A GAZETTEER OF COLORADO. 
By Henry Gannett. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 
Colorado is situated about midway the country north and south, and about two. 
thirds of the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. On the north are 
Wyoming and Nebraska, on the east Nebraska and Kansas, on the south New 
Mexico, and Utah on the west. The State is a quadrilateral in shape, its north and 
south boundaries being respectively the forty-first and thirty-seventh parallels of 
latitude; its east boundary is the meridian of 25° west of Washington, and its west 
boundary that of 32°. Thus its length from north to south is 4° of latitude or 276 
miles, and its breadth from east to west is 7° of longitude. The length of its north 
boundary is 366 miles, and of its south boundary 387 miles. The gross area of the 
State, as computed by square degrees, is 103,948 square miles. Deducting a few 
small lakes and other bodies of water leaves 103,658 square miles of land area. 
TOPOGRAPHY. 
In general terms, the eastern third of Colorado is composed of high plains, the 
middle third of the Rocky Mountains, and the western third of plateaus stepping 
down toward Colorado River. The Rocky Mountains form a complex system not 
easily analyzed. They rise from the highest part of the Cordilleran Plateau, and in 
this State attain their greatest altitude. The most eastern range, known as the 
"Front Range," enters the State from Wyoming on the north, and extending south- 
ward terminates in Pikes Peak. The rise from the east is in long spurs stretching 
from 10 to 30 miles from the summits to the plains along the base. The plains range 
from 6,000 to 8,000 feet in altitude, while the summits throughout the greater part of 
its length exceed 13,000 feet, and there are many peaks higher than 14,000 feet. 
Among these are Longs, 14,271 feet; Grays, 14,341 feet; Torrey, 14,336 feet; and 
Pikes, 14,107 feet. 
West of the Front Range is the Park Range, which also enters the State from 
Wyoming, and running nearly south terminates in about the same latitude. In the 
northern part of the State this is the westernmost range of the system, and from its 
western flanks the plateaus descend in series toward Green River. This range is 
but slightly inferior in height to the Front Range, containing several peaks exceed- 
ing 14,000 feet, among which are Quandary, 14,266; Lincoln, 14,297 feet; Bross, 
14,100 feet; and Sheridan, 14,038 feet. 
Between the Front and Park ranges is a series of high mountain valleys extend- 
ing from north to south, separated by high cross ranges. The most northerly of 
these is North Park, in which rises North Platte River. It is mainly a level expanse 
with an average elevation of 8,000 feet. South of it is Middle Park, in w r hich heads 
Grand River, which flows westward across the park and cuts a gap (Gore Canyon) 
