Road to Mount Evans summit closes to vehicle traffic for winter
GEORGETOWN, Colo. (KRDO) -- The summit of Mount Evans has closed to vehicle traffic for the season.
The uppermost portion of the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, miles 9-14, is now closed, but the lower portion, mile 1 (Echo Lake) to mile 9 (Summit Lake) remains open.
Visitors can still make reservations to visit Mount Goliath Interpretive Area (mile 3) and Summit Lake Park (mile 9) as weather allows until Oct. 2. Reservations can be booked in advance at recreation.gov.
The US Forest Service says late-season tickets are offered at a reduced rate of $10. Visitors who arrive without a reservation will need to return to a place where they can get a cell phone signal to secure a timed-entry ticket. Visitors with reservations can park at Summit Lake and bike or walk to the summit if weather conditions allow, but the road will be closed to motorized vehicle traffic due to unpredictable fall weather.
According to our news partners in Denver, the summer of 2021 marked the first season that timed-entry reservations were required for visitors wanting to drive the 15 miles to the top of Mount Evans. The USFS said public feedback has been positive with a reduction in crowding and parking issues at popular sites on Mount Evans.
The Mount Evans Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in North America.