Montreal, Canada 4 contributions. According to the Forest Service, the west side of Cottonwood Pass is scheduled to open on Monday, August 12, 2019. Having driven Trail Ridge Road and Independence Pass (yesterday for 4 th time) I was anticipating a subpar experience. April 14, 2020 – Cottonwood Pass in Eagle County is now open for the summer season. Boy were we surprised. 4. Cottonwood Pass late season. 2 Helpful votes. The entire byway … Read more. When open, the pass can be accessed from Buena Vista on the east side by following Chaffee County Road 306 into Gunnison County, and from Gunnison County on the west side via Gunnison County Road 209. Cottonwood Pass to open Wednesday, Independence remains closed at this time by Cody Olivas, Mail Staff Writer and Sean Summers, Herald Staff Writer May 22, 2020 The road will stay open through the fall, as conditions allow. Share. Cottonwood Pass Scenic Drive - its namesake is right on the Continental Divide - cuts from Buena Vista to Almont and offers a more visually pleasant alternative to driving US-50. Traffic and weather can have a significant impact on road conditions. After the summit, go down on Gunnison County Road 209. Damaris R wrote a review Nov 2019. Independence Pass on CO 82. It's famous for beautiful scenic views along the way, that are exceptional in the fall when trees turn golden and red. Cottonwood Pass is the third highest paved road in Colorado with a 10% grade section. Scheduled to open each year on the Friday before Memorial Day. Drivers are urged to use caution when driving this road. Cottonwood Pass opened for summer, 2020 on Wednesday May 27. 3. Date of experience: September 2019. Kebler Pass … 5. Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista to Taylor Reservoir is one of Colorado’s best scenic drives.This photo is from opening day May 28, 2020. The pass is newly paved from Buena Vista to Taylor Reservoir, this is a bucket list trip.Cottonwood Pass was closed for two and one half years to complete the paving project. Closes around Nov. 7. After long-term closures and heavy construction, Cottonwood Pass is now back open to the summit on the east side from Chaffee County. For more information, call 970-641-0044. Typically opens the Thursday before Memorial Day. To get to the pass, drive east from Buena Vista on Chaffee County Road 306. Cottonwood Pass in Chaffee/Gunnison Counties in Southwestern Colorado (maintained by Gunnison County Public Works) The pass is typically closed from November to May. Helpful. Once it opens, visitors should still expect up to 30-minute delays due to ongoing summer construction. Brand new, state of the art constructed highway, vista pull offs, rest rooms, and the panoramic views were simply beautiful. An announcement will be made when Cottonwood Pass closes.