Colorado

Colorado

Colorful Colorado is a land dominated by the Rocky Mountains towering over the Continental Divide. Imagine two raindrops falling side by side on the ridgeline. One lands just inside the Front Range and begins its journey to the Atlantic Ocean. The other falls just a little to the west and flows down to the Pacific. Such is life in the mountains, where tiny effects have massive consequences.

Most of Colorado’s population lives in the Front Range along the I-25 corridor. They head to the mountains for outdoor recreation with every mountain sport imaginable, from hiking to skiing and everything in between.

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Language(s)

English

Currency

US Dollar

Exercise Increased Caution
Summer Winter
Crested Butte 72 6
Denver 89 22
Grand Junction 94 20
Outlets
Type-A
Type-B

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the Front Range is from spring from March to May and autumn from September to November. The spring and autumn seasons are cooler than the summer, which tends to be hot in this part of the state, and you avoid the slush and fuss of winter.

However, summer and winter are king in the mountains. During the summer, you can hike, raft, climb, and explore the Rocky Mountains. Winter is for skiing, where over 10-million people strap in and carve down the state’s iconic slopes and relax in picture-perfect ski towns.

Fun Facts

  • Colorado is home to the world’s largest natural hot springs swimming pool
  • Colorado has the world’s largest flat-top mountain
  • The name Colorado means ‘colored red’
  • It’s illegal to throw snowballs in Aspen
  • The term ‘cheeseburger’ was originally trademarked by Louis Ballast of Denver’s ‘Humpty Dumpty Drive-In’ in 1935
  • Unsinkable Molly Brown, a survivor of the Titanic, found her fortune in the mountains outside of Leadville
  • Pikes Peak has the highest paved road in North America

Bucket-List Activities

  • Explore Mesa Verde National Park (Mesa Verde)
  • See the sights at Island Lake (Silverton)
  • Bike the Million Dollar Highway (Durango to Ouray)
  • Soak in the world’s deepest hot springs (Pagosa Springs)
  • Take a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (Estes Park)
  • Traverse a Via Ferrata (Telluride)
  • Hop on the Silverton Train (Silverton)

Natural Wonders

  • Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs)
  • Royal Gorge (Cañon City)
  • Cave of the Winds (Manitou Springs)
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Duncan)
  • Maroon Bells (Aspen)
  • Hanging Lake (Glenwood Canyon)
  • Mesa Verde National Park (Mesa Verde)

Major Attractions

  • Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs)
  • Mesa Verde National Park (Mesa Verde)
  • Vail Ski Resort (Vail)
  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Gunnison)
  • Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Denver)

Native Foods

  • Rocky Mountain Oysters (meatballs, in that they are meat and balls)
  • Colorado Style Pizza (oversized slices with a braided crust- Beau Jo’s pizza sets the bar 😉)
  • Denver Omelet (an omelet with ham, onions, and green peppers)
  • Palisade Peaches (grown only in western Colorado)
  • Olathe Sweet Corn (known for its sugary, fresh taste)

General Travel Tips

Common Phrases

  • 14er – A mountain over 14,000′
  • Blucifer – The demonic-eyed blue horse outside of the Denver Airport who killed his sculptor
  • The Mousetrap – A traffic nightmare where I-25 meets I-75
  • Colorado Kool-Aid – An antiquated term for Coors Beer
  • The Springs – Colorado Springs
  • Granola – Anybody from Boulder
  • Denver / Denver International Airport (DEN ✈✈✈✈) – Colorado’s capital and United’s hub
  • Colorado Springs / Colorado Springs Airport (COS ✈✈) – Home to the Airforce Academy and Garden of the Gods
  • Aspen /Pitkin County Airport (ASE ✈✈) – The largest airport in the mountains
  • Grand Junction / Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT ✈✈) – Where the Western Range reaches the Colorado River
  • Durango / Durango – La Plata County Airport (DRO  ✈✈) – Start of the Million Dollar Highway
  • Vail – Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE ✈✈) – The Front Range’s answer to Aspen
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Here at Coleman Concierge, we encourage everyone to travel responsibly and believe there is potential for tremendous good for the world following that ethos. There is also the potential for horrific consequences from irresponsible travel.

Before you go, please check out the latest CDC recommendations for travelers.

Even if you can’t physically explore the world, we hope that you enjoy the escape our site provides. Keep your spirits up and your hands clean. There will be a time to travel soon enough.

Meet Ed & Jenn

Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman, and together we are Coleman Concierge. It is our goal to inspire you to get out, expand your world, and to seek adventure, even in your own backyard.

We deeply believe in the transformational power of travel. Our tagline is amazing adventures for ordinary people because we believe that you don’t have to be super rich, super fit or super anything to have an amazing adventure. Expanding your comfort zone and trying new things will pay huge dividends in both health and happiness.

We advocate for sustainable and ethical travel and truly believe in the power of travel to transform both ourselves as well as the world around us.

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