The majestic Rocky Mountains dominate the Colorado landscape, drawing visitors year-round for skiing, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits. Colorado is home to world-famous ski areas including Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Telluride and Vail. The state's four national parks offer a wide range of environmental and archaeological diversity. Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park measures over 14,000 feet in height, while the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park drops 2,700 feet from rim to canyon floor. The largest sand dunes in North America are located at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, while the ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Colorado also has six national monuments, including Colorado National Monument, famous for its impressive rock formations and Dinosaur National Monument, which exhibits one of the world's largest collections of Jurassic era dinosaur bones.
Denver is the state's capital and largest city and hosts over 12 million visitors a year. The Denver Art Museum is famous for its collection of American Indian art, while the "Mile-High City" has professional teams from the five major North American sports: the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, MLS's Colorado Rapids, MLB's Colorado Rockies, NBA's Denver Nuggets and the NFL's Denver Broncos. Denver is also home to the U.S. Mint. Colorado Springs, home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, is the state's second-largest city. The bustling urban center boasts numerous boutique shops and ethnic restaurants, while famous natural attractions include the red rock formations in the Garden of the Gods and the vast caverns of the nearby Cave of the Winds. The large college town of Fort Collins, the location of Colorado State University, is known for its thriving microbrewery culture.
Many of Colorado's smaller towns reflect the state's roots as a 19th-century mining capital. The former mining camp of Silverton, Colorado, is now a National Historic Landmark District. Silverton is connected to the well-preserved old west town of Durango by the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The working railway is a National Historic Landmark, and you can ride a steam-powered locomotive on the same tracks used by prospectors over a century ago. Once a rough-edged boom town, historic Leadville has more museums (eight) than any other town in Colorado.
The Telluride Film Festival in the picturesque town of Telluride showcases independent films every May, while the Telluride Balloon Festival attracts hot air balloonists from around the country in early June. Pueblo Colorado's annual Wild West Festival in late May culminates with a professional bull riding event. Pueblo also plays host to the state's largest festival, the Colorado State Fair, in late August and early September. Colorado's wine regions are showcased at the Colorado Mountain Winefest, the state's oldest and largest wine festival, held in the town of Palisade each September. Denver hosts the Downtown Denver Arts Festival on Memorial Day weekend and the Taste of Colorado Festival over the Labor Day holiday.
