The wind-swept plains of Southeast Colorado are often overlooked by travelers seeking the slopes of the Rockies or the metropolitan attractions of Denver. Although it is much quieter than those areas, Southeast Colorado offers an exciting recreational lifestyle combined with a variety of accommodation and dining choices. The area's largest center, Pueblo, sits on the banks of the Arkansas River, which flows from the Rocky Mountains through area lakes and into Kansas. Lake Pueblo State Park and the San Isabel National Forest provide opportunities for hunting, boating and camping in the same areas that saw Spanish conquistadors, Colorado's first gold-seekers, in the 1540s. Each year for 10 days in late August, the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo hosts big name entertainers, a midway carnival, a live rodeo, exhibitors and agricultural shows. Visitors to the area will also find golf courses and guest ranches on hand.