Once the residence of the Ute Indians before the arrival of the white man in the mid-19th century . . . Vail has become the recreationist playground of the West. In the late 1800's miner's flocked to the area to strike it rich, but soon the area's minerals were depleted and it became the peaceful home of sheep ranchers.

In 1939 construction began on Highway 6, running from Denver through the Gore Valley. Charlie Vail, the project's engineer, lent his name to the road, the Vail Pass, and eventually to the Town.

A couple of veterans and a uranium prospector had vision for Vail to become a ski resort. By the mid 1960's Vail Ski Resort was open and had the distinction of operating the first gondola in the United States.

By the early 1980s, the area blossomed as a year-round resort. Golf courses, mountainbike trails, hot-air balloon rallies, tennis tournaments and concerts featuring everything from chamber music to rock became part of the Vail scene in addition to a World Class Ski Resort.

Today, Vail is home to 4,500 permanent residents, plus another 5,000 part-time residents of vacation properties. With 5,289 acres of world renowned skiing, diverse shops and restaurants, luxurious accommodations, friendly neighborhoods and breath-taking mountain views, Vail is arguably the finest resort destination in the world.