The boundaries of the Uncompahgre Plateau contain an amazing diversity of landscapes. Broadly speaking, these landscapes can be divided into three main life zones: the Plains Zone, the Foothills Zone, and the Montane Zone. Each zone generally corresponds to a range of altitude, with the Plains Zone at the lowest elevations and the Montane Zone at the highest. These life zones are rough estimates of the altitudinal coverage of the major and easily recognizable plant communities. There are not sharp delineations between each zone, but a gradual transition from one to the next. Depending on the aspect (i.e. north or south facing), species that are commonly associated with a particular altitude may be found well into lower or higher altitude zones. For example, on wetter, colder north faces, plants common in the Montane Zone may extend well down into the lower Foothill Zone. On south slopes, which dry out much quicker due to more intense solar radiation, species common in the Foothill Zone may extend well up into the Montane Zone.

The Plains Zone generally lies at elevations between 4500-6000 feet. Some botanists refer to this area as the Desert-steppe zone as well. It includes the riparian corridors along the major rivers and their tributaries, as well as the treeless, arid to semi-arid river bench country of the lower river basins. The low elevation land immediately adjacent to and including the riparian zones of the Uncompahgre, Gunnison, Dolores, San Miguel, and Colorado Rivers and their tributaries comprise the bulk of this zone. The riparian corridors are typically cottonwood-dominated woodlands. Three species of cottonwoods occur – the Narrowleaf Cottonwood (Populus angustifolia), with linear-lanceolate shaped leaves, is found at the higher elevation reaches of the riparian drainages; the Rio Grande Cottonwood (Populus deltoids), with broader, triangular-shaped leaves, occurs along the lower reaches of the streams and rivers; and the Lance-leaf Cottonwood (Populus x acuminate), which is a hybrid possessing mixed characteristics of the above two species, has lanceolate-shaped leaves, and occurs where the ranges of the Narrowleaf and Rio Grande Cottonwoods overlap. On the benches and plains adjacent to the river corridors, native vegetation consists primarily of shrub communities dominated by sumac, greasewood, shadscale, rabbitbrush, and winter fat, with sparse coverage of grasses such as galleta and blue grama. In springs following winters of abundant precipitation, this zone can also support beautiful arrays of ephemeral spring annuals.

The Foothills Zone includes most of the landscape between 6000 and 8000 feet, and is dominated by pinyon and juniper trees. This zone provides good winter shelter for mule deer, but due to the scarce understory, is lacking in valuable browse and forage plants. Where present, grasses which do occur in this zone include galleta, Indian ricegrass, blue grama, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass and annual cheatgrass, or downy brome, both introduced from Asia. Near the upper end of this zone, and transitioning into the montane zone, Ponderosa pine, blue spruce, scattered aspens, and Gambel oak form open brushy woodlands. Dense thickets of Gambel oak and areas dominated by big sagebrush also begin to occur, and the grass community becomes dominated by western wheatgrass.

A little higher still, the transition into the Montane Zone continues. Mountain mahogany, serviceberry, and snowberry begin to add to the shrub community, which still supports sagebrush, Gambel oak, and scattered Ponderosa and aspen stands. Various needlegrasses and fescues now start to add to the lower-growing grass and herb layer. At about 9000 feet, the Ponderosa pine begins to mix with much more widespread stands of aspen. The aspen stands generally have well-developed understories containing a diversity of cool season grasses, elk sedge, aspen peavine, and meadowrue. At the top of Montane Zone, closed forests of Engleman Spruce and subalpine fir tend to dominate, with interspersed parks scattered throughout. These parks are valuable summer and fall habitat for the abundant elk herds on the plateau, and are dominated by native wheatgrasses, fescues, needle grasses, alpine timothy, June grass, and native and introduced brome grasses and bluegrasses. They also harbor a great diversity of broadleaved forbs, including Barberii larkspur, lupines, vetches, wild geranium, yarrow, goosefoot, pussy toes, sulphur buckwheat, penstemons, cinquefoils, and daisies.