Luxurious Adobe Lodgings in San Juan Mountains

The Hollywood producers behind the 1962 epic film How the West Was Won needed a shooting location that would do justice to the film's huge budget and star-studded cast. They found a stunning backdrop amid the San Juan Mountains in a tiny town called Ridgway, where bighorn sheep, deer, and elk roam the green fields south of town. At Chipeta Solar Springs Resort, you can see some of the film's iconic vistas from the resort’s 102-acre property, which is dotted with adobe-style lodges.

Each lodge exudes southwestern style through its rough adobe walls, tiled baths, and knotted-wood furnishings. Some lodgings overlook the property’s solarium, while the Loghill and Mears rooms feature private covered porches looking toward the mountains. For the best view, head to the rooftop of the Four Corners Café, an onsite restaurant manned by chef Adrian Musgrove, who recently won the Master Chef competition at the annual Taste of Ouray. If you’re undecided on what to choose from Four Corners' menu, Chipeta Solar Springs general manager Roger Gardner recommends chef Adrian’s Cajun shrimp, followed up by a signature mojito at Skybar.

The resort's spa provides massage treatments with herbal oils, marble stones, and other natural elements. Just as soothing and earthy are Chipeta's saltwater thermal pools, which are heated by solar panels. And inside the solarium, you can enjoy an aromatic tea while sitting in a two-story room teeming with indigenous plants.

Ridgway, Colorado: Old West Town near Telluride Ski Area

Known as the “Gateway to the San Juans,” Ridgway lies between the Cimarron and San Juan ranges in southwestern Colorado's Uncompahgre Valley. At nearby Ridgway State Park, outdoor enthusiasts fish for rainbow trout or hike along 14 miles of mountain trails bordered by summer’s blooming cacti. Keep an eye out for native wildlife; you might spot coyotes, elk, or mountain lions throughout the park.

The Telluride Ski Resort lies about an hour to the south. Although the resort is most popular in the winter, the summer and fall reveals entirely different colors of the mountain. Visitors during these seasons enjoy ATV riding, biking, and camping. The resort also hosts the Telluride Golf Course at 9,000 feet above sea level, which means less resistance to shots and longer drives.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.