At just over 3,000 miles long, the Rocky Mountains are the second longest mountain range on planet Earth, and are home to some of the most amazing plants, animals, and geological wonders that can be found anywhere.
But the Rocky Mountains are not a single, unbroken system of mountains. Rather, they are a family of over one hundred mountain ranges that stretch all the way from Canada to New Mexico. They are related to each other not only because they are located along the same strip of North America, but also because they were all formed by the same forced over roughly the same amount of time.
So where exactly to the Rockies begin and end? While there is no official demarcation for the way that the Rockies are organized, it is perhaps easiest to consider them in three groups: the Canadian Rockies, the Central Rockies, and the Southern Rockies.
The Canadian Rocky Mountains
The northernmost sections of the Rocky Mountains can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Some of the notable mountains in this area include Mount Columbia at 12,293 feet and Mount Robson at 12,972 … both shorter than their cousins in the Central Rockies, but as impressive a sight as you are going to find in North America.
The northernmost point in the Rockies is pretty high up in British Columbia, not far from where the Liard River meets the ocean. While there are plenty of mountains north of this point including the Selwyn Mountains and the Brooks Range, these are not part of the Rocky Mountain system.
The Central Rockies
Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho contain a significant number of mountain ranges as part of the Rocky Mountain system, though the size and elevation of these mountains can vary considerably and they are even broken up by massive valleys and long stretches of green pasture.
The Central Rockies are home to some of the most beautiful and iconic mountains on the planet, including those found in Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Parks. Ever year, millions of travelers from all over the world visit these mountains to camp, hike, backpack, or simply sit in awe of all the epic scenery.
The Southern Rocky Mountains
If you are dividing up the Rocky Mountains strictly by total distance, then the southern third of the Rockies would begin somewhere near the Colorado / Wyoming border. You don’t have to go too far south from here to hit Rocky Mountain National Park, or visit one of the state’s famous sub-ranges. The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area, for instance, with 3 of the highest peaks in the Rockies. Or the Sangre De Christo Mountains, where rumors of lost Spanish gold exist to this day.
The most southern stretches of the Rocky Mountains extend into the central part of New Mexico between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The Sangre De Christo Range that starts in Colorado makes it was down to this area. It is also the home of historic Glorieta Pass, where the western-most battle of the American Civil War took place in 1862.
The Sangres, as well as the Rocky Mountains themselves, meet their end East of Albuquerque, adjacent to the Sandia Mountains, which are a part of a different mountain system that marches on into Mexico and beyond.
