Bighorn Mountains Road Closures: Passes, Dates & Winter Routes
July 21, 2026 · 7 min read read · Wyo Stays Journal
The short answer on Bighorn Mountains road closures: US-14 over Granite Pass and US-16 over Powder River Pass are plowed and open all winter, while US-14A — the high alternate between Burgess Junction and Lovell — typically closes around late November and reopens near Memorial Day. Most forest roads close whenever the snow says so.
People plan Bighorn trips off summer photographs, then discover in January that the map has seasons. Living at the foot of these mountains, we field the same question from October through May: can I still get over? Almost always yes — just not on every road. Wyo Stays is a licensed, insured Wyoming vacation rental brokerage based at 151 W Brundage St in downtown Sheridan, hosting guests here since 2017, and routing visitors around the winter mountain is part of the job. Here's how the closures actually work, which routes you can count on, and how to build a trip that doesn't depend on a gate being open.
When Do Bighorn Mountains Road Closures Actually Happen?
The Wyoming Department of Transportation runs the highways, and its pattern has been consistent for years. The table below shows the typical rhythm — treat the dates as historical habits, not promises, and check wyoroad.info or dial 511 for live conditions before any winter crossing.
| Route | Winter status | Typical closure window | Notes for travelers |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-14 (Dayton–Burgess Junction–Greybull, Granite Pass) | Open year-round, plowed | Storm closures only | The reliable east–west crossing from the Sheridan side |
| US-14A (Burgess Junction–Lovell, Medicine Wheel Passage) | Closed for the season | Typically ~late Nov to ~Memorial Day (WYDOT sets exact dates) | Gates near Burgess Junction and east of Lovell |
| US-16 (Buffalo–Ten Sleep, Powder River Pass) | Open year-round, plowed | Storm closures only | Southern crossing; passes Meadowlark Lake |
| Red Grade Road & most forest roads | Seasonally impassable | Roughly first big snow until late spring melt | Not plowed; snowmobile and ski country in winter |
Two details worth knowing. First, WYDOT closes US-14A as a planned seasonal decision — heavy snow, big drifts, and light winter traffic make plowing that 22-mile high stretch impractical — so it usually shuts on a scheduled date at the end of hunting season rather than mid-storm. Second, "open year-round" doesn't mean "always open": Granite Pass and Powder River Pass both close temporarily during ground blizzards, sometimes for hours, occasionally for a day. That's a weather event, not a season, and the gates reopen once the plows win.
Which Routes Can You Count On in Winter?
If you're staying in Sheridan, Dayton, or Ranchester and want to reach the Bighorn's west slope in February, take US-14 over Granite Pass. It's the crossing locals use for winter errands to Greybull and Cody, and it's genuinely beautiful under snow — lodgepole draped white, the switchbacks above Dayton looking down on the whole Tongue River valley. From Buffalo, US-16 over Powder River Pass does the same job for the southern Bighorns and drops you at Ten Sleep Canyon.
What winter takes away is the loop. In summer you can drive up US-14, swing northwest on US-14A past the Medicine Wheel country, and come home through Lovell in a long day. From roughly December through May that triangle is broken, and the detour around it is long. If your trip depends on 14A — Bighorn Canyon from the east, the high alternate itself — aim for June through October, and read our companion guide to driving Highway 14A and its famous grade before you go.
The mountain doesn't close in winter — it just gets choosier about doors. Fourteen and Sixteen stay open all year, and some of the best days I've ever had up there were ten-degree bluebird mornings in January. — a Wyo Stays local
How Locals Check Roads Before Driving
Nobody who lives here trusts yesterday's report. The habit is simple: the night before and the morning of, open wyoroad.info, look at the color-coded map and the webcams for Granite Pass or Powder River Pass, and believe what you see. The 511 phone line reads the same data aloud. Signs at the base of each climb — in Dayton, in Buffalo, outside Ten Sleep — post current pass status, and the flashing-light versions mean now, not eventually.
A few Sheridan-side realities to fold into your plan. Chain or traction laws can go active on the passes in a storm, and highway patrol does enforce them. Cell coverage thins fast above the forest boundary, so download maps before you climb — our note on cell service in the Bighorn Mountains covers where the dead zones live. And leave margin: a crossing that takes fifty minutes in July can take ninety in a snow squall, and the smart move when the map goes red is coffee in town, not pushing through.
Stay Nearby: Town Stays When the Passes Close
This is the quiet advantage of basing in Sheridan, Dayton, or Story instead of up the mountain: seasonal closures become scenery instead of a problem. Our in-town homes and foothills cabins sit on plowed streets minutes from groceries, coffee, and the highway, with full kitchens for storm days and garages or off-street parking for snowy ones. You can watch weather stack up on the Bighorns from a warm living room, then cross Granite Pass on the clear morning. Browse winter-ready homes at book.wyostays.com — Book Direct — No Channel Fees.
Practical Tips
- Check wyoroad.info or call 511 the morning of any winter crossing — conditions change hour to hour.
- Don't route through US-14A between roughly late November and Memorial Day; assume the gate is shut until WYDOT announces the opening.
- Fuel up in Sheridan, Dayton, or Buffalo before climbing — services on the mountain are sparse in every season.
- Carry winter basics October through May: blanket, water, snacks, headlamp, and a charged phone.
- Booking a winter stay? Homes with garages and plowed access are listed at book.wyostays.com — filter for what your trip needs.
FAQ: Bighorn Pass Closures
Q: When do Bighorn Mountain roads close for winter?
A: Only US-14A closes on a schedule — typically around late November, reopening near Memorial Day, with WYDOT setting exact dates each year. US-14 over Granite Pass and US-16 over Powder River Pass are plowed and open all winter, closing only temporarily during severe storms. Unplowed forest roads close with the first deep snow and melt out in late spring.
Q: Can you drive over the Bighorns in winter?
A: Yes. US-14 from Dayton and US-16 from Buffalo are maintained year-round and cross the range in all seasons. Expect packed snow, possible chain requirements during storms, and occasional short-term closures in ground blizzards. Check wyoroad.info before you leave, carry winter supplies, and give the drive more time than summer.
Q: Why does US-14A close every year?
A: WYDOT closes it as a planned safety and practicality decision, not storm by storm. The high 22-mile stretch between Burgess Junction and Lovell catches heavy snow and hard drifting, and winter traffic is light enough that keeping it plowed isn't practical. Gates go down near Burgess Junction and east of Lovell until spring clearing.
Q: Where do you check current Bighorn road conditions?
A: The live source is wyoroad.info, WYDOT's official conditions site, with a color-coded map, closure notices, and mountain-pass webcams. The 511 phone line carries the same reports. Electronic signs at the base of each pass — Dayton, Buffalo, Ten Sleep — post current status. Trust those over any app's ETA.
The Bighorns in the off-season are the best-kept version of themselves — quiet passes, elk on the foothills, and towns that have time to talk. Plan around the gates instead of against them, keep a warm home base on a plowed street, and the winter mountain will treat you well. Find your base and trip help anytime at wyostays.com.