Video maps EV Route 66 to Zion

Brian Riebe posted a YouTube video on May 16 laying out an electric-vehicle road trip that links Route 66, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas and Zion National Park. The video, published on his Brian Riebe Drives Electric channel, describes a drive that starts with a Route 66 segment, heads north to Hoover Dam, stops overnight in Las Vegas and continues to Zion the next morning. Riebe’s channel says he has driven EVs since 2018 and uses the channel to document road trips, charging and ownership questions. ### What exactly did the video map out? The May 16 video is titled “Route 66 to Zion National Park EV Road Trip.” Its description says, “We hit Route 66 for a historic drive on its 100th anniversary, then north to Hoover Dam, and a short night in Las Vegas. An early morning cruise” then continues toward Zion National Park. Brian Riebe’s channel description says the creator is now on a second EV, a Tesla Model Y, and makes videos aimed at helping viewers with the “learning curve” of EV ownership and road-tripping. (youtube.com) The page says the channel has logged “well over 80,000 all electric miles” and includes charging reviews and trip-planning content. ### Why does this route work as an EV trip? Mesquite, Nevada, has a Tesla Supercharger site at the CasaBlanca Resort with 12 stalls and charging speeds of up to 250 kilowatts, according to Tesla’s location page. (youtube.com) That stop sits on the Las Vegas-to-southern-Utah corridor used by many drivers heading toward Zion. Tesla’s U.S. charging locator and the National Park Service’s EV charging pages show that the Southwest park-and-highway network now includes both highway fast-charging and park-adjacent charging references for trip planning. (youtube.com) The Park Service says its EV charging map, developed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shows stations inside some parks and in nearby gateway communities. (tesla.com) ### What should travelers know before they drive into Zion? Zion National Park’s current planning pages say no ticket or reservation is needed to enter the park or ride the shuttle. The park also says parking fills quickly and advises visitors to arrive early or park in Springdale and use the town shuttle if Zion Canyon lots are full. The National Park Service said in a February 6 release that Zion’s shuttle service resumed March 7, 2026. (tesla.com) During shuttle season, the agency says personal vehicles are not allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive north of Canyon Junction, and visitors instead use the shuttle system to reach trailheads and canyon stops. ### Does Zion itself have EV infrastructure? (nps.gov) Zion National Park has had EV charging tied to earlier federal grant funding, and the park now operates electric shuttle buses as part of its transit system, according to National Park Service materials. A 2024 NPS case study said Zion unveiled the first all-electric transit fleet in the National Park Service in September 2024. (nps.gov) The Park Service’s transportation pages also point visitors to an EV charging map rather than promising every charger will be available or suitable for every vehicle. That makes route checking important for travelers mixing interstate fast charging with park-area stops. ### Where can viewers find the route and check conditions? The video is available on YouTube through Brian Riebe Drives Electric, where the road-trip post sits alongside other EV planning and maintenance videos. (nps.gov) The channel page lists recent uploads including “Planning an EV Road Trip in 2026,” giving viewers a direct way to compare the trip video with the creator’s broader planning advice. (nps.gov) Zion’s official park pages carry the next practical step for anyone following the route. The National Park Service says visitors should check shuttle schedules, traffic tips, directions and parking guidance before arrival, especially during the busy spring-through-fall season. (nps.gov) (youtube.com)