Rocky Mountain National Park · Colorado
Bear Lake Road is plowed and open year-round (it's the winter-accessible high-country route when Trail Ridge Road is closed), though sections can close briefly during snowstorms.
Last checked Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:00:58 GMT
The 9-mile road from the Beaver Meadows entrance up to Bear Lake — Rocky Mountain National Park's most-used corridor.
Rocky Mountain National Park — check current park status.
Bear Lake Road is plowed and open year-round (it's the winter-accessible high-country route when Trail Ridge Road is closed), though sections can close briefly during snowstorms. From late May to mid-October it sits inside Rocky Mountain National Park's timed-entry reservation zone.
Rocky Mountain National Park requires a timed-entry reservation from Friday, May 22 through about October 13, 2026 (the Bear Lake Road corridor runs a few days longer). Two permits are sold on Recreation.gov: “Timed Entry” (all areas except Bear Lake Road, needed 9 a.m.–2 p.m.) and “Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road” (needed 5 a.m.–6 p.m.). Reservations open May 1 for late May/June, then on the 1st of each prior month; 40% of each day’s slots release at 7 p.m. MDT the night before. $2 processing fee. No reservation needed outside those hours or dates.
We watch Rocky Mountain National Park's official National Park Service alerts for anything that names Bear Lake Road, and refresh this page with the daily build. We also show the road's normal winter access pattern above. It's our reading of public information, not an official determination. Always check the official link before you drive.