The SouthwestBlend.com guide to Colorado's attractions, events, regions, cities, towns, activities, entertainment and visitor information.

Discover Colorado!
Photo: Early summer flowers in the high country of the Eagle Nest, photo by Jeff Cricco,
courtesy of the Colorado Tourism Office.

  The country’s highest state, is known for it’s natural ‘alpine’ beauty, it’s powder-like snow, and it’s rich Western history. Rugged trappers and rowdy mountain men, unafraid and determined to cash in on the “beaver boom” infiltrated Colorado’s many river valleys in search of the fashionable pelts. Gold beckoned to fortune seekers with “Pike’s Peak or Bust!” as their slogan, despite the rumblings of the formidable Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa and Ute tribes. The Rocky Mountains became a haven for hard-drinking men and industrious madams living in mining settlements like Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, Gold Hill, Tarryall and more. Colorado embraces diversity in culture as well as nature--offering mountains, plains, canyons, mesas, and cities with bustling nightlife.
  Experience Colorado in each of the four seasons to really appreciate the vast, wild beauty of this state. You can ski, hike, kayak, golf, in this year round playground.
  Culture & History: Explore the 23 Scenic and Historic Byways and visit cliff dwellings, mining relics, narrow-gauge railroad sites and fur trapper forts, for a taste of yesteryear come alive again. In 1541 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado claimed Colorado for Spain. One hundred and forty years later, Robert Cavelier (LaSalle) claimed the same territory for France. Eighty years later, France ceded it’s claim on Colorado back to Spain. In 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte reclaimed the vast Louisiana Territory (including Colorado) from Spain. Three years later, Bonaparte sold the Louisiana Purchase to the United States through the efforts of President Thomas Jefferson. This left Colorado with a combination of Spanish, French, American, and Native American influences.
  Entertainment & Shopping: Denver, once a mining town, has become a center for the arts, and a fantastic shopping experience. The malls are equipped with huge skylights, and giant fireplaces--but you can also find cozy little antique shops and upscale boutiques and vintage stores. Colorado cities offer the best in art galleries and Museums, as well as presenting live entertainment from theater and opera, to rock concerts.
  Food & Wine: Denver is the beer-producing capital of the USA so great beer is a given. Superb produce comes from the towns in the lower elevations of the state-and delicious wines are produced in the Grand Valley region. Colorado’s resort towns thrive on serving up exceptional dining experiences that embody the West’s past and present. From old west Saloons to award winning restaurants with classically trained chefs--great dining is a Colorado priority.
  Nature & Adventure: Colorado is home to the Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and the Great Sand Dunes National Parks. In addition, there are five National Monuments, 40 State Parks, and 15 National Forests and grasslands, offering plenty of wildlife viewing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping opportunities. There are rivers to raft and kayak, mountains to climb, lakes and rivers to enjoy, great fishing spots, wildflowers to seek out, sand dunes to snowboard on, and horse trails and dude ranches to experience. The winter season brings on perfect snow for skiing, sleigh rides, sledding and tubing, snow mobiling, snow shoeing and even dog sledding. In addition, there is ice climbing, ice fishing and ice skating. You may wish to partake in submerging in a steaming, warm hot springs that you can find all throughout the state.
  Sports: Golfers delight in teeing up under giant rock formations or colorful aspens. Sports excitement is year round in Colorado with great teams and state of the art stadiums and arenas.
The Centennial State offers western hospitality as a world class destination set in four seasons. Throughout it's seven regions listed below you'll find majestic mountains, bugling elk, the famous gold-colored aspens, celebrated ski resorts, carpets of wildflowers, clear starry night, numerous outdoor recreation activities including whitewater rafting and more. Click here for our featured cities/towns.
Click here for Colorado Events

Colorado State Flag
State Bird: Lark Bunting
State Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine
State Motto: "Nothing Without Providence"
State Capitol: Denver
State Tree: Colorado Blue Spruce
State Song: "Where the Columbines Grow"

COLORADO REGIONS:  Colorado has seven regions--to visit a region, click on the either the map or the heading of the region of your choice. 

1. Denver Metro: is home to a collection of small towns and suburbs offering great shopping for arts and crafts, cozy dining and happening night spots set against the back drop of historic architecture. Visit Confluence Park, Platte Valle State Park, Coors Field, Civic Center Park and Denver Zoo, Cherry Creek State Park, Dinosaur Ridge, Red Rocks Park Amphitheater and more.

2. Front Range: is home to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Bear Lake, Georgetown Loop Railroad, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, Amheuser-Busch Brewery, Centennial Village, Cache La Poudre River, Horsetooth Reservoir, Swetsville Zoo, Georgetown, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Boulder, Fort Lupton, Longmont, Idaho Springs, and more.

3. Northeast: is home to the High Plains, Burlington Old Town, Kit Carson Country, Pawnee Buttes, Rainbow Arch Bridge, Bonny Lake State Park, North Sterling Reservoir, Jackson Lake State Park, Overland Trail, Fort Morgan, Sterling, Burlington, Julesburg and more.

4. Southwest: is home to Durango and Silverton Railroad, San Juan Mountains, Gunnison National Pak, Mesa Verde National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado Wine Country, Pagosa Springs and Dunton Hot Springs, Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park, Gothic, Telluride, Montrose, Gunnison, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Delta, Durango and more.

5. South Central: is home to Pike's Peak, Great Sand Dunes national Monument, Royal Gorge Bridge, Garden of the Gods, Dinosaur Depot, Collegiate Peaks, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Arkansas River, Alamosa/Monte vista National Wildlife Refuge, Cripple Creek Casinos, Seven Falls, Colorado Springs, Canon City, Cripple Creek, Manitou Springs, Leadville, Salida, Alamosa, Monte Vista, and more.

6. Southeast: is home to Santa Fe Trail, Devil's Steprail, Lake Pueblo State Park, Bent's Old Fort, Spanish Peaks, Comanche National Grassland, Great Plains Reservoirs, Dinosaur Trails of Purgatory, Lake Cheraw, La Junta, Lamar, Rocky Ford, Pueblo, Walsenburg, Trinidad, Las Animas, and more.

7. Northwest: is home to Colorado National Monument, Glenwood Caverns, Dinosaur National Monument, Glenwood Hot Springs, Palisade Wine Country, Independence Ghost Town, Rifle Falls State Park, Maroon Bells, Canyon Pintado, Trapper's Lake, Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Grand Mesa, Dinosaur, Fruita, Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs, Craig, Grand Junction, Snowmass, Aspen, Vail Valley, and more.   

FEATURED CITIES/TOWNS:

Denver Metro	Front Range	Northeast	Southwest	South Central	Southeast	Northwest
			Telluride

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