Colorado River

The headwaters of the Colorado River are located in Rocky Mountain National Park in north central Colorado. Its drainage area extends into seven western states: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. The river's 1,450-mile course through the arid southwest to its delta on the Gulf of California has it descending from 9,000 feet to approximately 100 feet. The river runs southwest across Colorado from its origin, continues through southwest Utah, crosses into northern Arizona through the majestic Grand Canyon, and then heads south along the border with both Nevada and California before entering Mexico between Baja California and Sonora. Seven states and part of Mexico all share in the water delivered by the Colorado River. In some years, there is barely a ...