Independence Pass will open on schedule for the 2026 season at noon May 21.
Crews with the Colorado Department of Transportation will allow vehicles on the seasonal portion of Colorado Highway 82 following the completion of the road’s annual maintenance projects.
While snowpack for the area was significantly lower than years past, it allowed CDOT crews to replace damaged guardrails, fill potholes, resurface areas where the road was heaved up, trim back overgrown bushes, remove downed trees and clear rockfall from the roadway and drainages to enable proper water drainage, according to a press release.
“The annual opening of Independence Pass signifies the winter to summer weather transition and allows commuters to take advantage of this beautiful stretch of pure Colorado roadway,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew in the release. “Our maintenance team worked diligently to ensure the necessary repairs were made so drivers can travel the pass safely. We remind drivers to use caution, especially on the narrow portions of this roadway, and to be attuned to other drivers and wildlife.”
Reopening dates for Independence Pass in recent years are:
- May 27, 2021
- May 26, 2022
- May 25, 2023
- May 31, 2024
- May 22, 2025
Commercial and recreational vehicles 35 feet or longer remain prohibited on Independence Pass between mile point 47.2 (west side, near Aspen) and mile point 84.2 (east side, near Twin Lakes/Leadville and about one mile west of the junction with US Highway 24).
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