As summer winds to an end, the Colorado High Country is expected to see a surge in visitation this Labor Day weekend.

AAA Regional Director of Public Affairs Skyler McKinley said Thursday that anyone planning to travel in Colorado this weekend should plan ahead to avoid congestion on major highways, like Interstate 70.

“Anyone who drives I-70 regularly knows it’s a beast on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons,” McKinley said. “That’s going to be amplified this weekend.”

With schools back in session in Colorado and throughout much of the country, Labor Day “marks the end of summer,” when travelers tend to plan simpler trips closer to home, McKinley said. That doesn’t mean the Labor Day holiday won’t be busy.

Between Aug. 28 and Sept. 2, the Denver International Airport is expecting more than 429,000 passengers to travel through security checkpoints, approximately the same number as over the Labor Day weekend last year, according to a news release.

Denver is the eighth most popular destination for domestic travelers this year, so there will be visitors coming in from out of state, McKinley said. But the bulk of the traffic is likely to be from Coloradans traveling throughout the state, he said.

“Historically, it’s mostly been Coloradans sticking to Colorado,” McKinley said. “Our kids are mostly back to school. So, it’s ‘Hey, we’re going to go camping. We’re going to go fishing.’ Summit (County) is a beneficiary of that as well as Pitkin and Eagle (counties).”

Gas prices this Labor Day are cheaper than in years past, according to AAA. Colorado drivers can expect to pay around $3.10 per gallon — with prices as high as $3.62 in mountain communities like Vail — compared to an average of $3.36 per gallon this time last year.

On I-70, drivers should avoid peak travel times for the best experience, McKinley said. On Friday, traffic will likely start to become more congested from 2 p.m. through the evening, while Saturday could see heavy traffic from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. The amount of traffic will likely taper off on Sunday before a “great exodus” as travelers leave on Monday, he said.

Those who can avoid traveling on Friday and Monday are likely to have the smoothest driving experience, McKinley said. Travelers who have to drive on those days should start early to avoid the worst traffic, he said.

“Remember, you can’t be mad at traffic,” McKinley said. “You are traffic.”

For travelers who are looking for options other than driving, there are regional and local transit options, according to a news release from the I-70 Coalition. 

The Bustang’s West Line runs several trips daily from Denver Union Station and the Federal Center in Lakewood to mountain towns on the I-70 corridor through Grand Junction, the release states. The Pegasus shuttle also runs multiple times per day between Denver and Avon.

“Labor Day is a busy travel period,” McKinley said. “But only insofar as it’s the last gasp of summer travel.”