Near Golden in Jefferson County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Water Carves Canyons
Photographed by Charles T. Harrell, July 3, 2011
1. Water Carves Canyons Marker
Flowing water is the reason you see a canyon in front of you. As the Rocky Mountains lifted, water was forced to flow to either the east or the west, creating creeks and rivers. Clear Creek has been eroding this canyon for hundreds of thousands of years, cutting the floor ever lower. The walls of the canyon grow wider as steep hillsides tumble into the creek, where they are washed away by water.
[Caption:]
A canyon starts as a shallow stream that cuts through the bedrock for thousands of years. Over time, the cut gets deeper and the hillside next to it widens. Water cuts canyons like this all over Colorado and around the world. One of the most famous water-carved canyons is the Grand Canyon in Arizona
Erected by Jefferson County Open Space.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 39° 44.196′ N, 105° 14.726′ W. Marker was near Golden, Colorado, in Jefferson County. It was on Lariat Loop Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker is at overlook. Touch for map.
this page online
We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Regionally, this marker was in Colorado’s Front Range. It was also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it was in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Windy Saddle Park / Connecting to the Past (here, next to this marker); Our Changing Landscape-From Sea Floor to Mountain Top (approx. 0.4 miles away); What You Can See From Here Today (approx. 0.4 miles away); Who Was Buffalo Bill? (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lariat Loop Byway: Buffalo Bill Museum (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lariat Loop Byway: Denver Mountain Parks (approx. 0.4 miles away); Buffalo Bill's Grave Frequently Asked Questions (approx. half a mile away); Buffalo Bill's Grave Why is Buffalo Bill Buried Here?
Photographed by Charles T. Harrell, July 3, 2011
2. Water Carved Canyon near Golden, Colorado
Other markers no longer nearby. Recreation: Past to Present (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); Play in the Wind (was here, next to this marker but has been permanently removed); In Memory of Charles E. Kirk (was approx. half a mile away but has been confirmed missing).
Additional commentary.
1. About the marker
At the time that this signage was included in HMdb.org, the site admitted markers that exclusively interpreted nature or natural history. In general, this is no longer the case.
— Submitted November 13, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 806 times since then and 8 times this year. Last updated on November 11, 2025, by Leslie Eudy of Golden, Colorado. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 16, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
