Zion National Park   Lodging   Zion Info   Vacation   Weather   Photos    Hike   Slot Canyons   Backpack   Camping  

If you are planning a Zion National Park vacation it is good to know some of the rules of the road.

Utah State Laws

It is always good to know the ins and outs of a state before visiting. There are a few Utah laws that are of interest to the visitor.

Utah Motorcycle Laws

Helmets are required for anyone under the age of 18 on a motorcycle.

Utah Seat Belt Laws

All passengers are required to wear seat belts. Children under four are required to be in a child safety seat.

Driving Laws

In Utah 16 year olds may drive.
All drivers must have a current drivers license.
Right turn on red is permitted
One-way to one-way turns are permitted
U turns permitted at intersections, unless posted
Two-way left turn lanes can be used for beginning or ending left turn.

Directions to Zion National Park From the North: Travel I-15 south, past Beaver. Exit on Hwy 20. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to Zion's east entrance. From Arizona: Travel US-89A through Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab Utah. Follow US-89 to Mount Carmel Junction. Take SR-9 to the east park entrance. From the South: Travel I-15 north. Take exit 16 and travel through Hurricane to LaVerkin. Continue on SR-9 to the south entrance of the park. SR-9 through Zion National Park is always open and is also called the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway.			Photo: Tanya Milligan in Water Canyon near Zion National Park. Canyoneering is becoming a popular sport and Zion has the best canyons anywhere.
	Zion National Park Lodging Lodging and services are available in East Zion. The main road through Zion, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (SR-9) is open year-round, and is not a route the Zion Canyon Shuttle takes. Zion Canyon is deep inside the park. Towering 3000' walls form a slot canyon, forged by the violent rush of torrent water over millions of years. From late March to late October access through the six mile stretch of road is via the Zion Canyon Shuttle, the rest of the year the canyon is accessed in private vehicles.

Speed Limits

Rural Interstate - 75 mph
Urban Interstate - 65 mph
Selected Undivided Rural Highways - 65 mph
Default Highway Speed Limit - 55 mph
School Zones - 20 mph

No Smoking in Public Places - This is observed in the State of Utah with the exception of places like private bars and motel rooms where the owners allows smoking. It is legal to smoke at the age of 19 and above.

Drinking Laws - The legal drinking age is 21.
The legal BAC is 0.08%. Wine and Liquor are sold in state-run stores only, and these are closed on Sunday. Alcohol can be served only with a meal in a restaurant and in private clubs (bars). Utah law allows 3.2 percent alcohol by weight in beer sold at grocery and convenience stores that have a beer only license.  Beer exceeding 3.2 percent alcohol is sold in State Liquor Stores.

Gambling - There is no state lottery and gambling is illegal.

Photo: Tanya Milligan canyoneering. This is what you do when you want to stay dry and the canyon gets too wide across.

History of the Thunderbird