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Colorado
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated August 2026
The Centennial State · Capital: Denver · The West
The Rocky Mountains at their most spectacular — skiing, peaks and mile-high cities.
Why go
What makes Colorado worth the trip.
World-class skiing
Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge are marquee winter resorts.
Rocky Mountain grandeur
Fourteen-thousand-foot peaks and alpine national parks.
Four-season play
Skiing in winter, hiking and rafting all summer.
Colorado on the map
The capital and the places worth building a trip around. Click a marker for a quick note and hotels.
Colorado — State Facts
A short history
Colorado's high country was long home to the Ute, along with Arapaho and Cheyenne peoples on the eastern plains, whose seasonal hunting grounds spanned the Rockies for thousands of years before European contact. Spanish explorers passed through in the 1700s, and the region was folded into the Louisiana Purchase and later Mexican Cession before the 1858-59 Pike's Peak Gold Rush drew a flood of prospectors and permanent settlers.
Colorado became a U.S. territory in 1861 and entered the Union in 1876, earning the nickname 'the Centennial State' for joining a hundred years after the Declaration of Independence. Mining fortunes built boomtowns like Leadville and Cripple Creek, and the arrival of the railroads cemented Denver as the region's commercial hub, a role it still plays today.
Modern Colorado blends a resource and ranching economy with tech, aerospace and craft brewing, anchored by Denver's skyline and a legalized cannabis industry that made headlines from 2014. Its defining landmarks remain natural: Rocky Mountain National Park's alpine tundra, the ski towns of Aspen and Vail, and Mesa Verde's Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Denver earned its Mile High City nickname because the thirteenth step of the state capitol building sits exactly 5,280 feet above sea level, and Mesa Verde further south preserves cliff dwellings the Ancestral Puebloans built and occupied roughly 700 years ago.
Where to go
The signature places to build a trip around.
Denver
Mile-high capital with a booming food, beer and arts scene.
Selected hotels
Rocky Mountain National Park
Alpine tundra, elk and Trail Ridge Road.
Selected hotels
Aspen / Vail
Legendary ski resorts and summer festivals.
Selected hotels
Mesa Verde
Ancient cliff dwellings in the state's southwest corner.
Selected hotels
Drive Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park at sunrise in summer — the elk are still grazing the alpine tundra, the light on the peaks is unreal, and the road usually stays open only from late May through October, so check before you go.
When to go
December–March for skiing; June–September for hiking and mountain drives.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Peak ski season with reliable powder in Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge; Denver stays sunny but cold.
Spring (Mar–May)
Late snow can still deliver good skiing while lower valleys green up; a mixed, changeable season. Spring break means late-season skiing at Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Warm, dry days made for hiking, rafting and mountain drives; afternoon thunderstorms are common.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Golden aspens and crisp air make September a favourite for mountain scenery before the snow returns.
Colorado FAQ
What is the capital of Colorado?
Denver is the capital of Colorado.
What is the largest city in Colorado?
Denver is both the capital and the largest city in Colorado.
When did Colorado become a state?
Colorado became the 38th U.S. state on August 1, 1876.
What is Colorado known for?
Colorado is known for the Rocky Mountains at their most spectacular — skiing, peaks and mile-high cities.
When is the best time to visit Colorado?
December–March for skiing; June–September for hiking and mountain drives.
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