GUANELLA PASS ROAD CLOSED AS OF DECEMBER 1ST

Thanks to a coordinated effort between Clear Creek County Road and Bridge, Park County Road and Bridge, and the United States Forest Service, Guanella Pass CLOSED for the winter season on Monday, Dec.1st, 2025. Guanella Pass Road is seasonally closed after Thanksgiving and reopens on or about Memorial Day weekend at Naylor Lake on the Clear Creek County side and Burning Bear Campground on the Park County side.

A former burro trail, the now-paved Guanella Pass scenic byway is 24 miles of picturesque views and climbs to above treeline. On it, visitors can see multiple mountain peaks, including Mount Bierstadt, Mount Blue Sky, and Argentine Pass. The pass road is completely paved from Georgetown in Clear Creek County to Grant (Highway 285) in Park County.  Hence, in the summer months, the Guanella Pass Road is traversable in a regular sedan vehicle. That being said, please be aware -- many of the offshoot roads from the main Guanella Pass Road require high-clearance vehicles and four-wheel-drive.  

For more information on the area, please visit these sites:

• https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232306
• https://www.colorado.com/byways/guanella-pass
• https://www.codot.gov/travel/colorado-byways/north-central/guanella-pass

Guanella Pass Parking Enforcement During Leaf-Peeping Season

NOTICE: To ensure the safety of everyone visiting and living in Clear Creek County, Clear Creek County Road and Bridge has installed new "No Parking" signs along Clear Creek County Road 381 (Guanella Pass Road), extending to the Park County line. These signs are crucial for helping us manage traffic congestion in the popular recreation area.

In recent years, Guanella Pass Road has become overcrowded on weekends during peak leaf-peeping season. If visitors park illegally on the shoulder of the road or park on the roadway itself, the roadway narrows from two lanes to one lane, which delays emergency response. Ambulances, fire trucks, and other emergency vehicles cannot respond to emergencies on the pass as quickly. 

Visitors PEEP Responsibly by: 

• Parking in designated parking areas only. This includes parking lots, places with green “Parking” signs, or in pull-offs that are not marked “No Parking.” Parking is NOT allowed on the roadway at all. If parking in a pull-off that is not marked “No Parking,” the vehicle must be completely off the roadway. No part of the vehicle can be on or in the roadway when parked.
• Expecting heavy traffic. Know Before You Go by checking cotrip.org for traffic delays on I-70 or Highway 285. Cell phone map apps should also show traffic delays along routes to Guanella Pass.
• Exercising patience. Heavy traffic and delays can cause frustration, impatience, and aggression. Take a break by visiting a nearby park, shopping in town, or dining at a local restaurant.
• Planning ahead. Consider visiting on a weekday (Monday–Thursday). Weekend days have about 2.5 times more visitors than weekdays. In the event of heavy traffic, bring plenty of water, food, and other necessary supplies. 

Clear Creek County is doing things differently this year to help keep visitors safe by making sure emergency vehicles can get through at all times.

Visitors can expect:

• No Parking signs at the summit. Parking is NOT allowed on the shoulder of the roadway within 1/2 mile of the summit. Do not park in a "No Parking" zone.
• Extra enforcement. The fine for vehicles parked in a “No Parking” zone is $87.50. Vehicles parked on the shoulder where parking is allowed must be completely off the roadway. If any part of the vehicle is on or in the roadway, the fine is also $87.50.
• Towing. Vehicles parked on the roadway (anywhere along Guanella Pass Road) are subject to being towed at the owner’s expense. Owners will be responsible for their own transportation to the tow location. These vehicles may also be ticketed.

Note for leaf-peeping season only: If the large number of vehicles on and along Guanella Pass Road threatens to limit or delay emergency vehicle access, it is possible the road will be temporarily closed to additional traffic. These closures would be short and periodic – just until enough vehicles have left Guanella Pass to make room for additional traffic. Visitors who experience a temporary closure are encouraged to take a break by visiting local businesses while waiting out the closure.

Thank you for your understanding and your cooperation!

Camping

On the Georgetown/Clear Creek County side of the pass, there is one (1) US Forest Service Campground: Guanella Pass Campground, limited first-come-first-served. There are eighteen (18) sites in the campground. Eleven (11) are suitable for RV camping, and seven are more suitable for tents. Large RVs are not recommended on the byway. Most of the sites are in the open, with some tent sites located among some spruce trees. Each site has a tent pad, picnic table, fire ring, and charcoal grill. The roads through the campground are gravel. This facility provides hand pumps with potable water, vault toilets, and trash dumpsters. To reserve or obtain details, please visit the Guanella Pass listing on Recreation.gov.

There are also first-come, first-served camping spots at Leavenworth Creek Road (two miles up from the Georgetown side). It is important to note that this road requires a high-clearance vehicle to access these camping spots (approximately 10 spots).

Day trips can be enjoyed by auto-tourists crossing the pass. These include:

• Flat, scenic trail hikes at Silver Dale (1.5 miles up from Georgetown) with views of the South Fork Clear Creek, Leavenworth Creek, and the Guanella valley.
• Leavenworth Creek Road (2 miles up from Georgetown), which has hiking, bikin,g and more up to Pavilion Point or the old Waldorf Townsite
• Clear Lake (6 miles up from Georgetown), which has picnicking, trail walking around the lake, and fishing
• Naylor Lake/Silver Dollar Lake Trails (11 miles up from Georgetown), which has hiking, biking, scenic vistas, and high-altitude lakes.
• Please see the links above for trailheads, camping, and recreation for the Park County side of the pass.  

Winter Access and Recreation

Between the week after Thanksgiving and Memorial Day weekend each year, both Clear Creek and Park Counties close the summit of Guanella Pass Road due to the high cost of avalanche mitigation. Clear Creek County closes the pass at the Naylor Lake intersection of Guanella Pass Road, which is 0.8 miles from the summit and the Mount Bierstadt Trailhead.  At this closure gate, there is a large parking lot allowing recreationalists to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or hike near the Guanella Pass summit and Naylor and Silver Dollar Lakes.  The winter road maintenance/plowing schedule for Guanella Pass is as follows:

1.  Georgetown to Cabin Creek Hydroelectric Plant: first day after snowfall. (approximately mile 6 from Georgetown)

2.  Georgetown to the Naylor Lake Road intersection and closure gate:  second/third day after snowfall. (approximately mile 11 from Georgetown)

Additionally, there are many other excellent cross-country ski/snowshoe trails at Clear Lake, Silver Dale, and Leavenworth Creek Road.  (Similar to ski runs by color: green= easy; blue=intermediate/some hills; black=expert/steep climbing/descents.)