Crestone, Colorado – Day 1 (Overnight)

Our first overnight was in Historic Crestone, Colorado! We were lucky enough to book a stay in a yurt in the middle of this small mountain town. This town is located off of Cosmic Highway 17, making it a great place to see the stars with little to no light pollution. The highway also features Judy Messoline’s UFO Watchtower, a barn converted in 2000 into a viewing platform at a site that is said to have had visitors from space.

Crestone was officially founded in 1880 as a small mining town until the 19th century when the mining boom was ending. The town was revitalized in the later half of the 20th century by people seeking spiritual and ecological living. They are known for their commitment to sustainable living and environmental stewardship. Their spirituality extends to Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Native American practices. Having once been home to multiple Native American tribes: the Ute, Navajo, and Apache. They also experienced limited Spanish settlement in the 16th century. This town is rich in history; their first schoolhouse is still standing!

The Shambala Yurt we stayed in was a part of a small eco-village that featured multiple yurts, a sauna, a kitchen, places to relax, and was in walking distance to the shops and park of Crestone. My favorite thing about staying in the yurt was the skylight. When we got in, it was already dark, so after we unloaded what we needed for the night, we lay on the bed and were in awe of the stars that we could see.

I woke up early and was eager to explore, right next door is The Cloud Station Cafe which is attached to Elephant Cloud Market. The cafe offers delicious smoothies, tea, pastries, and breakfast foods. There are several restaurants offering a variety of food options, like Our Food is Art, The Bliss Cafe (which also offers lodging), and Bayou Mountain at Bob’s Diner. We visited Little Pearl Park, where they are building a stage. We also walked by the post office, town hall, several shops, and a few art galleries.

Although we did not get to visit, there is a ziggurat, the Crestone Ziggurat, south of the town center. There are also several hiking trails around Crestone, not to mention our next stop, the Great Sand Dunes, are an hour away!