Mount Evans Road (2) (5924605821) · Alan Stark · CC BY-SA 2.0 · edited
Two dates decide what a Mount Blue Sky drive can still reach this year, and the first has already gone by. Since September 8 the road above Summit Lake has been shut, which puts the high point of the highest paved road in North America out of reach until next summer.
What is left is the lower stretch, and Recreation.gov lists it as open to vehicles only through October 4. The ticket product is even named for the limit: a reservation pass for Mount Goliath and Summit Lake, September 8 to October 4.
- Already closed: Highway 5 from Summit Lake to the summit, since September 8.
- Still open: Mount Goliath and Summit Lake, through October 4.
- Cost: 20 dollars a vehicle, 15 a motorcycle. Walkers and cyclists are free.
- Watch out: America the Beautiful passes are no longer accepted here.
Two Dates, and the First Has Already Passed
The September 8 closure is the one that changes the trip. Drivers who booked this road to stand at 14,130 feet are now booking a drive to an alpine lake basin instead, which is a fine morning but a different one.
October 4 then closes the rest. There is no published reopening date for next year on the reservation page, and the road can shut earlier than any of this: the operator warns it can close on any day of the season in winter like conditions.
Your America the Beautiful Pass Does Not Work Here
This is the change most likely to catch a returning visitor. Under what the reservation page calls the new locally managed operating structure, federal recreation passes, including America the Beautiful and Federal Lands Access passes, are no longer accepted at Mount Blue Sky.
That is unusual for a road that runs through national forest. The recreation area is now led by Denver Parks and Recreation under a cooperative agreement, with the Colorado Department of Transportation plowing and repairing the highway itself, and the fee structure follows the city rather than the federal system.
Twenty Dollars, and Only Before You Lose Signal
The fee set for this season is 20 dollars for an all sights vehicle pass and 15 dollars for motorcycles, with cyclists and walkers admitted free. Reservations have been required since 2021, so the ticket itself is not the new part.
The buying rule is the part that trips people. There is no cell service in the area, tickets are not sold at the welcome station, and the reservation page tells visitors to buy at home or before leaving Idaho Springs or Bergen Park. Arriving without a ticket means driving back down for signal.
How the Two Booking Windows Release
Tickets come out in two tranches. Seventy five percent are released 30 days ahead at 8 a.m. mountain time on a daily rolling basis, and the remaining 25 percent go two days ahead at the same hour.
For the closing days of the season that second window is the useful one, because it is the only tranche left for anyone deciding late. Entry is by two hour slot, one reservation per person per day, and the ticket holder has to be in the vehicle with photo identification at the welcome station.
Twenty Eight Miles Without Guardrails
The byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in 28 miles to a high point of 14,130 feet, on a variable surface with no guardrails. The operator caps vehicles at 30 feet and advises against motorhomes outright.
Cancellations are accepted up to 24 hours before the entry time, refunded minus a 2 dollar processing fee. There are no refunds for no shows, for weather, or inside that 24 hour line, and once a ticket has been printed it can no longer be changed at all.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Wanted the summit | It closed on September 8. Plan for Summit Lake and Mount Goliath, or wait for next season. |
| Are going before October 4 | Book a two hour entry slot on Recreation.gov and carry the ticket and photo identification. |
| Are deciding late | Watch the two day window at 8 a.m. mountain time. The 30 day tranche is usually gone by then. |
| Hold an America the Beautiful pass | It will not be accepted. Budget 20 dollars a vehicle or 15 a motorcycle. |
| Drive a large vehicle | The limit is 30 feet and motorhomes are not recommended on a road with no guardrails. |
The summit is already out. Anything booked on the promise of a fourteen thousand foot drive needs rewriting now, not in October.
October 4 is the hard edge on the rest. Weather can bring it forward, and nothing on the page promises otherwise.
Federal passes buy nothing here. This is the single most expensive assumption a returning visitor can carry up the hill.
Can I still drive to the Mount Blue Sky summit?
No. The road from Summit Lake to the summit has been closed since September 8, 2026.
When does the rest of the road close?
Vehicle access to Mount Goliath and Summit Lake runs through October 4, and the operator warns the road can close earlier in winter like conditions.
How much does it cost?
Twenty dollars for an all sights vehicle pass and 15 dollars for a motorcycle. Cyclists and walkers enter free.
Does my America the Beautiful pass work?
No. Federal recreation passes, including America the Beautiful and Federal Lands Access passes, are not accepted under the current management structure.
Where do I buy the ticket?
Online at Recreation.gov or in its app, before you leave Idaho Springs or Bergen Park. There is no cell service in the area and none are sold at the welcome station.
When are tickets released?
Seventy five percent at 30 days out and 25 percent at two days out, both at 8 a.m. mountain time on a rolling basis.
