South-Central Colorado | |
|---|---|
  South-Central Colorado | |
| Coordinates:38°0′N104°40′W / 38.000°N 104.667°W /38.000; -104.667 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
South-Central Colorado is aregion of theU.S.state ofColorado.[1] It can be roughly defined byChaffee County in the northwest,El Paso County in the northeast,Las Animas County in the southeast, andConejos County in the southwest.[2] Some notabletowns andcities there includeColorado Springs,Pueblo,Cripple Creek,Cañon City,Salida,Buena Vista,Monte Vista,Alamosa,Walsenburg, andTrinidad. Thelandscapes of South-Central Colorado were made known to theWestern world by theexplorations ofZebulon Pike andKit Carson, who were later followed bysettlers, many of whom came by theSanta Fe Trail. The uppertributaries of theArkansas River andSouth Platte River provide amplewhitewaterrafting and are famous fortrout andbassfishing in scenic settings such asRoyal Gorge. Much of the localeconomic system is dependent onmining,forestry,ranching, andtourism related to these endeavors. South-Central Colorado has largely escapedurbanization, allowing visitors to experience something of theAmerican Old West.
As the home of two of Colorado's large metropolitan areas (Colorado Springs and Pueblo), South-Central Colorado is also home to several institutions of higher education:
