Fascinating Map from 1980 Shows Three Distinct Colorado Regions

Colorado is widely known for its remarkable and unmatched natural beauty. From the world-famous Rocky Mountains to the plateaus and mesas of the Western Slope, and everything in between, Colorado seems to have a little bit of everything.

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Interestingly, a map outlining terrain regions of the entire United States dating back to 1980 has been making its rounds across various social media platforms, and while some things have changed over the past 45 years, the three regions found in Colorado have remained pretty consistent.

Three United States Terrain Regions Found in Colorado

According to the map, which was originally put together and published by the United States Geological Survey in 1980, three terrain regions can be found in Colorado.

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These include the Great Plains on the state's eastern plains, the Rocky Mountain System that occupies much of the continental divide, and the Colorado Plateaus which are found largely on the Western Slope and the Four Corners region of the state.

Today, only a small number of things have been changed since the aforementioned map was released, including two of the names of Colorado's regions, also known as physiographic subdivisions.

For example, while the Rocky Mountain System's name hasn't changed, the Colorado Plateaus seem to have been absorbed into the Intermontane Plateaus region, while the Great Plains and Central Lowland regions are referred to as the Interior Plains.

Check out the original map from 1980 here, as well as the current physiographic subdivisions map here.