Six switchbacks stack up the side of Pine Creek canyon here, and for a few minutes the road feels more like an alpine pass than a desert highway. The Great Arch of Zion, a huge scoop in the cliff face, sits above the road, and the sheer white face of the East Temple rises across the canyon.
The road was designed to make this climb possible. Engineers in the 1920s cut the shelf into the rock and built retaining walls of local stone, and the work was done largely with hand tools, dynamite and mules. At the top, the road enters the tunnel, a bore with arched windows that give flashes of the canyon below. It was one of the longest tunnels in the country when it opened in 1930, and it remains a landmark of national park engineering.
For a rider, this is the best part of the ride. The bends are tight but well built, with a good surface and a moderate grade, and the views change with each turn. Traffic can be slow, especially in summer, but with a steady hand and an eye on the lane, you can enjoy the rhythm. Gravel and sand collect on the inside of the turns, so take care, and watch for sightseers who stop abruptly or step out of their cars for photographs. The parking areas along the road fill up quickly, and the pull-outs have limited space.
Fill up before the climb, and bring water, since the walls hold heat and the air can be dry. Wildlife is part of the scene. Bighorn sheep are sometimes seen on the cliffs near the tunnel, and peregrine falcons nest in the high walls, so a quick look up may be rewarded.
Light is dramatic in the early morning and the late afternoon. The cliffs turn from pink to orange, and the shadows add depth to the canyon. In winter the road may be icy on the upper switchbacks, and chains may be required in heavy snow. Spring and autumn are the best times to ride, and the park is quieter on weekdays.