Travel & Stay

lodging deets below pending but likely

Where you’ll stay

This wedding is a three-day campout in a private red rock canyon along McElmo Creek, nestled under star-lit skies and cottonwood groves. The home base for camping is RoFo Ranch, our friends' 38-acre property right next door to the family land where the ceremony takes place. For the weekend, the whole ranch is ours to call home offering a cleared camping area for tents, an existing pole barn with fire pits and games, soaking tubs on the deck overlooking the canyon walls, and a two-mile trail that winds along the creek and up to the rimrock above.

The bathhouse alone is worth the trip. Built from cedar and concrete into the side of the canyon, it has warm wood ceilings, steel-framed windows looking out over the alfalfa pasture, and an outdoor shower tucked under the overhang for anyone who wants to rinse off with the grand expanse of the canyon in their view.

Your tent will be a short walk from the ceremony, from the reception and happy hour, and most importantly, from us! This proximity is important to us as it allows us ongoing, organic and spontaneous connection that will shape the magic of this right of passage, while allowing us to stay dropped in and present.

Note: Most should expect to camp. However. there are a small number of covered accommodations on the ranch will be reserved for specific guests. Two glamping tents, an airstream and our friends house. Details to come.

A note about dogs

As much as we love them, dogs are not permitted on RoFo Ranch unless otherwise specified by us. The canyon is alive with wildlife including fox, raccoons, weasels, deer, snakes (no rattlesnakes), and much more. These animals were here long before us, and the ranch works to keep that ecosystem as undisturbed as possible. Additionally, Brie’s sister has a very sensitive and dog aggressive dog just next door. Please make arrangements for your pets before you arrive. If they must come, you could choose to rent an AirBnB off site, but keep in mind that doing so will pull you away from the festivities!

What to bring:

  • Tent and stakes (ground can be rocky)

  • Sleeping bag rated to at least 40°F — May nights in the canyon drop

  • Sleeping pad or air mattress

  • Pillow

  • Headlamp

  • Layers for evening

  • Hiking gear for the day

  • Camp chair if you want your own seat around the fire

  • In the RSVP form there is section where you can note if you have supplies to share or if you need help finding supplies

Staying off-site

If camping isn't your thing, we’ll forgive you. No seriously, we do understand. Luckily, there are a lot of beautiful Airbnbs and lodges (Click to view our list) in Cortez, Mancos and Dolores, anwhere from 20–40 minutes from the canyon. Some closer, retreat-like accommodations include Ancient Echos which is 11m up the road, Retro Inn, a funky hotel close to Mesa Verde (26m away) and Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch, just 21 minutes up the road. Just know that staying off-site means more logistics and driving and less time connecting with each other and this extraordinary land.

Flying In & Getting to the Canyon

The closest major airport is Durango–La Plata County (DRO), about 1 hour and 12 minutes from our front gate. We recommend renting a car as it's the most flexible way to get here and get around. Additionally, there is SO MUCH to do in the area you may want to take a day trip or two to Canyon of the Ancients or Mesa Verde. It can’t go without mention that Telluride is only two hours away, as is Arches National Park.

We truly hope you get to make a vacation of this trip that extends well beyond our wedding. If we were you, we’d plan an entire road trip around the ceremony, but if the burdens of real life prevent that, Durango Airport has several rental companies with desks in the terminal, including Budget, Hertz, Enterprise, and Fox. Daily rates typically run $50–90 depending on vehicle type and how far in advance you book. Booking early is wise for a May weekend.

You can also fly into Cortez Regional Airport (CEZ), which is closer, but flights run on verrrry small planes with limited availability, and car rental options on the ground are more limited.

We'll be setting up a wedding WhatsApp group closer to the date and we hope you use it to coordinate carpools from Durango. Private group shuttles from Durango are also an option if a crew wants to arrive together.