Hurricane and Kanab residents who want to reach state Route 89 on the east side of Zion either have to pay $15 to drive through the park or take state Route 59, which bypasses Colorado City and Fredonia in Arizona before swinging north to Kanab. Hirschi said he often cuts off S.R. 59 at Cane Beds in Arizona and takes a gravel/sandy road that runs past the Coral Pink Sand Dunes before connecting to S.R. 89 a few miles north of Kanab.

"As far as I'm concerned, going that way keeps my blood pressure and ulcers down," the mayor said.

Whitworth said park rangers recorded the time it took to travel both routes and determined it was easier for Hurricane residents to go around the park.

"We sent folks both ways and it took about the same amount of time," he said. "The difference in the routes is significant, though. S.R. 59 is a good, wide, fairly straight road while the road through the park is twisted, narrow and steep. We are mainly trying to manage the number of people driving through the park and the congestion it causes."

Allen Campbell is another Hurricane resident who is upset about the park's decision.

"I think that's totally wrong. That's our ground, our park, yours and mine. That's just wrong. I don't have any good feelings about driving through the park at all," he said.

Campbell said he also drives around the park, but he doesn't recommend taking the road past the sand dunes.

"Seven miles of that road is totally unimproved, and at times the sand is so deep and dry, I had to put my truck in four-wheel-drive just to get through," he said. "But it saved me 20 minutes of driving and 30 miles of road, so I did it."

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com