Rocky Mountain Experience

Denver, Colorado was originally founded as mining town in 1858. It became the 38th state. It is located on the banks of the South Platte River and close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I had the opportunity to see the city skyline while walking the dog in a park near King Street.

My brother decided to go west in search of fame and fortune and to start a new life in Denver, Colorado. He loaded everything he owned in a moving truck and he hit the open road. I consider Denver, CO to be my second home. I wanted to share some experiences with you.

The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, United States. The Capitol Building is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado.

There is a small mining town called Central City in Colorado. It has some casinos such as Century Casino. Also, what is even more exciting is you can mine for gold treasures while you are there!

The United States mint in Denver, CO is a functioning mint. It is a must see for the coin collector and coin enthusiast. You can learn the history of the United States Mint and how they produce billions of coins each year for the American public with a free, tour. The United States Mint at Denver manufactures coin dies; stores silver bullion; and mints coins, including:

• Circulating coins

• Numismatic products including annual uncirculated coin sets

• Commemorative coins as authorized by Congress

Here is the tour info taken from the United States Mint website in case anyone wants to take an official free tour.

Free tour tickets are available at the Tour Information window located at the Gift Shop entrance gate on Cherokee Street, between West Colfax Avenue and West 14th Avenue. The Tour Information window opens at 7 a.m., Monday- Thursday (excluding observed federal holidays), and will remain open until all tickets have been distributed. Tickets are for same-day tours only; no advance tickets are available. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to 5 per person.

Peak season is Memorial Day through Labor Day, but the tours are very popular year round. We recommend arriving as early as possible for your best opportunity to obtain tickets. We offer six tours a day, 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. You may choose from any available tour. Tours may be canceled without prior notice.

I learned a lot about coins when I took the tour and even purchased some coins for my collection.

We were able to see these unique Rocky Mountain views by driving into the mountains and going to Rocky Mountain National Park. Driving in the Rocky Mountains is dangerous and thrilling! It takes a great deal of concentration because there is less oxygen in the air in the high altitudes and many of the mountain roads do not have guard rails as shown in the above picture. It is easy to nod off while driving. Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Make sure you enjoy Trail Ridge Road which crests at over 12,000 feet. It includes many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds. Also, it has over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, and wildlife.

To our surprise, we saw wildlife in the higher elevations. We had the opportunity to meet Murray the Moose. Standing over six feet tall and weighing between 600 and 1,600 pounds, moose are a common sight within Rocky Mountain National Park and a visitor favorite. Today, the state's moose populations are doing well with an estimated 2,500 living throughout the state, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

I hope you enjoyed your virtual tour of Colorado. A Colorado and Rocky Mountain experience awaits you!