Vail: Mount of the Holy Cross

Among Colorado's mountain towns, Vail stands out for its purpose-built ski terrain on Vail Mountain. Set along Gore Creek in the central Rocky Mountains, the town developed around Vail Ski Resort, which opened in 1962 and has shaped its economy and four-season identity ever since. Vail Village and Lionshead are its principal pedestrian-oriented districts, with restaurants, lodging and access to the mountain. In winter, the resort's broad Back Bowls are a defining part of its trail network; summer brings hiking, cycling and time beside the creek. The nearby Gore Range gives this compact town a distinctly high-country setting. See how Vail fits into Colorado's Rocky Mountain corridor by browsing webcams nearby.

Among the states of the United States, Colorado stands out for the high Rocky Mountain country running through its centre. Around this part of the state, forested slopes, open basins and granite outcrops form the interior landscape of the Rockies, where conditions can change rapidly with the season. The Continental Divide crosses Colorado, separating waters that flow toward the Pacific from those bound for the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The Arkansas River rises in the central Rockies and is one of the state’s major waterways. Admitted to the Union in 1876, Colorado is still known as the Centennial State. See how central Colorado connects with the wider Rocky Mountain region by browsing webcams nearby.

The Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts define much of the United States — their ports, fisheries and trade routes have long tied the country’s economy to the wider world. Between them, the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains and Mississippi River basin form sharply different regions, from high western ranges to broad agricultural heartlands. Cities carry much of the national story: New York’s Statue of Liberty, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, remains an enduring symbol, while Washington, DC concentrates major federal institutions. Indigenous nations have shaped these lands for millennia, and their living cultures remain essential to the country’s identity. Find related webcams in the surrounding areas to build a fuller picture of the United States.