Mount Blue Sky drive reservations open ahead of May reopening

Mount Blue Sky is back on the summer planning board, but only drivers and motorcyclists need to move quickly: timed reservations opened May 8 for the road’s planned May 22 reopening, weather permitting, and the busiest dates can disappear fast once the high-alpine corridor opens again.

Denver Mountain Parks set the reservation window ahead of the mountain’s return to traffic after the road and recreation area sat closed since Labor Day 2024. Crews rebuilt portions of the roadway to fix severe buckling and water drainage problems, and the Colorado Department of Transportation says construction wrapped in 2025. The U.S. Forest Service says the highway is expected to open Memorial Day weekend 2026, but only if weather and other conditions cooperate.

That matters because Mount Blue Sky is not just a scenic pull-off. The Mount Blue Sky Scenic and Historic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in 28 miles and tops out at 14,130 feet, making it one of Colorado’s biggest summer day-trip draws and one of the state’s most recognizable 14er access points. Recreation.gov says the pass covers Mount Goliath, Summit Lake Park and the Summit Interpretive Area, and once visitors enter, they can stay for the day.

Vehicles and motorcycles must have a timed-entry reservation to drive up and park between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Hikers and bicyclists do not need a reservation, which gives nonmotorized travelers a simpler backup if the driving slots are gone or the weather slows access. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance, and they are sold only online, not at the welcome station. Recreation.gov also notes there is no reliable cell service in the area, so travelers need to secure the pass before heading up the mountain.

The fees are $20 for an all-sites vehicle pass and $15 for motorcycles. Free passes are available through Clear Creek County and Denver Public Libraries, and the fee is waived Aug. 1 for Colorado Day. That mix of paid and free access means the first wave of summer dates could fill quickly, especially for weekends and holiday stretches.

The reopening also comes as Denver Mountain Parks takes the lead on the mountain this summer under a new agreement approved in April 2026. Denver owns Echo Lake Lodge and Summit Lake Park, and the mountain sits within a larger outdoor network that includes Denver’s 14,000 acres of mountain parks and conservation areas, plus land managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service. After nearly two years shut, the drive is finally back on the calendar, but only travelers who lock in the timed entry first will be sure of a seat in the summer line.