. ▁ ▁After ▁losing ▁the ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁Highway , ▁officials ▁convinced ▁pl ann ers ▁of ▁the ▁Vict ory ▁Highway ▁to ▁traverse ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁highway ▁entered ▁Colorado ▁from ▁Kansas ▁along ▁what ▁was ▁previously ▁called ▁the ▁Sm ok y ▁Hill ▁Tra il . ▁The ▁highway ▁crossed ▁the ▁mountains ▁along ▁a ▁trail ▁bla zed ▁by ▁a ▁rail road ▁survey or ▁and ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁cr est ing ▁at ▁Ber th oud ▁Pass . ▁After ▁a ▁round ▁of ▁political ▁inf ight ing ▁between ▁Ut ah ▁and ▁Nev ada , ▁the ▁Vict ory ▁Highway ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁Highway ' s ▁main ▁rival ▁for ▁San ▁Francisco - bound ▁traffic . ▁When ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁system ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁the ▁Vict ory ▁Highway ▁was ▁number ed ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁ 4 0 . ▁ ▁While ▁US ▁ 6 ▁was ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁U . S . ▁High ways , ▁the ▁road ▁originally ▁served ▁the ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Rock y ▁Mountains . ▁The ▁highway ▁was ▁not ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁coast ▁until ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁mostly ▁following ▁the ▁Mid land ▁Tra il . ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Highway ▁system ▁was ▁formed , ▁the ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁Mid land ▁Tra il ▁through ▁Glen wood ▁C any on , ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Taylor ▁State ▁Road , ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁a ▁flo