Colorado State Symbols
Colorado became a state in 1876, earning it the nickname The Centennial State since it had been 100 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Because Colorado became a state on August 1, we now celebrate that day every year as "Colorado Day." Its name has Spanish language origins, as the word for "colored red." The state has many official emblems and symbols as well as two state songs. Read on to find your favorites.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
The Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep is the state mammal. Male bighorn sheep have massive horns that curve backward from their forehead. Unlike antlers on deer and other animals, horns are not shed yearly. They keep growing and can be as much as 50 inches long. These animals live in the foothills and mountains and have incredible agility and a perfect sense of balance. Bighorn Sheep are not easy to spot, but you may see them on the grounds of Glen Eyrie Castle, on Pikes Peak while riding The Broadmoor Manitou and PIkes Peak Cog Railway, driving the Pikes Peak Highway and attending the annual Bighorn Sheep Festival at Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center.
Stegasaurus Armathus
In 1982, schoolchildren suggested Colorado adopt a state fossil, the dinosaur Stegosaurus. It is one of the most recognized dinosaurs, with a line of plates along its back and spiky tail for defense, Stegosaurus lived in what came to be Colorado during the Mesozoic era, Jurassic period 150 million years ago. When you visit, be sure to visit the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience and the Dinosaur Resource Center to learn more about Stegosaurus and other dinosaurs that used to roam this area.
Rocky Mountain Columbine
The beautiful white, yellow and blue/lavender Columbine is the state flower of Colorado and can be found only in the Centennial State. It was designated the state flower in 1899 after winning the vote of Colorado's school children. This flower is a favorite of bees, hummingbirds and butterflies due to the rich aroma of its nectar. The blue-violet petals represent Colorado's blue skies, the white celebrates our beautiful snow and yellow symbolizes Colorado's sunshine and gold mining history. Visit Cheyenne Mountain State Park and take the Columbine Trail to spot the Colorado state flower in late spring and summer.
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Though presumed to be extinct by 1937, several wild populations of what were thought to be greenback cutthroat trout were discovered in the South Platte and Arkansas basins starting in the late 1950s. These discoveries launched an aggressive conservation campaign that replicated those populations across the landscape so that they could be down-listed from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Momentum for preserving these native jewels continued to build, and in 1996, the greenback was designated as Colorado's state fish. If you would like to fish in Colorado, you can contact Angler's Covey, Pikes Peak Fly Fishing Tours and The Broadmoor Fly Fishing Camp.
Lark Bunting
The lark bunting is a migratory sparrow and was designated the state bird of Colorado in 1931. The male lark bunting performs a spectacular courtship flight while warbling and trilling a distinctive mating song. A breeding male is jet black with white wings but in winter, it is the only sparrow that changes to a drabber color (gray-brown), more like the smaller female bird. To see and learn more about Colorado birds, attend the annual Pikes Peak Birding & Nature Festival in Fountain Colorado, held each year in mid-May.
Colorado Blue Spruce
First discovered on Pikes Peak in 1862 by the noted botanist Dr. C.C. Parry, the Colorado blue spruce is known for its symmetrical form and beautiful silver-blue color. Colorado schoolchildren voted on Arbor Day in 1892 to name the blue spruce as the state tree. It was not until March 7, 1939, that it was officially declared the state tree by an act of the General Assembly. Visit the Parks & Trails page to find great places to see a Colorado Blue Spruce.
Where the Columbines Grow & Rocky Mountain High
AJ. Flynn wrote the words and music to "Where the Columbines Grow:Traveling by horse and wagon in the San Luis Valley in 1896, Flynn was inspired by a beautiful mountain meadow covered with columbines. "Where the Columbines Grow" was designated the state song on May 8, 1915, by an act of the General Assembly. "Rocky Mountain High;' with lyrics by John Denver and music by Mike Taylor, was adopted by the General Assembly as an official co-state song on March 12, 2007.
Colorado's flag was designed by Andrew Carlisle Johnson. The blue stripes and the red "C" are of the same colors of blue and red that are found on the United States flag. The colors of the flag symbolize Colorado's geographical features: the gold symbolizes the state's abundant sunshine; the white represents snow-capped mountains; the blue symbolizes clear blue skies; and the red represents the color of much of the state's soil. The flag was adopted on June 5, 1911, by an act of the General Assembly.
More Colorado State Symbols
To learn amount other Colorado state symbols, visit the State Symbols and Emblems page.
