CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — Mount Blue Sky's scenic byway — the highest paved road in North America — is wrapping up its first full visitor season since reopening after a major renovation.
The road closed in September 2024 and remained shut until May 2026 to repair severe road buckling near Summit Lake. Now, with Labor Day weekend behind it, the road is preparing to close for the winter. The road from the entrance to Summit Lake will remain open until adverse weather forces a closure. The section from Summit Lake to the peak closes Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 8 a.m.
Visitors who made the drive this season say the improvements are noticeable.
"After renovation, it's more of a smooth drive near Summit Lake. It was a bumpy ride previously," Khilan Gopani said.
Watch Ethan's report on the newly renovated road below:
"The road's been nice and smooth, no issues with it. So, real, real nice, well laid out. I don't feel like I'm going to go off the road or anything like that," Richard Canary said.
Canary, visiting from Ohio with his wife, said the drive exceeded expectations.
"Wife and I decided to come out here and just kind of see the Rockies. She's never been out to the Rockies, so kind of a chance to just explore," Canary said.
For some visitors, the road is a regular destination. Katy Stephens said she came up on opening day this season and made a point to return before closing.
"I like seeing it at different points in the season. Different types of wildflowers are out here, and the landscape changes colors, which is nice," Stephens said.
While she appreciated the work done, her husband Decker Stephens had mixed feelings about the scope of the project.
"The potholes were pretty crazy before. Where they did work, it's a huge improvement. I was expecting a larger section to have been done for the amount of time that it took, but I'm happy with what was done," Stephens said.
The road isn't the only amenity being improved in the area. Echo Lake Lodge, located just before the check-in gate, has been closed since 2022 but received $7 million from the Vibrant Denver Bond to eventually reopen. Denver Parks and Recreation started a year-long design process this past summer, though no completion date has been announced.
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