But as a fellow priest and another supporter waited outside of the Aurora detention center’s gates on July 1, his attorney said, officials inside were pressuring the 78-year-old Nalwamba to sign documents and board a commercial flight back to Uganda. He’s been in the United States for 24 years without permanent legal status, and he has feared persecution should he return to the East African country.

“They lied to us,” Joy Athanasiou, Nalwamba’s attorney, said Tuesday, adding that two guards at the facility had told her Nalwamba was set to be released. “You had this church community who was so happy and relieved and literally thought God had answered their prayers.”

The morning after the attempted removal, Nalwamba alleged to Athanasiou that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel had encouraged him to sign a document without allowing him to review all of it. One page had a “grainy” picture of him. According to Athanasiou, the officials held up travel documents from across the room but would not allow Nalwamba to see them up close.

Nalwamba refused to sign anything without his lawyer present.

The Rev. Phil Eberhart, who leads Resurrection Anglican Fellowship, the Greenwood Village Anglican church where the retired Nalwamba previously worked, said he met with Nalwamba on Tuesday morning at the detention center and that Nalwamba gave him a similar account.

Nalwamba has been detained in Aurora since his arrest in September, and his supporters feared he would be removed from the detention facility in Aurora late last month.

It’s unclear what type of documents were presented to Nalwamba. But he told Athanasiou that the ICE agents said he would be deported in chains if he didn’t sign them.

Nalwamba was told to sign or face ongoing detention, Eberhart said.

“He’s really resigned himself to being inside for a while,” Eberhart said.

Nalwamba developed pneumonia in detention late last year and lost 30 pounds. He now uses a wheelchair, and Athanasiou said he developed a new respiratory infection last month. He was evaluated by a doctor at the detention center’s infirmary this week, Eberhart and Athanasiou said. Eberhart said Nalwamba appeared to be in better health Tuesday morning.

ICE spokespeople did not return an email seeking comment Tuesday. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, that Nalwamba had a final order of removal and had previously refused to depart the U.S.

After his attempts to obtain legal status in the country failed, Nalwamba was arrested and released by immigration officials, who required him to check in periodically for more than a decade. He had previously requested asylum and said he feared returning to Uganda because of his prior political activities against the government.

His supporters have said that they fear he will be arrested or “disappeared” if he’s returned home. The U.S. government a travel advisory urging people not to travel to Uganda.

Anathasiou said that though ICE had a legitimate deportation order for Nalwamba, it would also be unlawful to return him to Uganda, given his persecution fears. His legal team has filed a motion with the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is part of the U.S. Justice Department, to stop his removal. Anathasiou said that request was still pending.

Charred tree trunks cover the mountainside that borders the road leading up to the south rim entrance, located near Montrose on Colorado’s Western Slope. Some have been reduced to inches-high stumps, while others jut up leafless like distorted thorns from the landscape. Once inside the park, visitors get a more pronounced visual of the fire’s path, which stretches along the South Rim Road in the form of torched bushes, trees and soil that add new shades of black to the canyon’s motif.

The South Rim Fire sparked on July 10, 2025 when dry lightning struck an area near the High Point lookout, about six miles west of the national park’s visitor center. Strong winds led the wildfire to quickly spread across the drought-stricken terrain, consuming flora and some manmade structures along the way. In all, the fire scorched 4,323 acres and wilderness on the steep walls inside the canyon burned for eight weeks.

But one year later, signs of new life are abundant at the Black Canyon — something worth remembering as wildfires yet again rage throughout Colorado.

Stems of new growth lush with green leaves pop up at the base of burned Gambel oak trees. Vibrant wildflowers blanket the scenery on the Uplands hiking trail, capitalizing on the space made by burned groundcover and the extra nutrients the fire released back into the soil. They juxtapose the harsh burn scars with pops of color to dramatic effect.

Wildlife has also returned thanks to “deeper-than-expected soils” that helped the grasslands regenerate expeditiously, said Brinnen Carter, Integrated Resource Manager for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

“The first flush of grasses both in the fall and this spring has created expanded opportunities (sic) for the deer, sheep, and elk that use Vernal Mesa, with new and more expansive grazing areas opened,” Carter explained by email. “As habitat continues to recover, we expect some wildlife populations and their use of the area to increase.”

Still, it will likely take decades for the plants to grow back to their former glory. Atop the Vernal Mesa, where the south rim of the canyon is located, much of the pinyon pine and juniper tree forest was reduced to ashes. It may take 40 to 50 years for those to regenerate, Carter said.

Where the burns are not as severe, Gambel oak may pop back up sooner. Carter has seen other Gambel oak forests, where live root systems remain intact after a fire, recover more quickly. Vegetation may return to a pre-fire appearance within 10 to 15 years, he said.

“Wildfires can reshape ecosystems, and in some cases, they create conditions for new plant communities to become established,” Carter said. “The pace and extent of recovery will depend on several factors, including precipitation, the spread of invasive plants, and the successful establishment of native vegetation during the early stages of recovery.”

Despite the damage, it����ap worth remembering that the Black Canyon’s rock formations, the real draw, were unaltered by the South Rim Fire. The craggy walls still plunge thousands of feet into the Gunnison River below, offering breathtaking — and knee-buckling — views to those peering over the edges. The famous Painted Wall is still streaked by hardened magma that squeezed into layers of schist and gneiss rocks billions of years ago. Those who travel the East Portal Road down the river’s edge will still find the gold-medal waters that draw fishermen and women from far and wide.

While much has changed at the Black Canyon in light of the wildfire, its allure most definitely has not.

Nearly 15 years ago, I went on a solo trip to Peru, hiking through the Andes to Machu Picchu. Much to my surprise, many of the other travelers I met along the way were shocked that I was making the trip alone.

Couples and individuals traveling with friends regularly approached me to question my solo travel status and were simply mystified by my decision to embark on a trip without a plus one. The choice had seemed perfectly natural to me. And to be clear, I was traveling with a tour operator, G Adventures. But I was the only solo woman in the group.

The looks of bemusement I received throughout this trek, along with the steady stream of questions from complete strangers, eventually made me feel like I must indeed be unusual for taking such a trip without a companion in tow.

Fast forward to 2020 and beyond and numerous and have since established that I wasn’t so unusual after all. There are legions of travelers just like me, who find it perfectly acceptable, or even preferable, to explore the world on their own. (And as a side note, .)

In fact, 2026 has seen the largest increase in interest in solo travel ever, with 1.6 million searches of “solo travel” during the month of January alone, just issued by safari company .

Based on an analysis of Go2Africa’s proprietary customer data, along with third-party search data, the report also shows that searches for solo travel terms have increased 230% in 10 years, with the highest searches around travel tips, female solo travel and group solo travel.

Also noteworthy: There’s serious money to be made by catering to solo travelers. In the U.S. alone, the solo travel market was valued at $95 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach over $190 billion by 2030, according to separate

Clearly, as the Go2Africa report points out (and what I’ve personally known all along) “solo travel is more than just a fad.”

“More and more people every year are choosing to travel alone, whether to have ultimate freedom over their itinerary, to push themselves into new experiences or because their family and friends can’t travel as flexibly as they can,” says the Go2Africa report.

Here are some of the additional solo travel highlights from the Go2Africa report:

–In the United States, the highest current searches for ‘solo travel’ happened in June of 2025. However, this accomplishment is expected to be beaten in June 2026 with monthly searches predicting to reach over 8,000

–Search interest was strongest in a number of states, including North Dakota, Vermont, and Arkansas.

–On a per-person basis, solo travelers actually outspend couples, spending 42.8% more on average.

–30.1% of solo travelers prefer to travel for roughly 10 days.

–Solo travelers are more intentional in their planning, often researching their trips in advance and arriving with a clear destination in mind.

–Solo travelers are a highly decisive group, with 81.18% having a clear idea of where they want to go before booking a trip. This is up from 72.83% in 2024.

Solo travelers emerge as fastest-growing safari segment

While solo travelers can be found exploring the world in many different ways, internal data from Go2Africa reveals that this demographic is especially interested in pursuing safaris. In fact, solo globetrotters were the only type of traveler to show an increase year-on-year within Go2Africa’s customer base, rising from 13% of inquiries in 2024 to 15.42% in 2025.

“Every other demographic, including couples, families, and groups of friends saw a nominal decrease in representation, not hinting at a lack of interest, but more so that solo travelers are starting to take over the luxury safari sector,” says the report.

And there’s yet another interesting takeaway from the Go2Africa analysis. Solo travelers from the United States make up the biggest number of globetrotters interested in safaris. They amounted to more than 50% of Go2Africa’s customers. Moreover, there was a 26.26% increase in this customer segment for Go2Africa between 2024 to 2025.

“Not only is the U.S. the dominant source market for solo travel, but it is also one of the fastest-growing, reinforcing its position as a key driver of demand,” says the report.

©2026 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Morgan Owens, a wellness, media and lifestyle entrepreneur, recently checked herself and her 7-year-old bichon frise, Ralph, in for a staycation to the Lytle Hotel in Cincinnati. There, they watched Netflix, and dined on room service. (Ralph enjoyed his own steak and rice.) Owens got a massage at Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa across the street, and Ralph literally touched grass in all the green spaces.

“I’ve been so work-focused — our generation, we’ve been through Covid, DEI funds were recently pulled from my business, the list goes on — so the last thing on my mind has been having a child,” Owens says. The 40-year-old may be in a committed, cohabitating relationship, but when it comes down to choosing between solace and planning for kids, “I’m going to swing towards the luxury hotel.” Provided Ralph can come along.

Couples known as Dinkwads — double income, no kids, with a dog — are becoming a potent force in travel (1). Forgoing kids because they don’t want them or they still can’t afford them despite the dual income, these couples are filling that emotional space with pets to the point of treating them like children. And hotels are stepping up to meet the modern family by providing more canine-inclusive luxury services, from gourmet dog menus to fur-baby-tailored spas.

“The U.S. is a quite hostile place for raising children. There are so few supports for families, everything from high costs of daycare to limited protection for parental leave. … The cost of everything has gone up,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, who’s in her late 30s and a financial therapist with a weekly newsletter, Mind Body Balance. “I’m seeing more people choose to stay, or come to terms with staying, in a Dinkwad relationship.”

Some 53% of Americans owned pets in 2025, with millennials making up the largest percentage, according to an American Pet Products Association report. Pet industry expenditures are projected to reach $165 billion this year, up from $158 billion in 2025. Per a recent Morgan Stanley survey, 34% of respondents from age 18 to 34 intend to get a pet — and it����ap this group shelling out even more cash on them.

“It����ap less about spoiling your dog and more about this is what I have the ability to do,” says Bryan-Podvin. “People are saying, ‘Yeah, I can’t support a kid, but you know what I can afford? A dog and the 50 extra bucks a night to take it on vacation.’”

Shipyard Beach, a pristine stretch of South Carolina sand, was the last place I expected to spot a goldendoodle romping near the dunes, when I visited last year. Dudley Do-Right has been Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s beloved mascot ever since his owner, recreation manager Kathie Sendra, brought him here as a puppy in 2025. When not keeping a close eye on the treats at check-in or greeting everyone from business executives to honeymooners, Dudley is supervising the beach toy rentals. The very good boy is a very visible (and very adorable) example how dogs are being welcomed at the upper end of luxury.

Through the Pets Are Welcome at Sonesta (PAWS) program, four-legged guests are greeted at check-in with a welcome letter and treats. Rooms feature thoughtful essentials like a cozy pet bed, and the grounds feature designated walking and potty areas, as well as pet-friendly dining.

Charlie Dice, a 38-year-old Dinkwad and author of Substack Building Quiet Wealth from Erie, Pennsylvania, thinks of her dogs as her kids to the point of applying some child-rearing logic to raising her pets: “My husband and I try to have two dogs at any given time, because like with kids, we think it����ap good to have a sibling.”

She takes their two full-grown Bernese mountain dogs everywhere, from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the Netherlands and Norway, via commercial carriers. She has looked into semiprivate services such as Wheels Up and VistaJet, where pets don’t have to go into the hold, and dedicated companies like Bark Air, which launched with $6,000 one-way transcontinental U.S. flights for dogs.

Bark just marked two years in business and has added Tokyo to international routes that include Stockholm, Athens and Berlin. It has also introduced an end-to-end pet concierge service.

For Dice, switching up her travel plans because a hotel can’t accommodate dogs is a given. “We look for facilities that cater to dogs,” she says. “If our dogs can’t go, we would never leave them behind in a kennel.”

“Getting to spend more time with them while they’re here,” she continues, “that����ap the real luxury, because they’re not here as long as we are, unfortunately.”

Denver’s OG boutique hotel, Hotel Teatro, understands just how much dogs can shape where and how long guests stay. General manager Courtney Griffith says that����ap a big part of why the hotel has waived fees: “Pet fees can feel a bit transactional when you’re placing this fee on someone’s fur-baby.”

“Ultimately, Dinkwads tend to travel more often, stay longer when they find a place they love and become highly loyal,” she adds. In a recent study, 26% of dog owners cited dog care while traveling as the second-biggest challenge associated with ownership. (No. 1? Cleaning up after them.)

“Some people will reach out before their stay, saying they have an allergy, and we are very upfront with them about our dog-friendliness,” Griffith says. “We are a dog destination. We understand if we are not the hotel for them.”

Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey, California, renovated in 2024 as a luxury experience for guests who want to embrace all that travel has to offer — especially with their dog in tow. “I’m a SINK [single income, no kids] from NYC, and after Covid, I think everyone engaging in hustle culture realized how important it is to take a break,” says Kelli Sturges, director of guest experiences and programming.

“We’re a place to unplug, which in DINK culture is a really big need,” she continues. “When you don’t have family obligations, you have extra hours to work, so DINKs get more tech burnout.”

The resort����ap proximity to the Bay Area and an already dog-friendly private stretch of protected sand dunes made it easy to rebrand toward Dinkwads, especially with spacious, standalone cottages that allow lots of room to roam without your dog infringing on other guests’ privacy.

“None of this makes you feel beholden to someone else’s life choices,” Sturges says. “Sometimes guests will ask to be roomed farther away from dogs, but we see the same thing happen with guests that have kids.” (One of my favorite things in Hilton Head was seeing Dudley Do-Right scurry into the sea while knowing there was more beach to escape to if I wanted to avoid the barking.)

“The key to traveling with your dog is to look for a property that offers things you can do together,” says Sydney Durieux, a Dinkwad in her early 50s and owner of a 5-year-old West Highland white terrier, Sir William Wallace.

She regularly takes him from New York to Kilkea Castle in County Kildare, Ireland, where all-legged guests can meander through Mullaghreelan Woods (including with a pup picnic lunch basket), take in the Wolfhound Experience (where dog guests can meet and interact with the castle’s iconic enormous Irish hounds) or simply kick back at property’s traditional Irish pub.

They’re also a great icebreaker if meeting people is important in your travels. “People will come up to me and my dog all the time,” Durieux says. “I think people are willing to be more open and friendly with you when you have a little dog jumping up to say hi to everyone. It����ap a great conversation starter.”

For Dice, it����ap even more fundamental: “I like seeing the world through my dog’s eyes — it����ap probably the same as with kids. With a new place, they get all excited.”

(1) A Hotels.com survey found that 70% of DINKs say they don’t have kids because they like having more disposable income for things they enjoy. For almost half (44%), this extra cash goes toward travel, luxurious hotel stays and eating out.Nearly three-in-four couples (73%) believe they go on nicer vacations than their friends with kids.

©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“I’ve definitely stopped visiting places because of crowdedness,” said Ethan Billingsley, a senior instructor in outdoor recreation leadership at CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources. “Our radius,” he continued, “expands based on the subjective crowding we perceive.”

The keyword there, of course, is “subjective.” If you’re from Manhattan, a few dozen people holed up around the ponds at might feel downright intimate. But for OG Coloradans, seeing the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station into RMNP backed up halfway to Estes Park can be a real loss.

With over 4 million visitors every year, Rocky Mountain is one of the most visited parks within the entire NPS system. But according to a series of widely cited Reddit threads, roughly 90 percent of national park-goers never venture more than a half-mile from the main road.

This figure may be based on intuition rather than fact; Kyle Patterson, RMNP’s public affairs officer, couldn’t find any recent studies corroborating it. During a 2002 visitor survey, though, the majority of day-use visitors reported hiking 10 miles or less, and the most common distance hiked was 5 miles, Patterson reports. Still, it����ap usually possible to find peace and quiet inside RMNP – if you’re willing (and able) to “embrace rugged recreation,” Billingsley said, referring to the park’s rigorous, high-elevation routes. (And in all fairness to RMNP, the timed-entry reservation system – now in its seventh year – has been successful at “spreading use out throughout the park,” as Patterson put it.)

Colorado claims four incredible national parks, including its lesser-traveled crown jewel, (check before visiting for long-term wildfire-related closures). But we also have 13 national park sites, including five monuments, four historic sites and one recreational area – plus a handful of historic trails. NPS sites see a fraction of the RMNP crowds, but they certainly aren’t lacking in the scenic-views department.

In Cortez, for example, there’s , a 176,000-acre tract protecting more than 8,300 documented archaeological sites, including villages, kivas, field houses, cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and ancient roadways. The out-and-back Sand Canyon Trail (6 miles each way) passes a series of ancestral Puebloan ruins. If you’re visiting in the summer, mind the heat; pack plenty of water and sun protection.

The nearby town of Dolores makes an excellent home base. When you’re ready to nosh on something more sophisticated than freeze-dried camp food, try the wood-fired pizza (and craft beer) at on Fourth Street.

Wedged between two popular vacation towns – Pagosa Springs and Durango – is another southwestern Colorado gem. It’s open seasonally (mid-May through mid-October) and holds more than 100 significant Pueblo Indian archaeological sites. Try the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association’s excellent tours and guided programming – but visitors are also welcome to explore the area on their own.

Distance from Denver

For those who seek solitude, it����ap all about DFD. “How far away from Denver are you willing to drive?” Billingsley asked.

Billingsley’s a fan of , with multiple access points in Mesa and Delta counties. This high-desert expanse spans over 210,000 acres of protected public land, including the rugged Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, where fishing is a year-round affair on Big Dominguez Creek. Nearly 30 miles of the Gunnison River sustain a veritable backcountry zoo; visitors are likely to spot golden eagles, turkeys, elk, and collared lizards, among other species.

You’ll find a different kind of quiet in the San Luis Valley at , off County Road 38A, past the Y intersection near La Garita Trading Post. This site strikes a rare balance between serenity and world-class action. Sport climbers flock here for the volcanic tuff, but there’s enough singletrack to keep hikers and mountain bikers busy for days. Penitente Canyon is BLM territory, but you’ll still need to snag a reservation at before pitching your tent.

The southeastern part of the state has some nice topography, Billingsley reminds, and , a mile past the Picture Canyon sign on Forest Service Road 533, is a gorgeous destination tucked inside Colorado’s Comanche National Grassland. Visitors come for the unique rock formations, sandstone canyons, and rolling hills – all laid out across 13 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails.

There’s great birding on the shortgrass prairie; keep an eye out for scaled quail, wrens, ladder-backed woodpeckers and blue grosbeaks, among many other species. If you’re camping (it����ap the free, dispersed variety here) bring binoculars for premium stargazing. Pack plenty of water, too, since the on-site spring water isn’t potable.

Just south of the eclectic town of Trinidad, our newest state park, , houses one of southern Colorado’s most recognizable landmarks (its namesake peak). The park has 16 miles of tranquil trails. Be aware that many map applications place the property address in an incorrect location; it’s best to follow the driving directions listed on the park’s website.

Northwest of crowds

For an exceptional off-the-grid getaway, make the town of Meeker (population 2,242) your launchpad into the state’s overlooked northwestern wilderness.

“This really is the authentic West,” said Sara Stephenson, executive director of the Meeker Chamber of Commerce. In addition to hiking, biking, and motorized recreational trails, there’s plenty of fishing on ample streams, lakes, and reservoirs. The White River remains a big draw, too, though Stephenson notes that public access points along the banks are becoming increasingly scarce.

“Lots of people come here in the summer to cool off,” Stephenson said, explaining that Meeker is often 10-plus degrees cooler than Grand Junction.

Catch a rodeo if you can; held at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds, the free runs June through August on Thursday nights. (But if you’re hoping to circumvent crowds, maybe skip the town’s blowout Fourth of July festival, the annual , a weeklong celebration that includes rodeos, along with a parade, fireworks, and more.)

Since downtown Meeker is only a mile long, it����ap a walkable base camp with boutiques and locally owned restaurants. For your morning coffee fix, there’s on Market Street. The nearby is your best option for post-hike fuel, with brick oven pizza, beer, live music, and bingo. History buffs, don’t miss the on Park Avenue, which offers a quirky account of local history from inside a pair of the town’s original log buildings.

Consider booking a room at the . Between the massive, century-old animal mounts and famous bullet hole in the wall, it delivers the exact brand of haunted history you’re expecting from a historic Colorado inn. There are also furnished tiny homes a few miles out of town, toward Trappers, Stephenson said, referencing on County Road 8.

Meeker isn’t far from the , Colorado’s second largest wilderness area, with approximately 110 lakes and ponds, many unnamed, dotting the high plateau above and below flat-topped cliffs. “The 235,000-acre Flat Tops Wilderness is known for its solitude and remote setting,” said Aaron Grimes, a district recreation staff officer for the US Forest Service.

Flat Tops has an outstanding interconnected trail system linking over 300 miles of backcountry trails that are perfectly suited for multi-day loops. Most access points are reached from the west side, coming through Meeker, and Grimes noted that despite the isolation, the gravel roads are well-maintained, meaning a passenger vehicle should get you to most trailheads.

The South Fork trailhead opens to easy day hikes along the river as well as longer backpacking routes for those looking to disappear for a while. The Marvine (pronounced Mar-VEEN) trailhead, meanwhile, is a favorite for horseback riders and leads roughly 6 miles to a pair of stunning twin lakes. “The Trappers Lake area has numerous trailheads that lead to a variety of High-Country lakes and vary in distance and difficulty,” added Grimes. Developed campgrounds at South Fork, Marvine and Trappers Lake require reservations through.

Good planning is critical, Grimes cautions. “This remote area generally lacks cell phone service,” he said, adding, “Many trails are located over an hour from Meeker.” Bring extra food and water, fuel up your vehicle in town, prepare for longer travel times than expected, check weather forecasts, and bring essentials for backcountry travel. Study maps, too, and call the Blanco Ranger District for up-to-date trail conditions, at 970-878-4039.

You might as well tack on a day trip to the sparsely populated , which straddles Colorado and Utah. Colorado’s Canyon Visitor Center on Highway 40 opens seasonally, mid-May into October.

You won’t find the monument����ap namesake fossil beds on the Colorado side of the border. “The rocks are too old to contain dinosaurs for the most part,” explained park ranger Erin Cahill. Still, we’ve got some of the best geology in the world; the rugged landscape includes massive formations, deep faults, and kaleidoscopic rock layers that occasionally give way to sweeping, hundred-mile vistas.

Inside the monument, hit Harper’s Corner Road, a 31-mile-long (each way) scenic drive delivering a series of dramatic overlooks. The 2-mile round-trip hike at the end of the road is a “must do,” Cahill said. For those of you with high clearance vehicles, a four-wheel-drive road branches off toward Echo Park Campground, a secluded riverside site that����ap only accessible when the road is dry. With the exception of one group site, all camping is first-come, first-served; Deerlodge Park Campground is another remote option.

Come to the monument prepared for the high-desert heat. Dehydration’s no joke, and afternoon lightning can appear out of nowhere. Your most valuable tool is the NPS app: Download maps for offline use before you arrive since cell signals inside the monument are spotty at best.

Due north of the monument (as the crow flies) there’s . To get there, though, you’ll have to drive around the monument, through Maybell – a route that takes about 2 hours.

Tucked along the Green River, not far from the Utah-Wyoming border, the refuge serves as a vital sanctuary for migratory birds and threatened species like the bald eagle. It����ap a rich tapestry of habitats, ranging from pinyon-juniper forests to lush wet meadows. The area also boasts some cultural history, starting with the Fremont Indians, including Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch, who evidently helped local ranchers when they needed to avoid law enforcement.

Leave it as you found it

Public land agencies – often underfunded and understaffed – can quickly become overwhelmed when a lesser-known spot blows up overnight. If you’re heading off the beaten path, definitely familiarize yourself with ethics. Figure out which entity manages the land you’ll visit, then go online and brush up on their local rules. It����ap on us to protect Colorado’s most precious spots for the next generation of adventurers. Though increased visitation can deplete natural resources, tourism is an economic boon for our state’s small and rural towns – so please be sure to buy local when visiting the places outlined in this story.

The highway through Clear Creek Canyon reopened at around 1:30 p.m. after falling debris closed the road in both directions between Colorado 119 near Floyd Hill and Colorado 93 near Golden, according to the and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

UPDATE: Crews were cleaning up US Highway 6 after multiple rockslides blocked the road overnight. The highway is now back open.

If you haven’t signed up for Lookout Alerts, now is the time. Sign up or update your information at   or download the Smart911…

— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco)

captured some of the rockslides, showing waves of dirt and debris spreading from the rocky walls surrounding the highway to both lanes of travel.

The storm dropped between 1.5 and 3.5 inches of rain in the Evergreen area, which also caused Bear Creek to surge and damage several bridges, .

And if roadside speeding ticket defense attorney billboards aren’t enough to slow the rush to spend (or lose) money, remember the adventure is the journey. Just like the seldom-heeded attractions of fly-over states, the road to Vegas is dotted with oddities, wonders and sights more than worth a few minutes off the interstate.

Here are a few stops we found worth exploring. Let the schedule go, and be prepared for the wide, wildness of Southwestern open spaces.

Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch

24266 National Trails Highway, Oro Grande, CA

Directions: Exit 153A from I-15, travel 11 miles north via CA 18 and N. D St. and National Trails Highway.

The route to the follows a winding road that travels past a rustic California landscape with a cement plant, antique shops and the Cross Eyed Cow Pizza stop with its colorful bovine sign. The outdoor art installation is an unattended collection of antiques and oddities mounted atop what look to be steel posts, most of which are adorned with all kinds of bottles. Walking through some two acres of this bizarre landscape, visitors can find typewriters, signs, children’s toys and a wide variety of rusting metal artifacts welded atop the bottle trees. On a sunny day, the beams of light refracting through the glass make for a host of Instagram-worthy photos. Quirky. Free.

Western America Railroad Museum, Harvey House and Route 66 Mother Road Museum* (*currently closed)

685 N. 1st Ave., Barstow, CA

Directions: Exit 181 from I-15; follow L and Main streets to N. First Avenue to the Barstow depot, a little more than 2 miles.

While the current closure of the Route 66 Mother Road Museum kept this from being a trifecta stop for rail and road enthusiasts, the static displays of locomotive engines and a collection railroad artifacts at the railroad museum, the depot����ap impressive architecture and Harvey House rooms still make this worth a sidetrip. Among the collections, a room filled with railroad spike caps is in display cases.

When railroads were in their heyday as the nation’s primary industrial transport and people mover, the spikes that anchored railroad tracks were numbered. The numbers referenced both the year of installation and the metals used in the spikes. The system helped railroaders to determine which metallurgic mixes best withstood wear and the elements.

Also at the site: dining rooms where Harvey House hostesses served travelers. These young women of “good character,” also known as Harvey Girls, were recruited by entrepreneur Fred Harvey to travel the West and serve as waitresses at rail depot dining rooms. (At last check, the Route 66 Mother Road Museum was closed due to water damage.)

Calico Ghost Town, a San Bernardino County Regional Park

36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, CA

Directions: Exit 191 from eastbound I-15, turn left on to Ghost Town Road, follow it about 3.5 miles to park.

is a family oriented park with attractions and shops utilizing a variety of Old West buildings on a hillside that was once home to a silver mining town. If the commercial attractions — including shops, dining, gold panning and a mining ride — remind one of Knott����ap Berry Farm, it should come as no surprise that the town was originally purchased and restored by Walter Knott, then gifted to the county in 1966. While not suited to toddlers or parents pushing strollers, a rocky scramble to the top of the Calico hill offers sweeping views of the town and the adjoining valley as well as a chance to get a close look at the remnants of an old house just below the crest of the hill.

Peggy Sue’s ’50s Diner

35656 Yermo Road, Yermo, Calif.

Directions: Exit 191 from eastbound I-15, right on Ghost Town Road/Daggett Yermo Road, then left on Yermo Road.

If, instead of or after visiting the Calico ghost town, diner food is in order, is a popular spot with travelers. During a recent stop, even in mid-week, it was bustling with hungry visitors. While offering a traditional menu of hamburgers, sandwiches and french fries, it was a chance to wolf down a piece of apple pie à la mode at the counter, a most delightful treat for a mid-afternoon stop.

Liberty Sculpture Park

3757 Yermo Road, Yermo, CA

Directions: Turn off on a dirt road at the Liberty Sculpture Park sign, a little more than 2 miles east on Yermo Road from Peggy Sue’s ’50s diner.

The “No Communists Allowed” warning at the entrance to underscores its recurring theme: Reject communism, commemorate its victims — particularly those in China — and promote democracy. Travelers on the adjacent I-15 can clearly see an installation recalling one protester’s obstruction of a tank in Tiananmen Square in 1989, but visitors to the park get a close-up view of sometimes graphic art installations including that of a chained woman, which recalls communist China’s one-child policy; a pyramid of skulls topped by a hammer and sickle memorializing those killed in communist countries; as well as tributes to those who escaped communist rule and those who died in the pandemic.

One particularly unusual display, called “The Garbage of History,” is built around an earth mover, known as a front-end loader, which in its scoop carries the sculpted heads of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler and Mao. While not for everyone, the art is compelling and provocative. Free.

Eddie World

36017 Calico Road, Yermo, CA

Directions: Via Yermo Road after Liberty Sculpture park, or directly off I-15, Exit 194.

Also freeway-adjacent and just down Yermo Road from Liberty Sculpture Park, the 65-foot water tank decorated as an ice cream sundae beckons travelers to stop, refresh and refuel. A cool, airy central hall at offers a wide variety of food, drinks and snacks. It even offers a bit of Lakers history with a section of floor from the old Great Western Forum that serves as the centerpiece of a tribute to Los Angeles basketball history, with signed jerseys and photos of great players past.

While there are many stops where travelers can find food and fuel, Eddie’s boasts of being California’s largest gas station — and if a recent visit is any indicator, it also can claim to offer the cleanest, most well-appointed bathrooms between Southern California and Las Vegas.

Zzyzx and Soda Dry Lake

Directions: Formerly Soda Springs via Zzyzx Road; I-15 Exit 239, Mojave National Preserve.

Once a health spa operated by Curtis Howe Springer, who in 1944 filed a mining claim on some 12,000 acres here, the site is now home to a Desert Studies Center operated by Cal State Fullerton. While the old resort buildings are not open to the public, visitors can wander around Lake Tuendae, which was originally part of the spa. Direct access to most of the site is prohibited, but the roughly 4.5-mile drive to is reason enough for the side trip, offering expansive views of the lakebed and the adventure of about a quarter-mile of unpaved road.

The Mad Greek

72112 Baker Blvd., Baker, CA

Directions: Downtown Baker, Exit 246, from I-15 to CA 127, Kelbaker Road.

While ample opportunities for food line the I-15 corridor from LA to Las Vegas, perhaps as iconic as any is . With white columns and statuary, this spot serves up lamb and beef gyros, falafel pita wraps, hummus as well as salads and burgers for those wanting less ethnic fare. Save room for walnut and pistachio baklava, turnovers and the powdered-sugar almond cookies found in the display case. If weather permits, the outdoor patio is a quiet, shady spot for dining.

Kelso Depot Visitor Center

90942 Kelso-Cima Road,  Kelso, CA

Directions: Exit 246 from  I-15, turn onto Kelbaker Road, travel southeast 35 miles into Mojave National Preserve.

While the depot center was closed for renovation with a projected 2026 opening, adventurers seeking open expanses of pristine landscape may choose to visit Kelso’s historic 1924 train station. Peek inside the downstairs windows to see the ticket booths, station master’s office and lunch counter as they were in their heyday. Outside on the walk from the parking to the train station, visitors will find the Kelso jail — a pair of iron-band cages reserved for miscreants of the day. While the depot building is closed, the Park Service’s well-maintained bathrooms are open.

For those who don’t want to just double back to the interstate, an alternate route via Cima, Ivanpah and Nipton roads awaits; just be sure to have fuel, water and a good spare tire because help could be long in coming if problems occur.

Pioneer Saloon & Goodsprings

310 W. Spring St., Goodsprings, Nevada

Directions: Heading east on I-15, Exit 12 for Nevada 161, Jean and Goodsprings. Travel 161 northwest roughly 7 miles.

A relatively short drive off I-15, the , established in 1913, claims the title of the oldest bar in Southern Nevada, and with its dark traditional interior — featuring a cherrywood bar, stamped tin walls and ceiling and open airy patio — it����ap a perfect refueling spot for travelers who eschew chain restaurant dining.

In addition to the saloon, visitors will find interesting collections of old gas station pumps, 1940s or earlier era trucks, cars and random rusting signs on display around weathered old buildings nearby.

Seven Magic Mountains, The Last Spike

Directions: From the same Exit 12 off the eastbound I-15, travelers who take a right turn, then a left on Las Vegas Boulevard, need travel only 3.8 miles to the and only about 1 mile more to the art installation.

To really appreciate their size and enjoy the space, one has to stand beside the seven stacks of day-glo painted boulders known as the Seven Magic Mountains art installation by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. The rocks are huge and immediately prompt questions about the effort it took to collect and assemble them. Originally built as a two-year installation in 2016, the paint was somewhat faded during an early April visit, but a makeover is planned and the sculpture is expected to remain in place at least through December 2026. Free, but no facilities are available on site.

For those interested in railroad history, a backtrack toward Jean of a little more than a mile will offer an Instagram photo opportunity: the sign commemorating the last spike driven to complete the last transcontinental rail line connecting Salt Lake City with Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the sign reads “near this site,” and the actual last spike location is not identified.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Directions: About 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip off Charleston Boulevard/NV 159.

Any off-the-beaten-path venture to the Las Vegas area has to include the area with its 13-mile scenic loop and visitor’s information center. Because of Red Rock’s growing popularity, time-based reservations are required Oct. 1 through May 31.

The area comprises some 195,000 acres, impressive rock formations and 30 miles of hiking trails. It is especially busy on weekends.

For those wanting a more personal engagement with the rock formations, a map from the visitors center has hiking suggestions ranging from easy to difficult. Visitors who venture beyond overlooks from the scenic drive should carry water and be aware of temperature forecasts.

Blue Diamond

Directions: Off NV 159, about 12 miles past Red Rock Canyon Conservation area.

For those not ready to head downtown, a visit to this little berg might be in order. With a population of 268 in the 2020 census, Blue Diamond is a collection of both rustic homes and upscale domiciles set high on the hill. It has the fun little Village Market and Mercantile, a Trek rental bike shop and dining at Cottonwood Station.

Set in the Sonoran Desert, where summer temperatures regularly climb well above 100 degrees and water is always scarce, Tucson might seem like an unlikely place to look for what the future of American food will be. But here, that future is already taking shape — and it����ap rooted in culinary traditions that predate the United States by millennia.

Long before “local” became a menu staple or “sustainability” a culinary buzzword, Indigenous communities in this region cultivated crops adapted to extreme conditions: tepary beans that thrive with little water, mesquite pods that can be ground into naturally sweet flour, chiltepin peppers that grow wild in the desert heat.

Tucson is the only city in the United States designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, recognized not just for its restaurants but for continuous food traditions that stretch back more than 4,000 years. For travelers, that makes it a rare destination where eating well also means understanding where food comes from, how it survives, and why it matters.

It asks you to slow down, to notice ingredients that don’t appear on most menus, and to understand that a bowl of beans can carry centuries of knowledge, and a flour made from tree pods can reflect an entire ecosystem.

In this part of Arizona, the future of American food isn’t being invented. It����ap being remembered.

Start at the source

Before you sit down at a restaurant, visit these two spots to prime you for what����ap to come and help you appreciate what will soon be on your plate:

Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market

On a typical morning at the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market, you’ll find more than produce. You’ll see the building blocks of a desert food system: heirloom tepary beans in hues of earth, mesquite flour with notes of caramel and smoke and jars of magenta-colored prickly pear syrup glowing in the sun. Talk to the farmers who grew these foods and the producers who made them into delicious ingredients. Collectively, they hold a wealth of knowledge, and many are part of a broader effort to revive desert-adapted crops not as novelty items, but as practical, climate-resilient foods.

Native Seeds/SEARCH

This Tucson-based nonprofit has spent decades preserving and distributing heirloom desert-adapted seeds, from tepary beans to drought-resistant corn. Its work ensures that these ingredients remain viable, accessible, and central to the region’s food future.

Mission Garden

A few minutes away, Mission Garden offers a living timeline of Tucson’s agricultural history. Plots are organized by era — Indigenous, Spanish colonial, Mexican, and early American — illustrating how crops and techniques evolved over centuries. Standing here, you begin to see Tucson not as a stark desert landscape that resists farming, but as a place that demands a different kind of agriculture.

Restaurants that carry the story forward

Tucson’s best meals intricately layer the past with the present in ways that aren’t noticeable until you start to consider their history and complexity.

Café Santa Rosa (Tohono O’odham Nation)

About an hour west of Tucson, Café Santa Rosa offers one of the most direct connections to the region’s Indigenous foodways. Here, tepary beans, squash, and cholla buds are the stars of the show. The drive there is part of the experience. As the city gives way to open desert, the relationship between landscape and food becomes real.

La Indita 

At La Indita, Indigenous influences quietly shape dishes that don’t announce themselves as such. You’ll see it in dishes like pozole, made with hominy and long-simmered pork, a preparation that traces back to pre-Columbian maize traditions. The red chile beef stew leans on regional chiles rather than packaged spice blends, delivering a depth that feels distinctly Sonoran rather than generically Southwestern. There’s also chicken in pipián sauce, a rich, nutty recipe centered around ground seeds — a technique with deep Indigenous roots across Mexico. Even something as seemingly familiar as tamales reflects this lineage, built on masa (corn dough) that remains the backbone of Indigenous foodways.

El Charro Café

Founded in 1922, El Charro Café is a Tucson institution, known for its carne seca — beef dried in the desert air in screened cages up on the roof — and caldo de queso, a cheese soup born of scarcity as a protein substitute for costly meat. El Charro’s menu reflects a layer of the region’s identity where Indigenous ingredients intersect with Mexican culinary traditions.

Seis Kitchen

At Seis Kitchen, the connection to tradition shows up through regional specificity. The menu draws from six regions of Mexico, but the Sonoran influence is especially relevant here. The cochinita pibil tacos — slow-roasted pork with citrus and achiote — speak to Yucatán traditions, while dishes like breakfast chilaquiles root the menu in everyday Mexican cooking. What makes Seis interesting in the context of Tucson is how it bridges the past and present. The dishes are accessible, even casual, but they carry regional integrity, allowing you to experience how those traditions continue to inform what people actually eat every day.

Eat on the street

To understand Tucson, you have to check out one (or more) of the many food trucks famous for Sonoran-style tacos, and lesser-known but equally addictive Sonoran hot dogs.

Sonoran Hot Dogs

The Sonoran hot dog — a bacon-wrapped hot dog tucked into a soft bolillo roll and loaded with beans, onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeño sauce — is more than a late-night indulgence; it����ap a product of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, most often traced to street vendors in Nogales in the 1980s and early 1990s who adapted the American hot dog using Mexican ingredients. As people, goods and ideas moved fluidly between Nogales and Tucson, the dish spread and evolved, finding a second home in Tucson, where stands like El Güero Canelo and El Sinaloense helped standardize its now-iconic form, an edible expression of border culture.

Taco stands

Taco stands are as essential here as any sit-down restaurant. Carne asada, al pastor and other staples are prepared with a precision that reflects generations of practice. These meals are quick, inexpensive and rooted in local and familial tradition.

Tacos Apson is the place to go for mesquite-grilled carne asada tacos, cooked while you watch and eagerly await — it����ap like culinary aromatherapy. 520 Taco Stop is all about quesabirria,  decadent grilled beef and cheese tacos served with a rich consommé for dipping. Tacqueria Pico de Gallo started as a food truck and still gives off that vibe even though it����ap now a sit-down spot. Watch corn tortillas being made by hand, perfect for tucking in small pieces of fried fish. The showstopper here is mojarra frita, whole fried fish, a dish that reflects Spanish frying techniques and made widely accessible through modern aquaculture.

Understand the landscape

Like most places, Tucson’s food scene doesn’t exist apart from its environment — it����ap shaped by it. Visit these two spots to learn more about Sonoran Desert ecology and Indigenous foodways.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Part zoo, part botanical garden, part natural history museum, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum provides a broader view of the ecosystem that makes this cuisine possible. Native plants like mesquite and prickly pear are presented not as novelties (even though they are new to most visitors), but as foundational elements of the food here.

San Xavier del Bac Mission

South of the city, San Xavier del Bac offers a glimpse into the Spanish colonial layer of Tucson’s history. Its surrounding lands were once agricultural, part of a system that introduced new crops while intersecting with existing Indigenous practices.

Why the future of food matters

IF YOU GO

Places to stay

: Central, historic, elegantly preserved.

Set in the foothills, offering a quieter, adobe-style desert luxury.

: Historic, central and connected to Tucson’s nightlife scene.

: A renovated mid-century property with a clean, modern feel.

When to go

Visit between November and April for mild temperatures and an active food scene. Spring brings desert blooms and vibrant markets. Summer is quieter — and intensely hot — but offers a more unfiltered sense of place.

In the mountains

Colorado’s 10 most popular hikes, according to AllTrails

Colorado waterfall hike: Copeland Falls best this time of year in early morning

This hiking trail near Red Rocks will help you get in shape for 14er season

Gorgeous Colorado hike reopens this summer with new rules for hiking, camping, human waste

An Estes Park getaway can be about more than just the outdoors

Camping

Gorgeous Colorado hike reopens this summer with new rules for hiking, camping, human waste

Forest service now charging $20 for dispersed camping in Homestake Valley

Within driving distance

These adult summer retreats can help Coloradans escape burnout

Big balloons will rise above Colorado’s heat this summer; watch ’em soar or take a ride

Looking for beach vibes? Here’s where to find them in landlocked Colorado

Movie-theater hotel adds vintage Airstreams, Quonset huts in San Luis Valley

Sleep in a treehouse, hike with llamas, stargaze and more summer whimsy

Pick your own flowers at these farms and garden centers in Colorado

Is city fishing safe? Yes, experts say, but there are updated guidelines to follow.

Big balloons will rise above Colorado’s heat this summer; watch ’em soar or take a ride

Here’s where to fish with kids near Denver

Summer fun

Biodegradable pickleballs, size-inclusive skorts made in Colorado and other sports gear we love

More women are playing padel than ever — and for good reason

Meet the Boulder dogs cast in this summer’s Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Gravel biking events are a hot commodity in Colorado this summer

Want to get off your phone? Learn blacksmithing or floral design at these Colorado classes and makerspaces.

Beyond Colorado

10 tree-house hotels in the U.S. for you to commune with nature in comfort

LAS VEGAS — Waylon Jennings is on the jukebox, singing about a good-hearted woman lovin’ her good-timing man as we take a seat at a cherry-wood bar pocked with some of Nevada’s most infamous cigarette burns. “She never complains of the bad times or bad things he’s done,” Jennings’ honeyed yet wizened purr reverberates beneath a tin ceiling. “She just talks about the good times they’ve had and all the good times to come.”

Bad things, good times — they do the dance here at the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings.

Evidence of the former is mounted on the wall: “Man killed at Goodsprings,” a framed newspaper story dating to 1915 reads, detailing an infamous shooting in this very bar. A jury acquitted the gunman: “Dead man said to have been drinking.”

Naturally.

The aforementioned cigarette burns tell another grim, well-circulated tale: They were left by actor Clark Gable in 1942 as he awaited the fate of his wife, actress Carole Lombard, who died in a plane crash on nearby Mount Potosi — the room next door doubles as a memorial for the two.

But right about now it����ap a shade past 7 p.m. on a Friday, so it����ap the good times we’re here to sift from the next few hours, taking our cue from the 10-foot-tall, stone miner out front, his gold pan filled with beer caps.

Embracing the past

As soon as you pass through the weathered, wooden front doors, a sense of history hits you in unison with the aromatic tang of homemade BBQ.

Opened in 1913, this is the oldest bar in Southern Nevada. It sits at 310 W. Spring St. (state Route 161) in Goodsprings, just west of Jean and about a 35-minute drive south of Vegas along Interstate 15.

As she pours drinks in front of a black-and-white photo of a young girl smoking a cigarette next to a rooster, our server tells us that the bar she places beers upon originated in Rhyolite in the late 1800s — meaning it predates Vegas itself by several decades.

Now, Vegas is a town posited on perpetual evolution — in a good way. To remain an entertainment capital demands consistent reinvention, the showroom’s neon glow begetting the nightclub’s flashing LEDs and so on and so forth.

But there’s a necessary balancing act between eyeing the future and embracing the past, which makes said future possible — and that����ap where a place like this comes in, as a counterweight to the eternal pursuit of what����ap next.

A simpler, slower time

And so the Pioneer Saloon thrives as an antiquity with a pulse — and by serving up quarter-pound Poltergeist Burgers (the place is ostensibly haunted, see).

It����ap a popular biker hang, though there are no Harleys parked out back tonight. Instead, a mix of regulars tucked into round wooden tables for supper commingle with 30-somethings sipping mimosas.

Even when bustling, there’s an ease about the room: A fella next to us at the bar sings along to a Chris Stapleton tune like he just can’t help himself. A sheepdog mix scampers around, nosing the stray French fry tossed its way.

Despite the Old West atmosphere, there are plenty of nods to modernity all around us: Enough movies and TV shows have been filmed here to fill a couple of IMDb pages, and a whole corner of the adjacent dining room comes piled high with memorabilia from the hugely popular “Fallout: New Vegas” video game — gas masks, action figurines, dented cans of pork and beans, etc. — in which the bar was featured, albeit as the Prospector Saloon.

“Fallout” fans still flock to the Pioneer in an annual pilgrimage of sorts, chronicling their visits in a logbook whose pages are thick with in-jokes — “All this rain really makes you wish for a nuclear winter,” a gamer named Renee wrote.

All this is to say that time doesn’t actually stop at the Pioneer Saloon — it just slows down a little.

And that����ap the whole point of coming here: to do the same.

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