It’s no secret that Colorado is an outdoor lover’s vacation hot spot.With four national parks, 42 state parks, access to eight national wildlife refuges, and over 300 state wildlife refuges, plenty of nature’s playground is available here for every kind of outdoor enthusiast.
According to a report compiled by the Colorado Tourism Office, 60% of overnight visitors participate in some outdoor activity in the state. That’s higher than the 48% national average.
Residents are lucky. We are usually no more than a 30-minute drive from a natural scenic location where we can bike, hike, camp, birdwatch, raft, paddleboard, or stargaze.
A new breed of accommodations is beginning to fill the needs of campers and outdoor recreational enthusiasts who desire a more immersive natural location to stay overnight — a place that plants them in the place where they want to play and relax.
Answering this call are glamping resorts near national parks, modern cabins set in a forest, private upscale campgrounds, and adventure hotels focused on the outdoor experience.
From major renovations and additions to brand-spanking-new, we present a sampling of Colorado lodging for those seeking a connection with the outdoors, whether tent camping or a luxury resort.
Trailborn Rocky Mountains and Rocky Mountains Outpost
This new hotel company chose Colorado to develop its first property. The Rocky Mountains and Rocky Mountains Outpost debuted in Estes Park in late 2023.
Trailborn is a new outdoors-focused hotel brand for adventure and nature lovers with sustainability in mind. Every location is planned with environmentally responsible construction, green building standards, and renewable energy to power each property.
Near the east entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, the two new properties offer 86 guest rooms (40 at Trailborn Rocky Mountain and 46 at Trailborn Rocky Mountains Outpost).Think of it as a luxury landing pad for mountain adventures nearby.
Head to the national park, then return for a swim in the outdoor pool. Relax in one of the outdoor spaces — on the patio, porch, or by the communal fire pit.
Find eats and libations on-site at the restaurant, cafe, and bar and complimentary nightly campfire s’mores.
Outdoor thrills: Trailborn partnered with local tour operators and guides to create seasonal outdoor experiences. Options include memorable hikes via ferrata, fishing, and makers classes like a wood-burning workshop. Book them in advance.
Estes Park. Open all year, staytrailborn.com
Ramble Colorado Campgrounds
Ramble is a new campground experience launched last summer in Mosca, close to Great Sand Dunes National Park.
It’s adding to the campground collection with a new site location debuting in July near Mesa Verde National Park and plans to open more in coming years.Set in spacious, secluded natural surroundings, the campgrounds are intended to serve as a basecamp for adventurous outings near national parks, state parks, and wildlife refuges.
Unlike campgrounds, where sites are right next to each other, Ramble campsites are purposefully designed to be at least 100 feet apart so campers can pitch their tents and set them up in a natural environment that offers more space and privacy.
The Great Sand Dunes location has 25 campsites, and the Mesa Verde location offers 28 campsites.
Ramble ticks the boxes for the serious camp crowd by providing little luxuries in the wilderness, like a bath house with flushing toilets, private hot showers, a camp store for assorted sundries, and water refill stations.
Each campsite includes a shaded canvas picnic structure, dining table, camp chairs, tent pads, fire pit, and kitchen area with stove and grill. Plus, it’s dog-friendly. After activities, Fido can even enjoy a rinse-off at designated areas.
Outdoor thrills: The new Mesa Verde location has direct campground access to the legendary Phil’s World Simon Draw Trailhead, which is popular for mountain biking.
Ramble, Sand Dunes, open May-October; Ramble at Mesa Verde opens in July. ramble.camp
Outside Design Modern Cabins
Every individually crafted cabin produced by the creators of Outside Design is designed specifically for the spot it’s located on within their little enclave of national forest just a 15-minute drive from downtown Salida.
To say it’s a cabin seems almost like a misnomer. The smartly designed compact interior allows enough space to be comfortable while focusing on the natural experience of the outside.
“We try to make it feel like you are outside, even if you are not,” says Benjamin Cherrey, creator and designer with the company.
Windows are a priority. Most cabins have, on average, five, some with six-foot tall windows. The cabin-style glamping experience is perfect for those who want cabin comforts while immersed and connected to their natural environment.
“The outdoor square footage is almost always bigger than the indoors says Cherrey. Each dwelling has a deck or expanded space, where most offer an outdoor hanging bed or hammock to gaze at forest views.
Surrounded by national forest on three sides, the privately owned company designs and builds the cabins.To date, there are nine sizes to choose fromin. Each year, a few more are planned to be added to the collection.In 2024, Outside Design will debut two new cabins: Hillside House and Courtyard Casita, each with its unique design personality.
Outdoor thrills: Relish the peaceful forest setting or hike or mountain bike one of the many trails in the area, then soak in nearby hot springs.
Salida. Open all year. outsidedesign.co
Dunton Hot Springs
Not every day, you can stay in a 19th-century Colorado ghost town set deep within an alpine valley of the San Juan Mountains — and want to.
Once a mining camp, the restored town took seven years to transform into Dunton Hot Springs luxury resort.All the log buildings were restored. The cabins, each with a distinctive personality, circle the original saloon and dance hall.At the same time, you can enjoy the on-site hot springs in multiple ways, including the restored Bath House, outdoor pools, and even one of the cabins.
But the star of the show is the beauty of the mountain setting, where you can hike from your doorstep or mountain bike on lung buster trails, fly fish, climb a 14er, or horseback ride nearby trails.Then, head to the spa for a therapeutic body treatment. And do it all over again the next day.
Over the past year, Dunton has been busy with multi-million dollar restorations. It remodeled all cabins, and completed soft goods renovations, Plus, a brand new cabin was added to the line-up. The historic Saloon & Dance Hall, Dunton’s main “lodge,” where its full-service restaurant and bar are located, was completely renovated, including a complete kitchen re-haul.
Outdoor thrills: You don’t have to go far. Walk outside the cabin door and breathe in the fresh mountain air while you take in spectacular, high-peak views.
Dunton. Open all year. duntondestinations.com
Rustic Rook Glamping Resort
Motivated by their love for hiking and camping in Colorado’s great outdoors, Annette and Judah Ostrander created their version of an outdoor campground experience.After purchasing a property near Great Sand Dunes National Park, the couple built a glamping resort.
“The area already had RV camping and tent camping, but no glamping. We didn’t want to take away from the other businesses, we wanted to add options to the area,” Annette Ostrander said.
Rustic Rook opened in 2020 and offers two canvas glamping tent options.Both are spacious and sleep up to five people. They offer mountain and sand dune views, some with private bathrooms and separate kids’ tents.Extra creature comforts like a complimentary hot breakfast with coffee, bedding and towels, a campfire stove with wood, USB chargers, and lanterns create a cozy stay.
A new lodging option is set to rent for summer 2024. Five unique refurbished farm grain bins with heating and air-conditioning will be available at the resort. The two-story layout includes a first-floor living area, shower/bathroom, and a bedroom on the second floor with a king bed.
A telescope is provided for stargazing. Outside perks include a charcoal grill, a picnic table, and a shaded concrete patio facing the dunes and mountains.
Outdoor thrills: Stargazers will enjoy the dark night skies at this glamping outdoor haven. Check resort dates for free night sky photography classes.
Great Sand Dunes National Park. Open May through late September. rusticrookresort.com
Originally Published: June 20, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
