Yoga and Hiking Mountain Retreat Near Denver: 4 Days at Duncan Park

Duncan Park sits at 2992 James Basin Rd in Ward, Colorado, just over an hour's drive from Denver. It is a private property, off-grid, surrounded by forest and close to the St. Vrain river. The River Yoga has hosted this retreat here since 2014, and the format has stayed much the same: arrive Thursday evening, leave Sunday after breakfast.

The daily rhythm is set by yoga. Thursday evening is a restorative practice after a community dinner and opening circle. Friday morning is an energising vinyasa flow before breakfast, then the group heads out on a guided hike to an alpine lake, with lunch along the way. Saturday is slower — gentle movement and meditation first thing, then free time, then the afternoon workshop, then an evening fire circle. Sunday morning is breakfast, a closing ceremony and a final movement practice before goodbyes.

What makes this different from a standard yoga weekend is the setting and the group size. You are sleeping in bunk-rooms that hold 9 to 11 people, or in summer cabins that sleep up to 6, or in platform tents that take 2. Everyone eats together in the Main Lodge. There is no phone signal to speak of and no TV — the evenings are fire circles and conversation. The hike to the alpine lake is a proper half-day outing, not a walk around the block.

Alex Simonian and Andy Jans lead the retreat. Alex is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher who trained largely at The River Yoga; she also has a background in Leave No Trace education and wilderness guiding, and runs her own Colorado retreat company, Primal Awakening. Andy has practised for 16 years and taught for 12, is also a certified 500-hour instructor, and teaches yin and breathwork alongside more active styles. Both live in Colorado and spend their free time hiking, skiing and camping.

The property itself is deliberately simple. The Main Lodge has two bunk-rooms, Riverside and Ridgeside, each with a half bath with running water and propane-powered thermostats, and direct access to the common living space and kitchen. The summer cabins — Calvert and Witt overlooking the St. Vrain river, Duncan and Folts in a grove of aspen trees — have LED battery lighting and portable propane heaters, and share the Bathhouse. Platform tents have two cots each, a propane heater and solar lanterns. It is comfortable but rustic, and that is the point.

What's included

- 3 nights lodging at Duncan Park (shared bunk-rooms, summer cabins or platform tents) - 3 meals a day - Unlimited coffee and tea - Daily yoga practices - Guided group hike to an alpine lake - Workshop: Deepen Your Practice - Connecting Ancient Yoga Wisdom to Wilderness - Daily journal prompts, meditation and breathwork - Full access to the private off-grid property - Evening fire circles - Community bonding time

What's not included

- Transportation to and from Duncan Park - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Alcohol - Bedding and towels (not stated — check before you pack)