Zion National Park help, please

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Cricketdaddy

Cricketdaddy

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Posts
308
Location
Los Angeles
I'm planning a trip to Zion National Park with some friends in the spring. I understand there are some restrictions or concerns in getting a tall rig into the area on particular roads. Also would like some recommendations for a nice RV park in the area.

Thanks!
 
Dave,

Due to restricted height at the sides of the road, the Zion tunnel requires that RVs drive down the center. They have you wait until a few other RVs are in line, then they close the tunnel to oncoming traffic. There's a $15 "escort fee", good for two trips through the tunnel.

IIRC the park also has a length restriction, which required us to unhook the Suburban from our 38 foot coach and drive them separately.

Here's some information on the NPS/Zion web site.
 
Dave

The attached pics give you price & size restrictions, they were taken in 2005.
 

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We just went through there last month. You can get in and out of the park without going through the tunnel. We went through the tunnel because it was easier the way we were traveling. Here's a picture of the "Tunnel Procedures" they gave us. We sat at the entrance for awhile while they let cars go through then we went right down the middle of the tunnel. The length restrictions are because of the 7-8 sharp switchbacks going up to (or down from) the tunnel.

Watchman Campground in Zion National Park is very nice. Two loops have electric for $18 ($9 if you have the Senior or Access pass). There is a dump station in the campground and water spigots throughout. Most sites are level. You can get a site in the trees or in the sun, on the river or not. You can walk to the visitor center. I think the shuttles have stopped for the winter, they were running weekends only when we were there.

Enjoy
Wendy
Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, CA
 

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Thanks very much!

And, nice to see you all again. I've been absent for a couple or three months just because things have been rather hectic. No problems, just a busy few months. I hope to be back on the boards more often now.

Dave
 
Dave,

The tunnel was built a long time ago - before we had big cars and bigger RVs.  It seems weird to drive down the middle of the road, but it's definitely a good thing to do when you see those curved sides!  When you approach from the eastern side it's downhill in the tunnel and obviously the opposite from the west.  On the approach roads it's definitely a slow drive because of switchbacks, but it's also a really neat drive.  Every so often in the tunnel there are "windows" where you can see across the canyon.  Neat!  Everyone is there for the same reason and no one is in a hurry so you don't feel bad about poking along.  Everyone should do the tunnel at least once!

ArdraF
 
And this is what you'll see from the tunnel windows - IF you're not the driver !

Wendy
Calico Ghost Town
 

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It seems weird to drive down the middle of the road...
Click to expand...

That's essentially what we have to do on some of the narrow Delta bridges if we wish to avoid knocking off a mirror or scraping the side of the coach. Our neighbor lost a mirror on his coach, and we had an unexplainable gouge on several bins of our coach. Some of the bridges are clearly labeled as "One way bridge for trucks and buses".
 
Great photo Wendy. I tried to get the same shot, but our driver was determined to keep up with Monte Carlo rally driver Chris Pennings in front of us.
 
Tom said:
Great photo Wendy. I tried to get the same shot, but our driver was determined to keep up with Monte Carlo rally driver Chris Pennings in front of us.
Click to expand...

We were first in line with just a bunch of cars behind us. We didn't have a problem going very, very slowly through the tunnel. After all, we paid $15 for the privilege !!

Wendy
 
Great picture and great attitude, Wendy! I'm driving a hundred-thousand dollar rig that won't be paid off for many years. I intend to keep it as pristine as possible and if that means I have to occasionally annoy somebody behind me, I'm sorry but I'm not going to be distracted.

I do, of course, use turnouts at all times.

Can't wait to get this unique perspective of a most beautiful piece of Utah!
 
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