One of just three US states with no natural borders, only straight lines, Colorado is geographically diverse. It is home to the majestic and tree-covered Rocky Mountains which include the ‘fourteeners’, over fifty mountain peaks that tower over 14,000 feet (4,267m). Winter sports opportunities amid the alpine splendour are endless with world famous ski resorts such as Aspen and Vail attracting thousands of visitors annually. However, it may be surprising to learn that much of Colorado, in fact over half, is relatively flat - a cyclist’s dream. Rivers, canyons and rich red deserts add to the natural spectacle that has earned Colorado the nickname of the “Colourful State”.
Colorado is rich both in terms of history and natural resources. Originally the region was occupied by Native Americans who survived by hunting and trapping in the north and farming the fertile lands in the south. The state joined the US as a result of land purchases and acquisition following battles with the Native Americans and Mexicans during the nineteenth century. The gold rush towards the end of that century was a boom period for this frontier region which has left amongst other things, an architectural legacy in many of the towns.
Denver, the state capital, is the largest city for six hundred miles and acts as the gateway to the region. The northern half of the state, north of Denver, attracts most visitors with the spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park being the biggest draw.
The dynamic and lively college town of Boulder makes a great regional base with access to the mountains although there are other smaller mountain towns such as Grand Lake, near the western entrance of the National Park, and Winter Park, which is also an affordable ski resort, to the east. Somewhat more upscale and glamorous are the ski resorts of Vail and Aspen dotted along the I-70 freeway. Vail is considered to be the best for skiing while Aspen scores highly in terms of glitziness and its après-ski activities.
The high mountain passes of southwest Colorado are classic mining territory with well-preserved late-Victorian frontier towns dotted throughout the valleys. Old mining towns like Crested Butte, also a popular ski resort, and Durango stand revitalized in the mountains. The road north of Durango is known as the Million Dollar Highway due to the gold-laden gravel used in its construction.
Throughout the region the natural landscape falls and rises in a patchwork of granite peaks, raging rivers, and red-sandstone canyons. The Colorado National Monument holds incredible natural sculptures and the Mesa Verde National Park preserves a stunning cliff city left by the ancient Ancestral Puebloans.
With Pikes Peak towering in the background, the city of Colorado Springs sits 70 miles (112 km) south of Denver on the I-25. Once nicknamed “Little London” because of the amount of English gentry who frequently visited it in the late 19th Century, the city now hosts a large US military presence. It is home to the North American Defense Command Headquarters, or NORAD, deep inside Cheyenne Mountain, and also boasts the popular visitor attraction of the United States Air Force Academy, located about fifteen miles (24 km) north of Colorado Springs on the I-25.
Around 170 miles (274 km) southeast of Colorado Springs can be found the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Over millions of years, fifty square miles of shifting glacial sand has been blown against the craggy Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the San Juan Mountains to create these eerie and beautiful dunes.
The rest of the state's southeast quarter is made up of gently undulating plains, small farming towns and an endless sea of grassland. Little appears to have changed over the years and the area evokes the same atmosphere that must have been encountered by the traders and explorers who crossed the area on the Santa Fe Trail running along the Arkansas River between Missouri and Mexico. The San Luis Valley, for example, is a stunning alpine valley which boasts one of the US’s largest solar arrays and underground water aquifers west of the Mississippi. All this is perhaps testament to the region’s abundance of natural resources.
Climate
The climate of Colorado is quite complex compared to most of the US with wide temperature variations across the region. The mountains and surrounding valleys greatly affect local climate. As a general rule, with an increase in elevation comes a decrease in temperature and an increase in precipitation.
The mountain regions are nearly always cool. The thin atmosphere allows greater penetration of solar radiation and results in pleasant daytime conditions even during the winter. Skiers at high elevations can even get away with light clothing despite being surrounded by heavy snow.
The plains tend to experience dry winters with some snow. Temperatures can be very cold but there can also be some very warm days. Spring tends to be very windy with changeable weather, an occasional blizzard, large temperature changes and an occasional gentle rain or sleet shower to help nurture the grasslands. Summer is hot and dry with occasional heavy thunderstorms. This is usually followed by a dry autumn.
Getting There
The main international airport in Colorado is Denver International Airport. Shuttle buses radiate from here to all the main towns and ski resorts.
Most major US airlines, Air Canada, British Airways and Lufthansa fly to Denver. Flights to the UK usually include one other stop in the US and the average journey time is around 12 hours. Within the US there are a number of low-cost airlines, such as JetBlue, which also service Denver International. Flight connections from Denver and other US cities to local airports within the state of Colorado are also possible.
Inter-state bus and train connections to and from Denver are good. Regular trains run across the middle of Colorado, timed in both directions to pass through the magnificent Glenwood Canyon in daylight hours. |
