Colorado Piedmont, Geological formation in north central Colorado, US.
The Colorado Piedmont is a gently rolling valley stretching from Denver to Colorado Springs, situated below 5000 feet (1520 meters) in elevation. This intermediate zone between the plains and mountain foothills features soft, rounded hills formed by erosion and sediment deposition.
This geological formation began taking shape roughly 28 million years ago when tectonic plate movement lifted the land between Kansas and Utah. The resulting changes in water flow patterns created the erosion that carved the landscape into its current form.
The area served as hunting and camping grounds for Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne peoples for centuries. Place names and preserved sites throughout the region still reflect this indigenous heritage today.
The region is easily accessible from Interstate 25, which runs through the valley for most of its length. The gentle terrain makes driving and observing the landscape straightforward, though exploring specific geological sites may require leaving the highway.
At Mile 293 of Interstate 25, motorists can spot a distinct geological transition where Upper Cretaceous sandstone layers drop sharply to lower shale formations. This visible boundary marks a transition between rock types that helps explain the valley's layered structure.
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