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.
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Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg 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
Property Registration Number 03-536176-00-0
Property # 7706615
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Cloudcroft
Located in Cloudcroft, this cabin is in the mountains. Cloudcroft Ice Rink and Cloudcroft Ski Area 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. The Tunnel Stop and Apache Point Observatory are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and sledging.
Alamogordo, NM (ALM-White Sands Regional) - 38 min drive
Restaurants
Cloudcroft Brewing Company - 7 min walk
Dusty Boots Cafe - 12 min walk
Mad Jack's Mountain Barbecue - 14 min walk
Texas Pit BBQ - 13 min walk
Dave's Cafe - 13 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 23 kg per pet.
How much does it cost to stay at Shep's Artist Retreat ?
As of 18 Aug, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Shep's Artist Retreat on 30 Aug, 2026 start from S$874, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Shep's Artist Retreat ?
On-site parking is available at the property.
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 ?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Shep's Artist Retreat located?
Situated in the mountains, this cabin is within 1 mile (2 km) of Sacramento Mountains Museum, Cloudcroft Ice Rink and New Mexico Rails-to-Trails. Trestle Recreation Area and Cloudcroft Ski Area are also within 3 miles (5 km).
About the host
Hosted by Donna Shepherd
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
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