Specialties
Shadowcliff is a seasonal nonprofit lodge and retreat center overlooking Grand Lake, CO, the western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Hand-built by volunteers beginning in 1959, Shadowcliff offers a peaceful mountain sanctuary where guests reconnect with nature, community, and purpose.
Choose from rustic lodge rooms or cozy cabins with sweeping lake and mountain views, all within walking distance of town and trailheads. Guests come for hiking, kayaking, art, and fresh alpine air, and stay for the quiet mornings, shared meals, and welcoming spirit.
Our Compassionate Kitchen prepares nourishing, seasonal meals served family-style in Rempel Lodge. We prioritize thoughtful sourcing, vegetable-forward menus, and simple, delicious food that brings people together.
Shadowcliff is smoke-free and pet-free, and the property includes stairs and uneven terrain due to its mountain setting. Daily housekeeping is not provided.
More than a place to stay, Shadowcliff is a place to pause, reflect, and belong. Your visit supports a nonprofit mission dedicated to healing, growth, community, and care for the land.
Open late May through late September.
History
Established in 1976.
Shadowcliff began as a dream in 1956, when Patt and Warren Rempel pitched a tent along the North Inlet stream and imagined a simple mountain sanctuary overlooking Grand Lake. In 1959, with the support of student volunteers from Kansas State University, they began building that sanctuary by hand. Over the next two decades, more than 650 volunteers from 42 countries helped construct the lodges and cabins that still stand today.
In the early 2000s, Shadowcliff deepened its commitment to environmental stewardship, updating facilities to be more sustainable, launching the Laws of Nature trail, and shaping the principles of our Compassionate Kitchen.
Today, Shadowcliff is a seasonal nonprofit retreat center welcoming individual guests, retreat groups, artists in residence, and community gatherings, continuing a legacy of healing, growth, and transformation.