Best Time to Visit Cedar Breaks National Monument
MayBest month to visit
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Visit Cedar Breaks in May
May offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~2.5× the average month) and February is the quietest.
Annual visits
718K
2025
Busiest month
Jul
2.5× avg
Quietest month
Feb
0.2× avg
10-yr trend
falling
-9.3%
More photos of Cedar Breaks
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Cedar Breaks by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 35°F / 19°F | 9.7 h |
| February | Very quiet | 46 Fair | 35°F / 23°F | 10.6 h |
| March | Very quiet | 49 Fair | 37°F / 23°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Very quiet | 58 Fair | 43°F / 31°F | 13.0 h |
| May★ best | Quiet | 59 Fair | 51°F / 37°F | 14.0 h |
| June | Very busy | 55 Fair | 63°F / 43°F | 14.6 h |
| July | Very busy | 47 Fair | 69°F / 50°F | 14.4 h |
| August | Very busy | 53 Fair | 65°F / 51°F | 13.5 h |
| September | Very busy | 47 Fair | 60°F / 45°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Busy | 43 Poor | 49°F / 37°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 40°F / 27°F | 9.9 h |
| December | Very quiet | 40 Poor | 35°F / 21°F | 9.4 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00421258, ~1.8 mi away).
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About visiting Cedar Breaks
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a National Monument in UT and a moderately visited park, drawing about 718,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 9.3%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 2.5× the park's average month, while February is the calmest at roughly 0.2× — a 13-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 52% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 59°F in July down to about 27°F in January, with the wettest stretch in January. About 4 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is May: best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.4 hours in midwinter to 14.6 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $25, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Crowning the Grand Staircase, Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet and looks down into a half-mile deep geologic amphitheater. Come wander among timeless bristlecone pines, stand in lush meadows of wildflowers, ponder crystal-clear night skies and experience the richness of our subalpine forest.
Weather & conditions
Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet in elevation and is usually 10-20 degrees cooler than surrounding parks. Be prepared for cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather. Snow, sleet, and hail can occur at any time of the year, even in the summer! Summer-time highs are between 60 and 70°F and night-time lows dip to 30-40s°F. Thunderstorms frequently develop in the afternoons. Be aware of lightning and avoid exposed trails and overlooks until storms pass.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Cedar Breaks
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Cedar Breaks National Monument — live availability and prices to plan your trip. May is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Cedar Breaks
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Cedar Breaks National Monument is Cedar City Airport (CDC), about 26 mi (47 min drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into McCarran International Airport (LAS), about 3 hr 51 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar City Airport (CDC)Closest | 26 mi | 47 min | Delta |
| Page Airport (PGA) | 143 mi | 3 hr 19 min | Frontier Airlines, Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines, United Airlines |
| McCarran International Airport (LAS)Best for flights | 201 mi | 3 hr 51 min | Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Bonza |
| Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) | 255 mi | 4 hr 42 min | Air France, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines |
| Canyonlands Field (CNY) | 270 mi | 4 hr 46 min | Frontier Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Cedar City Airport (CDC) — about 47 min from the park.
- Most flights / best value: McCarran International Airport (LAS) — the largest hub near Cedar Breaks, about 3 hr 51 min away.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $25, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
May offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Cedar Breaks National Monument. The park is busiest in July (about 2.5× the average month) and quietest in February.
July is the busiest month at Cedar Breaks National Monument, running roughly 2.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
February is the quietest month at Cedar Breaks National Monument, at about 0.2× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Cedar Breaks National Monument recorded about 718,014 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-9.3%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Cedar Breaks National Monument averages about 59°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Cedar City Airport (CDC) is the closest airport to Cedar Breaks National Monument, about 26 mi (47 min drive) away.
McCarran International Airport (LAS) is the nearest major airport, about 201 mi (3 hr 51 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Cedar Breaks.
There is no airport inside Cedar Breaks National Monument. Fly into McCarran International Airport (LAS) and drive the rest of the way — about 3 hr 51 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Cedar Breaks
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Kolob Reservoir Midway water qualityGrade A · 18 mi · UT
- Tropic Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 33 mi · UT
- Navajo Lake water qualityGrade C · 9 mi · UT
- Kolob Reservoir water qualityGrade C · 18 mi · UT
- Panguitch L Shore Lake water qualityGrade D · 13 mi · UT
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.