Camp View, Ouray, Colorado

In May, this river was rushing with enough force to churn boulders, and carry tree trunks down the mountain. The first time I camped here, I had to move the tent uphill because the river kept rising, well after dark, and threatened to flood the camp. By late fall, all the snow has melted from the peaks, and the river is bone dry.

Ouray is a historic mining town in western Colorado, near the edge of the Great Basin Desert. While there's no skiing, Ouray is popular for camping and backpacking, is a quaint town, and has a plethora of hotels with hot springs.