5 Pretty Cool things about Colorado

Colorado is one of those states that doesn’t need to try very hard to impress people. Between the mountains, the sunshine, and, well, the cheeseburgers — yeah, you read that right — the Centennial State has been quietly stacking up some seriously interesting facts for well over a century. Here are five things about Colorado that might just make you want to pack a bag and head west.

1. The Feds Own a Whole Lot of Colorado

If you’ve ever driven through Colorado and thought, “wow, that’s a lot of wide-open land” — you’re not wrong, and there’s a reason for it. One-third of Colorado’s land is owned by the United States Federal Government, home to iconic destinations like Great Sand Dunes National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, offering a wealth of outdoor activities and scenic beauty. And it goes beyond just the big-name parks. The federal government owns more than 36% of the land in Colorado, including National Monuments, Native American reservations and land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. To put that in perspective, neighboring Oklahoma has the government owning a mere 1.5% of its land. Colorado’s not just a pretty state — it’s basically co-owned by all of us.

2. Denver Invented the Cheeseburger. Kind Of.

Look, before you start arguing with your screen, hear us out. In 1935, Louis Ballast of the Humpty-Dumpty Drive-In in Denver received the trademark for the cheeseburger, making it a part of Colorado’s culinary history. The story gets a little more interesting when you dig into the details. During his time as owner, Louis Ballast experimented with different ways he could serve hamburgers to his customers, even trying out chocolate and peanut butter as toppings. While those didn’t stick, a melted slice of cheese did. With that, the cheeseburger was born. Now, was Denver truly the very first place a cheeseburger ever existed? While Louis Ballast was the first to obtain a trademark for the term “cheeseburger” in March 1935, there’s ample evidence that other food joints — especially select spots in California and Kentucky — were slinging out cheeseburgers prior. But hey, when it comes to laying claim to America’s favorite guilty pleasure, having the trademark on the name isn’t nothing. Denver will take it.

3. The Capitol Steps Know Exactly How High They Are

Denver’s nickname — the “Mile High City” — isn’t just marketing fluff. There’s actual proof, built right into the front steps of the state capitol building, though it took a few tries to get it right. In 1909, students from the University of Denver made the first official measurement and placed a brass marker on the 15th step of the Capitol’s west entrance. That original marker didn’t last long — it was stolen multiple times over the years — prompting officials in 1947 to carve the words “One Mile Above Sea Level” directly into the granite. But there’s a twist. In 1969, engineering students from Colorado State University recalculated the elevation and installed a new marker on a higher step. But even that proved slightly off. Finally, in 2003, students from Metropolitan State University of Denver used modern surveying tools to identify the true elevation, and Gov. Bill Owens placed the official marker on the 13th step, where it remains today. Three tries, three different steps. Turns out, measuring a mile precisely is harder than it sounds — but the 13th step is now the official, no-take-backs, one-mile-above-sea-level mark.

4. There’s a Tunnel Under the Continental Divide at 11,000 Feet

Driving through Colorado on I-70 and suddenly finding yourself burrowing under a mountain at 11,000 feet above sea level is a pretty normal Tuesday around here. The Eisenhower Tunnel, officially the Eisenhower–Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel, is a dual-bore, four-lane vehicular tunnel approximately 60 miles west of Denver, Colorado, carrying Interstate 70 under the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. Bored at an elevation of 11,000 feet under the Continental Divide, it is 8,960 feet long, with average daily traffic exceeding 26,000 vehicles. At its dedication, the Eisenhower Tunnel was the highest vehicular tunnel in the world. It has since been surpassed by several railroad tunnels in Asia, but it remains the highest vehicular tunnel in the world and the highest point on the U.S. Interstate Highway System. And if you think that construction was a walk in the park, think again — seven workers were killed in the building of the tunnels. It’s an engineering marvel, and yeah, it absolutely justifies a moment of appreciation every time you drive through it.

5. Colorado Is Called the “Centennial State” for the Best Reason

Not every state gets a nickname that ties directly to a major milestone in American history. Colorado got lucky in the most perfectly timed way possible. Colorado, known as the “Centennial State,” was admitted to the Union on Aug. 1, 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The timing wasn’t lost on anyone. Across the country, Americans were still marking the centennial of the Declaration of Independence, and Colorado’s admission felt like a fitting capstone to a year steeped in patriotic symbolism. Flags were raised, speeches delivered, and the new state was quickly christened “The Centennial State.” Of course, getting there wasn’t exactly a smooth ride. It took 17 years and five attempts for Colorado to join the Union. But when it finally happened, the timing was so on-the-nose that the nickname basically wrote itself. Happy 100th, America — here’s a brand new state for ya.

Colorado is one of those places that somehow manages to be historically fascinating, geographically ridiculous, and genuinely fun all at the same time. Whether you’re standing on the 13th step of the capitol or cruising through an 11,000-foot tunnel under a mountain, it’s hard not to be a little impressed.