The state of Colorado, also known as the Centennial State, is named after the Rio Colorado, Spanish for the red river. During your vacation in Colorado, the diversity of nature will amaze you. The most famous natural phenomenon are the Rocky Mountains. If you go more to the south of Colorado, you will immediately notice that the climate is more like the desert area, such as Utah , New Mexico and Nevada .
You can choose to combine your Colorado vacation with a road trip through Western America . Or just visit Colorado and discover all the beauty and diversity the state has to offer.
Want to discover more places? Check out our Colorado National Parks self-drive tour , The Wild West Camper self-drive tour , Through The Rockies To The Pacific self-drive tour or Rocky Mountain Trail self-drive tour .
Colorado capital
According to fun-wiki, the capital of Colorado is Denver. The city is located at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains. Denver was originally a city of gold diggers.
The city’s nickname is ‘The Mile high City’, due to its location exactly 1 mile above sea level. The total city, including suburbs, has approximately 3 million inhabitants. Denver, Colorado has much to offer visitors on Colorado vacations. The city has a compact center and that ensures that you can see many sights without having to get into the car. Highlights include Downtown Denver with the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Visit the Downtown Aquarium and the Denver Zoo. If you would like to get to know the city of Denver better during your Colorado holiday, we recommend a fly drive Denver to book. You will then fly to the capital of Colorado where you will spend the first nights. Then you can pick up the car and explore the rest of Colorado.
Just outside Denver, be sure to visit Red Rocks. This is an outdoor amphitheatre, situated between the Rocky Mountains. The amphitheater consists of two 100 meter high monoliths, between which the stage and the stands are located. The monoliths provide fantastic natural acoustics. All the great artists have performed here from U2 to Joe Bonamassa.
Colorado Springs
Colorado’s second largest city is Colorado Springs. Here you can visit two major attractions during a Colorado vacation: the Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.
Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Rocky Mountains, near Colorado Springs with an elevation of 4301 meters. The mountain was named after Zebulon Pike. This was an explorer who led the Pike expedition in 1806. In 1858 gold was found nearby.
Garden of the Gods is a public natural park near Colorado Springs. The park is known for its rock formations formed from red sandstone over the past 300 to 65 million years. The nature park includes Cave of the Winds.
Colorado landmarks
Colorado is a versatile state where you can discover a lot in a few weeks during your vacation. You can also choose to combine a holiday in Colorado with a tour of West America. You will also visit the surrounding states such as Arizona , Utah, California , New Mexico and Nevada.
Mountainous Region
There are more than 100 mountains in Colorado that are higher than 4000 meters. Colorado is the only state in Western America that is completely above 1000 meters. The lowest point is 1010 meters.
4 National Parks Colorado
Colorado has a number of important national parks that you can visit during your Colorado vacation: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mesa Verde National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park in western Colorado. It is the third smallest National Park in the United States. The river has carved its way through very hard rock layers for 2 million years, the resulting gorge is one of the deepest, narrowest and longest gorges in the world.
2.Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a national park in southern Colorado. Some dunes are 230 meters high and are among the highest dunes in America.
3.Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park located in northern Colorado. The sources of the Colorado River are located in the park. The park features majestic vistas, varied climates and environments, from forests to mountain tundra. The highest mountain is Longs Peak with a height of 4345 meters. A visit to the Rocky Mountains is definitely recommended during your Colorado vacation.
4. Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde National Park is a national park in southwestern Colorado. The park has an area of 211 km2 and the entrance to the park is located about 15 km east of the city of Cortez. The name Mesa Verde means ‘Green Table’ and is known for the large number of well-preserved cliff dwellings, houses built in shallow caves in the canyon walls. From the 11th century to the 13th century, the Anasazi Indians, the probable predecessors of the Pueblo, lived here.
Winter sports on your vacation Colorado
The state of Colorado is home to many luxury ski resorts such as Vail and Aspen. Vail is one of the more famous ski resorts in America and is built in the Austrian style. For example, you will find cozy ‘Gasthöfe’ and ‘Stubes’. You can enjoy the ultimate powder snow here.
Aspen is a fantastic skiing destination and has over 500 km of slopes. The bustling city exudes warmth and cosiness. There are many bars, restaurants and clubs and you can also shop here.
History and inhabitants
Colorado was originally inhabited by Native American tribes such as the Ute, Cheyenne, and Comanche.
It is known that the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado entered the area around 1540. In the 17th century, Colorado came under French influence. After the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), the United States took control of the area.
Beginning in 1859, there was a sharp increase in population associated with the Colorado Gold Rush. However, after more and more of the gold was found, many towns turn into ghost towns.
