PHOENIX — Five high-country highway segments in Arizona will close for the winter over the next seven weeks, beginning Thursday, according to a release from the Arizona Department of Transportation.
ADOT said the annual closures help address the challenges of maintaining and safely operating the remote mountain routes during months when snow and ice are likely.
The first closure is State Route 473 between State Route 260 and Hawley Lake in the White Mountains, scheduled for Nov. 12, the agency said.
State Route 366, the Swift Trail on Mount Graham, closes Nov. 15. ADOT said that closure begins a half-mile past the Coronado National Forest’s Shannon Campground, where the pavement ends.
State Route 67 south of US 89A, the road between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, is set to close Dec. 7.
Two more White Mountains routes close Dec. 31: State Route 261 between Eagar and Big Lake, and State Route 273 between Sunrise Park and Big Lake, according to the release.
ADOT warned that an earlier snowfall or other extreme weather could force any of the highways to close sooner than planned. The agency posts winter driving tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.
Drivers heading to higher elevations can check real-time conditions at az511.gov, on the AZ511 app or by calling 511, ADOT said.
Sources: Arizona Department of Transportation news release. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Carl E. Jepson / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
