Welcome to the Rockies

The Wild West is still alive and well in America's Rocky Mountains. The lawlessness might have gone, and so have the grizzled miners, maverick mountain men and fleet-footed outlaws, but the pioneering spirit, the sense of freedom and the chance to commune with nature in its rawest, most rugged form, still endure.

Today's travelers can appreciate the many rag-tag mountain towns, with their colorful gingerbread architecture, whose one-time saloons, brothels and gambling dens have now been turned into coffeehouses, outdoor stores and galleries, but the real pleasures lie in the glut of winter and summer outdoor recreation on their doorstep.

Here, thousands of miles of spectacular trails offer perfect conditions for hiking and mountain biking until winter piles huge quantities of fluffy powder snow onto some of the world's most incredible cross-country and downhill ski terrain. With all this beckoning and the climate generally very sunny, it's no surprise that the Rocky Mountain states have become America's premier outdoor playground over the last couple of decades - luring millions of young and free-spirited migrants from both coasts in the process.

The mountain range itself emerges well north of the US-Canada border, before rumbling its way through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, then petering out in New Mexico's deserts, almost 1,500 miles away. En route it incorporates an astonishing array of landscapes - not just soaring peaks, flat-top mountains and hulking foothills - but also geyser basins, lava flows, arid valleys and huge sand dunes. This diverse geological grandeur and drama is enhanced by the wildlife that lives in the region's abundant fir and aspen forests - which includes deer, elk, moose, bison, bear and wolves.

Survival guide

Attempting to rush around every national park and major town is a sure-fire way in which to miss out the Rockies' real delight, which is soaking up the pace of the place. Instead home in on one small area and take time to coax a car over precipitous mountain passes; watch stars from around the crackling fire of a backcountry campsite; and find somewhere to hike all day where you're unlikely to see a soul. Doing any of this is easy in the Rockies.

Almost everywhere you go, you'll find affordable accommodation, a good range of restaurants, outfitters to cater to every need and friendly tourist information centers to point you in the right direction. However, a little online research and booking can save money on major costs like hiring a car - which is virtually essential given the region's skeletal public transport - and recommended anyway to get you off the beaten track and give you the flexibility to pause when you want.

Most people visit the Rockies when the temperatures are at their highest (up to hundred degrees Fahrenheit June-August) or when the snow is at its best for winter sports (January-March), but arriving outside these times will help you avoid crowds and benefit from shoulder-season prices - particularly in the region's national parks.

Springtime is also a great time to visit - the skiing is often excellent well into April when snowmelt transforms into the spring runoff producing whitewater-heaven for rafters and kayakers on the region's many great rivers.

You'll need to consider bearing the climate in mind once you're there too, since mountain weather can produce wild variations in temperatures and conditions - and, of course, colder temperatures at higher elevations where the intensity of the sun can still be uncomfortably fierce.

The altitude itself is also high enough to require a period of acclimatization. So pack warm gear and sun-screen, drink lots of water and take it easy.