THE NORTH PARK. IJ 



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division of this chapter. It is sufficient for present purposes to mention 

 that the mountains on the east side attain an elevation of from 12,000 to 

 13,000 feet above sea-level; that they are massive and grand in outline, 

 snow-capped for the greater part of the year, and descend with steep broken 

 ridges to the basin. On the opposite side, the Park Range reaches nearly 

 12,000 feet, is more regular in its leading features, and falls away abruptly, 

 with an almost precipitous wall, toward the east. The average altitude of the 

 Park may be taken at from 7,500 to 7,700 feet above sea-level, presenting a 

 sunken basin from 4,500 to 5,000 feet below the top of the high Avails which 

 surround it. An undulating surface characterizes the North Park, yet 

 changes in level are so gradual, that a greater part of the area, when seen 

 from any elevation that overlooks the basin, appears essentially a plain ; 

 only one or two points rising more than a few hundred feet above the 

 Platte bottom. From the east side, a long low ridge of rhyolite projects 

 into the Park, and from the opposite side, but with the same trend as the 

 volcanic flow, a ridge of Archaean granite, nearly 12 miles in length, also 

 extends out into the basin. The drainage-system of the North Park forms 

 one of its most striking physical features, the entire waters finding their 

 outlet through one stream, the North Platte, Vv^hose sources lie high up in 

 the surrounding mountains. Numerous small streams descend from all the 

 steep slopes, which, uniting below into larger creeks, flow out toward the 

 centre of the basin, and make the three main streams, the East, Mid- 

 dle, and West forks, which at the extreme northern end come together, 

 forming the North Platte, already a very considerable river, where it breaks 

 through the Archaean wall of the Park. Along the slopes of the mountains, 

 coniferous forests extend far down upon the outlying spurs, beyond which 

 there may be generally found a narrow belt of deciduous trees, chiefly 

 aspens ; but over the entire area of the Park basin there is scarcely a tree 

 to be seen, except along the alluvial banks of the broad streams, where 

 there are many small willows and a few stunted cottonwoods. The valleys 

 are unusually wide, and covered with an exceedingly rich growth of grass. 

 If abundant streams of water and immense areas of grass-land are only to 

 be considered, the North Park cannot be surpassed by any portion of Colo- 

 rado for stock-raising purposes. 



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