Southwest Colorado. The area's beauty amazes, transfixing the eye in an endless metamorphosis of colors and shapes. Brush-stubbled mesas yawn open, creating impossibly deep stone canyons. Hot springs bubble up from sources unseen. Ghost towns and abandoned mines litter the San Juan Mountains, while on the high flats of the Colorado Plateau, nameless ruins bear witness to an ancient civilization. Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, and the Anasazi Heritage Center make this area an archaeologist's dream. People are always on the move-biking, hiking, running, climbing, flying, boating, even occasionally working-yet nobody is in a hurry. Telluride, Silverton, and Ouray-the divine trinity of the San Juans-pair stunning physical beauty with high culture, making them attractive retreats for starving artists and CEOs alike. Down the hill, Durango offers Western congeniality, with just a hint of rebellious frontier spirit. Spend a few days in these upbeat locales and you'll be convinced (like we were) that anything is possible.