In 1990, a portion of Highway 149 was given the distinction of becoming a National Forest Service and Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway. This historic route carries you on a 75 mile journey between the towns of South Fork and Lake City, including the historic town of Creede.

As you travel through the Silver Thread rich history, you will drive through the Gunnison and the Rio Grande National Forests and you can see parts of the La Garita, Weminuche and Powderhorn Wilderness Areas. You will also cross through Rio Grande, Mineral and Hinsdale counties.

Traveling the byway, you will discover that there are very few towns along the way. Ninety-six percent of Mineral and Hinsdale counties consist of lands that are federally owned. The colorful old mining camps of the Silver Thread offer history, scenic beauty, and a heavy dose of authenticity. The heights around Creede and Lake City remain strewn with abandoned mining structures, most of them accessible via rugged back country roads. On average it takes at least 2 hours to reach Lake City from South Fork.

For more information, and a detailed guidebook, please contact any of the three towns that the byway includes. The guidebooks cost $1.00, and have historical, scenic and wildlife information for the traveler of this amazing byway.

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