlooks, each offering a different perspective of the amphitheater. A log cabin constructed by the civilian conservation corps in 1937 still serves as the visitor center. Exhibits, brochures, maps, film, posters, slides and postcards are available for sale. The ranger staff provides orientation to Cedar Breaks and the surrounding area supplemented by nature walks, geology lectures and evening campfire programs.  A schedule of interpretive activities is available in the visitor center and in the campground a short distance away. Weather permitting, the campground is open from June 15 through September 30 and a picnic area is available at the entrance.
Two hiking trails near the rim provide an added appreciation of the geology, flora and fauna of Cedar Breaks. The Spectra Point/Ramparts Overlook Trail is a four-mile round trip along the rim, with spectacular panoramic views of the amphitheater. The Alpine Pond Nature Trail is a self-guided, double loop through the forest and meadows. The lower portion offers excellent views of the “breaks.” Bristlecone pine, one of nature’s oldest living creatures, clings to the rock and red soil along the rim and can be photographed along both of these trails.
Elevations range from 10,662 feet at the highest point on the rim to 8100 feet at Ashdown Creek at the deepest part of the bowl. On top of the plateau there are dense forests of sub-alpine fir and Engelmann Spruce, along with quaking aspen and broad meadows spewing forth the spectrum of 150 species of wildflowers.
Although there are no trails within the monument that descend from the rim to the bottom, experienced hikers can take the rugged Rattlesnake Creek Trail from a trailhead just outside the park’s north gate dropping down to Ashdown Creek and the amazing Ashdown gorge.
Ashdown Gorge
 Beginning within sight of the colorful cliffs of Cedar Breaks National Monument, Ashdown Gorge wends its way southwest for nearly three miles before exiting into Cedar Canyon. But let’s back up. First, one has to get to the gorge. The Rattlesnake Trail, long the classic approach to Ashdown Gorge, starts from SR 148 at the north boundary of Cedar Breaks National Monument at an elevation of 10,436 feet. The trail heads directly west for about half a mile, passing into a forest of spruce, and then drops steeply through fir and aspens for about a mile to Studd Flat, a wide open meadow with views of dramatic pink cliffs to the north. After proceeding down Studd Flat for about half a mile, watch for a cairn that marks a sharp right turn to a series of switchbacks that bring the trail down through Ponderosa pines to Rattlesnake Creek. The trail crosses the creek and then proceeds along the right bank of the creek to the junction with the High Mountain Trail (a good place to stop for lunch). A short side trip down Rattlesnake Creek leads to the top of Rattlesnake Falls. From its junction with the High Mountain Trail, the Rattlesnake Trail crosses the creek, proceeds up over a ridge and then drops down to the beginning of Ashdown Gorge. You’ll know you’re there when you see it! At an elevation of about 7600 feet, the gorge drops to 7100 feet. Ashdown Gorge lies within a layer of cretaceous limestone, so its towering cliffs are not the typical redrock sandstone found at lower elevations in southern Utah. A perennial stream, Ashdown Creek, flows through the gorge, meandering back and forth from wall to wall, so expect wet feet as you proceed down the gorge.
As the canyon continues to deepen, one reaches the confluence of Rattlesnake Creek, a perennial stream coming in from the right and marked by a distinctive monolith. A half-mile up Rattlesnake you’ll reach a fork formed by Lake Creek. Within a hundred yards or so, both branches of the fork reach waterfalls, each well worth the side hike. After returning to the confluence of Rattlesnake Creek and Ashdown Creek, continue down the canyon and, after about three-quarters of a mile, keep an eye on the top of the cliffs to the right. Here you’ll spot spectacular Flanigan Arch, over 500 feet above the canyon bottom. Another half mile down canyon leads to the junction with Crow Creek, the two merging into Coal Creek and a short distance to the vehicle parking area. The best time of year to hike Ashdown Gorge is mid-August through mid-October when creek flow is at its lowest. The aspens in the upper regions of the area usually reach their majestic peak color the end of September. Many of the trails providing access to Ashdown Gorge pass through the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness and, as are all designated wilderness areas, open only to foot and horse traffic (i.e., no bicycles or motorized vehicles). Also, because most of the trails pass through privately owned land the rights of the property owners must be respected. Gates should always be left as found, i.e., if closed, close the gate after you pass through it. Thunderstorms are common during late summer afternoons. It is advisable to check the weather forecast beforehand to avoid encountering flash floods within the gorge. Hikers must be versed in map reading since trail markers are either not obvious or non-existent in places. And be prepared to do some wading. Topo maps are available at the Cedar Breaks Visitor Center and at Cedar City and Brian Head outdoor shops.
Kolob Canyon Zion National Park experiences millions of visitors each year. But the vast majority of visitation to this national treasure is to the main canyon near the gateway town of Springdale, midway between St. George and Kanab on State Hwy 9. A remote but easily accessible part of Zion is Kolob Canyon, a 20-minute drive south on I-15 from Cedar City and an unbelievably scenic 5-mile drive from the Visitor Center to the end of the canyon’s paved road. One could drive the five miles in 15 minutes, but the views of the Finger Canyons to the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint at the top are so spectacular several hours and hundreds of photo-ops hardly do justice. Here, you’ll find a collection of red cliffs, narrow passageways and towering monolithic buttresses without any of the crowds competing for solitude in the main valley 20 miles to the southeast. The drive between the two areas of Zion takes about an hour via I-15 and state highways, which is one reason many adventurers miss this lesser-known jewel. A wonderful introduction to Kolob Canyons is the Taylor Creek dayhike along a lovely stream that flows year-round. This easy trail begins on the left side of the road about two miles from the Visitor Center and heads upstream into the middle fork of Taylor Creek. The reward at the top is Double Arch Alcove, looming large above in the canyon walls colored by streaks of mineral laden moisture. Mother Nature has completed the picture by providing a sheltered hanging garden of brilliant wildflowers. So when planning your next vacation, if premier theater coupled with unexcelled hiking whets your appetite, make “Festival City USA” your destination. www.scenicsouthernutah.com
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