Last chance to drive up Mount Blue Sky before scenic byway closes until 2026
DENVER (KDVR) — The next few weeks will be the last chance for Coloradans and tourists to drive up the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway before Highway 5 closes to the public for over a year.
The 28-mile road climbs over 7,000 feet and reaches 14,130 feet, making it the highest paved road in North America, according to the U.S. Forest Service. When it opened to the public in 1930, it was the highest road in the world.
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On Sept. 3, the road to the top will be closed to travelers in vehicles, on bikes and foot. The U.S. Forest Service said it will remain closed through 2025 as crews work on road improvements near Summit Lake. A tentative reopening date is around Memorial Day weekend in 2026, conditions permitting.
Colorful sunset over Summit Lake in Mount Evans Wilderness Area in Colorado with wildflowers in the foreground and Mount Evans in the background (Getty Images) 14,262 foot Mount Evans and the Rocky Mountains rise over the downtown Denver skyline Colorado. Foothills and Green Mountain stand just above the city. (Getty Images) This pair of mountain goats, known as Oreamnos americanus, are checking out the rocky slopes of Mount Evans, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Mount Evans is a popular tourist attraction and is located west of Denver, Colorado. July 2017 (Getty Images) Cars go down a switchback curve on Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway. The road begins in Idaho Springs at I-70, using Colorado Highway 103 and continues on Colorado Highway 5 to the summit of Mount Evans. The scenic byway climbs more than 7,000 feet from its starting point and is the highest paved road in the United States, reaching 14,130 feet. (Getty Images)
The closure will span from the Colorado Department of Transportation gate on Highway 5 through the project area above Summit Lake.
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The only way to access the Mount Blue Sky summit during that period will be through various hiking trails. The road is about 60 miles away from Denver and is surrounded by many other mountains, including Mount Bierstadt, Gray Wolf Mountain, Rogers Peak, and Rosalie Peak, and is near bodies of water like Summit Lake, Abyss Lake, Chicago Lakes, Lincoln Lake, Echo Lake, Lake Fork and more.
The Crest House is a notable landmark in this area. Also known as the “Castle in the Sky,” the former restaurant was once the highest structure in the world. The restaurant was destroyed in a fire in 1979.
Mount Blue Sky is also known as one of the best places in the state to view mountain goats. Visitors must make a reservation and purchase a ticket in advance to visit Mount Goliath Natural Area, Summit Lake Park or the Mount Blue Sky summit.
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