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Mount Evans Highway, Old Fall River Road to fully close for the season on Monday

Mount Evans_Mount Blue Sky_Summit Lake_SButzer
Posted at 2:40 PM, Sep 30, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-30 16:47:16-04

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — The Mount Evans Highway in Clear Creek County and Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park will fully close for the season on Monday.

The five-mile segment from Summit Lake to the top of the Mount Evans Highway, also known as Colorado Highway 5, closed the day after Labor Day. The full highway — from Echo Lake to Summit Lake — will close for the season Monday morning.

This closure only applies to motorized vehicles.

summit house on mount evans, Mount Evans Scenic Byway
FILE—In this Friday, July 15, 2016, file photo, visitors pass the sign on the summit of Mount Evans near Idaho Springs, Colo. Mount Evans Highway, which is the highest paved road in North America, will be closed this summer because of health and economic concerns related to the coronavirus. Hiking and cycling are allowed, but the transportation department plans to conduct road repairs during the closure. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Mount Evans is the 14th tallest fourteener in the state at 14,264 feet. The Mount Evans Highway is the highest paved road in North America.

CDOT said it expects the road to fully reopen May 31, 2023, weather permitting. It opened for the season on June 10 this year.

Reservations are required through Recreation.gov to drive up the mountain and park anywhere along the way. Hikers and bicyclists do not need to make a reservation. Cell service is poor at the base of the mountain, so don't expect to be able to purchase a reservation online once you arrive. You can make reservations up to 30 days in advance. If poor weather forces the highway to close, refunds will drop automatically through Recreation.gov.

Denver 7+ Colorado News Latest Headlines | September 30, 11am

In mid-March, the Clear Creek County Board of County Commissioners voted to rename Mount Evans to honor the Indigenous people of Colorado. The Mestaa'ehehe Coalition — Mestaa'ehehe means Owl Woman in Cheyenne — said the decision came after three weeks of meetings, public comments and discussions. The coalition recommended renaming the mountain to Mount Blue Sky. The Arapaho were known as the Blue Sky People and the Cheyenne have a ceremony each year called Blue Sky.

The recommendation will go to the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board for consideration. On May 31, the Mestaa'ehehe Coalition said the advisory board will add this to their agenda "sometime this year," but a date hasn't been set as of Friday.

In Rocky Mountain National Park, Old Fall River Road will close to all vehicles on Monday and for all use through Oct. 7 for staff to complete road maintenance.

Old Fall River Road in RMNP
Old Fall River Road opened to vehicles on July 12, 2019. It typically opens by the Fourth of July.

The road will reopen to bicycles, leashed pets and walkers on Oct. 8 through Oct. 10 before closing again on Oct. 11 through Oct. 14. On Oct. 15, it will again reopen through Nov. 30 for bicycles, leashed pets and walkers.

Call RMNP at 970-586-1206 for more details on Old Fall River Road.