"4th of July Storm at Sunset on Trail Ridge Road" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker (Adam Baker) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
Geography
The political boundaries of Colorado encompass portions of three physiographic regions: the Great Plains to the east, the Rocky Mountains in the middle and the Colorado Plateau on the far western and southwestern fringe.
Southern Rockies
Colorado's most extensive backcountry lies in the great mass of the southern Rockies, the highest portion of the cordillera stretching from British Columbia to New Mexico. There are more peaks over 14,000 feet in Colorado than any other U.S. state except for Alaska.
National Parks and Monuments
The National Park Service is well-represented in Colorado. There are more than 10 national parks, monuments and historic sites in the state.
Wilderness
Colorado is richly endowed in federally designated wilderness areas, excellent destinations for the backcountry explorer. The 100,000-acre Uncompahgre Wilderness straddles the high Uncompahgre Plateau in the far west, while the lightly visited, 43,000-acre Buffalo Peaks Wilderness southwest of Denver protects a pair of eroded volcanic areas.
Weather
Colorado's high country sees great extremes of weather. The heavy snows of winter provide opportunities for skiing, snowshoeing and other sports, while early autumn often graces hikers with crisp temperatures and sun.
About The Author
Ethan Schowalter-Hay is a writer and naturalist living in Oregon, although he originally hails from the prairies and brushy woods of Wisconsin. He has written for the "Observer" newspaper (La Grande, Ore.), Demand Studios, Examiner.com and the Bureau of Land Management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in wildlife ecology and a graduate certificate in geographic information systems from the University of Wisconsin.
