Fancy putting down roots in a truly remote spot? Around 30% of the earth is covered in trees but these wilderness landscapes aren't just home to ecosystems – sheltering beneath the canopy you'll find a whole host of incredible dwellings hidden away from the world. From sprawling luxury estates to stylish tent-inspired houses, we've uncovered some of the most amazing forest properties you never knew existed...

When it comes to privacy, this secluded 439-acre estate in Colorado's Vail Valley takes the top spot. Surrounded by a dense forest stretching as far as the eye can see, it's the perfect place to drop off the map. What's more, the extensive property is currently on the market with Sotheby's International Realty, so if you happen to have a spare £62 million ($78m) in your back pocket, you could snap up your very own wilderness kingdom.

Nestled amongst woodlands, a million-dollar bridge leads to the dramatic main property, which unfurls against the snow-peaked mountains. Encompassing 32,000 square feet of living space, the architectural marvel reflects its surroundings with a striking wood and stone façade. The retreat can accommodate around 40 guests across numerous outbuildings, however, we reckon we'd want to keep this secret escape to ourselves...

Offering a total of 21 bedrooms and 34 bathrooms, to say the sprawling property isn't short on space would be an understatement. Despite its extensive floor plan, the living areas are intimate and carefully designed to showcase the home's spectacular location. Here, swathes of glass across the walls and roof frame 360-degree views across the treetops.

Luxury touches are a given here too, with everything from swimming pools, spas and hot tubs to a home theatre, teppanyaki bar and onsite staff. For nature lovers, there's a trout pond, shooting range, indoor sports arena, snowmobiles and even a rock climbing wall, while remarkably, one of the outbuildings contains an authentic replica of a Wild West saloon. What more could you ask for?

Would you love camping if it didn't involve sleeping in a tent? The Tent House, designed by architect Chris Tate Architecture, could be just the answer. Shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival in 2017, the small building is formed from sheets of corrugated steel that meet in a dramatic point that overhangs a triangular wooden deck below.

The 753-square-foot structure is situated in the rainforest of Waiheke Island in New Zealand, surrounded by hundreds of native plants and trees that attract all manner of birdlife. Inside, a white spiral staircase forms the core of the house and connects the two levels.

The incredible rainforest house currently doubles up as a personal retreat and a studio, featuring a kitchen, living space, bathroom and mezzanine bedroom. In short, it's got everything you'd need for a weekend break – or full-time living if you fancy leaving civilisation behind for good!

Chris did a lot of the construction on the foundations, floors and framing himself with help from his students, while professionals worked on installing services and cladding. A monochrome palette is used throughout the interior and this stripped-back look helps keep the focus on the outdoors. The house is now used as a weekend retreat but is also rented out for holidays and photoshoots. Wouldn't you want to spend a night here?

Located in the woodlands of West Virginia is the Hayes Residence. The striking structure features glass cubes that set apart the main living space from the guest house, divided in the middle by vast trees that have been left in situ. Beautifully weathered, the copper cladding has gained a beautiful green patina, with the property nestled comfortably within the landscape.

The building was designed by Travis Price Architects as a long pavilion that sits off the ground, raised on a platform that appears to hover over the forest floor. The result is a build that complements its surroundings while making no bones about its presence. 

In reverence of the natural surroundings, the house incorporates huge trees into the very fabric of its design, with trunks protected by glass atriums so they become a part of the architecture. Who needs paintings when you have living art like this?

In total, the building features a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining room and living room, along with a separate guest house. Every room has captivating forest views – just imagine how relaxing a soak in that bath would be. 

A stunning prefab project, this structure was designed by architecture studio MAPA and their prefab building company Minimod. It's located in the scenic Curucaca Valley in Brazil and is surrounded by remote woodland, making it the perfect spot to escape the rat race and unplug from modern life.

The house is a compact, one-storey structure built on stilts to combat its sloped plot and has a turf roof to help it blend into its surroundings. This simple silhouette along with the blackened exterior act as further camouflage, while the large windows give the inhabitants picture-perfect views of the surrounding valley. 

While it might look like it's been a part of the landscape for a while, the building was actually created in a factory near São Paulo before travelling 560 miles to the site by truck. The prefab stilt house has been built to last; the construction panels are made out of cross-laminated timber (slices of wood layered at right angles and glued together), which offer the same strength as concrete and steel. 

Inside, the timber boards have been left exposed to give the interior a rustic vibe that helps ground it within its rural setting. The compact floor plan houses a main living room at the centre, with two ensuite bedrooms on either side. There's also a modern kitchen and a fireplace, perfect for cosy evenings in during the colder months.

Perched on a cliff, this holiday home in Saint-Faustin-du-Lac-Carré outside of Montreal was inspired by the architecture of a treehouse. Thanks to its challenging location, the house is accessed along a narrow bridge, which adds to its adventurous charm. 

The property, Dans l'Escarpement, is located in Saint-Faustin-du-Lac-Carré, a remote, wooded area famed for its picturesque landscapes and outdoor lifestyle. It's the perfect spot for a holiday home, the only problem? The sloping plot. Architecture firm YH2 designed this 3,230-square-foot home with a staggered, multi-storey approach, providing access via a steel and wood walkway. 

Inside, the spectacular views out across the woodland and lake change with the seasons. And while the cliffhanging home is all about enjoying nature, there are reminders of the great outdoors inside too. Swathes of mahogany throughout reflect the trees, while the streamlined furnishings echo natural forms.

At the top of the home, the master bedroom enjoys the best views, then it's down to the next level to access the main living space. The lower level on the forest floor is split into two volumes. One contains three bedrooms and a bathroom, the other a sauna and spa facilities. 

What would you do if your building plot featured a huge pond? The team at architecture studio Cutler Anderson Architects decided to wrap this Connecticut home around it, allowing its residents to enjoy the site's wildlife from inside.

In order to fit a home big enough for a family of five around this natural water feature, the designers separated the amazing wooden house into three volumes to make the most of the space. The plan was to make the pond and home a 'single entity', which they've achieved beautifully thanks to the clever layout and generous use of glazing throughout. 

Each volume is dedicated to a specific function; there is a main living area with kitchen, family room and open-plan living and dining room. On the eastern side there are three bedrooms with ensuites and the third volume, accessed by a long walkway, houses two extra bedrooms and a garage. To add further difficulty to the design, the site is also sloped. To combat this, the three volumes were raised to keep the space all on one level.

Outside, cypress boards have been left unfinished, allowing them to weather over time and blend in with the surrounding 4.3 acres of woodland. Inside, Douglas fir was used across the doors and walls, with the reddish hue of the wood adding warmth to the minimalist property.

Nestled within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Hampshire in the UK you'll find House in the Woods, designed by London architect studio alma-nac. To maximise light in this densely forested area, large triangular windows are set beneath the pitched roofs of the property. 

The home was built to replace a bungalow, which had been in the family for over 60 years. In order to pay homage to its predecessor, it retains some of the previous structure's character, with the 2,500-square-foot home built over approximately the same footprint. Outside, a combination of natural materials like hand-cut brick, timber and slate are used to help the new build slot into its rural surroundings. 

Inside, the house has a flexible internal floorplan that can transform from its normal one-bedroom configuration to accommodate up to 10 people, thanks to clever sliding partitions. The homeowners also wanted the interior to have a connection with the great outdoors, something that was achieved through large glazed openings that blur the line between the living space and the outside terrace.

At the southern end of the property, the roof features a gable and a large clerestory window, which floods the interior with natural light. The elevated glazing also draws vistas of the forest inside, creating a visual connection with the grained wood panelling that frames the kitchen appliances.

Tucked away in Mexico's scenic Valle de Bravo region is Santana House, a single-storey stone and wood build, designed to blend into its forested site. Grounded in the landscape, this calm and peaceful home provides plenty of privacy for its residents.

The team at CC Arquitectos used natural materials including weathered stone and locally milled timber to build a house that sits in harmony with the wooded surroundings – we love the use of this tree at the heart of the incredible entry courtyard. 

While the 5,300-square-foot property is set out over one floor, the floors are stepped to follow the natural shape of the landscape. Inside, from slab stone flooring to rustic wooden furniture, natural materials create an organic feel. We particularly love the chunky local timber beams and columns, which feel especially apt for the forest setting.

While rustic stone walls are used across the exterior and interior, elsewhere stretches of glass create a feeling of space and bring the expansive woodland inside. Outside in the garden, regional plants surround a reflection pool and there's a hot tub for a touch of alfresco luxury.

Think of a prefab home and you'll likely conjure up something much smaller than this – but Sagemodern does things differently. Just take this excellent example set in the luxurious private community of Martis Camp, located near Lake Tahoe in California.

Named Villandry, this remarkable woodland dwelling is one of many luxury forest homes the company has designed, complete with a quick-to-build prefab system that's cheaper and easier to construct than building a house from the ground up.

The house has all the stunning design features you would expect from a top-end architect-designed home, from large expanses of glass, to beautiful fireplaces and high ceilings as standard. The sustainable structure has a minimal impact on the environment, making it a great choice for the eco-conscious too.

So what's the damage? To build a home like Villandry, Sagemodern estimate around £278-£477 ($350-$600) per square foot in hard construction costs, and around £40-£60 ($50-$75) per square foot in fixtures and fittings. Compared to a forest retreat bought on the open market, you'll save money thanks to the efficiencies in time, construction, and labour.

Shrouded in dense woodland, this sleek, contemporary home in New Zealand's Titirangi suburb is hidden in plain sight – only from a height does the secluded retreat become visible. The dramatic property, which was on the market last year, encompasses over 10,000 square feet of land, from the house itself to its own private stretch of rainforest.

On the first floor, the open-plan living space is framed by a soaring pitched ceiling, while sliding glass doors and a glazed gable bathe the room in natural light, framing views of the water across the canopy. Paired with contrasting black finishes, the crisp white scheme is light and airy, which allows the home's spectacular location to take centre stage.

The secluded home has three sizeable double bedrooms and two bathrooms, while the master comes complete with an ensuite, a walk-in wardrobe and a private woodland terrace. Just imagine waking up to the morning light filtering through the trees...

The home's pièce de résistance has to be the vast outdoor deck on the first floor, which is almost the same size as the main living area. Nestled within the treetops, it's the perfect place to retire to after dinner and watch the sunset across the forest canopy. We wouldn't mind putting down roots here!