Summit forecast, next 72 hours
- New snow<½ in
- Strongest gusts15 mphSunday
- Coldest21°F
| Forecast | Snow | Gusts | Temp °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| TonightPartly Cloudy | 0 in | 10 mph | Low 25° |
| FridayPartly Sunny | 0 in | 10 mph | High 44° |
| Friday NightMostly Cloudy | 0 in | 10 mph | Low 23° |
| SaturdayChance Snow Showers | <½ in | 5 mph | High 36° |
| Saturday NightChance Snow Showers | <½ in | 15 mph | Low 21° |
| SundaySunny | 0 in | 15 mph | High 37° |
Snow is the forecast new accumulation at the summit grid point. Dots use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
Typical weather by month
Monthly normals from the long-term stations nearest the summit. None sits exactly on the pass, so each column says how far away and how high it is.
| Month | Willow Park 10,700 ft · 2 mi east of the summit | Hourglass Reservoir 9,520 ft · 13 mi northeast of the summit | Grand Lake 8,720 ft · 12 mi south of the summit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precip (in) | High / low °F | Snow (in) | High / low °F | Snow (in) | |
| Jan | 3.9 | 31° / 11° | 16.2 | 30° / 5° | 30.6 |
| Feb | 3.8 | 33° / 10° | 20.0 | 34° / 6° | 25.1 |
| Mar | 3.8 | 40° / 15° | 28.5 | 42° / 14° | 17.6 |
| Apr | 4.9 | 45° / 20° | 35.7 | 49° / 21° | 17.1 |
| May | 3.9 | 55° / 28° | 14.8 | 59° / 28° | 5.3 |
| Jun | 1.8 | 68° / 36° | 1.6 | 71° / 34° | 0.4 |
| Jul | 1.9 | 74° / 43° | 0 | 76° / 40° | 0 |
| Aug | 2.1 | 72° / 41° | 0 | 73° / 38° | 0 |
| Sep | 2.2 | 65° / 34° | 2.5 | 68° / 32° | 0.4 |
| Oct | 2.9 | 51° / 26° | 13.6 | 55° / 23° | 7.4 |
| Nov | 3.3 | 39° / 18° | 21.4 | 40° / 13° | 22.5 |
| Dec | 3.6 | 31° / 11° | 19.5 | 30° / 5° | 28.5 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: Willow Park (USS0005J40S, 10,700 ft); HOURGLASS RSVR (USC00054135, 9,520 ft); GRAND LAKE 1 NW (USC00053496, 8,720 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Cameras, road reports and winter rules
Conditions on the pass change by the hour, so these go straight to the official sources.
Closes for the winter. The National Park Service says Trail Ridge Road “normally closes in mid-October and opens to thru travel during the last week in May, weather permitting.” Rocky Mountain National Park
- For this passRocky Mountain National Park: road status
- For this passRocky Mountain National Park: Trail Ridge Road
- Colorado · CDOTCOtrip conditions and cameras
- Colorado · winter rulesTraction and chain laws
Check the official National Weather Service forecast for the summit and the road report before you leave.
Crossing Trail Ridge Road? See the summit at the hour you’ll be there
Road Travel times the forecast to your drive, so you see conditions at the summit when you will actually reach it, and get alerts about weather ahead on the way.
Questions about Trail Ridge Road
How high is Trail Ridge Road?
The summit is 12,187 ft above sea level, on US-34.
How far is Trail Ridge Road from Estes Park and Grand Lake?
By road, the summit is 24 miles from Estes Park, CO and 24 miles from Grand Lake, CO.
Is Trail Ridge Road open in winter?
No. The National Park Service says Trail Ridge Road “normally closes in mid-October and opens to thru travel during the last week in May, weather permitting.”
What is the wettest month at Trail Ridge Road?
April. The Willow Park snow-monitoring site (10,700 ft, 2 mi east of the summit) averages 4.9 inches of precipitation that month, counting the water in melted snow (1991–2020 normals).
How cold does it get near Trail Ridge Road?
The coldest month is February. Hourglass Reservoir (9,520 ft, 13 mi northeast of the summit) averages a low of 10°F then (1991–2020 normals); the summit is 2,667 ft higher.