| Not all travel destinations are packed full | | | | line. From here you can continue into the |
| of tourists. In fact, not all of them are | | | | tundra environment of Goat Meadows, or into a |
| even on the map. I have had an interest in | | | | seemingly endless wilderness of mountains and |
| these "secret" places since I first | | | | lakes. You'll rarely have any company other |
| discovered two little lakes high in the hills | | | | than bears, birds and mountain goats. |
| and cliffs north of Ishpeming, Michigan. No | | | | |
| trails even lead to these, and there was a | | | | Alamogordo, New Mexico |
| trout on the line ten seconds after the cast. | | | | |
| | | | This is not at the top of most tourists |
| Other travel destinations are not so | | | | lists, which is good for those of us that |
| isolated, but they are still generally | | | | like our travel destinations to be uncrowded. |
| overlooked by most tourists. This was true of | | | | It is a great little town, however, and a |
| Yelapa, Mexico when I went there in 1981. The | | | | great base from which to explore the |
| beaches were uncrowded, you could buy fresh | | | | surrounding area. It is also a nice place to |
| fish for dinner from the fishermen in the | | | | escape the winter, since it rarely snows or |
| afternoon, and a palapa (thatched-roof house) | | | | gets too cold here. |
| rented for about $100 per month. The | | | | |
| surrounding jungle had waterfalls you could | | | | You can check out the little zoo right in |
| swim under. No roads lead there, but there | | | | town for a relaxing afternoon. There is also |
| was a daily boat from nearby Puerto Vallarta. | | | | an Imax Theater on the north side of town |
| | | | (watch for the signs), and you probably won't |
| Yelapa, alas, has been discovered and overrun | | | | have any long lines to wait in. On Saturdays |
| with tourists now. Often being one myself, I | | | | from June to October you can visit the |
| have nothing against tourists. But when the | | | | Farmers market at the county fairgrounds. |
| crowd gets too thick I prefer the more secret | | | | |
| places. Here are some examples of a few of | | | | If you want to get up above the desert, drive |
| these travel destinations that are still | | | | the thirty minutes or so up to Cloudcroft in |
| undiscovered. | | | | the nearby mountains, or go a little further |
| | | | the observatory at Sunspot, or to the Casino |
| Storm Lake | | | | in Ruidoso. If you time it right, you can |
| | | | bask in the sun one day in Alamogordo and be |
| Anaconda, Montana is a fun destination by | | | | skiing the next day at the Cloudcroft Ski |
| itself. You can rent a room above the Harp | | | | Area. |
| and Thistle Pub for $140 for the week (as of | | | | |
| August 2007) and be within walking distance | | | | For an unusual destination, you can visit the |
| of at least ten casinos with nickel slot | | | | Trinity Test Site, where the first nuclear |
| machines, as well as a new brew pub and | | | | bomb was exploded. It is about an hour north |
| restaurant (Rocky Mountain Brewing). Two | | | | of Alomogordo, down possible confusing dirt |
| blocks away, the Washoe Theater, considered | | | | roads, and it is only open a day or two each |
| one of the most beautiful in the country by | | | | year, so you'll have to do your homework. To |
| the Smithsonian Institute, charges just $4 | | | | the west of town is the White Sands National |
| for a movie, and 90 cents for a small | | | | Monument, with its truly amazing dunes of |
| popcorn. A Jack Nicholas-designed golf course | | | | white sand. |
| (The Old Works Golf Course) is just at the | | | | |
| edge of this small town. | | | | Other Secret Travel Destinations |
| | | | |
| If you really want to escape, though, drive | | | | Here in our hometown of Canon City, Colorado |
| 14 miles west on Highway 1. When you see the | | | | there is an area (Red Canyon Park) just ten |
| sign that says "Storm Lake," turn there. It's | | | | miles out of town that has fantastic red rock |
| nine miles to the lake (stay left when the | | | | formations like those in the more famous |
| road splits), but you may need high clearance | | | | Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs. |
| for the last mile (although we used to make | | | | The difference? You won't ever feel crowded |
| it there in our Ford Escort). There will | | | | in this park, and you can climb on the rocks |
| usually be a few locals at the lake, but | | | | all you want, and explore slot canyons as |
| you'll always find a place to park. | | | | well. How do you find out about travel |
| | | | destinations like this? Talk to the locals |
| The lake sits at about 8,000 feet, and is | | | | when you are traveling. |
| known locally for its cutthroat trout. Hike | | | | |
| the trail along the right side and on the | | | | Copyright Steve Gillman. The free Travel |
| other side you'll find the Anaconda-Pintler | | | | Secrets Ebook has more on hidden |
| Wilderness Area. Less than hour up the trail | | | | |
| you'll reach Storm Lake Pass, at the tree | | | | Travel Destinations. |