25 Weird Facts About Colorado You Probably Didn’t Know

Colorado is the 8th most extensive and 21st most populous US state. Located in western United States, Colorado boasts a vivid landscape comprising mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert.

1. Colorado is surrounded by Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona.

2. Denver is the capital and the most populous city of Colorado. It is also the 19th most populous city in the US.

3. Denver is called the “mile-high city”. The 13th step of Denver’s Colorado State Capitol building is exactly a mile above the sea level.

4. The literal meaning of Colorado is “color red” in Spanish. The state was named so due to the red silt carried down by the Colorado River.

5. Colorado has been nicknamed the “Centennial State” as it was incorporated as the 38th state of the US on the 100th anniversary of the country’s independence.

6. About 75% of the land area of the US located at the altitude of over 10,000 feet lies in Colorado.

7. On its southwest corner, Colorado shares its borders with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. At Colorado’s Four Corners Monument, you can be in all four states at the same time.

8. Picketwire Canyon in southeast Colorado has the largest number of well-preserved dinosaur tracks in the world.

9. In 1876, the first ever Stegosaurus fossil in the world was found in Colorado. Owing to this, Stegosaurus was named the official state fossil of the state in 1982.

10. Colorado Blue Columbine is the state’s official flower. In Colorado, it is illegal to pick these flowers on public land or without the permission of the private landowner.

11. In Aspen, CO, it is against the law to make snowballs and toss them at a person or a building. Thinking of playing in snow in Aspen? Think again!

12. In 1935, Louis Ballast of Denver’s ‘Humpty Dumpty Drive-in’ got the term ‘Cheeseburger’ trademarked. Many claim that this mighty fast food was, in fact, invented in Denver.

13. The maids at Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, CO are credited with the invention of the first Teddy Bear, which they crafted as a gift for their special visitor – Theodore Roosevelt.

14. The first tire clamp was created by a violinist named Frank Marugg in 1944 in Denver. It is also called the “Denver Boot”!

15. The Eisenhower–Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel (EJMT) a.k.a. Eisenhower Tunnel in Dillon, CO runs along I-70 and is America’s highest auto tunnel.

16. Some of the sweetest melons in the world, mostly cantaloupes and watermelons come from Rocky Ford, CO. Owing to this, the city has been named as the “melon capital of the world”.

17. Colorado is home to the tallest sand dune in America. Located in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, this sand dune soars 750 feet above the valley floor.

18. Colorado is also home to the highest incorporated city in the US.

The old mining settlement of Leadville, CO sits at the height of 10,152 feet and boasts a historic downtown, museums, eateries, shops, and lots of outdoor activities.

19. Strasburg, CO is known for having the longest continuous commercial street in the US. The Colfax Avenue is 26.5 miles long and is one of the main attractions in the state.

20. America’s highest suspension bridge is in Cañon City, CO. The Royal Gorge Bridge sits at the height of 1,053 feet and offers majestic views for visitors.

21. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway that begins in Idaho Springs, CO is America’s highest paved road. The road has a steep and curvy terrain that takes travelers to the summit of Mount Evans.

22. The Grand Mesa in western Colorado is the world’s largest flat-top mountain. It boasts abundant wildlife, varied geological features, a national forest, and beautiful views.

23. Pagosa Springs, CO is home to the world’s deepest hot springs. The famous Mother Spring aquifer is more than 1,002 feet deep and holds the Guinness World Record for being the “world’s deepest”.

24. Every year, the world-renowned National Western Stock Show is held in Denver. Apart from being a huge livestock show and festival, it is also the world's largest indoor rodeo.

25. Out of the 91 "fourteeners" (mountain peaks over 14,000 feet) in the US, 56 lay in Colorado.