The Ute people have a long and deep historical connection to the central and southern Rocky Mountain region.

While many Indigenous groups have ties to the Rocky Mountain region, the Ute people are particularly closely associated with the central and southern Rockies, especially in present-day Colorado and Utah. Their traditional territories encompassed a large portion of this mountain range, and their cultural heritage is deeply intertwined with the landscape and resources of the Rockies. Other tribes like the Apache and Navajo are more associated with the Southwestern US, while the Seminole are from Florida.