|
Dixie National Forest - Cedar Mountain
|
Cedar
Mountain
Cedar Mountain, the most visited section of Dixie National Forest, is alive with rich, vibrant color. In the summer, spring
and fall, rows and rows of aspen crowd together to amplify white
contrasting tree trunks with green tear drop shaped leaves. Traveling Highway 14 in the fall is breathtaking when the red
and yellow hues demand deserved attention. Colors glow in the forest, from the pinkish, red rock of Red Canyon to the vegetation rich land on the mountain tops.
Cedar Mountain Lodging |
|
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is Utah's largest forest, with four geographic areas covering almost two-million acres of land and stretching for about 170 miles across Southern Utah. Cedar Mountain claims one of the
highest elevations in Dixie National Forest, at about 11,000 ft. The peak is located near the view
point just above Navajo Lake. Although most of the forest is at a high elevation, it does dip down under 3,000 ft. near St. George. The forest borders Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon and the Grand Staircase-Escalante. Other than Red Canyon, located along Highway 12, Cedar Mountain is the easiest section of the forest to access. Between the 42 miles that connect Cedar City and Long Valley Junction (Junction of Highways 89 and 14) there are many areas for camping, hiking, bike riding, horseback riding, picnics, ATV riding, snowmobiling and there are plenty of chilly streams and lakes for fishing. Lava fields litter the sides of the roads, giving a key to the mountains past. Hordes of people head to the mountain at the end of July when the charming village of Duck Creek holds a chili cook-off.
Dixie National Forest Visitor Center: 435-865-3700 |
Cedar or Juniper?
Why the name Cedar Mountain if there are no cedar trees on the mountain?
Cedar came about when early settlers incorrectly called the juniper trees, cedar trees. The mountain part
is obvious as you climb from about 6,000 ft. elevation to the top where it's about 11,000 ft. The lower elevation of Cedar Mountain offers
a transitional area between grasslands and forested areas. The common Rocky Mountain
juniper (what was thought to be cedar trees) offers a year round habitat
to many of the mountain's animals. |
|
Cedar Mountain Vacation: Canyon Country
Cedar Mountain and Cedar Breaks are just a short drive from the East side of Zion and are a great addition to your vacation plans. |
 Nature Notes
What is the largest living thing in the world? A tree. Not just one tree, but a grove of them all from one root stock! Because the aspen grows in this manner the tree has the ability to
recover and quickly grow in the event of forest fire. The interconnected roots allow for easy breeding and strength,
giving the ability to survive and even thrive in the harsh winter conditions
of Cedar Mountain.
 Next Page
|
