US Highway 14A To Open On Friday For Summer 2024 Season

A 22-mile stretch of highway in the Big Horn Mountains that leads to Medicine Wheel and various campsites is about to open to motor vehicle traffic.

WYDOT says US Highway 14A from Burgess Junction westward, is scheduled to open to motor vehicle traffic on Friday, May 17th 2024.

Changing weather conditions could force WYDOT snow plow crews to temporarily re-close those roads, until it’s safe to open them again.

This year’s early opening is due to the unseasonably low snowfall this past winter.

Accumulated snow depths and drifting on US 14A, were significantly lower than previous years, which allowed maintenance crews from Burgess Junction to begin work on snow removal earlier than normal.

The road is closed seasonally during the winter, because too much snow in the area combined with too little traffic, makes snow plowing efforts impractical.

Crews from both the Lovell and Burgess Junction sides normally start snow removal operations at the beginning of May, with a target date of Memorial Day to open.

US 14A is one of four mountain passes in Wyoming that are affected by seasonal winter closures.

Although access to many forest service roads are not available, motorists are asked to stay on US 14A and not attempt to access any other roads for some time.