The river begins high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and flows southwest toward the Gulf of California. On its 1,450-miles (2,300-kilometer) journey, it plunges down mountains and races through deep gorges, forming spectacular waterfalls and whitewater rapids. Its rushing water has worn away rock to create marvels, including the spectacular Grand Canyon. Farther along its course, the river slows as it winds across plateaus and deserts.

Many dams block the river's flow. They generate hydroelectric power, and water from the reservoirs they form travels through canals and aqueducts to cities and farms hundreds of miles away. The need for the Colorado's water is so great that the river is reduced to a trickle before it reaches the Gulf of California.

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