Lighthouse of Alexandria. Statue of Zeus at Olympia. Great Wall of China. What do these three have in common? Aside from having nothing to do with Colorado, they have each been named one of the Wonders of the World. This got me thinking: With so many incredible man-made and natural structures in the Centennial State alone, how is that none of our wonders made the list? It’s time to change that. Here are 7 Wonders of the World that you can only find in Colorado:
- Mesa Verde National Park (Montezuma County)
Wikimedia Commons This incredible National Park, which houses some of the best preserved Ancestral Puebloan archeological sites in the country, occupies more than 52,000 acres and an incredible 4,300 sites. (Trust us; it truly is a place to see and experience at least once.)
- Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs)
Flickr/Wanderlust Photography The Garden of the Gods isn’t your typical garden. In fact, these red rock formations are comprised of deposited red, pink and white sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone that were created millions of years ago during a geological upheaval.
- Hanging Lake (Glenwood Springs)
Wikimedia Commons The turquoise waters surrounded by the rocky mountainside are truly a sight to behold. What makes this Lake in particular such a pristine color? The waters are composed of the mineral travertine, which makes it both beautiful and extremely delicate. That being said, when you go to visit, please don’t touch the water or leave behind any trash; by doing so, visitors threaten its fragile ecological system.
- Cave of the Winds (Manitou Springs)
Flickr/Misty Faucheux One of the premiere show caves in the entire country is located right here in Colorado. The mysterious Caves were discovered in 1881 and have been open to the public ever since.
- Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Alamosa County)
Flickr/Bryce Bradford One of the last things you would expect to see in Colorful Colorado are desert-like dunes of sand… Surprise! The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve are just that (44,246 acres of it, to be exact.)
- Maroon Bells (Aspen)
Flickr/Chris Locke Obviously, peaks and lakes aren’t hard to come by in Colorado… but the ever-changing colors around Maroon Bells and Lake? Nothing short of spectacular.
- Dinosaur National Monument (Moffat County)
Flickr/InSapphoWeTrust Lovers of the Jurassic period (or history in general) are sure to love Dinosaur National Monument, which contains 800 paleontological sites and opportunities to get up close and personal with real fossils.
What other locations would you add to the 7 Wonders of Colorado list?
Wikimedia Commons
This incredible National Park, which houses some of the best preserved Ancestral Puebloan archeological sites in the country, occupies more than 52,000 acres and an incredible 4,300 sites. (Trust us; it truly is a place to see and experience at least once.)
Flickr/Wanderlust Photography
The Garden of the Gods isn’t your typical garden. In fact, these red rock formations are comprised of deposited red, pink and white sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone that were created millions of years ago during a geological upheaval.
The turquoise waters surrounded by the rocky mountainside are truly a sight to behold. What makes this Lake in particular such a pristine color? The waters are composed of the mineral travertine, which makes it both beautiful and extremely delicate. That being said, when you go to visit, please don’t touch the water or leave behind any trash; by doing so, visitors threaten its fragile ecological system.
Flickr/Misty Faucheux
One of the premiere show caves in the entire country is located right here in Colorado. The mysterious Caves were discovered in 1881 and have been open to the public ever since.
Flickr/Bryce Bradford
One of the last things you would expect to see in Colorful Colorado are desert-like dunes of sand… Surprise! The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve are just that (44,246 acres of it, to be exact.)
Flickr/Chris Locke
Obviously, peaks and lakes aren’t hard to come by in Colorado… but the ever-changing colors around Maroon Bells and Lake? Nothing short of spectacular.
Flickr/InSapphoWeTrust
Lovers of the Jurassic period (or history in general) are sure to love Dinosaur National Monument, which contains 800 paleontological sites and opportunities to get up close and personal with real fossils.
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