Ute people are in the Great Basin classification of Indigenous People, now living primarily in Utah and Colorado.

There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah (3,500 members); Southern Ute in Colorado (1,500 members); and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico (2,000 members).

The name of the state of Utah is derived from the name Ute.

The word Ute means "Land of the sun" in their language.

"Ute" possibly derives from the Western Apache word "yudah", meaning "high up".

This has led to the misconception that "Ute" means people high up or mountain people.