It’s still dark and the crisp midsummer mountain air is nipping at my cheeks. Through the tent canvas, I can hear horses quietly grazing, their bodies moving through tall grass. It’s morning, but barely, and I snuggle deeper under the covers and try to capture a few more minutes of shut-eye. Instead of shivering on the ground in sleeping bags atop air mattresses, my husband and I are comfortably nested deep into a king-size bed made up with 1,000 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, a pillowy duvet, and a Pendleton blanket pulled over the top.

Look, I’m a camping kind of girl. I love claiming a wild spot, setting up a tent, and gathering firewood. But glamping—the trendy mashup of glamor and camping that found its foothold pre-pandemic but has taken off since—is another thing entirely. And Collective Vail, a luxury outfitter open from June 1 to September 28 on 1,000 acres in Wolcott, is something special.

A couple of hours later, I wake to the sun’s warmth. With the promise of locally roasted coffee and homemade granola for breakfast, we unzip the canvaas  foyer, squint into the sunshine, and step out onto our porch. After nuzzling the horses on the other side of the fence, we pass a massive outdoor firepit ringed with Adirondack chairs as we walk a short eighth of a mile to the lodge, an elaborate, multi-roomed tent fashioned out of heavy canvas and ruff-hewn logs. If we had been feeling lazy, we could have called for a ride on a Polaris Ranger.

Other glamping operations exist in the valley, but Collective Vail is my personal favorite. The six king-size safari tents include not only en suite bathrooms with running water, flush toilets, and rain showers, but also a coffee and tea bar, Yeti coolers stocked with ice, and Navajo rugs on wooden plank floors. (A dozen smaller canvas bell tents, with queen or two twin beds, have communal bathrooms.) The staff is cheerful and knowledgeable about the area and the many offered activities, and they are seemingly always at the ready to refill your coffee mug or shake up a cocktail. 

Breakfast and dinner are taken on the lodge’s covered patio, and tables are situated with unobstructed views of high desert sage waving in the wind and the sprawling ranchland in the distance (Collective Vail leases land from 4 Eagle Ranch). Lunch is generally gourmet brown bag to be eaten on an adventure. My husband and I are headed out for a long trail run, so we tuck our stacked sandwiches and chips into a backpack. All the while, we recount our favorite bites from dinner the night before: The chef’s six-course tasting menu that began with ice-cold gazpacho drizzled with herb oil, followed by chamoy-roasted carrots and braised guinea hen, ending with brown sugar-glazed poached pear. Tonight, we’re signed up for Collective BBQ Boxes—hanger steak, sausages, chicken skewers—which we’ll grill at our leisure. (There’s also a vegetarian option; both are amply portioned and come with salads, sauces, corn on the cob, and rolls.) 

While we are out running, other guests relax with horseback riding, fly fishing, and even an indulgent afternoon activity called Bubbly and Branding, which involves branding your own wood cutting board while sipping prosecco and nibbling on a charcuterie platter. 

To say Collective Vail elevates the outdoors is an understatement. The resort, and glamping as a category, are a fit for anyone who appreciates both nature’s simplicity and the finer things in life.   

Take Your Pick

These local operations prove there’s more than one way to explore the outdoors.

Piney River Ranch

A popular destination for picturesque Colorado weddings, Piney River Ranch—on 40 bucolic acres at the foot of the Gore Range—also offers cozy lakeside cabins and three glamping tents (each tent sleeps four with a queen bed and two twins) along the shore of Piney Lake, with activities like fishing, canoeing, and SUPing. In March, USA Today ranked it among the top glamping destinations in the United States. 

Bair Ranch

This historic, 5,500-acre ranch was established in 1919 and continues to be a working sheep-herding operation while also ferrying adventurers into Glenwood Canyon and the surrounding area. The most prized experiences at Bair Ranch are the cowboy cookouts, reached via horseback or four-wheeler. There’s also a skeet shooting version for those looking to hone their shot. Primitive cabins and a multi-room lodge are available for rent via keylinkvr.com. 

4 Eagle Ranch

Western to its core, 4 Eagle Ranch has a large horseback riding operation as well as popular wagon ride dinners, line dancing, and winter sleigh rides. There’s also ziplining above Alkali Creek, fly fishing, off-roading, and wine tastings. The ranch’s two lodging options include glamping via Collective Vail (see above) and the ranch’s six-bedroom Homestead House. 

Sage Outdoor Adventures

While Sage doesn’t offer accommodations, “We’re a one-stop shop for activities,” says General Manager Nick Junker. The outdoor outfitter offers rafting on four rivers, fly fishing, horseback riding, and four-wheeling. In the winter, the private ranch is the valley’s premium spot for snowmobiling, complete with hot chocolate in the warm-up cabins. 

A.J. Brink Outfitters

Horseback riding (including overnight summer pack trips), guided hunting trips, and fishing are the primary draws for this outfitter exploring Sweetwater Lake and the surrounding Flat Tops Wilderness. Though the ranch offered lodging options in the past, that’s no longer the case. –AMF