- Colorado State Highway 149
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State Highway 149
Route information Maintained by CDOT Length: 117.5 mi[1] (189.1 km) Major junctions South end: 
US 160 at South ForkNorth end: 
US 50 west of GunnisonLocation Counties: Rio Grande, Mineral, Hinsdale, Gunnison Highway system ← 
SH 145SH 150 
→State Highway 149 is a 117.5 mi (189.1 km) long state highway in southwestern Colorado. Its south end is at U.S. Route 160 and its north end is at U.S. Route 50.
Contents
Route description
SH 149 begins in the south at its junction with U.S. Highway 160 at South Fork. From there the road winds its way generally northward through the San Juan Mountains. The first portion of the road parallels the upper Rio Grande River as it passes through Rio Grande National Forest. SH 149 winds through the mountains for 21 miles (34 km) before coming to the historic mining town of Creede. From there the road continues its climb into the mountains and eventually turns away from the Rio Grande to cross the Continental Divide at Spring Creek Pass at an elevation of 10,901 ft (3,323 m). At this point the road passes into Gunnison National Forest and, after a brief descent, begins an even higher climb to Slumgullion Pass elevated 11,361 ft (3,463 m). From there the road drops to the town of Lake City where it begins to parallel Lake Fork, a tributary of the Gunnison River. SH 149 follows Lake Fork down out of the mountains and eventually turns away to the east passing just north of Powderhorn where the road again turns northward. After skirting the southern edge of Curecanti National Recreation Area, the highway crosses the Gunnison River and finally reaches its northern terminus at U.S. Highway 50 approximately nine miles west of Gunnison. There are no major junctions along its entire length.[1]
History
The route was established in the 1920s and was completely paved by 1977.[2]
Major intersections
County Location Mile[1] Destination Notes Rio Grande 0.000 US 160South end of route Mineral No major junctions in Mineral County Hinsdale No major junctions in Hinsdale County Gunnison 117.522 US 50North end of route References
- ^ a b c "Segment Descriptions for Highway 149". Colorado Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.co.us/app_DTD_DataAccess/Highways/index.cfm?fuseaction=Description&route=149&begRefPt=0&endRefPt=500&Printable=true. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ Salek, Matthew E.. "Colorado Routes 140-159". http://www.mesalek.com/colo/r140-159.html. Retrieved 04-08-2010.
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