Wolf Creek Pass could reopen to limited traffic by this weekend as Colorado races to patch flood-damaged U.S. 160
Two storms tore up the main highway into Pagosa Springs. State transportation officials are aiming for temporary fixes before winter, with a full bridge rebuild lasting into 2027.
Key takeaways
- Limited traffic could be allowed on U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass as early as the weekend of November 14, CDOT officials said.
- A temporary Piedra River bridge is expected by mid-January 2027; the permanent bridge by the end of 2027.
- CDOT asked for $65 million in federal aid after the first storm and now expects the total to be near $100 million.
U.S. 160 over Wolf Creek Pass in southern Colorado could open to limited traffic as early as this weekend, state transportation officials said Tuesday, November 10, The Colorado Sun reported. Four crews have been clearing the road since Monday, including 6 to 8 feet of rock, mud and debris on the west side of the pass.
Drivers should not expect a normal road. Julie Constan, the Colorado Department of Transportation's regional director, said some guardrails are "hanging in thin air," according to the Sun. The pass links South Fork and Pagosa Springs and usually carries 2,700 to 3,400 vehicles a day. When it is closed, the detour runs through New Mexico.
How did the highway get damaged?
Two rounds of flooding hit the Pagosa Springs area. Rivers peaked on October 23 in the first storm, and a second flood followed on November 1, according to an earlier Colorado Sun report. Archuleta County counted at least 800 damaged buildings, 540 of them homes, after the first flood. The Piedra River bridge on U.S. 160 west of town was torn apart.
When will the other routes reopen?
The Piedra River bridge has to be rebuilt from scratch. A temporary bridge with one lane each way is expected by mid-January, about 30 days of work once materials arrive, and the permanent bridge by the end of 2027, officials told the Sun. On Colorado 151, where sections collapsed, crews are working around the clock on four badly damaged spots along roughly three miles, aiming for limited traffic by Thanksgiving. Without that road, the drive from Durango to Pagosa Springs takes about three and a half hours through New Mexico.
What will it cost?
The department asked the federal government for $65 million after the first storm. Executive Director Shoshana Lew said she expects the figure to land near $100 million, with a firmer estimate in the coming days, the Sun reported. The priority is temporary repairs on critical roads before winter.
What travelers should do
Check current closures and conditions at cotrip.org, the state's road information site, before heading to southwest Colorado.
Sources
- The Colorado Sun, “Wolf Creek Pass in southern Colorado could open by this weekend, officials say,” November 10, 2026
- The Colorado Sun, “Their town has been burned, flooded and nearly cut in half. But residents want you to know "Pagosa is here.",” November 8, 2026
Written by Action Global News from the sources above; quotations are attributed to the outlet that published them. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.