The Southwest always seems to me like a bit of a fever dream. The country’s 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’ve 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’ve created seven different road-trip itineraries, one in each state of this stunning slice of our nation. I’ve 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—beaches, 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’s plenty of room, and you’ll 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’re 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’s 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’s tempting to try to hit all of Utah’s national parks in a single trip, but you’d 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’s smallest national parks at just 35,835 acres, which means you can see a lot in a short amount of time. Combine Queen’s 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’s 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’s 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’ll climb Boulder Mountain through Dixie National Forest before hitting the town of Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park. Here, you’ll 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’ll definitely want to get out of your car and explore this monument by foot. The Devil’s 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’s 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’t 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’re 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’t worry, most of those visitors enter through the Estes Park side, while you’ll 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’s 15-mile River Walk, expanded in the late 1990s, has served as an inspiration for other similar projects ever since and it’s 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—a small stretch just 25 miles east of San Antonio, that’s home to the sort of tropical jungle you’re more likely to find in Florida—complete 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’s small Oxbow Lake. Hiking trails lead through swampy marshes with light-green water filling the forest floor. If you’re not in a hurry, pitch a tent in the park’s ($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’t?) 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’s 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’t spent enough time in New Mexico. Or seen enough of it. The last time I was there, on a fly-fishing trip, I couldn’t 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’m 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’ll 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’ll enjoy a view of the entire basin.

You’ll only be 20 miles west of Bandelier National Monument, which protects 33,000 acres of canyons and mesa that were the Ancestral Puebloans’ 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’ll even get to climb ladders into some of the rooms carved into the side of cliffs. Grab a campsite at the monument’s ($20 a night, reserve up to six months in advance).

It’ll 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’s 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’ve had the chance to turn that around with some of the state’s wonderful signature adventures. Yes, much of Arizona is desert, but it is no wasteland. It’s a vibrant landscape full of life and adventure. I’ve 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’ve 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’t disagree, so we’re hitting that 6,000-foot-deep ditch first. Also, Grand Canyon Village is just 1.5 hours from Flagstaff, so it’s 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’re 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’s 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’ll 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’s 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’t 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’s , 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’ll want to hike the Wildcat Trail, a four-mile loop that wraps around the West and East Mitten Buttes. It’s 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’m focusing on Southern California, as the terrain in the area is more complementary to the Southwest vibe than, say, that of California’s Redwood National Park or Yosemite Valley.

This trip starts on the coast and ends with the dunes in the Mojave Desert, so there’s plenty of sand along the way, as well as big rocks, desert camping, and hiking. Keep the L.A. fires in mind when you’re 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’s coast is loaded with state parks, but San Onofre State Beach has a rugged character that’s 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’s 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’s 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’s 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’ll wrap around the Salton Sea to hit Joshua Tree National Park’s southern entrance (if you’re tired or showing up late, look for free campsites on BLM land between I-10 and the park’s 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’s-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’re all good.

Still want more desert? Great, because you’re 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’re 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 “sky light” in the stone. Wherever you explore, keep an eye out for the desert tortoise, a threatened species that lives in the Mojave’s 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 şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. He’s been in love with road trips since he read Jack Kerouac’s 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’s 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 °żłÜłŮ˛őľ±»ĺ±đ.Ěý“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.ĚýNight 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—the 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—a 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—and 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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Some of the biggest names in the outdoor industry will convene in Denver for the 2025 şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Summit, a multi-day networking and thought leadership event that begins in late May and rolls into the , a massive celebration of outdoor culture and community.

Featured speakers at the Summit include a diverse range of celebrated pioneers and rising stars. Among them are Co-Founder of and CEO of Reed Hastings, Global Brand President ofCaroline Brown, National Geographic and TV Host Albert Lin, Founder of Alyssa Ravasio, President and CEO of Carrie Besnette Hauser, President of the Kent Ebersole, Multidisciplinary Designer , Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper, and Founder of Joey Montoya. The full lineup, which will continue to expand in the coming weeks, can be explored at .

The Summit brings together key stakeholders, career veterans, and emerging talents to set a vision for the future of the industry. Programming begins on Thursday, May 29, with a job fair hosted in partnership with , along with networking opportunities, then continues on Friday with a full day of talks, panels, and workshops, followed by evening festivities.

Over the weekend, Summit badge holders will have ticket holder access to the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival presented by and , which takes place in Denver’s Civic Center Park and features musical performances by and among other major national acts, an adventure film series co-curated by Mountainfilm, conversations with iconic athletes, and an eclectic mix of outdoor experiences. Summit badge holders will also be invited to join exclusive Saturday and Sunday activities and gatherings, and gain entry to an şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Summit lounge on the Festival grounds.

Last year’s şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Summit saw 35 speakers, 27 panel discussions, and a sold-out gathering of more than 500 attendees. In 2025, the program will expand to a dedicated campus adjacent to Civic Center Park, with sessions taking place at the Denver Art Museum and newly renovated spaces within the Denver Public Library. The program will focus on entrepreneurship, storytelling, access, and sustainability, and will include a pitch competition for industry startups.

“The Summit is an embodiment of our mission at şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř and serves the larger vision behind the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival,” said Robin Thurston, founder & CEO of şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Interactive Inc., who will also be speaking at the Summit. “Last year’s inaugural Summit brought together changemakers from across the outdoor industry to spark important conversations about the future of our businesses. Our 2025 speaker lineup will continue building on last year’s success with an inspiring group of individuals who will empower more people to enjoy, discover, and protect the outdoors. I’m eager to hear their valuable insights.”

The complete schedule will be released early in the spring. Industry professionals interested in attending are encouraged to secure their spot today. A limited number of for students, those who work in education and government, nonprofits, and smaller brands or startups. şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř+ members receive a special discount on Summit badges, and group discounts are also available.

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Traveling itself is believed to help boost longevity, but what if your next getaway had even more long-term benefits?

Picture a reboot that’s good for you. We’re not talking about rigid health camps—we all deserve to enjoy our hard-earned vacations, after all—but rather, trips to beautiful places where mindfulness, wellness, community, and longevity are top priorities.

Wellness travel is booming. Between 2020 and 2022, wellness trips grew by 30 percent annually, according to research by the Global Wellness Institute, which also reported that in 2022, 819.4 billion wellness trips were taken in the U.S. and internationally, making up about 7.8 percent of all tourism.

Clearly, these types of vacations are resonating, with good reason. These are my 10 favorite wellness trips in North America.

1. Soak in Natural Hot Springs

Ojo Caliente in New Mexico

Soaking in natural hot springs makes for easy relaxation and rejuvenation. Mineral baths have been shown to reduce stress, lessen joint pain, improve circulation, and naturally detoxify. At , a spa resort in northern New Mexico, you can soak in any of nine communal pools (with minerals like lithia and iron), which include a mud bath and a silent pool, or book a private tub. Access to the steam room and sauna come with your stay, and you can add on yoga classes or spa treatments like sound healing or anti-inflammatory massage.

Dating back to 1868 and located amid desert cliffs near the banks of the cottonwood-lined Rio Ojo Caliente, the place is one of the country’s oldest health resorts, and open for both overnight and day use. Lodging options include adobe suites with hammocks on the patios or restored vintage trailers. (Day passes for the pools start at $45; rooms from $239 a night.)

Ěý2. Check Into a Wellness Resort

YO1 in Monticello, New York

You’ll get personalized treatments and a custom therapeutic plan when you book at , an Ayurvedic longevity resort that opened in the Catskills in 2018 with a focus on Eastern medicine and holistic therapies. This place is for dedicated self-care travelers looking for a total reboot, a concentrated wellness plan, or programs designed to treat specific issues like stress, depression, diabetes, infertility, or insomnia. Visit for the day or stay for a week.

Not sure where to start? Try the three-night wellness program, which includes individual consultations, mud baths, and acupuncture. You’ll stay at a 131-room lodge overlooking Baileys Lake on a 1,300-acre property in pine forests and surrounded by hiking and biking trails—all just two hours from New York City. Access to an infrared sauna, hot tub, group meditation, a reflexology walkway, fitness room, and Olympic-sized swimming pool are included. (Day pass, which includes meals and all-day programming, for $500; overnight accommodations start at $185.)

3. Stay In a Communal şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Lodge

Campfire Ranch Little Sugar in Bella Vista, Arkansas

If community is what you’re after, consider , a new adventure lodge opening in or around May 2025 with out-the-door access to 40 miles of world-class mountain-bike trails surrounding Bentonville, Arkansas, with singletrack loops over rolling hills and through stands of redbud, dogwood, and mulberry trees. The eight-room lodge comes with access to a communal fire pit, outdoor cooking space, gear storage, bike-wash stations, and breakfast service. Campfire Ranch’s adventure concierge can help plan your outings and connect you with local bike rentals and guides. Rent a single room or, if you’re with a group, book out the whole place. (Rates from $250.)

4. Run In Another Country

Aire Libre in Mexico City

, cofounded by Mauricio Díaz, a world-class ultrarunner from Mexico, specializes in transformational running and hiking retreats all over the world, from Costa Rica to Japan. These retreats focus on the intersection of movement, mindfulness, culture, and sustainability, enabling participants to connect with themselves and the landscapes and cultures they’re exploring.

The company’s ($1,800, including meals, lodging, and guiding) is a four-day running adventure where you’ll jog through Mexico City along the gravel trails of Viveros de Coyoacán park and the plazas of the National Autonomous University of Mexico campus. You’ll also leave the city to run trails across the volcanic landscape of the Continental Divide, then experience a guided indigenous temazcal ceremony in a sweat lodge. By night, enjoy communal meals and lodging in boutique hotels.

Ěý5. Spend Four Days Doing Yoga

Esalen in Big Sur, California

Even if you’re not a dedicated yogi or a holistic-retreat kind of person, you’ll love being on the jagged cliffs of Big Sur at , a nonprofit retreat center and educational institute with a heavy yoga focus. You can do a self-guided exploration (read: stay on your own with limited formal instruction) or sign up for the center’s two- or four-night workshops on topics like hypnotherapy, storytelling, or astrology. This is the kind of place where your cell phone doesn’t work, so you might as well stash it away and focus on movement, nature, and real-life connection.

When you’re not learning about your conscious intentions, you can hike the trails within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park amid 300-foot redwood trees, oak, and chaparral, and see an 80-foot waterfall plummet into the sea. You can also wander the beaches of Big Sur, or bathe in Esalen’s famously clothing-optional hot springs above the roiling Pacific Ocean. Accommodations range from bunks in communal rooms to private yurts overlooking the Pacific. (Rates from around $950 for multi-day workshops, including lodging, meals, and programming. Scholarships available.)

6. Sit in a Sweat Lodge Under a Full Moon

The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina

You could come to the to stay in a well-appointed cottage and eat farm-to-table meals with ingredients sourced on site. Or you could make a trip here into a more broad-based wellness excursion. Just under 40 minutes from Asheville and situated between the verdant Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains with a view of Mount Pisgah, this health sanctuary has five energy vortexes (places believed to be centers of energy currents with spiritual effects), holistic spa treatments, an outdoor labyrinth for walking meditation, and a meditation tower.

The resort recently partnered with, a Cherokee wisdom keeper and ceremonialist from the Qualla Indian Boundary in the Great Smoky Mountains, to build a sweat lodge on the 85-acre property, where he hosts ceremonies on each full and new moon. Overnight accommodations include one-room lofts or three-bedroom homes, depending on your group size. (Rates from $399.)

Ěý7. Go Forest Bathing

Southall Farm and Inn in Franklin, Tennessee

Not all spas are created equal. ’s spa goes above and beyond, incorporating botanical ingredients and mindfulness in sessions like energy healing and detoxifying treatments to develop a deeper connection to self and nature. This working farm on a 425-acre plot in Tennessee has a 62-room lodge plus 16 private cottages that opened for guests in 2022. You can add treatments like sound-bath meditation, forest bathing, or a wellness consultation, depending on what you’re looking for. More than seven miles of hiking and biking trails surround the farm, and there’s canoeing and fishing on the private Lake at Southall. Or take guided tours of the orchard and apiaries that are home to some 8 million bees. (Rates from $695.)

8. Build Something With Your Hands

Yestermorrow in Waitsfield, Vermont

This place isn’t a spa resort in the standard sense, but for people who find learning new skills and using their hands to build things are perfect ways to unlock a deep sense of fulfillment. is a green design-and-build school in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, with a small campus offering day classes and overnight lodging in the Green Mountain National Forest with its lakes and mountain hikes. You can take courses on building a coffee table, sustainable treehouse design, harvesting your own lumber, or basic carpentry. Classes last from two days to two weeks (with certification programs that go longer). Healthy-meal plans plus lodging—dorms, cabins, or camping—can be added to your tuition. (Lodging from $10 to $55 a night; courses from $260, scholarships and sliding-scale tuition available.)

9. Surround Yourself with the Ocean

Pebble Cove Farm in Orcas Island, Washington

Getting to is the first step: You’ll need to take a ferry to reach Orcas Island, part of the dreamy San Juan Islands in upper Puget Sound, 100 miles north of Seattle. Once you’re here, you’ll settle into a cozy cottage overlooking a quiet bay at this farm and animal sanctuary that hosts guests and offers wellness retreats. The inn rents out kayaks and paddleboards and has a garden and apple orchard you’re welcome to wander through. Rescued farm animals like horses, chickens, pigs, and goats, adopted from elsewhere, reside here. The garden and farm animals are closed off from November through April, but the cottages are open year-round. (Rates from $300.)

10. Ski With New Friends

The Ski Retreat in Palisades Tahoe, California; Sun Valley, Idaho; Breckenridge, Colorado

You want to spend a weekend playing outside in snow-covered mountains, but not to deal with figuring out logistics or finding a group of friends to go with. We get that. Enter , a women’s getaway in places like Lake Tahoe, Sun Valley, or Breckenridge for groups of six to 12. These trips, numbering five this winter, are about connection, friendship, relaxation, and play—without having to plan a thing. Your three-night retreat includes lodging at a slopeside cabin, morning yoga, gear demos, chef-prepared group dinners, fireside chats, art classes, and ski and snowboard adventures for a wide range of abilities. (Rates from $550 for local residents not including lodging; from $1,190, including lodging.)

Megan Michelson, an şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř contributing editor, lives in northern California. She’s hoping her occasional habits of drinking tea, practicing yoga, and sleeping 10 hours a night will lead to a long and healthy life. She recently wrote for us about buying a 1 Euro (yes, as in one dollar) home in Italy; how to travel to ski, hike, and bike in Jackson, Wyoming, on the cheap (hard to believe, but she knows of great deals); and why she and her family traded traditional Thanksgiving options for Campsgiving. Her list of great outdoor festivals extends into May 2025.

The post You Deserve Your Vacation. What if It Also Made You Live Longer? appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Keep your eyes on Mars in our night sky this week. Our neighboring planet—the fourth from the sun in our solar system and approximately half the size of Earth—will look larger and brighter in our heavens than it has for the past two years, particularly Wednesday night. That’s when Earth will pass directly between Mars and the sun, putting us within 60 million miles of the Red Planet, roughly 42 percent closer than average.

Astronomers call this phenomenon opposition, and it affords prime sky-watching conditions. During opposition, a planet is closer to Earth, and we benefit from seeing the celestial body with the sun’s full glare, which makes it appear exceptionally vivid.

While we can enjoy the opposition of distant planets like Jupiter and Saturn almost every year, Mars is only in opposition once every 27 months because our orbits are closer, according to . And this week marks its long-awaited moment in the sun.

Here’s when and how to best observe Mars during opposition. It won’t be this radiant again for us until 2027.

The Best Nights to View Mars During Opposition

Mars technically reaches opposition between January 15 to 16, but even now it’s already more luminous than usual. If you go outside tonight—or any night until Wednesday—the Red Planet will look spectacular and only get brighter as we near opposition.

Here’s a video of Mars next to the moon during the 2022 opposition, as viewed via a Nikon P1000 camera:

On January 13, we’ll see another interesting Martian sight: , which occurs when this month’s full Wolf Moon slides in front of Mars. According to , this will begin over the contiguous U.S. at 8:45 P.M. EST and will be visible to the naked eye above most of North America. (Exact timing and duration will vary by location.)

Throughout opposition week, if the sky is clear in your location, Mars will shine as vividly as Sirius, the night sky’s brightest star. But if you can only stay up late one night, I recommend the January 15 opposition, when the planet will be more dazzling to us on Earth than any time since December 2022.

Where to Spot Mars in the Sky During Opposition Week

Mars will rise in the east at dusk and set above the western horizon around sunrise. Seek out the planet’s tangerine tinge in the Gemini constellation (the hue will become bolder closer to opposition). Peak viewing begins around midnight, when Mars is highest in the sky.

Even in light-polluted cities, Mars is visible to the naked eye. I shot the following photo on January 7 while I was in San Diego, and visibility was still quite remarkable.

That said, a pair of binoculars—or better yet a telescope—will show off the planet’s surface details, including a vast canyon system and Olympus Mons, a volcano three times as high as Mount Everest.

If you’re new to planet-watching, download a stargazing app to navigate the heavens and to locate other prominent nearby celestial sights, like Jupiter and Sirius.

Regional Astronomy Events Celebrating Mars That Are Worth Traveling To

Consider attending a community astronomy night, where night-sky experts will show you the stars and planets via telescope. I found a half dozen excellent stargazing events across the country that will focus on the Mars opposition this week, but it’s always worth reaching out to your to see if it’s hosting any get-togethers for planet-gazing, too. (Note: all events below are weather permitting.)

The East

Chester, Pennsylvania

The astronomy and physics faculty at Widener University, just south of Philadelphia, are running a public at its observatory starting at 7 P.M. on January 15. . As of publication, this event is at full capacity, but you can join the waitlist. Free

The South

Conway, Arkansas

At 6 P.M. on January 15, the , located north of Little Rock, will open its observatory to the public for night-sky observations through a powerful Meade 14-inch-aperture LX200R telescope. Free

The Midwest

Jeff Davis County, Texas

The McDonald Observatory, located in West Texas but part of the University of Texas at Austin, will host a star party at 7 P.M. on January 14. Come for the amphitheater tour and stay for the telescope viewing. is required. From $25

Kenosha, Wisconsin

Heide Observatory’s aligns perfectly with the Mars opposition. The January 15 event begins at 6 P.M. at the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum. Guides will lead guests through a tour of the night sky via laser pointer. $12

The West

Divide, Colorado

The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society is hosting a at Mueller State Park, 33 miles west of Colorado Springs, starting at 7 P.M on January 17. The event will take place at the park’s visitor center; no registration is required, but you will need a (from $10).

Sunriver, Oregon

The , roughly 20 miles south of Bend, is giving the public a prime view of Mars on January 15 starting at 7 P.M. The observatory has one of the largest collections of publicly accessible telescopes in the country, with staff astronomers at the ready to help visitors learn to use them. Registration is required. $28 for nonmembers; free for members

Stephanie Vermillion is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online’s astrotourism columnist. She’s the author of the new National Geographic book, , and she plans to watch Mars’s opposition on a stargazing getaway to Loreto, Mexico.

The post You Can See Mars at Its Brightest This Week. Here’s How. appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

If there’s one travel thing I splurge on each year, it’s amazing hotel stays. I’ve no regrets, because they so often make for a next-level vacation.

This year şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř sent me and some of our other travel writers and editors to check out new, recently revamped, or iconic properties that have been on our radar. Talk about unique adventuring in gorgeous locations—one is in a deep red-rock canyon, another in a secluded dark-sky area, and still another has its own private entrance to a national park.

These are the places that blew us away. We’d return to any of them again.

Enchantment Resort

Sedona, Arizona

Price: From $400

Set amid the stupefying red-rock wonder that is Boynton Canyon, one of four major vortex sites in Sedona, my fall stay at Enchantment was emotional but also grounding. I hiked with one of the resort’s vortex experts, whose sage ceremony at a viewpoint overlooking the high-desert landscape made me feel lighter than I had in months. And my chakra-balancing treatment and sound bath at the guests-only Mii Amo spa were as fantastically spiritual and woo-woo as I hoped they’d be.

You could easily spend four days hiking or mountain-biking around Sedona. The property’s on-site Trail House is home to equipment and guides for both, and staff can organize far-flung excursions to the Grand Canyon in a helicopter and Prescott for climbing adventures, if your time and budget allow.

The resort’s Southwestern adobe architecture is designed to blend into the surrounding scenery, the indoor-outdoor restaurants are upscale but not stuffy, and the range of outdoor activities and classes is impressive: pop between its four pools, play tennis or pickleball, or sign up for yoga or . Staff are incredibly friendly, which is to be expected at destination resorts, but one thing that really stood out for me.

Of all the trips I took in 2024, my memories of this property have stayed with me most. And since my review came out, I’ve received feedback from other guests who shared similarly moving experiences at Enchantment. It’s that powerful a place.

What I’d do differently if I returned: I wanted to head to one of the pools late at night and float around staring up at the stars, since Sedona is a Dark Sky Community. But the hiking and spa treatments had me fairly worn out by day’s end—and sleeping soundly through the night.

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon

Cannonville, Utah

Price: From $525

When Alison Osius visited this new Clear Sky Resort in August, she was ready to spend hours admiring the starry skies—the main draw for guests who look forward to gazing up at the firmament from their own geodesic dome. Unfortunately, it rained during her short stay.

But Osius didn’t let bad weather dampen her exploration of Bryce Canyon National Park, just a 20-minute drive from the property. She motored around the park with a fourth-generation guide, hitting highlights like Natural Arch and the Bryce Amphitheater, both beautifully shrouded in mist, and got a hoot out of hearing about local escapades of legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy. Eventually, the clouds did clear and she was able to hike the 1.8-mile .

Clear Sky has some unique amenities, including a robot concierge who offers outdoor-recreation beta, a café with a gleaming boomerang-shaped bar, fire pits and cornhole, and stargazing tours. The domes themselves are fun, futuristic, and encourage group visits. Osius was surprised to learn that one has a dance floor, disco ball, and flashing lights.

Off-site, she was won over by the barbecue in a joint called in the town of Tropic, and loved the live cowboy music at in Bryce Canyon City. Her vacation gave her different viewpoints of the West and an appreciation of this area’s otherworldly landcapes, which include the greatest concentration of hoodoos in the world.

What Osius would do differently if she returned: A second visit would ideally happen when the stars were out and shining, said Osius, though she did think it was cool to watch rivulets of rain run down her dome. And the next time, she’d stay longer and hike way more in Bryce Canyon.

Lodge at Marconi

Marshall, California

Price: From $299

I’ve visited several outdoor-adjacent properties in the Bay Area over the years, but none within a state park. The experience felt like a sophisticated, laid-back,Ěý improved version of summer camp. Lodge at Marconi is a newly remodeled, 45-acre property that spans from the water’s edge of eastern Tomales Bay—an hour’s drive north of San Francisco on Highway 1—to bluffs with incredible views westward to Point Reyes National Seashore and north to the Pacific Ocean.

The weekend I was in town, the property was hosting an indoor-outdoor wedding as well as young couples there with their toddlers and dogs, day-trippers picnicking beneath shady oaks, and friends using it as a base camp for a local foodie tour. Come dusk, everyone gathered around the massive communal fire pit and hung out for hours, occasionally popping into the on-site store for a bottle of regional wine.

This is a fantastic place to do some wildlife- and bird-watching. Wild turkeys were running around while I was there, and I spent 15 minutes one morning looking down at a huge school of fish feasting on bugs in the bay. Tule elk wander Point Reyes and elephant seals laze on its beaches. Bring your best binoculars.

One of the best things about Marconi, though, is its quick access to fantastic eating in these parts. The waterfront Marshall Store is just a mile away, the must-visit Hog Island Oyster Company a mile farther (take the tour and then have lunch), and, after that, Nick’s Cove, where I love to have a casual seafood dinner and drink. This trip I also wandered around the town of Point Reyes Station, eight miles south, where I discovered buffalo-milk soft serve and a sandwich shop with 18 gooey melts. Delicious, both.

What I’d do differently if I returned: The next time, I’m bringing my girlfriends, renting out Marconi’s spacious A-frame cabin, and enjoying an evening at its cute new little cocktail bar and restaurant, Mable’s, which I missed because it opened two weeks after my visit.

Phantom Ranch

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

Price: From $213.50 for two people

It’s really hard to get a reservation to Phantom Ranch, a group of historic cabins and dorms at the floor of the Grand Canyon, and you have to try for one 15 months in advance. But Stephanie Vermillion lucked out and snagged a last-minute winter opening. Her review of the property offers tips to scoring a stay there, too.

If you are able to book Phantom Ranch, you also have to be prepared to get there. Vermillion chose the easier route down, from the South Rim: a seven-mile (one-way) zigzagging descent via the South Kaibab Trail that you have to then ascend after check-out. Pack light—no need to bring food, because you can pay for hot meals at the ranch—and take your trekking poles. It’s about a vertical mile of elevation gain each way.

Worth it, said Vermillion, to stay in the stone cabins designed by renowned architect Mary Jane Colter. And to amble along the mightly Colorado River; if you have more than one night at the property, Vermillion suggests hiking the to Phantom Overlook. It’s nine miles round-trip but you’ll see parts of the canyon seldom explored by visitors.

What Vermillion would do differently if she returned: I’d go lighter on the camera gear I brought—the weight of two cameras and a bulky tripod made the tough uphill return trip even more challenging.

Dunton Hot Springs

Dolores, Colorado

Price: From $1,165 for two people

We’re recommending this ghost-town hot-springs resort, because it’s a secluded slice of the Wild West where you can not only soak to your heart’s content but also fish for trout, hike and bike the Rockies, and dine at a saloon. Writer Emily Pennington said it was the best wellness retreat she’d ever been to.

Dunton is located in southwestern Colorado, about 30 miles from beautiful Telluride. In the late 1800s it was a mining settlement, and Butch Cassidy actually scratched his name into the bar, which you can pony up to while you’re visiting. The 15 log cabins are cozy and encircle the wooden bathhouse home to a pool with rich mineral waters and decorated with a hammock and a small fireplace. When Pennington visited in March, the snow was coming down and the hot springs were just the respite she was looking for.

As anyone who lives in Colorado can tell you, March does not mark the end of winter. Pennington took a cat-ski ride up to Dunton Meadows and spent a few hours snowshoeing (the resort loans out gear). The next morning she took a yoga class. She made use of her room’s clawfoot tub. And she and the other five guests there at the time ate incredible meals, including blue-corn johnnycakes and house-cured bacon for breakfast, a hearty Mexican posole and tostadas for lunch, and a multi-course dinner that featured bison one evening. The whole experience was something she’d looked forward to for months—and it did not disappoint.

What Pennington would do differently if she returned: As an avid hiker, Pennington loves the idea of exploring the stunning San Juan Mountains in the summer months. And that steamy, historic hot-spring building would look even more tantalizing after a thigh-busting trek, she said.

The Nami Project

Ucluelet, British Columbia

Price: From $343

Western Vancouver Island is a known storm-watching destination, and şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř travel columnist Jen Murphy had to experience it firsthand herself. So we sent her to Nami Project, a collection of suites that overlook the ocean, to watch the winter swells roll in from her room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

But the views were too stunning for staying holed up inside. Murphy donned rain gear and set out to explore neighboring , hiking amid the tall Sitka spruce on a trail that hugs the coast. During the wildest storms, you can watch 20-foot-high waves crash into the coast. After braving the elements, Nami Project’s cedar hot tubs, sauna, and heated floors felt pretty great.

Tide-pooling, surfing, and hiking through the rainforest are popular activities year-round, and in the warmer months, you can rent a bike and pedal the 15 miles up to Tofino. Murphy, who is a foodie, also raved about the area fare, especially the hyperlocal tasting menu at the restaurant .

What Murphy would do differently if she returned: Witness the world’s largest gray-whale migration while soaking from her room’s hot tub. As many as 20,000 whales can be spotted swimming offshore beginning in February.

The Swag

Waynesville, North Carolina

Price: From $875, all-inclusive

Graham Averill and his wife spent a few glorious days holing up at The Swag and hiking from its 250-acre premises directly into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a perk that offers your own private entrance to a lesser visited corner of America’s most visited national park.

The couple, who visited in late summer, spent an afternoon trekking through rhododendron tunnels and past a waterfall, topping out at a knob with valley views. Averill also did some trail running along a 5,500-foot ridge with spectacular panoramas to the distant Black Mountains. There were lawn games and a pool, and Averill’s room had a fireplace and an outdoor shower. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton were in regular rotation on the house playlist.

Needless to say, you can work up an appetite here, and the reward is getting to indulge in home cooking. Averill couldn’t get enough of the grilled pigeon. And the iced tea. And the smoked Old Fashioneds. And the chocolate-chip pie served with ice cream. “Every course set in front of me was the best thing I’d ever had, until the next course came out and it became the best thing I’d ever had,” he wrote.

The experience—the scenery, the proximity to the park, the opening drive from parking to the property in an electric Volvo XC90—was top-notch from start to finish. “Imagine if your grandmother had generational wealth, exceptional taste, and lived to spoil you—that’s what a stay at The Swag feels like,” he said.

What Averill would do differently if he returned: The Swag’s super complex wooden jigsaw puzzle baffled Averill on his last visit, and he’d like to spend more time sipping cocktails in front of the fireplace while trying to put it together.

TashaĚýZemke is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s managing editor and a member of the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online travel team. She still has yet to satiate her wanderlust, and next year she’s most looking forward to attending Mountainfilm, in what her colleague called Colorado’s most beautiful town; hiking with friends in Ireland; and kayaking off Baja Sur, Mexico.

The post 7 Amazing Resorts in the U.S. and Canada That We’d Love to Return To appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Nothing ruins a ski vacation faster than no snow, and scoring a powder day can feel like winning the lottery in these climate-challenged times. While the global forecaster AccuWeather makes projections up to 90 days out, specific, precise daily reports cannot be made more than ten days in advance, according to a published in theĚýJournal of the Atmospheric Sciences. Given the chaotic nature of the atmosphere, two weeks out is probably the farthest accurate estimate we can hope for in the future.

So where does that leave travelers who want to plan ahead? Is there more we can do than just book a ski vacation to a popular winter destinationĚýand hope for the best? Yes! Diehard skiers and snowboarders and skiers—and I count myself in that group—have discovered some tricks to line up trips with epic conditions.

The Surprising Accuracy of The Powder Buoy

In the early aughts, Mike Ruzek, a financial planner and avid skier based in Park City, Utah, had a client clue him in to thousands of miles west in the Pacific Ocean that surfersĚýwere using as an alternative to wave-forecast sites like , to estimate how bigĚýswell would get by the time it hit the Hawaiian Islands. The client, who split his time between Maui and Park City, believed the buoy’s movements correlated to storm cycles in Utah’s Wasatch Range.

Curious, Ruzek did some research and discovered that when the buoy went from floating on swells of around 5 to 15 feet—the point which followers described it as “popping”—a storm would usually hit the Wasatch 12 to 14 days later.

Ruzek doesn’t have a background in meteorology, but he did know that low-pressure systems tend to produce the most snow in winter. “When a low-pressure system rolls in [across the Pacific], it forces the water upward, making the buoy pop,” he posited. “About two weeks after a spike in the buoy’s wave height, Utah gets a dump of snow.”

Initially, Ruzek started testing the buoy to schedule “sick” ski days from work, and he found it was surprisingly accurate. In 2013, he set up a Facebook page called Ěýto share the forecasts, and an followed that now boasts 45,000-plus followers.

A NOAA spokesperson said the organization is unaware of a specific buoy measurement correlating with this weather phenomenon so far from the buoy’s location. But Ruzek is not wrong. I spoke with Steven Businger, a University of Hawaii professor of meteorology, who confirmed that the slow motion of huge planetary waves in the jet stream often results in fairly long, persistent weather patterns that can effectively be determined for a location over ten days or more.

Last year the buoy was 80 percent spot-on when it came to pow predictions in Utah, saidĚýRuzek, and he’s heard from skiers who use its reports to predict snow 12 to 14 days out in Colorado and Wyoming. “One mountain town in ColoradoĚýhas a coffee shop that writes our reports on a chalkboard,” he said proudly. Though he could charge for the readings, Ruzek loves the authenticity of keeping it free. “There’s enough monetization in the ski world,” he said.

Trusted Intel from Powderchasers

Steve Conney also shares free winter-weather intelĚýas a side hustle called . The New York native started forecasting snowfall at U.S. ski resortsĚýfor a small email list of friends more than two decades ago, when there was no internet offering such a service. “I had phone numbers for the snowplow drivers and the people who worked at Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado,” he toldĚýme. “I’d call the employees at Baked in Telluride, because I knew they were up at 5 A.M. and could report on the snow.”

TodayĚýPowderchasers has over 107,000 followers on Instagram, and its detailed forecasts are still free, thanks to sponsors like Ikon Pass. The posts are fun and full of stoke: “EPIC ALERT: Snow Returns for South America. 3+ Feet Predicted” read the August 2 headline. “Final parade of moisture is overspreading the west. The firehouse is wide open over Oregon and moves east into Idaho and northern Wyoming where it is snowing,” read a December 16 post, while itsĚýrecently offered intel on projected conditions through the end of the month, suggestions on where to head based on its forecasts, feedback from Powderchasers staff about places they were already skiing, and estimated snow accumulation for various regions of the U.S. and Canada.

Conney now has a small weather-obsessed team to help him. “We read the same models as everyone else, but we understand what skiers and snowboarders want,” he said. “The deepest snow is not always your best chase. We look at winds, potential closures, snow density, and other factors.”

If you’d prefer more in-depth, personalized forecasts and custom trip planning, the company has what are called concierge packages that range from $149 for one trip to $699 for forecasts for eight trips. “This is for the fanatics who can only get out on the slopes once or twice a year for that big ski trip,” he said.

Jen Murphy splits her time between Colorado and Maui and now relies on The Powder Buoy to track swell and snow. SheĚýrecently wrote about her love of solo travel, and about how compression socks are the one piece of clothing travelers need for a long flight.Ěý

The post How to Plan Your “Sick” Powder Days Two Weeks in Advance appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Whump! My face plant is sudden, a cartwheel of flying ski poles and curse words into powder. The sting of snow on bare skin jolts my eyes open, and I hear a chorus of woo! erupt lower on the slope.

“Yeah, Fred!” a voice bellows. “You were a little too far forward—remember to keep your weight back.”

I brush myself off and schuss down the powdery hillside to my two companions, wondering how my 38 years of skiing experience seemingly evaporated in an instant. But I have little time to nurse my bruised pride—my new friends are already making their way up the slope for another run. I struggle to keep pace as we trudge toward the summit of this wooded hillside in Genesee, an upscale neighborhood in Denver’s western suburbs. I look to an adjacent hilltop and see the familiar elliptical sides of the Sculptured House, the mansion built by architect Charles Deaton featured in the 1973 film Sleeper.Ěý

The guy in front of me, Wade Wilson, is a wiry real estate agent from nearby Golden. In front of him is Alex Kaufman, also from Golden, who dishes out rapid-fire advice as we climb. Keep your weight over your arches, not the balls of your feet. You don’t edge the turns like on a normal ski, you just kind of waggle your knees. Don’t worry if you hit a rock, just let the skis do their job.

“You’ll get the hang of it, I promise,” Kaufman says. “Everyone sucks their first time.” Kaufman, 45, is a father of two, a youth soccer coach, and the chief operating officer of Kaufman Asset Management, a company that invests in affordable housing. But I’m here because Kaufman is also a budding social media celebrity in the U.S. skiing world, where fans know him as the Weird Foothill Guy.

The Weird Foothill Guy only boasts about 11,000 followers across his channels, but his audience includes ski-industry heads of state, outdoor journalists, and even a few official resort accounts. I started following him in 2023 and quickly became obsessed with his online musings. Like many snow-sports aficionados, he regularly posts about the shoddy state of American skiing: massive lift lines, $48 cheeseburgers, and miles-long traffic jams on Interstate 70, the main artery connecting Denver with the resorts. “Economic vitality!” he once tweeted next to a video of a January traffic jam that stranded some motorists for ten hours on the freeway.

But most Weird Foothill Guy content promotes Kaufman’s highly unorthodox style of backcountry skiing—one that seems to defy logic. He skis up and down slopes that are just a few miles from downtown Denver—hillsides with so little snowpack (and so many rocks and stumps) that your daredevil nephew wouldn’t sled down them, let alone tackle them on skis. Yet Kaufman navigates this terrain three or four days a week during the winter, often on his lunch break or before work. He floods social media with photos from these micro-adventures, alongside captions that express his radical view on the sport. Basically: Resort skiing sucks and I’ve discovered an amazing alternative.Ěý

Kaufman’s brand of skiing—which he calls Simple Skiing—relies on a bizarre plastic ski called the Marquette Backcountry, which looks like a cross between a child’s toy and a float pontoon. He did not invent these strange skis, but he has become their strongest evangelist. He keeps a small fleet of them in his garage, and lends them out to anyone who wants to try them, including me. Descending on them presents an ample learning curve, as I have just discovered. Ascending is similarly challenging. You don’t use climbing skins. The skis have fish-scale-like divots on the bottoms that grip the snow, similar to the ones on some cross-country skis.

Wilson and Kaufman speed ahead. Kaufman is wearing a pair of basketball shorts over tights and a flannel shirt. An orange handkerchief flutters from his back pocket. “I have the bandana in case hunters spot me,” he says. “I never wear ski pants—you get too hot.”

I soon learn this lesson, as my core temperature spikes under my preferred backcountry outfit. Snowmelt from my crash drips down my back and soaks my long underwear, and I wonder: Is this really better than a day at the resort?

I find my answer at the summit. Wilson and Kaufman have waited for me, and as I reach the top, I look down from our perch. Below us is I-70, packed with cars; a serpentine line of red brake lights stretching to the horizon. The traffic is barely inching along, and the nearest resort is still 45 miles up the road. I shift my gaze to the snowy slope below my skis. We’re completely alone, shredding untracked powder just 25 minutes from downtown Denver.

“We’ll be home eating breakfast before they’re in the parking lot,” Kaufman says. “C’mon, let’s hit another run.”

The post The Weird Foothill Guy Believes His Style of Skiing Is Better than a Day at the Resort. We Tried It Out. appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

The şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival is back.

A year after the inaugural gathering brought some 18,000 people together for a rousing weekend of music and joy in the outdoors, the with presenting sponsors and will return to downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park, May 31-June 1, 2025. The just-announced lineup of musical headliners includes , , , , , , , and .

The two-day event will also feature conversations with iconic athletes, renowned storytellers, and inspiring changemakers, plus an adventure films series and a diverse mix of outdoor experiences.

The şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Summit, a precursor to the Festival and the outdoor industry’s premier networking event, which was attended by over 500 influential leaders in its first year, will return on Thursday, May 29. The Summit includes a full day of programming on Friday, May 30, plus exclusive gatherings during the Festival weekend.

The 2024 şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival and Summit was hailed as that created a new model for a national outdoor community gathering. Building off that momentum, organizers have expanded the Festival grounds to include Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park in order to accommodate an anticipated 25,000-plus attendees. Activities include climbing experiences, yoga classes, skills workshops, gear demos, a kids’ zone, exciting food options, and a variety of immersive brand engagements. Films and talks will take place at spaces inside the Denver Art Museum and the newly renovated Denver Public Library.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival presenting sponsor Capital One is running an exclusive Capital One cardholder presale, giving eligible cardholders—including Ěýcustomers—48-hour early access to tickets beginning Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. MT, and ending at 10 a.m. MT on Friday, Dec. 13, or until the last ticket is sold. Supplies are limited. Those trying to access the Capital One Cardholder Presale must use an eligible Capital One Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card to purchase presale tickets. Excludes Capital One issued private label cards. Tickets start at $99 for the full weekend.

Immediately following the Capital One cardholder presale, all tickets will be released to the general public at 10 a.m. MT on Friday, December 13. VIP packages will start at $150 for a single day and $275 for the full weekend, with access to a premium VIP viewing area, exclusive food vendors, private bar access, expedited entry, and more.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř+ members have access to early-bird pricing throughout the entire sales window on single-day general admission tickets and all VIP ticket types, plus members have the opportunity to purchase GA+ tier tickets at general admission pricing. Two-day GA+ tickets start at $175 and include perks like express entry, private bathrooms, additional food and beverage options, and access to the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř+ Lounge. Children ages 12 and under enter free.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the .

The post Khruangbin and Lord Huron to Headline the 2025 şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Festival Presented by Capital One and REI appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

When it comes to ski resorts and wintery adventures, the mountain towns in Colorado have an embarrassment of riches. Growing up in New Jersey, my family would drive nearly five hours to ski the resorts of Vermont. Sometimes my dad would pile us in his van and do a 10-hour round trip in a single day. I have so many fond memories of chilly outdoor time with my family as a kid. Then, I headed west later in life.

Why I Love These Mountain Towns in Colorado

When I moved to Boulder, Colorado I was blown away to learn that I had nearly a dozen resorts within a two-hour drive and another dozen more just a bit further. The initial allure was, of course, the downhill. But then I began to discover the other adventures on offer, from fat tire biking along stunning singletrack and Nordic skiing past old gold mines, to snowmobiling and dog sledding in the backcountry.

Every ski town has its own personality, plus quirky annual events that I try to time my visits around. The properties from —a hip hotel membership club that started in Breckenridge and now has outposts in Vail, Winter Park, and Steamboat Springs—is my typical go-to stay for the hyperlocal vibe, convenient co-working spaces, athlete-worthy gyms, and restaurants with high-quality cocktails and food (from $169 to $299 minimum per night).

If you prefer a vacation rental, has properties in Vail, Beaver, Creek, Aspen, and Snowmass and recently introduced Peak Pursuits, an adventure-focused concierge service that can arrange activities such as heli-skiing and sleigh ride dinners. Here’s my cheat sheet on how to navigate the on and off-piste winter thrills of the most beautiful mountain towns in Colorado.

Best Things to Do in Aspen-Snowmass

I have a soft spot for Aspen. If you look past the glitz and glamor you can still find a soulful mountain town with epic adventures on offer. A free public transportation system transfers you between the resort’s four mountains, each with its own personality and appeal (Buttermilk for families; Aspen-Highlands for its mythic bowl). And Hero’s, the new terrain expansion on Aspen Mountain, will push your edge with chutes and gladed areas. You can be part of the downtown après scene, but I prefer to get my culture fix after skiing and visit the or .

Where to Play

In my opinion, Aspen-Snowmass has Colorado’s best . A season uphill pass costs $69 ($10 of the fee goes to Mountain Rescue Aspen) and gives you access to dedicated routes on Buttermilk and Snowmass mountains all day, and you can uphill Ajax Mountain and Aspen Highlands when the lift isn’t spinning. The Roaring Fork Valley is also a , boasting 60 miles of free cross-country and snowshoe trails between Aspen, Snowmass, and Basalt.

I like to work up an appetite, skate skiing the so I can splurge on the burger at Woody Creek Tavern or I’ll pay for a $25 pass at Ashcroft Nordic Center, set across from an old ghost town, so I can cross-country ski out to for their pre-fixe lunch menu. They also have an option to reach the restaurant by horse-drawn sleigh.

For unreal views without a lot of effort, book a with T Lazy Ranch (from $275).

Where to Stay

Aspen has no shortage of ritzy hotels with see-and-be-seen crowds but I prefer the low-key properties in both Aspen (from $629 a night) and Snowmass (from $569 a night). Rooms are outfitted with Smeg fridges and microwaves, banquette seating for dining or remote working, plus plenty of hooks and cubbies for ski gear. In the morning, you’re treated to a complimentary breakfast buffet. After skiing, you can soak in the hot tub or heated outdoor pool then hit the bar for live music and wood-fired pizza.

Where to Eat

The former log cabin recently underwent a renovation and expansion and this season will be accessible by foot off of Snowmass’s new Coney Express Lift. You can ski in for lunch or extended après hours, which feature shotskis and charcuterie boards, or book an evening snowcat dinner.

I buy an uphill pass just so I can attend the monthly at the Cliffhouse at Buttermilk.

, a new dive bar in Aspen, was recently opened by two locals and affordably-priced food was a term of the restaurant’s deed-restricted lease. A beer and beef slider will cost you less than $10; a steal in Aspen.

And if you’re flying in or out of the airport, a detour to , tucked away in the Aspen Airport Center, is a must. Her flavorful dishes, like vegetable maffe, a West African peanut curry, and seafood gumbo, pay homage to her French and Ivory Coast roots.

Don’t-Miss Event

Buttermilk Mountain will host the Winter X Games January 23-25, 2025 and the and the Visa Big Air January 30-February 6. But I’m most excited for the inaugural halfpipe event of Olympic snowboarder Shaun White’s new Snow League, happening March 7-8.

Best Things to Do in Breckenridge

Just 80 miles west of Denver, Breckenridge is one of the state’s most popular Front Range ski resorts. Some lament the crowds, but I find once you’re on the mountain, it’s easy to spread out. Five peaks boast more than 180 trails webbed across nearly 3,000 skiable acres of terrain, ranging from high-alpine bowls to beginner-friendly tree runs.

I like to rise early and warm up with a yoga class at and always build in a down day to explore the boutiques, restaurants, and public art and studios of the in Breck’s charming Victorian downtown.

Where to Play

Rent a fat bike (they also have e-fat bikes) from and explore the nearly 20 miles of groomed trails at the Gold Run Nordic Center (half-day rentals from $65). The outfitter’s guided rides to and are great because they provide transportation back to town so you can imbibe worry-free (from $85).Ěý

Where to Stay

The feels more like a restaurant with rooms. The Euro-style inn has just four, Scandi-minimalist suites stocked with useful amenities like Topo Designs backpacks and yoga mats. Two of the town’s best eateries are just below the rooms. The seafood-centric, ground-floor restaurant features a raw bar and items like fish and chips and lobster roll sliders; the basement-level speakeasy-inspired tavern serves comfort foods like cheesesteaks and fried chicken sammys. (From $399 per night.)

Where to Eat

Matt Vawter, chef and owner of , was recently named the James Beard Awards’ best chef in the mountain region. The mega accolade, often called the Oscars of the food world, has made reservations to experience his exceptional tasting menu a must.

Don’t-Miss Event

, a wacky celebration of the Norse god of snow, takes place December 12-14, 2024 with a colorful parade of costumed revelers. This year, Breck will try to lure 1,370 participants to help reclaim the unofficial world’s longest shotski record from Park City. I hope to be there.

Best Things to Do in Crested Butte

I live in one of the greatest mountain towns in Colorado, but I still get mountain-town envy every time I visit Crested Butte. The soulful vibe and lack of big brand hotels and chains have earned it the reputation as Colorado’s last great ski town. If you’re seeking rowdy terrain, Crested Butte Mountain Resort delivers. Known as the North American birthplace of inbounds extreme skiing and riding, it boasts more than 560 acres of expert terrain. Want bragging rights? Tackle Rambo, a 55-degree-pitch run considered the steepest lift-served, tree-cut trail in the U.S. Beyond the resort, the surrounding Gunnison Valley offers a treasure trove of backcountry adventures to satiate all types of outdoor lovers.

Where to Play

Cat skiing with local outfitter on 1,000 acres of powder-blessed terrain just ten miles out of town ranks as one of my all-time snowboard days (private cat for up to 10 people costs $8,500 or buy a single seat for $850).

If there’s a dry spell, is a perfect alternative to downhill skiing and grooms a number of areas around town that are free to access. The maintains nearly 35 miles of trails that can be accessed with a $25 day pass. The six miles of trails at the Town Ranch and on the Rec Path can be accessed for free.

Where to Stay

Ski-in/ski-out has an on-site ski rental shop, a sprawling spa, spacious rooms, and a lounge in partnership with local film company Matchstick Productions that hosts screenings and athlete activations (from $230 a night).

Where to Eat

Carb up at the , a dive-y pizza spot. I love that the menu at the has healthy options like the completely satisfying quinoa-spiked power salad, as well as the not-so-healthy stuff you crave after a day slaying pow, like a burger topped with pork belly and fried onions.

On Sundays, in-the-know locals Nordic ski or snowshoe to , located one-mile from the Peanut Lake Trailhead Loop.

Don’t-Miss Event

, an outrageous costumed American Birkebeiner qualifying Nordic event, takes place February 1, 2025 and the course winds through the heart of downtown making it a favorite spectator event.

Best Things to Do in Steamboat Springs

Ski Town USA is known for both its ultra-dry, trademark “champagne powder” and Old Western cowboy character. In the last few years, the resort has been re-imagined with a new base area, complete with a skating rink and food hall, and a dedicated beginner area, Greenhorn Ranch. Advanced skiers once bemoaned the lack of expert runs. No more. Last year the resort debuted Mahogany Ridge & Fish Creek Canyon, some 650 acres of test-your-mettle terrain.

A free bus runs every 20 minutes between the village and town, making it easy to explore galleries and shops like stalwart western wear.

Where to Play

Channel your inner cowboy (or girl) on a snowy trail ride at , led by fifth-generation wrangler (and enthralling storyteller) Ray Heid ($150). Then warm up with a steamy soak. I like the ease of ($29) but clothing-optional-after-dark is an experience ($20, cash only). If you don’t have 4WD and snow tires, book a to reach the secluded springs ($50 round-trip, entry fee included).

Where to Stay

The historic recently renovated its 35 rooms and has a hard-to-beat downtown location walking distance to shops and restaurants. (From $199 a night.)

Where to Eat

Options abound. On the hill, you can choose from ramen, pizza, tacos, and subs at the . In town, the offers Jamaican jerk chicken, poke bowls, classic cocktails, and more. Brunch at is worth a late start on the slopes, particularly for the banana foster French toast and smoked tomato and pesto Benedict.

Don’t-Miss Event

Like a rodeo on the slopes, the annual , January 20, 2025, always leaves me in stitches as I watch cowgirls and cowboys in their chaps and Stetsons speed down a dual slalom course, hit jumps, then lasso a person, saddle a horse, and ski across the finish line.

Families shouldn’t miss the oldest west of the Mississippi. Celebrating 112 years on February 7-9, 2025 the festivities include ski racing, skijoring, and a fireworks-studded night show featuring the famed Lighted Man, who shoots fireworks from his pyrotechnic suit while skiing down the hill.

Best Things to Do in Telluride

Telluride looks like it was meant for a snow globe. Nestled in a picturesque box canyon within the jagged San Juan Mountains, it isn’t the easiest resort to reach in winter, which means you rarely find crowds. If you make the effort, you’re rewarded with quad-burning slopes and a darling downtown lined with Victorian homes, art galleries, indie boutiques, and some seriously great dining.

A free, pedestrian gondola makes it effortless to bounce between the mountain and the historic downtown while soaking in awesome views.

Where to Play

can access more than 200 square miles of high-alpine skiing and its single-day heli-trip promises six runs with up to 14,000 feet of leg-quivering vert (from $1,875 per person).

I always like to build in a mellow activity to temper all of the adrenaline and one of my favorite experiences over the years has been dog sledding the snowy trails of the Uncompahgre National Forest with family-run company, . (Prices vary, for current rates.)

Where to Stay

I like the convenience of the ski-in/ski-out (from $399 a night), and appreciate their massive fitness center. Intimate, five-bedroom (from $550 a night) is steps from the town gondola and feels like a fancy B&B, complete with complimentary wine, beer, and snacks, and hearty breakfast spread.

Where to Eat

Sometimes I opt to stay downtown just so I can be walking distance to the , an institution beloved for its monster-sized, made-from-scratch baked goods (the homemade pop tarts are addictive).

On piste, , North America’s second highest elevation fine-dining restaurant, channels Italy’s Dolomites with its charcuterie and cheese spreads, deep wine list, and killer mountain views. I still haven’t experienced the omakase menu at , a stellar sushi spot in town, but their happy hour is one of the best deals around with half price sushi rolls.

Don’t-Miss Event

Many Colorado resorts now host a , but Telluride’s (February 22-March 1, 2025) stands out for its raucous pool parties and kick-off event, the Telluride Aids Benefit fashion show gala.

Best Things to Do in Vail

People like to hate on Vail because its parent company is a mega ski conglomerate. That shouldn’t take away from its seriously great terrain. I’ve lived in Colorado for a decade and am still discovering all that the resort’s seven back bowls have to offer in its 2,785 acres of terrain. And in the last few years, the Bavarian-inspired village has been reinvigorated with new bars, restaurants, and the wild entertainment venue, .

Where to Play

Skiing the Minturn Mile, an out-of-bounds run that spans three miles and drops 3,000 vertical feet, is a right of passage for hard-charging locals.Ěý I usually think of Nordic skiing as a killer workout, but turns it into an adventure by leading half- and full-day tours into the White River National Forest where you’re likely to ski past abandoned mines and wildlife (from $160).

Where to Stay

I love how the celebrates the resort’s 1960s heyday. Design details, like framed 10th Mountain Division pins in the rooms, nod to the region’s alpine heritage. After a day on the hill I head straight to the downstairs recovery lounge, equipped with massage guns, leg compression sleeves, and a Himalayan salt room. (From $469 per night.)

Where to Eat

Matsuhisa has some competition now that upscale sushi spot has opened in the Grand Hyatt Vail. This winter, Denver’s award-winning Italian restaurant, , opens in the Four Seasons. On the mountain, I can never resist the smell of barbecue wafting from , accessible off chairlifts 3, 17, and 7.

Don’t-Miss Event

I’ve marked my calendar to see the action at the at neighboring Beaver Creek December 6-15, 2024. Music fans won’t want to miss , a weekend concert series April 4-5, 2025 featuring DJs like Interplanetary Criminal and Don Fuego (tickets from $99).

Best Things to Do in Winter Park

I’ll admit, the initial appeal of snowboarding at Winter Park was that I could bypass traffic by hopping on the , a stress-free, direct train service that runs Friday through Sunday throughout the winter from Denver’s Union Station to the base of the resort (tickets from $19 to $39).

Widely considered Colorado’s original ski resort, it strikes a rare balance of being both a destination yet feeling like locals still rule the hill. I’ve been a devotee since my first trip. You’ll find newbie and kid-friendly groomers and some super fun glades at Winter Park and neighboring peak Mary Jane is known for its thigh-burning moguls and hike-accessed Cirque terrain.

Where to Play

Head to to snow tube ($35 an hour), fat bike ($20 per hour), and snowshoe (rentals $25 per day).

On select Saturday evenings this January through March, you can uphill by headlamp for an alpine dinner at , a vintage lodge near the Explorer Express and Prospector lifts, then descend under the stars.

Where to Stay

I satisfy my cabin fantasies by staying at the . This collection of 31 Instagram-worthy, mid-century-inspired cabins feature Malm fireplaces and deep soaking tubs and the restaurant has an Argentinean gaucho grill that cooks tomahawk ribeyes and wagyu for the decadent burger to perfection. (From $299 a night.)

Where to Eat

The main drag of the town of Winter Park is about three miles from the resort and even on snowy nights I brave the drive just to have the fiery curries at . And the French fries (yes, the fries) at are so good I sometimes just have a whopping serving and an old fashioned and call it dinner.

Don’t-Miss Event

The annual Spring Bash and Splash is a rowdy series of bluegrass concerts, costume contests, beach parties, and pond skims held every weekend from the end of March through April.

Any time Jen Murphy gets frustrated sitting in Colorado’s I-70 ski traffic she has flashbacks to traffic jams enroute to the icy slopes of Vermont and the 30-second descents of the Poconos, the stomping grounds of her youth. Jen is a regular şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř contributor and our travel-advice columnist who has recently written a beginner’s guide to Costa Rica, a story on how she used AI to plan a trip to Maui, and shared tips on how to get refunded for vacationsĚýbunked by bad weather.Ěý

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