Colorado deputies take down blockade before Guanella Pass as standstill traffic eases in Georgetown

Colorado’s Guanella Pass got so busy on Saturday that cars had to be turned away in Georgetown for more than an hour.

The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office announced early in the afternoon that they were turning cars around after they’d gotten off Interstate 70 and before they could get into Georgetown. By 3:30 p.m. the blockade was lifted.

Actually blocking leaf-peepers from accessing Guanella Pass may be a first for the area. The measure was taken because of the overwhelming amount of vehicles at the popular fall colors-viewing destination and also because of standstill traffic in Georgetown. Residents of the mountain town were still being let through.

The forecast this weekend is nearly perfect for fall colors viewing in Colorado’s mountains, and there are plenty of other great spots for viewing fall colors, but Guanella Pass is only a short drive from Denver and is known for its fabulous aspens.

Late in the week, the Colorado Department of Transportation warned drivers to expect heavy traffic in the mountains, and they specifically encouraged people to avoid Guanella Pass during the busiest parts of the day.

“Be cautious when seeking alternate routes, as local roads such as Guanella Pass cannot accommodate interstate-level traffic,” CDOT wrote.

The sheriff’s office also sent out a Facebook message at the start of the day asking for drivers to respect Georgetown residents’ needs.

The Pass is pretty right now! We’re expecting a lot of visitors and heavy traffic to  Guanella Pass again this weekend. Last Sunday saw over 15,000 vehicles in Georgetown, a town of about 1,200. For those planning to visit this weekend, residents would greatly appreciate if congested traffic would make just a tad bit more space to allow them in and out of their driveways so they can get on with their weekend activities. We’ve heard several complaints of residents not being able to leave their home due to stop and go traffic that would not grant egress. 15 more feet is all it takes to put a grin on their face! (Or at least let them leave)