End of US highway 36

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info below is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Robert Mortell, Steven Nelson; Jason Reighard; me

The original west end of US 36 was at or near Colby KS. After a few years, it was extended west to Byers CO... and not long after that, to Strasburg CO. Already by 1937 US 36 had been extended to Denver, and for the next 30 years that's as far west as it went. You can view photos from all of those historic endpoints on this page.

The Denver-Boulder Turnpike was built in 1953. The bonds were paid off in 1967, so the tollbooths were removed, and by 1968 US 36 had been extended west from Denver. From Colfax and I-25, US 36 went north**, then northwest on the Turnpike, through Boulder, and on to Estes Park on former CO 66. According to historic CDoT maps for the next ten years, the west end of US 36 was right in Estes; you can view photos from there on this page.

**It wasn't until 1970 that US 36 traffic was routed off Colfax, instead using I-70 and I-270 to get to the Turnpike.

In 1978 the US 36 designation was extended west of Estes Park, along former CO hwy. 66, to its current terminus in Rocky Mountain National Park. There is no "End" sign, but the photo below shows what signage does exist at the west end:

me, Feb. 2005

In the background is the "T" intersection where 36 ends (known as "Deer Ridge Junction"). If you turn right, you'll wind around and head back east on US 34, back to Estes (see map below). If you go straight, you are heading west on US 34, over Trail Ridge Road and Milner Pass towards Grand Lake:

Heading the other direction (east on US 34, down from Trail Ridge), one sees the sign below at the west beginning of US 36:

me, 1999

You may be aware of the fact that US routes are not signed in Yellowstone National Park (which is of particular interest to roadfans, because it means that highways which enter the Park from two directions [such as US 20] technically have interruptions in their mileage). However, as you can see from the photos on this page, that's not a standard practice among National Parks. Moreover, this sign demonstrates how the Park Service seems to have no qualms about signing US routes within their boundaries however they please: note how each route is signed as an alternate for the other (since they both join up again in Estes). I've never seen this on any map, and to my knowledge this is the only sign that makes reference to these "Alt" routes (you can view photos of signage at their implied east end in Estes Park - as well as other confusing signs there - on this page). For comparison, see how this junction used to be signed:

Summa

I don't have a date for that, but it was probably after 1978. It was taken from the perspective of a driver already on eastbound US 34, so it's a little strange that US 34 was signed two different directions from this point. Anyway, as one approaches Deer Ridge Jct. on westbound US 34 from Estes, they see the sign below...

me, Feb. 2005

...and just around the curve at the stop sign, there's a fantastic view of Longs Peak straight ahead (one of Colorado's more well-known 14-ers):

me, Feb. 2005

Note how the destination for westbound US 34 (to the right) is not shown: it's covered up during most of the year, when the road is closed. The sign below shows what it looks like during the warmer months:

me, 1999

If you take a left there, you won't see the first eastbound US 36 reassurance marker for another five miles:

That's on the edge of the Park, almost to Estes city limits, just past where CO 66 comes in from the south and merges with US 36. Right across the road from there is the last westbound marker:

me, Feb. 2005

US 36's original eastern terminus was in Indianapolis (you can view a photo from there on my US 136 page). In 1932, US 36 was extended east to Cadiz OH. Traffic came in on Dennison Avenue, which merges with Lincoln Avenue in town, which in turn becomes Market Street near downtown. So at first, US 36 ended at Main Street, which carried US 22. The photo below was taken looking southeast on Market:

Nelson, May 2008

Today Market carries US 250. The crossroad is Main, or historic US 22, so US 36 ended here. The photo below is looking northeast on Main:

Nelson, May 2008

That was eastbound US 22, and US 36 began to the left on Market. In the 1961, today's US 22 bypass was built around the north edge of town. When that happened, it's possible that the US 36 designation was truncated to its junction with the new US 22. The photo below was taken from westbound US 22/US 250:

Nelson, May 2008

Here, US 250 splits off by exiting to the right. That could've been the east beginning of US 36 for a time. However, after the US 22 bypass was built, Main was probably signed as Business 22, so it's also possible that US 36 continued to end at its original downtown location.

In 1974 US 36's multiplex with US 250 was eliminated by truncating the east end to its current terminus in Uhrichsville OH. The shot below shows the east beginning of US 36 as seen from eastbound US 250:

Reighard, Sep. 2002

Below is the last eastbound US 36 shield:

Reighard, Sep. 2002

The furthest green sign in the distance is shown close-up below:

Reighard, Sep. 2002

Note the "End" sign at far left. The photo below was taken from the opposite direction:

Mortell, Aug. 2006

That's on westbound US 250 / northbound OH 800, both of which exit to the right. Straight ahead is the east beginning of US 36.