US 287 is Much More Than a Northern Colorado Road

When the majority of Coloradans think of 287, we think of College Avenue in Fort Collins, Cleveland and Lincoln Avenue in Loveland, Main Street in Longmont, and in the Denver Metro Area, Wadsworth Boulevard and Federal Boulevard.

While this road may be one of the many we take to and from work every day or use to get from one Northern Colorado town to another, this road is a major highway in the United States.

U.S. Route 287 runs north to south and spans across five states. It might surprise you to know that this long stretch of road is the second longest three-digit U.S. route in the nation. Starting at the southernmost point, U.S. Route 287 begins in Port Arthur, Texas, and travels north through Oklahoma, Colorado, and Wyoming, ending in Choteau, Montana.

How Many Miles Does U.S. Route 287 Cover?

U.S. Route 287 is a very long drive at 1,791 miles. According to Wikipedia, the original U.S. 287 only traveled from Denver, Colorado to past the Wyoming state line. In 1940, the highway was extended past the state line of Oklahoma and connected to Port Arthur, Texas, replacing U.S. Highway 285. Today, U.S. Route 287 runs 385.22 miles throughout the state of Colorado.

U.S. Route 287 in Northern Colorado is a Dangerous Road

Taking 287 past the city of Fort Collins into Laramie, Wyoming is considered to be a dangerous drive for many. Heavy semi-truck traffic coupled with rural roads has led to numerous accidents on this part of U.S. Route 287 for years. A Colorado Department of Transportation report showed that this area has above-average crash rates and safety improvements are needed. In 2024, three University of Wyoming members of the swim team were killed in a car crash on U.S. Route 287 10 miles south of the Colorado-Wyoming border. In the past five years, there have been 570 crashes and 15 fatal accidents in the same stretch of highway where the University of Wyoming students died.