Whitewater rafters hoot and holler as they ride the rushing Taylor River past the porch of the Blue Olive Wing cabin at Eleven Experience’s Taylor River Lodge in Almont, Col. Opened for its first full season in June, the remote property near Crested Butte was conceived as a quintessential Western camp for adventure-seekers—but with a luxurious twist.
Whitewater rafting is just one of the activities you can pursue in this outdoorsy Rocky Mountain mecca. Eleven Experience’s expert guides will take you hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and more, while tailoring the challenge to your skills. Pre-trip planning ensures you get the most out of the customized experience.
Photo: Courtesy Eleven Experience
You can also kick back by the saltwater swimming pool, get a massage, play ping pong and lawn games, practice archery, and even throw an ax. But fly-fishing is what the area is best known for. Beginners can take lessons to perfect their casts and catches in the stocked pond before working up to customized float fishing and wading excursions.
The camp oozes rustic charm and Americana with stone hearths, log furniture, wildlife trophies, homespun fabrics, and vintage photos and prints. Each cabin is named for one of the flies used to fish in the area. You can choose from six one-bedroom cabins, three with twin-bedded sleeping lofts, a two-suite cabin with lofted bunk room, and a full residence with two master suites, a bunk room, family room, and a fully stocked kitchen. Up to 32 guests can be accommodated for a full property buyout.
Meals are served in the riverfront lodge with a grand stone fireplace, a horseshoe-shaped bar, and a deck over the river. After dark, you can roast s’mores by the campfire or head to Copper John for a beer and a game of pool before retiring to the soundtrack of the river flowing by.
Photo: Courtesy Eleven Experience
