The fall foliage explosion is beginning to take hold in Colorado, with leaves throughout the state changing into beautiful golden hues. For many people, this means the beginning of the leaf peeping season, with tourists traveling far and wide just to see the bright colors. For the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office, Park County Sheriff’s Office, and the town of Georgetown, this means heaps of parking violations and safety risks along Guanella Pass.
Throughout the coming weekends, the surrounding Sheriff’s Offices expect an increase in safety and traffic/parking violations along Guanella Pass. With the hope of limiting these infractions, a joint press conference was held to discuss safety along the route. Read the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office press release below.
Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Guanella Pass Leaf Peeping Safety:
This week, we held a joint press conference with Park County and Georgetown to talk with media about safety plans for Guanella Pass this leaf-peeping season. We encourage visitors to PEEP Responsibly by
• Parking in designated parking areas only. This includes parking lots, places with green “Parking” signs, or in pull-offs that are not marked “No Parking.”
• Expect heavy traffic. Check cotrip.org and map apps for any traffic delays.
• Exercise patience. Heavy traffic and delays can cause frustration, impatience, and aggression. Take a break by visiting a nearby park, shopping in town, or dining at a local restaurant.
• Plan ahead. Consider visiting on a weekday (Monday – Thursday). Weekend days see about 2.5 times more visitors than weekdays. In the event of heavy traffic, bring plenty of water, food, and other necessary supplies.
To ensure emergency vehicles are able to access the pass at all times, there will be extra patrols and parking enforcement this weekend and peak peeping weekends. We will tow vehicles that are illegally parked on the roadway, and we will have transportation available for drivers of towed vehicles to the tow lot at Geneva Basin. There may also be temporary closures of Guanella Pass Rd if the traffic volume exceeds capacity. Visitors who experience a temporary closure are encouraged to take a break by visiting local businesses while waiting out the closure.
This leaf-peeping season, let’s work together to keep Guanella Pass safe and beautiful for all our residents and visitors.
