Colorado is known for its famous Rocky Mountains and is a year-round destination that boasts spectacular national parks, forests, gold-rush ghost towns and Native American ruins. The state has an impressive count of 54 mountains over 4,267m (14,000ft).

The capital, Denver, is the gateway to numerous ski resorts and is home to many museums, parks, gardens and a restored Victorian square. Located at 1,609m (5,280ft) above sea level, on high rolling plains at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Denver, known as the Mile High City, has a population of 500,000 people and is the largest city within a 1,000km (625-mile) radius. Founded as a gold-mining camp in 1859, Denver was the centre of the Old West, filled with wagon trains, cowboys, Native Americans, gamblers and gunfighters.