Colorado

"The Centennial State"

Colorado invites you to come and be captivated by its western history, world renowned ski resorts, modern art, famous breweries, wonderful wineries and the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains; just imagine your perfect holiday hot spot and make it a reality in Colorado. Ten hours flying time from the UK, Colorado is a year-round destination. During the spring, summer and autumn months visitors can experience the vibrant capital city of Denver and explore the four national parks and a World Heritage Site. Take in the scenery on 25 scenic and historic byways, enjoy wine tasting in over 80 vineyards, relax on one of eight historic train rides or tackle a myriad of world class outdoor activities. Then in the winter months head to one of the 26 world-class ski resorts where skiing and boarding the world famous Rockies while admiring panoramic vistas of jagged mountain peaks is the norm. Add crisp, blue-sky days and incredibly varied terrain, and it’s easy to understand why Colorado attracts more skier and snowboarder visits than any other state in the US. From sky-scraping, snow-capped mountains, to rolling prairies, rushing rivers to desert lands, in Colorado visitors can be sure to experience it all.

Colorado offers adventure, arts, heritage, distinctive cuisine and 25 renowned ski resort areas. The state's scenic landscape includes natural hot springs, national parks and monuments, and mountain peaks.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve has giant sand dunes which rise dramatically to more than 750 feet (229 metres). Here you can hike, slide, ski or board.

Land Area: 104,247 square miles (eighth largest in the US)

Population: 4,939,456

State Capital: Denver ("The Mile High City")

Largest City: Denver ("The Mile High City")

Local Time: MST - 7 hrs behind the UK

An average of 300 days of sunshine with warm dry summers (average high 77 F (25 C), crisp sunny springs, colourful Autumn foliage and winter snowfall across the mountains (ski resorts open third week of November).

4 (Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park) 6 Nat Monuments and 42 State Parks

Colorado’s earliest residents moved here centuries ago. Puebloan people carved their homes into the sides of cliffs. The dwellings date to the 1190s. Get a glimpse of how they lived and farmed until about 1300 by exploring Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. Go on a ranger-led tour to see places like the Balcony House, Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House. From there, learn more about the state’s Wild West heritage just about everywhere you travel. Keep your eyes peeled for historic forts and railroads, ghost towns, mining museums and dude ranches. Who doesn’t want to go horseback riding and pretend to be a cowboy for a day or two? You’ll definitely want to head back to civilization for modern culture. In addition to Denver, spend time exploring Fort Collins’ historic district, scenic parks in Colorado Springs, wineries in Grand Junction and Western charm paired with hot springs in Steamboat Springs. 

In addition to Mesa Verde, Colorado is home to three more national parks – the state’s most popular, Rocky Mountain, in addition to Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Go hiking and fishing, see wildflowers and wildlife, and marvel at sand dunes towering 2,650 meters high. Reserve a campsite to gaze at stars twinkling in the dark skies, or sightsee from a seat in a train car on eight historic railroad routes. More Colorado marvels include nine national monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and 58 mountain peaks over 4,000 meters high (known locally as "fourteeners" for their 14,000-foot elevations). Those fabulous slopes earned Colorado’s reputation as one of North America’s premier snow sports destinations offering 28 ski areas and resorts. Summer activities also abound at the high-altitude resorts and towns – there’s never an idle day for those who like biking, golfing, ziplining and taking gondola rides. Among awesome places to stay and play, no matter what time you visit, are Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen/ Snowmass and Telluride. Year-round, take a ride on one of Colorado’s scenic and historic railroads for a unique voyage that combines Wild West history with unbeatable views. Some trains travel through remote territory that is hard to experience any other way, giving you an up-close look at marvels like the Continental Divide, Pikes Peak, the San Isabel National Forest and more. 

Expect warm welcomes from Colorado’s residents, who love to share the state’s natural beauty with visitors. Colorado is a leader in sustainability, aiming to enlist travellers to help protect the qualities that attracted them to visit in the first place. Using the Care for Colorado Principles to inspire low-impact travel, the state encourages people to leave no traces of their visit behind. Doing so will help more than 900 species of wildlife and 750 types of flowers to thrive in the wilderness. Some simple ways to help include using refillable beverage containers, staying on marked trails, leaving natural items intact and putting trash in the proper bins.