They are home to jagged peaks, sparkling lakes, and rushing rivers. They offer some of the best skiing and most spectacular scenery in North America. They are North America’s longest mountain chain. They are the great Rocky Mountains.

MILES AND MILES OF MOUNTAINS

The Rocky Mountains are in western North America. They rise dramatically from the Great Plains of central Canada and the United States.

The mountains run from northeastern British Columbia to central New Mexico. That adds up to a distance of about 2,000 miles (about 3,200 kilometers).

The Rocky Mountains have four main sections: the Southern, Central, Northern, and Canadian.

SOUTHERN ROCKIES

The Southern Rockies run from central New Mexico through Colorado to southern Wyoming. This is the broadest part of the range. Here, the mountains reach a width of more than 300 miles (480 kilometers).

The Southern Rockies are home to the chain’s highest peaks. More than 50 mountains in Colorado are more than 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) tall. The tallest is Mount Elbert in central Colorado. It rises to 14,433 feet (4,399 meters).

CENTRAL ROCKIES

The Central Rockies rise in northeastern Utah, western Wyoming, eastern Idaho, and southern Montana. Some world-famous parks are here, including Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

NORTHERN ROCKIES

The Northern Rockies cross northern Idaho, western Montana, and northeastern Washington. Glacier National Park is found in the northern Rockies.

CANADIAN ROCKIES

The Canadian Rockies are a relatively narrow belt of mountains in southwestern Alberta and eastern British Columbia. The mountains here are only about 50 miles (80 kilometers) wide in places.

There are many icy peaks, massive glaciers, and turbulent rivers in the Canadian Rockies. The slopes tend to be very steep. The region is known for its magnificent scenery.

THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

The Rocky Mountains form part of the Continental Divide. Rivers on the western side of the divide flow west to the Pacific Ocean. Rivers on the eastern side of the divide flow east, to Hudson Bay in the north and the Gulf of Mexico in the south.

LIFE IN THE ROCKIES

Summers in the Rockies are short and cool. Winters are long and cold. Many peaks are capped in snow and ice all year long. Wild animals such as antelope, moose, grizzly bears, and mountain lions thrive in the Rockies.

Many people vacation in the Rocky Mountains. In the summer, visitors come to hike, bicycle, or camp. In the winter, many come to ski, snowboard, or snowmobile.

Source: Microsoft ® Encarta

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