Cedar
Breaks Winter Road Closure
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah. The section of Utah Highway
148 through Cedar Breaks National Monument that connects Utah Highways
14 and 143 has been closed for the winter. According to park Superintendent
Paul Roelandt, the storm that hit southern Utah over the weekend
brought high winds and snow that caused heavy drifting across the
Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive, making the road impassable. “We
have reached that time of year when expected heavy snow accumulations
and constant drifting of snow across the road have made it unsafe
to keep the road open,” Roelandt said.
The portion
of Highway 143 through Cedar Breaks National Monument connecting
Panguitch with Brian Head and Parowan will remain open throughout
the winter, except during and immediately after heavy snowstorms
and during periods of blowing snow. For current road conditions
please call UDOT Travel Information Service at 1-800-492-2400.
Although the
park road is now closed, Cedar Breaks provides many opportunities
for winter recreation as more snow accumulates. When sufficient
snow falls, trails will be marked for use by snowshoers and skiers
from the north park boundary along the north rim of the breaks,
and along the Alpine Pond Trail in the park. The park’s snowmobile
route will also be marked, but remains closed until sufficient snow
covers the unplowed road and enables the snowmobile route to be
groomed through the park. Snowmobilers are reminded that snowmobiles
must remain on the marked route within Cedar Breaks in order to
protect park resources such as plants and wildlife, and to help
provide a high quality, safe visitor experience for all park users.
Questions regarding current conditions for winter recreational activities
may be directed to the park’s administrative headquarters
at (435) 586-9451.
From early
June to mid-October, the visitor center is open daily from 8:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Visitor facilities are CLOSED from mid-October
through late May. For more information on Cedar
Breaks National Monument click here.
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