Download Feature and Regions

Features and
Regions
What makes Colorado so AWESOME 
Natural Features!
• What is a natural feature?
• naturally-created features of the
Earth.
• i.e rivers, canyons, mountains,
forests , lakes, soil, plants, animals
and the climate
Colorado Rivers
• Colorado has over 158 named “rivers” or water ways
• Of these 158 only two, the Cimarron’s and the Green’s
headwaters (the beginning of the river) are not located in
CO!
• Colorado Longest Rivers
• Rio Grande River - 1,896 miles
• Arkansas River - 1,469 miles
• Colorado River – 1,450 miles
• Canadian River- 906 miles
• Green River- 730 miles
• North Platte River- 716 miles
• Cimarron River- 698 miles
• Smoky Hill River – 575 miles
• South Platte River- 439 miles
Colorado Mountains
• There are six different mountain ranges in
Colorado
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Elk Range
Front Range
San Juan Range
Sangre de Cristo Range
Sawatch Range
Tenmile-Mosquito Range
Mountain Ranges
Elk Range
Front Range
• This group of mountains sits
on the western side of the
continental divide (largely in
southern Pitkin and northern
Gunnison counties).
• Most of the range is located
within the White River and
Gunnison National Forest.
• There are 6 Fourteeners in
this range.
• This range includes the
Maroon Bells, which are the
most photographed
mountains in all of the US!
• These are the first mountains
that travelers see when
coming across the plains.
• It extends from Cheyenne,
Wyoming to Pueblo,
Colorado.
• There are three national
forests that are part of the
front range they are Pike,
Arapaho and Roosevelt.
• There are 6 Fourteeners in
this range which includes 2
favorites among hikers and
they are Pikes Peak and
Longs Peak.
Mountain Ranges
San Juan Mountains
Sangre de Cristo
• This range is located in the
southern western area of
Colorado
• They are more a rugged
mountain range.
• The San Juan and
Uncompahgre National
Forests cover a large
portion of the San Juan
Mountains.
• There are 13 Fourteeners
located in this range.
• This range runs on the east
side of the Rio Grande Rift,
in southern CO
• It is a narrow range
• They extend SE from
Poncha Pass through
south-central Colorado to
La Veta Pass.
• Most of the range is
shared by 2 National
Forests, San Isabel and the
Rio Grande.
• There are 9 Fourteeners in
this range.
Mountain Ranges
Sawatch Range
• The range is located in
central Colorado
• It includes 8 of the 20
highest peaks in the Rocky
Mountains.
• Parts of these ranges are
in the White River and San
Isabel National Forest.
• There are 15 Fourteeners
here. Included the tallest
fourteener, Mt. Elbert and
the famous Mount of the
Holy Cross
Tenmile-Mosquitio
• It is located in central CO.
• It is the range you drive
through on I-70 west.
• The two ranges are
effectively the same range.
• They are split only by the
Continental Divide
• Two of the National
Forests in this range are
the Arapaho and Pike
• There are 5 Fourteeners in
this range.
Colorado Canyons… to
name two
McInnis Canyons
Gunnison Gorge
• Located west of Grand
Junction and Fruita,
• It encompasses 123,430
acres.
• Made of sheer sandstone
canyons, natural arches,
spires and alcoves
• It’s a peaceful 24-mile
stretch of the Colorado
River, and 75,000 acres of
wilderness designated as
the Black Ridge Canyons
Wilderness.
• Just north of Montrose
and east of Delta
• A diverse landscape
ranging from adobe
badlands to rugged piñon
and juniper covered
slopes.
• It is in the heart of the
Gunnison Gorge
Wilderness Area
• It is a spectacular black
granite and red sandstone
double canyon formed by
a 14-mile stretch of the
Gunnison River.
National Forests
• There are 9+ National Forest Areas in CO
• Arapaho National Forest
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Pike National Forest
• Rio Grande National Forest
• Routt National Forest
• San Isabel
• White Rive National Forest
• Uncompahgre National Forest
• San Juan National Forest
Colorado Popular Lakes
• Colorado may be landlocked, but that doesn’t mean we
lack shoreline.
• Lake Dillion
• Grand Lake
• Horsetooth Reservoir
• Lake Granby
• Lake San Cristobal
• Vallecito Lake
• McPhee Lake
• Grand Mesa Lakes
• Boulder Reservoir
Colorado Eastern Plains
• The Eastern Plains are part of the High Plains
• Make up the westernmost portion of the Great Plains. T
• The area is characterized by rolling plains and is divided by
the South Platte River and Arkansas River valleys. T
• The Eastern Plains rise from approximately 3,400 feet at the
eastern border of Colorado with Kansas, 7,500 feet east of
the Denver Basin
Colorado Climate
• In general
• A combination of high elevation, mid latitude interior continent
geography results in a cool, dry but invigorating climate.
• Temperature can have large swings from during the day into the
night
• Seasonal temperatures change dramatically.
• During summer there are hot days on the plains, but these are
often relieved by afternoon thundershowers.
• Mountain regions are usually cool.
• Humidity is low
Land Regions
• Region  is made up of places that share things in
common.
• In Colorado
• 5 Different land regions
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The High Plains
The Front Range
The Mountains
The San Luis Valley
The Western Slope
Project
• You will be placed into groups …
• You will be given a certain region.
• You will create a presentation based on the given region.
• Presentation
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Must be a PowerPoint or a Prezie
Must included color
You must have a work cited page
You must included the correct pictures for your region
When you finish you will send it to [email protected]
Read the rubric carefully