Ada and I headed to Blackhawk for a mini getaway! Blackhawk is a one hour drive from Denver and we found an awesome little VRBO cabin that was exactly what we wanted. Ada had scoured the internet looking for awesome cabins in Colorado but all we were finding were ski condos in summit county or backcountry huts with outhouses. It seems like there’s a shortage of charming cabins in Colorado! We had been looking for weeks and then the week of our planned time off, this one came up and we booked it. It was awesome!! It was rustic, well loved, and had the coziest cabin vibes you could ask for. It reminded me of my family cabin I grew up going to in Pinetop, AZ.
Ada’s been wanting to do a “MeUndies” photoshoot with our Valentine’s themed boxers and socks. It was harder than I thought to shoot this, especially having to put the camera on the tripod and having to act “natural” in 10 seconds.
Blackhawk, CO is a weird little town, formerly a gold mining town and now a casino town. It is set in the mountains and has some pretty awesome little main streets that make you feel like you are in the 1800s. But the whole town is run by casinos and there is not much else to do around there. There are no ski areas, no liquor stores, no grocery stores. Just casinos. And on a Wednesday afternoon, it was dead. Fine for us because it snowed 9 inches the first night and we essentially didn’t want to leave the cabin, which was about 15 minutes from town. We did leave, to find a liquor store, but that was it. Pickle Liquors was a 15 minute drive away just so you know.
I learned a few things. Like how to work a pellet stove, not to touch a pellet stove while it’s hot, and that Ada get’s really upset if you buy both Boardwalk and Park Place and put three houses on them. Lucy enjoyed being there. She was anxious and not sure what to think about being in a new house, but she eventually relaxed and settled in. The stairs were steep for her! She was not sure about them and every time she came down, it sounded like a sack of potatoes rolling down the steps.
We got the snowshoes out one day and hiked for about 30 minutes up the trail that came right off the house. It was a great little private trail but ultimately, we lost the trail in all the snow and decided to head back to the cabin. It was nice to get outside for a little bit!
All in all, the place was awesome. Brian, the host, has done a great job with the cabin and he emailed/checked in with us several times to make sure we had everything we needed. We are definitely going to come back to this place for a longer stay. It would be great to stay with some friends for a few days and maybe check out the casinos one night. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Blackhawk and it’s weird to think a place like this exists just one hour from Denver, and yet nobody (that I know) ever talks about Blackhawk. This cabin is a hidden gem in Colorado!
Tim Gillies is a Denver photographer specializing in portrait photography, families & couples, and commercial photography. More of his work can be seen at his portfolio page.
You Might Like
Pig Beach, Exuma, Bahamas
Ada and I travel to Pig Beach in Exuma, Bahamas!
