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