How blasting through Zion’s cliffs created the most epic tunnel drive in America

The Mile-Long Tunnel Carved Through Zion’s Cliffs

In 1927, workers took on a task that seemed nuts: cut a mile-long tunnel through solid rock with just hand tools and dynamite.

The Nevada Construction Company tackled this job at Zion, blasting six windows into the cliff face to dump out 450,000 cubic yards of rock.

Despite using a brand-new survey method, the two ends of the tunnel met with just a two-inch gap. The work claimed two lives and cost $503,000 before its grand opening on July 4, 1930.

This engineering feat slashed travel time to Bryce Canyon in half and turned Zion into a tourism hub you can still drive through today.

Surveyors Got Creative When No Path Existed

In 1923, B.J. Finch, Howard Means, and John Winder checked out the route, first looking at Parunuweap Canyon before picking Pine Creek Canyon instead.

They faced a big problem – with no trail to the top of Pine Mountain, they couldn’t do normal surveying from above.

The team created a special triangulation method from a foot trail 200 feet below the planned tunnel. Nobody had tried this trick for tunnel-building before.

When workers finished drilling from both ends, the tunnel sections met with only two inches of difference.

Workers Set Up Camp in Nearly Unreachable Canyon

The Nevada Construction Company won the tunnel job in 1927 for $503,000.

Their first challenge was setting up a work camp in Pine Creek Canyon, a spot trucks couldn’t even reach. They built a cable tramway that moved materials 1,200 feet across and 400 feet up from the bottom of Pine Creek.

This camp served as home base for the next three years. The construction team planned a four-section process that changed tunnel-building forever.

Six Windows Blasted Into Solid Rock Changed Tunnel Building

Workers blew six big holes about 20 feet into the sandstone cliff face. This new approach let them start digging from the middle instead of just the ends.

These gallery windows created different entry points and brought in natural light and fresh air during construction.

Most tunnel experts thought this method would fail. This unusual technique made the Zion tunnel project different from other tunnel jobs of that time.

Hand Tools Carved a Path Through a Mountain

Crews drilled a pilot tunnel through 5,613 feet of solid Navajo sandstone using basic tools. Workers used pneumatic drills and hand tools to make the first small tunnel.

This pilot tunnel marked the exact path for the bigger tunnel they’d dig later. Workers used carbide lights to see while compressed air cleared out dynamite fumes.

Tons of Dynamite Blew Out a Highway Through Sandstone

The team used 146 tons of dynamite to turn the small pilot tunnel into the main passage.

They brought in an Erie Air Shovel powered by compressed air to dig out rock without filling the tunnel with smoke.

Workers shaped the tunnel to 22 feet wide and 16 feet high. By the end, they removed over 450,000 cubic yards of sandstone using basic tools and explosives.

The finished tunnel kept a steady 21-foot distance from the rock face to the center line.

Clever Debris Removal Kept Construction Moving

Small narrow-gauge railcars hauled blasted rock from inside the tunnel. Workers dumped the debris through the six gallery openings, sending it down into Pine Creek Canyon.

This smart system meant they didn’t need to haul tons of rock to far-away dump sites. Over time, erosion and new plants completely hid all signs of the construction waste.

The quick disposal method kept work areas clear so crews could keep making progress.

Danger Lurked Around Every Corner for Tunnel Workers

The risky work took two lives during the three-year project. Crew boss Johnny Morrison died after breathing too many dynamite fumes and dust.

Worker Mac McClain died when a rock slide pushed him against a power shovel. In one scary moment, a blast threw a 10-pound chunk of sandstone into the camp mess hall.

After that close call, workers ran outside during all blasts to avoid falling debris.

Road Switchbacks Climbed 800 Feet in Just 3.5 Miles

Beyond the tunnel, crews built six switchbacks that climbed 800 feet over just 3.5 miles with a maximum 6% grade. They used another 35 tons of dynamite just to create the zigzag roadway.

The tunnel itself rises 289 feet from the west entrance (4,835 feet elevation) to the east end (5,124 feet elevation).

The National Park Service handled 8.5 miles of connecting road inside park boundaries, while Utah built 16.5 miles of road from Mount Carmel Junction to the park edge.

Three Years and $1.5 Million Later, America Had Its Longest Tunnel

Workers finished the job in July 1930 after three years of hard work. The tunnel alone cost $503,000, which would be over $10 million today.

The whole project including the highway reached $1. 5 million. When they cut the ribbon, it ranked as America’s longest non-urban road tunnel.

The completed project connected Zion Canyon with the higher plateaus to the east, opening up a new travel route.

Governors Celebrated Independence Day Inside a Mountain

The tunnel opened on July 4, 1930, during Utah’s National Conference of Governors.

They held the ceremony inside the actual tunnel, with the galleries dressed up with American flags. Everyone talked about how the project completed a new north-south route through Utah.

KSL Radio broadcast the whole event live so people across the region could hear the celebration. B.J. Finch and National Park Service Superintendent Horace Albright joined the festivities.

Travel Times Cut in Half Between National Parks

The tunnel made a huge difference for travelers right away. It cut the travel time from Zion to Bryce Canyon by half.

The distance between these parks dropped from 149 miles to just 88 miles. Trips to the Grand Canyon took a third less time than before.

The tunnel became part of a popular loop tour connecting Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Grand Canyon’s North Rim.

Visiting Zion National Park, Utah

The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel on Highway 9 connects the south and east park entrances through 1. 1 miles of hand-carved Navajo sandstone.

Regular cars go through free anytime, but oversized vehicles over 11’4″ tall or 7’10” wide need a $15 escort from 8am-4:30pm daily.

Buy permits at entrance stations for two trips within seven days. The Canyon Overlook Trail just east of the tunnel gives you views of the tunnel windows below.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• The forgotten pioneer behind Zion Canyon’s heavenly name
• Utah used to have this gorgeous canyon – until the Sierra Club sacrificed it for Dinosaur National Monument
• Mormon settlers and the near extinction of the Paiute way of life at Bryce Canyon