Skid Cabins Built in Colorado
Cabins Plus builds skid cabins in Gardner, Colorado for landowners who want a real cabin without the paperwork that comes with wheels or a foundation. A skid cabin sits on heavy timber skids instead of a chassis, arrives on our trailer, and slides into place on a gravel pad or blocks. Many counties treat a cabin like this the way they treat a shed or outbuilding, which is often the simplest path to a hunting camp, a guest cabin, or a quiet office at the back of the property. Every model we build is available on skids.
What a skid cabin is
A skid cabin is the same cabin we build every day, set on pressure-treated timber skids instead of a wheeled chassis or a poured foundation. No title, no axles, no permanent attachment to the ground. It moves by trailer or heavy equipment, so you can reposition it on your land, take it with you if you sell, or hand it down to the next property. The build itself does not get lighter just because the base is simpler: spray foam insulation, solid surface countertops, and lifetime decking on the porch come standard, same as our park model and modular builds.
Often the simplest path to a cabin on your land
Because a skid cabin has no chassis and no foundation, many Colorado counties handle it under their outbuilding or shed rules, which are usually the lightest process a structure can go through. Usually is the operative word. Counties differ on size thresholds, setbacks, and what counts as an accessory building, and a cabin with plumbing draws more attention than a dry cabin. We will not promise you a permit-free experience, and you should be suspicious of any builder who does. What we will do is help you talk to your county land use office before you order, so the cabin we deliver is one you can actually use. One honest limit to know going in: a skid cabin is generally not a path to full-time legal residence. For that, our modular cabins exist, and for a movable cabin with RV park access, our park model cabins do.
When we'd talk you out of this
- If you plan to live in it full time, stop here. A skid cabin is an outbuilding in most counties' eyes, and no amount of insulation changes the classification. Our modular cabins are the legal way to live small on your land.
- If the cabin is headed for an RV park or a campground lot, skids will not get you through the gate. Those communities want titled park model RVs, and that is the build we would point you to.
- If lenders or appraisers are part of your plan, a skid cabin will disappoint them, since it stays personal property. A modular cabin set on a foundation becomes real property and counts toward what the land is worth.
Skid Cabins questions
Do I need a permit for a skid cabin in Colorado?
Sometimes no, often yes, and it depends entirely on your county. Many counties allow small accessory buildings with minimal process, but size thresholds, setbacks, and plumbing all change the answer. Nobody can honestly promise you permit-free, including us. Call your county land use office with your parcel number and the cabin dimensions, and we will help you frame the questions before you commit to a build.
Can I move a skid cabin after it is placed?
Yes, that is the main reason to choose skids. The cabin sits on heavy timber runners, so it can be winched onto a trailer or dragged a short distance with equipment and set down somewhere new. People move them deeper onto a property after living with the first spot, or take them along when land changes hands. Moves need decent access and dry ground, so plan the route before the mud does.
Can I live in a skid cabin full time?
Generally no, and we would rather say that plainly than let you find out from a county notice. Most counties classify a skid cabin as an accessory building, not a dwelling, so full-time occupancy is usually not allowed regardless of how comfortable the cabin is. For weekends, hunting seasons, and guests it is ideal. If you want a legal full-time residence, that is exactly what our modular cabins are built and certified for.
Every model, this build
All five of our floor plans can be built this way. Pick the plan; we'll handle what the build type means for your county and your site.
Moose Creek
12'6" x 28' · 22'
A 12'6" by 28' family cabin with a bunk room for the kids, a kitchenette, and a covered porch, wrapped in hand-hewn Adirondack siding.
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Alpine Cottage
13' x 25' · 12' x 13' clerestory
A 13' by 25' cabin with a clerestory sleeping loft, an open main floor, and a covered end porch. A natural fit for campgrounds and guest duty.
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Buffalo River
13' x 39' · Modern low-slope
A 13' by 39' cabin with a modern low-slope roof, a full bath with a tub and shower, and a multipurpose room you order as laundry, desk space, or bunks.
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Stargazer
13' x 39' · 8' x 13'
Our flagship: a rooftop stargazing deck, a spiral staircase to a clerestory loft, and the largest kitchen of any model, in a 13' by 39' cabin.
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Teton Valley
Two-piece, joined on site · 2, each with a closet
A two-piece cabin joined on site, with two bedrooms with closets, a full bath with a tub and shower, and a roomy shared living space.
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Tell us about the land and the cabin you're picturing. A quick call with the builder is the best first step, and it costs nothing.