One Lane Bridges of Elbert County

We will start and end in different places about an hour apart, so consolidating vehicles may or may not work for all participants.

Tour the wide open eastern plains of Colorado by automobile south of Interstate 70. Includes many of the one-lane bridges across the South Platte River Basin; the Sproch Cemetery and restored St. Mary Church; the ghost town of Fondis; lunch at Patty Ann’s Café in Kiowa; ending at the Elbert County Historical Society and Museum, which houses an extensive collection of the Gentsch Dioramas, a series of beautiful and intricately carved panels that traced the miners’ harsh journey across the eastern plains to the mountains in search of their destiny.

Itinerary:

0800 Meet in the town of Deer Trail, CO at Conoco Gas Station. Address: 489 5th Ave. Deer Trail, CO 80105, opens at 0800 on Saturdays and Sundays.

0815 Drive the first route which will consist of seven bridges in the northern part of the county.

(QRHKLNO). We will hop onto I-70 from Cty Rd 178 down to Limon for a quick restroom break.

1030 Drive up to Hwy 86 and head west to another four bridges (DCBA), the cemetery, church, and the ghost town of Fondis.

1215 We will arrive in Kiowa, CO and eat lunch at Patty Ann’s Cafe. Address: 230 Comanche St, Kiowa, CO 80117, Saturday hours 7:30am – 3:00pm

1315 After lunch, we will head up the street to the Elbert County Historical Society and Museum, Address: 515 Comanche St, Kiowa, CO 80117 (elbertcountymuseum.org) Thursday to Sunday, May 24 – September 6, 2026, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, free admission, donations welcomed and encouraged. Feel free to explore the museum for the rest of the afternoon. Contact: Joe Martel.

Accessibility:

Highways are paved, county roads are dirt accessible for 2-wheel drives. The bridges and buildings are within minimal walking distance to and from roads and are accessible for individuals with strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, or canes.

Items to Bring:

A supply of water and snacks for the drive. There are limited bathroom facilities outside of the towns included on the tour.

Cancellation:

Please let Megan Falzon, 720-333-3261 know if you plan to attend or need to cancel.

If you have any questions about the field trip or need to contact the leader day of the trip, don’t hesitate to get in touch with  Megan Falzon

History: One-lane bridges in Elbert County trace a path of recovery after 1965, a quiet network of lifelines connecting ranches, farms, and communities once cut off by floodwaters. Nineteen one-lane bridges in Elbert Couty, are quiet testaments to the county’s resilience and rural character, and they owe their existence, in large part, to one of Colorado’s most devastating natural disasters. In mid-June 1965, torrential rains over several days unleashed catastrophic flooding across the South Platte River basin. Although Denver-area flooding occurred on June 16, another storm then next day devastated Elbert County when between five and twelve inches of rain fell in just a few hours. Four dams failed, including Agate Dam on Bijou Creek, and countless rural bridges were washed out. Roads turned to rivers, ranches vanished under water, and channels along East, Middle, and West Bijou Creeks were gouged deeper overnight. The floodwaters from East, Middle and West Bijou Creeks combined into a surge that reached 466,000 cubic feet per second by the time it was measured downstream near Wiggins. Long stretches of highways and county roads were destroyed, leaving many residents isolated for days and, in some places, weeks. In the weeks and months that followed, the county and state scrambled to restore transportation links many of the bridges we cross today were installed as “temporary” replacements, quickly-poured concrete decks reinforced with rebar, just wide enough for a pickup to pass. Six decades later, they remain in service, weathered and cracked but stubbornly functional, though many are in concerning disrepair. Several still carry traffic today, sixty years later, a tangible reminder of how necessity and practicality shaped local infrastructure. (elbertcountymuseum.org)