Between years 1858-61 over 100 000 gold prospectors came to the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in the pursuit for the luxury life after getting some metal out of the water.

The local rivers soon were run out of golden nuggets, but it appeared that there plenty of golden ore in neighbour mountains. Not many of the miners became very rich though, yet some of the mines still operate till present times.
The capital of Colorado, Denver has developed from the mining camp to the modern finance center and a big city. Some other settlements were not as lucky and faded into the ghost towns, or the tourist attractions, like Golden, Idaho Springs and Georgetown. The small town Durango features the old train moving on th former mining railroad.

Colorado state has much more to offer for the tourists. Dinosaur bones, Wild West Saloons, National parks with panoramic roads, Black Canyon climbing and white snow on the slopes so good or skiing, that 26 ski resorts were developed in the relatively small area of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Aspen, Durango Vail to name just a few famous resorts.
More about Colorado in the new site Colorado Travel.
 

photo courtesy of einahpets32 from flickr