Surrounded by three million acres of National Forest and designated wilderness areas, nestled between the soaring cliffs that frame the Animas River Valley, Glacier Club offers luxury living amid authentic Rocky Mountain charm.

At this private golf community just 18 miles north of Durango, golf takes center stage with three of the most scenic nines in the Rockies. One artfully designed and lavishly maintained hole after another, crafted from scenic ponderosa groves, mountain meadows and dramatic rockscapes, each nine as challenging as they are alluring.

Just down the road, Durango, "a real town with real people," evokes memories of the Old West, with old storefronts, eclectic cafes, award-winning restaurants, art galleries, museums and historically-preserved homes and hotels. Northwards is Silverton, a gem of a mining town, linked to Durango via the 120-year-old Narrow Gauge Railroad. And within an easy day trip are such attractions as Mesa Verde National Park in the Four Corners area; the resort towns of Telluride, Ouray and Wolf Creek; and water activities and fishing on the Animas River and Navajo Reservoir. "Everything you want to experience when you come to the Rocky Mountain region is easily accessible from Glacier Club," says Malcolm Dunlevie, one of the developers behind the community.

Limited to some 400 residences, Glacier Club’s residential options range from townhomes to expansive custom homesites and custom homes. All building envelopes are designed to minimize impact on the land and maximize enjoyment of it, from stunning panoramas of the Animas River Valley to sightings of elk, eagles and other wildlife.

Durango, Colorado; 866-379-5723; TheGlacierClubLinks.com

Keystone Resort
Where the lazy days of summer are anything but

It’s summer, and the slopes at Keystone Resort in Vail Valley are filled not with skiers but mountain bikers and hikers, and the valleys are covered not with snow but high-country wildflowers. The "off-season" here is golf season, and Keystone’s two spectacular offerings have made it one of the country’s top golf resorts.

Keystone Ranch, the Resort’s acclaimed 1980 Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, winds its way through lodgepole pines, around sage-scented valley meadows with miles-long views and past the historic old log homestead that now houses the clubhouse and the Keystone Ranch Restaurant, one of the state’s finest and a destination in its own right. Keystone’s newer 18-hole layout, the River Course by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, gets its beauty from an environmentally-sensitive routing along the Snake River on the front nine and its drama from impressive elevation changes and jaw-dropping views of snow-capped peaks on the back nine.

These may be the lazy days of summer, but you can knock yourself out in many other pleasurable ways in the high-mountain air of Keystone. The resort offers a full menu of "Energetic Escape" packages for the summer. Choose from the "Giddy Up to Keystone" vacation for horseback riders, to specials for mountain bikers (with unlimited-run lift tickets that take you to Keystone’s world-class downhill trails) to Family Adventures that combine river-rafting, guided hikes and fly-fishing, among other treats.

Relax and rejuvenate from the high-altitude golf and other active escapes at the RockResort Spa. Newly renovated, the 10,000-square-foot haven offers special packages, called Rocky Mountain Journeys, that combine several signature spa treatments, such as the "Head in the Clouds," a five-hour indulgence that begins with a full-body Babassu Sugar Scrub to soften and cleanse the skin, followed by a full-body massage, customized facial, Heavenly Hands manicure and Sweet Feet pedicure. Find details and booking options for golf, the Energetic Escapes and the Spa’s special journeys at GolfKeystone.com.

Keystone, Colorado; 800-322-2094; GolfKeystone.com