The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests are a combination of separate National Forests located on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies. These three combined Forests cover 3,161,900 acres of public land in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, an area that lies south of the Colorado River and west of the Continental Divide with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rockies.

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from AD 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Plunge deep into nature at this narrow lake park. Steep mountainsides, pristine water, alpine scenery and peaceful environment make Paonia a haven for water and nature lovers.

Camp​ near a babbling stream, water-ski on a mountain reservoir, have a picnic, observe wildlife, all in view of the majestic Ragged Mountains. The park’s natural beauty and abundance of wildflowers make it a “must see” for photographers and nature lovers.

Big enough to be overwhelming, still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time, Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. With two million years to work, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.

Known for its breathtaking scenery, the Dominguez-Escalante NCA is a fine example of the spectacular canyon country of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs hold geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years, as well as many cultural and historic sites. The Ute Tribes today consider these pinyon-juniper–covered lands an important connection to their ancestral past.

The North Fork Valley is home to an incredible abundance of beautiful farms, both organic and biodynamic. The Valley also boasts an impressive collection of wineries, distilleries, farm-to-table restaurants, local made hard-cider and a local brewery with beers brewed from local hops. Make sure to schedule a wine tour and make some time to hit up the local eateries.