Local Places to Glamp

I can sum up my idea of camping in three words: The Four Seasons! If you’re like me, a vacation isn’t a vacation without running water, electricity, and the luxury of all luxuries, a toilet. I don’t care how majestic the mountain, how pristine the snow, or how fragrant the wildflowers; if my creature comforts are missing, Colorado can keep its outdoor beauty to itself. Luckily, more and more companies cater to people like me. They create the perfect glamping getaways by balancing adventure with luxury.

Tents

They look like something straight out of Arabian Nights, but instead of sand, these tents are surrounded by snow in the winter and pastures in the summer. Tucked inside the Colorado mountains, about 20 miles west of Vail, you’ll find chandelier-lighted tents. You will not be living like a Bedouin here. The tents are draped in soft white, billowy material and include electricity, a private bathroom, a romantic wood stove, and even an outdoor deck with a private campfire. In addition to daily breakfast, coffee, snacks, and water, you’ll be treated to a complimentary wine tasting. Rates per tent begin at $500 and can be booked through GlampingHub.com, a company that coordinates nearly 300 glamping sites.

Tipis (Teepees)

For a more adventurous and budget-friendly experience, you can book a Native American Tipi through the same website for as little as $38 a night. The family-owned luxury tipis are located between Gunnison and Blue Mesa Lake. Each sleeps four and are furnished with futons or beds, a propane log fire, and electricity.

Yurts

Yurts are traditionally portable, round tents that Mongolian nomads use to follow their herd. In Colorado, several companies offer yurts for more pleasurable endeavors. Tennessee Pass Sleep Yurts are nine miles west of Leadville and about a million miles from the nomadic lifestyle. You can lie under a down comforter while watching the stars from a skylight. Each sleeps six and comes with wood stoves, firewood, propane cook stoves, and cookware. If you don’t want to cook, a gourmet cookhouse is just down the road and will bring room-service meals right to your yurt. Yurts cost $225 a night. Meals are extra. TennesseePass.com

Less glamorous yurts dot the state. They range from $85 to $175 a night. Most sleep six and include beds and propane stoves. A 5.5-mile hike will land you in Leadville Backcountry Yurts with thousands of mountainous acres to climb, ski, or simply explore. Never Summer Nordic Yurts offer the big, round tents about 75 miles west of Fort Collins. You can even find them along the Continental Divide. Wolf Creek Backcountry Yurts are a one-mile hike or three-mile ski up the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado. These yurts come with hut shoes and unlimited access to backcountry skiing.

Cabins

Cabins and ranches can be found across the state, but when it comes to ultra-luxury, two stand out. The Broadmoor’s all-inclusive Ranch at Emerald Valley offers 10 cabins along a secluded, private lake in Pike National Forest. Rates begin at $500 per person and include gourmet meals prepared by chefs from the longest-running property in the world with a 5-star lodging ranking. Eight miles from Colorado Springs’ Broadmoor, guests can hike, bike, ride horses, swim, fly fish, sit in a hot tub, or sip a fine wine on one of the outdoor patios. This may be the only cabin community that offers its own concierge. Broadmoor.com/Experience-The-Ranch

Ranch

As far as ranching goes, Dunton Hot Springs doesn’t just offer a ranch — it offers a whole town! The former mining settlement just outside Telluride is comprised of cabins, safari-style tents, a dance hall, a saloon, and activities that range from skiing to horseback riding. Ranked the number one all-inclusive ranch in the US by TripAdvisor in 2012, it’s still one of the best high-end ranching experiences around. Prices start at $700 per person and can go as high as $22,000 if you want to rent the entire town. DuntonHotSprings.com