Re: Lake City Branch

Steve Dickey Wrote:
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> line. I hope to explore this line some day. That
> "high Bridge" sure looks awesome!!
> Thanks.

Just as hwy 149 comes down off sapinero mesa, coming from Iola & Powderhorn, there is a gravel/dirt road that turns off to the right, heading downstream. This gives access to several miles of the "Little Black Canyon" area along the Lake Fork. After a mile or so it is on the grade. There is an historical site display (minimal) at the site of one of the construction camps and then the road ends in a parking lot, from which one can walk on downstream until the river drowns in the Blue Mesa Bathtub. This is (as of '04 at least) BLM road 3009 then BLM road 3012.

South of this road the grade is below the highway up to about The Gate, gradually getting closer. From there south to the site of the High Bridge the grade is either right next to or underneath hwy 149. I've never had the chance to annoy everybody by driving slow enough to spot traces along here.

The last section on into Lake City, which includes The Narrows,is either across the river from the hwy or down by the river where the hwy is up above it. Again, I've never had the chance to poke around here as I've always been with some normal person (parent, wife, daughter) who had a limited amount of tolerence for my crawling thru brush looking for traces of long gone choo-choos.

There is nothing left at Lake City.

hank



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2008 11:38AM by hank.