Colorado is America’s highest state, with the average elevation actually even more than a mile high! (6,800 ft./2070 m) Mountain vistas, fossil remains and a rich history of mining and resource extraction make the Centennial State an amazing visit.
History
Colorado’s human history begins around 13,000 years ago, when Native Americans first moved into the area (most likely following big game). The Lindenmeier site in Larimer County suggests a human presence as early as 8,700 BCE. Early Coloradans were nomadic, and subsisted largely by hunting and fishing. Major groups included the Ute, Shoshone, Arapaho, and Comanche.
Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park.
Spanish explorers and fur trappers filtered into Colorado by the 1600s, but the state really came on the map in 1858, when the discovery of gold brought swarms of migrants into the area looking to get rich quick. The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush brought in nearly 100,000 new Coloradans, followed by more who came seeking silver. The state’s population grew enough to join the Union in 1876, America’s 100th anniversary (thus the Centennial State nickname). However, Colorado’s mining days were not all rosy; violent strikes, martial law and multiple deaths led to the formation of unions to protect the miners, a major development at the time.
Although marred by gun violence at Columbine and Aurora, today’s Colorado still attracts migrants and tourists from across the world. Colorado’s diverse economy includes mineral extraction, tourism, and agriculture and more. And agriculture may get a boost, as November 2012 saw Coloradans become the first to legalize marijuana in the modern era.
Places to Visit
Places I have been and others I recommend for visitors to Colorado.
Travel Tips
Mountain travel applies; it snows even in summertime in the high Rockies.
Distances are great in mountainous western Colorado, and it is wise to watch gas levels.
National Parks abound in Colorado. Invest in a National Parks Pass, but wait until you get to the first park to buy one.
