Campe Diem

This off-grid campground makes a great base for driving over tarmac-free terrain, so feel free to bring your own four-wheel drive or chat to the owners about off-road safaris in the surrounding area. For other high-adrenaline activities in the local area, you could get in touch with expert local guides in Fort Garland (10 minutes' drive) to book onto a hunting trip, or cross over into New Mexico and head to Red River Ski and Summer Area (an hour and five minutes) for a range of active options. History and heritage also abound in this part of the American West – nearby San Luis (20 minutes) is oldest continuously occupied town in Colorado and is home to the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross, a Spanish-style adobe church reflecting this area's deep Hispanic roots. For landscapes and scenery, meanwhile, turn to Great Sand Dunes National Park (45 minutes), a spectacular mix of grasslands, wetlands, lakes and tundra. En route, you'll pass Blanca Peak (30 minutes), which has a popular hiking back trail of its own, as well as the gorgeous Zapata Falls (40 minutes).