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Fourteen miles of SR-190 from the Cottonwood Heights bench to the Brighton loop, past Solitude on the way. This page runs the Big Cottonwood verdict, the Class 3 traction posting, and the canyon's eight cameras in driving order.
28 miles | About 45 minutes in free flow | Data: UDOT Traffic
Big Cottonwood Canyon is open. Road surface: Dry. Weather: Fair. No traction restriction is posted for this corridor right now.
Data: UDOT Traffic | UDOT report Nov 4, 9:23 AM MT
I-215 east to the Big Cottonwood exit and Wasatch Boulevard puts you at the mouth in about 20 minutes from downtown. The bench forecast is the canyon's floor; Brighton is 4,100 feet above it. The verdict at the top of this page is read at the top's altitude, which is the honest way around.
Big Cottonwood is a Class 3 segment, same standard as its neighbor: devices on two drive tires, or AWD or 4WD on M+S or 3PMSF tires with 5/32 inch tread. Enforcement at the mouth on posted days is the same operation, run by the same agencies.
The lower miles wind with the creek under steep walls. Shaded bends hold ice after the sunlit ones clear, and rockfall after a freeze thaw cycle is this stretch's signature event. The cameras show the surface; the events list shows what UDOT is sweeping.
About two thirds up, Solitude's village marks the upper canyon. The road steepens above it and the weather usually steps up a level between the village and the loop. If the mid canyon frame is white, the top is whiter.
SR-190 ends in a loop under the Brighton cirque at about 8,730 feet. In summer, Guardsman Pass continues over the ridge toward Park City, unplowed and closed all winter. In winter, the loop is the end of the line, and the descent starts the moment you turn around.
Fourteen miles of descent on a two lane canyon road. Lower gear, long following gaps, and respect for the night skiing traffic coming up as you go down on winter evenings. The verdict's events list is worth a final check at the top; a lower canyon crash changes the drive entirely.
How long is the drive from Salt Lake City to Brighton?
About 45 minutes in free flow. Powder Saturdays with a substitution surge from a closed Little Cottonwood can double it; the comparison page shows both canyons live.
Is the Brighton drive easier than the Alta drive?
Gentler grades and fewer slide paths, yes. Same Class 3 traction standard, same enforcement, and a longer road. Easier is not the same as easy; check the verdict either way.
Can I drive from Brighton to Park City?
In summer only, over Guardsman Pass, which is unplowed and closed in winter. Winter routes run back down the canyon and around through Parleys.