Built for families who want room to spread out. This is a real 1950s log cabin, hand-built by the rancher this road is named after, on what was once a working horse ranch. The original log walls still do the work. Inside leans modern farmhouse: clean, warm, and functional. Full kitchen with a drip coffee maker (grinder and beans provided), Dutch oven, crockpot, and stand mixer. Dedicated workspace. Smart Roku TVs throughout.

The property is three buildings, not one. The main cabin holds two bedrooms, two living areas, and a full bath. A detached bungalow off the deck has its own bedroom, private entrance, and private bath, good for grandparents or older kids who want their own door. A separate game room rounds things out with a big TV, arcade, and foosball.

Sleeps 8 across 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms.

SLEEPING LAYOUT:
🛏️ Bedroom 1 (main cabin): 1 king bed
🛌 Bedroom 2 (main cabin): 2 queen beds
🏡 Bedroom 3 (detached bungalow, private entrance + private bath): 1 queen bed

2 full bathrooms total: one in the main cabin, one private to the bungalow.
Sleeps 8 across 3 bedrooms. The third bedroom is a few steps outside in its own building, so plan on one group walking outdoors to reach it. Worth knowing if you've got small kids.

OUTDOOR LIVING:
The deck is where this place earns its keep, with plenty of room for the whole family to spread out.

🛁 Private hot tub, seats 6. Soak under the pines after a day of exploring, or let the grownups have a quiet hour once the kids are down.
🔥 Propane fire pit near the hot tub, tanks provided.
🍳 Propane grill on the deck, built for cooking and eating outside.
🌲 Forested acreage with real space between you and the neighbors.
🐾 Open land for the dog to roam. The yard isn't fully fenced, so keep a leash handy.
🌙 Dark skies at 7,000 ft. Good stargazing on a clear night.

NEARBY ADVENTURE:
Black Forest sits in the pines northeast of Colorado Springs, higher and quieter than the city below. Trees surround you, but you're close enough to the Academy, downtown, and the trailheads for an easy day trip.

🥾 8 min: Black Forest Regional Park (trails, meadows, horseback riding)
🎓 25 min: U.S. Air Force Academy (North Gate and Hosmer Visitor Center)
🪨 35 min: Garden of the Gods (red rock trails, free entry)
🦒 45 min: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (built into the mountainside, a hit with kids)
🧗 45 min: Manitou Springs and the Manitou Incline
🚘 50 min: Pikes Peak Highway up to the summit
🛶 50 min: Rampart Reservoir (fishing, paddling, shoreline trail)

You'll have the run of the main cabin, the bungalow, the game room, the deck, and the grounds. The old barn and a few fenced-off areas stay locked for storage and safety, everything else is yours.

👉 In The Area
☕ 5 min: Mountain View Cafe (big breakfasts, locals' favorite)
🍕 5 min: Black Forest Pies and Grinders (pizza and subs)
🍺 5 min: Black Forest Bistro (small-plate dinners, reservations smart)
🛒 5 min: Black Forest Store and a local farm shop, for eggs and staples. For a full grocery run, Briargate and Powers (King Soopers, Safeway, Target) are about 15 min south.

👉 Local Attractions
🎓 25 min: U.S. Air Force Academy
🪨 35 min: Garden of the Gods
💒 35 min: Old Colorado City (historic shops, dining)
🦒 45 min: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

👉 Outdoors and Water
🥾 8 min: Black Forest Regional Park
🛶 50 min: Rampart Reservoir (fishing, paddling)
🧗 45 min: Manitou Incline
🚘 50 min: Pikes Peak Highway

👉 Colleges and Universities
🏫 20 min: UCCS
🏫 25 min: U.S. Air Force Academy
🏫 30 min: Colorado College

👉 Hospitals
🏥 15 min: CommonSpirit St. Francis (NE Colorado Springs)
🏥 18 min: UCHealth Memorial North and Children's Hospital Colorado, Briargate
🏥 30 min: UCHealth Memorial Central, downtown

👉 Airports
✈️ 30 min: Colorado Springs Airport (COS)
🛫 1 hr 20 min: Denver International (DEN)

Natalie's a Colorado transplant who fell hard for the mountains and raises a houseful of kids out here. She knows the area and is happy to point you to the right trail, the right breakfast, or the right day trip.

🔑 Self check-in after 4 PM. Details sent before you arrive.
⚡ Superhost, 100% response rate, usually back to you within the hour.
📖 House manual on site covers the essentials:
🔥 Hot tub
📶 WiFi
🗑️ Trash and wildlife-safe storage
💬 Message anytime through Airbnb. We're around if you need us, out of your way if you don't.

Black Forest is exactly what it sounds like. Tall ponderosa pines, big lots, and a small ranching community that's been here a long time. It runs higher and cooler than Colorado Springs proper, with a handful of local spots clustered near the Black Forest Road and Shoup crossing and not much traffic past that. Quiet on weekdays and still a short drive from the whole city. Summer brings green and weekend hikers. Winter quiets down to locals and woodsmoke.

👉 Local Scene
☕ Mountain View Cafe (breakfast institution)
🍕 Black Forest Pies and Grinders (pizza night sorted)
🍺 Black Forest Bistro (date-night dinners)
🛒 Local farm shop and market for eggs and staples

👉 Year-Round
🥾 Black Forest Regional Park (trails, meadows, picnics)
🐎 Horse country, working ranches, open sky
🌲 Forest walks right out the door

👉 Close-By
🏙️ Colorado Springs (25 to 30 min): restaurants, culture, shopping
🎓 Air Force Academy (25 min)
🪨 Garden of the Gods (35 min)

Paved roads get you most of the way here. The last half mile is dirt and well graded. A regular car is fine spring through fall. When it snows, AWD or 4WD makes the drive in easier, and the county doesn't always plow quickly this far out, so give it time after a storm.

🛒 Nearest groceries and staples are 5 min away at the Black Forest farm shop and market. Full runs are about 15 min south in Briargate (King Soopers, Safeway, Target).

🍳 Coffee and food are 5 min away on Black Forest Road.
🅿️ Free parking on the property, with room for multiple vehicles.
🛣️ Plan on 25 to 30 min into central Colorado Springs for restaurants, shopping, and nightlife.

🏔️ Elevation: You're at 7,000 ft. If you're coming from lower ground, drink more water than feels necessary and take the first day easy. Altitude can bring mild headaches or fatigue before you adjust.

🏡 Detached third bedroom: One of the three bedrooms is in a separate bungalow a few steps from the main cabin, with its own entrance and bath. Great for privacy, but someone has to walk outside to reach it. Worth knowing if you've got small kids or want everyone under one roof.

❄️ Cooling: There's central heat plus a single AC unit in the laundry room. Most guests open the windows and let the mountain air do the work. If you need a cold bedroom in mid-summer, especially in the bungalow, go in knowing that.

🛣️ Road access: The last half mile in is dirt. Most cars handle it fine year-round. In snow, AWD or 4WD makes the drive easier, and the county doesn't always plow quickly this far out. Keep that in mind October through spring.

📶 Staying connected: Cell service can be patchy across northern Colorado Springs; the Academy uses a lot of the local spectrum nearby. It's generally reliable at the cabin, and the WiFi holds up fine for work or streaming.

📷 Security camera: One exterior camera covers the outside entry area. No cameras inside, and none pointed at the hot tub or private outdoor spaces.

🚧 Off-limits areas: This was a real working horse ranch. A large barn and a few locked spaces stay closed for storage and safety. Please don't climb the fences; everything guest-facing is open to you.

🐾 Yard: Open acreage, but not fully fenced. Keep dogs leashed when they're not right by the deck, and keep an eye out at dawn and dusk when wildlife is more active.

🦌 Wildlife: Deer, foxes, wild turkeys, and the occasional bigger visitor pass through. Keep trash in the bins and don't leave food or dog food out overnight.