Trinchera Reserve & Lodge | A First Look at this Colorado gem
This summer, I had the chance to visit Trinchera Reserve & Lodge as one of the first travel specialists after opening its doors in June of this year. I was spoiled by elevated but unfussy meals from the culinary team, an exceptional itinerary led by highly trained and friendly staff, and never-ending views of the expansive reserve that were nothing less than incredible. After only a few days, I was completely mesmerized.
Tucked against Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Trinchera has the scale to match its majestic setting. The 16-room mountain lodge sits on 172,000 acres of preserved land, with 200 miles of rivers and streams, three of Colorado’s famed fourteeners (14,000-foot peaks), and an expansive array of free roaming wildlife, making it feel like your own private national park.
Images provide by Trinchera Reserve & Lodge
There’s no check-in desk at Trinchera and that adds to the charm. You’ll arrive at a lodge that feels prepared just for you, greeted by a fire in the Great Room and a warm and welcoming staff. Designed by Jet Zarkadas and Jen Wilson of Los Griegos Studio, the lodge houses a prized American West art collection and carefully curated vintage pieces. The culinary team is led by Chef Bea and the menu is built around simple and locally-sourced ingredients, from fresh-caught river trout to butter hand-churned by the lodge’s Amish neighbors. A DarkSky Approved Lodging destination, I ended my evenings under miles of unbroken skies using the lodge’s five state-of-the-art telescopes. It was one of the best guided stargazing experiences I’ve ever had.
Images provide by Trinchera Reserve & Lodge
But what has stayed with me most is Trinchera’s long history of land preservation. American Conservationist Louis Bacon bought Trinchera from the Forbes family in 2007, then brought in biologists and foresters to restore its six ecological zones, from the valley floor to the alpine peaks. He authorized conservation easements across approximately 167,000 acres, linking the ranch to a corridor of protected public and private land that stretches some 800,000 acres. Four years ago, 40 bighorn sheep were introduced to the ranch; today, the herd numbers around 250. Trinchera also has an on-site lab run by a team of researchers. Guests can get a closer look at the work behind that recovery by joining the research team to experience first-hand the reserve’s conservation and stewardship efforts through projects like tree-coring and wildlife tracking.
Images provide by Trinchera Reserve & Lodge
The high-alpine safari landscape offers plenty to explore in every season. Through summer and fall, fly fish for Trinchera cutthroat trout or hike one of the reserve’s three fourteeners. In winter, when the ponds freeze, join a pickup hockey game on the ice, or explore the reserve by snowshoe, cross-country skis, or snowmobile. For a more intrepid choice, hike to Stone Cabin, the lodge’s backcountry outpost only reachable only on foot. To get a closer look at the active preservation efforts, join hikes led by conservation experts, coring trees and tracking wildlife. Keep an eye out, too, for the ranch’s roughly 20 bison, 20 mustangs, and herd of about 2,400 elk.
Images provide by Trinchera Reserve & Lodge
A picture cannot capture Trinchera and words fail to express the gift of a few days at this amazing away-from-it-all reserve.
If you’re ready to start planning your next luxury journey with a stop at Trinchera — I’m here to make it happen. Get in touch to start planning.