Western Colorado’s Most Unusual Town Names & Their Stories

The Western Slope is a lot more than big mountains, wild rivers, and grand valleys. It is a place full of some of the quirkiest names you will see on a map.

Scroll on to see a few examples up close, each with a unique attraction nearby that makes the trip worthwhile. From a natural anomaly to a dino-sized rebrand, these town names each come with a backstory that’s just as unusual.

Welcome To Paradox, Colorado

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A paradox is a statement or situation that appears contradictory, illogical, or counterintuitive at first, yet may reveal a deeper truth upon closer examination. In the Paradox Valley, experts are still trying to understand why the Dolores River deflects sharply across the valley floor rather than following the canyon walls.

This oddity was discovered in 1875 by Albert Peale, who studied the odd curve of the Dolores River. Mount Peale, the highest peak in Utah’s La Sal Mountains, is named after the same guy. The small settlement grew slowly, first through mining and later with the discovery of uranium. Today, Paradox is a quiet outpost named after a rule-breaking river most people don’t know about.

A Nucleus in the High Desert

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When people see Nucla on a map, they don’t know what to think. It looks like a typo, but it’s not. In Western Montrose County, the town of Nucla was to become a nucleus of people forming a 1900s cooperative. Their vision was to be a self-sufficient farming and mining community. By mid-century, Nucla became a uranium boomtown. Today, the town is home to nearly 600 people.

Nucla, Colorado, is not far from the incredible Cottonwood Cave. This prehistoric site, also known as Tabeguache Cave, is 125 feet wide with a 40-foot overhang.

Colorado's Cool Dinosaur Rebrand

The town first changed its name from Baxter Springs to Artesia, Colorado. Then, in 1966, it switched again, rebranding itself as Dinosaur. The new name forever ties the town to the nearby Dinosaur National Monument, allowing it to attract travelers and families. In town, you’ll see streets such as Tyrannosaurus Trail and Brontosaurus Boulevard. Some residents say it’s the most playful town name in Colorado.

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