Get away to Creekside Tall Pine Cabin, perched on Shadow Mountain amid Pike National Forest’s pines and aspens. Updated with lots of contemporary touches, these delightful digs are almost 100 years old (built in 1932!) but you'd never guess it. Just miles from Conifer, this home away from home provides the tranquil retreat you’ve been dreaming of.
Covered in vertical slabs of tree-bark siding and set beside a cascading creek, this cabin offers all the rustic vibes with plenty of modern comforts. Cross the bridge — boasting railings made of aspen branches — to the cabin’s spacious wraparound porch. Lounge on cushioned deck chairs as you bask in the glorious sunshine. Toward the back, sliding glass doors lead inside to high, lodge-style ceilings, an extra-plush leather sofa and end tables resembling tree stumps. During chillier months, you’ll love the in-floor heating (warm toes!) and beds piled high with pillows and woven blankets.
This is not a cookie-cutter hotel room. Whether you’re diving into the stack of board games, indulging in a relaxing bubble bath in the clawfoot tub or discovering the comfy hammock that invites afternoon snoozing, you can feel the extra care that went into creating this magical abode.
It’s the urge to unplug and reconnect, both with nature and loved ones. While you’ll have no problem accessing reliable Wi-Fi, with the cabin’s cozy charms and magnificent surroundings of mountain and forest, you may want to instate your own no-screens rule during your trip.
Take a family walk and follow the creek as it winds between towering evergreens. Catch up with your posse over glasses of wine and crunchy graham-cracker s’mores around the backyard firepit. Or cook up a sizzling dinner on the barbecue grill and eat picnic-style on the expansive porch.
Imagine sitting on the private deck to enjoy a pleasantly cool morning. Your hands are wrapped around a steaming mug of hot tea or coffee as you breathe in the pine-scented air and listen to the gentle splashes and burbles of the water below cascading over rocks. Lean back and watch as nature flows around you — an elk tromps through the woods nearby or squirrels chitter to each other in the trees.
While it’s hard to find a spot without a spectacular view here, the best panoramas, hands down, are from the five-person hot tub. As you soak amid the bubbles and massaging water jets at night, gaze above you and marvel at the starry cosmos. Make a wish on a shooting star or seek out the season’s brightest constellations. During the day, this serene spot offers expansive views of the surrounding pine forest and the tumbling waters of the creek.
You don’t have to be out adventuring all the time. Sit around the living-room table and break out a puzzle, read a book or play a game. Make it an extra-special experience with some hot cocoa and a cheerful wood fire crackling in the stone hearth.
“We had a fabulous time. Pictures don’t do this place justice. The setting is peaceful and stunning. The location is great for a day trip to Denver, the surrounding towns and hiking. The hot tub was perfect after a long day. Our two kids had a blast playing in the little creek, making s’mores and playing on the swing.” — Page, airbnb
From your peaceful forest getaway, enjoy scenic drives to many popular and lesser-known adventure spots. Cruise along winding mountain roads to Denver and explore restaurants, museums and more in the Mile High City.
Make your way to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre for concerts with views you’ll remember forever and fossil-filled hiking during the day.
There’s also plenty to do if you prefer being closer to your homey vacation rental. Head to nearby Beaver Ranch Park for disc golfing, ziplining or hiking easy to moderate trails such as the Goshawk and Screech Owl Loop or the Castro Creek and Pine Elfin. At Staunton State Park, you’ll find mountain biking trails, an archery range and a pond for fishing.
Don’t feel like cooking after a day of outdoor escapades? Stop in town to savor topping-stacked specialty pizzas and pints of refreshing beers at Snowpack Taproom & Pizzeria or hearty Reuben sandwiches, body-warming soups and juicy burgers at Brooks Place Tavern.
Photos courtesy of airbnb