Colorado State Highway 389
Encyclopedia
State Highway 389 in the U.S.
state of Colorado
is a state highway
traversing through the Great Plains
, and Black Mesa in southeastern Colorado. The route travels from US 160 through rural Las Animas county to Branson
. The highway serves the Branson area and heads south to the New Mexico
border 1.5 miles south, where it continues as NM 551.
and Kim
. It heads southward through the open prairie for 10 miles before reaching the town of Branson. While heading south before Branson, the Black Mesa comes into view; while not too far from the Comanche National Grassland
. Valleys and hills surround the area, while there are no mountains.
Going southward out of Branson, several small passes up to 8,000 feet are traversed. About 1.5 miles south of Branson, the New Mexico border comes and the highway ends but continues as New Mexico State Road 511.
as SH 100 (deleted) and as a portion of U.S. Route 160
. When US 160 was rerouted in 1949, the portion formerly numbered as SH 389, today's number. Several years later, the section near New Mexico State Road 511 at the border was deleted, leaving the terminus at Branson
. This section was readied in 1964 and SH 389 was entirely paved a year later.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
is a state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
traversing through the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
, and Black Mesa in southeastern Colorado. The route travels from US 160 through rural Las Animas county to Branson
Branson, Colorado
Branson is a Statutory Town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. It is the southernmost town in the state of Colorado, located just from the New Mexico border....
. The highway serves the Branson area and heads south to the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
border 1.5 miles south, where it continues as NM 551.
Route description
State Highway 389 begins at the junction with U.S. Highway 160 between of TrinidadTrinidad, Colorado
The historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
and Kim
Kim, Colorado
The Town of Kim is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 65 at the U.S. Census 2000.Rodeo star Lane Frost was born in La Junta in 1963 but spent his first days with his mother and grandparents in Kim, while his father was on tour.-Geography:Kim...
. It heads southward through the open prairie for 10 miles before reaching the town of Branson. While heading south before Branson, the Black Mesa comes into view; while not too far from the Comanche National Grassland
Comanche National Grassland
Comanche National Grassland is a National Grassland located in southeastern Colorado, United States. It is the sister grassland of Cimarron National Grassland and contains both prairie grasslands and canyons. It is separated into two sections, each operated by a local ranger district, one of which...
. Valleys and hills surround the area, while there are no mountains.
Going southward out of Branson, several small passes up to 8,000 feet are traversed. About 1.5 miles south of Branson, the New Mexico border comes and the highway ends but continues as New Mexico State Road 511.
History
This routing was originally designated by the Colorado Department of TransportationColorado Department of Transportation
The Colorado Department of Transportation is the agency of state government responsible for transportation in the State of Colorado of the United States. CDOT is responsible for maintaining 9,144 mile highway system, including 3,429 bridges with over 28 billion vehicle miles of travel per year...
as SH 100 (deleted) and as a portion of U.S. Route 160
U.S. Route 160
U.S. Route 160 is a 1,465 mile long east–west United States highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 89 five miles west of Tuba City, Arizona. The eastern terminus is at U.S...
. When US 160 was rerouted in 1949, the portion formerly numbered as SH 389, today's number. Several years later, the section near New Mexico State Road 511 at the border was deleted, leaving the terminus at Branson
Branson, Colorado
Branson is a Statutory Town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. It is the southernmost town in the state of Colorado, located just from the New Mexico border....
. This section was readied in 1964 and SH 389 was entirely paved a year later.
Major intersections
The entire route is located in Las Animas CountyLas Animas County, Colorado
Las Animas County has the largest area of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Las Animas County takes its name from the Mexican Spanish name of the Purgatoire River, originally called El Río de las Ánimas Perdidas en Purgatorio, which means "River of the Lost Souls in...
.
| Location | Mile | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | |||
| 12.38 |