Whatap cozier than a cabin or yurt in the winter? Colorado has many options for travelers to hunker down for a little vacation inside while embracing the frosty season outside.
Part of the fun of staying in a cabin or yurt is getting there, as these can be found in scenic locales such as state parks. A cabin is typically a wooden structure with maybe a single room or a couple of rustic rooms for sleeping, cooking meals, and relaxing after a day in the brisk outdoors. A yurt is a single circular room elevated dwelling with space for beds, downtime, and meal prep.
How you get to your destination will determine where you choose to stay. And, don’t be fooled by your summer experience, as some locations might have drive-up access in summer and trails only in winter.
What to pack for a winter cabin or yurt stay
Staying in a cabin or yurt in winter is a hybrid between glamping and traditional camping in a tent. You won’t get all the bells and whistles like a glamping experience, but you also will be warm and on a bed rather than on the ground.
Always read the “what to bring” or instructions once your reservation is secured, then load up the car:
Bedding. Keep it simple and toss the sleeping bags in, or bring sheets, pillows, and extra blankets. Although these lodgings will have beds and mattresses, many times the blankets and such are not included, so itap different than a hotel or house rental.
Toiletries. There’s a good chance that in the winter, your bathroom will be in an “out building” away from the yurt or cabin. Bring towels, shampoo, soap, and even toilet paper, just in case itap not provided. In case there’s no shower facility in winter, pack the dry shampoo too.
Food. You might need to bring your own cooler if a mini-fridge is not part of the package. Find out what type of cooking range you will use, as itap possibly an outdoor grill. Check if you need to bring your own fire materials too.
Communication. There may not be cell phone service or a signal, so be sure to communicate where you’re going and when you expect to return to others before departure. Consider bringing a device such as a Garmin inReach for emergencies.
Pets. Although you might be in a remote location, check ahead to learn if pets are allowed in these places.
Remember that at some of these accommodations, you are going to carry all of this on your back as you snowshoe or winter-hike in first, so choose lightweight options and distribute the weight among your group.
Easy access destinations
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has yurts available in nine of its 43 state parks. Of these, Golden Gate Canyon State Park and Mancos State Park have yurts that you can drive up to year-round. At Mancos State Park, you can spend a day exploring nearby Mesa Verde National Park (if it is open). Golden Gate Canyon State Park has both yurts and cabins you can stay in.
The lakeside cabins at Sylvan Lake State Park near Eagle can be accessed by car in winter, but see below for details on using their remote yurts in winter.
Steamboat Lake State Park has three charming cabins that are accessible in the winter when the road in is plowed, and you can peep at views of the lake from your rooms.
There are three large and well-equipped cabins tucked into the forests at Mueller State Park, west of Colorado Springs for rental year-round, and no hiking in is needed.
There are three heated yurts at Ridgway State Park in Ouray County, and they have a snowshoe loaner program so you can get out and explore the forests that surround you.
The YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby has rustic cabins and several yurts available but only the cabins are available year-round. Here, you have access to a Nordic center and your lodging comes with a trail pass to snowshoe or cross-country ski trails — many of which are pet-friendly. There is also snow tubing on site.
Work-for-it getaways
Strap on the snowshoes and head to some of these more remote locations for a winter stay in the Colorado wilderness. The accommodations and travel distances from the parking areas to the individual yurts and cabins will vary from park to park and within each park as the lodging is spread out.
At State Forest State Park, Yonder Yurts is the concessionaire for the nine yurts, including one that is a quarter of a mile from the parking area and is handicap accessible. Winter hikes to yurts will depend on the chosen trail and can be anywhere from half a mile to five miles away.
The Sylvan Lake State Park yurts are 4.5 miles from the parking area, so this spot is truly for the outdoor adventure enthusiasts who want to earn their lodging with some sweat equity.
Snowmobile or snowshoe into the yurts at Pearl Lake State Park near Clark. The distance can be as little as half a mile.
The Tennessee Pass sleep yurts are located 1.3 miles from the parking area, but the trails are groomed and you can opt to have your bags delivered rather than hauling them in yourself.
The accommodations listed here are just some of the cabin and yurt options available in Colorado. Explore what suits your interests and abilities for a winter getaway.
