Rifle

At the base of the White River Plateau, about an hour northeast of Grand Junction, Rifle is where ranchers gather, deer and elk hunters talk guns and campers stock up for adventures in the surrounding White River National Forest. For maps and information on the huge White River National Forest, stop by the Rifle Visitor Information Center.

About 15 miles north of town, you'll come across the Rifle Gap State Park. Camping, fishing and boating on the reservoir are popular here, as is spelunking next door at Rifle Falls State Park's limestone caves formed by a 50-foot waterfall.

The Rifle Creek Museum, in the town's former city hall, exhibits area history with themed rooms that showcase everything from American Indian artifacts to an old-fashioned general store.