Colorado Geography
Colorado Guide
Colorado Geography
| Geography of Colorado | Mountain Ranges of Colorado |
| List of Rivers in Colorado | Colorado Geography Maps / Images |
Geography of Colorado
Geographically, the borders of Colorado are defined by latitudinal and longitudinal lines, making its shape like a square that stretches in the North from 37°to 41°in latitudes and in the west from 102°03' to 109°03'in longitudes. Colorado, Wyoming and Utah are the only states that have their borders defined by the nature itself, i.e. they have nature defined boundaries.
The highest point of Colorado is the peak of Mount Elbert in Lake County at 14,440 feet above sea level. It is the only U.S. state sited above 1,000 meters (3,281 ft.) of altitude. The lowest point of Colorado is at an altitude of 3,317 feet where Arikaree River flows out of Yuma County, Colorado to Cheyenne County, Kansas. It is the lowest altitude of any state.
One third area of the state of Colorado is a flat land in disparity to the rough Rocky Mountains. On the east side of the Rocky Mountains lies the Colorado Eastern Plains which is a part of the Great Plains and is placed at altitudes of 3350 to 6500 feet.
On the east and northeastern side of Colorado lies the states of Kansas and Nebraska respectively. The plains of Colorado are the lands of deciduous forests. Eastern Colorado is used as a farmland having small farming villages and towns. The summers of the plains remain hot and humid, and, the amount of rainfall rational, around 380 to 630mm per annum. The winters are cold, and icy. The crops that grow in this region mainly consist of corn, wheat, fodder, soya beans, and oats. Apart from farming, livestock is also raised by the people of this region. Water coming from South Platte, streams and the Arkansas River is used for irrigation purpose.
Almost all the people live in the “Front Range Urban Corridor” sited beside the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains amid the areas of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Pueblo and Colorado. The other important population centers are Grand Junction and Durango in western Colorado.
The Rocky Mountains contain 54 peaks that are at altitude levels of 14,000 feet above sea level and are known as fourteeners. The notable peaks of this mountain range are Longs Peak, Mount Evans, and Pikes Peak, along with the Spanish Peaks near Walsenburg, in southern Colorado. Trees like conifers, aspens etc. cover these mountains at an altitude of 12,140 feet in southern Colorado and to 10,500 feet in northern Colorado. On altitudes higher than this only alpine flora grows. The Mississippi and Rio Grande rivers flow from this area towards east into the Gulf of Mexico. On the western slope of the Rocky Mountains lies the Continental Divide. The area of Colorado on this slope is known as the Western slope of Colorado. Interior to the Rocky Mountains there are several high broad basins.
The area of southern Colorado has the valley of San Luis sited near the Rio Grande River. The basins of San Luis Valley, and the Wet Mountain Valley (which is sited across the Sangre de Cristo Range to the east of the San Luis Valley), lie along the Rio Grande Rift, and is the basis of the formation of the Rocky Mountains.
On the western slope of Colorado, flows the Colorado River along with its tributaries like the Green River and the San Juan River. On the southwestern area of the Western slope of the Rocky Mountains there lays the high San Juan mountain range. This area has a mineral belt stretching from the mountains of San Juan in southwest to Boulder and Central City on the Front Range and covers the districts famous for gold and silver mining.
Towards the west of the San Juan Mountains, lies the Colorado Plateau, which is a highly dry region. The largest city of Colorado is the city of Grand Junction on the Western Slope. Apart from the city of Durango the city of Grand Junction is also a main center for broadcasting on radio and television.Taste for reading newspapers and higher studies can also be found among the people living on the Western Slope. The city of Grand Junction is the only city sitedbeside the only main road of Western Colorado (Interstate 70) and the main railroad of the Western Slope (Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad). Grand Mesa, the world's largest flat-topped mountain is sited on the southeast Grand Junction.
The northwest corner of Colorado is a low occupied region, a scenic area of high, stony hills, ravines, and streambeds. The land consists of semi-desert like basins, alpine mountains, National forests etc., starting from western Colorado to the eastern Colorado. Colorado is one of four states in the United States which share a mutual terrestrial point “The Four Corners”. The other states are of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. If any one stands at this juncture, it is likelythat he will be standing in all four states at once.
List of Rivers in Colorado
| Adams Fork Conejos River | Little Cimarron River | Rio Lado |
| Alamosa River (383 km2 = 148 mi2) | Little Dolores River | Rio San Antonio |
| Animas River (3,562 km2 = 1,375 mi2) | Little Dry Creek | Roan Creek |
| Apishapa River (2,798 km2 = 1,080 mi2) | Little Navajo River | Roaring Fork Little Snake River |
| Arikaree River (4,429 km2 = 1,710 mi2) | Little Snake River (10,629 km2 = 4,104 mi2) | Roaring Fork River (3,766 km2 = 1,454 mi2) |
| Arkansas River (478,501 km2 = 184,750 mi2) | Little Thompson River | Roaring River |
| Aspen Brook | Lodgepole Creek (8,374 km2 = 3,233 mi2) | Rush Creek (3,570 km2 = 1,378 mi2) |
| Bear Creek (4,500 km2 = 1,737 mi2) | Lone Tree Creek | Saguache Creek (3,482 km2 = 1,345 mi2) |
| Bear Creek (339 km2 = 131 mi2) | Los Piños River | Saint Charles River |
| Bear River | Mancos River (2,099 km2 = 810 mi2) | Saint Vrain Creek (2,572 km2 = 993 mi2) |
| Beaver Creek (2,939 km2 = 1,135 mi2) | McElmo Creek (1,842 km2 = 711 mi2) | San Juan River (64,560 km2 = 24,927 mi2) |
| Big Dry Creek | Michigan River | San Luis Creek (7,000 km2 = 2,703 mi2) |
| Big Sandy Creek (4,825 km2 = 1,863 mi2) | Middle Fork Cimarron River | San Miguel River (4,060 km2 = 1,567 mi2) |
| Big Thompson River (2,149 km2 = 830 mi2) | Middle Fork Conejos River | Sand Arroyo Creek (1,938 km2 = 748 mi2) |
| Bijou Creek (3,612 km2 = 1,395 mi2) | Middle Fork Elk River | Sand Creek |
| Blue River (1,770 km2 = 683 mi2) | Middle Fork Little Snake River | Sidney Draw (1,949 km2 = 753 mi2) |
| Boulder Creek[2] (1,160 km2 = 448 mi2) | Middle Fork Piedra River | Slate River |
| Cache la Poudre River (4,959 km2 = 1,915 mi2) | Middle Fork Purgatoire River | Smoky Hill River (51,783 km2 = 19,994 mi2) |
| Canadian River (122,701 km2 = 47,375 mi2) | Middle Fork South Arkansas River | Snake River |
| Canadian River | Middle Fork South Platte River | South Arkansas River |
| Chalk Creek | Middle Fork Swan River | South Fork Animas River |
| Cherry Creek (1,050 km2 = 405 mi2) | Middle Mancos River | South Fork Beaver Creek (1,939 km2 = 749 mi2) |
| Chico Creek (1,934 km2 = 747 mi2) | Montezuma Creek (3,044 km2 = 1,175 mi2) | South Fork Cache la Poudre River |
| Cimarron River (44,890 km2 = 17,332 mi2) | Muddy Creek | South Fork Canadian River |
| Cimarron River | Navajo River | South Fork Conejos River |
| Clear Creek (1,497 km2 = 578 mi2) | North Branch Conejos River | South Fork Crystal River |
| Colorado River[3] (703,132 km2 = 271,481 mi2) The upper Colorado River, formerly known as the Grand River[3] (67,993 km2 = 26,252 mi2) | North Fork Animas River | South Fork Cucharas River |
| Conejos River (2,078 km2 = 802 mi2) | North Fork Apishapa River | South Fork Eagle River |
| Crow Creek (3,717 km2 = 1,435 mi2) | North Fork Arikaree River | South Fork Elk River |
| Crystal River | North Fork Big Thompson River | South Fork Fryingpan River |
| Cucharas River | North Fork Cache la Poudre River | South Fork Huerfano River |
| Dolores River (11,998 km2 = 4,633 mi2) | North Fork Canadian River | South Fork Little Snake River |
| Dry Fork Michigan River | North Fork Cimarron River (4,462 km2 = 1,723 mi2) | South Fork Michigan River |
| Eagle River (2,515 km2 = 971 mi2) | North Fork Conejos River | South Fork Piney River |
| East Fork Arkansas River | North Fork Crystal River | South Fork Purgatoire River |
| East Fork Cimarron River | North Fork Fryingpan River | South Fork Republican River (7,195 km2 = 2,778 mi2) |
| East Fork Eagle River | North Fork Gunnison River (2,492 km2 = 962 mi2) | South Fork Rio Grande |
| East Fork Little Cimarron River | North Fork Little Snake River | South Fork San Miguel River |
| East Fork Navajo River | North Fork Little Thompson River | South Fork South Platte River |
| East Fork Piedra River | North Fork Los Piños River | South Fork Swan River |
| East Fork Rio Chama | North Fork Michigan River | South Fork West Mancos River |
| East Fork San Juan River | North Fork North Platte River | South Fork White River |
| East Fork South Fork Crystal River | North Fork Piney River | South Platte River (62,738 km2 = 24,223 mi2) |
| East Mancos River | North Fork Purgatoire River | Spring Creek |
| East River (762 km2 = 294 mi2) | North Fork Republican River (13,172 km2 = 5,086 mi2) | Spruce Creek |
| Elk River | North Fork Rio de los Piños | Swan River |
| Encampment River | North Fork Smoky Hill River (1,965 km2 = 759 mi2) | Tarryall Creek |
| Fall River | North Fork Snake River | Taylor River (1,258 km2 = 486 mi2) |
| Fall River | North Fork South Arkansas River | Tomichi Creek (2,874 km2 = 1,109 mi2) |
| First Fork Piedra River | North Fork South Platte River | Trinchera Creek |
| First Fork South Fork Piney River | North Fork Swan River | Two Butte Creek (2,107 km2 = 814 mi2) |
| Florida River | North Fork Vermejo River | Uncompahgre River (2,921 km2 = 1,128 mi2) |
| Fountain Creek (2,418 km2 = 933 mi2) | North Fork West Branch Laramie River | Vermillion Creek (2,500 km2 = 965 mi2) |
| Fraser River | North Fork West Mancos River | West Branch Laramie River |
| Frenchman Creek (7,398 km2 = 2,856 mi2) | North Fork White River | West Dolores River |
| Fryingpan River | North Platte River (80,755 km2 = 31,180 mi2) | West Fork Animas River |
| Geneva Creek | North Saint Charles River | West Fork Cimarron River |
| Gore Creek | Owl Creek | West Fork Elk River |
| Green River[3][4] (115,903 km2 = 44,750 mi2) | Parachute Creek | West Fork Encampment River |
| Gunnison River[5] (20,851 km2 = 8,051 mi2) | Pawnee Creek (1,875 km2 = 724 mi2) | West Fork Little Thompson River |
| Hidden River | Piceance Creek (1,630 km2 = 629 mi2) | West Fork North Fork Purgatoire River |
| Hill Branch Cucharas River | Piedra River (1,770 km2 = 683 mi2) | West Fork Rio Chama |
| Horse Creek (3,680 km2 = 1,421 mi2) | Piney River | West Fork San Juan River |
| Huerfano River (4,840 km2 = 1,869 mi2) | Plateau Creek | West Mancos River |
| Illinois River | Purgatoire River (8,923 km2 = 3,445 mi2) | White River (12,989 km2 = 5,015 mi2) |
| Kiowa Creek (1,888 km2 = 729 mi2) | Ralston Creek | White Woman Creek (3,000 km2 = 1,158 mi2) |
| La Plata River | Rio Blanco | Williams Fork |
| Ladder Creek (3,645 km2 = 1,407 mi2) | Rio Chama (8,204 km2 = 3,168 mi2) | Willow Creek |
| Laramie River (11,961 km2 = 4,618 mi2) | Rio Chamita | Wind River |
| Left Hand Creek | Rio de los Piños | Yampa River (21,506 km2 = 8,304 mi2) |
| Little Beaver Creek (1,602 km2 = 619 mi2) | Rio Grande (457,275 km2 = 176,555 mi2) | Yellow Creek (760 km2 = 293 mi2) |
Mountain Ranges of Colorado
| Highest Summit | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary | Summit Name | Elevation | Prominence | Isolation |
| Sawatch Range | Central Sawatch Range | Elbert Massif | Mount Elbert | 14,440 feet 4401 m |
9,093 feet 2772 m |
670.6 miles 1079.2 km |
| Massive Massif | Mount Massive | 14,428 feet 4398 m |
1,941 feet 592 m |
5.1 miles 8.2 km |
||
| Collegiate Peaks | Mount Harvard | 14,421 feet 4396 m |
2,327 feet 709 m |
14.9 miles 24.0 km |
||
| Williams Mountains | Williams Mountains High Point | 13,389 feet 4081 m |
1,682 feet 513 m |
3.7 miles 6.0 km |
||
| Southern Sawatch Range | Mount Antero | 14,276 feet 4351 m |
2,503 feet 763 m |
17.7 miles 28.6 km |
||
| Far Southern Sawatch Range | Mount Ouray | 13,961 feet 4255 m |
2,659 feet 810 m |
13.6 miles 21.9 km |
||
| Northern Sawatch Range | Mount of the Holy Cross | 14,009 feet 4270 m |
2,111 feet 643 m |
18.5 miles 29.8 km |
||
| Sangre de Cristo Mountains | Sierra Blanca | Blanca Peak | 14,351 feet 4374 m |
5,326 feet 1623 m |
103.4 miles 166.4 km |
|
| Northern Sangre de Cristo Range | Crestones | Crestone Peak | 14,300 feet 4359 m |
4,554 feet 1388 m |
27.4 miles 44.1 km |
|
| Rito Alto Peak | 13,800 feet 4206 m |
1,134 feet 346 m |
7.3 miles 11.7 km |
|||
| Culebra Range | Culebra Peak | 14,053 feet 4283 m |
4,827 feet 1471 m |
35.5 miles 57.1 km |
||
| Spanish Peaks | West Spanish Peak | 13,631 feet 4155 m |
3,685 feet 1123 m |
20.4 miles 32.9 km |
||
| Wet Mountains | Greenhorn Mountain | 12,352 feet 3765 m |
3,777 feet 1151 m |
26.4 miles 42.5 km |
||
| San Juan Mountains | North Central San Juan Mountains | Uncompahgre Peak | 14,321 feet 4365 m |
4,277 feet 1304 m |
85.1 miles 136.9 km |
|
| San Miguel Mountains | Mount Wilson | 14,252 feet 4344 m |
4,024 feet 1227 m |
33.1 miles 53.2 km |
||
| Sneffels Range | Mount Sneffels | 14,158 feet 4315 m |
3,050 feet 930 m |
15.7 miles 25.3 km |
||
| Needle Mountains | Mount Eolus | 14,089 feet 4294 m |
2,183 feet 665 m |
25.2 miles 40.5 km |
||
| Grenadier Range | Vestal Peak | 13,870 feet 4228 m |
1,104 feet 336 m |
4.3 miles 6.9 km |
||
| West Needle Mountains | Twilight Peak | 13,163 feet 4012 m |
2,338 feet 713 m |
4.9 miles 7.9 km |
||
| La Garita Mountains | San Luis Peak | 14,022 feet 4274 m |
3,113 feet 949 m |
27.0 miles 43.4 km |
||
| Cochetopa Hills | Long Branch Baldy | 11,982 feet 3652 m |
1,474 feet 449 m |
13.7 miles 22.0 km |
||
| East Central San Juan Mountains | Half Peak | 13,848 feet 4221 m |
1,481 feet 451 m |
3.9 miles 6.3 km |
||
| Southern San Juan Mountains | Summit Peak | 13,308 feet 4056 m |
2,760 feet 841 m |
39.9 miles 64.2 km |
||
| La Plata Mountains | Lavender Peak | 13,245 feet 4037 m |
2,860 feet 872 m |
24.8 miles 39.9 km |
||
| Mosquito Range | Mount Lincoln | 14,293 feet 4357 m |
3,862 feet 1177 m |
22.6 miles 36.3 km |
||
| Tenmile Range | Quandary Peak | 14,271 feet 4350 m |
1,105 feet 337 m |
3.2 miles 5.1 km |
||
| Front Range | Central Front Range | Grays Peak | 14,278 feet 4352 m |
2,770 feet 844 m |
25.0 miles 40.3 km |
|
| Northern Front Range | Longs Peak Massif | Longs Peak | 14,259 feet 4346 m |
2,940 feet 896 m |
43.6 miles 70.2 km |
|
| Mummy Range | Hagues Peak | 13,573 feet 4137 m |
2,420 feet 738 m |
15.9 miles 25.6 km |
||
| Indian Peaks | North Arapaho Peak | 13,508 feet 4117 m |
1,665 feet 507 m |
15.4 miles 24.8 km |
||
| Never Summer Mountains | Mount Richthofen | 12,945 feet 3946 m |
2,680 feet 817 m |
9.7 miles 15.5 km |
||
| Southern Front Range | Pikes Peak Massif | Pikes Peak | 14,115 feet 4302 m |
5,530 feet 1686 m |
60.8 miles 97.8 km |
|
| South Park Hills | Waugh Mountain | 11,716 feet 3571 m |
2,330 feet 710 m |
20.0 miles 32.2 km |
||
| South Williams Fork Mountains | Ptarmigan Peak | 12,504 feet 3811 m |
721 feet 220 m |
4.3 miles 6.9 km |
||
| Tarryall Mountains | Bison Peak | 12,432 feet 3789 m |
2,451 feet 747 m |
19.1 miles 30.8 km |
||
| Kenosha Mountains | Windy Peak | 11,970 feet 3649 m |
1,510 feet 460 m |
5.4 miles 8.7 km |
||
| Rampart Range | Devils Head | 9,749 feet 2972 m |
1,248 feet 380 m |
8.0 miles 12.9 km |
||
| Elk Mountains | Castle Peak | 14,279 feet 4352 m |
2,365 feet 721 m |
20.9 miles 33.7 km |
||
| Ruby Range | Mount Owen | 13,070 feet 3984 m |
1,358 feet 414 m |
8.0 miles 12.8 km |
||
| West Elk Mountains | West Elk Peak | 13,042 feet 3975 m |
3,095 feet 943 m |
13.8 miles 22.2 km |
||
| Gore Range | Mount Powell | 13,566 feet 4135 m |
3,000 feet 914 m |
21.5 miles 34.6 km |
||
| Medicine Bow Mountains | Clark Peak | 12,956 feet 3949 m |
2,771 feet 845 m |
16.7 miles 26.8 km |
||
| Flat Tops | Flat Top Mountain | 12,361 feet 3768 m |
4,054 feet 1236 m |
42.8 miles 68.9 km |
||
| Rabbit Ears Range | Parkview Mountain | 12,301 feet 3749 m |
2,676 feet 816 m |
10.9 miles 17.6 km |
||
| Park Range | Central Park Range | Mount Zirkel | 12,185 feet 3714 m |
3,470 feet 1058 m |
41.5 miles 66.8 km |
|
| Elkhead Mountains | Sand Mountain North | 10,884 feet 3317 m |
2,179 feet 664 m |
18.2 miles 29.3 km |
||
| White River Plateau | Blair Mountain | 11,445 feet 3488 m |
1,736 feet 529 m |
17.5 miles 28.2 km |
||
| Grand Mesa | Crater Peak | 11,333 feet 3454 m |
2,307 feet 703 m |
18.0 miles 29.0 km |
||
| Laramie Mountains | Laramie Mountains High Point | 11,025 feet 3360 m |
1,880 feet 573 m |
15.5 miles 24.9 km |
||
| Uncompaghre Plateau | Horsefly Peak | 10,353 feet 3156 m |
1,437 feet 438 m |
14.6 miles 23.5 km |
||
| Ute Mountain | Ute Peak | 9,984 feet 3043 m |
4,039 feet 1231 m |
39.1 miles 62.9 km |
||
| Northwestern Colorado | Diamond Peak | 9,645 feet 2940 m |
2,845 feet 867 m |
30.3 miles 48.8 km |
||
| Raton Mesa | Fishers Peak | 9,633 feet 2936 m |
1,847 feet 563 m |
32.4 miles 52.2 km |
||
| Uinta Range | Eastern Uinta Range | Southeastern Uinta Range | Zenobia Peak | 9,022 feet 2750 m |
2,395 feet 730 m |
23.7 miles 38.1 km |
