60 Million Years In The Making

High Elevation Updates from Cedar Breaks

This summer, after years of planning and one delayed season that saw record snow, Cedar Breaks National Monument will proudly dedicate its new visitor center. This new home for visitors was a collaborative effort funded through Zion Forever donors, the National Park Service Centennial Challenge Match, the State of Utah, Iron County, and the Visit Cedar City/ Brian Head Tourism office. Like so many of our park projects, this legacy effort is only possible with these truly collaborative efforts.

Additionally, thanks to donor funding, the beloved 1930s CCC cabin, which has served as the visitor center for decades, has undergone a poignant transformation. This historic structure now hosts a comprehensive history museum dedicatedto telling the stories of the geology, flora, fauna, and humans that have been shaped by this landscape since time immemorial. Beyond the cabin, Zion Forever donors also rallied to provide gap funding for new interpretive trail signs along a redesigned nature trail along the cliff edge.

Positioned above 10,000 feet, where fierce winds and extreme temperatures continue to sculpt the red rock amphitheater, the new visitor center serves as a modern gateway to the ancient landscapes of Cedar Breaks. It is designed not only to welcome the nearly one million visitors who come to marvel at the expansive views but also to educate them about the geological forces that have sculpted the colorful hoodoos and rock fins.

The center offers parkgoers a glimpse of the natural forces that carved Cedar Breaks,making it an essential educational resource. Interactive displays and ranger-led programs, like Cedar’s famed dark sky programs, funded by Zion Forever, deepen visitors’ connection to the outdoors and to resources like the night sky that are also in need of conservation. “It’s more than a new home for visitors,” remarked park Superintendent Kathleen Gondor, “it means more space for programs, staff, and gear. That means more Junior Rangers and more outdoor classroom visits. Ultimately we really hope it gives all visitors a sense of place, helping to orient them to a wild and sometimes confusing landscape. Our dedication this year will be on August 22nd, and I think that’s fitting as it’s also Cedar Breaks’ birthday. We hope everyone has a chance to visit and enjoy our new center.”

Changes are happening all over the Monument, and at the park’s far north end, North View Point, donor dollars have also created a new fee station, which is crucial for enhancing year-round visitor services. This facility supports the management of visitor influx during summer and winter months, facilitates fee collection that directly funds park management efforts, and provides a safe and equipped base for rangers operating in one of the highest and most challenging environments in the National Park System.

While this 7 million dollar project was the Forever Project’s largest park gift to date, we know that park needs will continue and we appreciate everyonewho continues to support and enjoy Cedar Breaks, a breathtaking landscape showcasing more than 60 million years of geologic history.