The Southern Rocky Mountains are a major subregion of the Rocky Mountains
of North America located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming,
the central and western portions of the Colorado, the northern portion of the
New Mexico, and extreme eastern portions of the Utah. The Southern Rockies
include the highest mountain ranges of the Rocky Mountains and include all 30 of
the highest peaks of the Rockies. The Southern Rocky Mountains are also commonly
known as the Southern Rockies, and since the highest peaks are located in the
State of Colorado, they are sometimes known as the Colorado Rockies, although
many important ranges and peaks rise in the other three states.
The Southern Rocky Mountains are divided from the Western Rocky Mountains by the
Green River and the Colorado River below the Green River. The Southern Rockies
are divided from the Northern Rocky Mountains by the divide in Wyoming running
up the North Platte River and the Sweetwater River to South Pass, and then down
Pacific Creek and Sandy Creek to the Green River. This later divide between the
Southern Rockies and the Northern Rockies provided the lowest elevation traverse
of the Rocky Mountain region for the historic Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail,
and the California Trail.
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