Check Before You Go

Colorado Road, Fire & Weather Alerts

The mountains change conditions faster than any website can. These are the official live sources we check before every trip, and the seasonal hazards worth knowing about.

Road Conditions: COtripCDOT's live map. Closures, crashes, chain/traction laws, plow locations, and hundreds of highway cameras. The first check before any pass drive.cotrip.org → Active Wildfires: InciWebFederal incident map for active wildfires, containment, evacuations, and area closures.inciweb.wildfire.gov → Fire Restrictions: Colorado DFPCStatewide fire information. Bans are set county by county, so also check the county sheriff's page for wherever you're camping.dfpc.colorado.gov → Weather: National Weather ServiceType in the trailhead or pass, not just the town: mountain forecasts change by elevation. Watch for afternoon thunderstorm timing.weather.gov → Avalanche: CAICDaily avalanche forecasts by zone, roughly November through May. Required reading before any winter backcountry travel.avalanche.state.co.us → Forest Alerts: USFSEach national forest posts road, trail, and campfire alerts on its own page, and the Motor Vehicle Use Maps that make dispersed camping legal.fs.usda.gov →

Seasonal hazards, honestly

Summer monsoon lightning (Jul–Aug). Storms build over the peaks most afternoons. Start early and plan to be below treeline by noon. If your hair stands up, get downhill now.
Fire season (roughly May–Oct). A Stage 1 ban usually means established fire rings only; Stage 2 means no flames at all, including most camp stoves in some counties. Violations carry real fines, and one spark can close an entire forest.
Altitude. Most visitors feel 8,000+ feet: headache, poor sleep, low energy. Hydrate, go easy the first day, and descend if symptoms get worse. Nothing on this site is medical advice; severe symptoms mean go down and seek care.
Winter driving (Sep 1–May 31). Colorado's Traction Law can activate on mountain corridors: you need snow-rated or 4WD/AWD with adequate tread, or chains. Passes like Million Dollar Highway, Loveland, and Trail Ridge close or gate in storms. Check COtrip, carry blankets and water.
Wildlife. Give elk and moose the whole road, especially during the fall rut and spring calving. Never feed anything, and keep dogs leashed around wildlife for everyone's sake.

We link official sources instead of republishing conditions, because stale safety data is worse than none. Bookmark this page and check the day you travel.

Trail Status Board

Access rules for Colorado's most regulated trails change season to season. Verified July 2026; always confirm with the official source before you drive.

Blue Lakes Trail · Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Open Permits begin 2027

Trailhead rebuilt and reopened. New rules since May 31, 2026: pack out human waste, bear-resistant food storage required, overnight groups capped at six, camping at the lower lake only. A limited-entry permit season (June–Sept) starts in 2027 via Recreation.gov.

Official GMUG status
Hanging Lake · Glenwood Canyon Open Reservation required

Rebuilt trail is open; timed-entry permits ($12) are required for every visitor and sell out fast in summer. No dogs on this trail, no exceptions, and no swimming in the lake.

Boulder Falls · Boulder Canyon Closed

Completely closed since a late-2024 rockfall destroyed the trail infrastructure; the city is designing a new viewing area with no reopening timeline. The closure is fenced — do not enter.

Official OSMP closures
Reserve at Visit Glenwood