2 Reasons to See Dixie National Forest

2 Big Reasons to Go See Dixie National Forest

I promise I'm not a paid advertiser for Southern Utah travel. I just enjoy the views and the wide open sky offered by Dixie National Forest. It is an area unlike anywhere else in the "four corners" states. Here are four solid reasons why Dixie National Forest is a wonderful place. 

#1-The Photography

Here are some pictures that my wife and I have taken in this area:

Autumn is so great up there.

Lovely.

Oh, it's me again.

2) See What All the Fuss is About

Firstly, let me clarify. I am not talking about this fuss,

...Mr. Brightside is signing off.

Yellowstone was an inside job.

I'm talking about the fuss over the Great Outdoors. There has been a lot of attention drawn to the environment in the last couple decades. Snowballs in the Senate aside, to most it is pretty clear that Mother Nature is pushing back against us for all of our airborne chemicals. While it isn't a popular topic in Utah, I found it interesting to find out that the Obama Administration is very interested in the US National Parks. It seems that they are so worried about it, in fact, that over 265 million acres of land have been protected over the last 8 years. That's quite the spread there, feller.

So, while I won't go through an exhaustive report of the NPS (National Park Service) or write up an essay on global warming, I can provide some links to check out. The National Park Service was founded in 1916. Their mission is simple: to protect America's National Parks. That involves other initiatives, like education, enforcing some rules, and taking care of the wildlife. It is a tough, and often thankless job.

National Geographic reports that two thirds of America's National Park have been experiencing earlier springs recently. So this is the fuss I'm talking about. Mucho fuss. What are we protecting? Why aren't all the mountain ranges covered in cabins and mansions? Well, you may have to see it to get it. These parks are a monument to America's history, and key to our nation's future. Come see what is being fought to protect.

Hikin While the Water's Fallin

Cascade Falls

Steps lead hikers up and around to the waterfall.

I live twenty minutes away from a National Park! Dixie National Park is very large and majestic. In my previous post,  I shared the basics about where Cedar Canyon and the National Forest are, so it's time for a little story. My wife Shelby and I got picked up by her sister and brother-in-law to hike to Cascade Falls. It was a considerable drive, about thirty miles, but fortunately we were in a nice, roomy car. We just went up the canyon road, which in Cedar is Utah Scenic Highway 15 East. 

Better directions are provided in the link.

This is where we hiked --->

Hey, I'm sure it's Niagra Falls in the spring.

after arriving from the turnoff to Cascade Falls. 

As you can see from Shelby's pictures, Cascade Falls is a breath-taking site. As for the actual water fall, it was more like a drippy stream when we went, but that was during the dead of summer. It's much wetter in the spring, I'm sure. More than anything, the views are what you go for. It's just beautiful, majestic country up there. And I say that as a native-Utahn, surrounded by rugged but likeable desert mountains for most of my life. I was surprised to find that all of this was only about a half hour drive up from my apartment. It's all quite impressive. The hike was a sort of in-betweener so far as difficulty goes. The trail is well maintained. At times it runs rather steep, but the lengthier stretches are on a subtle incline. The total distance is just under a mile there and back. The views going up in the medium-difficulty hike are pretty exciting, but the final view at the falls is just fantastic. The line of sight opens up to a wide perspective of Zion National Park. The air is naturally a little cooler around the water, and it seems like nature's little reward for reaching the end. The walk back seems shorter than the trek up to the falls. I recommend this trail for casual sightseers and photographers. To the hard-core hiker, Cascade Falls is more of a walk in the mountains, but even they will be taken aback by the sight of Zion National Park in the distance.

Wowza.

We be hikers.

Map of the Dixie National Forest

A Dixie National Forest Map

This is a big area. I mean a big, big area. Dixie National Forest spans around 170 miles, and covers elevations from 2,800 feet to 11,322. While it is a large area, it is pretty easy to navigate. One main highway connects all the side routes. This road, Utah Highway 143, winds around Cedar Canyon up to the top at Cedar Breaks, before going into Brianhead Ski Resort. All the side routes are indicated in the map below. The icons indicate camping, hiking, skiing, ATV riding, biking, or fishing. Use this map, or the one in the link below, and plan your Dixie Forest adventure today.

Link- National Parks Service Map

Detailed Map

3 Things to Do in Dixie National Forest

3 Places to Visit in Dixie National Forest

Dixie National Forest is an expansive, beautiful national park with about 170 miles of scenic Utah nature. It is also Utah's largest national park. With so much to explore, it can be difficult to start. Here's a small list of highlights to get you started.

1) Kolob Reservoir

Kolob Reservoir is a popular fishing area. The scenic area also features some camping areas. Get to this area by heading up the canyon from Cedar City, turning right at the Lava Point turn off, and following the road until you've reached the reservoir.

2) Cedar Breaks

Cedar Breaks is a National Monument location at the top of Cedar Canyon (the route to reach Dixie National Forest). The area is simply breathtaking. The site provides a view of colorful red rock country contrasted with large expanses of trees. Be aware that it is a tolled area to visit, although definitely worth it.

3) Cedar Canyon

This is a great camping spot. Cedar Canyon features sites for pitching tents, RV parking, a restroom, drinking water, and paved roads. The camping site is located next to Crow Creek, and the highway leading through the canyon. Cedar Canyon campground is closed for the fall and winter and will reopen next spring.

Sources:

http://utah.com/campgrounds/cedar-canyon

http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/zion/kolob_reservoir.html

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/cedar-canyon/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70246

*my wife, Shelby Ericksen, took the great picture of Cedar Breaks