Aldo Leopold House

About

On February 2, 1912, Aldo Leopold wrote to his fiancée that the Forest Service had appropriated $650 to build a new supervisor's quarters at Tres Piedras. That year he built this house, which the couple called "Mi Casita." It was here that Leopold began formulating the land ethic that would become central to his classic work, Sand County Almanac. Restored by Historicorps and the Carson National Forest in 2005, the house is now available as a rental cabin. The 1,300 square foot Craftsman bungalow features four bedrooms with two queen beds and six twin beds, accommodating up to eight guests. The house includes a fully equipped kitchen with gas range, oven, and microwave, a dining room with large table, one bathroom with claw foot tub and shower, and both front and back porches. Note that stairs to the second floor are very steep and not suitable for those with mobility issues. Located in the shadow of the "TP Rocks" (Tres Piedras), the house offers direct access to Carson National Forest hiking, non-technical scrambling, and technical climbing routes. The front porch faces eastward across the sage plain and Rio Grande Gorge toward Wheeler Peak. The Aldo Leopold Trail can be accessed nearby off Highway 64. The remote location provides limited cell service, and the nearest gas station is 30 miles north in Antonito, Colorado. Taos is 30 miles east, and nearby attractions include Hopewell Lake, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Cruces Basin Wilderness, and Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Directions

Due to ongoing highway construction on Highway 285, the route has changed. Navigate first to Tres Piedras Ranger Station at 22280 Highway 64, Tres Piedras (GPS: 36°39'04.1"N, 105°58'24.9"W). From the ranger station parking lot, follow signs marked Leopold House with arrows for 0.3 miles to the green gate entrance.