Mile-High 13th Step at the Colorado State Capitol

A brass marker on the 13th step of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver is labeled as exactly 5,280 feet above sea level and has long been promoted as the city’s official “Mile High” point. The marker is a popular photo stop and a civic symbol of Denver’s nickname. More precise geodetic surveys since the marker’s placement have found slight differences in elevation, so the exact location of one mile above sea level is debated among surveyors and historians.