Editor’s note: Welcome to the 15th and final installment of our 15-week series Colorado 150, marking 150 years of statehood with our favorite Colorado things.
One of Colorado’s greatest charms is that it has something for everyone, and pretty much all who step foot inside our state are bound to have a colorful time.
Colorado’s 104,094 square miles provide an incredible backdrop to scenic roads and railways, rivers and lakes, gatherings and festivals, and any number of adventures. Those lucky enough to be born and raised here have a sense of pride instilled in them as part of their Colorado DNA.
We love to be outside, appreciate the outdoors, and despite our state’s incredible growth, we still hold on to that sense of community. And when we’re not inside the four walls of our square state, we can easily spot a kindred spirit outside the Centennial State by their Melly from the beloved Melanzana or their well-worn Broncos hat.
We spend our winters sliding down ski runs and our summers traipsing around the high country looking for the solitude our unique nature provides us. We can stand atop 14,000-foot mountains and spend the night outside under some of the darkest skies gleaming with stars. We’ve got a gold-gilded state Capitol and a blue horse that welcomes millions of people every year.
We are a state that’s unique, quirky and, yes, colorful. We love Colorado.
David Krause | Editor
Leaf peeping
Fall is magical in the high country when the aspens make the mountain shimmer with a golden hue before the leaves depart and blanket the forest floor. Everyone in Colorado has their favorite drive, so there’s no arguing about what’s best, other than getting out there.
For a full-blown experience, the drive over Kebler Pass just outside of Crested Butte is mesmerizing by the sheer number of aspens that fill the landscape and line the dirt road for miles.
The “peak dates” change each year, and the color cascades from north to south. As fall approaches, there are plenty of leaf-peeping forecasts that pop up.
Summiting 14ers
Every year hundreds of thousands of hikers try to touch the Colorado sky by ascending one of the state’s 58 peaks that tower about 14,000 feet, led by the 14,438-foot Mount Elbert. Standing on a summit after an arduous hike to soak in the views is a major return on investment for a lot of folks.
And if you want the views but not the struggle, there are two fourteeners in Colorado that you don’t have to even leave a vehicle to summit: Mount Blue Sky just west of Denver and Pikes Peak (aka America’s Mountain) towering over Colorado Springs have roads to the top.
Colorado State Fair
Though the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo has been around since 1872, every August the fair assuredly surprises visitors with something new to see, hear or eat. Watch daring stuntmen do backflips on pogo sticks, enjoy the physical comedy of the Aquamaniacs diving squad, sample some alligator-on-a-stick or meet a triumphant turkey named Thanksgiving.
While novelty abounds, there are always some tried-and-true attractions as well, like a spate of professional rodeos, the Fiesta Day parade celebrating southern Colorado’s Hispanic cultures, and the annual Slopper-eating contest. After months of county fairs, plenty of folks head to the state fair to show off their livestock, art projects, cooking skills and much more.
State Capitol
Colorado’s golden dome is open to everyone, year-round. And whether you’re outside or in, there’s plenty of Colorado to be had. Start with the steps on the west side to mark 5,280 feet (1 mile) in altitude (much like the purple row of seats in the Coors Field upper deck), and once you catch your breath take in the view to the west.
Inside, there’s marble from Marble, stained glass marking big moments in state history, and you can join an hourlong guided tour that goes to the outside observation deck that surrounds the dome, which of course is covered in a layer of gold from a Colorado mine.
History Colorado
While the main museum is in downtown Denver, History Colorado’s work spans the entire state with 11 museums and historic sites. Established in 1879, History Colorado is home to a collection of 15 million objects, photographs and archival resources.
Telling the history of this great state is just one of its roles. The museum has spent millions restoring history. Since Colorado’s State Historical Fund was created in 1990 through 2024, History Colorado has awarded more than $365 million in preservation grants to projects in each of the state’s 64 counties.
Camping
Camping spots are abundant across Colorado and certainly appeal to all levels of outdoor enthusiasts. Sleeping under the stars in the shadow of fourteeners, swinging in a hammock near a high country lake, filling a three-room tent at a campground, hanging at the sweetest fifth-wheel and trailers spots on the Eastern Plains or Western Slope, just being away from home and outside can help us reset.
Something about fresh air, quiet evenings and Sunday morning coffee tent side that cleanses the soul. In Colorado, there are plenty of local, state and federal campgrounds and lands to appreciate.
The Colorado Trail
Covering more than 500 miles, the Colorado Trail was the brainchild of Gudy Gaskill, who came up with the idea in the 1970s. Then the chair of the Colorado Mountain Club’s Huts and Trails committee, she started plotting the way to hike between Denver and Durango. For over a decade, Gaskill managed thousands of volunteers as they navigated a route through six national forests and six wilderness areas, eight mountain ranges and five river basins.
The entire trail system is 567 miles with an average elevation of roughly 10,300 feet and total climbing of more than 90,000 vertical feet.
Rodeos
Certainly Colorado’s signature rodeo each summer is the Greeley Stampede, which has several days of rodeos amid a giant festival and a strong country music lineup of concerts. In the winter, all eyes are on the go-rounds at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. But there are smaller, more intimate events around Colorado. From Grand Junction to Snowmass, Durango to Brush, rodeo arenas dot the state. If you’ve never been to a rodeo, don’t worry. You don’t have to have boots and a hat — just an appreciation for some of Colorado’s Western history that still lives on.
Colorful Colorado signs
If you’ve ever driven into Colorado, you’ve likely stopped and gotten your picture taken in front of one of these iconic “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” signs. The idea came after World War II when Americans started taking to the highways, and now there are 41 of the rustic signs standing roadside at various entrance points to the state. The Colorado Department of Transportation makes and maintains the signs.
In the 1980s, the transportation agency thought about going in a different direction with a welcoming sign for visitors, but it didn’t go over well. So, if you haven’t stopped yet, don’t worry, they aren’t going anywhere.
Mustang (aka Blucifer)
This might seem a bit odd for a list like this, but who hasn’t wondered about that 32-foot-tall blue horse with red eyes glowing as it welcomes visitors to Colorado? It certainly is a statement piece for the 80 million-plus folks who come and go out of Denver International Airport each year. The public art installation Mustang, colloquially known as Blucifer, has its own history since making its way to Peña Boulevard in 2008. Yes, the art killed its creator. Sculptor Luis Jiménez died when a part of the piece broke off while he was working on it in his studio in 2006.