‘The Rocky Mountains’ is a collective term for the Continental Divide.It separates the country’s watershed between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the headwaters of large rivers like the Colorado River, Rio Grande river, Arkansas river, and Green River.In addition, the Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountainous region in the United States, dating back to the Ordovician Period. The Rocky Mountains, sometimes known as the ‘Rockies’, are a large mountain range that occupies the western half of the American (northern region) continent.The Rocky Mountains are North America’s greatest mountain chain, stretching over 2982 mi (4,799 km). The Great Plains bounds the Rocky Mountains on the east and the west with the Canadian Coast Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, the Interior Plateau, and the United States’ Basin and Range Region.The Rocky Mountains form a Continental Divide, which is a rocky barrier that spans north to south across North America and allows water to drain into distinct rivers going to opposite parts of the continent. River valleys have been widened over the last two million years, first with acute glacier ice action and then by glacial meltwaters. The Rockies appear intimidating and sharp from a distance, but only around 20 summits in the full range require technical mountaineering abilities to climb.If you love learning about the Rocky Mountains, then do not forget to check out other fun articles about ancient Sparta and the tallest mountain from the seafloor.Rocky Mountains Geographic LocationLet’s start with some physical characteristics of western North America! The Rocky Mountains run from the far north in the West of Canada to the southern United States, where they meet in New Mexico.The mountain range runs through Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico in the United States, as well as Alberta and British Columbia in Canadian Provinces. The Rocky Mountains are made up of over 100 different mountain ranges that are divided into four groups. The state of Colorado is home to the Rocky Mountains’ top a hundred tallest summits.The Lewis and Bitterroot mountains in northeastern Idaho and western Montana are part of the Northern Rockies. These ranges developed along the eastern edge of a carbonate-sedimentation zone. The Canadian and Northern Rockies were formed after thick Paleozoic limestone was forced eastward across Mesozoic rocks during the Laramide Orogeny, a peak-building phase. The Rocky Mountain Trench runs along the western edge of the Canadian and Northern Rockies. The Rocky Mountains are changed by snow and ice throughout the season, trading in green for white.The Rocky Mountains create a major rain shadow, a dry region on the leeward side of the mounting chain where the breeze does not blow, formed when the mountains block monsoon meteorological systems and create a figurative shadow of drought. During the winter, the majority of precipitation falls as snow in the south. The Number And Names Of Peaks In ColoradoIn total, Colorado is thought to have between 4400-5000 range summits.The Rocky Mountain National Park was established in 1915 when Congress declared a portion of this mountainous terrain in Colorado as a national park. Longs Peak, at 14,256 ft (4345.2 m), is the highest mountain in the park. This oddly shaped peak rises like an aged box, with sharp angles and flat faces, along with a flat summit.The Colorado Rockies are the portion of the North American Cordillera, which runs 3,000 mi (4828 km) from Alaska through northern Mexico, passing through western Canada and the US. Many of these summits are located in wilderness areas. Colorado is the only county in the Rocky Mountain Region with mountains that compete for the Fourteeners designation.The Colorado Plateau is essentially a combination of plateaus at various elevations faulted together to form a stair-step pattern. The width of the Rocky Mountains ranges from less than 62 miles (100 km) in the Canadian Rockies to more than 373 mi (600.2 km) in the Middle Rockies. In the Rocky Mountains, 78 high peaks of the 100 tallest mountain peaks are found in Colorado, ten within Wyoming, six throughout New Mexico, three within Montana, and one in Utah.In northwestern Canada and the mainland United States, the Western Continental Divide extends through the emblems of the Rocky Mountains. The Maroon Bells are the greatest photographed peaks in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (really, two peaks, North Maroon Peak and Maroon Peak). The Rockies are also a renowned tourist destination that draws people from all around the world. Hiking, camping, mountaineering, mount biking, skiing, snowboarding, fishing, and other recreational activities are available in the mountains.Mount Elbert height, range, and location and why it is the tallest in the Rocky Mountains?Mount Elbert is Colorado’s highest peak, standing at 14,440 ft (4,401.3 m). It’s also the United States’ second-highest summit.It’s part of the Sawatch Range; it is a Laramide Orogeny uplift split from the Mosquito Range towards the east about 28 mya. The trailhead for North Mount Elbert is along Halfmoon Road southwest in Leadville. Pikes Peak is a monolithic memorial dedicated to adventurer Zebulon Pike. Hikers are fortunate in that a 4.5 mi (7.2 km) trail leads all the way to the summit; however, with an elevation of over 4,500 ft (1371.6 m), they may not feel so fortunate.Are the highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains over 14000 feet high?The Southern Rockies are greater in elevation than the Middle and Northern Rockies, having numerous peaks surpassing elevations of 14,000 ft (4267.2 m) above sea level. Over this elevation, Colorado features 53 peaks, the tallest of which is Mount Elbert.From the northern region of the Canadian province in British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies stretch southeastward for around 994 mi (1,600 km). Mount Robson, the highest point of the Canadian Rockies, is situated inside the Mount Robson Provincial Park within the Canadian province in British Columbia. The Canadian Rockies are the most magnificent component of the Rockies.The La Sal Mountain Ranges, which run along the border between Utah and Colorado; the Uinta Mountain Range, which runs through Wyoming and Utah; and the Teton Mountain Range, which runs through Wyoming and Idaho, are all part of the Middle Rockies. In addition, the Absaroka Range, which runs from northwestern Wyoming to the Canadian border, connects the Middle and Northern Rockies.The Southern Rockies are situated in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah in the United States. The Front Range with the Wet and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are located on the eastern slopes in the Southern Rockies, while the San Juan mountains, the Sawatch ranges, the Gore and Park ranges are located on the western slopes.In addition, several high basins, such as the Arkansas River Valley, the San Luis Valley, and the North Park, divide the eastern and western ranges. As a result, the Southern Rockies’ mountain ranges are significantly higher than the Northern and Middle Rockies. The Rockies and the Alps are high- elevation, although the Alps’ ski towns are often located at lower elevations.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our Rocky Mountains facts, then why not take a look at cold-blooded animals facts or learn how often should you change your toothbrush?

‘The Rocky Mountains’ is a collective term for the Continental Divide.