Cabin

Shep's Artist Retreat

Photo gallery for Shep's Artist Retreat

Summertime at the cabin
The cabin in winter.
Look for this sign!
Front walkup, Shep’s Artist Retreat
Living Area with New 65" Smart TV and Leather Furniture

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 81449 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Outdoor Space
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Cloudcroft, NM
  • Sacramento Mountains Museum
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • New Mexico Rails-to-Trails
    ‪19 min walk‬
  • Cloudcroft Ski Area
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Alamogordo, NM (ALM-White Sands Regional)
    ‪38 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bunkhouse

4 Twin Beds

Master

1 King Bed

Upstairs Guest Room

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bunkroom Bath Downstairs

Toilet · Shower only

Half Bath Upstairs

Toilet

Upstair Main Bath

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Shep's Artist Retreat

Shep's Artist Retreat is available as an 8 person cabin..

This cute cabin is located in the Lincoln National Forest & is the summer home for portrait artist, Shep. His private art studio is located next door to the cabin where he teaches his "Paint Like a Venetian" classes every August. If you are interested in purchasing any of the artwork in the cabin or take Shep's class, please let us know. Most are for sale with the exception of a few that are his wife's private collection. We feel that this cabin in this tiny village is our happy place & we would like to share it with you when we are not in resident.

The cabin has fantastic views of the trees and mountains from a private deck. It contains 3 bedrooms that sleeps 8 comfortably, 2.5 bathrooms, a 55 inch TV with YouTube TV, a wood stove to build a fire for those warm and cozy winter evenings. A propane heater is also available. Living, dining & kitchen create a large open space for family gatherings.

With a full kitchen with almost every gadget known to man, a washer and dryer, you will have everything you could need on vacation. It is also across the street from the OSHA Hiking trail for your outdoor cravings. Wildlife wander through the yard almost daily. We've also built a treehouse for both kids & adults which is outside the fenced area & is shared with Shep's Studio Hideaway next door..

Upstairs off the main living area is a large deck that looks out into the trees. There is a table & plenty of chairs for viewing wildlife & a BBQ grill. The yard below has a swing, picnic table & lots of chairs to chill out at the end of the day and is fully fenced.

Bunkhouse has 4 built-in bunks, couch, YouTube TV, mini fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, full bath with shower. Stairs to bunkhouse are located outside off the back deck. The bunkhouse is a totally separate area.

Cloudcroft has lots of shops & several great restaurants including the BEST Texas BBQ around at Mad Jack's & Brother-InLaw's BBQ, burgers at Dave's, home cooked meals at Big Daddy's and Dusty Boots, Cloudcroft Sandwich Shop, food trucks, coffee shops, amazing bakeries & the famous Cloudcroft Brewery which features pizza, live music & crafted beers, The Lodge with fine dining & golf course & finally, Mayhill Cafe in Mayhill. Check out all the great restaurants! Ruidoso is 45 minutes away where there are more restaurants, shopping, horse race track, ski area with a huge zip line, hiking. Alamogordo offers shopping, restaurants, zoo, train museum, art gallery, movie theatre, bowling, petroglyphs, White Sands National Monument & more.

Winter fun can be had skiing, cross country skiing, tubing, ice skating in outdoor arena, hiking. Summer fun offers festivals, hiking trails, fishing, melodramas, museum, horseback riding, ATV rentals.

We are pet friendly with a maximum of 2 pets & a $50 non-refundable fee per pet. There is a doggy door & fenced back yard. If you bring a pet, it must be kenneled anytime you are not at the cabin. You are responsible for picking up feces in the yard & disposing in dumpster.

You must be 21 to secure a reservation. This is a quiet neighborhood with many year-round residents. Please be respectable of others by not playing loud music. Please do not park in or block our neighbors driveways.

Property manager

Donna Shepherd
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor Space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Bunkroom has a separate outside entrance.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 50 lbs per pet (limit 2 pets total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Do not move furniture. It is heavy. Our cleaning lady cannot move it back without help. If she has to hire someone to help, you will be charged $25.
NO outside fires are allowed. A propane grill is provided & this is the only fire allowed on our property. Includes smoking.
MAX # of overnight guests in cabin is NOT to exceed 8 unless prior approval. This includes children.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
Property Registration Number 03-536176-00-0

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Cloudcroft

Located in Cloudcroft, this cabin is in the mountains. Cloudcroft Ski Area and Heart of the Desert Pistachios & Wine are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Trestle Recreation Area and New Mexico Rails-to-Trails. Sacramento Peak Observatory and The Tunnel Stop are also worth visiting. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Cloudcroft, NM

What's nearby

  • Sacramento Peak Observatory - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Sacramento Mountains Museum - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • New Mexico Rails-to-Trails - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Trestle Recreation Area - 20 min walk - 1.7 km
  • Cloudcroft Ski Area - 5 min drive - 4.3 km

Getting around

  • Alamogordo, NM (ALM-White Sands Regional) - 38 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪Cloudcroft Brewing Company - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Dave's Cafe - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Big Daddy's Diner - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Burro Street Bakery - ‬12 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Shep's Artist Retreat pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 50 lbs per pet.

What time is check-in at Shep's Artist Retreat ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Shep's Artist Retreat ?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Shep's Artist Retreat located?

Situated in the mountains, this cabin is within a 15-minute walk of Sacramento Peak Observatory and Sacramento Mountains Museum. New Mexico Rails-to-Trails and Trestle Recreation Area are also within 1 mi (2 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 52 out of 56 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 56 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 56 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 56 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 56 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Amy R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great cozy getaway

Close to everything and comfortable.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jacob M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great weekend

Was a great weekend, enjoyed the quite outdoors and the wonderful fresh air.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

leonard d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Holiday vacation

The house was great. We used the sledding disks and went to White Sands national Park. Had a blast and enjoyed the board games y'all had. Just enough things to do around town to keep us busy (snow tubing) and also some time to relax too. We will be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Heather H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Homey cabin

This is the 2nd time we've stayed at sheps cabin, and we will definitely book it again if it's available. Our kiddos play basketball so we come up once a year for the tournaments. The kitchen is very well stocked, the beds are comfortable and having the downstairs bunkhouse with tv, fridge and microwave is awesome when you've got a couple boys that stay up late playing video games. Every inch of the cabin feels like home.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Second time staying here so nice

Property is clean and cozy and perfectly set up for a trip with friends and family. Host was so good with communication we have no complaints :)
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Whitney Q.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Five Star Property!!

Shep’s Artist Retreat is hands down the cleanest, most well maintained property we’ve stayed at in Cloudcroft! The location is great - so peaceful and quiet, with an excellent view of the trees. Very easy to find, and accessible parking and entry. Our family of 3 just spent a fall weekend getaway here, with lots of hiking, relaxing on the balcony, and late night rounds of Yahtzee. This property was exactly what we needed. The space is comfortable and had everything we might need. Although we didn’t make use of the downstairs bunkhouse, I could imagine how perfect it would be for a group of cousins, siblings, etc. The property owners were very helpful before arrival with directions to the cabin. We would absolutely stay here again, and would recommend Shep’s Artist Retreat to anyone considering a reservation!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kassandra N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

PERFECT

So many good things to say about our stay that I don't know where to start! My now husband and I eloped to White Sands with my in-laws and son in tow. The space worked out for us perfectly from the atmosphere, amount of space, and setup. I loved being on the edge of Cloudcroft and walking out onto the deck every morning. Definitely follow the driving instructions they give you beforehand. They made it easy to check in, the place is clean, responded to us super quick, have really thought of everything, and all around were the best hosts we've ever rented from. We plan on coming back again and again!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cindy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cloudcroft Retreat

Excellent location, great amenities, fenced yard great for kids, very comfortable layout.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meridith S., Edmond, OK

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Big bang for your buck

Quick trip to NM for fall break. Found this cabin for a great price and everyone loved it! Had my folks, my 3 kids and 2 nephews. We all had plenty of space. The bunk house was perfect for the 3 boys and myself. Teens and grandparents took the other 2 rooms. Kitchen perfect! Property was neat / kids loved the tree house and woods. Very convenient location. We even walked down to the brewery for pizza. Saw lots of deer. And the neighborhood cat. Owners were quick with responses to questions. Couldn’t have asked for a better stay. Highly recommend this property and little town!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janie L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

October 7-9,2023

The house was beautiful. The kids had a great time and look forward to another visit. They really loved being able to paint rocks to leave at the property. I had them put their names an date of visit on the bottom of their rocks. We really do appreciate the opportunity to be a guest in Shep's Artist Retreat. Thank you
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice home in quiet neighborhood

We enjoyed our stay at Shep's Artist Retreat. Although the main bedroom's mattress was much more firm than we prefer, that's just a matter of preference. Everything else was clean, well-appointed, and comfortable. Communication with the owner was very good and appreciated.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emily C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to stay!

Very clean, easy to communicate with owners. House has a balcony with stairs to lower level yard. The balcony had gates and it was easy to keep toddlers safe outside on the balcony. The yard looks out at a wooded area. Plenty of seating inside and outside! We had a great stay!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Maria C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing Celebration

My son wanted to spend time in that area for his birthday so I found this beautiful cabin. Once we got to the property it was even more beautiful than we expected. Loved that it was stocked up on a lot of things, even though we were prepared, there were things we overlooked and instead of having to drive to a store all we needed was supplied. The mornings and evenings were my favorite. I really hope to be back again soon!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gina H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautifully maintained and stocked cabin

We felt right at home during our stay. The kitchen, pantry, and bathrooms were well stocked. Bedrooms were delightfully decorated and extremely comfortable. I will definitely keep this property in kind for our next getaway.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christina L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfy getaway

I am not very good with words , but I shall try. Renting this home was such a breeze , I had a million questions and all were answered in a timely manner . The home was clean and comfy they had all you could need , of course we took our own stuff and don’t use theirs . But if by chance you needed something they had it. We loved that the kids had their own space downstairs so adults Could have quiet time upstairs. Would I recommend this home . YES !
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A beautiful retreat

Been visiting cloudcroft for 20+ years and this was the nicest place we’ve ever stayed. The cabin is lovely with lots of room for our entire family to have their own space. It was fully stocked with everything we could have possibly needed and then some. We celebrated Thanksgiving there and had all the plates, serving dishes and silverware needed. Lots of spices and condiments and coffee as well as a cute welcome basket of goodies that was much appreciated after our long drive from Texas. Donna was a gracious host and quick to answer any communications I had. It was the perfect holiday getaway.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Trip

We had a wonderful stay in Cloudcroft. The cabin was lovely and well stocked. We recommend this listing for a quiet getaway in New Mexico.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Steven S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place! Better stocked than any place we have eve stayed at (and we travel 3 t-4 months a yea

Wonderful experience
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

kelly m., SHALLOWATER, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful cabin, even better than pictures. Saw elk, deer and hummingbirds right outside of cabin.

Highly recommended
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jesus F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great cabin

Great place to spend time with wife and kids. Kids loves bunk beds room.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mini vacation

Great host very clean feels like home
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Camille C., Albuquerque

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highly recommend

Communication with Donna was so easy and she is very responsive!!! The cabin is very homey and had a welcoming vibe. Although the first day I did not see much wildlife the second day made up for it by far! There were so many deer around, I honestly could have stayed there forever! Thank you for being such a great hostess and sharing your lovely home!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful mountain getaway!

Wonderful cabin experience with attentive owners! We absolutely loved our stay and will book again!
Stayed 9 nights in May 2021

8/10 Good

Alicia A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Kitchen is well stocked, I like that very much.

Very nice property. Very spacious & neat.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

8/10 Good

ELVIN R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good value

Straight forward, pleasant transaction
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021

About the host

Hosted by Donna Shepherd

Host profile image
We are Bob & Donna Shepherd. We are Texans that fell in love with New Mexico. NM is truly the Land of Enchantment & we hope that when you stay in our cabin, you, too, will become enchanted. We are both retired from careers that we enjoyed. Bob is an artist, specializing in portraits but he dabbles in most anything that translates to a canvas. You'll see a number of his paintings that decorate our cabin.

Why they chose this property

Donna grew up going to Ruidoso to ski & summer camp. Her parents, being chaperones on these trips, fell in love with the area & eventually purchased land outside of Cloudcroft. When her parents passed on, she & Bob were going to build something on the property but decided that they wanted to be in the village. They bought Shepherd's Artist Retreat & the land now belongs to Donna's sister.

What makes this property unique

The minute we walked into to this cabin, we knew it was THE one. We loved everything about it, mostly. We had to do some redecorating & updating as most everything was original to this 1991 cabin. We love that it's in the village & close to everything. Being from the Houston area, our commute in Cloudcroft is in minutes, not hours. This cabin is our happy place & our kids & grandkids love coming here. There is so much to do in this area & it is a jumping off point for us to travel. We've hosted many family & friends & they, too, fell in love & many of them have purchased cabins as well.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests