Project Summary
In the ultimate rugged Colorado, State Forest State Park offers visitors 70,932 acres of forest, jagged peaks, alpine lakes, wildlife, and miles of trails. But when the parks’ housing accommodations left a vacancy, it needed a new means to host its visitors overnight. Now, nature lovers can enjoy staying in the safety and warmth of a quality Freedom Yurts, and owner Corey Peterson can rest assured his high country investment will bring great returns.
Meet the Owners
Corey Peterson of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, serves as the Vice President of Mountain Operations at Steamboat Ski Resort, where he has worked for nearly 22 years. In December of 2023, he unexpectedly found himself in the rental/accommodations business when neighboring State Forest State Park was in search of new building solutions after the previous owners were removed. Working with a short timeline, he needed to quickly find the right partner to bring the right type of housing back to State Forest.
Project Details
After extensive research and evaluating various housing types, Peterson selected Freedom Yurts due to their durability, superior insulation, and quality windows and doors. Peterson contracted Freedom Yurts in the spring of 2024 to construct eight yurt-cabins to be completed by fall 2024.
The project specs included:
- Four 14-wall yurt-cabins
- Three 12-wall yurt-cabins for rental
- One 18-wall yurt-cabin used as an office
Challenges
State Forest State Park experiences heavy snow loads, high winds, and prolonged winter conditions.
To protect his investment and ensure long service life, Peterson required a solution that balanced rugged performance with operational efficiency. After thorough market research, Freedom Yurts emerged as the only provider that met every requirement.
The yurts needed to meet strict performance requirements, including:
- High snow and wind load capacity
- Excellent R-value insulation for year-round use
- Real, hard-sided windows and doors — not soft-sided or zippered alternatives
- Ease of installation paired with long-term durability
- Steamboat Springs building and maintenance expectations
- A long depreciation schedule (20+ years) leading to a strong ROI
“Freedom Yurts has been great to work with throughout the entire process, from contract negotiation to installation. The whole experience was very collaborative, and they truly stand by their product. There was a manufacturing issue with paint peeling off the doors, and even though the supplier wouldn’t address it, Freedom Yurts stepped up and said, ‘We owe you a fix, whether or not the supplier owns it.’ They resolved the issue at their own expense. So, they’ve gone above and beyond, and I have nothing but good things to say about both the product and the company.”
– Corey Peterson, Owner of Yonder Yurts
Final Results
Peterson anticipates a three- to four-year return on investment, with the yurt-cabin expected to last 20+ years—resulting in approximately 15 years of profitability beyond the initial payoff period.
Looking ahead, Corey plans to expand operations with up to five additional yurts in new locations and intends to continue working exclusively with Freedom Yurts for all future expansions.
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Whether it’s a weekend hideaway, flexible guest space, or income-generating rental, we help you build with purpose—affordable, attractive, and ready to earn.