Brown Dog Cabin sits at the edge of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness and Routt National Forest, which means hundreds of miles of trail are within easy reach, no matter the season.
In summer and fall, the trails range from easy valley walks along the Elk River to serious alpine routes into the Zirkel high country. Many of the best trailheads are less than a half hour from the cabin, so a full day on the trail doesn’t require much driving.
Once the snow comes, the same trails turn into snowshoe routes. The forest goes quiet and the trees load up with snow, and it’s a completely different experience from the summer version of the same walk. Snowshoes rent easily in Steamboat or Clark if you don’t want to bring your own.
Because the cabin has no cell service, it’s worth telling someone your general route before you head out, especially in winter. Bring layers, since temperatures swing quickly at elevation, and always check current trail and avalanche conditions before setting out on anything above treeline.