Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Colorado

Horseback riding lessons, indoor heated riding arena, cooking classes, Adventure Center, children’s programming, seasonal pool

Situated on 540 acres in the middle of Routt National Forest, about 25 miles north of Steamboat Springs, Vista Verde is perfect for families seeking an active, customized vacation. Featuring 12 private log cabins with decks and hot tubs, plus three lodge rooms, the property combines the feel of a mountain retreat with the finer aspects of a luxury property. Horse lovers will especially enjoy the resort’s combination of high-end touches and true ranch experiences.

Vista Verde is known for its extensive activity offerings. These include horsemanship clinics, trail riding, hiking, mountain biking, fly-fishing, and yoga in summer and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh riding, tubing, cooking classes, and ice fishing in winter. All are included in the price of your stay. 

Family members can hang out together or go their separate ways thanks to supervised children’s programming that includes hayrides, scavenger hunts, and panning for gold, as well as teen-only campouts. Couples traveling without children should plan a visit for one of Vista Verde’s adults-only windows from January to mid-February or from late August to late October.

Fly-fishing gear free for guest use, board games, horseshoes

Devoted to preserving the land’s vitality and history, Badger Creek is not a resort but a real working ranch in central Colorado’s Arkansas Valley. It’s ideal for guests wanting a true ranch experience or just a quiet escape from civilization. Located roughly 20 miles northeast of Salida, the ranch’s goal is to provide guests with a connection to the land, whether that means getting their hands dirty helping to fix fences and feed sheep, or taking advantage of all the activities the ranch has to offer.

Badger Creek deserves plaudits for its philosophy that it’s a steward of the land. It practices green living by relying on solar power for its energy and implementing sustainable agricultural practices, like serving farm-fresh eggs, locally grown produce, and ranch-raised beef, pork, and chicken. (Meals for guests with dietary restrictions are available.) The lodge serves breakfast and dinner, while lunch is packed for riding guests and served picnic-style for non-riding guests.

Whether on a horseback trek or a self-guided hiking or fishing adventure, guests will be treated to gorgeous views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range. They can also explore lands rich in Native and early American history, like a buffalo jump, and spot wildlife like bears, elk, bighorn sheep, and birds of prey.

Indoor and outdoor riding areas, tennis and basketball courts, zip line, ropes course, archery, on-site Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing, full-service spa

Homesteaded around the turn of the 20th century and opened in 1919 as F Slash Ranch, this Granby area resort keeps the traditions of the American West alive. Named C Lazy U since 1946, the property provides guests with a wealth of activities, including cattle pushing, hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The main activity here is horseback riding. Kids ages 3 to 5 can enjoy pony rides, while older kids go on guided trail rides and receive lessons according to their age and skill level. 

When not riding, children are kept busy from sunrise to sunset with supervised archery, scavenger hunts, cookouts, hayrides, and dips in the pool in summer and ice-skating, sledding, and biathlon in winter. Teen programming includes hiking, overnight camping trips, white water rafting, and visits to a local rodeo.

The property offers 38 guest accommodations, from individual rooms to private cabins that were remodeled in 2021. C Lazy U serves sweet and savory breakfasts, hearty dinners paired with sommelier-recommended wines, and ice cream at the Patio House for dessert. Additional amenities include complimentary riding and sports gear, shuttle service, and a seasonal on-property photographer to snap photos of all the fun.

Two on-site restaurants, game room, movie theater, petting zoo, lawn games, fitness center, indoor/outdoor heated pool, full-service spa

Located on 6,500 acres of privately owned wilderness at the base of the Continental Divide, this year-round guest ranch, resort, spa, and corporate retreat is a world-renowned cross-country skiing destination, offering 75 miles of Nordic trails along Ranch Creek Valley. In addition to cross-country skiing, guests can snowshoe, ice-skate, go skijoring, and ride fat bikes. During the summer, they can zip-line, hike, do paddleboard yoga, and participate in authentic ranch activities like horseback riding and cattle driving. For an additional fee, private tours like guided fly-fishing trips and excursions to Rocky Mountain National Park are available.

Devil’s Thumb is fantastic for families thanks to an on-site movie theater that shows family favorites and classic Westerns and a game room with air hockey, foosball, and a mini bowling alley. There’s also a half-day Cowpoke Camp for kids ages 5 to 12. Families particularly love the ranch’s pony rides and winter sleigh rides, as well as the chance to feed the horses and pet farm animals in the stables.

Sustainable practices are evident throughout the property. Reclaimed wood and stone were used as building materials, barns assembled from reclaimed Civil War-era timber serve as event space, and the saltwater pool is heated using geothermal energy. The ranch also raises a herd of Wagyu cattle in a stress-free natural environment, and much of the food served here has been grown locally or on-property. There are even beehives!

Spa specializing in natural treatments, restaurant with open kitchen, trip-planning services, charcuterie workshops

Roughly 30 miles southwest of Telluride, this former ghost town turned Relais & Châteaux resort in the San Juan Mountains is about as upscale as you can get in Colorado. The area was settled in the late 19th century by miners chasing fortune, but today it’s the property’s remoteness that draws visitors to this serene setting along the West Dolores River.

The resort features 12 restored cabins and one luxury tent that are filled with unique artifacts and furnishings, giving guests a sense of what it was like to live here more than a century ago. There’s also a saloon and dance hall, but the resort’s true highlight is the restorative hot springs that were likely once used by members of the Ute Nation. There are five places on the property where guests can soak in the waters, which range in temperature from 85 to 106 degrees F, including a restored bathhouse.

For additional fees, visitors can partake in several outdoor activities. Winter brings a sleigh-ride-and-dine package, heli-skiing, and ice climbing; summer offers the chance to go rock climbing, white water rafting, and mountain biking. There’s even a day trip to southwest Colorado for a hike in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, followed by a lunch and wine tasting at Sutcliffe Vineyards.

Restaurant with outdoor patio, two outdoor hot tubs, lawn and board games, complimentary outdoor gear

Set at 8,200 feet in Pike National Forest, the Ranch lets guests spend their days fishing in pristine mountain lakes, hiking or biking along scenic trails, and exploring on horseback. Visitors have access to the Broadmoor, where they can golf, go zip-lining, or participate in a falconry tour. Off-property, they can take hot-air balloon rides and ride the hotel-owned Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the top of America’s Mountain. For an extra fee, guests can participate in the City Slicker Experience, a real-life cattle drive at the nearby Elk Ranch.

Lodging at the Ranch is provided by 13 cabins and the three-bedroom Hill House, all of which feature Rocky Mountain touches like fireplaces. Visitors can enjoy cowboy coffee every morning, dine in the grand lodge on food prepared by Broadmoor chefs, and savor after-dinner drinks at the lodge’s Olde Swan Tavern. Twice-weekly cookouts are a favorite event and feature a down-home dinner of barbecued meats, sides, desserts, and s’mores.

Helipad, eight event and meeting venues, HD theater, hot tub, fitness center, seasonal pools, full-service spa, air tours, Gateway Canyons Auto Museum

Although it’s not all-inclusive, Gateway Canyons’ exceptional amenities and gorgeous natural surroundings mean it deserves a special mention on this list. Near the Utah border, about an hour’s drive southwest of Grand Junction, the resort is set in a stunning landscape, highlighted by the Palisade red rock formation. And though it’s relatively far from any cities, the drive along the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway is one of the most beautiful in the state.

The property features 72 guest rooms, including 14 private casitas with custom artisan furnishings from Peru and a deck or patio with a fire pit. Guests can dine in one of several eateries: Entrada, offering regional Colorado cuisine on an outdoor patio; the Paradox Grill, serving Southwestern cuisine; Kiva Café for coffee and smoothies; and the poolside Cantina. Private-dining options are also available.

Guests have 6,000 acres of natural splendor to explore by hiking, climbing, biking, horseback riding, or air tours. There are also off-property adventures available, like a visit to Palisade Ranch, which offers guided trail rides at the base of the Uncompahgre Plateau, cattle drives, roping lessons, and more. To decompress, head to the spa for a massage or body scrub or take a private yoga class surrounded by canyons.