Sleeping Indian RanchUSA, Colorado

This private estate set on 15,000 acres, is nestled in a broad valley on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, known as the “Gateway to the San Juan Mountains,” the showpiece 40,000-plus square-foot, the seven-bedroom lodge welcomes families who dream of wide-open spaces. Built-in 1993 as a private family vacation estate, Sleeping Indian Ranch was designed by Douglas S. Ewing, FAIA, and is an American Institute of Architects award-winning home. The largest post-and-beam log structure ever built evoking the arts and crafts movement, Sleeping Indian Ranch was inspired by the legendary great lodges of Yellowstone and Yosemite. This warm and comfortable home, which can sleep up to 16 guests, is a rare architectural masterpiece constructed with reclaimed logs from the 1988 Yellowstone fire some of which are up to 50 inches in diameter.

The centerpiece of the home is the Great Room,  where logs of up to 50-inch diameter were used in the 38-foot high ceilings, creating one of the west’s most spectacular interior spaces. A cozy bar is crafted from Claro Walnut and creates the perfect ambiance for libations and discussions next to matching walk-in stone fireplaces with 16-foot-long mantels. Mealtime is a chance to gather in either the dining hall, which can seat up to 25 guests at a long table lit by custom bronze cast lighting fixtures, or outside on the terrace. A professional chef’s kitchen of over 2,000 square feet can handle any occasion, and a smaller family kitchen features a cozy dining alcove with a fireplace. Additional luxurious amenities include a media room and cigar room, along with a three-room wine cellar of pure handcrafted limestone with tile vaulted ceiling and forged iron doors. Intimate dinners of six to eight can be held in the 3,000 bottle capacity cellar, guarded by a fifteenth-century suit of armor.