An Inverted Crown

We’d been told that Cedar Breaks National Monument is like a smaller, younger Bryce Canyon, but at a much higher altitude of 10,000 feet. We knew that we had to get there soon or it would have to wait for next summer.

We don’t usually have many stops on travel days, but this earned an exception. Staying at Uinta Flat allowed us to see Navajo Lake along the way, which was formed during a lava flow that blocked the former drainage. Now, there are no streams flowing from the lake, but drainage occurs through sinkholes into both the Colorado River drainage and the Great Basin. The pulloff on Highway 14 offers a high viewpoint, of which a perfectly straight line bisecting the lake is very apparent. We learned that a dike was constructed to separate the main part of the lake from the sinkhole area to help maintain a steady water level for that portion.

Six miles west, we parked the motorhome and took the truck to Cedar Breaks. From Sunset View, Chessman Ridge, and North View Overlooks, the vistas are stunning. Point Supreme was my personal favorite, likely that since the area is currently under reconstruction, it felt more raw as it was lacking guardrails and stone walls. Being that we were low on time, the only hiking we did was a short jaunt along the Alpine Pond trail. We learned that Bristlecone Pines are the oldest living trees on the planet, living up to 5000 years, but the oldest ones in this grove are around 1700 years old. We peered through the branches of a few specimens to get some of these shots.

While Bryce has the caramel and terra cotta darker tones, Cedar Breaks is much more golden: like a royal crown, but inverted. There are far fewer hoodoos, but the present state of erosion seems more massive and with greater variance. The feeling here is more intimate as there weren’t crowds of tourists with which to contend. I find it delightful that most of my photos lack images of people, especially ones that we do not know. Al snagged one of me with the dogs, and I think Suki would prefer those walls over the abrupt dropoffs.

I’d love to come back in the winter, however the main road through the park is closed November to May due to the elevation and heavy snow accumulation. That don’t mean the park is closed or inaccessible, but a snowmobile or snowshoes would likely be a requirement. As it was, we did see small patches of snow on the ground this October. I was glad our ever-changing schedule allowed us to make it here this season. This short visit has me wanting to return, maybe next summer?

We’ve made it to southern Arizona, where we might stay until the end of the year. It will give us time to catch up on places we’ve been, and transition into posting about things going on in our current week and locations. We have a refrigerator to replace, some wiring to do, other repairs and maintenance to address, and a support team to assist. I’m cracking the whip already!

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