Very spectacular! Cottonwood Pass Road in Eagle County is closed until further notice, according to a social media post by Colorado State Patrol. It took three years, work crews with more than 120 people, around $34 million, and some 90 pieces of road-building equipment but Cottonwood Pass is finally open. Originally, just the Buena Vista half of the pass was paved, but in 2017 the Almont side was paved as well. “Cottonwood Pass is a narrow, winding road with blind corners and a varied road surface that is not designed to accommodate heavy traffic,” the release states. In other areas, it may be counter-balanced. As of the Sept. 19, with the grand opening of Cottonwood Pass, the second-highest paved pass in America is fully open to traffic again, just in time for the start of the fall foliage. From Almont, take CO-742 east toward Taylor Park Reservoir. Snow-capped peak on Cottonwood Pass. Does anyone know Cottonwood pass is open all the way from Buena Vista to Taylor park lake? In some areas accesed by the Cottonwood pass Trail, food must be stored in bear-proof containers. Allowable local traffic includes trips such as: Travel to/from work or school. But today was special, at least because I walked to the pass on mainly snow-covered roads. After long-term closures and heavy construction, Cottonwood Pass is now back open to the summit on the east side from Chaffee County. Cottonwood Pass is the highest paved mountain route over the Continental Divide. #1. benjamin1031, … In spite of the snowy road, much less dangerous than … Driving Directions . Cottonwood Pass (elevation 12,119 feet (3,694 m)) is a high mountain pass in south-central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States.It is located along the border of Gunnison and Chaffee counties in Colorado and is in the Sawatch Range.The area surrounding the pass is mostly forest, with the San Isabel National Forest to the east and the Gunnison National Forest to the west. Travel to/from other essential businesses or services in Eagle, Garfield or Pitkin counties. Traveling in bear Country. Horseshoe Meadow Road is usually open from Memorial Day until the first week of November, depending on snow conditions. Cottonwood Pass, 12,126 feet Reopening Date: June 1 From the summit of Cottonwood Pass to the west of Buena Vista you are treated to gorgeous views of both sides of the Continental Divide. It’s an excellent drive for 2WD cars. According to the Forest Service, the west side of Cottonwood Pass is scheduled to open on Monday, August 12, 2019. Travel to/from medical, dental, or veterinary appointments. “Officials are asking motorists to refrain from using the pass for discretionary trips for the duration of the I-70 closure.” Beginning Sunday, Aug. 23, Cottonwood Pass will open for critical, local passenger vehicle traffic. From Crested Butte, drive south to Almont along CO-135. As of today, Cottonwood Pass is not open to vehicular traffic, and so I drove as far as I could -- roughly just beyond the … Once it opens, visitors should still expect up to 30-minute delays due to ongoing summer construction. The paved pass reaches 12,126 feet. Promoting everything about Cottonwood Pass, the most beautiful spot on Colorado's Continental Divide. Cottonwood Pass Colorado Drive east-west from Buena Vista 722927788 Almost the end of the opening season on this newly improved road, now the highest paved Continental Divide crossing in North America. Im pretty sure they finished paving the east side of the pass, but I can't find any information about the west side down to the lake. Cottonwood Pass - Elevation 12,126 Feet. While most of the road is paved, the top 12 miles is well-maintained dirt. Cottonwood Pass is not open for the winter, closing after the first big snowfall and re-opening sometime around mid-May. www.CottonwoodPass.net Thanks. 19 talking about this. 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