Rock slide closes 2 miles of Zion National Park scenic drive
A rock slide has closed about two miles of a scenic drive inside Zion National Park in southern Utah.
Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive is impassable just north of Zion Lodge and will remain closed until further notice.
Park officials say the slide occurred late Friday, covering both lanes of the road with about 200 tons of massive boulders and debris that stretch about four car lengths.
It's not immediately known when the closed stretch of road will reopen.
Park officials say workers and geologists must wait for the area to dry out and assess the damage before removing debris and reopening the road.
Officials say visitors should expect crowded road conditions and parking through the weekend.
Other landslides have closed two trails in the park.
National Park scenic drive closes indefinitely after rock slide
A rock slide has closed about two miles of a scenic drive inside Zion National Park in southern Utah.
Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive is impassable just north of Zion Lodge and will remain closed until further notice.
Park officials say the slide occurred late Friday, covering both lanes of the road with about 200 tons of massive boulders and debris that stretch about four car lengths.
Emergency crews used a shuttle to transport stranded motorists out of the park Friday evening, CBS affiliate KUTV reports.
It’s not immediately known when the closed stretch of road will reopen.
Park officials say workers and geologists must wait for the area to dry out and assess the damage before removing debris and reopening the road.
Officials say visitors should expect crowded road conditions and parking through the weekend.
Other landslides have closed two trails in the park.
Rock slide closes Zion’s Scenic Drive
Zion National Park’s Scenic Drive is closed until further notice after sliding rock and debris blocked the road Friday night.
Both lanes of the road were buried in approximately 200 tons of rock and debris spanning an area about four car lengths long just north of the Grotto, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
No one was injured in the 6 p.m. rock slide, but 12 vehicles were trapped on the opposite side of the slide. Zion Lodge personnel helped shuttle all but one party to their hotels. The group opting to stay in their vehicle had enough supplies for the night and will be evacuated Saturday, the Park Service said.
The Scenic Drive is closed at the Zion Lodge, and several trailheads are closed because of other landslides in the park. Further slides are possible.
Visitors are not allowed to walk past the Grotto, and among the closed trailheads are The Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and part of Sand Bench Trail.
With the road closed at the lodge, visitors should expect limited parking at Zion throughout the busy holiday weekend. The road is expected to close intermittently at Canyon Junction as parking reaches capacity.
A reopening date has yet to be set. Road crews and geologists must wait for the area to dry out before they can assess the damage, remove the debris and make repairs, the Park Service said.
Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive is impassable just north of Zion Lodge and will remain closed until further notice.
Park officials say the slide occurred late Friday, covering both lanes of the road with about 200 tons of massive boulders and debris that stretch about four car lengths.
It's not immediately known when the closed stretch of road will reopen.
Park officials say workers and geologists must wait for the area to dry out and assess the damage before removing debris and reopening the road.
Officials say visitors should expect crowded road conditions and parking through the weekend.
Other landslides have closed two trails in the park.
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| © The Associated Press In this Saturday, Jan. 15, 2017, photo released by the National Park Service shows the Zion Scenic Drive closed just north of the Zion Lodge at Zion National Park, Utah. Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive… |
National Park scenic drive closes indefinitely after rock slide
A rock slide has closed about two miles of a scenic drive inside Zion National Park in southern Utah.
Nobody was injured, but officials say Zion Scenic Drive is impassable just north of Zion Lodge and will remain closed until further notice.
Park officials say the slide occurred late Friday, covering both lanes of the road with about 200 tons of massive boulders and debris that stretch about four car lengths.
Emergency crews used a shuttle to transport stranded motorists out of the park Friday evening, CBS affiliate KUTV reports.
It’s not immediately known when the closed stretch of road will reopen.
Park officials say workers and geologists must wait for the area to dry out and assess the damage before removing debris and reopening the road.
Officials say visitors should expect crowded road conditions and parking through the weekend.
Other landslides have closed two trails in the park.
Rock slide closes Zion’s Scenic Drive
Zion National Park’s Scenic Drive is closed until further notice after sliding rock and debris blocked the road Friday night.
Both lanes of the road were buried in approximately 200 tons of rock and debris spanning an area about four car lengths long just north of the Grotto, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
No one was injured in the 6 p.m. rock slide, but 12 vehicles were trapped on the opposite side of the slide. Zion Lodge personnel helped shuttle all but one party to their hotels. The group opting to stay in their vehicle had enough supplies for the night and will be evacuated Saturday, the Park Service said.
The Scenic Drive is closed at the Zion Lodge, and several trailheads are closed because of other landslides in the park. Further slides are possible.
Visitors are not allowed to walk past the Grotto, and among the closed trailheads are The Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and part of Sand Bench Trail.
With the road closed at the lodge, visitors should expect limited parking at Zion throughout the busy holiday weekend. The road is expected to close intermittently at Canyon Junction as parking reaches capacity.
A reopening date has yet to be set. Road crews and geologists must wait for the area to dry out before they can assess the damage, remove the debris and make repairs, the Park Service said.
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