Getting into the mountains and the Western Slope could be challenging this weekend with the closure of major east-west routes across Colorado because of wildfire activity.
Interstate 70 is closed between Glenwood Springs and Gypsum due to the Grizzly Creek Fire. Colorado Highway 14, which runs through Poudre Canyon northwest of Fort Collins, is closed between Rustic and Walden due to the Cameron Peak Fire.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials are encouraging Front Range residents to stick close to home or head north or south to find recreation and other activities.
“Colorado has so many great places to see and visit,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew in a press release. “We want to keep folks off I-70 to the west so we want to encourage residents to check out some of the great attractions to the north and south of our state.”
Detour routes around the I-70 closures are experiencing traffic congestion, according to CDOT.
FIRE IMAGES: See photos and video from the Cameron Peak Fire
From Northern Colorado, the best way to travel west would be to head north into Wyoming, said CDOT spokesperson Jared Fiel. Travelers could take Interstate 80 west and then drop down into western Colorado.
Trying to find your way around closures using county roads is not a good idea, he said. Fire activity can change suddenly, potentially putting drivers in harm’s way, and some roads are not passable for all types of vehicles.
Resources heading toward the Cameron Peak Fire reportedly have become high-centered on rough roads, Fiel said.
“Knowing there are a lot of issues with those (driving directions) apps, if you have to get around it, Wyoming is going to be your best option,” he said.
U.S. Highway 34 is open to east-west traffic through Rocky Mountain National Park, but timed-entry permits are required between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. An entrance pass for the park is required at all times.
Kevin Duggan is a senior columnist and reporter. Contact him at kevinduggan@coloradoan.com. Support his work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
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August 15, 2020 at 03:49AM
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Colorado wildfires will make traveling west of the Front Range difficult this weekend - Coloradoan
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