WYO 130 through the Snowy Range opens for the season

LARAMIE, Wyo. – The seasonally-closed section of Wyoming Highway 130 through the Snowy Range has officially reopened for the summer.

Crews from Laramie and Saratoga, with some assistance from Casper and Cheyenne crews, started work on the 12-mile stretch of the scenic byway in mid-May with a target reopening date of Memorial Day Weekend. Multiple rotary plows, snowcats and other heavy equipment were used to clear drifts of snow as tall as 15 feet.

Eric Anderson, WYDOT District 1 Area Maintenance Supervisor, warns drivers “spring snowstorms can still happen at higher elevations. Conditions may be impassable overnight. Travelers should take their time and be aware there may still be road hazards.”

WYDOT maintenance crews will be in the area in the coming weeks to make repairs to items like guardrail or sign posts damaged by snow. Stay alert for workers in the area and be prepared to slow down.

The highway is one of several high-elevation mountain roads in Wyoming that closes annually in late autumn when relatively low traffic and deep snow accumulations render plowing operations impractical. The scenic byway, which tops out at 10,800 feet in the Snowy Range, closed for the winter season Nov. 26.

Last year, the highway opened May 25. WYO 130 opened May 26 in 2022, May 21 in 2021, May 18 in 2020, and May 25 in 2019.

Although the highway is now open to traffic, motorists — including bicyclists and motorcyclists — should stay alert as they travel through the mountain pass. Severe weather is still possible at higher elevations in late spring, including heavy, wet, intense snow storms. Check road conditions before you travel at www.wyoroad.info or on the Wyoming 511 mobile app.