Colorado
Celebrate Colorado's birthday with free entry to any state park, including Lake Pueblo
To celebrate the Centennial State’s 148th birthday, all Colorado state parks — including Lake Pueblo, the state’s most visited park each year — will be free to enter Aug. 5, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Every year on Aug. 1, the state recognizes its 1876 founding with Colorado Day. CPW does its part to provide picturesque backdrops for the festivities, albeit a few days after the fact, by offering free entry to all state parks on the first Monday of each August.
“This free entry day is an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of Colorado state parks and their diverse landscapes,” CPW officials said in a July 31 news release.
While park admission is free, all other park fees — including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, and hunting and fishing licenses — remain in effect.
Here are some things to know about Colorado Day and what to know before you head to a Colorado state park to celebrate.
What is Colorado Day?
Colorado Day marks the anniversary of Colorado joining the United States.
It officially became the 38th state in the Union on Aug. 1, 1876, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the proclamation granting its statehood.
How did Colorado get its name? And why is it the Centennial State?
Colorado’s state name originates from the Spanish word for “colored red.” The name was chosen for Colorado as a Territory in 1861 by Congress, according to the Colorado Encyclopedia.
The state got its moniker as the Centennial State because it became a state in 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Another name often associated with the state is “Colorful Colorado,” likely due to its picturesque combination of mountains, rivers and plains, according to the Colorado Encyclopedia.
Heading to a state park on Aug. 5? Here’s what to know before you go
Colorado is well known for its natural beauty, and CPW officials urge Coloradans to protect its exquisite outdoor amenities and “act as stewards of the state’s land, wildlife, and water.”
“By balancing outdoor recreation with mindful conservation, we can all protect Colorado’s natural beauty,” CPW officials said in the release.
What to know before you go
Be safe on the water
As of July 15, Colorado was on track to surpass its record high for water-related fatalities, when 42 such deaths occurred on Colorado water bodies. CPW officials urge all water recreators to remember that life jackets save lives, and the majority of water-related deaths occur because people do not wear them.
Be careful with fire
Colorado is currently experiencing wildfires across multiple Front Range and Western Slope counties. Fire safety is a state-wide effort, and CPW encourages state park visitors to always practice fire safety.
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Check fire restrictions or bans at coemergency.com
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Download the free Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app for wildfire alerts
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Drown fires out with water until you can touch the embers
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Never leave a fire unattended
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Avoid parking or driving on dry grass
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Check your tire pressure, exhaust pipes, and whether chains or exposed wheel rims are dragging from your vehicle, which may create sparks.
Keep wildlife wild
More on Lake Pueblo: Your 2024 guide of things to do at Lake Pueblo State Park this spring and summer
Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on X, at @ZachHillstrom. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Lake Pueblo State Park is free to enter Aug. 5. Here’s why
With the NFL Draft approaching, many players will hear their names called, and their lives will be changed forever. The Colorado Buffaloes have been fortunate to have 25 of their players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
So here is a list of all 25 Colorado players who have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Every Colorado First Round Draft Pick
- RB Byron “Whizzer” White (1938): No. 4 overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
- LB Jerry Hillebrand (1962): No. 13 overall, New York Giants
- RB Bobby Anderson (1970): No. 11 overall, Denver Broncos
- DT Herb Orvis (1972): No. 16 overall, Detroit Lions
- RB Bo Matthews (1974): No. 2 pick, San Diego Chargers
- TE J.V. Cain (1974): No. 7 overall, St. Louis Cardinals
- C Pete Brock (1976): No. 12 overall, New England Patriots
- DT Troy Archer (1976): No. 13 overall, New York Giants
- OT Max Koncar (1976): No. 23 overall, Green Bay Packers
- DB Mark Haynes (1980): No. 8 overall, New York Giants
- OT Stan Brock (1980): No. 12 overall, New Orleans Saints
- WR Mike Pritchard (1991): No. 13 overall, Atlanta Falcons
- DE Alfred Williams (1991): No. 18 overall, Cincinnati Bengals
- DB Deon Figures (1993): No. 23 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
- DT Leonard Renfro (1993): No. 24 overall, Philadelphia Eagles
- WR Charles Johnson (1994): No. 17 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Michael Westbrook (1995): No. 4 overall, Washington Redskins
- RB Rashaan Salaam (1995): No. 21 overall, Chicago Bears
- OG Chris Naeole (1997): No. 10 overall, New Orleans Saints
- WR Rae Carruth (1997): No. 27 overall, Carolina Panthers
- TE Daniel Graham (2002): No. 21 overall, New England Patriots
- DE Tyler Brayton (2003): No. 32 overall, Oakland Raiders
- OT Nate Solder (2011): No. 17 overall, New England Patriots
- DB Jimmy Smith (2011): No. 27 overall, Baltimore Ravens
- WR/CB Travis Hunter (2025): No. 2 overall, Jacksonville Jaguars
Key First Round Buffaloes
There have been several Colorado players who have made a significant impact in the NFL after being drafted in the first round.
The first player to note is running back Byron “Whizzer” White, who was the first-ever Buffaloes player drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. White had a solid career in the NFL and definitely was worth the selection.
Colorado also had an interesting trend of multiple players being selected in the first round on eight separate occasions, which showed the Buffaloes ‘ ability to develop talent on a consistent basis.
One of the more successful Colorado players in the NFL was an offensive tackle, Nate Solder, who was drafted by the Patriots in 2011 and won two Super Bowls while blocking for Tom Brady. Solder provided consistent protection and was someone that the Patriots could rely on to do his job well.
Former Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith also had a successful career after being drafted in 2011 by the Baltimore Ravens. One of the highlights of Smith’s career was when he won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens and made crucial stops on the goal line to seal the game. Throughout his career, Smith was always solid in coverage and could make a play when he needed to.
Currently in the NFL is former Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 2 overall in the 2025 draft. Hunter had a decent rookie season, but it was unfortunately ended early by injury.
Heading into a sophomore season, Hunter will be making a change to cornerback and looks to be a great contributor for the Jaguars on defense while adding some value as a situational receiver.
As indicated by the number of players drafted in the first round from Colorado, the Buffaloes definitely have a history of being able to develop great talent that can be successful in the NFL.
Unfortunately, there are no Buffaloes projected to be first-round picks this season, however next year could be the perfect opportunity with players like wide receiver Danny Scudero and defensive tackle Santana Hopper poised for big seasons.
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South Broadway’s newest bar in Denver is a “nostalgic-forward neighborhood cocktail bar” called the Good Luck Club. However, it’s been anything but lucky.
“It would have been really helpful to have a road map of here’s how you open up a bar,” said Ben Hamilton, Good Luck Club’s general manager. “Here are the steps you need to take.”
It’s finally open, six months behind target, thanks to a guessing game they didn’t know they were playing.
“I was like jumping over hurdles and navigating a maze to try to figure out and put all the pieces of the puzzle together,” Hamilton added. “There was a good list of complications that we ran into when we were filing for our liquor licenses, our zoning permits, our assembly permits.”
However, the city knows about the problems behind the permit process.
Tuesday marks exactly one year since Denver Mayor Mike Johnston signed his first executive order overhauling the city’s permit process with a new office.
“It’s really hard for our customers to understand what is needed for every type of construction project that could be out there,” said Robert Peek, the director of development systems performance with the Denver Permitting Office.
Hamilton says that was exactly what he and his team faced: “It seemed like it was never the full answer.”
That’s why the Denver City Council approved a $4.6 million contract with ComplyAI for a tool that will help streamline and speed up the process.
“It’ll do an initial review of their applications and their plans and identify anything that I’m missing or anything that is approvable for the city,” Peek said.
The software could shave weeks off the process, and hopefully, in the future, businesses like the Good Luck Club can serve the community more quickly.
“We see this as part of our larger effort to really revitalize our local economy by getting these businesses and homeowners to move into their homes,” Peek said.
The permitting office is just beginning the implementation process to integrate the artificial intelligence tool into the system. They hope to launch it to the public by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the Good Luck Club is having its grand opening on April 30.
The Colorado Avalanche’s head coach will not travel with the team this week due to injuries he sustained after being hit with a puck during a game over the weekend.
Jared Bednar will stay at home as the team travels for two of its last regular season games in Canada, according to a statement from the team. Bednar was diagnosed with facial fractures and a corneal abrasion, but is expected to make a full recovery without surgery.
During Saturday night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, a stray puck hit by the Knights’ Keegan Kolesar went over the boards and into the Avalanche’s bench. Bednar was struck on the right side of his face and taken to the hospital to be evaluated.
The assistant coaching staff, which includes Dave Hakstol and Nolan Pratt, took over after Bednar left the game. Pratt told reporters in the postgame press conference that the hit was “unnerving.”
“It’s scary when the pucks are flying in there, it happens all the time,” Pratt said, adding that it was “unfortunate tonight.”
But the team recalibrated and returned to play, Pratt said.
The Avalanche lost in overtime, but have already secured their playoff spot.
Pratt and Hakstol will lead the Avalanche in the Monday night game against the Edmonton Oilers and Tuesday’s game against the Calgary Flames. The team will return to Denver’s Ball Arena for its final home game before playoffs on Thursday.
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