A Utah national monument tops an international travel writer’s chart of the 13 most unknown, beautiful places on Earth.
Asked by Outside magazine to proclaim the fairest of all the wild places on the planet, journalist Jen Murphy decided to forgo naming the usual tourist beauties — rugged coastlines and lush tropical landscapes — and instead go with an overlooked and underappreciated, well, sort of stepsister.
In a Cinderella-type upset, Murphy’s belle-of-the-wilderness ball is southern Utah’s Cedar Breaks National Monument, a gem nestled in the mountains 20 miles east of Cedar City that is often overshadowed by Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks, which sport more amenities and attract more visitors and publicity.
As whimsical as Cedar Breaks’ selection over better-known locales might seem, it wasn’t decided on a whim. Murphy explains that the more popular places are already on “people’s radar, and the last thing I want is to contribute to overtourism. Instead, I came up with a list of stunning, lesser-known destinations that are also full of adventure potential.”
The ‘wow’ factor
In her Aug. 25 article, “The 13 Most Beautiful Places on Earth You’ve Never Heard Of,” Murphy lists some of Cedar Breaks’ charms that give it a real “wow” factor.
“Utah has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to otherworldly rocky landscapes, but the geologic amphitheater that is Cedar Breaks National Monument steals the show (entrance fee from $15),” she writes. “Rich mineral deposits in the cliffs and hoodoos resemble a sweeping sunset of orange, yellow, red, and purple. During July and early August, some 250-plus species of wildflowers bloom, creating a Technicolor landscape.”
Cedar Breaks may fall short on amenities, but it doesn’t stint on adventure. One peak of the monument’s highlights, the writer notes, is its 10,000-foot elevation that keeps summertime highs at a comfortable 70 degrees. Its hikes also garner high marks.
“Hikes range from the ADA-compliant, two-mile round-trip Sunset Trail, which skirts part of the rim overlooking the amphitheater,” Murphy writes, “to the 12.8-mile Rattlesnake Creek Trail, a two- to three-day hike in the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness that drops into the amphitheater.”
A few of Cedar Breaks’ other wiles include its designation as an International Dark Sky Park where stargazers can gather from late May through early October for free four-hour astronomy tours. Hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails at nearby Brian Head Resort add to the monument’s allure.
For Cedar Breaks National Monument Superintendent Kathleen Gonder, the Boulder, Colorado-based magazine’s recognition of the monument comes as welcome news.
“Cedar Breaks National Monument appreciates the recognition from Outside magazine. … We are proud to immerse our visitors in some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth,” she says, “and we hope our future guests take the time to learn about this national treasure not only for its beauty but also as a natural and cultural resource to be cherished.”
Cedar Breaks on a roll
(Mark Eddington | The Salt Lake Tribune) A new visitors center at Cedar Breaks National Monument is unveiled Aug. 22, 2024.
Cedar Breaks, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed a national monument on Aug. 22, 1933, has been on a bit of a roll. In August, park and U.S. Forest Service officials gathered with Paiute leaders and other dignitaries to celebrate the opening of a new $7 million visitors center that was funded by the park service’s Centennial Challenge Program, the Zion National Park Forever Project, and Iron and Kane counties.
Moreover, yearly visitation to Cedar Breaks has jumped from roughly 22,000 in 1937 to about 700,000 today, which pales in comparison to the nearly 5 million who frequent Zion National Park each year.
Still, that’s a few too many for Californian Mark Mrazek.
“I always stop here when I travel to visit friends in Provo and Salt Lake because I enjoy the beauty and the solitude,” the Los Angeles resident said at the visitors center dedication. “I don’t want hordes of tourists coming to Cedar Breaks and ruining the very wilderness ambiance that makes it special.”
Here is Murphy’s top 13:
• Cedar Breaks National Monument.
• Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada.
• Lefkada Island, Greece.
• Sharqiya Sands, Oman.
• Las Coloradas Lagoon, Yucatán, Mexico.
• Rio Sucuri, Brazil.
• Pico Ruivo, Madeira, Portugal.
• Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania, Australia.
• The Sermilik Fjord, Greenland.
• Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico.
• Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique.
• Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.
• Lake Willoughby, Vermont.
