Adventures in Cedar City, Utah

After exploring Zion, Bryce Canyon, Sundance and Park City my sister, Shannon, and I were just about ready to head back to California. But, we had one more night to spend in Utah and a quick glance at the map showed Cedar City to be the perfect stopping point between Provo and home. I’d never before heard of it and figured it would be just a place to grab some shut eye. Boy, was I wrong. Cedar City is chock full of sights and we spent much of our last day exploring its riches.

Our first stop was the Frontier Homestead State Park. You know I love California state parks and I was eager to see what another state had to offer.

Founded in 1973 the park is devoted to the history of Cedar City and the surrounding areas. Encompassing 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits it’s filled with fascinating historic artifacts and fun interactive exhibits.

Inside are several historic vehicles that are fascinating glimpses into frontier Utah. You can even sit inside a covered wagon and, boy, is it an experience! It’s so springy I though it was going to tip over and those seats are small and hard! Makes me super happy we no longer rely on it for transportation. 

Outside are several buildings that help tell the tale of Utah history. There’s a log cabin, a sheep sheering shed, a covered wagon and lots more. You can go inside every building and each is filled with informative exhibits.

I thought the Frontier Homestead would be a quick stop but we ended up looking around for well over an hour. What a treasure!

From there we headed into the mountains towards the Cedar Breaks National Monument. It was a cold and windy day and as I drove uphill snowbanks started to appear along the roadway. Luckily, there was no ice so we forged ahead and came upon a beautiful natural wonder.

It was simply breathtaking. Standing at 10,000 feet looking into the 1/2 mile deep amphitheater was a sight I won’t soon forget. Shannon and I were both in awe at the view before us.

Since the visitor’s center was closed for the season and the clouds were moving in we soon headed down the mountain toward our next stop.

The Parowan Gap is a longtime passage through Utah’s Red Hills. It’s been used by indigenous tribes, frontier settlers, travelers and, now, truckers. It may seem like a simple slot between stones but upon closer look it’s filled with a hidden treasure.

Petroglyphs. The rocks are covered in them.

The Parowan Gap Petroglyphs were most likely Inscribed over a thousand years ago by an ancient people and they give a glimpse into a world long since forgotten though much of what was written remains a mystery. At the site there is a trail you can walk that offers a clear viewpoint of the markings and it was fascinating to see them up close.

Our planned brief stop in Cedar City turned out to be a day filled with fascination and wonder. We learned the history of the frontier, saw an impressive natural wonder and caught a glimpse into an ancient past. What a way to finish our Utah trip!