General Information Colorado, otherwise known as the Centennial State because of its admission as a state a century after the Declaration of Independence was signed, is rectangular in dimension with 104,247 square miles of area of which only a small fraction is water area. The remainder, mainly in the eastern portion of the state, is treeless hills and rolling prairie. The Rocky Mountain chain runs the length of the western two-thirds of the state and includes the highest elevations in the lower 48 states, exceeding 14,000 feet at many peaks. A vast majority of Colorado remains undeveloped outside urban areas and offers a truly picturesque setting for any outdoor activity. Capital City: Denver Largest City: Denver National Parks and Forests: Arapaho National Forest Gunnison National Forest Rio Grande National Forest Rocky Mountain National Forest Roosevelt National Forest Toutt National Forest San Isabel National Forest San Juan National Forest Uncompahgre National Forest White River National Forest Sport Fishing Colorado has over 65,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 2,100 lakes, rivaling Montana as one of the most popular trout fishing destinations in the U.S. Weather conditions and snowmelt from the high peaks of the Rockies dictate the beginning of the good fishing, which steadily improves as snow begins to melt and temperatures begin to rise in the spring and summer months. Anglers in Colorado most often pursue the many species of trout that occur in the many miles of swift rivers and mountain streams and the numerous lakes, most all of which can be easily accessed since a majority of the land in Colorado remains public domain. Anglers can also catch walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, tiger muskellunge, perch, crappie, and catfish in many of Colorado's watersheds, but these species are overshadowed by the popularity of the brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout. Hunting There are 115 species of wildlife in Colorado classified as sport game species by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Of those 115, 10 are classified as big-game animals and the remaining 105 are considered small game. Big-game hunters are attracted to Colorado for its resident populations of elk, brown and black bear, mountain lion, mule deer, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose, white-tailed deer and pronghorn antelope. The small-game and bird hunter can find many native species that are classified as game species. Small-game include coyote, cottontail, jackrabbit, and snowshoe hare. Upland game birds include wild turkey, pheasant, dove, bobwhite and Gambel's quail, sharp-tailed grouse, and blue and sage grouse. Colorado is part of the Pacific and Central Flyways, which migrating waterfowl use to reach winter destinations to the south. Snow geese and Canada geese and 16 species of ducks can be hunted in Colorado during the fall hunting season. For information on licensing, seasons, limits, rules and regulations, please visit the Colorado Natural Resources Online website.