Map showing the Colorado River basin. The Colorado River is a major river of the western United States and northwest Mexico in North America. Its headwaters are in the Rocky Mountains where La Poudre Pass Lake is its source.

Starting in the central Rocky Mountains of Colorado, it flows generally southwest across the Colorado Plateau and through the Grand Canyon before reaching Lake Mead on the Arizona – Nevada border, where it turns south toward the international border.

The Colorado River is one of the principal rivers in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The 1,450-mile-long river, the 5th longest in the United States, drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states.

River channels and their adjacent floodplains are ever evolving in form and composition in response to changing patterns of streamflow, the quantity and size of supplied sediment, and feedbacks with the riparian and aquatic ecosystems.

Nov 3, 2016 · The Colorado River is one of the longest rivers in the Western United States. It begins in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and flows southwestward until it reaches Mexico where it becomes a small stream or dry riverbed. The Colorado River forms the border between southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona.

Jan 5, 2025 · Colorado River, major river of North America, rising in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, U.S., and flowing generally west and south for 1,450 miles (2,330 kilometers) into the Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico. Learn more about the Colorado River in this article.

Dec 19, 2024 · Redesigned in 2017, this beautiful map depicts the seven Western states that share the Colorado River with Mexico. The Colorado River supplies water to nearly 40 million people in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Mexico.

Dec 6, 2022 · The Colorado River is among the most iconic rivers in the United States. It travels from North to South through some of the most arid parts of the country, providing vital fresh water to the cities along its path.

Jun 12, 2020 · Get all Colorado river maps without paying anything. These maps are absolutely free for you. You can get these maps easily by clicking on the PDF button.

Average elevation: 4,649 ft • Colorado River, Mesa County, Colorado, 81504, United States • The entire eastern boundary of the Colorado River Basin runs along the North American Continental Divide and is defined largely by the Rocky Mountains and the Rio Grande Basin.