Cottonwood Pass Closing for the Winter Season November 2

An annual sign of the changing seasons is upon us! Gunnison County and Chaffee County
governments will be closing Cottonwood Pass (CR209) for the winter on Monday, November
2nd, at 9:00am. Both gates on the Gunnison County side and Chaffee County side will be
locked at 9:00 a.m.
Cottonwood Pass crosses the Continental Divide at 12,120 feet elevation, connecting Gunnison
and Chaffee Counties on Gunnison County Road 209 and Chaffee County Road 306. The Pass

is generally closed from mid-fall through late spring due to heavy snow accumulation.
Gunnison County makes this annual closure decision in coordination with our partners in
Chaffee County. Gunnison County Assistant County Manager for Public Works Martin Schmidt
said, “Each year, we strive to keep Cottonwood Pass open through the third hunting season. But
as temperatures drop and daylight hours grow shorter, maintaining safe travel conditions
becomes increasingly challenging and costly. At a certain point, keeping the road open is simply
no longer a fiscally responsible use of taxpayer dollars for either county. We appreciate
everyone's understanding as we balance accessibility, public safety, and responsible
stewardship of county resources.”
Gunnison and Chaffee counties aim to reopen Cottonwood Pass before Memorial Day 2027,
conditions and snowpack permitting.