Part 3: Last Leg of the Byway
When we drove into Lake City yesterday, we crossed a bridge over Henson Creek. A short distance from the bridge, the creek feeds into the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The Lake Fork begins high in the mountains southwest of Lake San Cristobal, flows through the lake, and ends its 64.7 mile-long journey north to its confluence with the Gunninson River in Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Yes, this river runs south to north. Am I the only one who thought all rivers run north to south–south is downhill after all, right? Actually it is all about gravity. A river will always take the path of least resistance and flow downhill as quickly as possible. That downhill path can be in any direction including north, south, east, west, and every direction in between. The most famous and longest river in the world runs north through 11 countries–The Nile.
This last section of CO-149 is about rock formations, ranches, and Lake Fork’s canyons. Over the road’s remaining 45 miles we will travel down about 1,140 feet. Let’s go!
