The Top 9 Highest Paved Roads in the United States

High-altitude paved roads across the United States face winter closures as snow increases on mountain passes. Several of the highest paved roads are in Colorado, including Hoosier Pass, Guanella Pass, Loveland Pass, and Independence Pass. Hoosier Pass sits near Breckenridge, offers an alternate route to I-70, and remains open year-round, with winter backcountry skiing on north-facing slopes. Guanella Pass connects Georgetown and Grant, provides access to Mount Bierstadt, and is used more for sightseeing than transit. Loveland Pass is the highest elevation pass open all year, though it can have occasional snow closures, and it serves nearby ski areas. Independence Pass connects Aspen to the front range during its May to October opening window.

"The first pass on the list also services the famous mountain town of Breckenridge and provides an alternate route to I-70 when traffic conditions are poor. The pass is open year-round and traverses under the shadows of local 14ers, including Mt. Quandary, one of the most popular in the state. In the winter, Hoosier Pass is a popular backcountry skiing destination thanks to its plentiful snow and North facing slopes situated on the Continental Divide."

"Guanella Pass, situated between I-70 in Georgetown and US-285 in Grant, provides summertime access to one of Colorado's most popular 14ers, Mount Bierstadt. The pass is rarely used for transit and is more often a sightseeing road due to its strange location. The long-closed Geneva Basin Ski Area operated on the south side of the pass until 1984. Nowadays, the road stays open in the summer season from October to May."

"The scenic Loveland Pass is the highest elevation pass to stay open all year round. The road, which is subject to occasional snow closures, provides access to the ski areas of Loveland and Arapahoe Basin alongside the rest of Summit County. Since hazardous material trucks are prohibited through the adjacent I-70 Eisenhower tunnel, all truckers must travel up and over the pass unless it's under a weather closure."

"The iconic Independence Pass, signed as Colorado route 82, connects the ski town of Aspen to the front range when it's open from May to October. The road, which also cuts through the Sawatch Mountains, allows"

Read at SnowBrains