U.S. Route 285
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Image:US285.png U.S. Highway 285 is a north-south United States highway. It has always had an endpoint in Denver, Colorado, though what is now the northern terminus was once the route's southern end.
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Termini
As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is in Denver, Colorado at an intersection with Interstate 25. Its southern terminus is in Sanderson, Texas at an intersection with U.S. Highway 90.
Historic termini
From 1927 to 1936, US 285's northern terminus was in Laramie, Wyoming, and its southern terminus was in Denver, Colorado. The pre-1936 routing is often referred to as US 285 [I], with the newer routing called US 285 [II]
States traversed
The highway passes through the following states:
US 285 in Colorado
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Touring US 285 southwest out of Denver is a beautiful drive. It runs for a few miles through the Denver metro area as Hampden Avenue then suddenly begins to climb into the Rocky Mountains, mostly following the route of the original narrow gauge transcontinental railroad, skirting the south side of the Mount Evans massif. Once west of Mount Evans, the highway winds its way over Kenosha Pass (elevation 10,001 feet) into the spectacular high-altitude South Park basin of Colorado.
Partway across the South Park, the town of Como is a mecca for narrow gauge railroad buffs, which still houses one of the few remaining narrow gague roundhouses. The old transcontinental railroad breaks away from US-285 at this point, going northwest over Boreas Pass into Breckenridge and into the historically rich gold fields of Leadville. From Leadville the railroad turned west to California.
US-285 meanwhile continues across the valley to the southwest, leaving the South Park basin as it climbs over Trout Creek Pass (elevation 9346 feet), and then drops dramatically into the Upper Arkansas River Valley. The view of Mt. Princeton as the road descends into this valley is spectacular.
Image:Coloradodunes.jpg Once the highway hits the Arkansas River Valley floor, it takes a sharp turn south, just missing the town of Buena Vista to the north, a charming small town with a surprisingly mild climate.
As US-285 turns south, it brushes Salida, climbs over Poncha Pass (elevation 9010 feet), then enters the northern end of the San Luis Valley. The highway continues mostly straight south through the valley into New Mexico, where it goes through Santa Fe, Roswell, and Carlsbad, and eventually into Texas.
The northern end of the San Luis Valley in Colorado includes the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, which have the tallest sand dunes in the US. Other attractions include the highly improbable Alligator Farm in Colorado, near the Sand Dunes.