In broad outline, native occupation of the Central High Plains can be summarized as follows. The area west of the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, in south-cental Colorado, was dominated throughout the historic period by Utes who joined the Comanche bands after 1706 to make forays onto the plains. The Central High Plains was dominated by Apaches during the 1500s and 1600s with other tribes crossing in or entering the plains only incidentally.