Interstate 70 curves through Glenwood Canyon and is known for its gorgeous views of sky-high cliffs towering over the rushing Colorado River — as well as multi-vehicle crashes that stop traffic for hours on end.
In recent months, however, the number of collisions in the canyon has been way down. Colorado State Patrol Captain Jared Rapp, who works in the canyon, believes the biggest cause for this decrease is a winter that hasn't really felt like winter, “and specifically the fewer snowstorms and snow accumulation that we've had when compared to years past,” he said.
Even with the recent snowfall, Colorado’s snowpack sits just over half of its typical levels.
Between mile markers 116 to 133 in the canyon, state patrol investigated 30 crashes from October 2025 through the end of January 2026. A year prior, the agency investigated 65 crashes during the same time span in the same area.
This winter is a much different picture from the last, which saw lengthy closures in the canyon due to large crashes, many involving semis. Dramatic photos of twisted big rigs with traffic stopped behind them were shared widely across social media, with a Colorado band even going viral for recording an impromptu performance during a 5-hour closure.
Capt. Rapp thinks publicity has created vital awareness of the high stakes of driving in the canyon. Other factors that could have contributed to the fewer crashes include a ban on big rigs in the left lane, a 33 percent increase in police stops in the canyon, and new speed cameras in the nearby small town of Glenwood Springs. The canyon’s electronic speed limit signs are variable. Sensors measure the moisture on the road, and an algorithm combines that with other data to automatically change the allowable speed.
Even with all these high-tech changes, however, Capt. Rapp’s message to drivers is really a simple, timeless one.
“Slow down in the canyon, take an opportunity to see the beauty,” he said, explaining that speed is the leading cause of traffic accidents.
Even though this winter has been mild so far, he wants to remind the public any storm could make the roadway slick and dangerous. After this current blast of wintry weather, a storm is supposed to hit the canyon by Tuesday and linger a day or more.
