High, rugged and outdoorsy, Colorado sits at the top of the country in more ways than one. Here are ten facts about the Centennial State.

1. It is the highest state overall

Colorado has the highest mean elevation of any state, with much of its land well above a mile high.

2. Denver is the Mile High City

A step on the State Capitol building marks exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level.

3. It has the most “fourteeners”

Colorado boasts more than 50 peaks topping 14,000 feet, more than any other state.

4. It became a state in the centennial year

Admitted in 1876, 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, it earned the nickname “the Centennial State.”

5. It has the tallest sand dunes in North America

Great Sand Dunes National Park features dunes rising over 700 feet against a backdrop of mountains.

6. The Royal Gorge bridge is dramatically high

One of the highest suspension bridges in the country spans the Arkansas River hundreds of feet below.

7. It is home to ancient cliff dwellings

Mesa Verde National Park preserves remarkable cliff dwellings built by Ancestral Puebloans centuries ago.

8. Its borders are nearly a perfect rectangle

Colorado is one of only a few states with borders defined almost entirely by straight lines.

9. The world’s largest flat-top mountain is here

Grand Mesa is often cited as one of the largest flat-topped mountains on the planet.

10. It has a thriving craft beer scene

Colorado is a national leader in craft brewing, with hundreds of breweries across the state.

From its towering peaks to its high plains, Colorado lives up to its reputation as a paradise for the outdoors.