Colorado
is a very diverse state with mountains, plateaus, canyons and plains. The
eastern half of the state has flat, high plains and rolling prairies gradually
rising westward to the front range foothills and the higher ranges of the
Rocky Mountains. This is where you'll find Denver, Colorado Springs and
Fort Collins. The Continental Divide runs from north to south through west
central Colorado and bisects the state into the eastern and western slopes.
The western half of the state consists of alpine terrain interspersed with
wide valleys, rugged canyons, high plateaus and deep basins. This is where
you will find towns like Grand Junction, Crested Butte, Aspen, Durango and
Telluride.
Colorado's
altitude is one of its distinctive geographical features making it on average,
the nation's highest state. The average elevation is 6,800 feet. The lowest
elevation in Colorado is 3,350 feet at the Arkansas River near the town
of Holly. Colorado's highest peak is Mt. Elbert at 14,431 feet high, or
2.72 miles above sea level. In towns such as Durango, you can go from 6,500
feet up to 11,000-12,000 feet in less than an hour and see the landcape
change right before your eyes.
Mt.
Elbert is the 14th highest peak in the United States, including mountain
peaks in the state of Alaska. In addition, there are 54 mountain peaks in
Colorado over 14,000 feet high and more than a thousand peaks over 10,000
feet high.
The
Continental Divide runs north to south along the top of the Rocky Mountains
and this is where you'll find the headwaters for six major rivers.. It was
named the Continental Divide because waters west of the divide flow toward
the Pacific ocean and those east of the divide flow toward the Atlantic
ocean. West of the Continental Divide, the Colorado River, for which our
state was named, flows southwest from high in the Rocky Mountains in north
central Colorado toward the Gulf of California. East of the Continental
Divide, the North Platte, the South Platte, the Arkansas, the Republican
and the Rio Grande rivers all originate in Colorado's mountains or plains
and flow east toward the Missouri River, southeast to the Mississippi River
and then south to the Gulf of Mexico.
Historically,
the economy of Colorado was based on mining. The discovery of gold in
1858 began much of the westward migration to the state. Later, production
of silver, uranium, coal, molybdenum and petroleum all contributed to
the state's boom and bust economy. Much of the economy now centers around
high technology and the service industry.
Colorado
is a very diverse state with mountains, plateaus, canyons and plains. The
eastern half of the state has flat, high plains and rolling prairies gradually
rising westward to the front range foothills and the higher ranges of the
Rocky Mountains. This is where you'll find Denver, Colorado Springs and
Fort Collins. The Continental Divide runs from north to south through west
central Colorado and bisects the state into the eastern and western slopes.
The western half of the state consists of alpine terrain interspersed with
wide valleys, rugged canyons, high plateaus and deep basins. This is where
you will find towns like Grand Junction, Crested Butte, Aspen, Durango and
Telluride. 
Colorado's
altitude is one of its distinctive geographical features making it on average,
the nation's highest state. The average elevation is 6,800 feet. The lowest
elevation in Colorado is 3,350 feet at the Arkansas River near the town
of Holly. Colorado's highest peak is Mt. Elbert at 14,431 feet high, or
2.72 miles above sea level. In towns such as Durango, you can go from 6,500
feet up to 11,000-12,000 feet in less than an hour and see the landcape
change right before your eyes.
Mt.
Elbert is the 14th highest peak in the United States, including mountain
peaks in the state of Alaska. In addition, there are 54 mountain peaks in
Colorado over 14,000 feet high and more than a thousand peaks over 10,000
feet high. 
The
Continental Divide runs north to south along the top of the Rocky Mountains
and this is where you'll find the headwaters for six major rivers.. It was
named the Continental Divide because waters west of the divide flow toward
the Pacific ocean and those east of the divide flow toward the Atlantic
ocean. West of the Continental Divide, the Colorado River, for which our
state was named, flows southwest from high in the Rocky Mountains in north
central Colorado toward the Gulf of California. East of the Continental
Divide, the North Platte, the South Platte, the Arkansas, the Republican
and the Rio Grande rivers all originate in Colorado's mountains or plains
and flow east toward the Missouri River, southeast to the Mississippi River
and then south to the Gulf of Mexico. 