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
Big Cottonwood Canyon
RestrictedRoad: Dry, wet | Notices (check timing): UDOT will be repairing the culvert crossing on SR-190 at the Big Cottonwood Treatment Plant to ensure the culvert continues working effectively and efficiently for years to come.
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 tracks SR-190 closures and chain controls against the storm forecast, plus access timing, storm alerts, and local knowledge for 27 mountains.
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