Over the past month, contractors worked tirelessly to complete the final major construction tasks: the re-route of the road through the Bear Cave landslide area and rock scaling on several slopes in the Polychrome area. Rock scaling removes unstable rock from steep slopes to reduce the future risk of dangerous rockfall onto the road.
Construction work is now complete! Final site restoration tasks are underway and the three staging areas that were used to store equipment and materials are being revegetated. Contractors will continue working throughout the fall to demobilize and remove their equipment and vehicles from the construction site and all staging areas.
As of August 27, 2026, hikers and cyclists can travel on the park road west of East Fork (mile 43) and across the Pretty Rocks bridge. Buses will continue to travel no further than East Fork for the rest of the 2026 season. Full bus service along the length of the park road will resume in 2027. If you plan to hike or bike west of mile 43 in 2026, planning ahead is critical:
- Expect limited emergency response and prolonged delays. No services are available; prepare to be self-sufficient.
- Check bus schedules ahead of time and avoid waiting for the last bus of the day.
- If you are traveling with bikes, expect long wait times and assume that after 5 pm, there will not be space for bikes on buses departing East Fork. Be prepared to bike the full 43 miles (69 km) back to the park entrance.
- Outhouses are available at East Fork (mile 43.3), Polychrome Overlook (mile 45.9), and Toklat Rest Area (mile 53.5). There are no restrooms available beyond Toklat. Practice Leave No Trave principles; pack out your trash and toilet paper.
- Watch for traffic and heavy equipment while walking and biking on the road. Crews are working on repairs to the park road and deferred maintenance of west district facilities.
Photo courtesy of Dani Beekman