# Cerro Summit

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**Cerro Summit** (elevation 8,042 feet (2,451 m)) is a [mountain pass](/source/Mountain_pass) in the [State of Colorado](/source/Colorado), located about 14 miles east of [Montrose, Colorado](/source/Montrose,_Colorado). It divides the [watershed](/source/Drainage_divide) of the [Cimmaron River](/source/Cimarron_River_(Gunnison_River)) to the east and the [Uncompahgre River](/source/Uncompahgre_River) to the west, both of which eventually flow into the [Gunnison River](/source/Gunnison_River).

The summit is traversed by [U.S. Route 50](/source/U.S._Route_50_in_Colorado). Until 1949, Cerro Summit was part of the [Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's](/source/Denver_and_Rio_Grande_Western_Railroad) Black Canyon line which ran between [Gunnison](/source/Gunnison,_Colorado) and Montrose.[1] When constructed in 1882, the route was originally part of the D&RGW's [transcontinental line](/source/Transcontinental_line) to [Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City) and remained so until more direct routes were built in the early 20th century.[2]

Although [grades](/source/Grade_(slope)) on [U.S. 50](/source/U.S._50) are gentle, the former rail line over Cerro Summit had a [ruling gradient](/source/Ruling_gradient) of 4% or 1 in 25 and it was not uncommon for most freight trains to require a [banker](/source/Bank_engine).[3]

Since 2015, Cerro Summit has been home to the Cerro Summit Recreation Area, an [open space](/source/Open_space_reserve) managed by the City of Montrose which features a network of hiking trails.[4]

## References

1. ["DRGW.Net | Black Canyon / Cerro Summit Main Line"](http://www.drgw.net/info/BlackCanyon)

1. ["Narrow Gauge Railroad Through Black Canyon - Curecanti National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)"](https://www.nps.gov/cure/learn/historyculture/railroad.htm). *www.nps.gov*. Retrieved 2018-05-12.

1. ["Blackstone Models"](http://blackstonemodels.com/new/c19/c19history.php). *blackstonemodels.com*. Retrieved 2018-05-12.

1. Brandt, Laurie. ["Go explore the Cerro Summit trails"](https://www.montrosepress.com/news/outdoors/go-explore-the-cerro-summit-trails/article_df22ebec-26c2-11e5-a37b-d3554018ffa1.html). *Montrose Daily Press*. Retrieved 2018-05-12.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cerro Summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Summit) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Summit?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.