Snake River Basin Overview

This Basin occupies the eastern portion of the County and is dominated by mountains. This Basin contains the Keystone and Arapahoe Basin Ski Resorts and ranges in elevation from 8,786 feet at the bottom of the Dillon Dam to a high of 14,270 atop Grays Peak. Ten miles of Interstate - 70 (I-70) runs through the northwestern portion of the Basin extending from the western edge of the Eisenhower Tunnel down to the Town of Silverthorne. Colorado Highway 6 bisects the heart of the Basin extending east to west from Loveland Pass, through the Keystone corridor, around a portion of Dillon Reservoir and into the Town of Dillon. The Basin’s most distinguishing feature—the Continental Divide, demarcates the majority of its northern and eastern boundaries, and is characterized by a series of prominent peaks. Swan Mountain serves as a southwestern buffer to the Summit Cove residential neighborhood area. The Snake River is the largest and most significant river in the Basin. It begins above the Town of Montezuma, cuts through the Keystone corridor, and ultimately terminates in the Dillon Reservoir.