Fun Facts About Colorado

Posted by on Nov 18, 2016 in Destinations, Scenery, Travel

Colorado is a beautiful, interesting place with endless opportunities to explore and adventure. Colorado is often associated with its beautiful, snowy Rocky Mountains, however, it is also home to desert land, over 200 rivers, some incredible sand dunes, various national parks and historic cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Indians. Colorado is also home to the mile-high city of Denver, the only U.S. city with professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer. Interested in more fun facts about our beautiful state? Read on for 5 fun facts about Colorado.

Courtesy of Pixabay

Pixabay

1) Katherine Lee Bates wrote “America the Beautiful” after being inspired by the view from Pikes Peak, Colorado.

This land is your land, this land is my land, folks. During the summer of 1893, Katherine Lee Bates was teaching English at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. The first draft was jotted down in a notebook after a trip with some fellow teachers to the top of Pikes Peak via prairie wagon. The beauty mother nature provides can bring you tears, happy tears of course, but still a moving experience. A simple walk outside can truly take your breath away. This brings us to number 2.

2) Pikes Peak Cog Railway is the highest cog railway train in the world. It runs on cog wheels and special track with “teeth” that allow the train to climb mountains.

Due to its natural beauty, the Pikes Peak Region has always been a magnet for travelers. The first person to widely promote the area was General William Jackson Palmer, founder of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.

kremmling_colorado sign3) Colorado is the only U.S. state that lies entirely above 1000 meters elevation.

Its lowest point, 3,317 feet (1,011 m) in elevation is the highest low elevation point of any state, and is higher than the highest elevation points of 18 states. Colorado contains 75% of the land area of the U.S. with an altitude over 10,000 feet.

Denver, the Mile High City is capital of Colorado and the unofficial capital of the Rocky Mountain West. It is a vibrant metropolis with 300 days of sunny skies annually and a youthful, happy feel. Maybe that’s because Colorado is considered the healthiest state in the nation.

4) Colorado is the only U.S. state that’s ever turned down a chance to host Olympics.

Denver originally won the bid for the 1976 Winter Olympics, but the state’s voters later rejected it due to infrastructure costs and environmental concerns. Innsbruck, Austria ended up hosting the Winter Olympics in 1976. Rumor has it that Colorado felt it was too beautiful to have its nature bombarded by an event that big.

Pixabay

Pixabay

5) In Aspen, CO it is illegal to throw a snowball at a person or a building.

Last but certainly not least, this interesting law is kind of a silly fact about Colorado. In Aspen, Sec. 15.04.210 means that it is “unlawful for any person to throw any stone, snowball or other missile or discharge any bow, blowgun, slingshot, gun, catapult or other device upon or at any vehicle, building or other public or private property or upon or at any person or in any public way or place which is public in nature,” according to the Aspen & Pitkin County website. Basically…be careful when handling snowballs! It could lead to some real trouble. I recommend consent from all parties and a look at your surroundings to make sure no one can get hit. Be aware that a fine can issued by law enforcement if you get caught having a little childhood fun!