what's inside: west

The geography of Western United States encompasses California's major cities to the volcanic islands of Hawaii and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the union. Usually thought of as covered by ice, much of Alaska is actually mountainous and forested. Learn more about Alaska in this section. See more »

California

California

California, the most populous state in America, is a study in contrasts. In addition to the major cities along the coast, there are hundreds of mountains and 25 million acres of desert in the state. See more »

Colorado

Colorado

The Rocky Mountains are the dominating geographical feature of Colorado. Learn how this mountain range has defined the state and shaped its cities and populace. See more »

Idaho

Idaho

The geography of Idaho is quite rugged and scenic and is known as the Pacific Northwest. Discover the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the Great Basin of Idaho. See more »

Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is a series of still very-active volcanic islands, with densely populated coast-lines and thick rainforest interiors. See more »

Montana

Montana

Famous for its scenic views and wide open spaces, Montana is largely dominated by the Great Plains. Explore the geography of Butte, Bozeman, Helena and other areas of Montana. See more »

Nevada

Nevada

The geography of Nevada is largely dominated by the Great Basin Desert. Learn about Nevada's major cities and geographical features in this section. See more »

Utah

Utah

Three major physical regions of the United States -- the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin -- meet in Utah. Explore the state of Utah and major cities like Provo and Salt Lake City. See more »

Wyoming

Wyoming

Wyoming's predominant geographical feature is Yellowstone National Park. Famous for its cattle industry and national parks, Wyoming is a state of wide-open spaces and beautiful vistas. See more »

Washington

Washington

Washington is dominated by the Cascade Range and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. Explore Seattle and other cities in the state of Washington. See more »

Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is divided into five distinct regions: the Coast Ranges, the Cascade Range, the Willamette Valley, the Columbia Plateau and the Great Basin. See more »

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Geography of Colorado

Colorado, one of the states in the west-central United States. It is crossed by the snowcapped Rocky Mountains and is sometimes called the “Top of the Nation,” because its mean (average) elevation—6,800 feet (2,073 m)—is the highest of any state.

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Geography of Hawaii

Hawaii, a state of the United States. Hawaii is an archipelago of eight principal islands and numerous rocky islets, reefs, and shoals in the North Pacific Ocean.

Geography of Oceanside

Oceanside, California, a city in San Diego County. It is on the Gulf of Catalina, 40 miles (64 km) northwest of San Diego.