Zion Winter Questions

[Jbrowland]

Hello friends and thanks in advance for the advice as usual.

We are heading to Zion (two adults, one 6 yr old, and two small dogs) in a 25 foot class C in late November of 2015. Driving from Los Angeles. We have reservations for Watchman. After doing some searching and research I still have a few questions I can't seek to get answered.

1. I see the shuttles stop running in November but for a few days around Thanksgiving allowing private vehicles to drive directly into the park. Does this mean that we will be able to drive our 25 foot class C into the park from Watchman?

2. If so, how is it to park and get around Zion to the various areas of interest? Usually we would ride bikes as we have done at places like Yosemite but it may be too cold for that in late November.

3. I have read a bit about the tunnel we will beed to go through with our over sized vehicle. Looks like it is only open from 8-4pm in the winter. Where exactly is this tunnel located in relation to where Watchman and the exact entrance to the park? Will we go through this tunnel before we even get to Watchman I assume? Where exactly is the office located to make advance arrangements at the entrance station? I assume just right at the entrance to the tunnel meaning we pull off and park and then walk into the entrance station?

4. Assuming we can drive from Watchman into Zion in our RV, will we have any problems with our two small dogs being with us in the RV?

Thanks again!

---Jason

[2gypsies1]

You really can't go by previous years' weather. As you know, it changes. Just come prepared. I really don't think you'd have problems driving or parking your 25' in Zion if you're there when the shuttles don't run. If you plan to bike the whole canyon - it's a long ride.

As for the tunnel, it's at the east end of the park going to Hwy 89. You won't have any problems with the tunnel.

[Desert_Captain]

We never saw more than 37 during the day, usually more like 32 - 35. Dropped into the high 20's at night. Great weather for a campfire, we kept ours going whenever we were in camp.:B

[Jbrowland]

Desert Captain wrote:
We were there 2 years ago for the entire Thanksgiving week in our 24' C. Temps were in the mid to low thirties every day. Up until Thansgiving we could drive the entire park but then they restarted the shuttles for the rest of the holiday weekend. Some of the shuttle stops have parking that will easily accommodate a 25' C but certainly not all of them.

Bundle up as the canyon is usually very cold in late November. Coming in from Spingdale you will have no need to drive the tunnel. Watchman is definitely where you want to stay. Enjoy!

:C

Thanks again everyone!

Lovely pic profdant139. Thanks for sharing!

Hey Desert Captain....when you say temps were in the low 30's every day, was that during the day or just at night?

[Desert_Captain]

We were there 2 years ago for the entire Thanksgiving week in our 24' C. Temps were in the mid to low thirties every day. Up until Thansgiving we could drive the entire park but then they restarted the shuttles for the rest of the holiday weekend. Some of the shuttle stops have parking that will easily accommodate a 25' C but certainly not all of them.

Bundle up as the canyon is usually very cold in late November. Coming in from Spingdale you will have no need to drive the tunnel. Watchman is definitely where you want to stay. Enjoy!

:C

[profdant139]

Zion in November is great -- it is nice and cool, not too many folks, great hiking and biking. It's even nice at night -- this is the Watchman, with Orion rising:

[jamesu]

Surprised to hear bike riding is possible in Zion NP until Thanksgiving. Wife and I were there (in rental car) the week before Christmas, 2009 with plenty of snow on ground so we were limited on where we could walk/hike to, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The solitude was wonderful....pretty much had the entire park to ourselves.

[Jbrowland]

Thanks for the specific and insider info gang! Glad to hear it can still be warm in November. Of course the weather FAQ mentions the extremes so maybe we will get lucky and be able to use the bikes. If so, problems solved! 🙂 We will be there Thanksgiving week.

Speaking of warm weather, we were in Yosemite over a month ago and rode our bikes everywhere with temps in the 90's. Insane.

[4runnerguy]

When they say the park is open to private vehicles, they mean the road going up Zion Canyon. You will be restricted as to where you can park because of vehicle length, but you should be able to find a spot at the Grotto Picnic area and at the loop at the end of the road (there are a few RV spots there). I'm not sure how they handle parking in the winter at some of the smaller bus stops up the canyon. As noted, it can be pretty nice there even in November (we sometimes mountain bike around Thanksgiving further north in Moab). The road up Zion Canyon isn't too steep but one does have to pay attention for cars once the shuttle busses quit running.

If you are coming from LA, I assume you will enter Zion through Hurricane and Springdale off of I-15. You don't have to worry about the tunnel if you are coming from that direction. If you come from or exit the park to the east along UT 9 (say on the way to Bryce Canyon NP), only then will you have to worry about the tunnel. If you have to make arrangements at the entrance station, those are right on the road and you have to stop and pay your entrance fee there anyway. If you are on your way out and have to use the tunnel, just stop at the visitors center (walking distance from the campground) and talk to them when you're ready to go.

[Nutinelse2do]

Depending on the number of tourists, it will be tight in most parking areas. A toad would be much better, if you have that option. There is parking at some of the shuttle stop places, but not all.

We have been there in November many times, and it was jeans and t shirt weather. Riding bikes there in November is very doable. Depends on how the Summer is this year, but it's usually fairly warm that time of year.

Here is a link on dog info in the park
Dog area of Zion

[Jbrowland]

Thanks for the responses. Perhaps I wasn't specific enough with my original post as I seem to have received the "use the search function please" responses. 😉

I have read the FAQ and the link provided previously many times. They are somewhat vague on details during the winter when the shuttle isn't running. All they mention is that private vehicles can enter the park. If my private vehicle is a 25 foot RV, will that be problematic? Areas of interest are miles apart in Zion. Can a 25 foot RV be parked at various areas of interest? Is there a parking lot at the places the shuttle normally travels to that we will be able to park a 25 foot RV since we can't take the shuttle around? Normally I would take the shuttle or even ride bikes to the various trailheads but those two options aren't possible in the winter.

These are all specific questions the FAQ's don't address and having never been there before I would like some advice from someone who has been and has driven a MH into the park in the winter. Thanks!

[n7bsn]

Check here

[2oldman]

I take it you've found the Zion faq..? The tunnel can be found on Google maps.