Glenwood Springs
Bustling, touristy GLENWOOD SPRINGS sits at the end of impressive Glenwood Canyon, 160 miles west of Denver and within easy striking distance of Vail and Aspen. Just north of the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers, the town offers endless recreational opportunities. Long used by the Ute as a place of relaxation, the hot springs here were the target for unscrupulous speculators who broke treaties and established resort facilities in the 1880s. North from downtown and across the Eagle River, is the town's main attraction, the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool , 410 N River St (summer daily 7.30am-10pm; rest of year daily 9am-10pm; $8), announced by its sulphurous smell. Billed as the "world's largest outdoor mineral hot springs pool," it sports an exhilarating water slide and special "jacuzzi" seats into which water is jetted. Next door, you can de-stress in the natural subterranean steam baths of the Yampah Spa Vapor Caves at 709 E Sixth St (daily 9am-9pm; $8.75), where cool marble benches are set deep in ancient caves.

Some of the West's most colorful characters came here in the early days, including Dr John R. "Doc" Holliday , a dentist better known as a gambler, gunslinger and shooter in the gunfight at the OK Corral. A chronic tuberculosis sufferer, Holliday came to the springs for a cure but died just a few months later in November 1887, at the age of 35. He is buried on a bluff overlooking the town in the picturesque Linwood Cemetery. In the paupers' section lies the grave of Harvey Logan, alias bank robber Kid Curry, a member of Butch Cassidy's notorious Hole-in-the-Wall gang.

Whitewater Rafting, I-70 exit 114 (tel 970/945-8477), arranges good float trips and whitewater rides along a fairly placid twenty-mile stretch of the Colorado River. Hiking and mountain biking trails alongside streams and waterfalls crisscross the White River National Forest surrounding the town, and offer good fishing opportunities. The nearby, family-oriented Sunlight Mountain Resort offers some of the least expensive skiing in the region, accessible by shuttle from Glenwood Springs (tel 970/945-7491; $1).

Amtrak arrives at 413 Seventh St, at the end of a scenic route through the canyons, gorges and valleys of central Colorado. Greyhound, traveling along the less inspiring I-70, stops close to downtown at the Ramada Inn , 124 W 6th St. The visitor center , 1102 Grand Ave (open 24hr; tel 970/945-6589, ) stocks the very useful Glenwood Springs Official Guide . Regular RFTA buses link the town with Aspen (daily 6am-10pm; 1hr; $6; call for schedule tel 970/925-8484).

The enthusiastically run HI-Glenwood Springs Hostel , near downtown at 1021 Grand Ave (tel 970/945-8545 or 1-800/9-HOSTEL), has spacious dorms (beds $12-14), cheap private rooms (up to $35), plus kitchen facilities, a giant record collection and a wealth of local knowledge. They also arrange tours and whitewater trips, and are closed from 10am-4pm. Reasonable motels include the First Choice Inn of Glenwood Springs , 51359 Sixth St (tel 970/945-8551 or 1-800/332-2233; $50-75/$75-100), at the west end of town, which has striking mountain views, a guest laundry and a free, good breakfast. The Daily Bread Café and Bakery , downtown at 729 Grand Ave (tel 970/945-6253), has delicious breakfasts, soups and salads. For dinner, Rick's , upstairs at 710 Grand Ave (tel 970/945-4771), serves elegant continental food and boasts an extensive wine list. Fiesta Guadalajara , 503 Pine St (tel 970/947-1670), is a decent family-run Mexican place near the hot springs and offers a huge variety of filling options, with its many combination plates priced around $9. A block away in the Hotel Denver , the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub , 402 Seventh St (tel 970/945-1276), will certainly quench your thirst, with its great hand-crafted microbrews.