The tiny Washington County town of Virgin is getting a jump on helping resolve traffic problems in Zion National Park. The town has launched a new park and ride shuttle option for visitors to the park.
In partnership with Zion White Bison Resort, SunTran and Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office, Virgin introduced Zion Corridor Park & Ride on March 1. The service is now a transportation option for visitors, employees and community members traveling to Springdale and Zion.
The new service provides a proactive solution ahead of significant changes coming to Zion National Park this summer. Beginning June 7, the park will implement restrictions on large vehicles on the Zion-to-Mt. Carmel Highway. The restrictions, announced Jan. 5, are based on 1989 and 2019 safety studies by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and will prohibit vehicles over 11 feet 4 inches tall, 7 feet 10 inches wide, 35 feet 9 inches long or 50,000 pounds.
“Many of today’s large touring vehicles and RVs simply couldn’t have been envisioned when the road was built,” Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a news release when the vehicle restrictions were announced earlier this year. “This decision comes after years of careful study and collaboration with our neighbors, transportation agencies and the tourism industry.”
With parking already a problem outside the park in Springdale, the Zion Corridor Park & Ride is aimed at giving park visitors a place to leave vehicles while visiting.
According to organizers of the new option, travelers can park their vehicles at the Zion Corridor Park & Ride lot located at Zion White Bison Resort in Virgin. From there, riders board SunTran or a Zion White Bison shuttle bus at the resort stop for transportation into Springdale at Lion Boulevard. From Springdale, riders can walk or use connecting shuttles to reach Zion Canyon Village, Zion National Park and other destinations. With two transportation options available — SunTran and Zion White Bison — consistent service will be available throughout the day.
“The goal of this is to really provide an alternate location for oversized vehicles and other visitors who don’t want to deal with trying to find parking in Springdale, a place to park and then ride the shuttle into Springdale,” Matthew Watson, community and partner relations manager at Greater Zion told tourism website TheTravel.
Fares are $5 for a one-way trip, with a $100 unlimited monthly pass available for SunTran service. Organizers noted that for frequent riders commuting five days per week, the monthly pass reduces the average cost to approximately $2.50 per ride. Payments are accepted on board SunTran and the Zion White Bison Shuttle via cash, major credit cards or Venmo.
Virgin is one of the earlier settlements (1857) by Mormon pioneers to Utah’s Dixie. It is located about 15 miles from the west entrance to Zion National Park and about 8 miles east of Hurricane. It has a population of about 750 people, including retirees, and many are employed by Zion National Park, other federal agencies, as well as tourism-related businesses in Springdale.
Zion White Bison Resort is a glamping destination in Virgin and offers luxury teepees, cliff dwellings, covered wagons or RV parking facilities with shuttle service to Zion National Park. SunTran is St. George’s public transportation system.