Zion National Park Transportation Tips by GuthrieColin

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: The Mt. Zion Tunnel was built in the 1920's to accommodate the cars of the 1920's and 1930's. Cars have gotten much larger in the time since then. If your vehicle is over 7'10" wide (2.4m) or taller than 11'4" (3.4m) you will require an escort. The reason for this restriction is that cars larger than that size will not be able to pass through the tunnel in their own lane.
If your vehicle is over that size the escort fee is 15$ and is good for two trips through in a 7 day period. While these vehicles are being escorted through the tunnel traffic will be halted in one direction. Backups can develop during these procedures.
Due also to the size of the tunnel some vehicles are prohibited entirely from driving through the tunnel. The banned vehicles are as follows: vehicles over 13'1" tall (4 m), semi trucks, commercial vehicles, vehicles over 50,000 lbs, single vehicles over 40' long (12 m), combined vehicles over 50' long (15 m), bicycles, and pedestrians.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: From March 25th to October 30th the only way to access the majority of the park by the Zion Scenic Drive is by the shuttle or for guests of the Zion Lodge. Fortunately though, it is the best run transportation in a national park I have ever seen. The busses run on no more than 15 minute waits to every location along the drive's 8 stops.
From the visitor's center, the bus goes just over 7 miles (11 km) into the canyon ending at the last stop The Temple of Sinawava. The first bus leaves the visitor's center around 6AM and the last bus returns around 11PM.
The Zion Scenic Drive is undergoing renovations to repave it and will be backed up at times. I believe it was supposed to be finished by December of 2005 but they are intending to resurface it a year after to allow the road to settle.
Busses are also used to transport visitors from Springdale (the closest town) to the visitor's center. Overall the bus system is excellent and cuts down on pollution in the canyon tremendously.

Leave a Comment