The hardest part of planning a trip to Colorado is choosing a destination. There's everything from world-class skiing to railroad museums, from four-wheel-drive trails to jazz festivals, from hang gliding to casino gaming. Whether you're planning to visit Colorado to attend a convention, climb some rocks, or tie into a big brown trout, you're in the righth place! Colorado is the winter fun capital of the world-with activities like snowboarding, cross-country and backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and ice climbing. But did you know that Colorado is also one of the hottest destinations on the planet for mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, fly-fishing, and even golf? The great thing about Colorado is that every season is a season in the sun, filled to the brim with outdoor fun. So pick a season and plan your itinerary around the seasonal activities you love best. We guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Rocky Mountains Colorado is synonymous with the "Rockies." The Rocky Mountains are Colorado's crown jewels. The jagged peaks of the Rockies adorn Colorado with jaw-dropping vistas and snow-capped summits stretching as far as the eye can see. All of the Rockies' loftiest peaks, the renowned "fourteeners," stand within Colorado, their dominance highlighted by the dramatic contrast of the earth-bound landscapes that flank them. Many of the west's mightiest rivers-like the Colorado, Rio Grande, Arkansas, and South Platte-are born here in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

Colorado's Canyon Country
To the west of the Rockies lies a wonderland of canyons, mesas, and sculpted rock formations called the Colorado Plateau. This is the region that surrounds the Four Corners, spilling across Colorado's border into Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is home to the greatest concentration of national parks and monuments in the United States, including Colorado's Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Parks, and Colorado and Dinosaur National Monuments.

Ballooning
The sight of colorful hot air balloons against the backdrop of Colorado's bright blue skies always brings a smile. Ballooning is a popular activity in Colorado. It's tailor-made to go along with the notion of a Rocky Mountain High-the point being to get tourists as high as possible for an eagle-eye view of the beautiful landscape. From the high altitudes you'll be able to take in views of multiple mountain ranges and valleys.

Biking
Whether biking is the focal point of your vacation or just one of many outdoor activities you enjoy on your trip, you have numerous options in Colorado. You can meander around town, extend trips along Colorado's Scenic Byways, tred over challenging single-track mountain biking trails, cruise along bike paths adjacent to waterways, or ride on unpaved roads through the mountains. Whichever road you take, not much beats riding a bike! Many of Colorado's towns, cities, and State Parks have extensive paved bike path systems that make it easy and fun to get around and out of town.

Casinos
Gambling became legal in Colorado in specific locations in 1991. The former mining towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek turned to gaming as a means of economic revitalization. Today, casinos operate in each of these towns' historic districts, offering visitors the opportunity to also catch a glimpse of Colorado's mining history. You'll find large Las Vegas-style casinos as well as smaller, western-theme casinos. The Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio on the Southern Ute Reservation is located in southwest Colorado near Cortez and Durango.

Fishing
Bring your rod and reel, because in Colorado, fishing is a number one pastime. Colorado has more than 6,000 miles of streams and more than 2,000 lakes and reservoirs open to public fishing. Angling opportunities abound with popular warm-water fare like walleye, largemouth and small mouth bass, catfish and bluegill. The high-country anglers will find the settings spectacular and cutthroat, brook, brown, lake and rainbow trout all challenging. Whether you use a spinning rod or fly rod, bait, lures, or flies, Colorado has an abundance of angling opportunities.

Golf
One thing you can normally count on in Colorado is sunshine and plenty of it. Up to 300+ days a year in most parts of the state. Couple that with ruggedly handsome mountain backdrops, and you have the perfect recipe for a memorable golfing vacation.

Guest Ranches
If you want to experience the West of your imagination-ranches, horseback riding, cowboys, campfires, hearty meals, rustic lodges, and just good old-fashioned family fun-consider spending your vacation at one of Colorado's many guest ranches. Accommodations run from rustic to deluxe. Many guest ranches also have swimming pools, hot tubs, and tennis courts and in addition to horseback riding many offer opportunities for whitewater rafting, lecture and workshop participation, 4x4 trips, fishing, and more.

Hiking
Colorado is blessed with thousands of miles of hiking and climbing trails to delight those who seek the pristine air, unparalleled scenery and sense of satisfaction you can only get from a day spent exploring. All you need is a good pair of boots, a daypack, canteen, and your map and compass. One of Colorado's premiere hiking areas is scenic Telluride.

Historical Sites
Colorado's rich history includes Native Americans, the turn-of-the-Century Gold Rush years, pioneer men and women, fur trappers, silver barons, cowboys, gunfighters, and homesteaders. Whether you're a history buff or simply interested in learning about Colorado's past, numerous intriguing sites await you. In recent years there has been a boom in historic preservation due to revenue streams generated by the gaming industry. Denver is home to the Colorado History Museum as well as historic homes, neighborhoods, districts, and parks. Remains from the ancient Anasazi Indian culture have been preserved in the southwest corner of the state at Mesa Verde National Park and at the Anasazi Heritage Center. Designated a National Historic District in 1964, Telluride looks much like it did at the turn of the century, with colorful Victorian houses and western storefronts.

Hot Springs & Spas
Think of them as small windows to the center of the earth, touching the fiery source of creation itself. Hot springs typically originate when surface water seeps deep into the ground and comes in contact with molten rock in places where it lies closest to the surface. Now superheated, the water rises through cracks in the rock strata. Most hot springs flow steadily and calmly. Throughout history people have gravitated to hot springs to bathe and drink the waters. In Colorado, the most prominent such place is at Glenwood Springs. Remarkably, Colorado counts nearly 50 hot and warm springs that range from a tepid 68 degrees Fahrenheit to a searing 181. Some, such as Steamboat Springs, have been incorporated as a public recreation facility.

Kayaking
Recreational boating can be just that, truly recreational. Paddling a kayak is an adventure that anyone can experience, and many do. Keep in mind that not all kayaking is extreme whitewater. Whitewater paddling is only one of your many choices. Paddling on lakes, reservoirs, and slow moving rivers are ideal forms of recreation. Colorado boasts many lakes and reservoirs that are set in beautiful environments and a wide variety of rivers as well, many perfect for kayaking.

Skiing
Colorado boasts the best variety of skiing and ski-related attractions on the continent, perhaps even the globe. The state's 26 alpine resorts attract more than 11 million skier visits each year. More than one-fifth of all the lift tickets sales in North America occur at a Colorado resort. Seven of the 10 most popular resorts on the continent-Aspen, Breckenridge, Vail, Steamboat, Keystone, Copper Mountain, and Winter Park-share a Colorado address.

Any mention of Colorado's skiing must begin with snow, famed for its profusion and consistency. A combination of high elevation and low humidity cause snow to be light and fluffy, the kind of champagne powder that builds egos and generates smiles. Snowfall arrives early and stays late in the Colorado high country. To help nature along, most resorts also have extensive snowmaking equipment. A number of places feature snow-cat skiing in pristine powder fields. Telluride Helitrax is the state's lone heliski operation.

Snowmobiling
Put all the snowmobile trails in Colorado end to end and they'd touch both coasts. Of course, that wouldn't be nearly as intriguing as exploring the various networks of trails as they traverse mountain and valley. Most snowmobilers simply are into touring, spending an enjoyable day or two gliding through the mountains in search of nothing more than extraordinary scenery and a feeling of adventure. There's no shortage of places to go.

Wildlife Viewing
Winter is a difficult time for Colorado's wildlife, but an exciting time for those who enjoy watching them. As snow piles deeper, animals begin a timeless migration down from the high country into winter range in the lower valleys. Here travelers have a rare opportunity to view them in a way seldom possible in summer. Most valleys hold winter populations of both deer and elk, visible at various times from roadways or public trails. With a bit of diligence and a good pair of binoculars, it shouldn't be difficult to locate a herd. With an estimated 230,000 animals, Colorado is home to more elk than any other state or province. A deer herd of 526,000 also ranks among the best in the West. The very best locale is Rocky Mountain National Park, where large herds of elk and a scattering of deer congregate in the meadows just west of the town of Estes Park.

Area: 104,100 sq.mi, Land 103,730 sq. mi., Water 371 sq.mi.

Location: 39.76803 N, 104.87265 W

State Capital: Denver

Symbols: Geobop's

Topography: Image Eastern dry high plains; hilly to mountainous central plateau; western Rocky Mountains of high ranges alternating with broad valleys and deep narrow canyons.

Statehood: August 1, 1876

Border States: Arizona - Kansas - Nebraska - New Mexico - Oklahoma - Utah - Wyoming - Regional List

Largest Cities: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood, and Fort Collins

Geographic Center: Park, 30 miles northwest of Pike's Peak

Industry: Lark Bunting

Agriculture: Lark Bunting

Motto: Nil sine Numine: "Nothing without Providence"

Origin of state's name: Taken from the Spanish for the "color red" and was applied to the Colorado River.

Highest Point: Mt. Elbert; 14,433 feet, 3rd

Lowest Point: Arkansas River; 3350 feet, 50th

State Bird: Lark Bunting

State Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine Aquilegia caerules `Glauca'

State Nickname: Centennial State / Colorful Colorado

State Song: Where the Columbines Grow

State Tree: Colorado blue spruce: Picea pungens