Colorado's highest paved through-route at 12,095 feet. Gated and closed every winter.
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Independence Pass carries CO 82 over the Continental Divide at 12,095 feet between Twin Lakes and Aspen — the highest paved through-route in Colorado. Unlike every other pass on this page, it does not stay open. CDOT gates it in early November and reopens it around Memorial Day, and there is no plowing in between.
The gates go up in early November and come down near Memorial Day. Exact dates move with the snowpack and are announced by CDOT each spring.
Vehicles over 35 feet are prohibited year-round. The narrow shelf sections above the Grottos genuinely cannot accommodate them.
Even inside the open season, September and June storms close the pass on short notice.
The east side above Twin Lakes runs a narrow shelf with long exposure and single-lane sections.
Plan around the seasonal gate first. Inside the open season, drive it in daylight and in good weather — the shelf sections are not a place to be caught in a squall. Peak wildflower and fall-color traffic is heavy midday.
When Independence is gated, Aspen is reached via Glenwood Springs on I-70 and CO 82, adding roughly two hours from Leadville. There is no winter shortcut.
Independence Pass closes to traffic in early November and typically reopens around Memorial Day weekend. CDOT gates the road and does not plow it through the winter. Exact opening dates shift with the snowpack and are announced each spring.
Independence Pass crosses the Continental Divide at 12,095 feet on CO 82 between Twin Lakes and Aspen, making it the highest paved through-route in Colorado.
Vehicles longer than 35 feet are prohibited on Independence Pass year-round. The narrow shelf sections above the Grottos, including single-lane stretches without guardrail, cannot safely accommodate them.
I-70 · 11,158 ft · Silverthorne to Georgetown.
I-70 · 10,662 ft · Copper Mountain to Vail.
US 6 · 11,990 ft · Arapahoe Basin and Keystone to Georgetown.
Live status for all seven passes and highway segments we track.