Five minutes south of the Red Cliff Bridge off Highway 24, Homestake Road (Forest Road 703) is a relatively flat dirt track that winds through meadows and thick stretches of pines in a glacial valley. After a steep climb, the road dead-ends abruptly at Homestake Reservoir, a perpetual pool of snowmelt that provides water for the cities of Aurora—just east of Denver—and Colorado Springs. Since this is someone’s drinking water, no swimming or motorized boats are allowed. You can paddle a canoe or kayak out on the reservoir, but you’ll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the boat launch, as the road is extremely rough for the last quarter mile. You can also camp at primitive sites scattered along the road; just be aware that these fill up fast on weekends, and you’ll need to follow any fire restrictions once you pitch your tent for the night (fs.usda.gov).