St. Benedict's Monastery

St. Benedict's Monastery is a Trappist community in the Elk Mountains foothills near the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area. The complex includes residential buildings, worship spaces, a bookstore, retreat cabins, and farm structures spread across the property.

The monastery was founded in 1956 when Trappist monks from St. Joseph's Abbey in Massachusetts established their community in the Colorado mountains. This settlement brought a monastic order to the Rocky Mountain region for the first time.

The monks shape life here through their daily work with cattle, their handmade cookie production, and their role as hosts to visitors seeking time for reflection.

The location is relatively remote and requires a car to reach. Visitors should expect limited modern amenities and be prepared for a quiet, natural setting away from main towns.

The monastery was one of the first Trappist projects to focus on cattle ranching at scale, creating an unusual blend of monastic life and commercial agriculture.

Location: Colorado

Location: Pitkin County

Inception: 1956

GPS coordinates: 39.26200,-107.00500

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:55