If you’ve ever tried explaining Colorado to someone who’s never been here, you already know the look you get.

We have a coworker who doesn't believe the images are from an actual place.

They always say something like, “There’s no way that’s real. You’ve got to be making this up.”

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Colorado Places Really Do Exist

Honestly, we can’t blame them. Before visiting Colorado, what we saw in photos and videos didn't do the state justice.

If you ask us, it's like a Bob Ross painting accidentally came to life.

Our mountains don’t just sit on the horizon. They tower, crash, and glow in colors that seem Photoshopped.

Sunsets explode across the sky in purples, oranges, and fire-red streaks that feel unreal.

21 Photos Make It Hard To Believe Colorado Is a Real Place

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

Mountains, Rocks, and Water Span Colorado

Colorado's Maroon Bells
Sunrise at Maroon Bells in late fall, Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Getty Images)
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Then there are the quirks. The Maroon Bells near Aspen look so perfect that they could be a movie backdrop.

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs feels like another planet entirely, with its red rock formations jutting out of the ground at impossible angles.

Don’t even get me started on the alpine lakes that shine an almost impossible shade of turquoise. Those are the ones that really make people think we’re pulling their leg.

Read More: Why Crawford Might Be Colorado’s Most Underrated Outdoor Getaway

So when you see photos of Colorado that look too good to be true, remember: they’re not fake.

They’re just Colorado doing what Colorado does ... making the rest of the world wonder if it’s even a real place.

Amazing Photos Showing Colorado's Brilliant Fall Colors

We totally understand if you don't have the time --or want-- to head to the mountains to view Colorado's awesome fall colors. Don't worry, we got you.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

Stunning Photos of the Milky Way Over Colorado and Utah National Parks + Monuments

Colorado is home to four national parks and eight national monuments. Our neighbors to the west, Utah, boasts five national parks and seven national monuments. Also within reach are the parks and monuments of New Mexico and Arizona.

If you're the road-trip type, they're all reachable in a day's drive from Colorado.

While the majority of tourists visiting these parks only witness the phenomenal views during the day, there's a sight to be seen under the stars.