Guardsman Pass Opens Early, Unlocking Wasatch Back Adventures

Guardsman Pass reopened Monday morning ahead of the stretch many travelers had penciled in for later, putting one of the Wasatch Back’s most useful high-country connectors back in play just as valley temperatures turned summerlike. Utah Department of Transportation listed SR-190, Guardsman Pass from Brighton to Park City, as open at 7 a.m., restoring a route that is normally shut through winter, often from November into May or June depending on weather.

That matters immediately for anyone planning a scenic drive, a bike ride or a quick escape into the hills. The pass is a roughly 24-mile mountain route between Brighton in Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City, and it is one of the fastest ways to move between those two recreation bases without dropping back down to the valley. Once it opens, loop drives become practical again, and higher-elevation trail access no longer depends on snow-blocked gates or detours around the canyon system.

The opening also changes access to some of Park City’s most popular trailheads. Visit Park City says Guardsman Pass serves Bloods Lake, Bonanza Flat and Desolation Lake, making the road a key doorway for hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers. Bloods Lake is a 2.8-mile round trip with 465 feet of elevation gain, while Bonanza Flat covers about 1,350 acres of preserved backcountry. With the road open, those destinations become realistic early-season day trips rather than long-planned bets on road status.

The timing is a sharp contrast with last year’s cycle. In 2025, UDOT did not schedule the pass to open until May 20, and crews were dealing with more than 11 feet of snow on the road. The earlier 2026 opening shows how quickly mountain access can change from one spring to the next, especially when warm weather arrives before the usual snowmelt window closes.

Even with the pass open, the first days of access will likely draw a rush of local day-trippers, hikers and riders heading uphill after months of closure. Park City has said paid parking begins June 2 at Bonanza Flat area trailheads, with free resident permits available, and summer-fall transit service can also reach Bonanza Flat and Bloods Lake. That makes the next few weeks especially important for anyone trying to beat the parking crunch and get the most out of the early season while the route is open and the high country is finally reachable again.