Day Trippin' › Utah › From Cedar City
Cedar City has Kanarra Falls, the Parowan Gap petroglyphs and Zion's Kolob Canyons all within about 25 minutes, Cedar Breaks about 35 minutes up the mountain, and Zion Canyon about an hour. The best day trips from Cedar City, by drive time.
70 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
National park · 34 min east
A huge natural amphitheater of orange and white hoodoos at over 10,000 feet, with cool summer wildflowers and short rim walks.
National park · 59 min south
Utah's first national park, where sheer red and cream cliffs rise above the Virgin River in Zion Canyon. Ride the shuttle up the canyon and hop off at trailheads and viewpoints.
State park · 1 hr southwest
Red and white sandstone, lava flows and sand dunes just outside St. George, with short hikes and a three-mile paved trail.
Swimming · 39 min southwest
A reservoir near St. George known for some of the warmest water in Utah, good for swimming, kayaking, boating and fishing.
Family fun · 46 min southwest
A dinosaur and train themed playground built for kids of all abilities, with a mini train, climbing and splash areas.
Town · 57 min south
The small gateway town at Zion's south entrance, with galleries, cafes, bike rentals and a free town shuttle.
Historic site · 32 min southwest
An old silver-mining town site near Leeds with a restored stone bank building now used as a museum.
Bike trail · 41 min south
A fast, mostly smooth desert singletrack in the Hurricane Cliffs trail system with views toward Zion, a favorite of beginner and intermediate riders.
National park · 1 hr 27 min east
A rim of amphitheaters packed with orange hoodoos, with viewpoints along an 18-mile road and trails dropping into the formations.
State park · 1 hr 33 min southeast
Rolling pink sand dunes west of Kanab, great for sandboarding, barefoot running and off-road riding.
Scenic drive · 1 hr 7 min east
An All-American Road linking Bryce to Capitol Reef past slickrock canyons, a narrow ridge called the Hogback and aspen-covered mountains.
Trail · 1 hr 9 min south
A famous climb up switchbacks and a narrow chained ridge to a summit with huge views straight down Zion Canyon. Scout Lookout, short of the chains, makes a good turnaround.
Trail · 1 hr 12 min south
A paved riverside path at the top of Zion Canyon leads to the Narrows, where you wade up the Virgin River between towering walls.
Trail · 1 hr 31 min east
The classic Bryce hike that drops from the rim through narrow hoodoo walls to the canyon floor and climbs back out past odd rock shapes.
Town · 1 hr 1 min east
A small ranching town near Bryce with a historic main street, red-brick homes and a June Quilt Walk festival.
Swimming · 1 hr 14 min southwest
A small reservoir in red hills northwest of St. George; in wet years water spills over rock ledges below the dam into a chain of falls and pools.
Viewpoint · 2 hr 47 min southeast
A short walk to a cliff edge where the Colorado River makes a giant horseshoe 1,000 feet below.
Canyon · 2 hr 55 min southeast
A narrow slot canyon of swirling sandstone and light beams, seen on a guided Navajo tour.
Waterfall · 2 hr 39 min east
A sandy canyon hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante past rock art to a tall waterfall pouring into a cool pool.
Swimming · 2 hr 14 min northeast
A small lake near Sterling, south of Manti, with a beach, paddling and a golf course next door.
State park · 2 hr 19 min east
Petrified wood along a hillside trail above Wide Hollow Reservoir, where you can also swim and paddle.
Family fun · 2 hr 33 min north
Huge sand dunes near Nephi with motor-free kids' sand play areas and big open dunes for off-road riding.
Town · 2 hr 36 min northeast
A small town near Capitol Reef with red cliffs, cafes and dark night skies; it is an International Dark Sky Community.
Museum · 2 hr 50 min east
A museum in Boulder built at an ancient village site, with a rebuilt dwelling and artifacts.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 84720 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.