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194 free Colorado trivia questions with answers — geography quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
50 free Colorado trivia questions with answers. Ready to test your Colorado knowledge? Our comprehensive trivia quiz features 50 challenging questions about the Centennial State's rich history, stunning geography, vibrant culture, and iconic landmarks. Whether you're a Colorado native or just curious about this mountain state, this quiz will help you discover fascinating facts while having fun!
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Q 01What is the highest mountain peak in Colorado?
Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert, located in the Sawatch Range, is the highest peak in Colorado and the second-highest peak in the contiguous United States.
Q 02Which of these birds is the official state bird of Colorado?
Lark Bunting
The Lark Bunting, a migratory prairie bird with distinctive white wing patches on males, was adopted as Colorado's state bird on April 29, 1931.
Q 03Which flower is the official state flower of Colorado?
Rocky Mountain Columbine
The Rocky Mountain Columbine, white and lavender, became the state flower on 4 April 1899, and it is illegal to uproot one on public land.
Q 04What is the official state animal of Colorado?
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
The Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, known for its massive, curling horns and agility in rugged terrain, was adopted as the official state animal on May 1, 1961.
Q 05What is the Latin phrase that serves as Colorado's state motto?
Nil Sine Numine
Colorado's state motto, 'Nil Sine Numine,' is Latin for 'Nothing without Providence' or 'Nothing without the Deity,' and appears on the state seal.
Q 06Which state is NOT one of the four that meet at the Four Corners Monument?
Nevada
Nevada sits one state too far west: Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico are the four that touch at the monument, the only such spot in the United States.
Q 07Which city has been Colorado's state capital since an 1881 referendum?
Denver
Denver became capital of Colorado Territory in 1867, and an 1881 statewide referendum confirmed it as the permanent state capital; the gold-domed State Capitol was built there between 1886 and 1894.
Q 08Colorado's 'Centennial State' nickname is linked to what event 100 years before its statehood?
The signing of the Declaration of Independence
The signing of the Declaration of Independence came 100 years before Colorado's statehood on 1 August 1876, and the flag's red 'C' is said to stand for 'centennial' too.
Q 09The name 'Colorado' comes from a Spanish word meaning what, first applied to a silt-laden river?
Colored red
'Colored red' is the Spanish colorado, which explorers gave the river for its reddish silt; the state later took the river's name.
Q 10Which conifer, adopted after a schoolchildren's vote and a 1939 resolution, is the state's official tree?
Blue spruce
Schoolchildren voted for the blue spruce on Arbor Day in 1892, but the legislature did not make it official until 1939, and from 1933 to 2014 it was Utah's state tree too.
Q 11Which professional sports team in Denver plays in the NBA?
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are the professional basketball team representing Colorado in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Q 12Colorado has two official state songs; which of these was adopted as the second of them in 2007?
'Rocky Mountain High'
'Rocky Mountain High' joined 'Where the Columbines Grow' (1915) in 2007; John Denver's 1972 hit got the honour even though 'America the Beautiful' was inspired by the view from Pikes Peak.
Q 13What sets Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) apart from other Colorado peaks?
Q 21What are the two official winter sports of Colorado?
Skiing and snowboarding
Skiing and snowboarding were designated as Colorado's official winter sports in 2008, reflecting the state's renowned winter recreation industry.
Q 22Who made the first recorded ascent of Mount Elbert in 1874?
H.W. Stuckle
Stuckle climbed it in 1874 as a member of the Hayden Survey, then mapping the Rocky Mountains.
Q 23Which U.S. President signed the proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union?
Ulysses S. Grant
Grant signed Proclamation 230 on August 1, four weeks after the nation's hundredth birthday, and Colorado's flag still nods to that timing with a 'C' for 'centennial'.
It has the highest paved road in North America.
Mount Blue Sky has the highest paved road in North America: the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway tops out at about 14,130 feet near the summit and is open only in summer.
Q 14On Colorado's flag, blue is sky, white is snow and gold is sunshine; what does the red of the 'C' stand for?
The ruddy earth
The ruddy earth is the red; the 'C' itself stands for Colorado, centennial and columbine, and the gold doubles as a nod to gold mining.
Q 15What is the official summer heritage sport of Colorado?
Pack Burro Racing
Pack Burro Racing, a unique sport involving racers running alongside burros laden with mining gear, was adopted as Colorado's official summer heritage sport in 2012.
Q 16In what year was the Colorado Territory officially created?
1861
Congress created Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861, carving it from parts of the Kansas, Nebraska, Utah and New Mexico territories; President Lincoln appointed William Gilpin as its first governor.
Q 17Which major mountain range covers a significant portion of Colorado?
Rocky Mountains
Colorado is largely dominated by the Southern Rocky Mountains, which include many of the state's highest peaks and iconic landscapes.
Q 18Which former silver boomtown is the highest incorporated city in the United States?
Leadville
Leadville sits at about 10,150 feet, the highest incorporated city in the United States; founded in 1877 during the Colorado Silver Boom, it was one of the richest silver camps in the world by 1880.
Q 19What is the official state gemstone of Colorado?
Aquamarine
Aquamarine, a blue-green variety of beryl, was adopted as Colorado's official state gemstone on April 30, 1971, with significant deposits found in the state's mountain peaks.
Q 20Which dinosaur is the official state fossil of Colorado?
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus became Colorado's state fossil on April 28, 1982, by executive order of Governor Richard Lamm, after fourth-graders at McElwain Elementary School in Thornton campaigned for it.
Q 24What natural phenomenon is believed to have led to the abandonment of Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings?
Severe drought
Tree-ring evidence points to a severe drought, the 'Great Drought' of 1276 to 1299, which dried up crops and springs and drove the cliff dwellings' builders to leave Mesa Verde by 1300.
Q 25Colorado's last great gold rush began in 1890 when Bob Womack struck rich ore near which town?
Cripple Creek
Bob Womack's 1890 strike in Poverty Gulch set off the Cripple Creek gold rush; prospectors had avoided the area since the 1884 Mount Pisgah hoax, when worthless rock was 'salted' with gold.
Q 26Which colonel led the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre of a Cheyenne and Arapaho village?
John Chivington
John Chivington claimed 500 to 600 warriors killed, but most estimates put the dead at around 150, two-thirds of them women and children; the fallout forced Governor Evans to resign.
Q 27What is the approximate elevation of Denver, the state capital known as the 'Mile High City'?
5,280 feet
Denver is famously known as the 'Mile High City' because its official elevation is exactly one mile, or 5,280 feet, above sea level.
Q 28The historical cliff dwellings found in Mesa Verde National Park were built by which ancient culture?
Puebloans
The impressive cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park were built and inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloans, an ancient Native American culture.
Q 29Which of the state's professional sports teams competes in the NFL?
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are the professional American football team based in Denver, competing in the National Football League (NFL).
Q 30What is the official state fish of Colorado?
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
The Greenback Cutthroat Trout was adopted as Colorado's official state fish on March 15, 1994, after once being widespread throughout the state's waters.