Repairs to State Highway 5 will shut down access to the peak of Mount Blue Sky for more than a year and a half starting Labor Day this year.

The project will start near the Summit Lake parking area, in Clear Creek County, and continue approximately three-quarters of a mile to the top of Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans), according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The road closure will impact vehicle traffic, hiking trails, biking trails and pedestrian traffic, according to CDOT.

Repairs are needed because the underlying roadway material has settled and natural drainage patterns need to be restored, according to CDOT.

The highway will close to the public beginning Tuesday, Sept. 3, and stay closed through spring 2026, CDOT indicated.

The combination of state and federal agencies involved include; The Federal Highway Administration’s Central Federal Lands Highway Division, CDOT, City and County of Denver Mountain Parks and the U.S. Forest Service, according to a media release from all agencies involved. 

According to published plans, Echo Lake Park and campground, the Chicago Lakes and Mount Blue Sky Summit trails will remain open during the construction phase of the northern section.

The byway to Mount Blue Sky climbs over 7,000 feet in its 28-mile length, reaching an altitude of 14,130 feet, according to the US Forest Service. Idaho Springs Hwy 103 serves as the starting point to the byway.

Construction on the road started in July 1923 and by June of 1931, the road opened to the public.

Today it is the highest road in North America, ascending to 14,130 feet above sea level, making it 20 feet higher than the Pikes Peak Highway, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

~Colorado Community Media