Mount Evans Highway to open for Memorial Day Weekend

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation has successfully completed snow plowing operations on Mount Evans Highway (CO 5) and is finishing work to repave the parking lots up to the summit. As a result, Mount Evans Highway is scheduled to open on Friday, May 25, in time for the Memorial Day Weekend. 

Mount Evans is a very popular destination for thousands of visitors each year. Expect heavy traffic, limited parking with full parking lots and lines on most weekends and especially during holiday weekends. The best time to visit is during the week and mornings.  

The United States Forest Service oversees the Mount Evans Recreation Area, which more than 150,000 people visit each summer.  Three developed sites are located along the corridor. Two are in the National Forest: Mount Goliath Natural Area and Nature Center and the Summit of Mount Evans Interpretive Site; while Summit Lake Park is owned by the City and County of Denver. Visitors wishing to stop at all three sites may purchase both the $10 Forest Service pass and the $5 City of Denver pass at the Mount Evans Welcome Station, or they may choose to purchase just one pass or the other, depending on their destination. Fees are per vehicle. There is no fee for driving through the area unless you plan to visit one of these sites. Bicyclists are exempt from the fee. In addition, federal interagency passes are honored at all three sites.

For more information, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/mountevans; call the Clear Creek Ranger District’s information line at 303-567-4382; or stop by the Idaho Springs Visitor’s Center at 2060 Miner Street, east of downtown Idaho Springs.

Information regarding the opening and closing of seasonal highways in Colorado is available at all times on the cotrip.org website, by calling 511, or via subscription e-mail or text.  To subscribe, please visit  511.cotrip.org.