Would you recommend going away to college in Colorado?

I live an hour outside of Chicago and I'm going to be a senior in high school. I'm starting to feel all the pressures of college and everything and I've heard Colorado is a beautiful, outdoorsy place, so I'm looking into Fort Lewis College in Durango (specifically, their art program). I've never lived in a different state, and the only reason I chose Colorado to look at is because my sister has visited friends in Durango, and it sounded appealing. Obviously I've never lived alone, and the idea of being so many states away from my family kind of scares me, but millions of students do it every year, so I don't think that would stop me. Do you recommend going to school there?