One short stop on US-550 worth the pullout, and a backcountry road worth knowing about before you tow anything oversized.
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Baker’s Bridge
North of town on US-550, Baker’s Bridge crosses the Animas River at a spot that’s become shorthand for a very specific piece of outlaw folklore: the river jump Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid supposedly made here, staying one step ahead of a posse. Nobody can prove it happened at this exact bridge — it’s one of several spots across the Southwest that claims the story — but the bridge, the river, and the canyon walls make the case for themselves on camera regardless of how much of it is true.
The water underneath ran an opaque, bright green the day we visited — striking enough that we walked out onto the bridge itself rather than shooting from the road.
Lime Creek Road — Know Before You Tow
A dirt detour off the main highway, Lime Creek Road loops through backcountry the paved route never shows you — thinner air, tighter curves, fewer people, rejoining US-550 further north. We didn’t drive it ourselves this trip: between our truck’s wheelbase and advice suggesting it would be a bad idea for a rig our size, we chose not to risk it. If you’re in a smaller rig or a standalone vehicle, it’s worth the detour — just don’t assume it works for anything oversized, and check current road conditions before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lime Creek Road passable for a regular car?
It’s a maintained but narrow dirt road, generally fine for passenger vehicles and smaller rigs in dry conditions — but it’s not suited to larger trucks or anything oversized, which is why we skipped it ourselves this trip. Check current conditions before towing anything wide.
Did Butch Cassidy actually jump Baker’s Bridge?
It’s disputed — several sites across the Southwest claim the same story, and there’s no definitive record tying the jump to this exact spot.
How far is Baker’s Bridge from downtown Durango?
About 13 miles north on US-550, roughly a 20-25 minute drive.
🏕 Where We Stayed — Junction West Durango Riverside
Junction West Durango Riverside, Durango, CO | jwdurango.com
We based out of Junction West — All our drives were within an hour range. Disclosure: our stay was hosted by Junction West Durango RV Park. All opinions are our own.
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Angela DiLoreto is a bestselling author, former Fortune 500 marketing executive, and a passionate advocate who successfully worked to change stalking laws in several states after a family friend was murdered by her stalker. That fight — for justice, for voices that weren’t being heard, for stories that needed to be told — runs through everything she does. She and her husband Vince travel the country by RV with their two rescue chihuahuas, Gracie and Loki, chasing history, great food, and the overlooked people and places that shaped America. Angela created Fitting in Adventure and the Historic Footnotes series because the best stories are usually the ones nobody’s heard yet.