The Longest Tunnel in Utah Feels like a Portal to Another Dimension

Utah, located in the Western United States Mountain West area, is an inland state with no coastline. Its beautiful natural scenery has made it a desirable location for both residents and tourists. If you’ve ever gone to Utah, chances are you’ve traveled through one of the state’s many tunnels. However, which of Utah’s tunnels is the longest? Let’s find out!

Which Utah Tunnel Is The Longest?

The road to the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel is a thrilling trip through red sandstone canyons.©randy andy/Shutterstock.com

Zion National Park was formerly a remote and under-visited park, but the construction of a tunnel that spans 1.1 miles helped transform it into a tourist hotspot. The Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel allows visitors to enter the park from the east, and the road that leads there is an exciting ride through red sandstone canyons with many twists and turns.

The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is a must-do for any visitor to Zion National Park. The tunnel’s construction and history are remarkable achievements in engineering.

Zion’s Tunnel: A Historical Perspective

1910s

Zion National Park was not a popular tourist destination until after World War II. From the west, rugged dirt roads connected to a railroad offshoot in Cedar City, over 80 miles away from Zion Canyon. Travelers to Zion Canyon rode Union Pacific buses.

But getting to the east proved treacherous, with some of the highest cliffs and deepest valleys in the country, that constructing a new route would be impossible or extremely expensive. Officials with the National Park Service envisioned a massive network of highways that would connect the Southwest’s most popular national parks, including Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, and the Grand Canyon.

The Early 1920s

In the 1920s, Union Pacific and other railways started installing track to link large towns to national parks. They began scouting potential routes, eventually settling on one. The tunnel they planned was 21 feet in length, starting at the outer face of the rock and winding its way through Pine Creek Canyon. The massive openings in the rock were used for more than only letting in light and air (and taking in the breathtaking scenery), but also for dumping excess stones into the canyon down below.

Unfortunately, more and more accidents occurred in the tunnel as the number of vehicles and the size of trucks, buses, and recreational vehicles grew.

1927 to 1930

In 1927, work began on the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel with the intention of facilitating travel to the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon from the east side of Zion National Park. It was one of the greatest engineering accomplishments during this time, becoming the longest non-urban tunnel in the United States. The Nevada Construction Company was tasked with constructing the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel, and they did so by employing mining techniques rather than conventional tunneling methods. It took three years and almost $2 million (over $26 million now) to finish the project. On July 4, 1930, the tunnel was officially dedicated.

1958

Gallery #3 was blocked for weeks in 1958 when a sandstone pillar collapsed there. The tunnel’s sandstone walls are now supported by concrete ribs, and it’s constantly monitored remotely.

From 2011 forward

Starting January 2011, drivers of vehicles that are wider than 7’10” and/or taller than 11’4″ will need to pay $15 for a tunnel permit in order to use the tunnel during the designated times. Park rangers can temporarily switch the tunnel to one-way traffic with this permit.

Zion National Park’s Mount Carmel Tunnel: Can You Fit Through It?

Construction of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel began in 1927 and was completed in 1930.©Nick Fox/Shutterstock.com

The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which began construction in 1927, was finished in 1930. Many current automobiles and SUVs will have a hard time fitting into garages built for the ordinary vehicle of the past. Motorhomes and bicyclists both face risks when using the tunnel.

Large cars were determined to be unable to safely navigate the tunnel’s curves without exceeding the center line, according to a study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration in 1989. The National Park Service implemented traffic control early that year for the sake of visitor security. Rangers stationed at both ends of the tunnel switch it to one-way traffic for the heavier vehicles.

A tunnel permit is needed for all vehicles wider than 7 feet 10 inches or taller than 11 feet 4 inches. Semitrailer trucks, vehicles transporting hazardous chemicals, vehicles weighing over 50,000 pounds, vehicles with a single length of more than 40 feet, or vehicles with a total length of more than 50 feet are all prohibited.

The tunnel is too dark for pedestrians and cyclists, so they’re not allowed in there either. Shuttle service should be arranged in advance for cyclists.The post The Longest Tunnel in Utah Feels like a Portal to Another Dimension appeared first on AZ Animals.