New Route Needed For Oversized RVs In Zion National Park This Summer

This summer, the route through the tunnel in Zion National Park will be closed to large vehicles. This means RV’s that fit this “large” category will have to find another way around as the whole Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway will be closed to them. 

Important Closure for Large Vehicles in Zion National Park

You can see what constitutes a “large vehicle” on the National Park site. This is the result of two studies that showed that vehicles exceeding these limits couldn’t safely navigate the switchbacks, go through the tunnel, and were too heavy for the four bridges on the route. 

The ban goes into place starting June 7, 2026. If you have driven through the park on this road, you have seen how they stop traffic at the tunnel so big RVs can use both lanes to fit through. This makes the road pretty slow to travel anyway.

Alternative Routes for Large RVs: Planning Ahead

After the large vehicle ban goes into place, these visitors in large vehicles will have to find another way around. Depending on where you are headed, there are other options that add more miles and it increase the time to get there. 

If you are traveling from Zion National Park to see Bryce Canyon, you will head up I-15 past Cedar City and take Highway 20 to Highway 89. It is 150 miles and will add an hour to the trip.  

Read More: 11 Not Approved Activities for the Zion Shuttle

Traveling from Zion to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon will take you back to Hurricane and onto Highway 59 to Jacob Lake. You’re looking at 128 miles to drive it, but it only adds 10 minutes this way as compared to the route through the tunnel. 

It isn’t too surprising to see this new regulation to the park. As RVs have gotten bigger and longer, and the number visiting has steadily increased, it was bound to happen.