You can reach Cedar Breaks National Monument in the winter from I-15 by taking the Parowan exit, driving up Parowan Canyon on Utah highway 143, through the town of Brian Head, and then 1 or 2 more miles on 143.

WARNING: Utah DOT may not plow the road from Brian Head to Cedar Breaks in the winter if the weather is bad, and the Brian Head gate on the south end of town may be closed. Take this into consideration when planning a Nordic ski trip in Cedar Breaks during the winter. If the gate is closed it may be possible to ski on the road, but look out for snow plows. Utah DOT may not have much sympathy for stranded skiers or snowed-in cars.

Currently (Nov. 2009) the Cedar Breaks area has three locations with trails sometimes (but rarely) groomed for classical XC skiing, as shown below. If you are a skate skier then you have to use the snowmobile trails running through the park on closed road UT-148. The ski grooming is done by National Parks and National Forest personnel with volunteer help and is done as often as time allows, which currently is not very often due to lack of personnel. The trails, which may be covered after a snow storm, may be marked with orange poles. Snowmobiles are not allowed in the Park except on the road, UT-148, on which the groomed snowmobile trail lies. However, always keep your eyes and ears open for snowmobiles and be courteous when you meet them. If you ski near the rim to see a spectacular view, don't point your skies down into the chasm. You may not live long to regret it.

TRAILS IN THE CEDAR BREAKS AREA: (See map link below.)

      1) RATTLESNAKE AREA TRAILS (10,400 ft elevation, by the north boundary of the Park at the Rattlesnake hiking trailhead):
     There is a small parking lot, closed to snowmobile trailers, on UT-143 by this trailhead, about a mile south of Brian Head. The trail may be marked in two directions near this trailhead (the Rattlesnake Trailhead - see map below): one (the Wilderness Rim XC Trail) leads towards Brian Head along the north rim overlooking Cedar Breaks, but not in the Park. This trail leads into a wilderness area. The other (the North Rim XC Trail) leads west along the Park boundary fence and then south into the Park. It is also fun to bushwhack on your skis further south into the Park from this second loop. These trails are currently ungroomed. Please try not to ski over the rim. If you do, the 500 foot drop is an experience you will soon forget.
    ALTERNATE PARKING FOR THE RATTLESNAKE AREA: You can also park about a half mile further to the south from the Rattlesnake Trailhead sign, at the Northview parking lot in Cedar Breaks park. Then ski north, parallel to the road and along the trees and rim till you meet up with the above ski trails. The Northview parking area is a pull-through that may have large snowmobile trailers on it.

     2) ALPINE POND (10,500 ft elevation, in the interior of the Park, on the Upper Alpine Pond Hiking Trail):
     To get to this trail, drive about a mile south past the Rattlesnake trailhead (above) until you reach the closed gate to the Park, where there will be a small parking area carved out of the snow on (closed) road UT-148. Utah DOT says that they will plow this parking area this winter (2009-10), but the cars should leave in the case of a bad snow storm. Ski along the snowmobile trail on the closed road UT-148 for about a mile, where you should see a yurt and the ski trailhead signs for the Alpine trail on the right side of the road. This Alpine Pond trail is about a mile long, each way, and is easy/moderate except in a couple places where sharp, sloped curves may be hard to negotiate in icy conditions. Snowmobiles are prohibited off the highway 148, so you should have a nice peaceful glide through the trees on this trail. This trail is sometimes groomed when the Park has sufficient help (not often).
     THE YURT: Cedar Breaks National Monument has constructed a yurt as a Winter Ranger Station at the north end of the Alpine Pond Trail. On winter weekends and holidays this yurt is staffed by volunteers from our club, the National Parks, US Forest Service and others. The yurt has a wood stove, resting areas, hot drinks, and congenial conversation, but no toilets. See more information about the yurt in the Photo section below. The yurt is not currently available for overnight use by the public. The yurt may not be staffed on days when there are blizzard conditions in the park. The yurt is meant to be a warming spot for both skiers and snowmobilers in the area. To reach the yurt, follow the directions to the Alpine Pont Trail above; the yurt is at the beginning of the Alpine Pone ski trail.

     3) SPECTRA POINT (9800-10400 ft elevation, near the south end of the Park):

WARNING: Due to a landslide last fall, highway UT-14 is closed from about mile 5 to 27 till summer of 2012, and the UT-14/148 intersection mentioned below cannot be reached by car this winter.

Spectra Point is a little difficult to reach in winter. It can be reached from UT-14, about mile marker 18, east of Cedar City at the intersection of UT-14 and UT-148. The latter road is closed in the winter and is groomed for snowmobile use. You must park in the snowmobile parking area at the intersection and then ski about 3 miles uphill (north) on the snowmobile trail till you reach the south boundary of Cedar Breaks Park. Within about a quarter mile of entering the park you should see a pump house down a draw on the left side of the road. Ski down toward the pump house and then ski to the right along the ridge. The trail will probably be unmarked because our orange poles keep getting buried in the snow. Keep going along the rim but don't get too close to the rim and fall over and break your neck about 500 feet below. This trail is not very long (< 1/2 K each way from the road) and will take you to an overlook at the rim of the Breaks. If you keep going you will have to negotiate a small ditch or two, but you will finally see the overlook area at Spectra Point and several very old bristlecone pines (Medusa Trees). You may have to take off your skis and walk the last 50 meters. It's a spectacular view out over the cliffs.
     Returning back down the 3 miles to the parking area should be a breeze, but especially on weekends watch out for high speed snowmobiles and get out of their way.
     The starting area by the intersection of UT-14 and UT-148, at 9800 feet elevation, is called the Midway area. The Cedar Breaks and Forest Service Rangers hope to eventually groom a XC-ski only trail along the road (UT-148) from the intersection north to Cedar Breaks. Such a trail was groomed in winter-2005 but was very difficult to maintain and was not respected by snowmobilers.