Driving Mount Blue Sky: what to know before you go
Mount Blue Sky — formerly Mount Evans — is one of the great alpine drives in the country, and it's accessed from Evergreen's doorstep. The byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in about 28 miles to 14,130 feet, past ancient bristlecone pines, alpine lakes, and mountain goats on the tundra.
You need a reservation
Access to the Mount Blue Sky Recreation Area requires a timed-entry vehicle reservation, booked through recreation.gov. Reservations are released on a rolling window (typically up to 30 days ahead) and popular days sell out — plan this one before you arrive.
Good to know — Dates, hours, and closures change every season, and the road periodically closes for events. Always confirm the current year's schedule on recreation.gov and the Forest Service site before you drive up.
Season and the road itself
The upper road is seasonal — it generally opens around Memorial Day weekend and closes for the winter after Labor Day, weather permitting. This is a high-altitude mountain road: narrow, steep, switchbacked, and without guardrails, with a vehicle-length limit (around 30 feet). Take it slow, use low gears on the descent, and pull over to let faster traffic by.
What to bring — and how to feel good up there
Stop at Echo Lake on the way up, and walk the short Mount Goliath trail through a forest of bristlecone pines — some among the oldest living things in Colorado. Go slowly, drink water, and if you feel headachy or lightheaded, head back down; 14,000 feet is real.
- Layers and a windbreaker: the summit can be 30–40°F colder than town, and windy.
- Water and snacks: altitude dehydrates you fast.
- Sun protection: UV is intense above treeline.
- A full tank and patience: there's no fuel or services on the mountain.
Distances, seasons, hours, and reservation rules are approximate and change — please check current conditions before you head out.
