Zion National Park’s Plan To Enhance Travel Experience And Driver Safety

Zion National Park is gearing up for changes aimed at enhancing journeys through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. These modifications, forged through discussions with various stakeholders, are set to kick in from mid-2026.

The park's blueprint entails redirecting vehicles exceeding certain dimensions—11’4” tall, 7’10” wide, 35’9” long, or 50,000 pounds—to alternate routes, bypassing the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. This move is geared towards curbing collision risks, overweight transits on road bridges, and lane-crossing due to vehicle length.

Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park Superintendent, emphasized the meticulous planning involved, with the overarching aim being to bolster driver safety while preserving the historical integrity of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.

However, vehicles surpassing the specified limits will still be allowed entry into the park, albeit directed towards alternative routes, potentially elongating travel times by ten to forty minutes. Regional partners are also mulling over road enhancements to streamline travel around Zion in the future.

Recent engineering and traffic studies have highlighted safety concerns associated with the traversal of large vehicles, such as recreational vehicles or motorcoach buses, especially at locations where road configurations clash with vehicle dimensions.

The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, a venerable relic from the 1920s and 1930s, boasts a listing on the National Register of Historic Places and carries the designation of a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Its narrow lanes, tight turns, and low tunnels pose challenges for modern oversized vehicles.

Given the impracticality of expanding the historic road due to terrain constraints and the potential ecological repercussions, rerouting large vehicle traffic emerges as a pragmatic solution to safeguard both visitors and the road itself.

By mid-2026, Zion National Park aims to roll out these changes, not only to ensure visitor safety but also to ameliorate driving conditions and mitigate structural damage risks.