Words That Play

As spring blossoms and summer beckons, it’s only natural to find yourself with symptoms of an age-old, seasonal affliction—a mind consumed with getting away to enjoy the great outdoors. This year, remedy your spring fever and summertime blues with a retreat to a place that’s off the beaten path; a refuge that’s unexpectedly abundant; an oasis in the desert. San Angelo is that place. This west Texas town has a history rich with native Americans, Spanish missionaries and frontier settlers. Situated on the banks of the Concho River and surrounded by three lakes, San Angelo offers lush natural beauty and a plethora of outdoor activities to cure even the worst case of “outdooritis.” No matter how you roll—whether it’s with a bed roll, a fifth wheel, a duffel bag or a spinner suitcase— San Angelo accommodates. And, who knows? You might just find a pearl... Go with the Flow The Concho River is the lifeline of this region and feeds the reservoirs that makes San Angelo a veritable ...

April showers bring May flowers, and when coupled with the melting snow cap around Great Falls , they also bring rushing rivers—a condition that fishing and floating enthusiasts dream of. Whether with kayak, canoe, raft or river dory, there’s plenty of the stuff to float your boat, and if waders are the way you roll, you might want to use a belt. The Wild & Scenic Missouri Elsewhere, the Missouri River may be called the “Big Muddy” but its cool, clear headwaters flowing through Great Falls are anything but. The Upper Missouri’s natural beauty could be why in 1976 Congress designated 149 miles downstream of Fort Benton as a “National Wild & Scenic River,” promising unspoiled and unobstructed waterway wilderness. Or maybe it’s for the river’s historic value? In 1805 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent weeks paddling the Missouri during their famed expedition, and today the river continues to be a celebrated place to dip an oar. Hire an outfitter for a multi-day ex...

You might know of Sedona for its red cliffs or for the special energy vortexes believed to exist there. These qualities certainly make the destination shine, but there’s another valuable element that makes Sedona sparkle—naturally flowing water. In a state where only 0.3% of the ground surface is water, water rules, and that makes Sedona a powerful Arizona destination in the summer. Sedona sits along the banks of Oak Creek, a tributary to the nearby Verde River—two of Arizona’s few perennial streams. Put all this together and you’ve got unique outdoor water adventures that make summer in Sedona downright cool. Mother Nature’s Water Parks While neighbors back home brave a super-chlorinated water park, in Sedona you can bring out your inner child at nature’s ultimate slip and slide. Located seven miles north of town, Slide Rock State Park is recognized by many authorities, including Travel Channel, as a top U.S. swimming hole. For thousands of years, the exhilarating water of O...