Wednesday, April 1, 2026 |
Photo – In the past, rotary plow used to open road – Bigfoot99 file photo
While county‑managed seasonal roads are open, state‑controlled routes remain closed.
During the March 17th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz said residents have been asking when she intends to reopen County Road 401 south of Rawlins, also known as South Road or Sage Creek Road. Fritz said she is hesitant to announce an official opening date in case of a late‑season snowstorm.
Bigfoot99 reached out to Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz to ask if she had set an opening date for Sage Creek Road since the March 17th meeting. In an email response, Fritz wrote that both County Road 401 and 500, also known as Jack Creek Road, west of Saratoga, are now open to traffic.
Bigfoot99 also contacted the Wyoming Department of Transportation about potential early openings of Highway 130 through the Snowy Range and Highway 70 over Battle Pass.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s latest Wyoming SNOTEL report, snowpack in the Upper North Platte River Basin, which includes the Snowy Range, is at 40% of average for this time of year. Battle Pass is at 47% of normal snowpack.
WYDOT typically opens both passes by Memorial Day weekend. District One Senior Public Relations Specialist Jaxon Penfield said the agency has no plans to open either route earlier than usual. Penfield wrote that WYDOT’s biggest concern is a late‑season snowstorm stranding travelers and forcing the roads to be closed again. However, if the snow continues to hold out, the agency will consider opening them ahead of schedule.
