Colorado State Highway 149 - Route Description

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.