CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — Fall is still a few months away, but some parts of Colorado are already preparing for the busy leaf-peeping season.
The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office installed "NO PARKING" signs near the summit of Guanella Pass this week, after hundreds of vehicles parked illegally last fall.
The crowds of cars that parked along the pass to see the changing leaves hindered access for first responders, according to the sheriff's office.
"In recent years, it's gotten pretty bad up there," said Georgetown resident Gary Wilkins, who has lived at the base of the bypass for 50 years.
A video posted to social media during the 2024 leaf-peeping season showed crowds of cars, sometimes lining both sides of the narrow road.
"Here's my opinion piece on leaf-peeping Guanella Pass: It's beautiful, it's gorgeous, stunning. If you park on the side of the road where you're not supposed to park, I hope you stub your toe, really hard," said Laura Sunshine on TikTok after visiting the popular leaf-peeping site.
It's a problem law enforcement is trying to tackle ahead of the fall rush.
With new "NO PARKING" signs in place, the sheriff's office will begin enforcing parking rules on county right-of-way road shoulders on Clear Creek County Road 381, all the way to the Park County line.
Parking violations will result in a $87.50 ticket, according to Jenny Fulton, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.
In a statement to Denver7, the sheriff's office said the measures are necessary because of the increase in parked vehicles on the pass in recent years:
Traffic volume and illegally and improperly park vehicles on both sides of Guanella Pass has increased in recent years, causing delays for emergency responders. During last fall’s leaf peeping season, both us and Park County experienced emergency incidents that required a law enforcement and medical response. The response was delayed due to hundreds of vehicles parked illegally on both sides of the roadway, essentially making a two-lane road just one lane. As a result, Clear Creek and Park Counties - in partnership with the US Forest Service, Town of Georgetown and CDOT - began taking steps to mitigate traffic and parking issues. For the public’s safety, we cannot have emergency access hindered; therefore “no parking” signage has been installed on the Clear Creek side and similar signage will also be installed on the Park County side. We will also be taking additional mitigation steps for this year’s leaf-peeping season, including extra patrols and enhanced parking enforcement, limiting access as necessary when too many vehicles are on Guanella Pass Road (Clear Creek) and County Rd 62 (Park County side), and towing vehicles that block the roadway.
The parking lot atop Guanella Pass has also been marked with green "PARKING" signs, indicating that visitors are permitted to park their vehicles in the lot.
"We will also be taking additional mitigation steps for this year’s leaf-peeping season, including extra patrols and enhanced parking enforcement, limiting access as necessary when too many vehicles are on Guanella Pass Road (Clear Creek) and County Rd 62 (Park County side), and towing vehicles that block the roadway," said Fulton in a statement to Denver7.
Over the last year and a half, Steve Wilson with the Alpine Rescue Team said there have been two dozen missions that have required his team to take Guanella Pass.
"Mount Bierstadt and Mount Blue Sky. The trails are right there," said Wilson. "Sometimes the traffic up there is hard. Finding parking is difficult. Our rescue vehicles are pretty large, and ambulances are also large, as everybody knows, so getting up there can be a challenge."
Wilson told Denver7 he is hopeful the new restrictions will make a difference.
"Anything we can do to make it easier is going to help us," he said.
But locals like Wilkins, who watch each fall come and go, said only time will tell.
"[I don't know] what the solution is, but they’re giving the 'NO PARKING' signs a try, and we’ll see what happens," Wilkins said.
