Limekiln Road

Tucked into the rugged Limekiln area just 10 miles southwest of Del Norte, this one-of-a-kind off-grid retreat is calling the explorer in you. Built by hand in 2005 from locally harvested lumber, the 168 sq ft main cabin is the heart of this 30-acre homestead—surrounded by National Forest with no neighbors in sight. Privacy and adventure are guaranteed. Step inside and you’ll find a cozy log interior with exposed beams, a wood-burning stove, a lofted sleeping space, and a cheerful kitchen featuring a propane stove, farmhouse sink, copper water vessel, and a solar-powered refrigerator. A screened-in porch adds another 80 sq ft, perfect for morning coffee while you watch deer wander through the pinons. Across the yard sits the “bunkhouse,” a 100 sq ft guest cabin with built-in bunks, an outdoor kitchen, and its own front porch—a perfect spot for stargazing. The bath house is rustic yet comfortable, with a manually composting toilet, propane camp shower, and small heater to keep things warm on frosty mornings. Both cabins run on simple, efficient systems—wood heat, propane appliances, and solar power—making this the ultimate mountain basecamp. Explore miles of National Forest trails right from your doorstep, or just kick back by the outdoor fire ring and soak in the silence. A modern, solar-powered water well is located on the property at the base of the driveway. Drilled in 2005, this well is 214 feet deep and has a sustained pump rate of 3 gallons per minute. A buried, 500-gallon cistern keeps plenty of water on hand year-round. Water can be hauled to the cabins in a trailer-mounted cistern, or in 3-5 gallon water jugs, whichever you prefer. Several good home sites sit lower on the property and closer to the well. If you'd like to build a more traditional home with a well and septic, this is still the place you want to be! This historic 160-acre mining claim is subdivided into 11 separate parcels, but with no other cabins built on any of them, it feels like you have the mountains all to yourself. Although the road is not maintained year-round, you do have access through the Forest Service gates even during seasonal closures. Adding to the property's rich character, a historic lime kiln lies within sight of the cabin. In the 1800s, lime was made here by heating local travertine in stone kilns at temperatures of 1,600–1,800°F, producing quicklime used for mortar, plaster, and whitewash in the rapidly growing town of Del Norte. In the late 1800s, Del Norte briefly entered the conversation as a possible capital of Colorado. Located near the geographic center of the southern Rockies and thriving from mining, ranching, and trade, the town’s advocates argued it was a natural hub for the state. This historic lime kiln site provided much of the materials needed for the rapid building in Del Norte during that time. This visible remnant of Colorado’s frontier history connects these cabins to the area’s early industry and gives your land a story as enduring as the mountains themselves.