Sapinero in Gunnison County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Crossing the Canyon
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2020
1. Crossing the Canyon Marker
Four bridges once stood southwest of the original town site of Sapinero. Cars and trucks used the high bridge to travel between Gunnison and Montrose. Anglers used the low bridge to access the river.
The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad needed two bridges to cross the Gunnison River and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The rails then ran south to the mines near Lake City. The site of this complex crossing, known as "Lake Junction," is now deep under the waters of Blue Mesa Reservoir.
[Photo captions, left to right, read]
Truss bridge for the railroad to cross the Gunnison River and access Lake City.
The high bridge was part of the scenic "Rainbow Route" from Pueblo to Salt Lake City.
Truss bridge for the railroad to cross the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 38° 27.468′ N, 107° 18.167′ W. Marker is in Sapinero,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Colorado High Rockies. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wayne N. Aspinall (a few steps from this marker); Forming a Pinnacle (approx. 2.2 miles away); If You Only Knew (approx. 2.2 miles away); Storage Units (approx. 2.2 miles away); Trains and Trout (approx. 5.6 miles away); Puzzle from the Past (approx. 7.4 miles away); a different marker also named Trains and Trout (approx. 10.6 miles away); Saguache and San Juan Toll Road (approx. 12.1 miles away).
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2020
2. Crossing the Canyon Marker
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 11, 2020
3. Crossing the Canyon Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,098 times since then and 63 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
