|
Discover Places to Go and Things to Do
|
|
Colorado, United States
|
|
|
|
|
|
The State of Colorado is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Colorado may also be considered to be a part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the state population was 4,861,515 in 2007, a 13.03% increase since the U.S. Census 2000. Denver is the capital as well as the most populous city of Colorado. Citizens of Colorado are known as Coloradans.
GeographyThe State of Colorado is defined as the geoellipsoidal rectangle that stretches from 37°N to 41°N latitude and from 102°03'W to 109°03'W longitude (25°W to 32°W from the Washington Meridian). Colorado is one of only three U.S. states (with Wyoming and Utah) that have only lines of latitude and longitude for boundaries.
The summit of Mount Elbert at elevation in Lake County is the state's highest point and the highest point in the entire Rocky Mountains.
East of the Southern Rocky Mountains are the Colorado Eastern Plains of the High Plains, the section of the Great Plains within Colorado at elevations ranging from 3314 to 6562 feet (1010 to 2000 m). The states of Kansas and Nebraska border Colorado to the east. The plains are sparsely settled with most population along the South Platte and the Arkansas rivers. Precipitation is meager, averaging from 12 to 18 inches (300 to 450 mm) annually.
GeographyThe State of Colorado is defined as the geoellipsoidal rectangle that stretches from 37°N to 41°N latitude and from 102°03'W to 109°03'W longitude (25°W to 32°W from the Washington Meridian). Colorado is one of only three U.S. states (with Wyoming and Utah) that have only lines of latitude and longitude for boundaries.
The summit of Mount Elbert at elevation in Lake County is the state's highest point and the highest point in the entire Rocky Mountains.
East of the Southern Rocky Mountains are the Colorado Eastern Plains of the High Plains, the section of the Great Plains within Colorado at elevations ranging from 3314 to 6562 feet (1010 to 2000 m). The states of Kansas and Nebraska border Colorado to the east. The plains are sparsely settled with most population along the South Platte and the Arkansas rivers. Precipitation is meager, averaging from 12 to 18 inches (300 to 450 mm) annually. There is some irrigated farming, but much of the land is used for dryland farming or ranching. Winter wheat is a typical crop and most small towns in the region boast both a water tower and a grain elevator.
The bulk of Colorado's population lives along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in the Front Range Urban Corridor. This region is partially protected from prevailing storms by the high mountains to the west.
To the west lies the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains with notable peaks such as Longs Peak, Mount Evans, Pikes Peak, and the Spanish Peaks near Walsenburg in the south. This area drains to the east, is forested, and partially urbanized.
During the drought of 2002 devastating forest fires swept this area.
The Continental Divide stretches across the crest of the Rocky Mountains. To the west of the Continental Divide is the Western Slope. Water west of the Continental Divide drains west into the Sea of Cortez via the Colorado River.
Within the interior of the Rocky Mountains are several large parks or high broad basins. In the north, on the east side of the Continental Divide is North Park. North Park is drained by the North Platte River, which flows north into Wyoming. Just south but on the west side of the Continental Divide is Middle Park, drained by the Colorado River. South Park is the headwaters of the South Platte River. To the south lies the San Luis Valley, the headwaters of the Rio Grande, which drains into New Mexico. Across the Sangre de Cristo Range to the east of the San Luis Valley lies the Wet Mountain Valley. These basins, particularly the San Luis Valley, lie along the Rio Grande Rift, a major geological formation, and its branches.
The Rocky Mountains within Colorado contain 51 peaks that are or higher elevation, known as fourteeners. The mountains are timbered with conifers and aspen to the tree line, at an elevation of about in southern Colorado to about in northern Colorado; above this only alpine vegetation grows. The Colorado Rockies are snow-covered only in the winter; most snow melts by mid-August with the exception of a few small glaciers. The Colorado Mineral Belt, stretching from the San Juan Mountains in the southwest to Boulder and Central City on the front range, contains most of the historic gold- and silver-mining districts of Colorado.
The Western Slope is generally drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Notable to the south are the San Juan Mountains, an extremely rugged mountain range, and to the west of the San Juans, the Colorado Plateau, a high desert bordering Southern Utah. Grand Junction is the largest city on the Western Slope. Grand Junction is served by Interstate Highway I-70. To the southeast of Grand Junction is Grand Mesa, the worlds largest flat-topped mountain. Further east are the ski resorts of Aspen, Vail, Crested Butte, and Steamboat Springs. The northwestern corner of Colorado bordering Northern Utah and Western Wyoming is mostly sparsely populated rangeland.
From west to east, the state consists of desert-like basins, turning into plateaus, then alpine mountains, and then the grasslands of the Great Plains. The famous Pikes Peak is just west of Colorado Springs. Its lone peak is visible from near the Kansas border on clear days.
Colorado is also one of only four states in the United States to share a common border (Four Corners), along with Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. At this intersection, it is possible to stand in four states at once.
ClimateThe climate of Colorado is best described as being totally complex compared to the rest of the United States. While that is generally true throughout much of the state, the climate of Colorado is complex enough to have a wide range of averages between records throughout every season. The typical south-north/cooler-warmer variation in other states is generally not applicable at all in Colorado. The location of mountain ranges and surrounding valleys affect local climate greatly. As a general rule, with an increase in elevation come a decrease in temperature and an increase in precipitation. A main climatic division in Colorado occurs where the Rocky Mountains begin with the Front Range cities and the plains to the east, the mountains and valleys to the west, and the foothills as a transitional zone in between the two.
Eastern PlainsThe climate of the Eastern Plains is a semi-arid continental climate (Koppen climate classification BSk) of low humidity and moderately low precipitation, usually from 10 to 15 inches (250 to 380 mm) annually. The area is known for its abundant sunshine and cool clear nights, which give this area the highest average diurnal temperature range in the United States. In the summer, this area can have many days above 95 °F (35 °C) and sometimes 100 °F (38 °C) or more. Temperatures in excess of 115 °F (46 °C) in the northeast corner of the state are not uncommon, although 105 °F (41 °C) is the maximum in the front range cities above 5000 ft (1500 m). In those areas, -25 °F is the all-time record low. About 75% of the precipitation falls within the growing season, from April to September, but this area is very prone to droughts. Most of the precipitation comes in the form of thunderstorms which are often severe, and the form of major snowstorms that happen most often in the early Spring and in late Autumn, and sometimes Winter, from low pressures that bring the right conditions. Otherwise, Winters tend to be drier and cold, even though it's known for having a number of mild days in many Winters. In much of this region, March and April are the snowiest months. April and May are normally the rainiest months, while April is the wettest month that has the most combination of rain and snow. The Front Range cities closer to the mountains tend to be warmer in the winter due to chinook winds which warm the area, sometimes bringing temperatures up to 60 °F (16 °C) or higher in the winter. The average July temperature is 57 degrees in the morning and 87 degrees
in the afternoon. The average January temperature is 15 degrees in the morning and 43 degrees in
the afternoon, although the daily high may be 60 one day and 0 the next.
West of the plains and foothillsWest of the plains and foothills, the weather of Colorado is much less uniform. Even places a few miles (kilometers) apart can experience entirely different weather, depending on the topography of the area. Most valleys also have a semi-arid climate, which becomes an alpine climate at higher elevations. Generally, the wettest season is in the winter in Western Colorado while June is the driest month, which is the opposite of the precipitation patterns in the east. The mountains have cool summers with many days of high temperatures around 60 °F (16 °C) and 70 °F (21 °C), although frequent thunderstorms can cause a sudden drop in temperatures. Summer nights are cool, and cold at the highest altitudes which can sometimes bring snow even in the middle of the summer. The winters bring abundant, powdery snowfall to the mountains which the skiers love, although even in the winter, there can be many days with abundant sunshine in between major storms. The Western Slope has high summer temperatures similar to those found on the plains while the winters tend to be slightly cooler due to the lack of any warming winds which are common in the plains and Front Range. Other areas in the west have their own unique weather. The San Luis Valley is generally dry with little rain or snow, although the snow that falls tends to stay on the ground all winter.
.
Extreme weatherExtreme weather is a common occurrence in Colorado. Thunderstorms are common east of the Continental divide in the spring and summer, and Colorado is one of leading states in deaths due to lightning. Hail is a common sight in the mountains east of the divide and in the northwest part of the state. While not as common as some of the states to the east, much of the Eastern Plains are prone to tornadoes, and there have been some damaging tornadoes there. An example is the 1990 Limon F3 tornado which devastated the city. Floods are also a factor in the plains, not just from the thunderstorms, but also due to heavy snow in the mountains followed by a warm, dry period which swells rivers with melted snow.
RecordsThe highest temperature ever recorded in Colorado was 118 °F (48 °C) on July 11, 1888, at Bennett, while the lowest was -61 °F (-52 °C) on February 1, 1985, at Maybell.
HistoryThe region that is today the State of Colorado has been inhabited by Native Americans for more than 13 millennia. The region was acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 and the Mexican Cession in 1848. The region was divided among the Territory of New Mexico organized in 1850, the Territory of Utah organized in 1850, the Territory of Kansas organized in 1854, and the Territory of Nebraska organized in 1854.
On 1851-04-09, Hispanic settlers from Taos, New Mexico, settled San Luis, then in the Territory of New Mexico, but now Colorado's first European settlement. Gold was discovered along the South Platte River in western Kansas Territory in July of 1858, precipitating the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. The Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson was organized on 1859-10-24, but the new territory failed to secure federal sanction. The election of Abraham Lincoln on 1860-11-06, led to the secession of six slave states and the approach of civil war. The Republican led U.S. Congress admitted the eastern portion of the Territory of Kansas to the Union as the free State of Kansas on 1861-01-29, leaving the western portion of the territory, and its gold fields, unorganized.
Thirty days later on 1861-02-28, outgoing U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act of Congress organizing the free Territory of Colorado. (The boundaries of the new territory were the same as the State of Colorado today.) The name Colorado was chosen because it was commonly believed that the Colorado River originated in the territory. Early Spanish explorers had named the Rio Colorado for the reddish-brown silt the river carried from the mountains. (In fact, the Colorado River did not flow through Colorado until House Joint Resolution 460 of the 66th United States Congress changed the name of the Grand River to the Colorado River on 1921-07-25.)
On 1876-08-01 (28 days after Centennial of the United States), U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting the State of Colorado to the Union as the 38th state and earning it the moniker the "Centennial State". Colorado women were granted the right to vote beginning on 1893-11-07. By the 1930 U.S. Census, the population of Colorado exceeded one million residents, and by the 2000 Census, the population exceeded 4.3 million.
Three different ships have been named USS Colorado in honor of the state.
Government and PoliticsState governmentLike the majority of states, Colorado's current constitution provides for three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The governor heads the state's executive branch. The Colorado Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the state. The state legislative body is the Colorado General Assembly, which is made up of two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House has 65 members and the Senate has 35. Currently, Democrats are in control of both chambers of the General Assembly. The 2005 Colorado General Assembly was the first to be controlled by the Democrats in forty years.
The incumbent Governor of the State of Colorado is August William "Bill" Ritter, Jr. (D).
Many Coloradans are transplanted citizens, and this is illustrated by the fact that the state has not had a native-born governor since 1975 (when John David Vanderhoof left office) and -- until Bill Ritter's election in November 2006 -- had not elected one since 1958, in the person of Stephen L.R. McNichols. Vanderhoof ascended from the Lieutenant Governorship when John Arthur Love was given a position in Richard Nixon's administration in 1973.) Bill Ritter (D), a humanitarian missionary worker in Africa and former Denver District Attorney, defeated former congressman and banker Bob Beauprez (R) in the 2006 gubernatorial election.
Federal representationThe two U.S. Senators from Colorado are Wayne Allard (R), and Ken Salazar (D). The state has seven U.S. Congressional districts, based on the 2000 Census.
Election politicsColorado is considered a very independent state politically in both state and federal elections. Coloradoans elected 17 Democrats and 12 Republicans to the governorship in the last 100 years. In presidential politics, Colorado supported Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, and supported Republican presidential nominee Robert J. Dole in 1996 and George W. Bush in 2000. George W. Bush won the state's 9 electoral votes in the 2004 election, by a margin of 5 percentage points with 51.7% of the vote, considerably less than the 9% margin Bush won by in 2000. However this can be largely attributed to the 5% of the vote Ralph Nader won in 2000.
Colorado politics has the contrast of conservative cities such as Colorado Springs and liberal cities such as Boulder. Democrats are strongest in metropolitan Denver, the college towns of Fort Collins and Boulder, southern Colorado (including Pueblo), and a few western ski resort counties. The Republicans are strongest in the Eastern Plains, Colorado Springs, Greeley, some of Denver suburbs, and the Western half of State (including Grand Junction). The fastest growing parts of the state particularly Douglas, Elbert, and Weld Counties, in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area, are somewhat Republican.
''See also: United States presidential election, 2004, in Colorado
''See also: Colorado's congressional elections, 2006
''See also: Colorado gubernatorial election, 2006
CountiesColorado is divided into 64 counties, including two counties with consolidated city and county governments.
Cities and TownsColorado has 271 incorporated municipalities and 83 active United States Census Designated Places.
Metropolitan AreasThe United States Census Bureau has defined seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), seven Micropolitan Statistical Areas (μSAs), and one Combined Statistical Area (CSA) in the State of Colorado.
Protected areasNational Parks in Colorado:
Arapaho National Recreation AreaBent's Old Fort National Historic SiteBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkCanyons of the Ancients National MonumentColorado National MonumentCurecanti National Recreation AreaDinosaur National MonumentFlorissant Fossil Beds National MonumentGreat Sand Dunes National Park and PreserveHovenweep National MonumentMesa Verde National Park and UNESCO World Heritage SiteRocky Mountain National ParkSand Creek Massacre National Historic SiteYucca House National Monument
EducationColleges and universities in Colorado:
Professional sports teamsColorado is the least populous state with a franchise in each of the major professional sports leagues. As of the 2000 census, Colorado was also the least populous state to have more than one major league team. The state is able to support the teams because it contains a large metropolitan area with a much higher population than any other city within 550 miles (885 kilometers). Therefore, many of the residents in the surrounding states support the teams in Denver, as shown by the reach of the Broncos' radio network
External linksState government
State of Colorado government websiteColorado Constitution and statutesColorado state symbols and emblemsColorado official state vacation guideColorado Chambers of CommerceColorado state government departments and agenciesColorado Department of TransportationColorado highway mapsColorado Travel MapList of searchable databases produced by Colorado state agencies hosted by the American Library Association Government Documents Roundtable.Federal government
USGS Colorado state facts, real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of ColoradoUnited States Census BureauColorado QuickFactsColorado - Race and Hispanic Origin: 1860 to 1990Colorado economic dataColorado housing dataColorado social dataUSDA ERS Colorado state factsOther
Colorado Ski Country USAVail Valley Partnership - The Chamber and Tourism BureauRootsWebColorado Places by CountyColorado County EvolutionTerra Galleria Photos of Colorado
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
By Tomer3
3 days
A fun alternative to the pricey Vail area, is Breckenridge. Breckenridge is a 148-year-old quaint Victorian town in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. As one of the nation’s premier year-round resorts, Breckenridge has an incredible selection of recreational activities.
|
|
|
By NorthAmericanAdventures
4 days
If you can swing the expense, grab your buddies & head for the slopes of Vail, Colorado! Make your reservations well in advance because the hotels in this area book up early.
|
|
|
|
11 people reviewed Colorado
|
Top
|
|
|
|
at 4:30AM July 26, 2008
Probably the best place outside of California that I've been to (I would miss the ocean :>)
|
|
at 9:32AM July 2, 2009
When do we move? I can't wait to go back and plan to next summer!
|
|
at 12:00PM June 12, 2008
Plan to move here we love it so much!
|
|
|
at 12:26AM May 29, 2008
A gorgeous state with something for everyone
|
|
|
at 4:00AM July 7, 2008
may go to Pueblo to work next
|
|
at 5:17PM May 29, 2008
snowy
|
|
at 5:12PM May 29, 2008
|
|
|
at 3:47AM May 28, 2008
Found the roads good, sight seeing amazing, and food THE BOMB!
Take your time locals were fun and kept in touch for years with new aquaintances! ROADS made me queasy not for the faint in heart!
|
|
at 2:43AM May 28, 2008
Well i went when i was 7 years old and i met my dad for the first time ever , i had fun there though.
|
|
|
at 1:35AM May 28, 2008
Love CO Mountains! Hike, run, hike, run, FUN!
|
|
|
at 9:27PM May 27, 2008
totally beautiful.
|
|
|
|
Top Colorado Destinations
|
|
|
|
|
Add to
My Places
Plan Your Visit
