Gunnison Tunnel, Water tunnel in Montrose County, United States.
The Gunnison Tunnel stretches 5.8 miles through Vernal Mesa, featuring an 11 by 12 feet cross-section with square corners and an arched roof.
The tunnel construction, completed in 1909, required innovative techniques including compressed air jackhammers and dynamite, replacing traditional black powder and hand-turned drills.
The 1909 inauguration ceremony brought President William Howard Taft to Montrose County, marking a turning point for regional agricultural development.
The water diversion system transfers water from Gunnison River to Uncompahgre Valley, enabling agricultural production across previously non-cultivable lands.
The deepest section of the tunnel runs 2,200 feet beneath Vernal Mesa, making it an engineering achievement for early 20th-century construction methods.
Location: Montrose County
Inception: 1901
GPS coordinates: 38.49333,-107.72139
Latest update: May 22, 2025 19:01
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D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle
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Crystal Dam
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Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area
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Morrow Point Reservoir
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Gunnison Gorge Wilderness
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Crystal Reservoir
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Ute Indian Museum
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Methodist Episcopal Church of Montrose
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North Rim Road, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
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Montrose County Historical Museum
13.9 km
Thomas B. Townsend House
13.4 km
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge
13.5 km
Montrose Masonic Temple, Lodge No. 63
13.5 km
Rio Grande Southern Railroad Derrick Car
15.5 km
Montrose County Courthouse
13.5 km
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Project Office Building
13.7 km
North Rim Road
8.5 km
Painted Wall
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Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad 278
15.7 km
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Caboose No. 0577
15.7 km
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Stock Car No. 5620
15.5 km
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Boxcar No. 3132
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Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Box Outfit Car No. 04414
15.5 km
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Stock Car No. 5679D
15.5 km
South Rim Visitor Center
7.5 km
Fox Cinema Center
13.6 km
Cimarron Visitor Center
15.5 kmReviews
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