Trinchera Reserve & Lodge opens luxury eco-resort in southern Colorado

An ultra-luxury eco-resort blending high-end hospitality with environmental conservation has opened in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

The 170,000-acre Trinchera Reserve & Lodge, one of the largest private conservation reserves in the U.S., features 16 rooms in the lodge, including a cocktail bar, libraries and the Schoolhouse – a dedicated wellness center with a fitness space, sauna and cold plunge.

The property also has two larger, multibedroom standalone homes available. The five-bedroom Lake House overlooks a private lake where guests are likely to see elk and bison. The four-bedroom Cat Mountain House is on a hillside with panoramic views of the San Luis Valley.

For backcountry excursions, the property offers two off-grid outposts. The Stone Cabin, at 11,700 feet, accommodates four guests with rustic amenities, including a wood-burning stove and creek-fed running water. Even higher is the two-person Guides Cabin overlooking the Winchell Lakes.

The property has more than 200 miles of trails, giving visitors the opportunity to experience a “high alpine safari” with private guides leading seasonal itineraries. They can choose from activities such as fly fishing for native Rio Grade cutthroat trout in the summer or cross-country skiing in the winter.

The reserve also offers stargazing experiences under certified Dark Sky conditions.

Trinchera offers guests regional airport transfers from Alamosa and Taos, New Mexico. The property operates as an all-inclusive resort, with standard double-occupancy rates starting at $2,000 a night covering all lodging, dining and daily guided wilderness activities.

The reserve was formed by combining the historic Trinchera and Blanca properties, which conservation philanthropist Louis Bacon purchased in 2007.

In 2012, Bacon authorized a 167,000-acre conservation easement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, marking the largest easement in the agency’s history. The land helps anchor an 800,000-acre protected corridor connecting the Great Sand Dunes National Park to northern New Mexico.