FRONT RANGE

easternmost section of the central and southern Rockies, extending about 300 miles (480 km) south-southeastward from near Casper in southeastern Wyoming, U.S., to Fremont County in south-central Colorado. It is from 40 to 50 miles (65 to 80 km) wide and includes Laramie and Medicine Bow mountains (qq.v.), while the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are usually regarded as an extension. Many summits exceed 13,000 feet (4,000 m), including Mount Evans (14,264 feet ; the range's highest peak) and Pikes Peak (14,110 feet ). Notable passes are Berthoud (11,315 feet ) and Loveland (11,990 feet ). Lying largely within conservation areas, the Front Range comprises parts of the Rocky Mountain National Park and Pike, Arapaho, Routt, Roosevelt, and Medicine Bow national forests. The range is known for its variety of minerals and recreational appeal, and it serves as a source region for headstreams of the Cache La Poudre and Colorado rivers.