The Colorado River
The Colorado River begins its journey as a trickle in Estes Park, Colorado. Over its 1420 mile (2,285 km) course it drops about 12,000 feet (3,658 m).
From snowcapped mountain headwaters, it courses through desert red rock canyons and fertile green valleys to empty into the Gulf of California. The mighty Colorado wends its way from Colorado through Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, and the country of Mexico. Some consider the Colorado River the lifeblood of the Western United States.
In 1869, Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell, and his crew of 9 men were the first to explore the length of the Colorado River. They loaded 4 boats with food and supplies and left Green River, Wyoming on the first of two expeditions. A little over 100 days later the trip ended at the mouth of the Virgin River in Nevada. John Wesley Powell was the first person to write about and photograph the Colorado River. His subsequent writings piqued public interest and the development of water resources in the West.
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Photo Credit: K. Connors
"Water is the driving force of all nature." ~ Leonardo da Vinci
:: Colorado River's Famous Horseshoe Bend ::
Horseshoe Bend is an awe-inspiring 270° horseshoe-shaped bend carved down, through the layers of sandstone, by the Colorado River.
Visitors can walk straight up to the edge of the rim and gaze down at the crystal blue-green Colorado River below.
The view of Horseshoe Bend from the barrier-free rim of the canyon is extraordinary.
The colors of the rocks change throughout the day, the shadows move in and out of the canyons, and as the river flows, it sparkles and shines in different shades of green and blue.
"Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings."
~ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
