Michael F.Bennet

The Western Slope of Colorado is the most geographically diverse region of the state.  It is an area well known for its soaring mountain vistas, majestic rivers, dynamic mountain towns, and prolific energy and agricultural production. This region’s beauty helps drive a strong tourism sector and provides a destination for many outdoors activities – much of it centered on the region’s large public lands, including six units of the National Park System: Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Curecanti, Dinosaur, Hovenweep and Colorado National Monument. The region is also home to three institutions of higher education: Fort Lewis College, Western State College and Colorado Mesa University. The only two tribes in Colorado the Ute Mountain Utes and the Southern Utes also reside in this region.