Mudslides force closure of Colorado road, campground, and picnic area
Three major mudslides caused the closure of East Portal Road, campground and a picnic area in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area on July 16.
According to a news release from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, a thunderstorm brought significant rainfall at Curecanti National Recreation Area at around 5 p.m. on July 16. The rainfall triggered at least three major mudslides on the East Portal Road, per the news release. Debris washed down from drainages above the roadway, which covered significant lengths of the roadway with up to six feet of boulders, rocks and mud. The debris also covered the entire East Portal campground and a lot of the East Portal picnic area.
The campground, picnic area and East Portal Road will stay closed until assessments and repairs are completed and the facilities are safe for public access. The assessments and repairs are being conducted. The road is closed to all traffic, which includes pedestrians and bicyclists.
There were 21 day-trippers, campers and anglers temporarily stranded at the bottom of East Portal Road on Thursday. However, responders were on the scene by 5:45 p.m., and no injuries were reported.
Law enforcement with the National Park Service (NPS) and facility management crews from the NPS and Bureau of Reclamation secured the area and began to clear the roadway. 18 visitors were evacuated by midnight. One visitor on a motorcycle and two visitors with vehicle issues waited until the roadway was “less saturated” to leave in daylight. They were evacuated by 9 a.m. on Friday.
The news release also noted that East Portal Road goes through forested areas that were burned by the 2025 South Rim Fire. The NPS warns visitors to use extreme caution while traveling through areas with fire scars during rain because “soil with little vegetation cover can become saturated and trigger landslides.”
Find updates on the road and campground closures on the park websites here and here.
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