The Fall Color Loop and activities follow the scenic drive route outlined in yellow in the map below, with other scenic drive options in red.
A scenic drive with overlooks, beautiful views, and hiking trails/activities along the way is a great start to fall! And the area around Cedar City, Brian Head, and Parowan put on a spectacular show when the fall leaves start to change.
So let's plan a scenic drive, starting with a map 👇
The driving routes we'll take in the itinerary below are: SR 14 (Cedar Canyon), Hwy 148 (through Cedar Breaks), Hwy 143 (with a quick detour to mile marker 24) down to Parowan and Gap Road followed by Hwy 130 to Cedar City.
For information on the routes highlighted in red, click the link here.
Start in Cedar City
Start the morning with breakfast and coffee/tea from a local spot in downtown. Places like The Grind Coffeehouse, The French Spot, and Bristlecone in downtown are a great option for a bite and a drink. Before following Center Street East, as it turns into SR 14 and winds through Cedar Canyon.
Fall Color Views in Cedar Canyon (SR 14)
Places to Stop along the Way in Cedar Canyon
- Wood's Ranch Recreation Area and Kid's Pond (great fall color, restrooms, and a meadow with late fall wildflowers)
- Zion Scenic Overlook @ mile marker 17. (View of Zion Canyon from across the valley and beautiful fall leaves)
- Hike the Bristlecone Pine Trail just past the Zion Scenic Overlook to stretch your legs, find ancient Bristlecone Pines, and enjoy incredible views.
Continue to the junction at Hwy 148, and turn left toward Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Hwy 148 Through Cedar Breaks National Monument
The meadows and stretches of pine and aspen trees through Cedar Breaks National Monument are beautiful in full fall color. Almost as vibrant as the vermillion red rock formations of the Breaks themselves! With several scenic pullouts along the way and 3 hiking trails that lead to unique views, there is a lot to see in Cedar Breaks.
Places to Stop in Cedar Breaks National Monument
- The Point Supreme Overlook and Visitor Center. Browse the gift shop, take in the view from the Overlook, and find more information here.
- There is a fee to visit Cedar Breaks. Pay the fee here, or show your park pass before continuing.
- Hike the Alpine Pond Trail for beautiful fall views as you wind through golden Aspens to a hidden alpine pond.
- Stop at the scenic overlooks like the Sunset Overlook, Chessman Overlook, and North Overlook for a different view of the Breaks at each one.
Fall Color along the scenic drive in Cedar Breaks
From here, let's keep going on Hwy 143, with a quick detour before we reach Brian Head!
Quick Detour to Sydney Valley (Hwy 143)
The groups of Aspens at Sydney Valley (mile marker 24 on Hwy 143) pop every year with vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red. With golden meadows between the stands of trees and a small stream that runs through, this spot is a peaceful stopping point along your scenic drive. And a great photo spot!
From here, turn around and head back toward the junction with Hwy 148.
Fall color views in Sydney Valley (Hwy 143)
Driving the Patchwork Parkway (Hwy 143) to Brian Head
Known as the Patchwork Parkway, Hwy 143 is a beautiful scenic drive any time of year, but in fall it takes on a whole new life with an array of vibrant colors. As you drop into the town of Brian Head you'll see brightly colored Aspens mixing with dark pines along the way.
Stop for lunch in Brian Head at one of their local spots like Pizzanos Pizzeria, Mountain Peak Cafe, Rosales Mexican Food, or Patio Grill & Brews at the Giant Steps Lodge and pause to enjoy fall color from the activities and trails.
Places to Visit and Things to do While You're Here
- Take a walk around the path at Bristlecone Pond or relax and fish for a minute. (Fishing supplies available at Brian Head General Store).
- Rent an OHV from Utah ATV Rentals and take a scenic back road drive to the High Mountain Overlook
- Hike the Twisted Forest Trail or Manzanita Trail, walk the Town Trail, or hike the newly reopened Aspen Meadows Loop Trail.
- Try out the mountain bike trails at the Brian Head Resort Mountain Bike Park. *weekends only
- Visit Brian Head Resort for activities like the scenic chairlift ride, alpine tubing, and mini zipline. *weekends only
- Don't forget to check the event calendar! The resort has some great weekend events in the fall.
Fall walk around the Bristlecone Pond Trail in Brian Head, UT
Continue on Hwy 143 to Parowan (with a quick detour)
After your Brian Head adventure, continue down the canyon following Hwy 143 to the town of Parowan. Off to your right, near the bottom of the canyon, you'll see a sign for Yankee Meadow Reservoir. If you feel up for another scenic detour with unique rock formations and beautiful fall leaves, this is the place! Take the thin (but paved) mountain road through a beautiful canyon, turning around at the cattle guard near the top, or at the Yankee Meadow Reservoir at the end of the road. The blend of colors and rock formations along the way offers a different view than what we've seen so far in our drive.
From there, continue on to the town of Parowan.
Fall Color in Parowan Canyon from Yankee Meadow Road
Known as "Southern Utah's Mother Town" Parowan is a picture-perfect small town. Without a stoplight in sight, this town is perfect for a walk down Main Street with a visit to their historic Old Rock Church and pioneer homes before getting dinner from a local restaurant.
Places to Visit While You're Here
- Historic Old Rock Church and the Jesse N. Smith pioneer home at the Main Street Park
- Grab a cinnamon roll from the Southern Country Chevron (trust us, their bakery is amazing!)
- Visit local shops for unique finds like grass-fed beef at Dry Lakes Ranch Beef, antiques and collectibles at The Rusty Bucket, home decor and more at Old Crow Basics, or a new favorite hat or tee at Shirtzilla vs Hatsquatch.
- Stop by Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard for farm-fresh finds, beautiful flowers, and items from their farm store.
- Pause for a moment and learn more about Parowan's pioneer heritage at Heritage Park.
Sunset at the Old Rock Church in Parowan, UT
Visit the Parowan Gap on your way back to Cedar City
It wouldn't be a scenic drive without taking the scenic route back to Cedar, and this scenic drive has an incredible historic site to see along the way. From Parowan, take Gap Road (400 North) out of town. Along the way keep an eye out for the Parowan Dinosaur Tracks trail off to the right. The three preserved tracks are raised relief tracks and are a cool find along the way. Continue along Gap Road (400 North) to the Parowan Gap. As you near the Gap, you'll see two large rock formations rise out of the landscape with a road travelling straight down the middle.
The walls of the Parowan Gap are steep jumbles of weathered stone, adorned with an impressive number of petroglyphs. With over 1,500 glyphs across 90 panels, there is so much to see within these walls. Some glyphs, like the Zipper Glyph, are unique only to this area. With interpretive signs and historic information along the way, we recommend stretching your legs and walking the paved all-access path through the Parowan Gap to see them all.
Fall sunset views of the petroglyphs at the Parowan Gap
After finding your favorite petroglyph, continue along Gap Rd to Hwy 130 (Minersville Hwy) and turn left to continue to Cedar City.
Still looking for more fall color? Don't forget the other scenic drive routes highlighted in red on the map at the top of this post, with more information linked here.
Don't forget to share a fall color photo
with us @visitcedarcity, and we hope you enjoyed your visit! #VisitCedarCity