Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190) Road Conditions & Closures
SR-190 · UT · closures driven by avalanche control
Moderate closure risk
Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190) is the main mountain-access corridor for Brighton and Solitude. It's a moderate-closure corridor, and when it shuts down or restricts traffic, the cause is almost always avalanche control. Below: live UDOT status, plus StormDrop's read on when SR-190 tends to close and how to time your drive around it.
Live SR-190 Status
Live conditions load in real-time — check back shortly.
When does Big Cottonwood Canyon close?
Closure risk
Moderate
Typical window
7:00 AM–10:00 AM
Typical reopen
~2 hr
When SR-190 closes for control work, it's most often a morning window — roughly 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM — reopening about roughly 2 hours after crews finish.
In StormDrop's closure model, risk starts building once a storm cycle pushes past about 18" of new snow and climbs steeply above roughly 36". Sustained wind above about 35 mph adds risk through blowing and drifting snow.
Traction-law restrictions tend to appear well before a full closure — often around 6" of fresh accumulation — so carrying chains or running AWD/4WD with snow tires is the safe default on a storm day.
Because these closures are driven by avalanche control, cold low-density snow (which loads slide paths faster) raises the odds, while warm, wet, or rain-mixed snow tends to lower them.
These are StormDrop's closure-model tendencies and general corridor knowledge — not a published schedule or a guarantee. UDOT makes the real-time call. Always confirm live SR-190 status before you go.
Beating the closure
Be through SR-190 before 7:00 AM, or plan to wait out the control window and arrive after it reopens.
Carry chains or run AWD/4WD with dedicated snow tires whenever a storm is in the forecast — a traction law can go up before the road ever closes.
Check the live UDOT status above before you leave, and again mid-drive — storm-day conditions on SR-190 can flip within minutes.
Have a backup resort or a later-start plan so a control-work delay doesn't cost you the day.
Frequently asked
Is Big Cottonwood Canyon open right now?
StormDrop shows live UDOT status for SR-190 in the status block at the top of this page. Conditions change quickly during storms — treat the live status, not this page's general guidance, as the source of truth before you leave the driveway.
When does Big Cottonwood Canyon usually close?
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a moderate-closure corridor whose closures are driven mainly by avalanche control. When SR-190 closes for control work, it's most often a morning window — roughly 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM — reopening about roughly 2 hours after crews finish. In StormDrop's closure model, risk starts building once a storm cycle pushes past about 18" of new snow and climbs steeply above roughly 36". Sustained wind above about 35 mph adds risk through blowing and drifting snow.
Do I need chains on SR-190?
On an active storm day it's wise to be ready. SR-190 through Big Cottonwood Canyon can go under a traction law that requires AWD/4WD with snow tires or chains. Carry a set and check the live UDOT status above before departing.
Never get skunked by a closed road again
StormDrop predicts SR-190 closures and chain controls before the storm hits — plus calibrated snow forecasts, access timing, and smart alerts for 76 resorts.
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