The Mountain Passes and Roads in the United States That Close Every Winter

There are approximately 4,219,172 miles of roads in the United States, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Each winter, some roads are closed due to inclement and hazardous conditions. States like California, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming have seasonal road closures each winter that drivers must be aware of. There are also passes and roads in the East and Northeast that close due to dangerous winter conditions.

The National Weather Service reports that 70% of the fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles, and about 25% of all winter-related fatalities are people caught off guard, out in the storm. For skiers and snowboarders planning to hit the slopes this winter, it’s essential to check the road conditions before departing for the mountains.

• Related: [UPDATED] NOAA Winter 2025-26 Forecast: New Forecast Pinpoints Snowiest Regions

Alaska

The Denali Highway is 135 miles long from Paxson to Cantwell into Denali National Park. It is considered one of the most beautiful roads to drive in North America and can be driven in just one day. The road is mostly gravel, which reduces the speed at which a vehicle can safely operate. The maximum speed range is 35 to 55 mph, depending on road conditions. During the winter months, from October to mid-May, the Alaska Department of Transportation closes the Denali Highway and suspends winter maintenance on the road.

Hatcher Pass Road is only about one and a half hours away from Anchorage, Alaska, and is located in the Talkeetna Mountain Range. The valley floor sits at 1,000 feet, and the 30 prominent summits can reach elevations higher than 6,000 feet. There are paved and gravel sections of the roads, with the gravel portions closing during the winter. On October 1, Hatcher Pass closed for the season between mile points 17.5 and 20.6, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. The closure occurs regularly over the winter season and the road usually opens up again in mid-to-late June, depending on the weather.

Arizona

Even in the Grand Canyon in Arizona, roads close due to winter weather. SR 67, Jacob Lake to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, closes each winter by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). The North Rim roads are closed between December 1 and May 14, and even snowmobiles are not permitted access. ADOT closes the road because there are no visitor accommodations during the winter at the North Rim. Other roads, such as SR 366 and SR 473, are closed on a set schedule each winter around the Grand Canyon.

California

Tioga Pass, the highest highway pass in California at an elevation of 9,945 feet, is a crucial artery during the summer and fall months, providing access to Yosemite’s stunning high country. However, it typically closes each winter due to heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions. When Tiago Pass closes, it restricts access to Yosemite’s high country by vehicle. State Route 140 (via Mariposa) and State Route 41 (via Oakhurst) remain open year-round, providing access to Yosemite Valley. Tioga Road typically opens in late May or early June and closes in October or November, depending on weather conditions.

Glacier Point Road also closes each winter from mid-December through March, but the first five miles are still maintained and plowed throughout winter. That gives skiers and snowboarders access to the Badger Pass Ski Area. The section of Glacier Point Road past Badger Pass Ski Area is groomed for cross-country skiing.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 10 manages three trans-Sierra passes: Ebbetts Pass/SR-4 in Alpine County, Sonora Pass/SR-108 (Tuolumne County), and Monitor Pass/SR-89 (Alpine County).

Sonora Pass is a scenic mountain highway which connects the Central Valley to the Eastern Sierra via the Sierra Nevada, and it closes each winter due to heavy snow accumulation. The Pass is one of California’s highest paved mountain roads with a top elevation of 9,624 feet. It generally opens from late April to mid-June, depending on weather conditions, which provides skiers and snowboarders with access to great spring backcountry skiing.

Ebbetts Pass is the high-country segment of Highway 4, located between Lake Alpine and Silver Creek, and it is typically closed from mid-November to May during the winter months. The highway reopens in the spring after snowmelt, normally by Memorial Day, depending on snow conditions.

Monitor Pass, like the other High Sierra mountain pass roads, is subject to regular seasonal winter closures. Since 2010, Monitor Pass has typically closed at the end of November and December, reopening in the spring, between the first week of April and the first week of May.

Colorado

Trail Ridge Road in Colorado is not designed as an all-season road, with 11 miles above 11,500 feet, few guard rails, and no shoulders. At its peak, Trail Ridge Road reaches about 12,180 feet, making it the highest continuous paved road in North America, and it connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. Winter conditions include drifting snow, high winds, and temperatures below freezing at elevations above 10,000 feet. The road closes for the season every fall for snow and ice, and typically reopens on or around Memorial Day. This year, it reopened for the season on May 30 and is generally closed from November to late May or June.

Independence Pass is part of Colorado State Highway 82 and passes over the Continental Divide between Leadville and Aspen. The summit of the Continental Divide is 12,095 feet above sea level. The road is about 32 miles long and takes an hour and a half to drive, depending on weather conditions. The pass typically closes within the first two weeks of November and reopens on the Thursday before Memorial Day, weather permitting. It is a narrow and curvy paved road, which causes difficulties for drivers to navigate, causing Colorado to close it each winter.

The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in just 28 miles, reaching an altitude of 14,130 feet. “The weather is volatile – be prepared for wind, rain, lightning, snow, and hail at any time of year,” the Colorado Department of Transportation said on its website. The Mount Blue Sky Highway is 49 miles long and takes approximately two hours to drive. Due to its high elevation, roads and trails are covered by snow into early summer. The highway closes after Labor Day Weekend at its higher sections and is closed to all uses in 2025 due to construction; however, hiking trails will remain open, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Kebler Pass is an excellent shortcut to Aspen in the Roaring Fork Valley during the summer and sits at 10,007 feet above sea level. The Pass is 33 miles long and takes approximately two hours to drive, located in the West Elk Mountains. It is home to one of the most extensive aspen groves in the United States and is known for its scenic views during the Fall. The Pass typically closes from November to May

Guanella Pass is a former burro trail that has been transformed into a Scenic Byway. The Pass is 24 miles of picturesque views and takes approximately one hour to drive. During the 1800s, the Pass was heavily used when silver was discovered in the mountains, and it was home to the old mining and logging towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume, which are considered one of the best mining towns in Colorado. Due to the high cost of avalanche mitigation, the Pass closes in late November and May.

Idaho

Galena Summit is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 8,727 feet above sea level, located in Idaho. The pass is located on the northwest corner of Blaine County within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of the Sawtooth National Forest. The pass is 78.0 miles long, running north-south from Stanley to Bellevue. Set high in the Boulder Mountains, access to the pass is typically open all year round; however, winter weather may cause restrictions and closures due to hazardous conditions, such as avalanches.

The Idaho Transportation Department (IDT) will also close State Highway 21 from Grandjean to Banner Summit due to snow conditions and avalanches. The IDT does have an avalanche team that monitors snowpack along the highway to forecast the risk of avalanches throughout the winter. There are 70 avalanche paths along an 11-mile stretch of the SH-21, and the IDT avalanche team assesses the risks to keep the highway open as safely as possible for motorists.

Montana

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is 50 miles long and is the only link between the east and west sides of Glacier National Park. It was completed in 1932 and is recognized as both a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Landmark due to its importance in the history of transportation in the United States. It closes each winter due to its unpredictable snowstorms and winter hazards. The alpine sections of Going-to-the-Sun Road typically close for the winter in late October and reopen in late June.

The Beartooth Highway provides easy access to Yellowstone National Park at its northeast entrance and reaches up to 10,0947 feet above sea level. It was completed in 1936 and is considered one of the most scenic roadways in the United States, earning it the nickname “The All-American Road.” The 68 miles of the highway take about three hours to drive from Yellowstone and Red Lodge. The highway is generally open on Memorial Day Weekend until mid-October, but unpredictable weather can cause temporary closures throughout the summer.

The 29-mile-long Skalkaho Pass, located at 7,260 feet above sea level, is an excellent destination for nature lovers seeking to spot elk, moose, and mountain goats. In the winter, only 10 miles of Highway 38 are plowed, which makes it a popular location for snowmobiling that offers 26 miles of groomed trails. The Pass closes in the winter months due to hazardous conditions in higher elevations and usually reopens in May or early June.

New Hampshire

Western states have more mountain passes that close during the winter than the eastern states, primarily due to their higher elevation and more severe snow conditions. In New Hampshire, the Mt. Washington Auto Road reaches an elevation of 6,288 feet and closes for winter usually from mid-October to mid-May. The road was constructed in the 1850s and is the oldest man-made tourist attraction in the United States, which opened on August 8, 1861. Mount Washington is home to a large amount of backcountry skiing terrain, much of which is in prime conditions in spring.

New York

The Whiteface Veteran’s Memorial Highway is open during the summer and gives views of the Adirondack Mountains, Lake Placid, and Whiteface Mountain. At the summit of the highway, the Summit House offers breathtaking views of New England and Canada. The summit was dedicated by Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1929 and opened in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The highway closes each winter and is scheduled to close on October 13, 2025, this year.

The Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway in Lake George is a scenic 5.5-mile road that offers an amazing 100-mile view from the top of its 2,030-foot summit. It has three overlooks along the route that offer views of The Narrows, Lake George, and The Eagle’s Nest. It also gives views of Vermont’s Green Mountains, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, New York’s Adirondack High Peaks and on a clear day, the Laurentian Mountains of Canada. The highway is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. This season, the Veterans Memorial Highway will remain open until November 11.

North Carolina and Virginia

The Blue Ride Parkway meanders for 469 miles in the Appalachian Highlands with its highest elevation of 6,053 feet at the Richland Balsam Overlook in North Carolina. The Parkway also provides access to the highest peak in the eastern United States, Mt. Mitchell, at an elevation of 6,684 feet. Constructed in 1935, the Blue Ridge Parkway connects the Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Although the Blue Ridge Parkway is open year-round, certain sections may be closed due to ice and snow, storm damage, or for construction or maintenance activities, according to the National Park Service. Some Parkway sections may be closed for extended periods during the winter and will only reopen when it is safe for travel.

Oregon

McKenzie Pass, OR 242, is seasonally closed from November to mid-June, and the earliest possible opening day each year is the third Monday in June. Weather conditions, logistics, and costs make it impractical to maintain for year-round travel. The McKenzie Highway section of the scenic byway begins at the junction with Oregon 126 near McKenzie Bridge. It ends at the intersection with U.S. Highway 20 and Oregon 126 at the city of Sisters. Although some cyclists use the highway in the spring before it opens to cars, the Oregon Department of Transportation states that they are not permitted on the road until it officially opens to the public.

The Cascade Lake Scenic Byway traverses central Oregon, with the Cascade Mountains constantly in view. The 66-mile Byway goes through Central Oregon’s awe-inspiring vistas of Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, South Sister, and 14 sparkling alpine lakes and takes three to five hours to drive. The byway’s season typically runs from June to November, with the opening depending on snowfall levels.

Paulina Lake Road is closing for the season on November 19, 2025, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. The high snow levels often reach five to 10 feet at the road summit during winter, and keeping the roads plowed is too costly, according to Deschutes County. The main recreation areas off Paulina Lake Road are Paulina Lake and East Lake, which are located in the caldera of the Newberry Volcano. The volcano formed over 600,000 years ago and erupted approximately 75,000 years ago, resulting in the formation of the Newberry Caldera. Paulina Lake Road typically reopens to vehicles from mid-June to October.

According to the National Park Service, Crater Lake is one of the snowiest inhabited places in the United States, receiving an average of 624 inches of snow annually. Each winter, deep snow forces the park to close Rim Drive and North Entrance Road to automobiles. Rim Drive becomes a route for skiing and snowshoeing, and the North Entrance Road becomes a snowmobile trail. These roads close for the season with the first big snowstorm, or on November 1, whichever comes first. Typically, plowing begins on West Rim Drive in mid-April, and all roads are ready to open by mid-July.

South Dakota

The Needles Highway is a 14-mile one-way road that passes through pine and spruce forests and rugged granite mountains of South Dakota’s famous Black Hills. The road was created and planned out by former Governor Peter Norbeck, who mapped the entire path on foot and horseback. Drivers should maintain a safe speed on the road for safety reasons. The flow of traffic can be as slow as 25 miles per hour, which takes 45 to 60 minutes to complete. Needles Highway is closed for the winter and opens for driving in early April through mid-October.

Utah

The Cottonwood Canyons of Utah’s Wasatch Range are known for their world-class ski resorts. Alta, Snowbird, Park City, Deer Valley, and many other great ski resorts call these two canyons home. Each ski season, roads close due to weather and hazards as skiers and snowboarders head to the mountains. The Utah Department of Transportation closes the following roads every fall through the winter, typically November through May or June, depending on the weather.

Road affected due to winter weather: 

• SR-39 Monte Cristo (east of Ogden)
• SR-65 East Canyon (northeast of Salt Lake City)
• SR-190 Guardsman Pass (Brighton to Park City)
• SR-224 Guardsman Pass (Park City to Brighton)
• SR-92 American Fork Canyon / Alpine Loop
• SR-150 Mirror Lake Highway (east of Kamas to near the Wyoming border)
• SR-35 Wolf Creek Summit (east of Francis to west of Hanna)
• SR-153 Mount Holly (west of US-89 in Junction to Puffer Lake)
• SR-148 Cedar Breaks National Monument (east of Cedar City)

Vermont

In the Northeast, Vermont’s Smugglers’ Notch Scenic Highway takes motorists up the state’s highest mountain, Mount Mansfield, and links the two famous ski resorts of Stowe Mountain and Smugglers’ Notch. Each winter, Vermont’s Agency of Transportation (VDOT) closes the three-and-a-half-mile corridor of VT Route 108 due to winter conditions, including icy roadways, making the steep and winding road too dangerous to travel on and making it impassable for tractor-trailers to navigate. The issue of large vehicles, such as commercial vehicles, getting stuck in the narrow road, for which motorists who break the law face fines that begin at $1,000.00 and can increase to over $4,000 for a second offence. The roadway generally closes in November and reopens in May.

Washington

Chinook Pass (elevation 5,430 feet) and Cayuse Pass (elevation 4,675 feet) in Washington typically close in mid-November due to avalanche risks. Chinook Pass is located on SR 410 between the towns of Enumclaw and Naches in Washington state. It is home to numerous great backcountry ski zones, many of which offer excellent skiing or riding in the spring once the highway reopens. Typically, both Passes reopen in late May, depending on snowmelt and road conditions.

The North Cascades Scenic Highway is a 140-mile byway located on the Cascade Loop in the North Cascades National Park. It is surrounded by jagged peaks that reach elevations of above 9,000 feet, valleys, waterfalls and boasts more than 300 glaciers. The highway features the Rainy Pass at 4,855 feet and the Washington Pass at 5,477 feet in elevation. In the winter, snow and avalanche hazards typically close the highway sometime in late November or early December, and the road usually reopens in April or early May.

There are many other passes and roads not listed here that close each winter in the United States due to dangerous conditions. Winter road closures from the West, the Pacific Northwest, the Rockies, and the Northeast are all affected by icy roads, snowstorms, and avalanches that impact millions of miles of highways and drivers every winter. Although these closures can be a nuisance, they are necessary to protect drivers from hazardous conditions. As always, it is best to check local forecasts for the most up-to-date information to stay informed about the latest road winter conditions.