From this campground southwest of Gunnison, you’re just 10 minutes from Blue Mesa Reservoir and the 40-pound-plus trout that make this big, cold lake one of Colorado’s top fishing holes. The rainbows in the KOA fishing pond are a tad bit smaller. Sneak a peek while cruising around on a paddleboat. KOA rents bikes and features an off-leash dog park. Hike, bike or go rafting in the area too.

Drive out the campground gate and any turn you take leads toward spectacular scenery. To the west, the sheer rock walls of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison plummet some 2,500 feet to the Gunnison River. Crested Butte, a 19th-century mining town surrounded by peaks, lies a half-hour’s drive north. Keebler Pass provides some of the best autumn aspen color in the Rocky Mountains.