The Rocky Mountains are some of the most incredible landforms in the country. Stretching from Yellowstone Park, down further south than you’d expect, this mountain range has a lot of history and a lot of interesting stories about it that make it a fantastic thing to get to know.
If you’ve never been to The Rockies, or you want to get to know them better, this is everything you should know about them!
Why They’re Incredible
If you’re not scared of learning about the supervolcano that lives in Yellowstone, you’ll love everything else that the Rockies have to offer! The Yellowstone Caldera is a somewhat dormant volcano that lets off massive eruptions every few million years. Volcanic activity is evident throughout the Rocky Mountains in areas like the smell of phosphor in the air in Yellowstone and the hot springs in Grand County.
The Rocky Mountains also mark the continental divide, showing where rivers start diverging away. All of the rivers that flow on the West side of the mountains flow towards the Pacific Ocean, while all those that float on the East side go towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Colorado
If you live in Denver apartments and want to see more of the gorgeous mountains just beyond your door, you’re in luck! Not too far of a drive away is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains, called Mount Elbert. This point is over 14,440 feet tall, which can be a literal dizzying height to get to if you’re not used to high altitudes.
The first person to climb this was in 1874, and it’s become a hot spot for those who want to learn how to climb mountains.
Wyoming
If you want to see how old the mountains are, you’re in the right place in Wyoming. In the Black Mountains of this area, you can see where the Rocky Mountains formed 55 to 80 million years ago. This magma formation that came from plates shifting eventually began the Laramie and Black Mountains, a major part of Wyoming’s state pride.
These mountains are incredibly fertile because of this history, growing a lot of wildlife quickly and thickly every summer.
Montana
Montana is extremely proud of its stretch of the Rocky Mountains on its western side. The state was able to grow and make a name for itself because of a long history of mining that happened in the Rockies.
The largest city in the late 1800s on this side of the country was Butte, a copper mining town in Montana that has since severely diminished into a small town of fewer than thirty thousand people.
Idaho
Idaho may be best known for its lakes, but the mountains here are a major source of tourism. Home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding locations in the country. Idaho is proud of its sawtooth mountains and fantastic scenery that you can catch by going to the Rockies.
Although this area isn’t very populated, many people see this as a plus since it means a lot of the natural beauty has gone untouched.