The tunnel took roughly three years to build
This photograph was taken off the scenic Mount Carmel Highway in Zion National Park. Zion National Park is located in southwest Utah. The geology here is beautiful. From the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, you climb 800 feet in about five miles on Mount Carmel Highway. This is one lane each way with switchback turns. At the top of Mount Carmel, there is a 1.1-mile-long tunnel. This tunnel helps connect Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park. The tunnel took roughly three years to build, costing $1,896,000 (finished in 1930).
Zion National Park was established November 19, 1919. The area had been previously been designated as Mukuntuweap National Monument since 1909. The Mukuntuweap were nomadic people in the area roughly 7,000 years ago. More recently, if you go back to the 1850’s, this land was occupied by the Paiute people. A variety of peoples have called the land we know as Zion National Park home for over 10,000 years. If you go way back, 180 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed this area. There are many fossil sites within the park.
This area of Zion is comprised of colorfully striated sandstone bluffs. These are formed through sedimentation and erosion. Each rock layer holds information about the past. Below the sheer cliffs is the winding Virgin River, which is a tributary to the Colorado River.
Zion National Park is prone to flash floods. There is not much of a soil layer here, it is mostly rock. When it rains, the water is not able to absorb into the ground and it runs downhill gathering erosive force. Over the years, there have been multiple landslides that have done major damage to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
Zion National Park is prone to flash floods
Did you know?
- Zion National Park has a history of volcanic activity. The Crater Hill eruption ~120,000 years ago was the most recent volcanic activity.
- The park varies in elevation from ~4,000 feet at the lowest point to ~8,726 feet at the highest point (Horse Ranch Mountain).
- Zion National Park supports a variety of species, including over 289 species of birds!
- The Kolob arch in Zion is one of the largest freestanding arches in the world. Its span is 287 feet.
- The endangered California Condor calls Zion National Park home. With their massive wings, they can fly as fast as 55 miles per hour and climb to 15,000 feet.
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