Colorado Places: Their Native American Names
This is a project to document in one place all the Indigenous place names known for Colorado. Eventually, we plan to have a scroll-over map, and ideally sound recordings of each name. Prior to that, we will eventually have at least have a guide to the orthography for each Indigenous language. But until that time, we are operating on the principle that something is better than nothing. So below is a list of Colorado places, and the Indigenous name for that place (in as many languages as available). Where we have it, we give the Indigenous word. In other cases, we have only the Indigenous translation, but not yet the original word. We will use the official established tribal orthography in all cases to write the Indigenous languages.
| Colorado English Name听 | Indigenous Name = Meaning of Indigenous Name听 | 尝补苍驳耻补驳别听 |
| Apishapa River听 | 艒evozeoho = 鈥榪uarreling river鈥 | Cheyenne |
| Arikaree River听 | ononeohe = 鈥榓rikara river鈥檚 p葻al谩ni wakp谩 = Arikara River听 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 尝补办辞迟补听 |
Arkansas River | mozooeneohe = 鈥榝lint arrowpoint river鈥 > mots臈s贸on-e-听 -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 鈥榓rrowhead/flint river鈥 | Cheyenne |
Bear Creek (flows into Arkansas River) | 鈥榖ison bull river鈥 [may be Two Buttes Creek] 鈥榖uck antelope corral creek鈥 | 碍颈辞飞补听 碍颈辞飞补听 |
Beaver Creek/Little Beaver Creek (flows into Republican River) | Beaver River Beaver Water | Cheyenne Pawnee |
Black Mesa | 鈥榙ark cove/bluff concavity鈥 bluff in Baca or Las Animas County | 碍颈辞飞补听 |
Caddo Creek or Rate Creek (enters Arkansas) |
| 碍颈辞飞补听 |
| Cimarron River听 | 听hotoaeohe = 鈥榖ull river鈥 > hot贸谩鈥檈- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 鈥榖uffalo bull river鈥; formerly 鈥榤any pipe dance river鈥 | Cheyenne Kiowa |
| Clay Creek听(enters Arkansas River; Prowers County, CO) | 'creek where there is paint' 'hill creek' | Kiowa 碍颈辞飞补听 |
| Colorado River | 'big river'听 | 碍颈辞飞补听 |
Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs | 鈥榖oiling water鈥 'Medicine Fountain' | Kiowa Arapaho听 |
| Crow Creek (enter South Platte River)听 | 鈥楥row (Indian) river鈥 or 鈥榗row (bird) river鈥 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Denver听 | 葻esk谩 ot葻煤艐wahe = rocky mountain听 | 尝补办辞迟补听 |
| Fountain Creek | esevoteohe = 鈥榮eething river鈥 | Cheyenne |
Frenchman Creek (flows into Republican River) | vehoeohe = 鈥榳hite man鈥檚 river鈥 > v茅鈥檋o鈥櫭- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 | Cheyenne |
| Laramie River听 | henaeneohe = 鈥榞oose river鈥 > h茅na鈥榚- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 ma臒谩 wakp谩 = goose river *** | Cheyenne |
| Longs Peak听 | esevonev膿 = buffalo peak/lodge/tipi | Cheyenne |
Manitou Springs/Fontaine qui bouille Creek | 'boiling river' | Cheyenne Kiowa 碍颈辞飞补听 |
Mud Creek (flows into Arkansas River) | hek艒maeohe 鈥榤iry creek鈥 or 鈥榮oft ground鈥 > 丑别鈥檏贸尘补鈥檕鈥檈- | Cheyenne |
| North Platte River听 | meneeohe = 鈥榮hell river鈥 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Pikes Peak听 | 鈥榳hite mountain鈥 [see Lakota for Rocky Mountains] | 碍颈辞飞补听
|
| Platte River听 | 听p葻a艐k茅ska wakp谩 = shell river *** [North Platte] | 尝补办辞迟补听 Cheyenne |
Purgatory River (or Las Animas River) | hotoanaohe = 鈥榙ifficult river鈥 : h贸toan谩- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 'rock river' | Cheyenne 碍颈辞飞补听 |
| Redwillow River, flows into Republican below Beecher's Island听 | Mak艒mehesseohe = red willow river > ma鈥櫭斥榟am贸鈥榮eo鈥榦- ?? -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Republican River, South Fork听 | vehoneohe = 鈥榗hief river鈥 > v茅hon- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
Republican River, North Fork | 听鈥榗annonball river鈥 (Republican generally) p葻a艐臒铆 wakp谩 = Jerusalem Artichoke river (Republican generally) *** 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Petter CH: hohozeohe(?) = 鈥榓rtichoke river鈥 [but no location given] | 碍颈辞飞补听
|
| Rio Grande River听 | Vehoeohe=white man river听 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Rocky Mountains听 | 'Ute Mountains' 葻e-sk谩 = mountain-white *** hohona, pl. hohon膩 = rock, rocks = ho鈥榟ona谩谩鈥榚 | 碍颈辞飞补听 尝补办辞迟补听 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Salt Fork of the Arkansas听 | voxpomaozeohe = 鈥榮alt river鈥 = v贸hpoma鈥樑憈se- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈听 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Sand Creek听 | ponoeohe = 鈥榙ry creek鈥 > p贸noe- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 碍颈辞飞补听 |
| Smoky Hill River, South River听 | 'pawnee river' 'sandy river' man贸eohe = 鈥榖unch of trees river鈥 (Smoky Hill generally) or 鈥榯imber grove river鈥 鈥榶ellow banks鈥 (Smoky Hill generally) | 碍颈辞飞补听 Kiowa Cheyenne Pawnee |
| South Platte River听 | 'fat/tallow river' 'vitaneohe = 'fat/tallow river' >听 听veta- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈听 'broad river' (Platte generally) 听wa拧铆艐 wakp谩 = tallow river *** 听 | 碍颈辞飞补听 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 Pawnee 尝补办辞迟补听 |
| Two/Twin Buttes: | 鈥榟ill鈥 or 鈥榯wo hills鈥 (287) | Kiowa |
| Two Butte Creek听 | 'driftwood creek' | Kiowa |
| Yellowpaint River (Flows into Purgatory River)听 | heovoneohe 鈥榶ellowpaint river鈥 > he贸v- -贸鈥檋别鈥檈 | Cheyenne |
| Achonee, Mount, Grand, CO听 | Chief 听贸鈥榢茅n臈stse 鈥極ne Eye鈥 *** | 颁丑别测别苍苍别听 |
| Amache, Camp, ProwersCO听 | Chief鈥檚 Daughter am氓ht贸ohe 鈥楬owls Along Woman鈥 ?? *** 听 | Cheyenne |
| Arapaho Name Places in Colorado | 听 | 听 |
|---|---|---|
| Places听 | Arapaho Name | Arapaho Translated to English听 |
| Baker Mountain/Pass, Grand CO听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 | heeyeisoono'toh'ou3i'I听 | Where The Sparrow Hawk's Young Hang |
| Baker-Brooks Meadow, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) | heebe3iboo3etiit听 | Big Battle |
| Bartholf Park/ Glacier Basin, RMNP | heetohso'owu'听 | Where the Land is Flat |
| Beaver Creek, RMNP | bih'ihiikoh'owu'听 | Deer Creek听 |
| Bierstadt Lake, RMNP | ni'ec honoute'听 | Hanging Lake |
| Big Creek Lake, Jackson CO听 | ni'eciikoh'owu'听 听 | Lake Creek |
| Big Meadows, RMNP | toonoxutee' | It is a Meadow |
| Big Thompson River. RMNP | hiicooo | The Pipe River |
| Blue River, Summit CO听 | biisee3 tih'iikou'uni' | Were Blue Paint was Gathered |
| Boulder Brook, RMNP | ce'eiinoonoohoet | Rawhide Dish |
| Buckhorn Creek, Jackson CO听 | coo'oo'oe' | Thick Brush听 |
| Buffalo Mountain, Jackson CO听 | hii3einoteyoo' | Buffalo Mountain听 |
| Buffalo Pass, Jackson CO | heneeceibooo | Buffalo Trail听 |
| Bull Frog Rock and Sheep Creek, RMNP听 | niiinon | The Tipi |
| Cabin Creek, RMNP | woo3ee3i' hebesii | Lots of Beaver |
| Chauncey, Mount, Grand CO听 听 听 听 | beiines heetohkokoyoo' | Square Forts |
| Hosa, Jefferson CO | houusoo | Chiefs Name: Crow Offspring |
| Chiefs Head Peak, RMNP听 | hookuhu'eeno | Heads |
| Clarks Peak, Larimer, CO听 | hiwoxuuhuunisoo' | Elks Horn听 |
| Collegiate Range and Mount Massive, Lake CO听 听听 | hiwoxuu hookuhu'ee | Elk's Head听 |
| Craig, Mount, RMNP听 | neneehii3ei'oteyoo' | Middle Mountain |
| Crystal Mountain, Larimer CO听 | hinooox hoono'uu | Mica Hill听 |
| Cub Lake, RMNP | tihoo'oenootee' ni'eci' | Where there was a Camp around the lake |
| Deer Mountain, RMNP听 | cenii3oteyoo' | Going-Inside Mountain听 |
| Denver, Denver CO听 听 听 听 听 | niineniiniicie | Tallow River |
| Devil's Washboard/McCreary, RMNP | hoh'onookeenooxeb | Rock Spring听 |
| Eagle Rock and School Section Rocks, Larimer CO | nouuteyoono'听 听听 | Bone Pipes |
| Echo, Shadow and Lookout Mountain, RMNP | beniisoteyoo'听 听 听 | Piney Mountain |
| Elk River, Jackson CO听 听 听听 | neetookooneeniiciihehe' | Drowning River听 |
| Enetah, Mount, RMNP听 听 | hineniteenoteyoo'听 听 听 听 听 听听 | Person Mountain听 |
| Estes Cone and Wind River Cliffs, RMNP | neneesoteyou'u | Three Mountains |
| Estes Park, Larimer CO听 | heetko'einoo' | Where it is Circular |
| Fall River, RMNP | hecesiicooo | Little Pipe River |
| Flatiron Mountain, Larimer CO听 听 | neenowuxootei'i | They Face to The North听 |
| Flattop Mountain, RMNP | heebe3booo | Big Trail听 |
| Fountain Creek, El Paso, CO听 | konootoowu'听 听 听 | Boiling Water |
| Fraser River, Grand CO | benii3oonoo'听 听 听听 | It is Steep |
| Giant track Mountain, Larimer, CO | hinenitee tohnooxeihit | Giant Tracks |
| Glacier Basin, RMNP | heetohso'owu' | Where the Land is Flat |
| Grand Lake, Grand, CO | beteeni'ec | Holy Lake |
| Grand Lake, Grand, CO | heebe3ni'ec | Big Lake听 |
| Grand Lake, south point of, Grand CO | kokuy听 听听 | Gun |
| Grand Lake area, Grand CO | ce'eiinox | Game Bag |
| Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, Summit CO | heeniiyoowuu | Ant Hills听 |
| Green Mountain ? | 听 | Sage Hills |
| Hallett Peak, RMNP | bonoh'ooonoteyoo' | Thunder Peak听 |
| Harm's Peak | nii'eetei'i tih'iikou'uni'i | Where White Turnips were Gathered |
| Haynach Lakes, RMNP | hiiinec | Snow Water |
| Hedricks Flats, RMNP | niitohnonouhti' | Where We Race |
| Horseshoe Park, RMNP听听 | ciitoowuu' | Inside the Lodge听 |
| I-25, CO/WY border, rock formation, Larimer CO | nih'iitkotousi'I | Where They Took Shelter |
| James Peak and south, Gilpin CO | hooxei hookute' | Wolf's Canine |
| Joe Wright Creek, Larimer CO | hiwoxuukoh'owu' | Elk Creek |
| Julian, Mount, to Stones Peak and intervening area, RMNP | woxse'eihtoo听 听 听 | The Bear Paws |
| Kaly Cook Springs, RMNP | hoh'onookeenooxeb | Rock Spring听 |
| Kawuneeche Valley, RMNP听 听 听 听 听听 | koo'ohwuuniicii | Coyote River |
| Kawuneeche Valey, area in, RMNP | bexookeinokoy听听 | Mountain Lions' Den |
| Lake Haiyaha, RMNP | hoh'oooyoo' | Rocks All Around |
| Laramie Plains, Larimer, CO听 | heneeceibooo | Buffalo Trail听 |
| Lily Lake, RMNP | hebesokoy | Beaver Lodge听 |
| Lily Mountain, RMNP | heebesokoyonoteyoo'听 听听 | Beaver Lodge Mountain |
| Little Beaver Creek | boo'oowu' | Flows Red |
| Little Beaver River | honooxoehibiisii'iini'听 听 听 听听 | Bullberry Bushes听 |
| Longs Peak, RMNP听 | neniisoteyou'u | Two Mountains听 |
| Longs Peak Inn Area, Larimer CO | hisei tih'iinoxowuso'oneit bes | Where Woman Was Killed听 |
| Lookout, Shadow and Echo Mountain, RMNP | beniisoteyoo'听 听 听 | Piney Mountain听 |
| Lulu Pass, RMNP | booh'ooni3esoo' | Thunder Pass |
| Manitou Springs, El Paso CO | beteenooxeb | Holy Spring |
| Massive, Mount and Collegiate Range, Lake CO | hiwoxuu hookuhu'ee | Elk's Head听 |
| McCreery Hill Spring, RMNP听 听 听 听听 | bih'ihiikoh'owu'听听 | Deer Creek听 |
| McHenry's Peak , RMNP | beniixoteyou'u听 听 | Bare Miuntains听 |
| Michigan Creek , Jackson CO听 听 听 听 | bei'i'einiiciihehe' | Little Shell Creek |
| Kawuneeche Valley, area in, RMNP | toh'okooxeeeni'听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 | Where We Get Poles听 |
| Mills Lake, RMNP | teiitooni'ec | Still Lake听 |
| Milner Pass, RMNP | bih'iibooo | Deer Road |
| Mountain, east side of North Park, Jackson CO | heneeceinokoy | Buffalo Lodge听 |
| Mummy Range, RMNP | nookbee3eino' | White Owls |
| Needles, Larimer CO听 | 3ee3i'oteyoo' | Lumpy Mountain |
| Neota Mountain, Larimer CO | hote' hitee | Mountain Sheeps Heart |
| Nisa, Mount, RMNP听 听 听 听 听 | niisoo | Twin |
| Niwot City, Boulder CO | nowoo3 | Chiefs Name; Left Hand. Arapaho Chief |
| Niwot Mountain, Boulder CO | nowoo3 | Chiefs Name; Left Hand. Arapaho Chief |
| Nokhu Craggs, Jackson CO | nohuux听听 | Saw Tooth Mountain or Eagles Nest |
| North Park, Jackson CO | heneeceibooo | Buffalo Road听 |
| Kawuneeche Valley, area in, RMNP | hiwoxuuhuu3o'ohcoo | Pounded Elk Meat听 |
| Notchtop Mountain, RMNP | hoteinetihii | Mountain Sheeps Trail |
| Old Man Mountain, Larimer CO听听 | hinen toh3i'okut | Where a Man is Sitting听 |
| Olympus, Mount, and two other mountains, Larimer CO | neeneb3i'eiitei'i | Faces to the Wind听 |
| Onahu Creek, RMNP | hoonouhut | Warms Himself |
| Owl Canyon, Larimer CO | hookoh'o' heetohwoo3ee3ei' | Where there are Many Miller Moths |
| Park on West Creek, RMNP | woo'teenehi3i' niih'eikuhnee3i' | Where Utes were Scattered |
| Pikes Peak, El Paso CO听 听听 | heeyoteyoo' | Long or Tall Mountain |
| Porphyry Peaks听 , Grand CO | hite3ounokoy听 听 听 | Crane Lodge |
| Poudre Valley, Larimer CO | ce'eiinox听 听 听 听 听 听 听听 | Game Bag听 |
| Prospect Mountain, Larimer CO | biixuut听 听 | The Shirt听 |
| Never Summer Mountains, Grand CO | niiciibiicei'i | It is Never Summer |
| Sage Brush Flats, Grand CO听 听 听 听 听听 | nookhoosei'iini' | There is Lots of Sagebrush听 |
| Seven Utes Mountain, Jackson CO | niisootoxu3i' heetohwo'teenehi3i' | The Seven Utes听 |
| Shadow, Lookout and Echo Mountain, RMNP | beniisoteyoo' | Piney Mountain |
| Signal Peak, RMNP | honooxoenoteyoo'听 | Wolf Mountain听 |
| Signal Peak/Mountain, RMNP | tooxu'oo' hisei to'uut听 听 听听 | Womans Sharp Hammer |
| Owl Creek, Jackson CO听 听 | nihoonoobe'听 听 听 听 | Yellow Paint/Earth |
| Specimen Mountain, RMNP | heetohxouu'oo' | Where it Smokes |
| Steep Mountain听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 , RMNP | 听heneecee teesnoh'kuhneet听 听 听 听 听听 | Buffalo Bill Chased up to the top |
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is Petter鈥檚 Cheyenne dictionary, river names. See also entry for 鈥榤ountain鈥 and 鈥榩eak鈥