US Route 285 runs south from Denver to far western portions of Texas. It's an important highway in eastern New Mexico as well. US Route 285 has its northern end positioned along Interstate 25 on the south side of Denver, Colorado.  It heads south from there through south-central Colorado and eastern New Mexico. The southern end lies in a small town somewhat near the Mexican border, called Sanderson, Texas. In Colorado, US Route 285 heads southwesterly out of the Denver area into the mountains. Emerging from the mountains into Fairplay, US Route 285 then primarily sticks to valleys between the mountainous areas of the southern part of the state. US Route 285 meets US Route 50 in Poncha Springs. Between Poncha Springs and Alamosa, US Route 285 takes an indirect route, diverting to the west and then back east, but Colorado Highway 17 provides a more direct shortcut. US Route 285's jog back toward the east follows US Route 160 into Alamosa. At Alamosa, the highway turns back toward the south to do its own thing. US Route 285 soon enters New Mexico, bound for Santa Fe. In New Mexico, US Route 285 has a bit of an eastward component to its southward motion, heading SSE through much of the state. South of Santa Fe, US Route 285 is less mountainous, passing through the flatter eastern half of New Mexico. The route is essential to life in southeastern New Mexico, as it serves Roswell, Artesia, and Carlsbad. Beyond Carlsbad, US Route 285 enters the empty lands of western Texas, passing through Pecos and Fort Stockton before ending in Sanderson, at US Route 90.

An older photo once took center stage on this page for US Route 285, but I have replaced it with a newer photo. The older photo is still viewable, however, and it appears on the bottom of this page.

My newer featured photo of US Route 285 shows a trailblazer found in Espanola, New Mexico, north of Santa Fe. US Route 285 and US Route 84 both head northward through town on the same pavement, as indicated by this signage. The trailblaer reassures drivers who are leaving the junction of the US highways with New Mexico State Route 584. This photo was taken in October 2024, as I was traveling to Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.

My older featured photo of US Route 285 comes from the junction with Colorado State Highway 368, situated south of Alamosa, Colorado. The sign assembly shown faces north, indicating the right turn onto the eastern extent of Colorado State Highway 368. This photo was taken in September, 2022, during a trip to visit all four of the national parks located within Colorado.

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