R-276 · Route File

Monitor Pass

Alpine and Mono counties, California · United States

State Route 89 over the eastern Sierra divide between the State Route 4 junction near Markleeville and US 395.

Primary window: Spring - autumn after confirmed gate opening
References: 8
Coverage: established
Reviewed: Jul 2026

Operational warnings

red · Operational constraint

Caltrans closes State Route 89 over Monitor Pass during winter and reopens it only after snow and roadway hazards are cleared.

During the closure, the State Route 89 pass connection to US 395 is unavailable.

Planning response: Confirm the current pass status in Caltrans QuickMap before routing through Monitor Pass.

Seasonal windows are planning triggers, not a substitute for current road, weather or land-access reports. Recheck the official sources below before departure.

Route tire evidence

Tires reported on Monitor Pass

No reviewed tire observation is published for this route.

Open the Tire Library

No tire name is inferred from route popularity, forum mentions or marketing. A report appears only after its tire, motorcycle, route context, date and named source are reviewed.

Route-specific references

Sources for Monitor Pass

Information tied directly to this road, track or route.

Roads and access

Central Sierra mountain passes
official · California Department of Transportation
Official State Route 89 seasonal closure, snow-clearing and reopening status

Specialist and community

Highway 89 Monitor Pass
specialist · Pashnit
Rider-focused Monitor Pass reference covering road character, curves and route connections; confirm seasonal status with Caltrans

Regional reference desk

Authorities covering the wider journey

Shared road, weather and access services used across Route Files in this region.

Weather

National Weather Service forecasts and warnings
official · National Weather Service
Official forecasts, heat, storm, wind, flood and winter warnings

Roads and access

Emergency and medical

Field Links are reviewed references, not live guarantees. Conditions, closures, services and regulations change. Confirm critical information with the responsible authority before relying on it.