No Parking signs installed along one of Colorado's most popular roads for fall colors viewing
In the fall, motorists flock to the pass because it's one of the hottest spots for fall colors viewing and it's relatively close to the Denver metro area. It runs from Georgetown in Clear Creek County to Grant in Park County, and it's filled with all of the Colorado views you could want: rocky forests, sweeping landscapes and maybe even bighorn sheep. It's also a way to get up to Mount Bierstadt and the back side of Mount Blue Sky.
But it gets so busy that some drivers choose to park on the side of the road and the vehicles don't always wind up completely off the roadway. They often cut off part of the sides of the road, making it hard for emergency vehicles to get through.
Sgt. Nick Aab of the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said illegal parking created a problem last year after someone had a heart attack in one of the parking lots.
"We had to land the (medical) helicopter on the road. Unfortunately, where a lot of people were parked we had to ask people 'You have got to move now because we are landing a bird.' I mean, no ifs, ands or buts."
"Fire trucks and ambulances are very wide. You know, a police car can make it through okay. But there are times it's a little tight," Aab said.
While parking is still free in parking lots on the pass, drivers should be prepared for the possibility of them filling quickly.
"It'll be tough on the weekends. So if people want to get a spot they should probably get here early," said Nicole Adamson, who enjoys hiking in the area.
People who are caught parking illegally will face a $87.50 citation or they might get their car towed.
Aab says there may be times during peak leaf peeping season that drivers might not even make it up to the pass.
"If we have too much traffic, we're going to shut it down on both ends. When we get a bit of a little bit of relief, then we can reopen the pass and let more people up," he said.
Drivers should know that while it's going to be a little bit harder to enjoy one of the prettiest places in Colorado, there's a good reason why.
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