US 160 Wolf Creek Pass Closed Feb 18 for Safety-Critical Winter Maintenance

Motorists can expect full closures in both directions Wednesday, on US 160 Wolf Creek Pass," the Colorado Department of Transportation warned as crews carried out safety‑critical winter maintenance that shut the corridor between Pagosa Springs and South Fork on Feb. 18, 2026. CDOT ordered commercial motor vehicles off the route beginning at noon and instructed that passenger vehicles be stopped in both directions at 12:30 p.m. for roughly one hour, with parking and backcountry access prohibited between the closure points.

CDOT’s advisory specified the timing and the expected delays: "Passenger vehicles will be stopped at 12:30 p.m. while crews perform safety critical winter operations" and "Beginning at noon, US 160 will close to commercial motor vehicles." The agency also cautioned that "Lengthy delays on US 160 Wolf Creek Pass will begin at noon on Feb. 18, 2026" and that closure durations were approximate and dependent on snow conditions and the success of maintenance work.

The closure area was shown on CDOT’s Highway Closure Alert Map as spanning Mileposts 157 to 167 between South Fork and Pagosa Springs. Local reporting by KDVR/Yahoo added ground‑level detail, noting at least one closure affected the stretch between Treasure Falls and the ski area at Milepost 167, and that "Parking and recreating is prohibited between the closure points during winter maintenance operations."

Local reports described changing conditions after crews completed a round of work. KDVR/Yahoo reported an initial closure they said ran from noon to 1:30 p.m., a reopening at 2:00 p.m., and a subsequent reclosing about 15 minutes later "due to hazardous winter driving conditions and safety concerns." As KDVR framed it, "Wolf Creek Pass closed for dangerous driving conditions" and "The pass on U.S. Highway 160 has switched from open to closed multiple times on Wednesday." CDOT’s advisory did not include an official reopen/reclose timeline but emphasized that operations and weather may require additional closures at any time.

Motorists, commercial carriers, and backcountry users were given clear operational instructions: backcountry users must move vehicles and vacate the area before scheduled closure times, and parking and recreating were banned between closure points during the work. Travelers were urged to "Know Before You Go" and to use CDOT resources for live status, specifically the Highway Closure Alert Map and COtrip for up‑to‑the‑minute information: "Visit COtrip.org for the most current closure times and traffic impacts." CDOT also reminded drivers of its "Slow For The Cone Zone" safety guidance where crews are working.

If you traveled the pass on Feb. 18 or have photos of conditions from MP 157–167, send tips and images to our newsroom so we can document queues, signage, and any incidents tied to the closures. For now, plan extra travel time if you must use US 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, check COtrip before driving, and move any parked backcountry vehicles out of the closure corridor ahead of scheduled maintenance windows.