Plants and Animals of the Colorado Plateau: Mountain Zone

Ponderosa pines are tall evergreen trees that have three long needles (leaves) attached together at each point on the stem. Compare these trees to two-needle pinyon pines in the Woodland Zone, which have two needles attached at each point.

Lodgepole pine trees can grow up to 150 feet tall and live up to 400 years. They are called “lodgepole” because Native Americans used the straight and slender poles of the trees to support their lodges. Like two-needle pinyon pine trees in the Woodland Zone, these trees have two needles attached together at each point on the stem. Can you tell the difference between the two trees? (Hint: pinyon pines are relatively short and wide; lodgepole pines are relatively tall and slender)

Aspens can be identified by their smooth, white bark. A grove of quaking aspens in Utah is the largest known living thing on earth. Nearly 50,000 stems protrude from a single root system, and the entire organism covers over 100 acres.

Wildlife path with scat and tracks at the Gunnison site.

Weighing in at up to 700 pounds, the North American elk stands as one of the biggest deer species on earth. A mature bull (a male elk) can run as fast as 40 miles an hour and jump 8 feet vertically!

Black bears are the smallest bears in North America and are the only bears living on the Colorado Plateau. Did you know that black bears can have coats that are blonde, cinnamon, or brown?

Ponderosa pines are tall evergreen trees that have three long needles (leaves) attached together at each point on the stem. Compare these trees to two-needle pinyon pines in the Woodland Zone, which have two needles attached at each point.

Ponderosa pines are tall evergreen trees that have three long needles (leaves) attached together at each point on the stem. Compare these trees to two-needle pinyon pines in the Woodland Zone, which have two needles attached at each point.

Lodgepole pine trees can grow up to 150 feet tall and live up to 400 years. They are called “lodgepole” because Native Americans used the straight and slender poles of the trees to support their lodges. Like two-needle pinyon pine trees in the Woodland Zone, these trees have two needles attached together at each point on the stem. Can you tell the difference between the two trees? (Hint: pinyon pines are relatively short and wide; lodgepole pines are relatively tall and slender)

Lodgepole pine trees can grow up to 150 feet tall and live up to 400 years. They are called “lodgepole” because Native Americans used the straight and slender poles of the trees to support their lodges. Like two-needle pinyon pine trees in the Woodland Zone, these trees have two needles attached together at each point on the stem. Can you tell the difference between the two trees? (Hint: pinyon pines are relatively short and wide; lodgepole pines are relatively tall and slender)

Aspens can be identified by their smooth, white bark. A grove of quaking aspens in Utah is the largest known living thing on earth. Nearly 50,000 stems protrude from a single root system, and the entire organism covers over 100 acres.

Aspens can be identified by their smooth, white bark. A grove of quaking aspens in Utah is the largest known living thing on earth. Nearly 50,000 stems protrude from a single root system, and the entire organism covers over 100 acres.

Wildlife path with scat and tracks at the Gunnison site.

Wildlife path with scat and tracks at the Gunnison site.

Weighing in at up to 700 pounds, the North American elk stands as one of the biggest deer species on earth. A mature bull (a male elk) can run as fast as 40 miles an hour and jump 8 feet vertically!

Weighing in at up to 700 pounds, the North American elk stands as one of the biggest deer species on earth. A mature bull (a male elk) can run as fast as 40 miles an hour and jump 8 feet vertically!

Black bears are the smallest bears in North America and are the only bears living on the Colorado Plateau. Did you know that black bears can have coats that are blonde, cinnamon, or brown?

Black bears are the smallest bears in North America and are the only bears living on the Colorado Plateau. Did you know that black bears can have coats that are blonde, cinnamon, or brown?