About

What is this Cowgirl Retreat?

Rocky Mountain Yoga Retreats 

Cowgirl Retreat started in 2012 with a group of ladies horseback riding into the deep wilderness, we did yoga, we explored, we relaxed….we gathered in light discussion and laughed over coffee & wine. We ate really well and slept under the stars in big canvas tents. No light pollution, just the sounds of a woodburning stove and nature. Ever since, we’ve created an annual retreat focused on unplugging from the every day hustle n bustle to connect with ourselves, ride into the wild west and eat good food.

Abbey Samuelson and her mother in law, Cathy Samuelson offer this once a year retreat, on horseback into the Troublesome Basin for an unforgettable over-night #wilderbliss experience combining yoga, horses, art and nature. This experience would not be possible without her family’s generations of experience in this beautiful wild west. Abbey wishes to carrying on the tradition of her mother in Law, Cathy Samuelson, she knows shes got a big pair of boots to fill and it’s worth it.

Troublesome Basin Wilderness

Granby, Colorado

The origin of “Medicine Bow” is legendary. Native American tribes, such as the Ute Indians, discovered mountain mahogany growing within the valleys of the Colorado and Wyoming area. Here they discovered how to construct a bow of exceptional quality and annual traditions began. Tribes would gather together to create their weapons and form ceremonial “powwows” for the cure of disease. Assimilating speech between the Indians and the early settlers as, “making medicine” and “making bow” resulted in the name “Medicine Bow,” and now refers to the local region of this special and magical forest.

The Routt National Forest is named in respect to the last territorial governor and first state governor of Colorado, Colonel John N. Routt. The Routt National Forest occupies a unique setting in Northwest Colorado. The forest is between two internationally recognized destination sites – Rocky Mountain National Park and Dinosaur National Monument. 

The Troublesome Basin is a segment of Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest located Northwest of Granby, Colorado consisting of 80,000 acres of timbered land, open parks and meadows, river drainages and peaks above timberline. The elevation ranges from 7,500 to 12,300 feet with breathtaking views. The retreat camp is located in a road-less section that can only be traveled through on foot or on horseback, making it a prime location to indulge in the sights and sounds of nature. Our trip into the campsite is a 45-minute horseback ride with seasoned horses fit for both experienced and non-experienced riders. The site is located in a serene area, out of cell phone reception, inviting you to surrender to a state of relaxation.