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The foothills life zone is the first major step leading up into Colorado's high Rocky Mountains. The foothills life zone's elevation is anywhere from 6,000 or 7000 ft. above sea level to around 8,000 ft above sea level. The pinyon & juniper woodlands live in the lower parts of the foothills on the western and south central part of the state. The open ponderosa pine woodlands grow on the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains. On both sides of the Rocky Mountains, the montane shrublands grow at the higher elevations of the foothills. The foothills are made up of many different landforms, like steep hillsides, cliffs, canyons, mesas, and plateaus. On the life zone map below. it is shaded light green on both sides of the Rocky Mountains.
East of the Rocky Mountains, the foothills life zone rises from the Great Plains. The South Platte River, Purgatoire River, and Arkansas River cross it providing for important riparian life zones.
On the western and southcentral sides of the Rocky Mountains, the foothills life zone rises from the semidesert shrublands and is part of the Colorado Plateau region and San Luis Valley. Within this area there is: the Roan Plateau, Uncompahgre Plateau, Grand Mesa, and Flattop Mountains. Different rivers cross it and provide important riparian life zones. They are the Colorado River, Gunnison River, White River, Yampa River, Delores River, and Rio Grande River. Check on the bottom most map and see if you can find some of these mountains and rivers.
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