Driving from Gooseberry into Zion?

[Severum]

There is a dirt road that connects to Rt 9 into Zion from Gooseberry. What is that typically like in Mid to late May?

Anyone have some pics?

Thanks
Louis

[JMH]

There is a dirt road that connects to Rt 9 into Zion from Gooseberry. What is that typically like in Mid to late May?

Anyone have some pics?

Thanks
Louis

It's rough in a highway car. I have gotten my Passat wagon up and down, but it was slow and a bit sketchy in places. I have to drive so cautiously that it's easier to just drive around. Should be fine in anything with some ground clearance like a Subaru or a pickup truck.

They grade it every once in a while so the conditions can vary.

JMH

[Severum]

So it is just a lightly rutted road?

[Severum]

Is this typical? Found this on these forums.

[wyosam]

Thats pretty typical of what I saw in December, slow going, but I got up and down it in my Corolla. Have fun.

Sam

[LoIQ]

That picture was taken from the other side (highway 59) It doesn't do justice to how steep the road is from the Zion side

[furrykid]

the last steep part (crybaby hill) will probably still be a mess on may... not mud but rutted to the point you may only want to take a high clearance rig, or a rental !!! I came down it yesterday in 4wd and it was still a heck of a ride.

[JMH]

Pretty sure that this photo is from the south side, or maybe even the road out to the trailhead that you drive regardless of whether you come in from Springdale or the South side.

JMH

Is this typical? Found this on these forums.

[mattfblue]

It's a bumpy ride. Have 4x4 and some ground clearance, and don't use a hitch/tray rack. My friend managed to kill the rack and taco my rim on the way up in a Toyota Rav4.

[jackstraw1]

This is what it looked like when we went last march! The conditions of the road from Zion to the goose were very good that trip. I think just about any passanger car could have made it, as long as you went slow and avoided a few ruts here and there.

[chuky]

I think the point is that it can vary, wildly.

[Err]

No, the point is that it can wildly vary.

[P-townDave]

I think I heard that they grade it from time to time. But I also heard it can vary in an untame fashion.

[chuky]

Who cares about Gooseberry. I quit bikes anyway. Snowboarding was too much fun on Sunday. Anyone want my Alma?

C

[Err]

Who cares about Gooseberry. I quit bikes anyway. Snowboarding was too much fun on Sunday. Anyone want my Alma?

C

WHAT? You on a board!?!? Did you drag J out too?

I hear ya, I'm poised to have 50+ days on the hill this year. That'll shatter my previous record real good. I've decided that hucking and splitting trees on a snowboard is just as much fun as on a bike. And, when I hit that 20 footer the other day and stacked it up, it didn't hurt nearly as bad!

Unfortunately, I had my Superco out yesterday, and well, geeze I'm getting rusty...

[chuky]

ha ha ha hah. Dude. I hear you on the rusty thing. I give a new meaning to winter fat-suit. Time for psycho-road racer measures.

no J this time, but it is going to happen...

[Severum]

So a full sized truck should be good for that road?

[JMH]

So a full sized truck should be good for that road?

Yes.

[thinkcooper]

This is what it looked like when we went last march! The conditions of the road from Zion to the goose were very good that trip. I think just about any passanger car could have made it, as long as you went slow and avoided a few ruts here and there.

I used to live in Springdale and had robust FJ40 with lockers and winch. The local gas station used to call me every once and a while to see if I could rescue stuck cars from the clay trap right at the turn atop the steep in your photo. Must've pulled a dozen cars or so out the quagmire. Be careful in that clay. If you start spinning at the steep, you're already in too far. Better to back it down one little slide at a time and wait for another day.