There may be no better way to enjoy a beautiful, snow-blanketed winter's day than from a cozy cabin in the mountains.
This time of year casts a certain white, effervescent spell over the Sierras. It's enchanting, but far from perfect camping conditions for the thermally-impaired among us. So, what's a nature-lover to do? Find a well-insulated, heated cabin.
The Guest Cabin at Wondernut Farm, Big Oak Flat
Wondernut Farm's quaint one-room cabin (Courtesy of Nic Castellanos via Hipcamp)
Overlooking the property owners' 115-year-old barn and garden, the guest cabin at Wondernut Farm is, perhaps, the perfect minimalist retreat for those seeking a bit of respite from our electronic devices. Glampers who choose to spend an evening or more underneath the tin steel roofed cabin can expect a cacophony of chorused musings to help wake them up everyday. From the laughings of playful pigs to the calls of the resident sheep on the property, Guest Cabin is as much a calming destination as it is a petting zoo. The cabin sits just a short walk from the property's composting toilet, and even closer strut to the easy-going, shared outdoor summer living space, where you're encouraged to co-mingle with other campers. Capable of comfortably sleeping two atop its queen sized bed, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better couple's retreat in or around the Sierras for a little R&R.
// From $77/night, hipcamp.com
Farmhouse Cabin at Rollins Lake, Colfax
Cabin vibes in the bedroom at Rollins Lake(Courtesy of Natasha S. via Hipcamp)
Just a short, walkable path from Rollins Lake in Placer County, this eclectic farmhouse is a charming, secluded escape. With an electric wood stove and well-equipped kitchen inside and an expansive deck outside with a two-person claw-foot tub that streams hot water on demand, it’s exactly where you want to be when the snow starts to fall. Up the spiral staircase in the loft is a bedroom with a queen-sized memory foam bed dressed in luxury linens and a tiny deck for stargazing. Downstairs in the living room, there’s everything you need for a movie night, streaming via WiFi or from their DVD library—plus a fold-out twin bed. Note that the gravel road up to the cabin requires 4WD in snowy, muddy conditions, but 2WD vehicles can park at the bottom and walk the five minutes to the door (if the hosts are present when you arrive, they’ll give you a hand). Well-behaved four-leggers are welcome.
// $201/night, hipcamp.com
Earth Castle Retreat, Grass Valley
A great place to reconnect with your meditation practice. Or start one.(Courtesy of Brian Chorski via Hipcamp)
Epitomizing what it, truly, means to the one with nature, Earth Castle Retreat's enchanting yurt sits perched atop a small clear patch of forest, boarded by a swath of towering, omnipresent redwoods. Equipped with a king size bed, the space is quite minimalist in nature, encouraging those who populate it to explore what lurks just beyond its welcome mat (hint: uninterrupted wilderness that's delightful for hiking, mountain biking, and even fishing and kayaking at nearby Yuba River). There is a camp kitchen just outside the yurt with running water available at the well house a few feet away. Fresh bottled water, cookware, utensils, and a single burner stove are provided—so be sure to pack light.
// From $85/night, hipcamp.com
Wilder Bungalow, Coarsegold
The farmhouse-chic cabin in Coarsegold(Courtesy of Host via Hipcamp)
On a hillside overlooking historic Coarsegold is a magical little cabin where the outdoor claw-foot tub comes with a view. It’s exactly the kind of place for snuggling up with your SO, a cozy, private retreat on a 40-acre ranch less than 30 miles from Yosemite’s South Gate. In the loft is a queen-sized bed and, downstairs, the bite-sized space has a bright living room, a full kitchen with hot water and electricity, and no WiFi to distract you from soaking in the warmth of the firepit outside. If romance isn’t in the cards, bring a few friends along, instead. The futon downstairs folds out to accommodate two additional guests.
// From $98/night for up to four guests, hipcamp.com
Little Arnold A-Frame Cabin, Arnold
Glamping couldn't get any more chic than this 1970s A-frame.(Courtesy of Andria Lo via Hipcamp)
We're not ones to speak in literal superlatives—but Little Arnold A-Frame Cabin might just be the most accessible, relaxing, serotonin-producing cabin retreat anywhere east of the Bay Bridge. The cabin can comfortably fit four adults, courtesy of its single walled-in bedroom, enchanting loft space, and one-and-a-half (indoor) bathrooms. The downstairs has a queen bed, and the loft has a double fold-out mattress and its own half bathroom. Heated by a gas fireplace—that looks like a wood stove—and electric wall heaters, you can gaze out over the seemingly endless forest in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, cupping a brewed chai tea. Cell reception is spotty throughout the Sierra depending on your carrier, but Little Arnold A-Frame Cabin has a strong WiFi signal within its square footage.
// From $171/night for four guests; Arnold, hipcamp.com
