The Utes lived in balance with the land, leaving relatively little evidence of their presence and little lasting environmental impact.

Although few in number, the Utes called much of Colorado home. Their understanding of the mountains, as well as their unique skills with horses acquired from the Spanish, provided them with a distinct advantage over neighboring tribes and early settlers. As hunters and gatherers, they moved with the changing seasons, spending the summer months in high mountain valleys, hunting and trapping trout and wild game and gathering wild plants and fruits. Their nomadic life-style allowed them to inhabit the area for many years without depleting resources or causing damage to the environment.