Highway conditions · Caltrans
Is the Grapevine closed right now?
Live I-5 conditions over Tejon Pass — the 40-mile climb that connects Los Angeles and Bakersfield — plus SR-58 over Tehachapi and SR-99 up the valley.
I-5 · Grapevine (Tejon Pass)
Open
No closures or restrictions are currently reported on this route.
Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass)
- OPEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: No traffic restrictions reported.
- OPEN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA: No traffic restrictions reported.
- OPEN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: No traffic restrictions reported.
State Route 58 — Tehachapi
- OPEN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA: No traffic restrictions reported.
State Route 99 — Central Valley
- RESTRICTIONS CENTRAL CALIFORNIA: A high wind advisory is in effect from the Stanislaus/San Joaquin Co Line to the San Joaquin/Sacramento Co Line - Travel is not recommended for campers, trailers, or permit loads
- OPEN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: No traffic restrictions reported.
Why the Grapevine closes
The Grapevine is the I-5 crossing of Tejon Pass (elevation 4,144 feet), the highest point on the route between Los Angeles and the Central Valley. It closes for three reasons, in rough order of frequency: snow and ice (a few inches is enough to force chain controls or a full closure), dense fog that can drop visibility to near zero for miles, and high winds that tip trucks — the pass has a history of overturns that shut both directions for hours. Caltrans also schedules maintenance closures overnight, which appear on this page as restrictions with times.
Chain requirements are posted at the bottom of the grade. When R2 or R3 chain controls are in effect, traction devices are mandatory — Caltrans officers turn vehicles around at the chain-installation points.
If it's closed: alternate routes
- SR-58 over Tehachapi Pass — the usual detour, but it's a mountain pass itself: check its status above before committing.
- SR-14 / US-395 loop — east around the mountains via Mojave and the Owens Valley; long, but it stays open when both passes close.
- US-101 coast route — the long way around; only worth it for multi-day closures.
- Amtrak San Joaquins — the train doesn't care about chain controls; Bakersfield is a main-line stop.
Live conditions and closure updates, 24/7: roads.dot.ca.gov or Caltrans at 1-800-427-7623.
Recent changes
| When | Route | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-12 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | CLOSED → OPEN |
| 2026-08-12 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | RESTRICTIONS → CLOSED |
| 2026-08-12 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | updated → RESTRICTIONS |
| 2026-08-12 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | OPEN → RESTRICTIONS |
| 2026-08-11 | State Route 58 — Tehachapi | CLOSED → OPEN |
| 2026-08-11 | State Route 99 — Central Valley | updated → RESTRICTIONS |
| 2026-08-11 | State Route 99 — Central Valley | updated → RESTRICTIONS |
| 2026-08-11 | State Route 58 — Tehachapi | OPEN → CLOSED |
| 2026-08-11 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | CLOSED → OPEN |
| 2026-08-10 | State Route 99 — Central Valley | CLOSED → RESTRICTIONS |
| 2026-08-10 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | updated → CLOSED |
| 2026-08-10 | Interstate 5 — Grapevine (Tejon Pass) | updated → CLOSED |
Conditions are Caltrans’ text, lightly cleaned for typos and spacing (facts and the agency’s timestamp are unchanged). Status words are per Caltrans area section; for I-5 the big answer reflects the Tejon Pass (Central) section only. Always confirm on the official source before driving.