Glamptuary Review - Puma Hills Mountain Retreat
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A STAY IN A SECLUDED GEODESIC DOME, AN OUTDOOR CAVEMAN GYM, BISON CHILI WITH BACON CORNBREAD, AND GORGEOUS VIEWS ALONG PRIVATE HIKING TRAILS SET AMIDST THE TARRYALL VALLEY.
Our Glamptuary stay was a well-balanced combination of seclusion, adventure, community and surprises at Puma Hills Mountain Retreat located near Lake George, CO.
Before we dive into our weekend journey, here’s some interesting history about the Bison Peak Lodge (original property name) owners John Kessel and Lily Kessel.
John and Lily Kessel pictured at Puma HIlls Mountain Retreat - Source - Facebook
If you play volleyball, watch volleyball, or watch the Olympics, you may recognize the name John Kessel. His accolades in the sport span over 50 years. In addition to John’s successes as a volleyball coach - including helping bring a gold medal to the US in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, he is a published author, a mentor for coaches and athletes, and is the co-owner and operator of Puma Hills Retreat with his wife Lily. Unfortunately, both were on trips abroad during our stay so we were not able to meet. We’ll hopefully be chatting with them in an upcoming podcast interview in the near future.
John and Lily have been open for business since 2018 and are currently expanding and building out facilities on the property. They have renovated the main lodge and just completed construction on a beautiful 2-story event center which can support large groups, weddings, corporate gatherings, and wellness retreats.
Main Dining Hall of Bison Peak Lodge Event Center
A main focus of Puma Hills are their programs geared towards US Veterans. As stated on their website, “They strive to provide veterans and first responders, both able-bodied and disabled, with the chance to connect with others and with nature at Puma Hills.” I love that John and Lily are using their beautiful property to help others as well as offer it to adventure seekers like us. 🙏🏻
Speaking of us, our adventure began on a late Friday afternoon after a beautiful drive through the Rockies. I noticed the sign set back off the road as we pulled into Bison Peak Lodge at Puma Hills to begin our weekend journey.
We were met near the lodge entrance by some friendly staff who asked us to follow them across the property to unload our bags and gear. We pulled into the expansive valley nestled inside the 37 acres Puma Hills Mountain Retreat manages. We noticed a variety of glamping structures which included tipis, safari tents, bell tents and covered wagons.
We drove past the main glamping village and headed to our Geodesic Dome located in a secluded spot on the edge of the woods. It was equipped with a queen bed, plush linens, towels, a table and a chair, and a dresser. The real treat was the view looking through the clear portions of the dome, which made our accomodations feel spacious and comfortable. The view was really nice at night!
We were also provided with a welcome letter, resort guidelines, and a very helpful map.
Our bathrooms were a short walk (2 minutes) from the Geo Dome which were restroom trailers. They were clean and well stocked, and the showers worked well too.
We also had access to the main lodge restrooms and showers which were much nicer. They were a significant distance from our dome (12 minute walk) but it was good to know there were multiple options as all restroom facilities on property are shared.
Now that we had the lay of the land, we decided to grab our map and explore the property. Our greeter had informed us that there were many hidden surprises on the property including a labyrinth, a caveman gym (what is that??) and other games and activities that we could discover. I love a challenge, and surprises, so we headed out in search of…everything.
We stumbled upon the caveman gym first which was located up in the hills above the main lodge. John Kessel created a full outdoor gym complete with barbells and dumbbells made out of iron and logs, climbing ropes, slack lines, and a zip line which I was sadly too heavy for…so I decided to get a work out in to shed some calories.
We then continued our hike around the property and discovered an eclectic collection of games, challenges, and fun experiences. Some I wasn’t so successful at, and others I nailed in one shot. Christina’s photography was always spot on though.
All the working out and gaming, as rewarding as it was, wore us out so we grabbed some sandwiches and plopped down by one of the many propane fire-pits to relax for the rest of the night. We wanted to save some energy for the adventures we had planned for the following day.
We had a very restful sleep in our comfy queen bed thanks to the blanket warmers. It gets cold in the mountains at night but we were comfortable nonetheless.
We awoke and headed into the town of Lake George for breakfast. It was a short 20 minute drive in and we had a fantastic breakfast burrito and latte at Fat BBQ Shack. No time to take pictures because it tasted soooo good.
Our first adventure for the day was a 2.5 hour hike up into the hills above the retreat. There are color-marked trails at Puma Hills which take you into challenging terrain with beautiful views. There are also some isolated tipis which are rustic camp options if you’re brave enough to find them. It was a great way to start the day.
After we successfully made it down from our hike, we had a couple snacks to replenish some calories. We didn’t want to eat much because we were saving room for a community dinner which was to be served at the main lodge later that evening.
We still had some time on our hands before dinner, so we continued our exploration of Puma Hills in search of a mystical labyrinth in the forest surrounding the glamping village.
It was marked on the map (told you it helped) so we headed in that direction. Before we reached he edge of the forest, we came upon an archery range…and I couldn’t resist.
After I saved us from eminent danger, we continued into the forest in search of this labyrinth. We followed the marked trail for about 10 minutes until we found it. It was shaped by stones found on the Puma Hills property and in the center, there were some rock cairns.
I also noticed the sign which mentioned that I could dance my way through the labyrinth. You can guess what happened next. Or just watch. 🕺🏻
Right as I placed my rock atop the cairn, we heard the dinner bell ring so we headed towards the main lodge for our communal feast. We arrived to find bison chili, bacon cornbread, grilled hot dogs, fresh fruit and lemonade, and s’mores neatly displayed next to a couple roaring campfires. It smelled amazing and I may have went back for seconds. Potentially thirds, but who’s counting?
After dinner and great conversation with other guests staying at Puma Hills, we retired back to our dome completely satisfied. Our stomachs, hearts and souls were full.
I’m looking forward to watching the progress as Puma Hills continues to grow, and also the opportunity to meet its owners, John and Lily.
Puma Hills is perfect if you’re looking for a combination of diversity in glamping structures, communal gatherings, adventure, and fun. This is an especially nice spot for family glamping expeditions. We want to thank the Puma Hills staff for their professionalism and attention to detail.
Helpful Information For Planning A Visit To Puma Hills Mountain Retreat:
Booking: Directly on the Puma Hills Website
Nearest Major Airport: Denver International Airport
Drive times: 1 3/4 hour drive from Downtown Denver, 2 hour drive from Airport
Nearest town is Lake George - 21.5 miles away (28 minute drive)
Nearest hospital - Pikes Peak Regional Hospital - 39.5 miles away (50 minute drive)
Paved road access, dirt roads inside the property
No meals or beverages provided unless specified
Grills are provided around the property. Bring your own cooler for food storage.
Communal restrooms and showers
Towels provided, some toiletries provided bring your own hairdryer
Most of the Retreat is not shaded unless hiking
Wi-Fi is available at main lodge
Not dog-friendly
Family-friendly
Open for group bookings and events
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