Ask any local, and they’ll be the first to tell you: There’s something special about Colorado. The stunning scenery often stops us in our tracks. Beyond the landscapes, it seems as though every corner of Colorado has a story to tell — stories of ancient civilizations, frontier grit, and deep cultural roots that remain today. Here are 10 fun and fascinating facts every Coloradan should know.
1. It’s Home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Located in Montezuma County, Mesa Verde National Park was established by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 29, 1906, to protect and preserve the cultural heritage and archeological sites of the Ancestral Pueblo people, who lived there between approximately 550 and 1300 CE (Common Era). The park contains nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including mesa-top structures and 600 cliff dwellings. In 1978, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site — one of the first in the country.
2. It Has the World’s Tallest Flat-Top Mountain
Colorado is renowned for its famous 14ers, but it’s also home to the world’s tallest flat-top mountain.
Standing at an average of 10,000 feet, the Grand Mesa was formed more than 10 million years ago by a lava flow that filled a river valley. Today, its 500 square miles are covered mainly by the Grand Mesa National Forest, home to moose, elk, bear, and other wildlife. More than 300 lakes and 3,500 miles of recreational trails are found across its landscape. Visitors drive the 63-mile-long Grand Mesa Scenic Byway to admire the lush aspen groves, which draw thousands of people each year to witness the changing colors.
3. It Hosts the ‘Race Across the Sky’ in the Country’s Highest Town
Leadville — once the second most populous city in Colorado, thanks to the silver boom in the late 1800s — is the highest incorporated city in North America at around 10,200 feet. Every year, athletes from around the world travel to “Cloud City” to brave the altitude and elements in the Leadville Trail 100 Run, often called the “Race Across the Sky.” First held in 1983, it’s one of the world’s oldest and most iconic ultramarathons.
4. It’s a World-Leading Mineral Producer
Colorado is rich in natural resources, including molybdenum, a mineral that strengthens and hardens steel alloy. The Henderson Mine and Mill near Empire, in operation since 1976, is run by Climax Molybdenum. It’s the world’s largest primary producer of molybdenum, capable of producing between 30 million and 40 million pounds per year. The Continental Divide separates the mine and mill; a 10-mile elevated belt that runs under the mountains — one of the world’s longest conveyor systems — connects the operations.
The Climax Molybdenum Mine, Climax Molybdenum’s original mine located in Lake County near Leadville, was once the world’s largest operation. It began production in 1918 and, by 1926, supplied three-fourths of the world’s molybdenum. After closing in the late 1990s, it reopened in 2012 and now has the capacity to produce approximately 30 million pounds of the mineral annually.
5. It Draws the Hollywood Crowd
Every year during Labor Day Weekend, cinema enthusiasts gather at the Telluride Film Festival to celebrate the best in past and present film. The small mountain town triples in size as the internationally known festival, which began in 1974, honors filmmakers, actors, directors, and historians who have championed the industry. Scores of award-winning films have premiered at the festival, including “Juno,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “The Imitation Game,” “Emilia Pérez,” and many others. Past honorees include some of the most recognized names in Hollywood, such as Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, and Francis Coppola.
6. It Attracts the World’s Best Ice Climbers
With the world’s largest man-made public ice climbing park right in its backyard, it’s no wonder Ouray is known as the ice climbing capital of the world. The Ouray Ice Park spans nearly two miles of the Uncompahgre Gorge and boasts over 200 ice and mixed routes, enticing climbers from across the globe. Every January, thousands of visitors travel to “the Switzerland of America” to watch the world’s most elite climbers compete in the Ouray Ice Festival and Competition.
7. It Offers Vintages with a View
You read that right: While California gets the attention of wine connoisseurs worldwide, Coloradans need only travel to the Western Slope to enjoy award-winning wines. While you can find a growing number of tasting rooms peppered across the state, the Grand Valley and West Elks are home to most of the state’s vineyards. Thousands of wine enthusiasts travel from across the country each year to Colorado’s heart of wine country, Palisade, for the nationally recognized Colorado Mountain Winefest.
8. It Features Renowned Hot Springs
Colorado’s Historic Hot Springs Loop keeps things expectedly hot. The 800-mile route highlights the state’s most popular hot springs, whose temperatures generally range between 90 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Following the loop takes you to the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool and the deepest geothermal aquifer.
The pool in Glenwood Springs measures 405 feet long and 100 feet wide. It’s kept at around 90 degrees and invites family-fun recreation with a diving board, lap lanes, and plenty of room for float toys.
Visitors to Pagosa Springs can soak in pools filled by the Mother Spring aquifer, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s deepest at over 1,002 feet deep. It’s located between the Springs Resort and the Bank of the San Juans, and while the public can view the spring, jumping in is prohibited: Temperatures have been recorded at up to 144 degrees!
9. It’s the Site of ‘America’s Bridge’
Spanning 1,260 feet across the Royal Gorge and suspended 956 feet above the Arkansas River, the Royal Gorge Bridge is an incredible engineering feat of its time. The bridge, designed to hold more than 2 million pounds, opened in 1929 after seven months of construction. It was refurbished in 1987 and receives annual upgrades to enhance and ensure safety. It held the record as the world’s highest bridge until 2001 and remains the highest suspension bridge in America. It was trademarked “America’s Bridge” in 2019.
10. It Boasts the ‘Home of Heroes’
Pueblo may be best known as home to the Colorado State Fair, but it’s also the “Home of Heroes”. Four Medal of Honor recipients — William J. Crawford, Army WWII; Carl L. Sitter, Marines Korea; Raymond “Jerry” G. Murphy, Marines Korea; and Drew D. Dix, Army Vietnam — claimed Pueblo as their hometown. Former Colorado Representative Scott McInnis used the Home of Heroes moniker in a 1993 address to Congress when commenting on the uniqueness of having a record number of recipients from a city of Pueblo’s size. This prompted the city to adopt the name and install a stunning memorial in 2000. The memorial features life-size bronze statues representing Pueblo’s four recipients and large granite plaques as a backdrop with the names of all Medal of Honor recipients since Civil War times. Visitors can see the memorial as a stop on the “Walk of Valor” part of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in downtown Pueblo.