Rifle, Colorado

Rifle is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry and of the oil and gas exploration industry in the Roan Plateau area of western Colorado. The town was founded by Abram Maxfield in 1882 at the confluence of Rifle Creek and the Colorado River.

A portion of the film Vanishing Point was filmed near Rifle. Scenes include one with Kowalski's car crossing a white metal bridge and entering a confrontation with Utah State Patrol cars. The western horizon of the city is dominated by the Roan Cliffs. Just north of town is the site where the artist Christo completed one of his major "curtain" pieces of art. The Valley Curtain lasted 28 hours before it was torn by a gust of wind.

In downtown Rifle