How to Drive It

📍 Map & directions: Nada Tunnel

The tunnel takes one vehicle at a time. Slow down on approach, watch for headlights coming through, and yield to whoever is already inside; locals flash their lights and take turns without drama. Tall vehicles and wide trailers should measure twice — the clearance is modest and the rock does not negotiate. Motorcycles and bicycles use it too, so pass through gently.

A Logging Railroad’s Leftover

The tunnel was cut so narrow because it carried rail cars of timber, not automobiles. When the logging era ended, the roadbed became the road, and the tunnel stayed exactly the size the railroad needed. That century-old economy is why entering the Gorge still feels like passing through a gate into somewhere older.

Worth Building a Route Around

If your navigation offers a choice, enter the Gorge through Nada at least once per trip — ideally with daylight left, since the road beyond runs beneath cliffs and alongside the river. Photographers: there are small pull-offs near the portals; never stop inside the tunnel itself.

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Tunnel Questions

Is the Nada Tunnel scary to drive?

It is more memorable than difficult. The tunnel is short, straight enough to see through, and traffic self-organizes politely. Take it slow, use headlights, and enjoy it — fear gives way to grinning about the time you drove through a mountain.

Can big trucks or RVs fit through?

Height and width clearance is limited, and large RVs, tall box trucks, and wide trailers should route around rather than risk it. If your vehicle is oversized, approach the Gorge from the parkway side and save the tunnel for a smaller vehicle day.

The tunnel drops you into the canyon proper — our things-to-do guide covers what’s on the other side.