South end: NM 551 near Branson Length 19.92 km | Counties: Las Animas | |
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North end: US 160 in rural Las Animas County County Las Animas County, Colorado | ||
State Highway 389 (SH 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.
Contents
Map of CO-389, Branson, CO 81027, USA
Route description
State Highway 389 begins at the junction with U.S. Highway 160 between of Trinidad 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 551.
History
This routing was originally designated by the Colorado Department of Transportation as SH 100 (deleted) and as a portion of U.S. Highway 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 551 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.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Las Animas County.