News and Closures

UPDATE: SEASONAL ROAD CLOSURES

• Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road are currently closed.
• The Deschutes County Road Department closed Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road for the winter season on Tuesday, November 18^th.
• Crews are currently working to reopen them.  Please see the details and maps herein.

Winter Road Closures

The Road Department maintains over 700 miles of paved roads with limited personnel, resources, and daylight hours in which to perform work.  The County’s Snow/Ice Plan relies upon the seasonal closure of high elevation mountain highways – which are maintained voluntarily and freely by the County through an easement agreement with the federal government.  Once open to traffic, we are obligated to operate and maintain these highways.  If we open prematurely, and a snow/ice event occurs requiring an operation response, we would be obligated to respond at the expense of performing planned maintenance activity in the lower elevation areas. 

The Snow/Ice Plan sets a goal of opening Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road prior to Memorial Day each year.  We typically initiate snow/ice removal in late March/early April each year.  We have initiated snow/ice removal on Paulina Lake Road this week.  Once complete, we will move equipment to Cascade Lakes Highway.  What typically takes six weeks will probably take less than two.

The decision to open the gates will be based on the roads being clear of snow and ice as well as a weather forecast that provides us with enough confidence, in our judgment, that we have escaped a reasonable potential for winter weather conditions that would require an operational response.  The decision is also made in consultation with the USFS and their stakeholders.  We don’t anticipate any extended closure to be requested by the USFS this year.

At this point, we are probably targeting late April or early May with a full opening.  Cascade Lakes Highway is currently accessible from the south with a temporary gate at Lava Lake.    

Current Status of Winter Road Closures

Cascade Lakes Highway

As of April 7, 2026, Cascade Lakes Highway is CLOSED from Lava lake to Dutchman Flat snowpark near Mt. Bachelor.

Please refer to the map for further detail found here:  >Cascade Lakes<

Paulina Lake Road

As of April 7, 2026, Paulina Lake Road (Forest Service Road 21) is CLOSED at the 10 mile snow park.

See map here:  >Paulina<

For additional information, please contact the Deschutes County Road Department at (541) 388-6581.