- Red Cliff
Gondola Village at Holy Cross
Hosted by Gondola · Red Cliff, Colorado
2 sites · Lodging · 2.5 acres
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Little Blue Beauty on the Rock
95%
(129)Short walk to site
4WD required
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Work weekend / week stay
96%
(25)Short walk to site
4WD recommended
Campfires allowed
Toilet
Reviews
94% Recommend164 ratings · 116 reviews
A good high-alpine base camp. The construction is tight, the windows and screens are new, we didn’t have a single mosquito or fly during the stay despite keeping the windows open.
The small steel table works well as a camp kitchen, and there’s pots and a frying pan available. There was a tiny rivulet 30 yards from the cabin with just enough flow to refill bottles.
Off-roaders will love the jeep trails. We hiked, and carried water shoes for the crossings on French Creek but didn’t need them (it’s a drought year). There are nicer hiking trails up above the cabin and toward Fancy Lake/Pass. We found Gaia far more useful than Alltrails in this area since most of the old trails are unnamed/unmarked and without pre-recorded routes.
The bed is comfortable. We brought sleeping bags and pillowcases. At 1:00am, the first night, some animal was scratching at the siding and then on the beams underneath. Very loud. I used a long piece of wood (there’s still plenty of construction detritus around, handy for the purpose) to roust it out, then it left us alone for the rest of the trip.
Things to bring: water filtration, maybe sporks, charged headlamps and battery backup since the current solar/battery system in the cabin is not functioning. Ben intends to work on it…but near term I’d bring a backup, so your phones/nav don’t die like ours did before getting out of the wilderness.
All-in-all a great trip. Thanks, Ben, for managing this place and letting us stay. What a cool adventure!
Recommends
· July 2026
The hike up is so worth it! Great views from the hut, easy access to fishing, and very homey. We throughly enjoyed our stay!
We had a wonderful stay at Gondola Village - would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a unique backcountry adventure. The hike in was beautiful and enjoyable - about 3 miles, taking us around 3 hours because we took our time, soaked in the scenery, and chatted with a few friendly hikers along the way. There were plenty of opportunities to collect and filter water from the creeks, so we realized that carrying 2–3 liters each from the trailhead wasn’t really necessary.
Once we arrived, the area felt peaceful and remote. We enjoyed exploring the remnants of Holy Cross City, visiting Cleveland Lake, and filtering water from the nearby streams. We brought all of our own gear, but it was nice to find the hut well stocked with useful supplies, and the outdoor shower was a great bonus after a day of hiking.
One tip for future guests: when you arrive, open the windows and screens for a few minutes to let the moths out before settling in. Once it gets dark, keeping the lights off helps avoid attracting more. The views from the hut are absolutely incredible and made for a memorable place to relax.
The only unexpected part of our trip was being awakened around 1:30 a.m. Saturday by a group on ATVs, but otherwise it was remarkably quiet. We only encountered a couple of small groups at Cleveland Lake… on our hike out, which took us about 2 hours, we didn’t see another person until we reached the parking lot.
This was a fantastic and unique experience-we enjoyed our time!!!
Amazing location and great host. We saw epic views and got to explore around alpine lakes and streams. It was a great backpacking experience without needing to bring the tent/sleeping pads. We can’t wait to come back!
Recommends
· October 2025
With kids ·
Gondola Village Cabin - Work Stay
We had a lovely (but challenging, carrying a toddler) hike up and stay at Cabin #2. The cabin was quaint, clean and more well-appointed than expected (I guess we didn't need to pack a hatchet?). It was hovering around freezing when we arrived, but we got the stove lit and got the space up into the 50s for a comfortable night. Sunrise was lovely from bed and we finished our trip with a hike up to the lake in the morning before descending to the car.
Recommends
· October 2025
Relaxing cabin in the mountains! Make sure not to over pack so you can actually enjoy the hike up to the cabin!
Recommends
· September 2025
We loved this special little village. It's a very well-kept cabin and has everything you could need. The hike in was a bit tough, but well worth it and very straightforward! We were able to see lots of wildlife and enjoy time at the nearby lake. There's a marmot that runs around the abandoned town and plenty of pika in the surrounding area. Will remember this trip for a while.
Recommends
· September 2025
Always the best time up here! Got a little snow & fantastic views!
What an absolute GEM of a spot! Went up for a little solo retreat, and the cabin had absolutely everything I needed for a cozy camping experience but with a roof over my head and all camping basics provided plus a little more! I hiked over to Cleveland Lake, enjoyed the cozy cabin at night, and woke up to a stunning sunrise. It’s a relatively accessible spot, meaning you don’t have to hike very many miles to get there, but you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere in only the best way. Would absolutely come again!!!
Recommends
· August 2025
Always the best time. Beautiful & clean as always!
Incredible stay at Ben’s gondola village! We hiked in from the 727/759 intersection and it was a BURNER but so worth it for the views. We are new to packing in and WAY overpacked our packs. Plenty of propane there, save yourself some weight.
The sunrises were absolutely magical! You can watch them from the hut or walk down to the gondolas for a good view. The hut is so cozy, we could have stayed in there all day.
We did take a hike up the road for a quick dip in Cleveland Lake and will be dreaming about it until we return. Absolutely freezing but beautiful!
Will hold this place near and dear to my heart forever. Can’t wait to be back!
The cabin was clean and very cute. Everything was as described. We saw lots of fun animals, including two very friendly snowshoe hares.
Recommends
· June 2025
Such a cozy and peaceful cabin! Perfect for a quiet getaway—remote enough to feel like an escape, but still super comfortable and well equipped with everything you need. The host was incredibly responsive and helpful, which made the whole experience seamless. Would absolutely come back!
Recommends
· May 2025
Long overdue return to the Refugio. The newer cabbin Ben has built is really cool, and a perfect setting for a remote weekend. As always, I loved my time up here. I'll be back for sure.
10/10 would recommend! My husband and I spent part of our honeymoon at Gondola Village! So peaceful and relaxing! We took a short day hike to Cleveland Lake about 1 mile from the cabin, so nice just enjoying the sun and quiet! I’m sure this changes based on the people who stay, but there is left behind propane tanks to use, extra snacks, mugs, pots, pans, cook utensils! It’s so was perfect little get away!
Recommends
· September 2024
Super cool, cute place with amazing views. The cabin was surprisingly well-equipped.
Genuinely my favorite place in the world. Love what Ben has been able to do with it. This is somewhere I’ll be going for the rest of my life! If you ever have a chance to stay here, do not pass it up!
Recommends
· July 2023
We had a wonderful time at cabin 2! The host was super helpful with directions to the cabin, answering any of our questions, and even gifted us a welcome drink when we got to the cabin. We especially loved the view from the campfire spot and Cleveland Lake nearby! We will definitely be staying at this cabin again!!
Recommends
· July 2023
This was the most charming little cabin/setting! We stayed in the newer cabin (first guests!) and it was modern, gorgeous views, and thoughtfully decorated. Ben was there working on the property and was the most gracious host. The hike up was fairly easy and stream crossing refreshing and fun. Note that most of the hike up is on a jeep road which is kind of a bummer, but not a huge deal. We are excited to go back without our baby so we can really explore the area!
Recommends
· July 2023
This was the best Hipcamp adventure I have been on yet! We had recently gotten off of a cruise and this was a very welcome change with NO PEOPLE! The hike up took us about 3 hours and we were pushing dark and a wet from crossing the stream. So we were happy to get in the cabin and start a fire. There are instructions for the stove in the HCR notebook. The cabin has a lot of helpful items, utensils, spices and a one burner propane stove which we used to cook. Don’t forget your wag bags and there is a portable potty that you can have an amazing view from! It was our first experience with them and was very easy to use. Be prepared to carry in all your food and out all your trash! The only thing I wish was different about the cabin was the construction litter that was just haphazardly strewn behind the cabin. Other than that, our stay amazing.
Getting there, we got a little turned around at the Holy Cross City following another review and the camp directions. When you get to the sign for the city you will not go toward the structures. Keep going straight. The yellow webbing indicated it hard to see after dark. I’m attaching a picture to help hopefully!
The next day I hiked over to view Hunky Dory and Cleveland lake from above. I did not even have the energy to try to find my way down to them. I had downloaded maps from all trails to help navigate.
On our hike out we saw a moose! That was an exciting. I would love to go back in the Fall!
Absolutely beautiful, rewarding hike and adorable little cabin overlooking the mountains. Lots of supplies so no issues there. There was lots of construction trash around the cabin due to construction at the other site which was a bit of a bummer, and the wood burning stove was not functioning (chimney pipe needs to be cleaned as smoke would fill the room making it impossible to have a fire). Even so, I would still 100% recommend staying here, you won’t regret it. Thanks!
The hike in wasn’t easy but it was full of amazing views that made it absolutely worth it! The cabin had everything we needed to enjoy our stay. Wish we could’ve stayed longer, but we’ll definitely be back!
Recommends
· June 2023
My partner and I stayed here for two nights in late June. We parked a 2WD vehicle at the parking area/intersection of 727/759 and walked about 2.75 miles to the cabin. The river crossing was a bit of a challenge and it was a relatively snowy hike but doable. We were very impressed with all the gear and amenities present at the cabin - water filtration, lighting, cookware, an axe/saw for firewood, and a comfortable bed. We brought our own food, water, and bedding as well and I would recommend future visitors do that as well. The site host was very helpful and responsive via text.
The site faces east so we got great sunrises, and the nights were chock full of stars. There is a fire pit and somewhat-flat spot in front of the cabin for stargazing. Wildlife around the cabin included a Pika near the rubble pile and a snowshoe hare that enjoyed nibbling on cardboard.
The site does have construction material spread about while the second cabin is being built, as well as three ski-gondolas nearby that, according to an ideas book at the cabin, will be a really cool hanging lounge area. My other complaint/concern is the wood-stove, which we were unable to utilize because it got quite smoky. These did take a little magic away from the area but I would not hesitate to recommend this site to a friend. It's a beautiful spot with the right mix of glamping amenities, challenging terrain, isolation, and natural beauty.
Recommends
· June 2023
I always love returning to Holy Cross Refugio! Amazing views, sparkling stars, deep sleep.
Only good things to say about this place - love this area and Ben’s hut is so cute! Great basecamp to check out this area. I love packing lighter (no tent, sleeping bag, etc.). Definitely recommend. I already want to go back!
Recommends
· June 2023
We stayed at the Cabin June 1st, still a lot of snowpack. We loved the cabin so much, but getting there was a tough hike (with snowshoes). I really appreciated the host's detailed communication without which we would have been lost and unprepared! Make sure you get clear directions from Holy Cross to the cabin, and be prepared for a lot of uphill!
Thanks for an amazing adventure!!
Really a beautiful spot but do not underestimate the skin to get there! My partner and I went in after a snowstorm so we had to break trail in shin to knee deep snow the whole way. It took about 11 hours and we are both fit and active people.
The description is a bit unclear about the stove situation. There is only a single pocket rocket style stove in the hut. Not a big issue if just using it to cook, but you also have to use it to melt snow for water since the wood stove isn't big enough for that. Bring enough fuel, an extra stove, and an extra pot.
The biggest thing to note is that I would be a little concerned with being there if it was truly cold, which is definitely not out of the ordinary at 11.5k feet. We were lucky in that it only got down to maybe the teens at night. The front door is pretty drafty but we leaned a backpack against it and hunt a coat over it to keep the cold air out. The wood stove was efficient but it's still pretty small and it takes a while to warm the hut and the fire burn itself totally out after about an hour. This meant that adding wood through the night required fully restarting the fire and the hut would get very cold without a fire burning most of the night.
There also isn't a good place to split wood, which I had to do a lot of to make small enough pieces to fit the stove. Honestly, I think it is a bit absurd to make guests carry firewood all that way. Just keep a stash of properly sized wood in the hut and refill as needed via sled.
Recommends
· December 2022
This little hut is a slice of winter paradise. The trek in is no easy feat skinning 11 miles from the car but it's 100 percent worth it when you reach the cabin. It's so cozy inside - comfy bed, a tiny wood stove, cookware, games, books, string lights, amazing views. The hut also has a saw and hatchet (we had brought our own unknowingly). The wood stove will keep you warm enough as long as you keep it going. We spent 2 nights up there, and I wish we had added one more. Less than 1 mile from the hut is Cleveland Lake which is a stunning basin with lots of terrain to explore would definitely recommend visiting. Hope to return in the future!!
Recommends
· October 2022
Absolutely gorgeous and well worth the 2.5+ mile hike to the top. Packed in our own fire wood but forgot the wood for the little stove—definitely would bring next time!
Recommends
· October 2022
Incredible land! Very remote at the moment since everyone is stopping at the aspens. I did see SIX black bears on the trail in the morning back to the main loop so don’t forget your bear spray!
Location
Red Cliff, Eagle, Colorado, United StatesTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
Hosted by Gondola V.
Joined in November 2015Response rate: 100%Response time: Within 5 hours
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