I-25 Colorado Road Conditions

I-25 crosses 299 miles of Colorado, between the Wyoming line and the New Mexico line. That is 28% of I-25's 1,063 miles.

Inside Colorado it meets I-70 and I-76 West at Denver.

By mile marker, I-25 passes Colorado Springs 142 · Denver 210 · Fort Collins 270.

2 current reports along the route. Always check with the responsible state DOT before setting off.

• Lanes blocked

  Mile 298 to 288: the right lane is closed due to road maintenance operations.

  Between I-25 and I-25 (near Lynn) from Mile Point 288 to Mile Point 298. The right lane is closed due to road maintenance operations.

  Mile 298 to 288 • south • CO • Ongoing

• Lanes blocked

  The center lane is closed due to a crash.

  south • CO • Ongoing

NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, from 2 weather stations in Colorado. A dash is a figure that station does not report, not a zero.

Towns Along I-25 in Colorado

From Trinidad to Wellington, with the position of each town measured along this stretch itself — counted from the Trinidad end, not from a state milepost, so it will not match the numbers on the signs.

1. 15 mi Trinidad
2. 144 mi Manitou Springs 4.2 mi off the road
3. 144 mi Colorado Springs 3.9 mi off the road
4. 182 mi Castle Rock
5. 196 mi Centennial
6. 206 mi Englewood 3.1 mi off the road
7. 219 mi Federal Heights 1.5 mi off the road
8. 226 mi Broomfield 3.4 mi off the road
9. 240 mi Firestone 1.6 mi off the road
10. 258 mi Loveland 3.7 mi off the road
11. 268 mi Fort Collins 3.4 mi off the road
12. 278 mi Wellington

Places from the US Census Gazetteer and population estimates, both public domain; distances measured along this page's own route geometry.

Colorado Traction Law & Chain Law

Colorado is one of the few states where winter tire rules are law, not advice. CDOT sets a Traction Law on the I-70 Mountain Corridor for the whole winter season and can activate one anywhere else in the state when a storm moves in, and drivers who ignore it are fined — more if they end up blocking a lane.

Traction Law

A Traction Law is in force on the I-70 Mountain Corridor between Dotsero and Morrison every year from September 1 through May 31, regardless of the forecast on the day. CDOT can also activate it on any other state highway when weather or road conditions require.

You need one of the following: an all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle on mud and snow (M+S), winter, or manufacturer-rated all-weather tires with at least 3/16-inch of tread — or, on any vehicle, chains or an approved alternative traction device on two or more drive tires.

Passenger Vehicle Chain Law

In a severe storm CDOT escalates to the Passenger Vehicle Chain Law. Every vehicle then needs chains or an approved device, whatever it drives on — CDOT calls this the final safety measure before the highway closes, so a sign showing it means the road is close to shutting.

Fines

Non-compliance is a $100 fine plus a $33 surcharge. If your vehicle ends up closing a travel lane, that becomes $500 plus a $157 surcharge.

Approved alternative traction devices

AutoSock, EasySox, Alpha Trax and ISSE tire socks are on the approved list. CDOT keeps the current list at apl.codot.gov.

Commercial vehicles

Commercial vehicles have a separate rule. Under the Must Carry Law, anything over 16,000 pounds combined or carrying 16 or more passengers must carry chains from September 1 through May 31 on sections of I-70, Colorado 9 and US 40, 50, 160, 285 and 550 — $500 for not carrying them, and up to $1,000 plus a surcharge for blocking the road. CDOT keeps 130 chain stations across the state for it.

How you will know it is active

• Highway signs on the corridor
• COtrip.org, CDOT's own travel map
• CDOT road and travel condition alerts

Text and email alerts are available from subscription.cotrip.org ↗.

Traction and chain law status is set by CDOT and changes with the storm. This page does not carry it — what it does carry, below, is CDOT's own report of the pavement on the I-70 corridor, which is a different thing. Check COtrip ↗ for the requirement in force before you drive.

Source: CDOT, checked August 26, 2026.

Related Roads

I-25 in Colorado Road Weather FAQ

Is Interstate 25 in Colorado closed right now?

No full closures are reported on I-25 in Colorado as of Oct 8, 2026 9:47 PM MDT. 2 lane closures, roadworks or restrictions are in force. They are listed under closures and road blocks on this page.

What are I-25 in Colorado road conditions today?

The map on this page colors the route along I-25 in Colorado by what is on the pavement right now — dry, wet, slush, snow or ice — from radar and surface data, last updated Oct 8, 2026 9:12 PM MDT. Right now temperatures run from 57°F to 74°F and the strongest wind is 12 mph.

What is the Colorado traction law?

You need one of the following: an all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle on mud and snow (M+S), winter, or manufacturer-rated all-weather tires with at least 3/16-inch of tread — or, on any vehicle, chains or an approved alternative traction device on two or more drive tires. It is in force September 1 through May 31 on the I-70 Mountain Corridor between Dotsero and Morrison. CDOT can also activate it on any other state highway when weather or road conditions require.

How much is the fine for not following the Colorado chain law?

Non-compliance is a $100 fine plus a $33 surcharge. If your vehicle blocks a travel lane, $500 plus a $157 surcharge.

Do I need chains to drive I-25 in Colorado in winter?

Not always. Under a Traction Law, all-wheel or four-wheel drive on compliant tires with 3/16-inch of tread is enough. In a severe storm CDOT escalates to the Passenger Vehicle Chain Law. Every vehicle then needs chains or an approved device, whatever it drives on — CDOT calls this the final safety measure before the highway closes, so a sign showing it means the road is close to shutting.

What counts as an approved alternative traction device in Colorado?

AutoSock, EasySox, Alpha Trax and ISSE tire socks are on the approved list. CDOT keeps the current list at apl.codot.gov.

Where are Colorado road closures reported officially?

Colorado's official traveler information service is COtrip, at cotrip.org, and it is where closures and restrictions are reported.

Are there live traffic cameras on I-25 in Colorado?

Yes. This page shows 6 live views on I-25 in Colorado from the state transportation departments' own camera feeds, further down the page, refreshed each time you load it.

How often are I-25 in Colorado road conditions updated?

The road surface and weather layers are rebuilt whenever this page is opened with data more than ten minutes old, and refreshed on a schedule in between, so nothing here is more than about two hours old even on a road nobody has looked at. Closures and road blocks are re-imported from the state 511 feeds every fifteen minutes, and the written state-by-state summaries are refreshed daily. Every section on this page carries the time its data was fetched.