Current Time in Colorado

Mountain Time (MT) · MST (UTC−7) in winter · MDT (UTC−6) during Daylight Saving Time

Current Time in Colorado
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MST · UTC-7Mountain TimeThe Centennial State

Colorado Time Facts

Time Zone
MT — Mountain Time (UTC-7/UTC-6)
DST Rule
2nd Sunday Mar → 1st Sunday Nov
IANA Identifier
America/Denver
Population
~5.8 million
Elevation
Denver at 5,280 ft — "Mile High City"
Famous For
Rocky Mountains, skiing, tech, craft beer

Mountain Time Capital — Denver's Growing Tech Scene

Colorado is the de facto capital of Mountain Time. Denver's tech scene has exploded — Oracle, Palantir, Arrow Electronics, and Charles Schwab have moved HQs here. The MT timezone (2 hours behind NYC, 1 hour ahead of LA) provides a goldilocks schedule for companies needing both coast access.

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) operates from Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs — the iconic bunker built inside a mountain during the Cold War. NORAD tracks every object in Earth's orbit and famously tracks Santa Claus on Christmas Eve starting at midnight MT.

Colorado has 58 mountain peaks above 14,000 feet (the most “fourteeners” in the US). The state's 300+ days of sunshine and outdoor lifestyle have made Denver one of the fastest-growing US metros — population has grown 20%+ since 2010.

Major Colorado Cities — All on MT

Denver
Pop. 715K
Capital, Mile High City, tech boom
Colorado Springs
Pop. 480K
NORAD, Air Force Academy, Garden of Gods
Aurora
Pop. 390K
3rd largest, Buckley Space Force Base
Fort Collins
Pop. 170K
CSU, craft beer capital, New Belgium
Boulder
Pop. 105K
CU Boulder, tech startups, outdoors
Aspen
Pop. 7K
World-class skiing, luxury resort

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is it in Colorado right now?
Colorado uses Mountain Time — MST (UTC−7) in winter and MDT (UTC−6) during Daylight Saving Time. All cities — Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, and Boulder — are on the same time zone. The live clock above shows the current time in Colorado.
What time zone is Colorado in?
Colorado is in the Mountain Time Zone. In winter, Colorado uses Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC−7). During Daylight Saving Time (March–November), Colorado uses Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, UTC−6). The IANA identifier is America/Denver. Colorado shares Mountain Time with Utah, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, and most of Idaho.
What is the time difference between Colorado and California?
Colorado (Mountain Time) is always 1 hour ahead of California (Pacific Time). When it is 9:00 AM in Los Angeles, it is 10:00 AM in Denver. Both states change clocks on the same dates, so this 1-hour gap is constant year-round.
What is the time difference between Colorado and New York?
New York (Eastern Time) is always 2 hours ahead of Colorado (Mountain Time). When it is 9:00 AM in Denver, it is 11:00 AM in New York. Both states change clocks on the same dates, so this 2-hour gap is constant year-round.
What is the time difference between Colorado and Arizona?
Colorado (MST, UTC−7) and Arizona (MST, UTC−7) are on the same time in winter. In summer, Colorado springs forward to MDT (UTC−6) while Arizona stays on MST (UTC−7), so Colorado is 1 hour ahead of Arizona from March to November.
Does Colorado observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes. Colorado observes Daylight Saving Time. Clocks spring forward 1 hour on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November.

Colorado City Times & Converters

Denver timeColorado Springs timeBoulder timeDenver → Los AngelesDenver → New YorkDenver → LondonTime converter tool
Time zone data powered by the IANA Time Zone Database. Colorado: America/Denver (MST UTC−7 / MDT UTC−6).