Enjoy meadows of blooming color at the Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival

Cedar Breaks National Monument, Iron County, Utah, undated | Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY – Returning for its 13th year, the annual Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival will feature thousands of beautiful flowers poised against the monument’s scenic backdrop.

The event is free to visitors who have paid for park admission and includes wildflowers, guided walks, special programs, a photography contest and more.

A bee pollinates the new flowers at the Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival, Cedar City, Utah, July 2016 | File photo by Kaleigh Bronson, St. George News / Cedar City News

“The wildflower festival brings a stunning addition to an already beautiful destination,” Amber Bennett, marketing assistant of the Cedar City-Brian Head Tourism Bureau, said in a press release. “Visitors will not only be impressed by the sites of Cedar Breaks National Monument, but also by the many wildflowers that will be scattered throughout the mountaintop. For those who are looking for a worthwhile summer activity to escape the heat, the wildflower festival is a perfect option.”

This year’s festival takes place July 7 to July 22 at Cedar Breaks National Monument.

The event is free to visitors who have paid for park admission and includes wildflowers, guided walks, special programs, a photography contest and more.

Several different types of wildflowers bloom in late June and early July, with displays peaking in mid-July. These flowers include aspen bluebells, kittentails, cushion phlox, scarlet paintbrushes, little sunflowers and more, which paint the monument’s meadows with a brilliant array of colors.

To help visitors identify and enjoy these various wildflowers, two different tour options are available.

The first is a guided hike led by a specialist (a park ranger or volunteer) who is familiar with the different wildflowers found in the monument. These hikes leave from the visitor center at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day of the event.

Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival, Cedar City, Utah, July 2016 | File photo by Kaleigh Bronson, St. George News / Cedar City News

The second tour option is a self-guided hike. Guests can pick up a wildflower checklist and a “What’s in Bloom” handout to assist them as they explore the meadows and forests.

The National Park Service has also created a free app titled, “The Wildflowers of Cedar Breaks National Monument.” The app, available for iOS and most Android devices, allows visitors to quickly and easily identify more than 100 of the area’s most common wildflowers.

One of the most popular activities connected with the festival is photography. Those who take pictures at the event can send images to [email protected] for a chance to win a prize and have their submitted photograph featured on next year’s wildflower festival poster.

“Photography is growing in popularity among all ages,” Bennett said in the release. “Whether you are a professional photographer looking for great outdoor shots or just hope to share your adventures with those on your social media pages, the Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival has something for all.”

To round out the schedule, Cedar Breaks will also host Zion National Park Forever Project Field Programs. These in-depth classes include “Cedar Mountain Wildflowers” on July 13, “Wildflower Photography” and “Wildflower Journaling” on July 14 and “Cedar Breaks Geology” on July 21. Call 435-772-3264 for more information or visit this web page.

In addition to wildflower hikes and photography opportunities, the festival also features other family-friendly activities at the visitor center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends during the event.

More information about the festival can be found here. To learn more about other activities available in the area, see the Visit Cedar City website.

Event recap

  • What: Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival.
  • When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 7-22.
  • Where: Cedar Break National Monument, Highway 143 East, Brian Head, Utah.
  • Admission: Free to visitors who have paid for park admission.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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