Located in far northwestern Colorado along the Green River, the Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge is a 12,150-acre park below the Flaming Gorge Dam. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which operates the refuge, calls it “an oasis to both wildlife and humans seeking shelter from the surrounding harsh, semi-arid environment.” Surrounded by BLM land, …
You don’t hear much about the Royal Gorge Region, an area southwest of Denver, near Cañon City. It remains one of Colorado’s more accessible, but still semi-hidden gems, with plenty to experience – from “glamping” in wall tents at Echo Canyon Campground to an elegant dinner aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railroad to rafting on the Arkansas River.
Southwest of Denver lies the San Luis Valley, an 8,000-square-mile high-elevation expanse extending from the Continental Divide southward to New Mexico. It’s an area so enormous, it generates its own weather and geography, including the main attraction at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve.
At 400 feet deep, Grand Lake is Colorado’s deepest lake and perhaps its most beautiful. Dubbed the “Gateway to the Rockies,” it’s a must-visit for anyone heading to that famous national park.
Like the more well-known Grand Canyon, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has a North and South Rim with lots of different viewpoints and hiking options. Located in southwestern Colorado, the area is truly stunning.
From cities and towns to national parks and lesser-known landscapes, this inaugural special section has your 2022 travel through the West covered! We’ve curated a list of 52 places to visit this year – four in each of the 13 states we cover. If you travel at a breakneck pace, that’s one a week. Let this guide serve as inspiration and enjoy the West!
