In this Colorado refuge, hiking trails wind around stone canyons that plummet down to a maze of rivers creating white-water rapids all to the back drop of the white-peaked Rocky Mountains. The Western Slope of Colorado, in the state's southwest, is home to much of the scenery, lifestyle and attractions that have made Colorado famous. The resort towns of Telluride and Silverton are well-known destinations in the San Juan mountains thanks to their selection of hotels, wide variety of restaurants and close proximity to activities like skiing, mountain biking, rafting, rock climbing and hunting. From abandoned mining towns scattered through the Rockies to the ruins of ancient civilizations on the flats of plateaus, there are plenty of sites to visit. Local attractions include the Mesa Verde National Park, the Canyons of the Ancient National Monument and the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park.