People ask us this question more than almost any other. The honest answer is that each season is genuinely good for different reasons, and the best time depends on what you are actually looking for. We have been here through nine full years of seasons now, and this is what we have learned.
Summer (June to August): long days, busy trails ¶
The upper trails are clear by mid-June in most years, earlier in a dry spring like 2026. Days are long, mornings are cool, afternoons can be warm. The Fir's porch comes into its own in summer. The site is at its busiest, so book ahead. Midweek stays in July and August are quieter than weekends and the trails are noticeably less crowded. The light in the evenings in July is something worth staying up for.
Autumn (September to November): the best kept secret ¶
September and October are the months that regulars tend to guard. The summer visitors have gone, the larches turn gold in the second week of October, and the air has a clarity that is hard to describe. Temperatures drop quickly after dark, which means the stoves get used properly. The trails are quiet. Bookings fill up faster than you would expect for what most people think of as the off-season.
Winter (December to March): for people who mean it ¶
Winter stays are not for everyone. The road to the site requires a 4WD or chains from December through February in most years. The days are short. But the cabins are warm, the snow on the ridge is extraordinary, and there is a particular kind of quiet that only exists when everything is under snow. We do fewer bookings in winter by design, and the guests who come tend to come back.
Spring (April to May): mud and possibility ¶
Spring is the most variable season. Some years the snowmelt is clean and the trails open early. Other years there is a late dump in April that closes the upper routes for another three weeks. The lower loop is usually walkable by mid-April. The site is at its least busy, which means you can often get a midweek stay on short notice. The birch stand below the Fir is worth seeing when it comes into leaf.
If you are not sure which season fits what you need, call us. We will tell you honestly what to expect in the weeks you are considering, based on what we are actually seeing on the ground.