The recently opened cleverly channels the feel of walking through an aspen grove from its forest floor-inspired lobby all the way to its 鈥渃anopy鈥�-level rooftop bar. Located across from Civic Center Park, the 13-story building鈥檚 curvy, white-washed facade is reminiscent of the work embraced by Antoni Gaud铆, the Catalan architect and early adopter of biomimicry, a design practice that imitates nature. Jeanne Gang, the founder of award-winning architecture firm , takes the concept to a new level with Populus.

The hotel鈥檚 moniker comes from the scientific name for the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), the native tree that served as muse for the project. An avid hiker, Gang explored many of Colorado鈥檚 aspen groves early on in the creative process; the hotel鈥檚 365 windows were designed to evoke the dark, eye-shaped marks left behind on the bark as aspens shed their lower branches. Aspens also sequester huge amounts of carbon dioxide, as does Populus, which owns bragging rights as being the first carbon positive hotel in the U.S. (meaning it removes more carbon dioxide from the air than it emits.)

Innovative sustainability strategies include the use of low-carbon concrete, 100 percent renewable energy, and converting every scrap of food into compost that gets returned to local farms. The building鈥檚 distinctive windows have a unique hood that provides shade while efficiently deflecting rainwater from the exterior, reducing the building鈥檚 energy needs for temperature control. In addition to purchasing carbon credits, the project鈥檚 Seattle-based developer, , partnered with the U.S. Forest service to plant more than 70,000 Engelmann spruce trees near Colorado鈥檚 La Garita Wilderness to offset their carbon footprint during construction. They will continue to negate their impact by planting one tree for every guest night at the hotel.

鈥淥ur goal is to better the environment and actively inspire a reverence for nature among everyone who walks through the doors,鈥� said Jon Buerge, president of Urban Villages.

Wilderness wonders greet guests at nearly every turn, from an elevator soundtrack of bugling elk and birdsong that was recorded in Rocky Mountain National Park to headboards crafted from fallen beetle kill pine (a significant problem in Colorado鈥檚 forests). As guests enter the hotel, they鈥檙e hit with an earthy aroma that emanates from a stunning ceiling installation made from some 500 sheets of Reishi, an eco-friendly leather alternative sourced from the root of mushrooms.

Other touches are more subtle. The poured concrete floor, for example, showcases exposed aggregate with irregularity in scale and sheen similar to pebbles and rocks scattered across a forest floor. 鈥淲hen I take a walk in the woods I鈥檓 overtaken by a feeling of serenity. As I go deeper I start to pay attention to the details, like the patches of moss or sprouting mushrooms,鈥� said Heather Wildman, the principal of Wildman Chalmers Design, the Pittsburgh-based firm behind the interiors. 鈥淚 wanted guests to have that same feeling throughout their stay at the hotel.鈥�

After checking in at the reception desk (a gorgeous slab of kiln-dried, locally-salvaged Rio Grande cottonwood), guests transition to guest floors, which are intentionally low-lit to signal a departure from the forest floor to the heart of the aspen tree. Each of the 265 guest rooms and suites are done up in warm earth tones and feature biodegradable carpets, drinking glasses made from recycled wine bottles, and those signature windows perfectly frame the State Capital, City Hall, and the distant Rocky Mountains.

The best views, however, await at Stellar Jay, the hotel鈥檚 rooftop restaurant and bar. Intended to feel like a lush tree canopy, the dining room is a mix of forest green velvet banquettes, wooden high-top counters and low, stone tables with veining that looks like a web of lichen. Some walls are covered in cork, while others look like works of art, composed of apple and Siberian elm tree slices scorched using yakisugi, the Japanese wood preservation technique. In the dining room, a light installation of layered steel discs refracts rays as if guests are peeking through leaves. Above the double-sided bar, a custom installation of tiny white lights looks like a starry night sky in the evenings.听 The bar spills out to a large terrace with sweeping city view and is landscaped with perennial trees and flowers, intended to be an urban oasis for the public as well as pollinators.听 From $299 ($499 during peak season);

This piece first appeared in the summer 2025 print issue of 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine. Subscribe now for early access to our most captivating storytelling, stunning photography, and deeply reported features on the biggest issues facing the outdoor world.

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In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral was hunting in the Alps with his dog, when he noticed burrs stuck to his jacket, pants, hat, and his pup. Being the egghead that he was, de Mestral examined the burrs under a microscope. He discovered their 鈥渟tickiness鈥� was due to tiny hooks and loops. This discovery dominated the next decade of de Mestral’s life as he burrowed his intellect into recreating burrs鈥� 鈥済rab-ability鈥� with synthetic materials. And on one magical day, Presto Chango!, the world has Velcro.

This is probably the most famous example of 鈥渂iomimicry,鈥� the imitation of nature’s strategies to solve human design challenges. Now, a less well-known example but a much more intriguing one (sorry, de Mestral) is the life and music of 鈥淟and of 10,000 Lakes鈥� local Dave Simonett, founder and lead singer of Trampled By Turtles.

Simonett grew up in Mankato, Minnesota, about 80-miles southwest of the Twin Cities at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers. Like the rest of the state, winters there are bitterly cold, summers are hot, muggy, and buggy. And as is ever the Minnesotan way, Simonett spent his youth loving that unloveable weather. No matter Mother Nature’s temperament, Simonett was in the woods. When he formed Trampled By Turtles in Duluth in 2003, Simonett’s lifelong connection to nature鈥攈iking, skiing, fishing鈥攃ombined in his music with other influences, like his love of the in-your-face tempo of punk and grunge bands and the songwriting of legendary fellow Minnesotan, Bob Dylan.

In the runup to the in Denver (where Trampled By Turtles will create a booty-shaking ruckus on June 1), I interviewed Simonett for an episode of the 国产吃瓜黑料 Podcast, which you can listen to here. Here are some excerpts from our conversation that highlight Simonett鈥檚 decades-long love affair with Minnesota and its lasting influence on his music.

A MINNESOTAN SURPRISE

国产吃瓜黑料: If somebody stopped you on the street and said, 鈥淗ey, who are you? What do you like to do?鈥� Would you say, outdoorsman? Would you say, conservationist? Would you say, hunter?

Simonett: Yeah, I’d probably start with those.

国产吃瓜黑料: Oh, before musician?

Simonett: Well, it depends on what point in life I guess I’d be asked. I think right now, at this point, even though music still takes up more of my time than anything else, my passions are split a little bit more equally nowadays. It’s more like a life’s work.

国产吃瓜黑料: You are an outdoorsy guy. You were a scout as a kid. You grew up in Minnesota, which though incredibly maligned like the rest of the Midwest, is double stuffed with frothing outdoor folks and adventures. What makes outdoor adventure in Minnesota unique and inspiring?

Simonett: Well, the natural beauty here is not as obvious. I like to say humble, but听 it’s not of its own volition. It’s just the way the land is. We have our prairies and our hardwood forest in the southern part of the state, and then the northern parts are boreal and a lot of pine birch, kind of reminiscent of maybe what people would think of as Maine. What people think of here is lakes. And that’s something we have a lot of.听 The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is probably our crown jewel of a landscape that’s still left to be a wild place. It’s pretty far out and I’d put a sunrise there up against any sunrise anywhere.

DEAR BOUNDARY WATERS, DAVE LOVES YOU

国产吃瓜黑料: For folks who have not been exposed to the beauty of the Boundary Waters, give me your 30-second elevator pitch on it to those who might be like, 鈥淎hhhh, Minnesota, c’mon!鈥�

Simonett: Right? It sounds buggy.

国产吃瓜黑料: Well, the mosquito is the state bird of Minnesota.

Simonett: And you won’t find any more of them than in the Boundary Waters if you go at a certain time of year, ha! But the Boundary Waters is a little over a million acres of woods and mainly lakes, thousands of lakes interconnected by portages. It’s part of the Superior National Forest and it’s named the Boundary Waters because it’s on the boundary of Minnesota and Canada. When you get a couple lakes into that wilderness, you might as well be in 1849 or something. It gets pretty far out and you can go deep as you want.

When I was young, a little bit of an initiation in that place was to paddle out to the middle of a lake, dip your cup in the lake, and drink the cup of water. That鈥檚 just as an example of what a bastion of clean water it is. And so I do a lot of work now on that place. If I’m gonna spend my time involved in something, this is where I get the most meaning in these places. I’m gonna work on protecting that.

THE JOY OF COLDER THAN HELL WINTERS

Simonett: I like winter. Half the stuff I like to do outside is when it’s snowing.

国产吃瓜黑料: I love winter too. But winter in Minnesota is a different animal altogether.

Simonett: It’s a good time to write songs, ha!

国产吃瓜黑料: Exactly. You’ve said that Northern Minnesota winters have inspired your music. And I think, in regard to the Midwest鈥檚 unfair poo-pooed-ness, the bitter cold winters have a lot to do with that. What do you think is the most unappreciated part of Minnesota winters?

Simonett: It gets dark at 4:30 here and I crave my little writing studio and a guitar. And that’s when my psyche wants to do it the most. And I try to honor that. There’s lots I want to do outside in the winter too, but it’s kind of a time where you can give yourself the leniency to look inside and try to make something. That’s what I’ve always used that time for. And that is the thing I look forward to, writing

国产吃瓜黑料: Do you think that because of that, you are writing slower laments or are you writing dancier, more uptempo tunes?

Simonett: Like trying to overcorrect?

国产吃瓜黑料: Yeah.

Simonett: It’s hard to say, but I think that kind of stuff is more phase of life for me or reactions to creative whims. I think the weather in the wintertime will give me a space to do it. But I don’t know if that’s like, 鈥淥h, I’m gonna write sad songs ’cause it’s cold outside.鈥� That being said, look at reggae music and where that comes from. That’s a lot of happy stuff. Maybe I’m completely wrong about that. Hahaha!

DIRT-FOOTED HOOTENANNY VS. MELLOW INSTRUMENTAL

国产吃瓜黑料: I know that you don’t like labeling your music or boxing it into a specific genre, but I will say, Roots music, Bluegrass, Americana, Trampled By Turtles could fall under these if someone were to box you guys in. Ha!

Simonett: Haha! Yeah, if you wanted to limit us. Ha!

国产吃瓜黑料: Those genres very often present a frenetic dancey pace. They create a dirt-footed hootenanny. For instance, 鈥淲ait So Long鈥� and 鈥淐odeine.鈥� Those tunes of yours are incredibly aggressive. Where does that edge come from and does your time outside inspire it? Ease it? Do both?

Simonett: Both those songs are like 15 years old. When I was younger, I had a lot of punk rock left over. When I was a teenager, that’s what I was into. And I was a young man then. I had a lot of energy.

国产吃瓜黑料: Oh, so it was like angry young man music?

Simonett: Yeah, and you feel things real big and loud. I did anyway. It’s been a while since I’ve written a song like that. To be honest with you, I’m really trying, especially in music, but generally in life, as a husband, as a father, to grow older gracefully.

国产吃瓜黑料: Does that mean softer?

Simonett: I think it just means being true to where you are at the time. If I were to try to write a song like 鈥淐odeine鈥� now, I would be lying. It would be me trying to reach for something that’s not there.

国产吃瓜黑料: On the other end of the tempo spectrum is a song like 鈥淟utsen.鈥� That’s nearly a10-minute beautiful, mellow instrumental. So where does that energy come from?

Simonett: That’s easier for me to point at. Lutsen is a little ski town in northern Minnesota on Lake Superior.

国产吃瓜黑料: Love Lutsen. It鈥檚 the first place I skied in Minnesota where I didn鈥檛 hear my turn. I love Lutsen.

Dave: Ha, yeah!. It鈥檚 as close as we get to real mountain skiing in the Midwest. I’d been spending a lot of time up there. It’s incredibly beautiful. I was doing some skiing, but also just hanging in the area by Lake Superior. It’s kind of our version of an ocean up there, with the same kind of gravitational pull on the people around it. It’s cold,听 it’s harsh. You go down to the lake and it’s like a nightmare sometimes. Like if you could turn a nightmare into water. So many ships have sunk in that nasty body of water. It reminds you real fast about where you are in the pecking order of things. And at the same time, you might wake up the next morning and it’s glass, and the sun’s coming up, it’s beautiful. That 鈥淟utsen鈥� song was that. That’s what I was trying to capture, comprehending where I was.

MY VELCRO IS YOUR VELCRO

国产吃瓜黑料: In regard to your time outside, your conservation efforts, and your love of Minnesota, if you were to take one of those things away, could you still write and perform the way that you do?

Dave: It sounds kind of self-important or something, but to me those are just little different parts of who I am. We’re all a product of space and time, right? I’m a product of where I live, what’s going on with me at this moment. And so you’d have to put me in somewhere real hard to escape for me not to find my space outdoors. I mean, I sometimes use touring to find new places to hunt and fish, which has been great. Last year and last summer, we went out to Montana. And both of those times I ended up on some really great fly fishing days with some buddies out there. When I’m home, I wouldn’t pop out to Montana and go fly fishing.

国产吃瓜黑料: The greatest work boondoggle of all time, ha! The music is whatever, but really what I’m trying to do is land a giant rainbow.

Dave: Haha! Yeah! I think for me, I really just hope an audience feels like we did the best we could. I hope they thought that their time was well spent.

I can write a hundred songs in this room and never play ’em for anybody. They’d still be songs and they’d still be mine. But there’s an interesting relationship that happens when you open that up to the world and I try to remain mystified by that. It’s scary and beautiful. I do enjoy that part of it. I don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 like a 鈥渋f a tree falls in the forest鈥澨� kind of a thing, where it鈥檚, 鈥淐an a song exist if nobody hears it?鈥� I don’t know.

国产吃瓜黑料: I feel like there needs to be a bumper sticker that reads, 鈥淧eak Minnesota: Juicy Lucy, Tater Tot Hotdish, Trampled By Turtles,鈥� not necessarily in that order.

Dave: It’s a lot of responsibility, but we’ll take it.

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Donate to Save the Boundary Waters at and you鈥檒l be entered to win round-trip travel, 3-night hotel stay, VIP passes to 国产吃瓜黑料 Festival, a signed Deering banjo, and even a Colorado adventure picked by the band. Enjoy VIP perks like private lounges, bars, and shaded seating while catching sets from Trampled By Turtles, Lord Huron, Khruangbin, and more.

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Bigger is not always better. While we spend plenty of time oohing and ahhing over larger mountain towns like Boulder or Chattanooga, there are dozens of smaller hamlets with fewer than 6,000 full-time residents that offer the right combo of amenities and quick access to some of the best spots for outdoor recreation in the country. Here are my favorite small adventure towns across the United States, from minuscule hiking and climbing outposts to bustling ski towns.

Bethel, Maine

Population: 2,730

Why I Love It

Bethel is the kind of town that makes you consider relocating. Tucked into Western Maine鈥檚 Lakes and Mountains region, the village itself is super walkable with an eclectic array of restaurants, while being surrounded by public land, from the peaks that make up the expansive White Mountain National Forest to the less-intimidating Community Forest trails accessed directly from town.

The slow-moving Androscoggin River passes through the village (prime tubing in the summer) and an ever-growing is attracting more and more mountain bikers.

Oh, and Bethel is flanked by two ski resorts. is the larger of the two, with more than 2,000 feet of vertical and 750 acres of terrain (not to mention a couple of heated lifts), while is the mom-and-pop ski hill we all wish we had in our backyard, with $39 lift tickets every day, a friendly uphill policy, and a solid mix of terrain to keep it interesting.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Most people come to Bethel to ski Sunday River. If you鈥檙e looking for a challenge, head to Oz, a zone loaded with steep double black runs, or take Lollapalooza to Blind Ambition, an expansive gladed run on the edge of Jordan Bowl. Bring your mountain bike during the summer. Mt. Abram has lift-served terrain, but you can hit a number of trails directly from the edge of town. is a fun, flowy three-mile loop in the center of the Bethel Village Trails on the south side of the village.

Where to Eat

has a genius cocktail menu, as well as a seafood chowder that hits just right on a cold winter night. If you鈥檙e looking for something more casual, has burgers and a rotating New England IPA on tap.

Where to Stay

The will put you on the southern edge of the village, within walking distance of restaurants, and direct access to some of the town鈥檚 most loved mountain bike trails (from $126 per night).

Stowe, Vermont

Population: 5,230 or 745

Why I Love It

Quite simply, Stowe is the East Coast鈥檚 best ski town, especially this winter as Stowe Mountain Resort has enjoyed 329 inches of snow (and counting) at the time I鈥檓 writing this article, and then you have the New England charm of the village itself, with its steeples, covered bridges, and brick federal architectural style. And all of this sits in the shadow of the massive Mount Mansfield State Forest and Smugglers鈥� Notch State Park.

Not cool enough yet? How about an aggressive and progressive local population that鈥檚 worked to preserve more than for public use while building out a growing system of singletrack and nordic trails that can be accessed straight from town. Is Stowe still a sleepy hamlet tucked into the hills? Yes and no. The village still feels small, but it can be expensive, and it can get crowded, but that鈥檚 the proverbial price you pay for being the best ski town on the East Coast.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

In the winter, you鈥檙e obviously skiing Stowe, which is one of the East鈥檚 best resorts, with more than 2,000 vertical feet of drop, and 653 skiable acres split between two mountains: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak.When the snow melts, combine a slice of the and the for an eight-mile loop that climbs the 4,393-foot Mount Mansfield via a 2,000-foot climb that includes some ladders and scrambling before reaching the treeless summit, where you can see the surrounding Green Mountains and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Mountain bikers should pedal the Stowe Recreation Trail, a six-mile paved path along the What River, to access , Stowe鈥檚 signature trail network with 12 miles of purpose-built singletrack. Make sure you hit the mile-long Florence, considered by many the best flow trail in the northeast. And listen, everyone should make a point to visit Stowe during fall, when the weather is crisp and the hardwoods are popping off in a barrage of reds, yellows, and golds.

Where to Eat

is incredibly hip, incredibly good, and incredibly crowded, but get on the waitlist and when it鈥檚 your chance, order the Vermont cheddar fritters and their smash burger and listen to the DJ spinning from a wall of vinyl. And if you鈥檙e in Vermont, you have to stop by the and pick up a four pack of the beer that put the brewery on the map, Heady Topper.

Where to Stay

Stowe has resorts attached to the ski hill and quaint bed and breakfasts, but check out the new cabins and lodge rooms at a few miles outside of town, with direct access to Stowe鈥檚 Recreation Path. The lodge has its own bar, pool, and hot tub and a grassy lawn overlooking the West Branch of the Little River (from $151 per night).

Silverton, Colorado

Population: 713

Why I Love It

Sitting at 9,300 feet in elevation, Silverton is a former gold and silver mining town that has found new life as a basecamp for outdoor adventure, thanks to the surrounding San Juan Mountains鈥攁 hotbed of skiing in the winter and alpine adventure in the summer. If you鈥檙e standing in downtown Silverton, you鈥檙e within and 15 miles of seven of Colorado鈥檚 14,000-foot summits.

The entire town is a National Historic Landmark with buildings erected in the late 1800s that still retain their Wild West vibe. Greene Street, the main road through the heart of town, is the only paved street in the municipality. I鈥檝e visited Silverton during the winter, on my way to ski the backcountry terrain in the San Juan mountains, but I鈥檓 dying to get back in the summer and early fall to check out the growing network of mountain bike trails and see the aspens surrounding town turn gold.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Experience the best of the San Juans in summer by hiking the , located in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan National Forest. The eight-mile out and back passes through meadows packed with wildflowers before delivering you to a trio of high-alpine lakes that are known to house rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout. The hike tops out at 12,000 feet in elevation, but you can climb higher by picking up the Continental Divide Trail above the lakes.

The local bike club, the Silverton Singletrack Society, is in the process of building out 30 miles of singletrack in a system called that you can pedal to from town. The first six-mile loop has just opened, offering a steep climb before releasing you to a 1,000-foot, flowy descent.

If you have the skillset, I highly recommend skiing , which is like no other ski 鈥渞esort鈥� in the country. A single chairlift rises from a warming hut, from the top you can skin out to a cornucopia of backcountry lines, all of which demand expert-level skiing. If that鈥檚 not enough terrain, Silverton Mountain also offers heli-bumps from the top of the chairlift.

Where to Eat

has great IPAs as well as a full menu, from cauliflower tacos to pizzas loaded with sausage and bacon.

Where to Stay

The has 15 modern rooms in a multi-story building that once housed a gas station, ballroom, and lodge hall. The hotel sits in the heart of downtown and every booking comes with a $10 drink credit in the lobby bar (private rooms from $176 per night; bunks in the 10-bed bunk room from $75 per night).

Highlands, North Carolina

Population: 1,110听

Why I Love It

Highlands, which is one of the highest incorporated towns east of the Mississippi (elevation: 4,118 feet), has been a mountain escape since the late 1800s, originally attracting wealthy travelers who flocked to the village for its clean air and pristine surroundings.

People today show up for the same reasons, and Highlands has grown into a cultural hub of the mountains, with a surprisingly robust art and culinary scene given its small footprint. Main Street is bustling with shops, galleries and restaurants, while the surrounding Nantahala National Forest offers fast access to hiking trails, mountain lakes, and waterfalls.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Hiking Whiteside Mountain, a 4,903-foot peak named after the sheer, granite face that rises to its summit, is the must-do adventure close to town. The two-mile forms a loop that delivers you to the edge of this 700-foot cliff, one of the tallest in the eastern U.S.

You can actually drive your car behind Bridal Veil Falls, just outside of town, but for a more adventurous waterfall, head to Bust Your Butt Falls, a swimming hole just off Highway 64 on the Cullasaja River with a jumping rock and natural water slide at the base of the falls.

Where to Eat

You can鈥檛 turn around without stumbling into another fancy (and pricey) restaurant in Highlands, but I like for its to-go sandwiches and snacks that hit the spot on big hikes.

Where to Stay

Highlands has no shortage of high-end hotels and resorts, but I like the new , a 14-room motel that was recently renovated into a boutique stay where each room has its own typewriter and turntable with record collection (from $189 per night).

Kanab, Utah

Population: 5,200听

Why I Love It

You can鈥檛 beat Kanab鈥檚 location. Tucked into the desert of southern Utah, just north of the Arizona border, Kanab sits within striking distance of some of the Southwest鈥檚 most iconic landscapes. Bryce Canyon National Park is an hour north, Zion National Park is 45 minutes west. If you鈥檙e looking to take a dip, Lake Powell is an hour east, and drive two hours south and you鈥檒l hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The town itself is steeped in Hollywood history, as more than 200 Westerns were filmed in the canyons around town. Kanab itself has a bit of a Moab vibe (think adobe buildings and streets sprawling through the desert floor) but it鈥檚 far sleepier than its gateway cousin, and in my opinion, has a much better culinary scene.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

So many parks, so little time. For something unique, head to where you can sand-board the 75-foot tall dunes, made of grains of quartz coated with iron oxide, giving them a pink hew. You can rent sand boards or sleds from the at the park ($25 per board).

Hike Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch, considered the longest slot canyon in America. The is the fastest way into the gorge, a 3.4-mile round trip that delivers you to the canyon. From there, you can explore up or down the canyon to your heart鈥檚 content. The gulch is in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. You鈥檒l need a for the day hike.

Buckskin Gulch is more than 12 miles long, and 200 feet deep at its low point. The walls are never wider than 20 feet during its entire length.

Where to Eat

Kanab is a legitimate foodie destination with a handful of restaurants that punch above the weight of a town this size. If you鈥檙e looking for a memorable dinner, head to , where the menu revolves around a series of small plates, from foraged local mushrooms to chili-rubbed beef sourced just across the border in Arizona.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of hotels around town, but spend the night at , a glamping resort with geodesic domes that have king beds, their own kitchenette, and massive windows overlooking the red rock cliffs (from $170 per night).

Patagonia, Arizona

Population: 789

Why I Love It

Start in Tucson, then head an hour south (almost to the Mexican border) and you鈥檒l find tiny Patagonia, a former mining town that鈥檚 just starting to transition into a bonafide adventure town. This one-street village is surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks, and sits within striking distance of two state parks鈥擯atagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek. But the real draw here is the myriad of gravel roads that extend from main street into the surrounding hills, traversing an endless sea of desert grassland.

You鈥檒l hear both Spanish and English spoken throughout town, which also sports the tell-tale signs of a modern mountain outpost (like at the coffee bar with weekend food trucks), but is still hanging onto its blue-collar roots (and rooms are still relatively cheap).

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

The 800-mile long Arizona National Scenic Trail, which runs the length of the state, can be found just outside of town. Head south for a meandering hike through rolling grasslands, or north and you鈥檒l tackle the Santa Rita Mountains, where steep climbs and granite peaks await.

But you鈥檙e probably here for the gravel riding, too. The options are endless, and the terrain is rolling instead of grueling, so plan for big-mile days. Start with the 30-mile Alto Ghost Town ride, which climbs through a series of canyons on its way to the ruins of a former mining camp. The undulating grasslands turn gold in the fall but form mesmerizing, shimmering waves regardless of when you ride through them. has rentals (from $125 per day).

Where to Eat

The has build-your-own pizzas, margaritas, and classy oil portraits of The King, while brews coffee in the morning, beer in the afternoon, and hosts rotating food trucks on weekends.

Where to Stay

Grab a spot in the nine-room hotel, which sits on main street within walking distance of everything, and has dedicated bike storage (from $125 per night).

Mazama, Washington

Population 200听

Why I Love It

There鈥檚 small, and then there鈥檚 Mazama, a hamlet in central Washington鈥檚 Methow Valley that has less than 200 year-round residents and a 鈥渄owntown鈥� that鈥檚 nothing more than a handful of businesses situated around a junction where two roads meet. But Mazama has everything you need鈥攆ood, beer, supplies, and a place to sleep.

More importantly, the town is surrounded by the , the largest network of nordic ski trails in the country (120 miles), all of which were created and maintained by a non-profit, also called . During the summer, there鈥檚 whitewater rafting on the Methow River, and trad and sport climbing on the Goat Wall, a 1,500-foot tall cliff overlooking the valley. Need more? Mazama is a gateway to North Cascades National Park, which has more glaciers than any park in the lower 48, and also happens to be one of the least visited parks in the country, with under 17,000 visitors last year.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

State Road 20, a.k.a. North Cascades Highway, closes from Mazama into the park during the winter, but come summer, the two-lane offers a beautiful 90-minute drive west over Washington Pass. The of the park offers the easiest access to Mazama. There, you鈥檒l find three reservoirs of differing shades of milky blue. Grab a canoe ($75 a day) from and explore the lake, which is surrounded by steep, green mountains. Or hike the 3.5-mile to a prominent point overlooking Diablo Lake.

If you make the trek during winter, cross country skiing is the ticket. There are 120 miles of nordic trails throughout the valley, all of which are groomed nightly. Crazy right? Mazama has its own trailhead, where you can kick and glide along the 11-mile , which has minimal gain but big-valley views.

Where to Eat

There aren鈥檛 a lot of options, but the has to-go sandwiches and snacks and is the best example of what a modern general store can be. The has a taproom and patio with views of Goat Peak, not to mention craft beer, rice bowls, and even sushi.

Where to Stay

The has lodge rooms within walking distance of the Public House (from $182 per night).

Fayetteville, West Virginia

Population 2,900听

Why I Love It

In the 1800s, the New River Gorge area attracted lumberjacks and coal miners, as the river canyon was rich in both resources. Now, it attracts hikers, boaters, and climbers, and the New River Gorge has become one of America鈥檚 newest national parks.

The small town of Fayetteville has stood witness to it all, evolving into a world-class gateway community with a historic downtown square, and just enough in the way of restaurants and shops to keep visitors and locals satiated. Fayetteville still retains that sleepy, small town vibe, but just beyond the city鈥檚 borders lies some of the best outdoor recreation in the East, starting with the whitewater rafting and world-class climbing inside the New River Gorge. There鈥檚 also mellow paddling on Summersville Lake, mountain biking on the Arrowhead Trails, a hand-carved system built by Boy Scouts, and more whitewater action on the nearby Gauley River.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Most people show up to raft the , which runs for 53 miles through the heart of the 1,000-foot deep canyon. The river is typically broken down into two day-long runs. The Upper New is more family friendly, with 13 miles of class I-III rapids, while the Lower New has big hits that reach class IV plus.

The whitewater is exciting, but the climbing is actually better, with more than 1,500 established routes along the sandstone walls that loom over the river below. And that doesn鈥檛 even include the growing number of bouldering problems found in the gorge. The climbing isn鈥檛 easy (grades top out at ) but will put you on the right route if you鈥檙e looking for a guide (starting at $130 per person).

Where to Eat

Fayetteville鈥檚 downtown square sports a handful of restaurants. Operating out of a former church just off the square, has been the town鈥檚 go-to for breakfast and lunch for decades. If you ride a couple of hot laps on the flowy , make sure to stop by the for a cold beer and a brat (or taco) served al-fresco in their beer garden.

Where to Stay

The New River Gorge supports several adventure outposts, where you can find cheap campsites or luxury cabins. I like , which has options spread across a 350-acre campus with its own restaurants, a pool, and a stunning view of the gorge itself (covered platform tent sites start at $49 per night).

McCall, Idaho

Population: 4,066听

Why I Love It

The obvious draw to McCall is the skiing. The small town sits in the Cuddy and Salmon River Mountains of Idaho, collecting 300 inches of snow a year, with quick access to three ski resorts, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain, and the aptly named Little Ski Hill, which has night skiing and just a T-bar for a lift.

But then you also have Payette Lake, a 5,000-acre beauty surrounded by green peaks and full of trout that have been beckoning anglers since the 1800s. Not to mention, whitewater rafting on the Middle Fork and Main Fork of the Salmon, and a growing portfolio of mountain bike trails, as well as ample hiking trails in Payette National Forest and Ponderosa State Park. Begin stacking all of these attributes up and it becomes obvious that the draw to McCall is鈥�everything.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Many will argue that has the best powder in Idaho, so skiers should head there during a winter visit. The mountain has almost 2,000 acres of front-side terrain to explore, but it鈥檚 the 18,000 acres of backcountry that you can access via the resort鈥檚 that are the real gem here (starting at $575).

Bring your bike in the summer as McCall is rapidly becoming a , earning a Silver Ride Center designation from IMBA, with a diverse suite of trails that鈥檚 rapidly approaching 500 miles large. Head straight for , a golf course resort that鈥檚 gone all-in on mountain biking with 17 miles of fast, flowy descents, some of which are packed with wooden features, all accessed via easy-to-climb fire roads or shuttle ($30 per rider).

Where to Eat

McCall is a bustling adventure town with plenty of options for a good meal, but has award-winning lagers to go along with their fried wild salmon and chips.

Where to Stay

takes modern Scandinavian-inspired design and puts it into a 1970s-era motel built with local timber. And the rooms walk out onto an expansive lawn with games and fire pits (from $131 per night).

Bigfork, Montana

Population: 5,249听

Why I Love It

At first glance, Bigfork is a lake town, sitting on the edge of the massive Flathead Lake, which has 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. And it has plenty of kayaking and fishing for those that are water inclined. But it鈥檚 also a hiking town, with quick access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Flathead National Forest, and numerous state parks.

Want a little adrenaline? Bigfork is also the basecamp for whitewater adventures on the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Flathead River. Oh, and Bigfork is just an hour from the West Glacier entrance to Glacier National Park. So is Bigfork a lake town? Yes, but it鈥檚 also so much more.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料s

Head to the of Flathead National Forest, a 15,000-acre tract within the Bob Marshall Wilderness featuring more than 20 alpine lakes. Hike a 6.6-mile loop combining the (#717) and the Picnic Lakes Trail to the rocky summit of the 7,000-foot Mount Aeneas, where you鈥檒l find views of the Jewel Basin lakes below, and the ridges of Glacier National Park on the horizon. You鈥檒l occasionally find mountain goats on the summit too. Bring a flyrod and try to land one of the cutthroat or rainbow trout that thrive in the Picnic Lakes on the back end of the loop.

Flathead Lake has six state parks that protect its shoreline and the islands in the middle of the water. Paddle two miles across the lake from the boat launch in Dayton, Montana, to , a 2,165-acre state park in the middle of the lake that鈥檚 only accessible by boat. Instead of cars, you鈥檒l see feral horses and bighorn sheep. has kayak and paddleboard rentals (starting at $40).

Where to Eat

has views of the lake, 16 beers on tap, and a large pub-food menu that includes a burger topped with jalape帽o poppers. So, yeah. Yum.

Where to Stay

is an all-inclusive dude ranch on 2,000 acres running along the shores of Flathead Lake. You鈥檒l get access to the property鈥檚 15-mile private mountain bike trail system, canoes, hikes, and horseback rides to backcountry breakfast (starting at $5,103 a week). If you鈥檙e looking for less of a financial commitment, has cabins and Airstreams, all of which come with private access to the lake (from $210 per night).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He鈥檚 been lucky enough to live in a few of America鈥檚 most fun (and expensive) adventure towns, and recently wrote about the country鈥檚 best mountain towns. He also recently wrote about the best national parks for spring break trips.听

The post The Top 9 Small 国产吃瓜黑料 Towns in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This summer鈥檚 国产吃瓜黑料 Summit and Festival includes a new pitch competition for outdoor industry and active lifestyle startups called , providing support for the next generation of bright ideas.

Mel Strong, a founding partner of , an early-stage venture capital firm, was a moderator at the inaugural 国产吃瓜黑料 Summit last year when she met an entrepreneur with a bold idea. His name was Matt Oesterle, and he was the CEO of a camping startup called Ramble, which aims to build full-service campgrounds in wild, natural settings, in contrast to the cramped, parking-lot-style RV parks that are now ubiquitous.

The two got to chatting and by the Summit鈥檚 end, Strong, who owns a campervan, was convinced Ramble had the potential to become the next big thing. So, she joined the board and added the startup to her firm鈥檚 investment portfolio. With that, the interaction between the two at an event designed to bring people in the outdoor industry together helped secure an investment in an up-and-coming business. Ramble now has two campground locations in Colorado, with more on the way.

All great outdoor brands start as a seed of an idea. An entrepreneurial spirit sees a problem or gap in the market and is willing to take a risk on a creative, out-of-the-box solution. But a startup can鈥檛 get going on its own. It needs support and funding. It needs a crowd willing to believe in the idea. That鈥檚 the concept behind 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite, a new startup pitch competition debuting at the 国产吃瓜黑料 Summit this May in Denver, Colorado.

鈥淔or founders, it鈥檚 like hijacking the system,鈥� Strong says. 鈥淕etting into a room of investors is really hard. But at 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite, you鈥檒l have this diverse group of people ready and willing to solve big problems who are all united by a deep personal passion for the outdoors. We will all be rallying around this idea that we want to progress the outdoor industry, collectively.鈥�

It鈥檚 all part of the 2025 国产吃瓜黑料 Festival and Summit, which combines the outdoor industry鈥檚 premiere networking and thought leadership event in the Summit with the fun-for-everyone 国产吃瓜黑料 Festival, bringing outdoor films, major musical acts, and conversations with athletes and thought leaders to Denver鈥檚 Civic Center Park from May 29 through June 1.

To kick off day one of the Summit, 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite will bring together innovative founders from up to five startups with investors, VC partners, and other business leaders who can help take these early brands from seed to launch. The first place winner of the contest will receive a $100,000 valued prize and unique marketing opportunities. Awards will also be given out to a runner up and a People鈥檚 Choice Award, determined by a public vote.

The five startup founders who will pitch their ideas at 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite will be chosen from a rigorous selection process after an open call for applications that began in March. Finalists from that selection process will be announced in April for the chance to present their ideas in person at 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite on May 29. Those five finalists will receive support and pitch preparation help from, which offers full-scale assistance for rising entrepreneurs. Those finalists will then take to the stage in the recently revamped Denver Public Library for a chance to pitch their ideas to an esteemed panel of judges. The finalists and attendees will be led through the day鈥檚 events by emcee, entrepreneur, and former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones.

Judges for 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite have been curated from from every facet of what it takes to create a successful business, from branding and law to leadership and finance. The judges include Next Ventures鈥� Mel Strong, who will return to the Summit in a new role; Ariana Ferwerda, cofounder and CEO of apparel company Halfdays; Laura Medina, partner with global law firm Cooley LLP, who represents emerging growth companies; and additional judges who have yet to be announced.

鈥淲hile only one company takes home the first prize, every participant in a pitch competition gains something valuable鈥攑otential customers, word-of-mouth exposure, and meaningful connections in the venture and investment space that can open doors to future opportunities,鈥� says Ferwerda from Halfdays. 鈥淣etworking is crucial in the early stages of a business, and the more you put your company and pitch in front of the right people, the greater your chances of success.鈥�

So, what will it take to win? Judges say they鈥檒l be looking for a promising startup that showcases industry innovation, market opportunity, financial viability, business feasibility, and a compelling pitch. They鈥檒l be seeking big ideas and emerging possibilities in everything from AI and sustainable gear to the future of media and climate solutions, with concepts across travel, wellness, gear, and adventure tech.

鈥淭o exist in the outdoor industry, you have to be a different kind of thinker,鈥� adds Strong. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to meet those kinds of thinkers.鈥�

Those looking to attend the 国产吃瓜黑料 Ignite event will need to purchase a badge for the .

The post Calling All Outdoor Startups. We Want to Get Your Big Idea Funded appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It was somewhere around the third or fourth storm on the tenth day of my first attempt at the Colorado Trail that I began to question my sanity.

I was drenched nearly to my internal organs, my pack probably five or 500 pounds heavier than before the sky began throwing its endless tantrum. So much hail had come down over the prior days that it felt like I鈥檇 been trapped in an endless paintball loop with a sadist, my skin raw from the relentless assault. I fantasized about leaving the trail, chucking my gear into the nearest trash can, and making a new life as a used bookseller in some quaint Colorado town. I could take up knitting. Tend to a garden. Plan the kind of vacations where you remain mostly horizontal.

Then a burly wind gust blew through my daydream, shoving me to the ground, and I began to cry.

This was supposed to be fun鈥攐r at least, that鈥檚 how I pitched it to my hiking companion, MacGyver, who I鈥檇 met while trekking the Pacific Crest Trail. I spent two years working on a guidebook for the PCT, hiking the first thousand miles multiple times in multiple seasons, and I craved a fresh path; MacGyver just figured that hiking sounded better than not hiking.

The Colorado Trail (known as the CT to its faithful and the syllable-averse) promised to fulfill our simple requests. Its roughly 486 miles, cast on a squiggly diagonal across the Centennial State, connect Denver to Durango via a rollercoaster route of single track and dusty roads. The trail contours around slopes thick with aspen and wildflowers, passes through forests rife with conifers and chanterelles, plunges across creeks and rivers, skirts crystalline lakes, and ascends a handful of high mountain passes. After so much time spent in California’s deserts and Sierra splendor, I wondered if a different landscape could equally stir my soul.

In parts, the CT delivered. As MacGyver and I began our southbound hike just outside Denver, we marveled at the newness of it all. Back home, the Sierra鈥檚 highest reaches exist as white-grey moonscapes constructed of angular granite; here, the mountain passes unfurled in soft carpets of tundra, greener and lusher than anything I鈥檇 experienced in California. The forests felt older, denser, and delightfully mysterious, the kind of places where you might stumble across a fairy flitting about a smattering of toadstools. Sure, there were marmots and pika and deer scampering around as they were back home, but for the first time in my life, I also watched moose lumber across the trail, quietly munching on the abundant vegetation not far from where we froze in awe.

For each of these fresh wonders, however, the CT seemed to deliver an equal number of fresh hells. We discovered quickly, for instance, that the trail’s architects were seemingly unaware of the power of the humble switchback. I wrote in my journal:

“It is a violent, aggressive trail. When it goes up, it does so at an exhausting grade. Almost worse, it does the same on the way down. The jolting pain of each step, usually tangled in wet tree roots or sharp rocks, is an assault on the body.”听

MacGyver chose to address such rudeness by rocketing up each incline like a wayward bull; I preferred to suffer slowly, muttering a litany of curse words to score the misery. It was no surprise to either of us when one of MacGyver鈥檚 knees simply quit bending at the two-week mark of our journey.

Our tally of complaints grew by the hour. The trail lacked the 鈥渨ow鈥� factor of the High Sierra鈥檚 alpine vistas. The route was frequently lined with stubby, stabby plants we referred to as 鈥渧iolent pines.鈥� Other hikers were nearly nonexistent (I didn鈥檛 mind; poor MacGyver, however, had been conditioned to the PCT鈥檚 summer camp social air and began talking to me鈥攐r at me鈥攏early nonstop in the vacuum of humanity). The forest was filled with terrifying, Blair Witchian structures. The water tasted of a gently bovine essence. And we were constantly dodging bicycles, especially during the Breckenridge 100, a century race near the ski town that partially converges with the CT. It was an added insult to the parade of injuries when, after hours of jumping downhill to avoid being run over, my body decided that it would clear itself of all contents in a manner not unlike colonoscopy preparation.

Then there were the storms, which came in multiple waves almost every day. Once, while camping with friends at Kenosha Pass, the sky morphed from sunny to angry in an instant, burying our tents, campfire, and dinner in a rage of hail. Another day, after MacGyver left the trail to rest his battered knees, I experienced five separate thunderstorms that drowned everything so thoroughly that I was forced to pitch my tent in the smallest puddle I could find.

And, of course, there was the storm that knocked me off my feet. Resting on the ground, pack against the wet dirt, I cried. I sniffled. I wailed. And then I screamed.

I eventually staggered to my feet and began walking, faster and angrier, sadder and more weirded out than I’d ever felt on a trail. When I caught up to MacGyver, he looked at my tear-soaked cheeks and asked, “Are you ok?”

I answered, “No, I am not.”

We walked in silence and I ruminated. Halfway in, the Colorado Trail had tested not just my physical limits, which I welcomed, but also my emotional ones鈥攁nd I wondered if it had nudged them a bit too far. This is, of course, one of the realities on any long hike: the further you walk, the deeper you go. You鈥檝e just got to be ready for a little soul excavation along the way.

MacGyver and I didn’t finish the trail that summer. His knees wouldn’t allow it, and neither would my cat sitter, who texted that she couldn’t handle my feline鈥檚 rather aggressive affections and could I please come home. We were both subtly relieved.

In the months that followed, however, we sent a volley of texts, their contents growing progressively more deranged:

鈥淚鈥檓 never hiking the CT again.鈥�

鈥淭hat was as bad as I鈥檓 remembering it, right?鈥�

鈥淚 dunno鈥擨鈥檓 not a quitter. CT this summer?鈥�

鈥淎ctually, let鈥檚 yo-yo the CT? Double the fun!鈥�

鈥淚 might be a masochist, but I miss the CT.鈥�

So MacGyver and I returned the following summer, battle-worn soldiers lured by the siren call of grassy peaks and shimmering aspen, munching moose, and a touch of amnesia, strangely excited for the pummeling to come. Just as soon as we鈥檇 begun the mental and physical preparations, however, the 416 and Burro fires erupted, scorching over 54,000 acres near the trail鈥檚 southern half and derailing our plans for a glorious completion. We settled on hiking the 160-mile Collegiate Loop at the CT鈥檚 midsection, named for a parade of fourteeners strung across its heights.

We hitched to the loop鈥檚 southern end and began wandering its heavily forested eastern stretch with a bit of delusional optimism that was quickly tamped by the same hot and dry conditions that primed the wildfires鈥� spread. Instead of the previous summer鈥檚 monsoonal drenching, we were sunburned and eternally thirsty, loading our packs with six liters of water any time we found a running source. 鈥淚t鈥檒l get better when we鈥檙e on the western side,鈥� one of us would utter from time to time. 鈥淵es, it鈥檒l get better,鈥� the other would reply, with a strong lack of conviction.

(It did not, in fact, get better.)

Wildfire smoke poisoned the air. We were intimidated by a trio of crabby moose. I was nearly flattened by a mountain bike. During a side quest to climb a pair of fourteeners (Mount Belford and Mount Oxford) with some Denver pals, I grew dizzy and nauseous, barely tagging one peak before stumbling back down to my tent only minutes before a multi-hour storm soaked the area. Then, the rotten cherry on top: my lightweight pack, overburdened with water and ill-equipped for the task, created a patch of chafe that eventually bloomed into an open wound. Despite MacGyver鈥檚 best efforts at playing medic, it was once more time to call it quits.

As before, I wasn’t exactly sad to leave. But this time, it wasn鈥檛 because I was ready to go; it was because I not only figured we鈥檇 be back, but also knew that somehow, I鈥檇 gotten exactly what I鈥檇 come out here for. Not just the moments of sublime beauty, time with my thoughts, and endless conversation, but also the difficulty, the chaos, the opportunity to peel back yet another layer of my humanness and examine what lay beneath. The suffering and the enlightenment, so deeply intertwined along this trail.

On our final morning, I slowly dismantled my tent, whispering goodbye to the pain and the penance, but also the pines and peaks and moose and magpies. I moved on pensive autopilot until my foot lodged under a large rock, sending me sailing, my pack a bully’s hand pushing me into the dirt. My wool tights ripped at the knee; my flesh scraped from the same. I rolled over and watched the blood come. And then I laughed. The tears that followed weren’t ones of sadness or anger or frustration, but of knowing: the trail always provides鈥攁s long as you鈥檙e willing to accept a bit of suffering.

Shawnt茅 鈥淩ustic鈥� Salabert has happily suffered through thousands of miles on other long trails, including the John Muir Trail / N眉眉m眉 Poyo, Backbone Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail, and has nothing but glowing words for the latter in her guidebook .听 She鈥檚 a contributing writer for Treeline Review, a recurring guest on the Rock Fight podcast, and has written about national parks, urban ecology, and the outdoor industry for 国产吃瓜黑料. Her next book, to be announced later this year, takes an unconventional look at a trail that has treated her a whole lot better than the CT ever has.

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Finding the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation is an art: part wilderness, part luxury, all rejuvenating. And one Colorado resort is showing how it鈥檚 done. The Broadmoor, a legendary destination resort in Colorado Springs, is complemented by its three all-inclusive , designed to immerse guests in the natural beauty of the region.

For a full picture of The Broadmoor and its unique Wilderness Experiences, we heard from Krista Heinicke, the resort鈥檚 director of public relations. An avid traveler, decorated figure skater, and outdoor enthusiast, Heinicke combines her love for adventure with her passion for movement as an angler and spin instructor. Her blend of athleticism and wanderlust makes her a natural advocate for the thrilling yet rejuvenating offerings at The Broadmoor.

The Broadmoor Wilderness Experience

A peak retreat where adventure awaits

国产吃瓜黑料: What鈥檚 the best way to fully experience The Broadmoor and its all-inclusive wilderness camps?

Krista Heinicke: With The Broadmoor鈥檚 picturesque mountain views and its three wilderness properties reachable by an easy scenic drive, the best itinerary includes a visit to all the locations. That鈥檚 why I always recommend the Seven-Day Wilderness Package. It allows you to get the full experience, with stays at all three of our wilderness properties: Cloud Camp, The Ranch at Emerald Valley, and the Orvis-endorsed Fly Fishing Camp.

The Wilderness Package includes transportation between the properties and transfers from the Denver or Colorado Springs airports. Additionally, guests can expect luxurious double-occupancy accommodations, gourmet meals, unlimited beverages, exciting daily activities, and exclusive amenities. Here’s how your experience unfolds:

• Two nights at Cloud Camp
• Two nights at Fly Fishing Camp
• Two nights at The Ranch at Emerald Valley
• One night at The Broadmoor

Cloud Camp

A mountaintop retreat above the clouds

You鈥檙e in for a real treat during your two-night stay at Cloud Camp. Sitting 3,000 feet above The Broadmoor, Cloud Camp features spectacular 360-degree views and provides a picture-perfect backdrop for guided nature walks and luxurious lodge living. Situated on the foundation of Spencer Penrose’s original 1926 Cheyenne Lodge, the property includes 15 one- and two-bedroom cabins, a unique fire tower suite, and six accommodations within the lodge. And there are so many activities to choose from: archery, pickleball, hiking, yoga, arts and crafts, lawn games, the renowned Cooking and Cocktail Club, card games, hot tub soaks, and s鈥檓ores around a campfire.

Fly Fishing Camp

An angler’s adventure

If you鈥檝e dreamed of fly-fishing on one of Colorado鈥檚 pristine trout rivers, here鈥檚 your chance. Located 75 minutes west of The Broadmoor along a private five-mile stretch of the iconic Tarryall Creek, Fly Fishing Camp pairs world-class fishing with classic cabin accommodations. This Orvis-endorsed retreat borders 120,000 acres of the Lost Creek Wilderness, offering guests the opportunity to experience solitude on the river with a professional fly-fishing guide. The picturesque camp features a beautifully restored main lodge with a wraparound deck and seven charming guest cabins.

The Ranch at Emerald Valley

A Wild West getaway

The Ranch at Emerald Valley is nestled in a lush mountain valley surrounded by 100,000 acres of the Pike National Forest. Families, couples, and small groups are sure to enjoy activities such as guided hikes, mountain biking, horseback riding, and fishing in one of the property鈥檚 two ponds鈥攖here鈥檚 even the opportunity to join a real cattle drive.

When it鈥檚 time to retire for the evening, guests will enjoy one of ten beautifully appointed one- and two-bedroom cabins, each featuring a gas fireplace, luxury furnishings, and modern amenities.

The Broadmoor 5-Star Finale

A relaxing return to civilization

The finishing touch is a one-night immersion in one of the country鈥檚 most luxurious resorts: The Broadmoor, a Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond getaway that spans 5,000 acres, with 784 rooms, suites, and cottages. The Broadmoor boasts two championship golf courses designed by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones Sr. The courses have hosted eight USGA tournaments and counting.

Relax and indulge in the resort’s Forbes Five-Star spa, offering a serene setting and a variety of treatments. Or enjoy unique experiences like ascending Pikes Peak aboard The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway and exploring scenic trails with your four-legged companion. Other activities include zip lining, falconry lessons, and visiting Seven Falls鈥攁 series of seven towering cascades along a mile of steps and boardwalk.

, located at the gateway to the Colorado Rockies, offers 5,000 acres of luxury, including its all-inclusive Wilderness Experience properties鈥擟loud Camp, The Ranch at Emerald Valley, and Fly Fishing Camp. The resort also owns and operates The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Seven Falls, and Soaring 国产吃瓜黑料 zip lines.

The post These Wilderness Retreats are Straight Out of a Dream appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Centennial State is famous for its world-class river rapids, sky-high summits, and popular national parks. But somehow, its multitude of hot springs has remained an overlooked secret.

From rustic tubs in the wilderness, to full-service resorts with restaurants and posh spa offerings, Colorado is home to some seriously stunning geothermal pools, and its is celebrating its tenth听anniversary in 2025. I鈥檝e spent the last two years traveling to every soaking hub that I can muster (it鈥檚 a hard job, but somebody鈥檚 gotta do it), and put together the ultimate for a weeklong road trip to the best hot springs in the state.

This loop can easily be modified into a long weekend or tackled from a different starting point, for those with limited time.

Day 1: Denver to Chaffee County

Distance: 128 miles

It鈥檚 time to vacate the big city in search of steamy solace. Cruise through the conifer-studded hills of Highway 285 as you head southwest out of Denver. Hankering for a roadside attraction? The tiny town of Bailey is home to a historic , serving up Polish hot links and elk jalepe帽o brats.

Once you arrive in Chaffee County, you鈥檒l descend into a wide alpine valley, bordered by a wall of fourteeners听known as the Collegiate Peaks. From here, you鈥檝e got a few options for soaking. Nab a cabin or lodge room at the more upscale 听(from $175 per night), reserve a car campsite at rustic 听(from $66 per night), or rent an entire house with its own private pool at 听(from $385 per night). In the summer, nearby Buena Vista features world-class rafting and kayaking, so don鈥檛 forget your paddle.

*Day passes for Cottonwood and Mount Princeton are also available for purchase.

Day 2: Chaffee to Saguache County

Distance: 57 miles

About an hour south of Buena Vista sit a handful of less-developed springs. If you鈥檇 like to beef up your day鈥檚 activities, head 30 minutes further south to the , which is tucked away in the foothills of prominent Kit Carson Peak, where the former mining town has turned into a hub for Hindu, Buddhist, and new age spiritual practicies.听You could also tick a national park off your list, by continuing south on Highway 17 for a day of dune sledding at Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Choose from two main hot springs when you bed down on day two: 听(from $225 per night) and 听(from $50 per night). Valley View Hot Springs is part of a , and you鈥檒l have to pay a $35 annual membership fee to reserve a campsite, cabin, or day pass for soaking. It鈥檚 also an entirely clothing-optional property, ideal for those who want to go au naturel while they soak. (day passes from $18) is a bit more developed, with clean, simple lodge rooms, glamping sites, and on-site dining options for when all that relaxing inevitably stokes your hunger.

Day 3: Saguache County to Pagosa Springs

Distance: 109 miles

Wind through craggy, forested peaks on the two-hour drive along Highway 160 to Pagosa Springs. Pull over to hike the one-mile-long trail up to , a thundering cascade that鈥檚 105-feet high. Or, if you鈥檙e itching to get straight to soaking, brave the entire 109-mile drive until you come to the (day passes from $67), situated on the banks of the powerful San Juan River.

Though it was first discovered by the Southern Ute Tribe centuries ago, this site has been home to a more European-style bathhouse since 1881. These days, it鈥檚 home to a full-service resort, with 25 individual hot spring pools, a variety of rooms and suites, on-site dining, and an elegant spa. Schedule a deep tissue massage to get the kinks out, then chow down on a Green Chile Cheeseburger as the sun sets over the river basin.

Day 4: Pagosa Springs to Durango

Distance: 69 miles

Given the day鈥檚 shorter driving distance, I鈥檇 recommend sleeping in and grabbing breakfast in Pagosa Springs at , then motoring over to , to learn about the rich Native history of Southern Colorado. Stop for lunch in the outdoorsy mecca of Durango ( is a local gem) before navigating slightly out of town to reach (passes from $39, which you must book at least three months in advance).

Enjoy phenomenal mountain views from this world-class spa, which offers a variety of organic facials and healing massages. Or simply book a two- to three-hour听soaking window for the afternoon. At night, hang your hat at the Western-style log cabins at (pup-friendly lodging from $200 per night available).

Day 5: Durango to Ouray

Distance: 62 miles

This drive is more about the journey than the destination. Travel north on the , one of the most stunning byways in the country. Originally built by railroad mogul Otto Mears in the 1880s, this high-altitude road tops out at a staggering 11,018 feet. Along the way, motorists can stop at Molas Pass for hiking trails and panoramic mountain views of the San Juans. If you鈥檇 rather go chasing waterfalls, pull over just before Ouray for a top-down look at Bear Creek Falls.

Either way, don鈥檛 miss a quick stopover in Silverton, a historic mining town that now serves as an outdoor recreation hub. Knock back a pint and some al pastor tacos at , then continue past historic silver mines on the winding highway up to Ouray, often referred to as 鈥渢he Switzerland of America.鈥� If you鈥檙e camping nearby, opt for a day pass at (from $26), right in the center of downtown. But if you prefer a few more creature comforts, this town has options galore. Choose between (from $189 per night), (from $120 per night), and (from $160 per night),听each of which has its own private ponds, so you can stargaze while you soak.

Day 6: Ouray to Glenwood Springs

Distance: 176 miles

Enjoy the shift from tree-topped summits to rust-red mesas on the three-hour drive north through Montrose and Grand Junction. If you鈥檙e a national parks junkie, stop over at Black Canyon of the Gunnison for cliff鈥檚 edge vistas into a narrow ravine of dark gneiss. In July and August, don鈥檛 forget to pull over in bucolic for a box of regionally famous peaches.

Savor the historic lodge and soaking ponds of (day passes from $38), which is home to the world鈥檚 largest hot springs pool, measuring a full two city blocks in length. Famous faces, like President Teddy Roosevelt and notorious gangster Al Capone, once frequented this geothermal spa, which was constructed in 1888. Of course, if you鈥檇 prefer a more solitude-centric soak, you could reserve a cabin or a coveted day pass at 听(day passes from $34), 30 minutes away by car. There, you鈥檒l find three steamy lagoons with views of towering Mount Sopris, plus a variety of funky log cabins, all pet-friendly. Pro tip: book at least one month in advance; this site can be competitive.

Day 7: Glenwood Springs to Steamboat Springs

Distance: 115 miles

Though your soaking saga is nearly complete, there鈥檚 one more essential stop along the route: Steamboat Springs. Enjoy a dramatic morning drive through the tree-freckled cliffs of Glenwood Canyon before veering north onto Highway 131. Swerve past arid mesa tops and cow pastures all the way to your destination.

Steamboat Springs is a haven for serious skiers and snowboarders in the winter months, but come summer, it changes pace to become a rafting hub for those who dare to descend boulder-strewn Clear Creek. Here, offers a family-friendly soaking experience (day passes from $29), complete with waterslides and cold plunges. Just outside of town, (day passes from $20, cash only) caters to nature lovers who prefer glamping and car camping options tucked away in the quietude of an old growth forest. Visiting while it鈥檚 dumping snow? The offers a safe and easy ride when you鈥檙e done slaying the pow.

Emily Pennington is a national-parks expert and self-proclaimed hot-springs addict who鈥檚 also a longtime contributor to 国产吃瓜黑料. To date, she鈥檚 visited every U.S. national park and hiked on all seven continents. She recently wrote about visiting every national park, the most stunning trails in California, and a hot springs resort in a ghost town.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Colorado’s Best Hot Springs appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

No adventure compares to driving across the United States. I鈥檒l never forget my first coast-to-coast drive. It was two friends and me, post college, in a beat-up Subaru loaded with everything I owned. We took the long way home, starting in the farmlands of Vermont and making out-of-the-way pitstops for hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains听of Tennessee, dining at legendary barbecue spots across Mississippi, and listening to live music in New Orleans. We drove west, climbed the highest peak in Texas, ate green chile in New Mexico, and stared into the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Most nights, we slept in a tent and dreamed of where the next day would take us. When we finally crossed the California state line toward our final destination, I remember feeling like I wanted to stay on the road forever.

The cross-country road trip is an American rite, a true pilgrimage where you can plan only so much; the rest will unfold wherever the road goes. These three epic journeys have starting and ending points, as well as some spots that may be worth pulling over for along the way, but what you make of the trip鈥攁nd what you ultimately take away from it鈥攊s up to you.

We鈥檝e picked three routes on major highways that cross the country (for a Southwest specific guide, explore our seven best road trips of that region), but along the way, we鈥檝e provided suggestions for detours and byways that get you off the beaten path and out of your car to stretch your legs, experience local culture, and see the sights you鈥檒l be talking about all the way to your next stop. You鈥檒l pull over for things like meteor craters, giant art installations, and donuts. With visits to roadside national monuments, waterfalls, and hot springs鈥攁nd with stays at unique hotels, campsites, and cabins along the way, these road trips aren鈥檛 just a long drive, they鈥檙e an incredible adventure waiting to happen.

The Music Lover鈥檚 Journey: Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington

Route: Interstate 90

Distance: 3,051 miles

This northern route across the U.S. follows Interstate 90 from east to west, passing by major cities like Cleveland, Chicago, and Minneapolis. But you鈥檒l also touch on some of the country鈥檚 coolest wild spaces, like the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Yellowstone National Park in Montana. Inspire your road trip playlist by checking out the outdoor music venues and festivals throughout this route.

Pitstop: The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Hop on Interstate 90 in Boston and point it west. Your first stop is the Berkshires, a mountainous region filled with charming small towns 120 miles west of Boston. Go for a hike in , then pick up a tangleberry pie or farm-fresh apples from market in Great Barrington. In Stockbridge, the is worth a stop to learn more about American painter Norman Rockwell, who lived in the area, or check the performance calendar at , home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for major touring acts in this pastoral outdoor music venue. It鈥檚 worth the 30-mile detour off the highway to North Adams to post up for a night or two at (from $194), a revamped motor lodge that hosts guided hikes, live music, and pop-up dinners.

Must See: Niagara Falls, New York

Peel off the highway in Buffalo, New York, for a visit to , America鈥檚 oldest state park and home to its three namesake waterfalls. Grab a yellow poncho and a ticket ($14) to view the falls from below at the observation decks.

Pitstop: Saint Charles, Iowa

Take a detour to visit Saint Charles, Iowa, home to the four-day held each August on a 350-acre plot of grassland. This year鈥檚 headliners include Tyler, the Creator, Kacey Musgraves, and Lana Del Ray. You can camp on site during the festival and hop a free shuttle into nearby Des Moines. If you can鈥檛 make the show, Des Moines still delivers, with 800 miles of trails to explore on foot or bike, including the paved 25-mile , a converted rail-trail with an iconic bridge that鈥檚 lit up at night over the Des Moines River valley. rents bikes.

Pitstop: Black Hills, South Dakota

There鈥檚 tons to see in the Black Hills of South Dakota, including famous highlights like and , as well as lesser known gems like the third longest caves in the world at or the annual buffalo roundup each September in . Grab donuts for the road from , a famed roadside attraction. Stay in a canvas tent among ponderosa pines at (from $179), outside the town of Keystone.

Stretch Your Legs: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

It鈥檚 not far off I-90 to reach , a geologic monolith with deep roots to indigenous cultures in the northern plains and the country鈥檚 first national monument. Parking and trails can be crowded here, so skip the main lot and hike the 1.5-mile instead鈥攊t鈥檚 less busy and still has good views of the tower.

Pitstop: Bozeman, Montana

Post up at the (from $189) in downtown Bozeman, which has on the property. Stroll Main Street, then take a walk up through Burke Park, a few blocks away, for a nice view of town. It鈥檚 about an hour and 20 minutes drive to reach the north entrance to , known for its geysers and 2.2 million acres of wilderness. If you鈥檙e on the road for music, the in nearby Big Sky takes place in early August.

Pitstop: Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho

Home to Lake Coeur d鈥橝lene as well as dozens of smaller lakes, you鈥檒l want to stop in Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho, for a swim or a paddle. rents kayaks and paddleboards. on the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille has cabins and campsites (from $48), a , and access to 45 miles of trails for biking and hiking.

Must See: The Gorge Amphitheater, Washington听

Music听breaks up the drive, and there鈥檚 no better place to see live music outdoors in this part of the country than the in Quincy, Washington. There鈥檚 on-site camping during shows and an upcoming lineup that includes Billy Strings and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Stretch Your Legs: Snoqualmie Pass, Washington

Hike to stunning alpine lakes on Snoqualmie Pass, just an hour outside of Seattle on I-90. You鈥檒l need a $5 to access most of the hikes in this area. The 2-mile follows the Snoqualmie River to a 70-foot waterfall. For a more stout climb, the 8.5-mile roundtrip hike to in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a real gem.

Final Stop: Seattle, Washington

Celebrate the end of an epic journey by watching the sunset over the Olympic Mountains and dipping your toes into Puget Sound from Seattle鈥檚 . Stay in the heart of downtown at the (from $189) and you can browse fresh produce and maker鈥檚 stalls outside your door. The 10-mile paved sits right along the waterfront. Want more live music to cap off your trip? The is downtown Seattle鈥檚 coolest music venue.

The Best National Parks Road Trip: San Francisco, California, to Washington, D.C.

Route: Interstate 80 and Interstate 70

Distance: 2,915 miles

Travel across the heartland of the U.S. on this iconic route along I-80 and I-70, passing through stunning western mountain ranges like California鈥檚 Sierra Nevada, Nevada鈥檚 Ruby Mountains, Utah鈥檚 Wasatch, and Colorado鈥檚 Rockies. You鈥檒l visit the great national parks across southern Utah听and hit cities like Denver, Colorado; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio, before landing in the country鈥檚 capital.

Pitstop: Lake Tahoe, California

Depart San Francisco on Interstate 80 heading east, leaving the shores of the Pacific Ocean to begin a steady climb toward the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range.听, in the roadside town of Auburn, has good burgers and homemade pies for the road. Lake Tahoe is your first stop, a short but worthy departure from the highway. Stay at the new听 (from $138), which opens in March, and you鈥檒l be steps from the lake. Rent bikes at听 to pedal the world-class singletrack along the听 or grab a paddleboard from听. Don鈥檛 miss dinner at the newly opened, featuring eclectic dishes and locally-sourced ingredients.

Pitstop: Ruby Mountains, Nevada

听There鈥檚 not much on Interstate 80 as you cross Nevada between Reno and Salt Lake City鈥攅xcept for the Ruby Mountains, which spike straight up from the desert floor of the Great Basin. In the winter,听 offers heli-ski access to 200,000 acres of rugged terrain. In the summer, there鈥檚听. Stay at Ruby Mountain Heli鈥檚听 or one of their two mountainside yurts (from $190).

Must See: Great Basin National Park, Nevada

For a national park detour, consider visiting听, which has one of the darkest skies in the world for stargazing. Near the entrance to the park, the听 make for a great overnight stop and snack resupply station.

Pitstop: Moab, Utah

In Salt Lake City, you鈥檒l say goodbye to Interstate 80 and head south to meet up with Interstate 70, but not before spending time to explore the Mighty Five national parks that made southern Utah famous: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. You could spend weeks here鈥攐r just a couple of days. Be sure to book a self-guided or ranger-led hike in the slot canyons of the in Arches National Park and get a permit to hike the exposed rocky cliffside of in Zion National Park. (from $129) makes for a great base camp, or there鈥檚 .

Stretch Your Legs: Glenwood Canyon, Colorado

Get back on I-70 and make your way into Colorado, where scenic Glenwood Canyon makes for a stunning drive along the Colorado River. The paved parallels the highway for over 16 miles, making for an easy biking or running destination. Afterward, stay for a soak in the . A new 16-suite boutique hotel called Hotel 1888 is opening near the hot springs this summer.

Pitstop: Breckenridge, Colorado

Spend the night at (from $320), which opened in early 2025 at the base of Peak 9 at, home to skiing and snowboarding in the winter and biking and hiking come summer. Stroll the charming Main Street of downtown Breck and don鈥檛 miss a visit to the , a 15-foot-tall wooden art installation now located on the town鈥檚 Trollstigen Trail.

Must See: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

It鈥檚 not exactly on the way, but this adventure clearly detours for national parks, so make the trek north to Rocky Mountain National Park, a quiet, snowy paradise in the winter and a fishing and backpacking mecca in the warmer months. The short hikes to and are popular among families. For experienced mountain travelers, Longs Peak is the park鈥檚 most famous 14er鈥� leads guided treks to the peak. Stay overnight in Denver before you head into the plains: (from $189), the country鈥檚 first carbon positive hotel, opened in Denver鈥檚 Civic Center Park late last year.

Stretch Your Legs: Monument Rocks, Kansas

There鈥檚 a on an 80-foot easel鈥攐ne of three in the world鈥攙isible from the highway in the town of Goodland, Kansas. Then, pull over for 50-foot-high fossil rock outcroppings and limestone spires on the Kansas prairie at , which is on private land that鈥檚 open to the public south of Oakley, Kansas, right off I-70. 国产吃瓜黑料 of Topeka, you can visit the , a former school site that commemorates the historic end of racial segregation in public schools.

Pitstop: St. Louis, Missouri

Next stop on your national park tour? The of St. Louis. You can ride a tram 630 feet to the top of the arch, walk the palatial grounds beneath the architectural wonder, or admire the arch from a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi River. The (from $149) is housed in a historic shoe company building and has a rooftop pool and restaurant overlooking the city. is a public market with a food hall, retail shops, and live music, and don鈥檛 miss brunch amid a plant nursery at the city鈥檚 .

Pitstop: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio听

Ohio has but one national park and it鈥檚 worth the detour to visit: has paddling along the Cuyahoga River, 20 miles of multi-use pathways along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, and 125 miles of hiking trails through woodlands and wetlands. There鈥檚 no camping within the national park but has tent camping (from $40) nearby or the (from $200) is within the park and on the National Register of Historic Homes.

Final Stop: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland

End your national parks tour of the U.S. with a visit to the . The C&O Canal follows the Potomac River for 184 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. It makes for a great walk or bike ride. Pitch a tent at one of the free hiker or biker campsites or pull your car up to one of a handful of drive-in sites (from $10). Or you can stay in a (from $175) along the canal.

The History Buff鈥檚 Tour of the U.S.: Los Angeles, California, to Charlottesville, Virginia

Route: Interstate 40

Distance: 2,696 miles

This pilgrimage sticks to one highway only for most of the way: Interstate 40, which starts in the Mojave Desert of California and crosses the southern portion of the U.S., over the Rocky Mountains and through the Great Plains and the Appalachian Mountains. It traverses Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Much of the western route parallels the historic U.S. Route 66, so it feels like a throwback to another era, a perfect journey for those who love learning about our nation鈥檚 past.

Pitstop: Mojave National Preserve, California

听You can watch a drive-in movie, visit a ghost town, or hike through lava tubes in . You can鈥檛 miss a visit to , an hour away, for stellar stargazing, rock climbing, and 300 miles of hiking trails. Stay in an adobe bungalow at the centrally located (from $195), which has an on-site farm, restaurant, and picnic lunches to go.

Stretch Your Legs: Lake Havasu, Arizona

will deliver you a kayak or paddleboard to explore the waters of the , once a major tributary on the lower Colorado River and one of the last ecologically functioning river habitats in the southwest.

Pitstop: Flagstaff, Arizona

Post up at the (from $109) in Flagstaff, Arizona, and then go explore the sights around Flagstaff, including , an hour and a half north. The 3-mile , along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, makes for a mellow stroll. The on Route 66 in Flagstaff used to be a historic taxidermy shop and is now a popular bar for country music and line dancing.

Must See: Meteor Crater National Landmark

Yep, you鈥檙e pulling off the highway to see this: The most preserved meteorite impact site on earth is right off I-40 near Winslow, Arizona. For a $29 admission at the , you can sign up for a guided hike of the crater鈥檚 rim.

Stretch Your Legs: Continental Divide Trail; Grants, New Mexico

听You鈥檙e passing from one side of the Continental Divide to the other: Might as well get out of the car and go for a trail run or hike along the Continental Divide Trail, which crosses Interstate 40 near the town of Grants, New Mexico.

Pitstop: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Take a detour off I-40 in Albuquerque to spend a night or two in Santa Fe, the highest elevation capital city in the U.S., which sits at 7,000 feet in the high desert. Splurge on a night at (from $645), a full-service retreat in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos. For art and history buffs, the and the are well worth a visit.

Must See: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

You鈥檝e already seen the actual Grand Canyon, so now it鈥檚 time to see the Grand Canyon of Texas, in , 25 miles outside of Amarillo. The park has camping and cabins, an 800-foot-deep canyon, mountain bike trails, and an outdoor stage where actors perform a Texas musical.

Pitstop: Hot Springs, Arkansas

You鈥檒l come to Hot Springs for the historic bathhouses and modern-day spa resorts. At , you can soak in one of two original bathhouses. Want to learn about some of the country鈥檚 most infamous criminals? , in downtown Hot Springs, has exhibits on Al Capone and Owen Madden. The (from $169) is housed in a centrally located historic building. Don鈥檛 miss: is the only brewery in the world that uses thermal spring water for its beers.

Must See: Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas

If you鈥檙e into geologic history, add a visit to Arkansas鈥� , where you can dig for minerals and gems in a 37-acre field on an eroded volcanic crater. (And yes, notable diamonds have been discovered here.)

Pitstop: Nashville, Tennessee

From the music scene to the foodie paradise, you might never want to leave Nashville. Stay in one of eight suites in a 19th century mansion at (from $306), where wood-fired pizzas are served in the backyard. The currently has exhibits on Luke Combs and Rosanne Cash. Go for a walk or run in or take a guided bike tour of the city鈥檚 murals and street art with .

Pitstop: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, you can hike to waterfalls like Mouse Creek Falls or Mingo Falls, fish for brook trout, or bike the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road, which is closed to cars on Wednesdays from May through September. The coolest place in the park to sleep? The (from $189), located atop Mount Le Conte and accessible only via foot. Open from March through November, the lodge requires at least a five-mile hike to reach. Bookings for this year are mostly snatched up already, but you can get on the waitlist or plan ahead for next year.

Final Stop: Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Your trip finale comes in the form of ditching Interstate 40 in exchange for a meandering drive along the , a 469-mile stretch through the Appalachian Mountains and one of the most scenic roadways in America. You鈥檒l stop to see Whitewater Falls, the east coast鈥檚 tallest waterfall at 411 feet, and the rugged Linville Gorge Wilderness. Stay nearby at (from $175), which opened in the mountain town of Highlands in 2024 with a supper club and Nordic spa. They鈥檒l also book you outdoor excursions, ranging from rock climbing to fly fishing.

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who loves long drives, even when her two children are whining in the backseat. She has recently written about Airbnb treehouses, the most beautiful long walks in the world, and the 10 vacations that will help you live longer.听

The post Three Epic Cross-Country Road Trips to Start Planning Now appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Southwest always seems to me like a bit of a fever dream. The country鈥檚 deepest canyons, wildest buttes, and broadest deserts spread here from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, offering a landscape so unlike any other in the country, you might think you鈥檝e left earth altogether. It is a hot, inhospitable territory that demands respect, but it is also outrageously beautiful, with rock outcroppings that seem painted in shades of red and white, blooming cacti, and shifting dunes that undulate like waves onto the horizon.

The easiest and most efficient way to explore the Southwest is by car, bouncing from one breathtaking adventure to the next, so I鈥檝e created seven different road-trip itineraries, one in each state of this stunning slice of our nation. I鈥檝e driven the majority of these routes, while the remaining few are on my list of dream adventures. And each of these has something for everyone鈥攂eaches, sand dunes, cliffs, rivers, hikes, bike rides, fishing holes, and more.

Set your playlist, and pack the sunscreen. Here are the seven best road trips in the Southwest.

1. Nevada

Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire

Distance: 175 Miles
Duration: 3 days

The obvious, and most common, road trip from Vegas would be to beeline straight for the Grand Canyon, but you do not want to overlook the suite of public lands that rings Sin City. The fun begins just 20 miles west of downtown Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a 195,000-acre park that is internationally known for its multi-pitch rock climbing, though my epic adventures here have been of other types.

My favorite way to explore Red Rock is by road bike, pedaling the 13-mile Scenic Drive through the heart of the park. The road has one-way traffic and a big shoulder, so there鈥檚 plenty of room, and you鈥檒l have both long-range and up-close views of the surrounding red sandstone cliffs and canyons. has bike rentals (from $40 a day). If you show up in the summer, do your adventures early in the morning before the heat gets unbearable.

Next skirt around the south side of Las Vegas for 70 miles to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, home to the massive Hoover Dam. I like Lake Mohave, a shallow, narrow reservoir below Hoover that follows the original path of the Colorado River through a series of canyons. If you鈥檙e looking for a full-day (or multi-day) adventure, paddle a piece of the 30-mile Black Canyon National Water Trail, which begins at the base of the dam and ends in Arizona, passing beaches, hot springs, and side canyons.

Only boaters with commercial licenses can launch below the dam, so hook up with , which offers DIY rentals and shuttles or guided trips throughout the water trail. Or for a quicker adventure, drive directly to Willow Beach, and paddle two miles upstream to Emerald Cave, a narrow side canyon with clear, shallow water below 75-foot sandstone walls (tours from $139 per person; rentals from $80 per boat).

has tent sites and RV sites in the hills above the sandy beach from $45 a night.

Driving north, you can stop at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada鈥檚 largest state park at 46,000 acres, where red and pink sandstone cliffs and canyons fill the valley, the walls popping out of the tan, scrubby dirt. Catch the area at sunset and you could think the whole valley is on fire. The park is full of short, scenic trails for hikers. The 3.3-mile loop takes in iconic features, from a narrow slot canyon to the sinuous Fire Wave, where the striped sandstone seems to flow like water.

Snag a campsite at one of the two from $10.

2. Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park

Distance: 125 miles
Duration: 3 days

It鈥檚 tempting to try to hit all of Utah鈥檚 national parks in a single trip, but you鈥檇 have to cover more than 1,000 miles and spend more time in your vehicle than on the trails. Instead, focus on this slice of Utah by driving the 122-mile Scenic Byway 12, which connects Bryce Canyon National Park with Capitol Reef National Park, hitting Grand Escalante National Monument in the middle. I drove this route last fall and was in constant awe of its beauty and diversity, as we cruised through sandstone tunnels at one point, then climbed to an aspen forest at another.

Pick up Highway 12 in the small town of Panguitch, about 50 miles east from Interstate 12, and keep driving east to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce, known for its hoodoos (sandstone spires that rise from the valley floor) is one of the country鈥檚 smallest national parks at just 35,835 acres, which means you can see a lot in a short amount of time. Combine Queen鈥檚 Garden Trail with Navajo Loop Trail for a that begins on the rim of the canyon, then drops into the belly, passing hoodoos, arches, and tall cliffs.

Heading north, Highway 12 moves through the heart of the massive Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a 1.9-million-acre park with expanses of slick rock and sandstone canyons stretching all the way to the horizon. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in the monument, scrambling down slot canyons and bushwhacking through the heart of a broad canyon before reaching the lush Escalante River. It鈥檚 beautiful but unforgiving terrain that delivers plenty of solitude. Drive the unimproved dirt Hole-in-the-Rock Road (high-clearance two-wheel drive vehicles are usually OK) 33 miles south to the Dry Fork Slots to hike a through Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons, where the passage narrows to about a foot wide at certain points, and scrambling is mandatory. Too adventurous? Try hiking to , a 6.5-mile loop through a smooth canyon that ends at a 124-foot waterfall.

There鈥檚 plenty of camping and lodging around the town of Escalante. , inside the monument, offers seven primitive sites ($10 a night) with no frills. Or go upscale and snag a cabin or Airstream at , a camping-and-cabin resort with a drive-in movie theater, pool, and food truck (cabins from $175 a night).

Driving 65 miles further north on Highway 12, you鈥檒l climb Boulder Mountain through Dixie National Forest before hitting the town of Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park. Here, you鈥檒l find historic fruit orchards, sandstone domes, and more canyons than you could ever hope to explore. Start your journey with , a 3.4-mile out-and-back that crosses broad sections of slickrock before ending at a 125-foot-wide natural arch. Or hook up with and go canyoneering, dropping into the belly of narrow canyons deep inside the park ($300 for the first person).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

3. Colorado

Colorado National Monument to Rocky Mountain National Park

Distance: 310 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Colorado offers a ton of incredible scenery, and this particular road trip takes you from the desert canyons of Colorado National Monument to the high alpine terrain of Rocky Mountain National Park. The diversity of adventure is off the charts, too, with opportunities for sandstone-heavy hikes, big mountain-bike descents, and whitewater rafting.

Start near the western border of the state, at Colorado National Monument, a 20,000-acre park with sheer cliffs and vertigo-inducing sandstone towers. Just driving the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive is worth the price of admission, with near-constant views of the canyon below, including of the massive Independence Monument, a 450-foot tall sandstone pillar.

But you鈥檒l definitely want to get out of your car and explore this monument by foot. The Devil鈥檚 Kitchen is an easy, 1.2-mile out-and-back that gives you the chance to scramble over boulders and explore narrow sandstone channels. Get up close to Independence Monument on the , a 5.2-mile point-to-point that meanders past some of the monument鈥檚 most recognizable rock formations, including the set of rounded pillars dubbed the Coke Ovens and a tower known as the Kissing Couple, because it looks like two people entwined.

After exploring the monument, head east for 25 miles to the town of Palisade, where you can tackle a piece of the , a 32-mile mostly downhill piece of singletrack that drops 6,000 feet off the rim of the Grand Mesa into the edge of downtown. The trail has multiple access points, so you don鈥檛 have to bite off the entire distance. has shuttles and rentals starting in March (check then for prices).

Head 75 miles northeast to Glenwood Springs to spend the night at , which has van-life sites on the Colorado River (from $112 a night) as well as glamping tents and cabins (from $179 a night). You can book a half-day on the Colorado, which includes the 1.5-mile-long class III Shoshone Rapids (from $75 per person), or just soak in one of the 17 different pools at , where each tub is tailored to a different temperature (from $44 per person).

When you鈥檙e refreshed, or worn out, drive northeast for 125 miles through to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most popular national parks in the country (4.1 million visitors in 2023). Don鈥檛 worry, most of those visitors enter through the Estes Park side, while you鈥檒l access the park on the much-less crowded Grand Lake entrance. I remember, on a trip with my kids, seeing a moose in the valley near Grand Lake and marveling that we were the only people on the trail at the time.

Head to the for a choose-your-own-adventure sort of hike. For a short jaunt that packs a big punch, hike the three-mile out-and-back Green Mountain Trail up to Big Meadow, which in the summer is full of wildflowers and hosts the occasional moose. Or if you really want to get after it, combine the Green Mountain Trail, Tonahutu Creek Trail, and Hayach Lakes Trail for a 17-mile out-and-back that culminates at Hayach Lake, a natural pool that sits at 11,000 feet in elevation in the shadow of the craggy Nakai Peak. Turn it into an overnight if you like, choosing among multiple backcountry campsites along the way ($36 fee for a ).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

4. Texas

San Antonio to the Gulf

Distance: 250 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Texas is big, so you need to narrow your focus for a road trip here, because getting from point A to point B can sometimes take you all day. This particular route starts with some urban exploration in San Antonio and ends on one of the longest undeveloped beaches in the country. In between are quiet swamps, beach campsites, and plenty of paddle trails.

San Antonio might not seem like the perfect place to start an adventure trip, but the city鈥檚 15-mile River Walk, expanded in the late 1990s, has served as an inspiration for other similar projects ever since and it鈥檚 still one of the coolest urban bike rides you can do. Five miles of the path cruise through downtown, but the best biking is just south of town in the , an eight-mile linear park that connects historic missions, grasslands, and wildflower meadows, all protected as the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.

After spinning around San Antonio, drive east towards the Gulf of Mexico, making a pitstop at Palmetto State Park鈥攁 small stretch just 25 miles east of San Antonio, that鈥檚 home to the sort of tropical jungle you鈥檙e more likely to find in Florida鈥攃omplete with dwarf palmettos blanketing the forest floor. If you bring your own boat or paddleboard, you can slide along the languid San Marcos River, or explore Palmetto鈥檚 small Oxbow Lake. Hiking trails lead through swampy marshes with light-green water filling the forest floor. If you鈥檙e not in a hurry, pitch a tent in the park鈥檚 ($12 a night) before heading to the beach.

Head south on Highway 183 to Mustang Island State Park, which separates Corpus Christi Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. The park protects five miles of Gulf-facing coastline, and has 50 drive-up where you can pitch a tent on the beach ($13 a night, first-come, first-served).

The beach is the obvious draw here. The Gulf is typically calm and warm, although some people are known to surf during hurricane swells. But the park also has more than 20 miles of marked paddling trails that traverse the western edge of the island, weave through islands in Corpus Christi Bay, and offer shallow water for fishing for redfish and speckled trout. runs daily guided trips (from $90 for two people) and rentals (from $50).

If you need more beach (and who doesn鈥檛?) scoot 15 miles down the coast to Padre Island National Seashore. If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can down-island for up to 60 miles until you leave the crowds behind. The national seashore is a hot spot for birding, with 380 different species reported, thanks to the island鈥檚 location on a major migration route. Look for the endangered piping plover or the super colorful painted bunting.

5. New Mexico

Taos to the Bisti Badlands

Distance: 275 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

I haven鈥檛 spent enough time in New Mexico. Or seen enough of it. The last time I was there, on a fly-fishing trip, I couldn鈥檛 bring myself to leave the Taos area. So many fish, so many green chili dishes. But I regret my solitary focus, because the state has much to offer. This particular road trip delivers a variety of adventure and landscapes that I鈥檓 convinced only New Mexico has.

The trip begins with a bang by rafting a tumultuous section of the Rio Grande, just 30 miles southwest of Taos. Different run options offer a variety of adventure, but the classic is a 17-mile portion through the Rio Grande Gorge, also dubbed the Taos Box because it is walled by black basalt cliffs. The trip brings a full day of whitewater action, with a six-mile section of non-stop class II and III rapids known as The Racecourse. If the weather is warm enough, you can swim in a few pools along the way, and good guides will point out petroglyphs on the rock walls. Book your trip with and you鈥檒l get hot fajitas for a riverside lunch (from $110 per person).

Spend the night at the wellness retreat of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, where the natural springs feature arsenic, Lithia, soda, and iron, all minerals thought to have healing properties (from $239 a night).

Keep heading southwest to , a super volcano that erupted 1.2 million years ago, creating a 14-mile-wide circular depression that has evolved into a lush basin full of creeks and meadows. Think of Valles Caldera as a mini Yellowstone, complete with hot springs, wildlife-viewing opportunities, and broad grasslands. A large elk population calls the caldera home (look for them in the meadows during early morning and evening), and keep an eye out as well for prairie dogs and coyotes. The Valle Grande Exploration Trail is a short, .8-mile walk through a prairie to a manmade pond that served as a watering hole when the area was a private cattle ranch. The South Mountain Trail is a bit more involved, taking you four miles up a narrow valley and to the top of South Mountain, where you鈥檒l enjoy a view of the entire basin.

You鈥檒l only be 20 miles west of Bandelier National Monument, which protects 33,000 acres of canyons and mesa that were the Ancestral Puebloans鈥� home until 1550. They used blocks of soft volcanic rock to build homes at the bases of cliffs, carving additional rooms into the walls themselves. Hike the 1.4-mile Pueblo Loop Trail to see some of these archeological sites first hand. You鈥檒l even get to climb ladders into some of the rooms carved into the side of cliffs. Grab a campsite at the monument鈥檚 ($20 a night, reserve up to six months in advance).

It鈥檒l add some mileage, but you need to cap this road trip off with a walk on the moon, or at least, as close as most of us will ever come to walking on the moon. The , in northwestern New Mexico, are loaded with some of the strangest rock formations you will ever see, with cap stones and some massive cliffs actually in the shapes of manta rays, all rising from rolling taupe shale hills. The Bisti Badlands are part of the BLM鈥檚 60-square-mile Bisti/De-Na-Zen Wilderness Area, which has no formal trails or paved roads. The De-Na-Zin parking area, off county road 7500, will give you access to the dry Bisti Wash, which you can hike into the heart of the badlands to see all of the weirdness for yourself.

6. Arizona

Grand Canyon to Monument Valley

Distance: 250
Duration: 3-5 days

I spent most of my youth believing Arizona was a desert wasteland, but in recent years I鈥檝e had the chance to turn that around with some of the state鈥檚 wonderful signature adventures. Yes, much of Arizona is desert, but it is no wasteland. It鈥檚 a vibrant landscape full of life and adventure. I鈥檝e driven ATVs across the desert, biked lonely gravel roads near the border of Mexico, and ridden a mountain bike into a cactus on the outskirts of Scottsdale. In short, I love Arizona, and as much fun as I鈥檝e had in that state, I still have so much to discover. The following road trip meanders through Northern Arizona, beginning in Grand Canyon and connecting a few waypoints that I still need to tick off my bucket list.

You could argue that all adventure trips in Arizona need to feature Grand Canyon National Park, and I wouldn鈥檛 disagree, so we鈥檙e hitting that 6,000-foot-deep ditch first. Also, Grand Canyon Village is just 1.5 hours from Flagstaff, so it鈥檚 a logical first stop. Is the Grand Canyon crowded? Yes. But the vast majority of visitors stick to a few scenic overlooks. The last time I was at the South Rim, I lost the crowds after hiking about a mile on the . But you鈥檙e going to do a lot of hiking on this road trip, so consider biking The Hermit Road, which hugs the south rim of the canyon for seven miles from the village, offering copious views along the way. The best part? It鈥檚 closed to private vehicles from March through November. rents cruisers (from $30).

Try to get a room at , an iconic national park lodge if there ever was one (from $391 starting in March). Or snag a coveted site at , which is first-come, first- served.

Heading north for 130 miles, you鈥檒l hit the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, a 280,000-acre geological wonder of buttes, canyons, and cliffs that tends to get overshadowed by its grand neighbor. Still, you may have seen photos of the swirling pink and tan sandstone layers of rock in the Coyote Buttes known as The Wave. It鈥檚 a stunning scenic reward that requires a tough hike through the desert. Accessing the Coyote Buttes requires a ($6). Grab one four months in advance, or try your luck with the daily lottery.

If you can鈥檛 score a permit, try hiking the 1.2-mile out-and-back through White Pocket. There are no marked or maintained trails in the monument, but cairns will guide you through more wavy sandstone features. Wherever you hike, look towards the sky for the endangered California Condor, which are hatched and released in the monument each year. And bring (or rent) a 4WD vehicle, as there are no paved roads inside the monument. Grab a site at the BLM鈥檚 , which views a cluster of sand-white buttes ($12 per site, first come/first serve).

Roughly 100 miles east, near the border of Utah, sits the 91,696-acre , a broad valley where 1,000-foot-tall sandstone towers rise abruptly from the earth. You can see some of the most iconic features, the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte, from the visitor center, but you鈥檒l want to hike the Wildcat Trail, a four-mile loop that wraps around the West and East Mitten Buttes. It鈥檚 the only self-guided trail open within the park, so to explore any more requires hiring a local Navajo guide with . A number of operators run auto tours of the 17-mile scenic loop road within the park, but consider booking a stargazing tour, also with Monument Valley Tribal Tours, that focuses on nighttime photography, framing the buttes within the context of the Milky Way and surrounding stars (from $95).

7. California

So Cal Coast to Mojave Desert

Distance: 300 miles
Duration: 4-5 days

Because this is a collection of road trips through the Southwest, I鈥檓 focusing on Southern California, as the terrain in the area is more complementary to the Southwest vibe than, say, that of California鈥檚 Redwood National Park or Yosemite Valley.

This trip starts on the coast and ends with the dunes in the Mojave Desert, so there鈥檚 plenty of sand along the way, as well as big rocks, desert camping, and hiking. Keep the L.A. fires in mind when you鈥檙e traveling to Southern California. Hopefully the worst of that fire will be in the rearview by the time you make this trip, and while this route steers clear of the burn areas, the disaster has impacted residents throughout the region. Be considerate.

California鈥檚 coast is loaded with state parks, but San Onofre State Beach has a rugged character that鈥檚 hard to match, with cliffs rising directly from the beach and whales and dolphins often spotted in the water. If you fancy yourself a worthy surfer, you can paddle into the lineup at the world-famous Trestles break on the north end of the park, which has been ground zero for Southern California鈥檚 surfing culture since the 1940s. The park offers beginner breaks, too. In fact, San Onofre has one of the more gentle waves in Southern California. offers beginner lessons at the San Onofre Bluffs Beach, which is flanked by 100-foot cliffs (from $100 per person).

Try to score a site at the (reserve up to six months in advance, starting at $45 a night) or San Mateo Camp, a couple of miles inland.

Leave the beach and head east, making a pit stop at the sleeper destination Anza-Borrego Desert State Wilderness, an often overlooked member of California鈥檚 crowded public-lands portfolio. The park is packed with palm oases, slot canyons, and after a wet winter, fields of wildflowers. Stretch your legs on the , a three-mile out and back that begins near the park鈥檚 visitor center and climbs up a canyon, ending at an overlook of a palm oasis (currently recovering from a previous wildfire) with a seasonal waterfall.

Continuing east for 60 miles, and you鈥檒l wrap around the Salton Sea to hit Joshua Tree National Park鈥檚 southern entrance (if you鈥檙e tired or showing up late, look for free campsites on BLM land between I-10 and the park鈥檚 entrance). Spring is a great time to visit the park, as the temperatures are manageable, and the local cacti and Joshua Trees for which the park is named could still be sprouting flowers. Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails. The easy 1.4-mile is a no-brainer loop that delivers you to a natural arch, with plenty of opportunity to scramble on sandstone boulders along the way. For a bird鈥檚-eye view of the park, climb the 5,456-foot Ryan Mountain via its and for a vista stretching clear to the 11,000-foot San Gorgonio Mountain. I tried running to the top of Ryan Mountain the last time I was in the park, but the 1,000-foot elevation gain got the better of me.

Aside from the BLM land near the south entrance, the park has six with sites you can reserve up to six months in advance. They鈥檙e all good.

Still want more desert? Great, because you鈥檙e heading 70 miles north of Joshua Tree into the heart of the Mojave National Preserve, 1.6 million acres of dunes, cliffs, and cactus that somehow only gets half a million visitors a year. You have to hike the , a 45-square-mile expanse that will have you thinking you鈥檙e in the Sahara. The popular three-mile Kelso Dunes Trail will take you to the top of the tallest mound, which rises 650 feet.

Also, the easy, mile-long Lava Tube Trail provides access to an actual lava tube, where the sun pours in through a 鈥渟ky light鈥� in the stone. Wherever you explore, keep an eye out for the desert tortoise, a threatened species that lives in the Mojave鈥檚 valleys and moves slowly through the heat. The preserve has three developed campgrounds. Try to reserve a spot at , which has potable water ($25 per night).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He鈥檚 been in love with road trips since he read Jack Kerouac鈥檚 On the Road at age 17. His longest road trip to date was a month-long romp through the Southwest with his wife and twin then four-year-olds. Recently, he wrote about bucket-list golf courses, the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, and the nine national parks that will need timed-entry reservations this year. One of the weirdest places he鈥檚 ever slept for a story was a renovated lookout tower in the middle of the ocean.

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Tanner Bean stepped over the cliff edge and rappelled down a slope of crumbling rock, as other members of Colorado’s Mesa County Search and Rescue team watched him descend.

After lowering 300 feet, Bean reached a ledge no bigger than a dinner table, jutting from the sheer precipice several hundred feet above the valley floor.

That’s where Bean found Tiny the dog.

“She looked at me like ‘oh my god, oh my god, a human!'” Bean told 国产吃瓜黑料.听“She started wagging her tail and running back and forth. She just seemed so excited.”

Bean, 40, was ecstatic but also worried by the reaction.

“I was like ‘No no no, please don’t fall off this cliff, not now!” Bean added.

It had taken Bean and his SAR teammates six hours to reach Tiny on this cliff edge in a remote corner of the state, several miles outside of the community of Collbran. The group had set out early on the morning of January 2 after receiving an SOS call from Tiny’s owner, a local hunter. The previous day, Tiny, a 20-pound hunting hound, had been tracking a mountain lion across a series of peaks when she had descended the cliff face and become stranded on the ledge. She couldn’t ascend the loose rock, and trying to navigate the descent would be fatal.

SAR officials said that Tiny was wearing a GPS tracker on her collar, which showed her approximate location within the dizzying terrain. Tiny’s owner could see the stranded dog from below with his eyes.听Night fell, and the owner realized that Tiny would have to spend the evening on the precipice. The following morning, he called rescuers.

Mesa Search and Rescue, which is based out of Grand Junction, oversees a huge swath of Colorado’s western quarter, and its area of operation includes popular hiking and biking trails outside of Fruita, the Colorado National Monument, and a stretch of the Colorado River that’s beloved by river runners. During the spring and summer, the team fields numerous calls from hikers, cyclists, and boaters.

“Most of our calls are lost hikers or swiftwater rescues,” said Nick Ingalls, 30, one of the other rescuers. “But we will get maybe two or three dog calls each year.”

Fifteen SAR members met at a trailhead near Collbran that morning. Due to the tricky terrain, the group split into two groups to see if they could find the best route to the top of the cliff. The hike in took far longer than they anticipated, as the teams had to trudge through knee-deep snow drifts and navigate tight gullies and washes.

“We were hiking over these ridges that felt like they were made of Frosted Flakes,” Bean said. “You’d take a few steps up and then slide back down.”

It was nearly 4 P.M. when Bean and Ingalls finally located the bluffs above Tiny. Several miles away, SAR members set up a spotting lens to watch the operation unfold. After fixing anchors, Bean descended the cliff, found Tiny, attached her to a specialty dog harness, and lifted her to safety.

Ingalls said that Tiny’s enthusiasm quickly wore off once she got to the top of the mountain. The pads of her feet were bloody and scarred, and she seemed exhausted.

“She acted a lot like a human patient who had been out in the elements,” he said. “So happy at first, and then after the adrenaline wears off, she just laid down.”

They gave Tiny water, but nobody in the rescuing party had brought dog food. Ingalls said he had a single bar of cell service and he texted a friend who is a veterinarian to ask whether the food they had in their packs was safe to feed a dog. In the end, they opened a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli and meat sauce and spooned some out for Tiny. She gulped the meal down.

“I’ve never seen a dog happier to eat human food,” Ingalls said.

But the rescue mission wasn’t over yet鈥攖he team still had to get Tiny back to their vehicles. At first, Tiny walked beside the rescuers, but she quickly sat down with fatigue. So Bean, Ingalls, and the other SAR team members took turns carrying the 20-pound dog as they rappelled down cliffs, climbed through dense brush, and trudged through snow drifts. After several hours, Tiny’s owner met them on the trail with his horses, and they finished the journey on horseback. It took them four hours to return to their vehicles.

It was dark when Bean and Ingalls finally reached their vehicles and completed the rescue. The total time for the mission was 13 hours鈥攁 grueling day of long hikes, technical climbing, and route-finding in the backcountry. Rescue missions for stranded humans often take a fraction of the time鈥攁nd this one had been to save a 20-pound pooch. But neither Ingalls nor Bean complained about the outing when I spoke to them on a video call in late January.

Bean told me he’d “100 percent” go through the ordeal to save Tiny again. Ingalls agreed.

“I think we try to always try to have empathy and to put ourselves in their situation,” Ingalls said. “Whether it’s a human or a dog, they’re having the worst day of their life, and we get a chance to help them.”

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