The scenic byway that brings drivers up to Mount Blue Sky, formerly known as Mount Evans, has closed for the season.
The Colorado Department of Transportation made the announcement on Tuesday morning.
The road climbs more than 7,000 feet up about 14 miles. In the warmer months, a parking lot at the top allows visitors to nearly reach the top of the mountain. A brief hike along a rocky trail leads to the 14,264-foot summit.
When the road is open, reservations are required for vehicle entry. The fee is $10 per personal vehicle and $3 per one-person motorcycle. For more information on visiting Mount Blue Sky, click here to visit Recreation.gov.
The upper part of the road to the summit closed in early September, though the lower portion remained open until this week.
CDOT estimated that the road will reopen for the 2024 season on May 27, weather permitting.
Mount Evans, named after the former territorial governor who authorized the indiscriminate murder of Native Americans more than 150 years ago, was renamed to Mount Blue Sky in mid-September.
State
It's official: Mount Evans has a new name. Colorado, say hello to Mount Blue Sky
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names (BGN) voted on Sept. 15 to rename Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky, prioritizing the mountain's renaming to the top of their considerations and ending a process that's been more than a year and a half in the making. In all, 15 members of the board were in favor of the change. One opposed. Three abstained.
