Table of Contents
Introduction
The best of Colorado 6
Rocky Mountain State 19
The Cultural Landscape 20
History & features
Decisive dates 30
Native Heritage 33
Breaking Ground 41
Striking It Rich 47
Wild about Oscar 55
Changing Fortunes 57
The Backbone of the Continent 67
Heritage tourism 73
Mountain and Prairie Life 75
Four Seasons 82
Outdoor Adventure 85
Extreme sports 90
Powder to the People 95
Ghost Towns 105
Riding the Rails 111
Home on the Range 117
Colorado cowboys 121
Rocky Mountain Cuisine 122
Places
Introduction 135
The Front Range and Eastern Plains 141
The Eastern Plains 143
Denver 153
Festivals 164
Boulder and Environs 167
Indian Peaks Wilderness 175
Colorado Springs and Environs 177
San Luis valley 191
Rocky Mountains 199
Rocky Mountain National Park 201
Peak Baggers 208
Steamboat Springs 211
1-70 and the High Rockies 219
Aspen and the Central Rockies 233
Western Colorado 251
San Juan Mountains 253
Mesa Verde and the Southwest Corner 269
The Utes 279
Colorado Wine Country 280
The Northwest Corner 283
Travel tips
Transportation
Getting There 294
From the United States 294
From abroad 294
By air 294
By bus 295
By car 295
By train 295
Getting around 295
To and from Denver International Airport 296
By bicycle 296
By bus 296
By car 296
By light rail 297
By taxi 297
A-Z
Accommodations 298
Admission charges 298
Budgeting for your trip 298
Camping 299
Children 299
Climate 299
Crime and safety 300
Customs regulations 300
Disabled travelers 301
Embassies 301
Emergencies 301
Etiquette 301
Health and medical care 301
Internet 302
LGBTQ travelers 303
Maps 303
Media 303
Money 303
Opening hours 304
Photography 304
Postal services 304
Religious services 304
Shopping 305
Spectator sports 305
Tax 305
Telephones 305
Time zones 305
Tipping 306
Tourist information 306
Tour operators and travel agents 307
Visas and passports 307
Further Reading
Fiction 308
Nonfiction 308
Culture and current events 308
History 308
Maps
Colorado 136
The Eastern Plains 144
Denver 156
Boulder and Environs 168
Colorado Springs and Environs 178
Colorado Springs 180
San Luis Valley 192
Rocky Mountain National Park 202
Northern Rockies 212
1-70 and the High Rockies 220
Aspen and the Central Rockies 234
Aspen 236
San Juan Mountains 254
Mesa Verde and the Southwest Corner 270
Mesa Verde National Park 272
Northwest Corner 284
Inside front cover Colorado
Inside back cover Colorado's National Parks and Monuments
Legend
Insight on
Photo story