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  Indigenous Name = Meaning of Indigenous Name  Language 
Apishapa River 

ōevozeoho = ‘quarreling river’

Cheyenne
Arikaree River 

ononeohe = ‘arikara river’s

pȟaláni wakpá = Arikara River 

Cheyenne 

Lakota 

Arkansas River

mozooeneohe = ‘flint arrowpoint river’ > motsėsóon-e-  -ó’he’e

‘arrowhead/flint river’

‘long river’

wahíŋ wakpá = flint river ***

Cheyenne

Kiowa

Pawnee

Lakota 

Bear Creek (flows into Arkansas River)

‘bison bull river’ [may be Two Buttes Creek]

‘buck antelope corral creek’

Kiowa 

Kiowa 

Beaver Creek/Little Beaver Creek (flows into Republican River)

Beaver River

Beaver Water

Cheyenne

Pawnee

Black Mesa

‘dark cove/bluff concavity’
bluff in Baca or Las Animas County
Kiowa 

Caddo Creek or Rate Creek (enters Arkansas)

'prickly pear creek'

Kiowa 
Cimarron River 

 hotoaeohe = ‘bull river’ > hotóá’e- -ó’he’e

‘buffalo bull river’; formerly ‘many pipe dance river’

Cheyenne
 

Kiowa

Clay Creek (enters Arkansas River; Prowers County, CO) 'creek where there is paint'

'hill creek'

Kiowa

Kiowa 

Colorado River 'big river'  Kiowa 

Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

‘boiling water’

'Medicine Fountain'

Kiowa

Arapaho 

Crow Creek (enter South Platte River)  ‘Crow (Indian) river’ or ‘crow (bird) river’ Cheyenne 
Denver  ȟeská otȟúŋwahe = rocky mountain  Lakota 
Fountain Creek

esevoteohe = ‘seething river’

Cheyenne

Frenchman Creek (flows into Republican River)

vehoeohe = ‘white man’s river’ > vé’ho’é- -ó’he’e

Cheyenne
Laramie River  henaeneohe = ‘goose river’ > héna‘e- -ó’he’e

mağá wakpá = goose river ***

Cheyenne

Lakota 

Longs Peak  esevonevē = buffalo peak/lodge/tipi Cheyenne

Manitou Springs/Fontaine qui bouille Creek

'boiling river'
'spring creek' 
'boiling water'

Cheyenne
Kiowa
Kiowa 

Mud Creek (flows into Arkansas River)

hekōmaeohe ‘miry creek’ or ‘soft ground’ > he’kóma’o’e- Cheyenne
North Platte River  meneeohe = ‘shell river’ Cheyenne 
Pikes Peak 

‘white mountain’ [see Lakota for Rocky Mountains]

ookoomenevós or ookoomeneta = bald peak > oo’k-

Kiowa 

 

Cheyenne 

Platte River 

 pȟaŋkéska wakpá = shell river *** [North Platte]

meneeohe = ‘shell river’ : méne’e-

Lakota 

Cheyenne

Purgatory River (or Las Animas River)

hotoanaohe = ‘difficult river’ : hótoaná- -ó’he’e

'rock river'

Cheyenne

Kiowa 

Redwillow River, flows into Republican below Beecher's Island  Makōmehesseohe = red willow river > ma’ó‘hamó‘seo‘o- ?? -ó’he’e Cheyenne 
Republican River, South Fork  vehoneohe = ‘chief river’ > véhon- -ó’he’e Cheyenne 

Republican River, North Fork

 ‘cannonball river’ (Republican generally)

mahōhevaeohe = ‘red shield river’ (Republican generally)

‘manure river’ (Republican generally)

pȟaŋğí wakpá = Jerusalem Artichoke river (Republican generally) ***

                        Petter CH: hohozeohe(?) = ‘artichoke river’ [but no location given]

Kiowa 

Cheyenne

Pawnee

Lakota   

Rio Grande River  Vehoeohe=white man river  Cheyenne 
Rocky Mountains  'Ute Mountains'

ȟe-ská = mountain-white ***

hohona, pl. hohonā = rock, rocks = ho‘honaáá‘e

Kiowa 

Lakota 

Cheyenne 

Salt Fork of the Arkansas  voxpomaozeohe = ‘salt river‘ = vóhpoma‘őtse- -ó’he’e  Cheyenne 
Sand Creek 

ponoeohe = ‘dry creek’ > pónoe- -ó’he’e

'dry creek'

Cheyenne 

Kiowa 

Smoky Hill River, South River  'pawnee river'
'sandy river'

manóeohe = ‘bunch of trees river’ (Smoky Hill generally) or ‘timber grove river’

‘yellow banks’ (Smoky Hill generally)

Kiowa 
Kiowa

Cheyenne

Pawnee

South Platte River  'fat/tallow river'

'vitaneohe = 'fat/tallow river' >   veta- -ó’he’e 

'broad river' (Platte generally)

 wašíŋ wakpá = tallow river ***

 

Kiowa 

Cheyenne 

Pawnee

Lakota 

Two/Twin Buttes:

‘hill’ or ‘two hills’ (287)

Kiowa
Two Butte Creek  'driftwood creek' Kiowa
Yellowpaint River (Flows into Purgatory River) 

heovoneohe ‘yellowpaint river’ > heóv- -ó’he’e

Cheyenne
Achonee, Mount, Grand, CO  Chief  ó‘kénėstse ‘One Eye’ *** Cheyenne 
Amache, Camp, ProwersCO 

Chief’s Daughter amåhtóohe ‘Howls Along Woman’ ?? ***

 

Cheyenne
Arapaho Name Places in Colorado    
Places  Arapaho Name Arapaho Translated to English 
Baker Mountain/Pass, Grand CO                heeyeisoono'toh'ou3i'I  Where The Sparrow Hawk's Young Hang
Baker-Brooks Meadow, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) heebe3iboo3etiit  Big Battle
Bartholf Park/ Glacier Basin, RMNP heetohso'owu'  Where the Land is Flat
Beaver Creek, RMNP bih'ihiikoh'owu'  Deer Creek 
Bierstadt Lake, RMNP ni'ec honoute'  Hanging Lake
Big Creek Lake, Jackson CO  ni'eciikoh'owu'    Lake Creek
Big Meadows, RMNP toonoxutee' It is a Meadow
Big Thompson River. RMNP hiicooo The Pipe River
Blue River, Summit CO  biisee3 tih'iikou'uni' Were Blue Paint was Gathered
Boulder Brook, RMNP ce'eiinoonoohoet Rawhide Dish
Buckhorn Creek, Jackson CO  coo'oo'oe' Thick Brush 
Buffalo Mountain, Jackson CO  hii3einoteyoo' Buffalo Mountain 
Buffalo Pass, Jackson CO heneeceibooo Buffalo Trail 
Bull Frog Rock and Sheep Creek, RMNP  niiinon The Tipi
Cabin Creek, RMNP woo3ee3i' hebesii Lots of Beaver
Chauncey, Mount, Grand CO        beiines heetohkokoyoo' Square Forts
Hosa, Jefferson CO houusoo

Chiefs Name: Crow Offspring

Chiefs Head Peak, RMNP  hookuhu'eeno Heads
Clarks Peak, Larimer, CO  hiwoxuuhuunisoo' Elks Horn 
Collegiate Range and Mount Massive, Lake CO     hiwoxuu hookuhu'ee Elk's Head 
Craig, Mount, RMNP  neneehii3ei'oteyoo' Middle Mountain
Crystal Mountain, Larimer CO  hinooox hoono'uu Mica Hill 
Cub Lake, RMNP tihoo'oenootee' ni'eci' Where there was a Camp around the lake
Deer Mountain, RMNP  cenii3oteyoo' Going-Inside Mountain 
Denver, Denver CO          niineniiniicie Tallow River
Devil's Washboard/McCreary, RMNP hoh'onookeenooxeb Rock Spring 
Eagle Rock and School Section Rocks, Larimer CO nouuteyoono'     Bone Pipes
Echo, Shadow and Lookout Mountain, RMNP beniisoteyoo'      Piney Mountain
Elk River, Jackson CO       neetookooneeniiciihehe' Drowning River 
Enetah, Mount, RMNP    hineniteenoteyoo'             Person Mountain 
Estes Cone and Wind River Cliffs, RMNP neneesoteyou'u Three Mountains
Estes Park, Larimer CO  heetko'einoo' Where it is Circular
Fall River, RMNP hecesiicooo Little Pipe River
Flatiron Mountain, Larimer CO    neenowuxootei'i They Face to The North 
Flattop Mountain, RMNP heebe3booo Big Trail 
Fountain Creek, El Paso, CO  konootoowu'      Boiling Water
Fraser River, Grand CO benii3oonoo'       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 
Grand Lake, south point of, Grand CO kokuy     Gun
Grand Lake area, Grand CO ce'eiinox Game Bag
Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, Summit CO heeniiyoowuu Ant Hills 
Green Mountain ?   Sage Hills
Hallett Peak, RMNP bonoh'ooonoteyoo' Thunder Peak 
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   ciitoowuu' Inside the Lodge 
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      The Bear Paws
Kaly Cook Springs, RMNP hoh'onookeenooxeb Rock Spring 
Kawuneeche Valley, RMNP           koo'ohwuuniicii Coyote River
Kawuneeche Valey, area in, RMNP bexookeinokoy   Mountain Lions' Den
Lake Haiyaha, RMNP hoh'oooyoo' Rocks All Around
Laramie Plains, Larimer, CO  heneeceibooo Buffalo Trail 
Lily Lake, RMNP hebesokoy Beaver Lodge 
Lily Mountain, RMNP heebesokoyonoteyoo'     Beaver Lodge Mountain
Little Beaver Creek boo'oowu' Flows Red
Little Beaver River honooxoehibiisii'iini'         Bullberry Bushes 
Longs Peak, RMNP  neniisoteyou'u Two Mountains 
Longs Peak Inn Area, Larimer CO hisei tih'iinoxowuso'oneit bes Where Woman Was Killed 
Lookout, Shadow and Echo Mountain, RMNP beniisoteyoo'      Piney Mountain 
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 
McCreery Hill Spring, RMNP         bih'ihiikoh'owu'   Deer Creek 
McHenry's Peak , RMNP beniixoteyou'u    Bare Miuntains 
Michigan Creek , Jackson CO        bei'i'einiiciihehe' Little Shell Creek
Kawuneeche Valley, area in, RMNP toh'okooxeeeni'                Where We Get Poles 
Mills Lake, RMNP teiitooni'ec Still Lake 
Milner Pass, RMNP bih'iibooo Deer Road
Mountain, east side of North Park, Jackson CO heneeceinokoy Buffalo Lodge 
Mummy Range, RMNP nookbee3eino' White Owls
Needles, Larimer CO  3ee3i'oteyoo' Lumpy Mountain
Neota Mountain, Larimer CO hote' hitee Mountain Sheeps Heart
Nisa, Mount, RMNP          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   Saw Tooth Mountain or Eagles Nest
North Park, Jackson CO heneeceibooo Buffalo Road 
Kawuneeche Valley, area in, RMNP hiwoxuuhuu3o'ohcoo Pounded Elk Meat 
Notchtop Mountain, RMNP hoteinetihii Mountain Sheeps Trail
Old Man Mountain, Larimer CO   hinen toh3i'okut Where a Man is Sitting 
Olympus, Mount, and two other mountains, Larimer CO neeneb3i'eiitei'i Faces to the Wind 
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     heeyoteyoo'

Long or Tall Mountain

Porphyry Peaks  , Grand CO hite3ounokoy      Crane Lodge
Poudre Valley, Larimer CO ce'eiinox              

Game Bag 

Prospect Mountain, Larimer CO biixuut    The Shirt 
Never Summer Mountains, Grand CO niiciibiicei'i It is Never Summer
Sage Brush Flats, Grand CO           nookhoosei'iini' There is Lots of Sagebrush 
Seven Utes Mountain, Jackson CO niisootoxu3i' heetohwo'teenehi3i' The Seven Utes 
Shadow, Lookout and Echo Mountain, RMNP beniisoteyoo' Piney Mountain
Signal Peak, RMNP honooxoenoteyoo'  Wolf Mountain 
Signal Peak/Mountain, RMNP tooxu'oo' hisei to'uut       Womans Sharp Hammer
Owl Creek, Jackson CO    nihoonoobe'        Yellow Paint/Earth
Specimen Mountain, RMNP heetohxouu'oo' Where it Smokes
Steep Mountain                , RMNP  heneecee teesnoh'kuhneet           Buffalo Bill Chased up to the top
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

 

 

 

https://archive.org/details/Ayer_421_C25_P49_1915/page/n1083/mode/2up is Petter’s Cheyenne dictionary, river names. See also entry for ‘mountain’ and ‘peak’