Road conditions
Is Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass open?
Highway 3: Crowsnest Pass to Lethbridge and Medicine Hat · 319 km
Open — no closures reported
7 construction zones reported.
From Alberta 511 ↗️, which is authoritative and always takes precedence over this page.
This data may be delayed. Last updated August 20, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. — about 4 days ago. Check the source directly before relying on it.
The Crowsnest Pass is the lowest of Alberta's mountain crossings and stays open when others do not, but the stretch west of Fort Macleod is among the windiest in Canada — high-wind advisories for high-sided vehicles are common and worth taking seriously.
Construction
Roadwork causes delays, not closures — it does not change the verdict above.
- Constructionat MonarchHWY-3 (East)
Road maintenance operations on HWY-3 Eastbound Near Range Road 241. Width Restriction: 3.7m Activities: Lane closure, No passing, Speed reduction, Fresh oil, No centerline marking, No wide loads, Flag persons, Pilot vehicles, Width restriction, Drive with caution, Wet Paint
Lanes: No DataType: roadMaintenance511 updated 11:50 p.m. - Construction between Monarch and LethbridgeHWY-3 (Both)
Utility work on HWY-3 Both Directions Near HWY-509. Activities: Speed reduction, Expect traffic delays
Lanes: No DataType: Utility work511 updated 11:16 p.m. - Constructionat LethbridgeHWY-3 (Both)
Road maintenance operations on HWY-3 Both Directions Near Range Road 211. Width Restriction: 4m Activities: Lane closure, No passing, Speed reduction, Fresh oil, No centerline marking, Grooved pavement, Flag persons, Be prepared to stop, Expect traffic delays, Drive with caution
Lanes: No DataType: roadMaintenance511 updated 11:39 p.m. - Constructionat TaberHWY-3 (Both)
Construction Work on HWY-3 Both Directions from HWY-36 to Range Road 121 . Activities: Be prepared to stop, Traffic congestion, Expect traffic delays
Lanes: No DataType: constructionWork511 updated 11:20 p.m. - Constructionat TaberHWY-3 (Both)
Construction Work on HWY-3 Both Directions from Range Road 163 to HWY-36 . Width Restriction: 4m Speed Restriction: 60km/hr Activities: Lane closure, Speed reduction, Traffic congestion, Local road detour, Expect traffic delays, Width restriction, Drive with caution, Highway Maintenance Vehicles
Lanes: No DataType: constructionWork511 updated 11:49 p.m. - Construction between Taber and Bow IslandHWY-3 (East)
Construction Work on HWY-3 Eastbound from Range Road 132 to Range Road 143 . Speed Restriction: 80km/hr Activities: No passing, Speed reduction, Expect traffic delays, Drive with caution, Follow Directions
Lanes: No DataType: constructionWork511 updated 11:59 p.m. - Construction between Bow Island and Medicine HatHWY-3 (Both)
Power pole maintenance on HWY-3 Both Directions from Range Road 75 to HWY-887 . Speed Restriction: 50km/hr Activities: Speed reduction, Flag persons, Traffic congestion, Expect traffic delays, Drive with caution
Lanes: No DataType: Power pole maintenance511 updated 11:40 p.m.
Weather along the route
Current conditions from the nearest Environment and Climate Change Canada station to each point. Mountain weather changes faster than any forecast — this is a guide, not a guarantee.
B.C. border (Crowsnest Pass)
22°Chance of showers
Crowsnest
Fort Macleod
27°Chance of showers
Claresholm, 36 km away
Medicine Hat
29°Partly Cloudy
Medicine Hat
- MondaySunny26° / 10°
- TuesdaySunny28° / 10°
- WednesdaySunny32° / 16°
Fire bans along the route
Fire bans, restrictions and advisories in effect near this road.
- Municipality of Crowsnest Pass ↗️Fire Advisory — Municipality of Crowsnest Passon the route
- Cowley ↗️Fire Restriction — Cowleyon the route
- Lethbridge ↗️Fire Ban — Lethbridgeon the route
- Town of Taber ↗️Fire Advisory — Taber1 km from the route
- MD of Pincher Creek, Village of Cowley and Piikani First Nation ↗️Fire Restriction — Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 96 km from the route
- Lethbridge County ↗️Fire Restriction — Lethbridge County10 km from the route
- Municipal District of Taber ↗️Fire Advisory — Municipal District of Taber13 km from the route
- Cypress County ↗️Fire Ban — Cypress County18 km from the route
- Village of Glenwood ↗️Fire Advisory — Glenwood27 km from the route
- Village of Hill Spring ↗️Fire Advisory — Hill Spring30 km from the route
Showing the 10 closest to the route, of 15.
Advisories for Lethbridge and the Crowsnest Pass
Park closures, wildlife warnings and trail advisories within 25 km of the route.
- Partial Closure: Designated Camping Area 3B ↗️Castle Provincial Park — issued May 1, 202612 km from the route
- Trail Warning: Lake Trail Loop - Soft Sections ↗️Castle Provincial Park — issued May 15, 202613 km from the route
- Bear Warning: Bears in Area ↗️Beauvais Lake Provincial Park — issued June 3, 202616 km from the route
- Trail Warning: Bridge Unavailable ↗️Racehorse Provincial Recreation Area — issued June 30, 202623 km from the route
Common questions
- Is Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass open?
- Open — no closures reported. 7 construction zones reported.
- What is happening on Hwy 3 right now?
- Alberta 511 is reporting 7 construction zones on this route.
- What should I know before driving Hwy 3?
- The Crowsnest Pass is the lowest of Alberta's mountain crossings and stays open when others do not, but the stretch west of Fort Macleod is among the windiest in Canada — high-wind advisories for high-sided vehicles are common and worth taking seriously.
- How windy does Highway 3 get?
- The section between the Crowsnest Pass and Fort Macleod regularly sees gusts over 100 km/h. Environment and Climate Change Canada issues wind warnings for it more often than for anywhere else in the province, and high-sided vehicles and trailers are the first to be affected.
- Is Highway 3 a good winter route to British Columbia?
- It is the lowest and generally the mildest of Alberta's mountain crossings, at 1,358 m, which is why commercial traffic favours it when the Trans-Canada is difficult. It still closes for weather and collisions, so check before relying on it.
More
Road data from Alberta 511 (Government of Alberta), weather from Environment and Climate Change Canada, advisories from Parks Canada and Alberta Parks, fire bans from Alberta Fire Bans, and wildfire mapping from the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. The verdict above is derived from that data by fixed rules, with no AI in the decision — but the official sources are authoritative and always take precedence. This page carries no advertising.