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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colorado — Mountain communities in Jefferson County, including Evergreen and Kittredge, experienced severe flash flooding and rockslides overnight on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, after an intense, slow-moving summer storm dropped up to six inches of rain in about two hours. The sudden deluge overwhelmed local waterways and drainage systems, with Bear Creek rapidly overflowing its banks and sending torrents of water and debris into low-lying neighborhoods. In Kittredge, floodwaters rose quickly, leaving watermarks up to three feet high on the sides of homes and inundating residential properties. The force of the water washed out two private bridges near Troublesome Gulch, isolating several properties and leaving residents temporarily stranded while authorities assessed damage and access routes. The heavy rainfall also triggered a major rockslide in Clear Creek Canyon, forcing the complete closure of US Route 6 west of Tunnel 3. The Colorado Department of Transportation reported that the slide extended roughly 175 feet along the canyon and piled mud and rock up to three feet deep across the highway. Crews used front-end loaders and other heavy equipment to remove the extensive debris, keeping the critical corridor shut for about 12 hours before reopening it on Thursday afternoon. CDOT’s geohazards team deployed to the canyon to evaluate the stability of the surrounding rock walls and identify any additional slide risks. The National Weather Service said official gauges recorded up to 3.5 inches of rain, while community networks such as CoCoRaHS measured more than 3.22 inches west of Kittredge, and Jefferson County officials estimated localized totals near six inches in the hardest-hit areas.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.