transportation over the pass in jeopardy. Highway route In the 20th century, the pass was used as the route of U.S. Route 85 and, later, Interstate 25 between Denver and Albuquerque. At above sea level, the highway is subject to difficult driving conditions and occasional closures during heavy winter snowfalls. In popular culture The pass was part of a Townes Van Zandt song "Snowin' on Raton". During a live performance, Townes commented how he liked playing a show in Colorado because he didn't have to explain what Raton was. The 1951 western movie Raton Pass stars Academy Award actress Patricia Neal. Raton Pass is mentioned in C. W. McCall's (Bill Fries) song "Four Wheel Cowboy", from his album Wilderness. "Four Wheel Cowboy" also appears on his compilation release, titled "The Best of C. W. McCall". Clint Black makes reference to the Raton Pass in the song "The Goodnight-Loving" from the album "Put Yourself in My Shoes." Ridin' against the wind in east New Mexico, His skin is dry and worn as the Texas plains. He's headed where the air is thin and the cold blue northers blow, Up through the Raton Pass, but he'll have to beat the early snow, In the 1951 Randolph Scott film Santa Fe there is a part about how the Santa Fe railroad acquired Raton Pass for the use of the rail road. Gallery See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Las Animas County, Colorado National Register of Historic Places listings in Colfax County, New Mexico List of National Historic Landmarks in Colorado List of National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico References Further reading External links Raton Tunnel “Glorieta and Raton Passes: Gateways to the Southwest”, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan Raton Line: The Original Santa Fe Transcontinental, a railroad history of Raton Pass Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Landforms of Las Animas County, Colorado Interstate 25 Landforms of Colfax County, New Mexico Mountain passes of Colorado Mountain passes of New Mexico National Historic Landmarks in Colorado National Historic Landmarks in New Mexico Natural features on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico Rail mountain passes of the United States Santa Fe Trail Transportation in Colfax County, New Mexico Transportation in Las Animas County, Colorado Raton, New Mexico National Register of Historic Places in Colfax County, New Mexico National Register of Historic Places in