05 May 2026 6 min read NP Tour 2025

Cedar Breaks and Dixie Forest | The Big 2025 Parks Tour, Part 7

Eye-popping fall colors, otherworldly canyon rims, and magical hoodoos. I'm quickly falling helplessly in love with Utah.

A little highlight reel I put together about today's adventure.

Original Adventure Date: October 9, 2025

No, neither of the locations in the title of this blog post are parks 😂

It’s kind of unbelievable that I’ve technically only visited one national park so far… but there are so many adventures to discover between all my desired destinations.

On this day, I found myself falling helplessly in love with Utah. My brother Jeremiah is partially to blame, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

My original plan was to use Cedar City as a base to explore Zion National Park and Kolob Canyons for a few days, but this is turning into quite a dynamic road trip.

Cedar City and the striking red and orange foothills surrounding it made a positive first impression, and so did the awesome pizza joint (The Hub) and upscale coffee shop/yoga studio with the down to earth people, fantastic oat lattes, and delicious breakfast sandwiches (that one’s called Bristlecone).

If you visit Cedar City, DO NOT skip The Hub!

But it’s the itinerary my brother planned out for me that sealed the deal.

He had sketched out a simple afternoon adventure, involving a drive up Utah State Route 14 and a place called Cedar Breaks National Monument, which wasn't even on my radar.

Spoiler: Cedar Breaks should be on everyone's radar. But first I have to tell you about the drive.

I'll wear my heart on my sleeve here: nature’s overwhelming beauty has driven me to tears multiple times. One of them was my first hike around Yosemite Valley (a pivotal moment that inspired my first backpacking trip), and the second time was on this very drive up Utah State Route 14.

Within a span of 15 miles, I must have stopped 7 times at pullouts just to admire the landscape. Ok, "admire" might be putting it mildly. Perhaps "drooling" is a better fit?

A panoramic view of a mountain landscape in autumn. The foreground shows trees with vibrant yellow and orange foliage. Beyond, a valley extends, filled with forests displaying a spectrum of fall colors - yellows, oranges, reds, and greens. Distant mountains are visible through a partly cloudy sky. — Absolutely breathtaking.

I believe the location where I took the above photo is dubbed Zion Overlook by locals, but there isn't a formal sign to indicate anything. No "Scenic Vista" location marker. It doesn't need one. No one with a soul and functioning eyeballs could drive by this without stopping...

There was fall foliage as far as the eye can see! It was absolutely popping with color, and accented by those dramatic cliffs and plateaus in nearby Zion National Park. Photos and videos fail to do this any justice. Believe me, I tried using every capture device I had.

The drive was breathtaking, and if that’s all my day consisted of I would have felt fulfilled. But Cedar Breaks turned out to be a delightful surprise.

Part of that surprise was arriving to find the Visitor Center open, where they explained that the state of Utah was allocating dedicated funds to keep all of their National Parks AND National Monuments not just open, but functioning as normally as possible.

When you leave the Visitor Center, all you have to do is walk literally 20 feet to be rewarded with your first view of the incredible half-mile deep amphitheater:

A sweeping panoramic view of a canyon landscape, showcasing layers of vibrant red and orange rock formations. The canyon walls are intricately carved, revealing the earth's geological history. Green trees cling to the canyon rims. A partly cloudy sky stretches overhead.

I wanted more than this single view, though, so I chose to hike Sunset Trail, partially because rain was looming, and partially because hiking at 10,000 feet is no walk in the park! It’s something I plan to do more of, but I didn’t feel ready to tackle a longer trail.

The interpretive trail took me through meadows which would be stunning in the spring, and it gave a few more peeks of the incredible, rusty red amphitheater below. But when I finally arrived at Sunset View Overlook, I found myself gobsmacked and utterly spellbound by the scene.

Numerous hoodoos fill a canyon, creating a dramatic and otherworldly landscape. The hoodoos display a range of colors, from creams and whites to oranges and reds. A scattering of green trees dot the canyon rim and surrounding hills. A cloudy sky provides a contrasting backdrop.

I can not find the words to convey the scale of this place, when you’re looking out over this expanse, this geological wonder that took millions of years to appear this way, in this exact moment.

Looking closely at a different area, I noticed those same wild-looking rock spires (called “hoodoos”) that adorned the outside of the slot canyons at Cathedral Gorge.

A close-up aerial view of a hoodoo landscape. Towering rock spires of varying shapes and sizes dominate the scene, showcasing a range of earthy tones including orange, red, pink, and cream — I was already falling in love with hoodoos.

Before I left, I learned that rangers lead guided snowshoe tours down into the amphitheater during the winter months. That sounds like a blast, and I might just need to spend my winter 2026 in Utah…

On the return drive, something compelled me to turn down a dirt road. It turns out this was a section of the Dixie Forest called “Webster’s Flat,” and led straight into the heart of that eye-popping fall foliage I ogled earlier at Zion Overlook.

A dirt road stretches into the distance between vibrant autumn trees. The trees display a mix of orange, yellow, and red foliage against a cloudy sky. A dark-colored Kia Soul is parked on the side of the road. — Dixie Forest has my heart, and I can't wait to go back.

Not only was it an absolutely riveting little drive, but the entire area is available for dispersed camping. I decided to scout it for a future camping spot.

Also, there were cows grazing right near the road for some reason. I don’t know if Utah forests typically double as open ranges for cattle, but there they were, just casually going about their business. Completely unbothered by my presence in their backyard.

A black cow stands amidst a grove of aspen trees with vibrant yellow leaves. The aspen trunks are white and slender, contrasting with the surrounding green grass and golden foliage. The scene evokes a peaceful, autumnal atmosphere.

Amazingly, I wouldn't even end up visiting Zion National Park on this trip, and I'd soon find myself retreating to a riverside tiny home. But that's a story for next time – this one got pretty lengthy!

PREVIOUSLY ON THE 2025 PARKS ROAD TRIP: