Rifle, Regional center in Garfield County, United States.
Rifle is a town in Garfield County, Colorado, located at the base of the White River Plateau near the Colorado River. The main street runs parallel to the railroad tracks and is lined with low brick and wooden buildings.
Abram Maxfield founded the settlement in 1882 along Rifle Creek and named it after a rifle shape in a nearby rock formation. The arrival of the railroad in 1889 transformed the place into a shipping point for coal and livestock.
The community center and public squares reflect daily life in a mining town that has become home to outdoor athletes. Climbers and hikers from across the region come here to train in the surrounding canyons and buy gear.
Interstate 70 runs directly through the town and offers fast connections east and west. Parking along Railroad Avenue makes it easy to reach shops and restaurants in the center.
In early summer, wildflowers bloom across the nearby hills and cover the slopes with patches of yellow and purple. Local ranchers move their cattle to higher pastures during this season, and small herds often appear along the side roads.
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