Colorado Travel Guide

Colorado is a Rocky Mountain state. The mountains loom large over every aspect of the life, past and present.

The mountains produced the gold that first attracted people in significant numbers to the State and the mountains have continued to yield mineral wealth to the present day. The resort towns of Aspen and Vail are amongst the worlds best ski resorts and the mountains are a year round attraction for tourists.

The Spanish, who partly explored the southern part of the area in the 17th century, named the state - Colorado comes from the Spanish for coloured, a reference to the multi coloured rocks they found. Somewhat typically, the French and Spanish struggled for possession until 1763 when the Spanish crown finally won control. The US took control of the area in the early 1800's and statehood followed in 1876.

Despite its position between the coasts, and on the edge of the rich agricultural prairie lands Colorado has flourished. Based on its metal mineral wealth, it has a long established reputation as a centre for steel and metal production, which supplements the arms production business in the state.

For visitors to the state there are a number of places to visit. The Dinosaur National monument is based around a fossil rich area in the north west of the state. There have been discoveries here of many kinds of dinosaur including the giant Brontosaurus and the meat eater - Allosaurus. Pikes Peak is one of the highest points in the state and the views from the top are stupendous. There are numerous other natural beauty spots and geological curiosities to take in, Grand Sand Dunes National Monument, the Garden of the Gods and the Colorado National Monument are but three.

There are a number of towns of varying historical interest especially for devotees of the Wild West (and lets face it, who isn't?) best of the lot is probably Colorado Springs. The major town and dominating centre of population in the state is Denver.