The Rio Grande National Forest in southern Colorado contains spectacular scenery! Grab a copy of the Colorado Atlas and Gazetteer (published by DeLorme) and prepare for travel on dirt roads deep into the mountain wilderness far away from the maddening crowds. 

This wonderful guide breaks down the confusing web of forest roads to make navigation easy. Unlike GPS systems, a paper map never fails and I've yet to be misled by a trusty map that folds out and doesn't need a switch to turn on.

I once rescued four anglers from Texas near the headwaters of the Conejos River, and at the edge of the South San Juan Wilderness. These worried men were totally lost and forty miles from the paved road they thought they were headed towards, thanks to their GPS. They were actually at the dead end of a dirt road with only fifteen minutes of daylight left. They were mighty happy to meet somebody from their home state with a dependable map to show them the way! I often wonder how their trip turned out over several high mountain passes and on unfamiliar mountain roads in the dark.