The Rio Grande National Forest and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado completed the second phase of major improvements to the historic Platoro Cabins,  installing handcrafted cedar shutters and winter covers designed to protect the structures and enhance comfort for visitors while also keeping the cabins safe, functional and aligned with their historic character.  

These improvements are due to a 15-year partnership between the forest and Volunteer for Outdoor Colorado. Under a 2011 agreement, forest employees and volunteers meet each fall to identify priority projects for the upcoming season. The organization’s volunteer coordinator, Katie Goodleaf, works with program managers to match volunteer skills sets with needs in recreation, trails, wildlife and other program areas.

“Volunteer programs like this one are so important for us,” said District Natural Resources Recreation Supervisor Jeremiah Martinez. “They enrich our relationships in our communities and provide a space where community members can use their expertise and passion for their public lands to directly affect their forest home.”

Planning for this phase began when experienced volunteers Joe Chastain and Mick Syzek worked closely with Martinez to develop a design for decorative window shutters and protective winter covers.

Nine experienced volunteers then traveled to Conejos Peak Ranger District to fabricate and mount the 16 decorative shutters and covers. These will improve durability, protect the windows from heavy snow loads and wildlife entry, help stabilize interior temperatures, and refresh the appearance of the recreation rental cabins.  

In the first phase in 2025, volunteers removed and installed new windows with custom-cut trim, replaced trim on bathroom windows, painted window trim and cabin siding, repaired screen doors, installed water heaters, and added a new kitchen sink fixture. These upgrades made the cabins warmer, more energy efficient and reduced long-term maintenance needs for the forest.

Forest Supervisor Dennis Kuhnel said, “The volunteers’ work strengthens historic places for future generations’ appreciation and enjoyment. Each milestone reflects the volunteers’ commitment to preserving our country’s heritage on national forests. I’m excited to see what comes next.”

Built in 1963 by the Forest Service as housing for crews working high in the San Juan Mountains, the cabins sit in a natural setting near the headwaters of the Conejos, San Juan and Blanco rivers.

Platoro was once a busy mining boomtown founded in the late 1800s after miners discovered gold and silver deposits, and its history remains visible in the surrounding landscape and the cabins themselves.

Before being converted into a recreation retreat in the 1990s, the cabins served as an essential work center for maintenance, fire suppression and other forest management activities on the Rio Grande National Forest. Their continued use for more than 60 years has required ongoing work to keep them safe, functional and enjoyable for visitors.

The Rio Grande National Forest thanks Volunteer for Outdoor Colorado volunteers, whose craftsmanship, curiosity and dedication show the impact partnerships can have across public lands. As the forest looks ahead to future projects, staff remain grateful for every volunteer who chooses to give back to the land they love.