Cedar City, Utah---My home

Summers in Cedar are short and sweet. It doesn't tend to get too hot here. Usually we don't even break 95 degrees. Each summer we probably have one, maybe two, days that are barely over 100 degrees. These days tend to occur in late July or early August as the summer comes to an end. When you come to Cedar though, you have to remember that even though its not sweltering hot out, it is still a desert. This means it is fairly dry. You won't find much rain here through the summer which makes it such a great place to visit. However, you will still find tons of bugs. Other creatures come out in the summer here including bats and bears. The hottest month is July. However, its not unbearable. June and August are fairly cool, almost never reaching 90 degrees. Some years it hardly reaches 80 degrees in June til the last week. However, nights can still get pretty chilly so you might still want to bring a sweatshirt or jacket. Also, there is one week every year that the rains in Cedar just seem to not stop. This week could occur any time during the summer but usually not unil July. I remember one summer it was so bad that the roads were flooded. But that is pretty much the only time it actually rains. Other than that we may get a few clouds, even a few sprinkles, but nothing too terrible. The run off from the mountains can create floods in some areas. Sometimes the gutters will be completely full of water. I call those gutters the always flowing rivers because the run off can last all summer. It all depends on the amount of snow during the winter. Cedar is a very green place and just beautiful to visit in the summer. The sun is almost always shining. You also need to be wary of fires in the summer. Wildfires are very likely in southern Utah and usually occur.

There are so many different things to in Cedar. The best time to visit Cedar is the summer time. There is so much to do. I will start with the different events that are in Cedar in the summer time.
The first major event in the summer time is the Shakespeare Festival. This festival is about 3 months long. It runs the entire summer. Each year there are different shows to see. There are a few actual Shakespeare plays, the rest are plays written by others people. The festival is held on the Southern Utah University campus. This years festival is the 50th anniversary. Its a huge festival and many people have heard of it. People from all over the country come to this festival every year.
Another summer time event is the Utah summer games. This is an event that involves people from all over the world. Many people come participate in this event each summer, both by being an athlete and by volunteering or working to help the athletes. This event is primarily held at SUU. However, some events are held at other local schools and even parks. They run the summer games similar to the olympics with fireworks and all. Its a great event for the whole community to get involved with.
Summer time in Cedar City is also the time for Groovefest. Now, I've never personally been because of my work schedule. Its a short festival that takes place at the Main Street Park. The event is usually in June and it lasts only a few days. However, not ever gone, I have heard it. If you go you can expect a few vendors, tons of great people, and lots of music. The music is primarily folk with various other types thrown into the mix. If you are looking for big name bands, you won't find them here. Most of the people who perform are local artists looking for a break or just having some fun.
Also in Cedar is our Renaissance Fair. Granted, our fair isn't nearly as large as the one in Vegas, it is probably one of the more fun events to attend. There are all kinds of things to do, food to eat, and people to meet. Most of the people who go even get dressed up for this event. This event is also a small one and only lasts a weekend. Every year it seems there is something new to see or do. One year, maybe a couple years in a row even, there was a camel ride. That's ride, a freaking camel ride. Yes, I rode the camel.....it was stinky but how many people can say they have done that. There is also a tent for the southwest wildlife foundation. They bring some of their endangered birds to show off......they have an American Bald Eagle, falcons, and other birds of prey. There are many shows as well. If you go you can expect to see the belly dancers showing off their moves several times a day, and even ask them to teach you some. There is also the drum circle, fire dancers, and many others shows to see. There are tons of vendors at this event and great food. I try to go to this event every year for at least a couple hours. This one takes place in July.
Another thing you might want to check out while you are visiting is the Neil Simmon festival. This is also a play festival. Most of these plays however are comedy plays. These take place in a one month time period between July and August. This is a fairly new festival that is in its 9th season this year. These plays are shown at the Heritage center. So if you are looking for a laugh, stop on by.

Cedar City is close to so many other popular and not so popular destinations. If you aren't into festivals and plays, then maybe the following things will spark your interest.
There are so many different places to camp out for a night or two surrounding Cedar. One of my favorite places is Navajo Lake. The lake is beautiful and very blue. It is located in a remote spot up the canyon and can be difficult to get too. However, once you get there it is so worth the trip. It's several thousand feet higher in elevation than Cedar is, so it's much cooler there than here in town. The winter months tend to last a little longer up there. However, if you go at the right time it is a beautiful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Also, while you are there, why not fish? You can take a small boat or canoe, or fish right from the shore. If you end up going, I suggest going in July. I went in June and it snowed the day I left.
Another great camp site is what every in Cedar calls 3 peaks. I'm not really sure if that's the actual name, but that is the only name I have heard it called. There is no lake at this place, but there are tons of places to camp. It is quite remote and again, hard to get to. Once you reach the bottom of the mountains it's all dirt road. It's a bump drive, sometimes hazardous, so i don't suggest going up in a small vehicle. (I high centered my ford focus on a large rock up there). It is far out of town. If you choose the right site to camp at, you can look out and see the lights of Cedar, at least that side of Cedar. If you decide to go I suggest asking someone for directions. This is a free place to camp, so why not go?
There are other places to camp as well, but those are the only two I have been to. There are other places to see and things to do around Cedar. One of which is Zions National Park. This park is closer to St. George than Cedar, but it is still a great place to go. This park gets many visitors each year and is a huge attraction in Utah. Its about one hour south-ish of Cedar and is a beautiful drive. You can also take the long route which adds about another hour and take in more of the beauty that is Southern Utah on the way. At Zions you can camp, hike, climb, and do pretty much what your heart desires. There are a ton of fees though so be prepared to spend some money. There are also souvenir shops and hotels.
Another major attraction in southern Utah is the Arches. I have never been there but I plan to go. I have heard of their beauty. Many of the post cards you get in Utah have pictures of one of the Arches on them.
The final major summer time park attraction is Bryce Canyon. Again I have never been there either, but I plan to go.....soon.
These last two I will be able to write on when I actually go to them. The road to Bryce always seems to be closed when I want to go due to the fact that winters last longer there. Once it snows for the first time here in Cedar the road to Bryce Canyon is closed and remains closed til almost July. However, if you have snow mobiles, feel free to go on the road.
So if you like to camp, fish, or even just visit the ever popular sites, Cedar is the place to go.

There aren't any festivals in Cedar in the winter, and you probably don't want to go camping. I guess there are people that like to sleep in ig-loos out there, and to that go ahead and camp here. But it gets blistery cold and some winters even have quite a bit of snow. Now don't fret, I have never seen the snow in town get higher than 2 feet in one storm, so we never have the issues that the eastern states had this last winter. However, our plows don't always start when they should. The roads get real bad. There is a few saying in Cedar associated with winter. The first is that if it snows on or before Halloween, we can expect a warmer, wetter season. However, if the snows waits til after Halloween, it will be a dry, cold winter. The last two winter have been cold and dry. Not much snow which means not much warmth. It can snow as early as September here, so pack your coats. The snow usually sticks around til mid June. It doesn't always snow in June, but you can still see the snow in the mountains. As a matter of fact, it's July now and I can still see snow at the top of some of the mountains. Which leads to the next saying. On our mountain there is big letter "C" in white stone. Above that letter "C" is what looks like a crack at the top of the mountain where two peaks meet. The saying goes something like this: "If grandma's crack is white, winter is not over." Meaning, as long as there is still snow up there, it could still snow down here. Granted, in June you aren't going to have a foot of snow, but you could have a dusting of snow over night. So needless to say, our winters can be very long. But, there is still stuff to do, even if the canyons are shut down and roads blocked off.

Cedar doesn't have too much to offer in the winter. This is mostly due to the snow which shuts down canyon roads. However, there is still a few things to do. One of the biggest Southern Utah attractions associated with Cedar is actually located outside of Parowan. This is Brian Head. Brian Head is a Ski resort and is right around 30-45 minutes north of Cedar. It is not particularly huge or well known. But, it still has great skiing. The skiing season usually starts after the first snow fall and last through the spring, sometimes longer. Like most ski resorts, if clouds are low or snow is heavy, some of the lifts and trails are closed. But it is still a fun little place to ski. The resort is home to many people, and even has time shares located there. There is a lodge for hot chocolate and treats and a day care center for the young ones. You can opt to take lessons on skiing or snowboarding from any of the wonderful instructors up there. It is a great little resort to take the whole family.
Other things to do include a candle light vigil at Christmas time in Parowan. Its a nice little touch where the town gets together for food and stories. You can also still go to Zions National Park in the winter, as long as they don't get too much snow. I have actually heard that it is better to go there in the winter because the rates are low and not very many people go. Other than that, there really is much to do in the winter. Most people get upset with this since the winter last forever.

Most people ask what other things are offered in town. Things that most visitors won't know about and won't seek out information on. You will always hear people rant and rave about the national parks in the area and the great camp sites, even the Ski resort. But you never hear people talk about the smaller things in this town. The smaller things in this town is what keeps those living here occupied. There are two movies theaters in town at opposite ends. Both offer some of the same movies but sometimes have completely different movies in them. There is also a Walmart in this small city for you to buy all the things your heart desires. There is a bowling alley at the north end of town that is quite fun to go to. You can even do cosmic bowling there. We also have an old school skating rink. The rink is a very new attraction (just opened a week ago). It is located on airport road. Oh yea, there is a small airport in Cedar. There is also a brand new swimming center, also opened this summer. This is located up the hill from Walmart. We have several parades in town through the summer including the 4th of July and Pioneer day (July 24th). The parades can hinder people that are actually trying to go somewhere. There are several parks in town and trails to walk on. There is a path that leads up the canyon for a beautiful walk and ends at a waterfall. There is also a path that goes up the mountain to the "C". the "C trail", as it is named, is a fairly difficult trail to walk and is advised that you be an experienced hiker to do. Trust me, it's difficult. You can also bike that path but again, it isn't recommended for ameteurs as the path can get pretty steep in areas. There are also two or three other paths around the "C" mountain, but don't go up it. There is one that leads to an amazing cave, however it is hard to get there. Many people go rock climbing on some of the mountains around here as well.

There is a lot to my town. Cedar is bustling with things to do. The town is constantly expanding and new things are always being introduced. Look for updates as this town grows and expands every year.