Honey Rock Landing begins where the noise ends. Whether you need the escape or want a change of scenery from the foothills, it’s worth the drive from Denver.
The road there feels like a dare. Before I ever saw the cave, I noticed the silence. Outside of Grand Junction, just off Highway 50, the canyon swallows the road, and the noise falls away. And then you’re at one of those unassuming turnoffs. It doesn’t hint at what’s waiting at the end, but then, all at once, the land opens into something magical: a working orchard spun into the landscape butting up against the Gunnison River. A pocket of green in a sun-baked expanse. And, carved directly into the cliffside, a set of cave suites that somehow manage to feel both wildly unexpected and completely at home in their surroundings.
Honey Rock is luxurious, yes. But it is also deeply intentional. This is not a resort that happens to have a farm. It is a farm that is building a new model of hospitality around stewardship and community. Marketing and hospitality manager Erica Frank describes it as “a thousand-year project. It’s not for the owners. It’s not for their kids. It’s not even for their kids’ kids,” she says. But rather, it’s for the entire community. That mindset shows up everywhere, from the way the orchard is managed to the partnerships they are building with local producers, restaurants, and organizations.
And then there is the experience of staying inside the stone.
Enveloped in the Earth
In addition to the orchard, Honey Rock’s draw is its cave suites, carved into storied, centuries-old sandstone and designed to feel like a quiet retreat carved straight from the landscape. The suites are spacious and laid out like a private hideaway and a practical home base.
What struck me immediately wasn’t just the novelty of sleeping inside the earth but how intentionally everything had been thought through. Cave, yes. Cold and damp? Not even close.
The first detail that had me enamored was the radiant floor heating. After a long day of driving, stepping onto warm floors felt like my nervous system exhaled. The second detail was the bathroom. A copper tub sits in the middle of the bathroom, commanding and inviting. Large enough for two, though solitude has a real appeal here. Or rinse off as the sandstone wraps around you with a shower that sits right against the curved cave walls. And yes, the toilet has a bidet, which was an unexpected delight that now feels hard to live without. Consider yourself warned.
The suite layout also works for real life, not just romanticized weekend photos. Each suite can sleep six, with a king bed and a loft area with additional queens. It’s perfect for kids, for a couple of friends who want to split a stay, or a storage area for outdoor gear to explore nearby activities.
When I stayed, the orchard was not yet in bloom, but I never felt like I missed out. The landscape was immaculate without it. Big views, calm air, that wide-open Western Slope feeling where your thoughts get smaller because the horizon gets bigger. And at night, the stars felt ethereal against the dark sky.
A kitchen to ease your stay
I’m a firm believer that the best “luxury” is ease. At Honey Rock, that ease shows up in the rhythms of the stay. Each suite has a full kitchen with the supplies you actually need to cook, not just reheat leftovers. That matters here because this is the kind of place you might want to arrive, settle in, and never leave again.
Breakfast provisions are stocked in the fridge, which is one of those simple, generous touches that make everything feel effortless. Farm-fresh eggs are part of the lineup. Honey Rock keeps hundreds of chickens that roam beneath orchard trees, contributing to natural pest control and fertilization. “We’ve got about 300 chickens now,” Erica says proudly. “They’re just happy chicks out here, chilling by the river.”
I fried an egg for dinner, along with some steak and asparagus. I hard-boiled the rest to bring along for a ski snack later. But if eggs aren’t your thing, there’s also pancake mix and other breakfast basics created in collaboration with local partners.
After breakfast, pull the blackout blinds back, let the light spill across the stone, and drink coffee on the patio while the orchard wakes up around you. Even out of season, it is the kind of calm that makes you realize how much background noise the city carries.
Take home a slice of paradise
Honey Rock’s farm stand is one of the most charming amenities on the property, and it says a lot about the way the place is being built. It’s tucked into its own cave space, the shop feels intimate yet practical, stocked with Colorado-made snacks, drinks, and even ice cream for an afternoon treat. The shelves are lined with Honey Rock products, too, from jars of sweet golden honey to seasonal produce, alongside their newest venture, Colorado Juice Company.
Honey is a major part of that story. It’s right there in the name. “Honey Rock Landing” nods to Deuteronomy 32, the Song of Moses. “Honey from the rock”—a reference to sweetness and provision in an otherwise harsh landscape. The farm has dozens of hives. Erica explains the way the flavor changes year to year, depending on what is blooming and thriving. “Last year’s batch was more of a whipped honey, where this year’s is more fruit-forward.” It’s one of those details that makes you appreciate how alive the place is. Even the souvenirs have direct ties to the land.
The stand is a small, tangible extension of the bigger mission. Keep it local and keep it connected. Make the land the center of the story, then invite the community into it.
A working orchard, not a set piece
One of the most compelling things about Honey Rock is that it’s actively evolving. The owners, Colby and Leslie Barrett, bought the property in 2018. Colby, a geotechnical engineer with a love for rock and land, envisioned carving into the sandstone almost immediately after purchasing the orchard. Construction began in 2018, and by late 2025, they were welcoming guests into a stay Colorado has never seen before.
Their approach to the farm is a long game rooted in stewardship. That ethos is baked into everything from their farming practices to their future plans.
The property grows peaches, cherries, pears, and more, along with greenhouse produce that extends the growing season. The team is certified organic and moving toward regenerative certification, focused on soil health and long-term sustainability.
Behind the scenes, the orchard demands constant care. A small team lives on the property during the bloom and harvest seasons, keeping watch over the trees as temperatures shift. When frost threatens, wind machines whir to life, circulating air to protect the delicate blossoms. Organic sprays and natural pest control methods support healthy harvests without compromising the land. From there, the fruit travels near and wide, partnering with regional distributors and restaurants to send Honey Rock’s produce throughout Colorado.
A property in motion
Honey Rock is not static. It is expanding, carefully and ambitiously. Additional cave-style structures are under construction, including communal dining areas, spa-inspired spaces, and a swimming pool carved into the rock. Nearby hillsides will get glamping tents, framed with views that stretch across canyon walls and river bends.
In late spring, the Honey Rock team is launching immersive weekend stays, complete with chef-prepared farm dinners and seasonal events like an asparagus festival.
“We’re pioneering this for the rest of Colorado,” Erica emphasizes. “It’s not just a resort. It’s a resort with a purpose.”
Why it lingers
I’ve stayed at beautiful properties before, but Honey Rock is different. Maybe it’s the way the suites are carved into the earth, or the way the orchard hums quietly around you. Maybe it’s the sense that everyone involved truly believes in what they are building.
“I’ve had a lot of jobs,” Erica tells me. “This is easily the best. I’m valued. I’m heard. And I love being out here. I love being in nature, in this paradise.”
That passion is contagious. You feel it when you walk the rows of trees. You feel it when you step out of a warm bath. You feel it when you realize this is not a place chasing trends but planting roots.
You could stop by Honey Rock Landing on your way through the Western Slope. But after staying there, I would argue it deserves to be the destination itself.
For print-exclusive stories, download the digital magazine or pick up a copy from select local King Soopers, Safeway, Tattered Cover, or Barnes & Noble locations.
