Cedar Breaks Winter Road Closure and Brian Head Opening 2026

Last winter, State Route 148 through Cedar Breaks National Monument stayed open well past mid-November. The National Park Service didn't announce the closure until January 2, 2026, and it gave one reason: the road was "closed for its routine winter season due to sufficient snowpack."

Snowpack is what sets the date. The rule applies across the whole mountain from Cedar Canyon to Brian Head, which makes the next several weeks hard to plan by calendar. Brian Head Resort is working to open early on its own terms. The monument road waits for the snow to pile up. Between those two dates is a short stretch when you can ski in the morning and still drive to Point Supreme in the afternoon.

Mid-November Is an Average

On its current conditions page, the Park Service treats the SR-148 closing as a projection. The road "closes each year due to snowpack," and "while the duration of the closure is snow dependent, the road is closed to vehicles from mid-November to mid-May, on average." The NPS winter access page says the same thing, with closures "beginning around mid-November each year."

Last season's January 2 announcement shows how far the real date can drift from that average. A light early season can keep the road open long after Thanksgiving. A big storm could close it sooner. Nobody announces the date in advance.

As of the Park Service's October 17, 2026 update, SR-148 and SR-143 through the monument were both open.

Some Things Have Closed for the Season. The Overlooks Haven't.

Not everything at Cedar Breaks follows the road. The buildings close every year on a fixed schedule, and the scenery stays open until the snow closes the road. The NPS conditions page, updated October 17, 2026, lists this split:

On October 15, the Park Service posted a caution alert. Trees are down on monument trails and won't be assessed until next spring, and trails and walkways may be icy. For now you can still drive to the rim, but the trails below the overlooks are already in early-winter shape.

Brian Head Is Making Its Own Early Start

A few miles up SR-143, Brian Head Resort is working on a different schedule. The Deseret News reported on October 7, 2026 that Brian Head has targeted a November 6 opening, the earliest in the state. The target depends on the weather, and the resort says so.

The resort's plan for this season relies less on waiting for snow. On its 2026/27 snowmaking page, Brian Head describes a new pipeline "capable of moving up to four times more water to the Navajo side of the resort, essentially doubling Navajo's snowmaking capacity." KPCW reported in August that the snowmaking work includes 24 new snow guns on the beginner terrain at Navajo Mountain. The Deseret News reported that the pipeline lets up to 24 snow guns run at the same time. The resort's own explanation is plain: "Early-season snowmaking comes down to making the most of every cold-weather window."

Natural snow is also arriving. KJZZ reported that Brian Head got nearly an inch overnight on September 29, its first snowfall of the season. The resort's October 14 report showed six inches for the season so far, with no lifts or trails open yet.

Snowmaking can move Brian Head's opening earlier, while the monument road closes only after enough natural snow has built up. If the resort opens on schedule and the snow keeps arriving at last year's pace, the window when both are open could be long.

Once the Gate Closes, the Overlooks Are Still Reachable on Foot or Snowmobile

After SR-148 closes, Cedar Breaks stays open year-round, but you have to work harder to get to the rim. The Park Service says Point Supreme, Sunset View and Chessman Ridge are still reachable "by snowmobile, cross-country skis, and snowshoes." North View Overlook can still be reached by car via SR-143, though that road can close temporarily in bad weather.

The winter access page names the parking areas, and each has its own trade-off:

1. Junction of Highways 14 and 148. The closest start from Cedar City, up Cedar Canyon on SR-14, which the Park Service says is kept open all winter. A plowed lot is maintained here except during and right after storms. Point Supreme Overlook is 3.5 miles away.
2. Junction of Highway 143 and Park Road. Reached through Brian Head. Space is tight, so trailers aren't allowed and cars park diagonally. Point Supreme is 4.1 miles away. Snow tires or chains are generally required on this road from November 30 to March 1.
3. Brian Head town. Several spots in town give access to the park. The Park Service asks visitors to check with local officials about parking rules.

For a trip by skis or snowshoes, the Park Service says cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are allowed on all park trails. Track is set only on the snow-covered park road, and visitors are asked not to walk or snowshoe on the ski tracks. Last winter's ranger-guided snowshoe tours were about a mile round trip, took roughly 90 minutes, started at North View Overlook and came with free snowshoes and poles. The Park Service hasn't posted a 2026–27 schedule yet, so watch its site as winter gets closer.

Deer Hollow Runs on Snowpack Too

The Dixie National Forest's Deer Hollow Non-Motorized Winter Recreation Area is "just a short half hour from Cedar City." It covers more than 1,300 acres and has nearly 37 kilometers, about 23 miles, of groomed cross-country trails, from the quick, easy A Loop to the harder E Loop.

Its season also follows the snow. The Forest Service says skiing usually starts in mid-December and ends in mid to late March, so Deer Hollow usually opens weeks after Brian Head's target date and around the time SR-148 has historically closed. The trail rules that keep the grooming usable include:

• Blue markers mean cross-country ski trails, and yellow markers mean snowshoe and multi-use trails.
• Snowshoes are strongly discouraged on the groomed ski trails.
• All trails are two-way.
• Dogs are allowed only on the Aspen, Boulder and Pebble trails, which are marked with a dog paw.
• Fat bikes are allowed only on the Boulder and Pebble trails.

The Forest Service's loop map and descriptions list every loop before your first trip.

Where the Snowmobile Trails Meet the Monument

Once SR-148 is buried, it becomes part of a larger snowmobile system. A Forest Service brochure for the Cedar Mountain complex describes nearly 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails maintained by the Dixie National Forest and the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation. Named routes include Brian Head, Cedar Breaks, Duck Creek, Navajo Lake, Lars Fork, Sage Valley, High Mountain and Strawberry Point. The Navajo Lake Trail runs along the lake's south shore. The brochure's map is dated 2013, so it's a guide to the route names and layout, not to this season's grooming. Brian Head Town says Utah State Parks works with the town to groom the corridor from Cedar Breaks toward High Mountain Overlook, including the Navajo Lake, Duck Creek and Strawberry Valley area.

Inside the monument, the rules get stricter. The Park Service allows snowmobiles only on the marked route along SR-148, which is lined with orange snow poles. Riders have to leave their machines to walk to the viewpoints. Going off the route can bring a fine of up to $5,000 and impoundment of the snowmobile, according to the NPS snowmobile page. The Park Service says the rule protects "sensitive meadowlands beneath the snow."

Checking the Mountain Before You Drive Up

Since snowpack decides the closing, the NPS current conditions page and UDOT's traffic site will tell you more than a date on the calendar. UDOT also takes road calls at 801-965-4000. For Brian Head, the resort's conditions page posts snowfall totals and lift status. Until the Park Service posts its closure notice, Point Supreme is still a drive from Cedar City, and last year that lasted into the new year.

Paying attention to the snow line above town is part of knowing Cedar City well, and it carries over to choosing where to live. If you're weighing a home, a lot or a cabin within reach of Cedar Canyon and Brian Head, The Christensen Team can show you how winter access works for that property before you commit. Start Your Journey with a conversation about the mountain you want to live near.