From Mt. Carmel to Bryce, UT

From one boondocking spot to another – from Mt. Carmel Junction to near Bryce Canyon. You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.

                       

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BLM Highway 89 gravel pit boondocking

This is another site we found at freecampsites.net. While at the BLM Paria office, she told me about an area nearby this, down by the river, and we figured we’d park here and then scout it out with the jeep. There’s a few areas we might have been able to get in to, but there was no Verizon cell phone reception. We drove a little further on toward Zion National Park, but didn’t find anything for us to fit. We drove back to our gravel pit and settled in. Friday when we got there it was raining, but the rest of the time was nice. We used this spot as our base for visiting Zion National Park, and Curt was able to add our new solar panels.

When pulling off the highway, we took the left road to the gravel pit area. You can turn right which takes you to other areas to park, the road isn’t as good. There was an RV parked closer to the highway, over the hill from us. We did have Verizon cell service, but could not get internet. We had 10 TV channels. There’s garbage left behind from people doing target practice. There was traffic through the area daily, including a few gravel trucks.





One day we had a police helicopter flying around the area for hours. We don’t know if someone was missing, escaped or they were just doing training. We did keep our doors locked and tried to find a local radio channel to see if there was any info, but never did find out what was going on.



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To Zion National Park, Utah

The Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel connects Zion Canyon to the east side of the park. It was built in the 1920s when large vehicles were less common. Vehicles 11'4" or taller, or 7'10" wide or wider, requires one-lane traffic control through the tunnel which is $15 fee which is valid for two trips. Commercial vehicles, and vehicles or 13'1" tall or combined vehicles or buses over 50' are not allowed through the tunnel. I believe I read the tunnel is 1 mile long. There are actually to tunnels; a short one also, but I don't remember any height restrictions on that one. There is an entrance fee of $30 per vehicle (valid for 7 days). We have the National Park Pass, but this was also the entrance fee-free week. There were a lot of vesicles and a lot of buses. 

You can click on any of the pictures below to enlarge them.

     

Zion National Park was designated a national park in 1919.The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is open year-around. A 22-minute orientation film is shown regularly at the Zion Human History Museum. Spring through fall, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open to shuttle buses only (free). The only guests allowed to drive on the road during this tie are those with confirmed overnight reservations at the Zion Lodge. 

     

And then there’s the wildlife…these were all on the trail to the Narrows. The squirrels were a real pest, you couldn’t keep them away. People were dropping food or feeding them by hand.

     

The scenery is remarkable. 

The Narrows was closed due to flooding.

         Can you see the rock climber?

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