The waters of the Arkansas River are warmer now than they’re likely to be all year long. But still cold enough to be super refreshing. We strongly recommend the cold plunge on a hot afternoon.

Some folks buy a beautiful piece of land and park a camper on it until they’re ready to build their dream home. Others just want to take a bath by the river.

Just 80 miles southeast of Salida is the sweet little town of Fort Garland, Colorado. The old army fort has been converted into a museum that offers eye-opening exhibits on local history and art. You can read about it in the August issue of Colorado Central Magazine.