Channeling Hunter S. Thompson has never been easier with a new residency at his former home.
The original cabin at which Hunter S. Thompson invited guest writers to stay.
The Roaring Fork Valley has long lent itself to creatives from around the world who are looking for a permanent or temporary residence to stimulate the mind, body and spirit. Surrounded by boundless natural beauty, there is no place more idyllic to find inspiration for photography essays, film scripts, poems or novels. Recently opened in Woody Creek, the Owl Farm Writer’s Cabin might just be the ultimate draw for creatives to jump into their next project.
Gonzo journalists can channel Hunter S. Thompson at the legendary author’s former writing and guest cabin, to which he had invited writers and editors to stay and work. Situated on his famed self-proclaimed “fortified compound,” coined Owl Farm, the two-bedroom residence is now open to the public for the first time ever to inspire the next generation of the Good Doctor’s students. Filled with memorabilia from original photographs and artwork on the walls to his same type IBM Selectric typewriter on his desk and his Pontiac Gran Ville parked outside, the cabin is so surreal, some will likely pen their proudest piece yet. And one can expect company of the feathered kind during their stay: Descendants of Thompson’s prized peacocks sleep in an adjoining coop and roam about the property during the day.
Hunter’s widow, Anita, who has devoted herself to preserving the legacy of her late husband and their home, oversaw the interior renovation that reclaimed some materials from the main house, such as Johnny Depp’s red peg board from Hunter’s bedroom. She personally vets all aspiring guests via a formal application process, and despite Owl Farm’s rowdy reputation, parties are strictly prohibited. Proceeds from rentals support maintaining the 42.5-acre property, for which she hopes to soon achieve historic landmark status, the Owl Farm Trust and the Gonzo Foundation—a nonprofit organization created to promote literature, journalism and political activism in honor of the legacy of Hunter S. Thompson, with a scholarship for veterans through Columbia University. From $350 per night, applications at gonzonation.org
Photography by: craig turpin courtesy of aspen daily news
