200px|right|thumb|An isolated rural house next to a mountain in northern El Paso County.
200px|right|thumb|Summer greenery of El Paso County
El Paso County is the most populous county in the U.S state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 730,395, surpassing the city and county of Denver. The county seat is Colorado Springs, the second most populous city in Colorado. El Paso County is included in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
In July 1858, gold was discovered along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory. This discovery precipitated the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Many residents of the mining region felt disconnected from the remote territorial governments of Kansas and Nebraska, so they voted to form their own Territory of Jefferson on October 24, 1859. The following month, the Jefferson Territorial Legislature organized 12 counties for the new territory including El Paso County. El Paso County was named for the Spanish language name for Ute Pass north of Pikes Peak. Colorado City served as the county seat of El Paso County.
The Jefferson Territory never received federal sanction, but on February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act organizing the Territory of Colorado. El Paso County was one of the original 17 counties created by the Colorado legislature on November 1, 1861. Part of its western territory was broken off to create Teller County in 1899. Originally based in Old Colorado City (now part of Colorado Springs, not today's Colorado City between Pueblo and Walsenburg), El Paso County's county seat was moved to Colorado Springs in 1873.
Geography
thumb|200px|El Paso County Fairgrounds in [[Calhan, Colorado]]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (0.1%) are covered by water.
Adjacent counties
- Douglas County - north
- Elbert County - northeast
- Lincoln County - east
- Crowley County - southeast
- Pueblo County - south
- Fremont County - southwest
- Teller County - west
Major highways
National protected area
thumb|[[Pikes Peak dominates the county's skyline.]]
- Pike National Forest
State protected area
- Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Historic sites
- Pikes Peak National Historic Landmark
- USAFA Cadet Area National Historic District
- Old Colorado City (National Register of Historic Districts)
- Manitou Springs (National Register of Historic Districts)
Trails
- American Discovery Trail
- Barr National Recreation Trail
- Bear Creek Cañon Park
- Bear Creek Regional Park and Nature Center
- Calhan Paint Mines
- Fountain Creek Nature Center
- The Incline
- New Santa Fe Trail
- Pikes Peak Greenway
- White House Ranch National Recreation Trail