Everyone knows a skier who prides themselves on , only to fuel up on pocket jerky and maybe a PBR on the lift. But during a long day on the slopes, we鈥檙e never opposed to warming up our toes and refueling in the lodge.

Of course, many lodge cafeterias offer an exceptionally average $30 plate of a burger and fries, but in recent years, some have started providing unique dining experiences (at often more affordable prices!). And while no one can argue that chicken tendies don鈥檛 taste amazing after crushing laps sometimes we鈥檙e craving something a little bit more. That said, we鈥檝e hunted down the best and most Check out our picks, below.

Green Chili Dogs from Ptarmigan Roost Caf茅 (Loveland Ski Area, CO)

While shredding at , Ptarmigan Roost Caf茅 is undoubtedly a worthwhile pitstop. Cozy up with a can of Rolling Rock and a green chili dog either next to the wood-burning stove, or on the observation deck, which provides 360 views of the area at 12,000 feet of elevation. After a day of exploring the bowls or hitting the glades, the combination of the spicy green chili 鈥� with a glizzy 鈥� is truly unmatched.

Bacon Bloody Mary and BBQ from Black Mountain Lodge (A-Basin, CO)

Although you may have to roll back down to the base lodge afterward, taking a mid-mountain break at is practically a requirement during a trip to Arapahoe Basin. Even though the pulled pork sandwich happens to be a household favorite, you really can鈥檛 go wrong with ribs or brisket, either. Make sure to wash it all down with one of the lodge鈥檚 iconic Bacon Bloody Marys, and you鈥檒l likely be full until just before your morning laps tomorrow.

Veggie Ramen at Miso Hungry (Jay Peak, VT)

There is truly nothing more satisfying than cozying up with a steaming hot bowl of ramen after a few hours on the slopes (hey, even during a long day on the slopes!). But it鈥檚 safe to say Miso Hungry鈥檚 Veggie Ramen does not disappoint. You can choose between spicy and regular miso (we鈥檙e always opting for spicy鈥t鈥檚 a quick way to warm up!) and top it with a little fried tofu for some extra protein. You can even make it vegan by asking to swap out the marinated egg for extra veggies.

Curry Fries from Roundhouse (Solitude Mountain Resort, UT)

 

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Indian-Himalayan fusion might not come to mind when visiting the state of Utah, but mid-mountain restaurant, Roundhouse, has a mouthwatering menu (think: dals, butter chicken, and lamb curry) that鈥檚 worth flying in for. But if you鈥檙e looking for a big plate to share, curry fries may be the way to go, and definitely ask for extra napkins. We can鈥檛 think of a better way to warm up amongst friends.

Jerk Chicken from Jerk Jamaican Mountain Grill (Killington Ski Resort, VT)听

During those extra cold days on the slopes, a tropical lunchtime vibe may be the way to go to get the feeling back in your fingers. One repeat recommendation for the best mountain food on the Reddit page was the famous Jerk Shack at , and needless to say, we鈥檙e dying to try it. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a jerk chicken shack slopeside at Killington that is so good it鈥檚 hard to believe,鈥� one user听writes in a rave review. 鈥淓asily the best food I鈥檝e had at any resort, ever.鈥�

Barbacoa, Chicken Tinga, or Tofu Chorizo Tacos from Phlox Point (Timberline, OR)

Even though Portland tends to be Oregon鈥檚 primary food hub, one ski area along has a ski-in, ski-out taqueria that could just as well be in the city. Phlox Point at offers affordable and flavorful tacos, which beat any .

鈥淥ur personal faves include the barbacoa, a tantalizing shredded beef version braised in stout with ancho and chipotle chilis, oregano, and cumin,鈥� , behind Mount Hood鈥檚 Alpine Chalet. 鈥淭he chicken tinga is also a standout, marinated in IPA, green chili, cumin, and garlic. And for the veggie peeps, they have a rotating option (currently tofu chorizo).鈥�

The Reuben from John Paul Lodge (Snowbasin Resort, UT)

John Paul Lodge serves up what they claim to be 鈥渢he best Reuben in Utah鈥� 鈥斕齛nd the Internet seems to wholeheartedly agree. In response to , one comment read: 鈥淐ouple more weeks till I fly in for my Reuben,鈥� while another added: 鈥淏est Reuben of all time.鈥澨鼳nd if you鈥檙e still not convinced, then , who voted Snowbasin one of the top ten resorts in the West for dining in our annual SKI Reader鈥檚 Survey.

Fondue from The Roundhouse (Bald Mountain Ski Area, ID)听

Fondue is a relatively common slopeside staple, but evidently, has nailed the art of melty cheese and crudit茅s. Not to mention, a pretty stellar view from the top of the resort, only accessible by gondola. Not to mention, The Roundhouse claims to be the original on-mountain dining spot in the U.S.

The Roundhouse is popular amongst skiers and nonskiers alike, so if you鈥檙e planning on visiting make sure to make reservations ahead of time.

Deer Valley Turkey Chili (Deer Valley, UT).

You know a food is iconic when a quick Google search ranks copycat recipes to make at home higher than the resort鈥檚 website. Deer Valley鈥檚 Turkey Chili is certainly that type of dish and a staple at the Utah resort. You can snag this famous bowl of protein-packed goodness at several of Deer Valley鈥檚 onsite lodges, and even . Don鈥檛 forget to embrace toppings the Deer Valley way by adding cheese, sour cream, red or green onions, or even some sliced jalape帽os.

Not into Chili? No worries, Deer Valley has plenty of other favorites like rich and silky smooth hot chocolate, and a whole variety of desserts guaranteed to please your sweet tooth and give you the energy to carry out your day.

Latin American food from Nob Hill Cafe (Sugar Bowl Resort, CA)听

Situated in Village Lodge is the Nob Hill Cafe, a casual spot to grab some Michelin-starred chef-created meals. This season, the cafe is bringing the heat with a flavorful Latin American-inspired fare. Between laps, you can choose from a tasty menu that includes birria braised beef, pollo asado chicken, vegetarian Pozole Verde, and veggie pupusas 鈥� yum.

Waffles from Corbet鈥檚 Cabin (Jackson Hole, WY)

If you鈥檝e been skiing for more than a few years, you鈥檙e likely accustomed to a grab-and-go waffle before hitting the chairlift. But, Corbet鈥檚 Cabin at Jackson Hole is no run-of-the-mill Waffle Cabin. Skiers can grab a freshly made waffle reminiscent of weekend mornings and choose toppings accordingly, like bacon, peanut butter, or whipped cream. All that extra sugar pairs perfectly with a death-defying run off the cabin鈥檚 namesake, Jackson Hole鈥檚 famous Corbet鈥檚 Couloir.

The post These Are the Best Meals You Can Eat While Skiing appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there? We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Waking up in the middle of the night can be maddening. Unless you’re able to gaze directly up at the firmament.

The skies are the star attraction at Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon, a new property set in a quiet gulch just 16 miles southeast of Bryce Canyon National Park. Far from light pollution and adjacent to this certified International Dark Sky Park, it offers superb stargazing by night and an otherworldly landscape by day.

Most nights, that is. I could consider it unfortunate that rain fell during my visit, but precipitation is good for the high desert. And while I lacked lucid starry skies, I enjoyed a daytime rainbow and an evening lightning show, both plenty compensatory. Upon waking at first light鈥攗sually discomfiting to this night owl鈥擨 watched raindrops run peaceful rivulets down the glass wall of my geodesic dome.

The resort is a collection of these futuristic structures, their surfaces half-glass and half-paneled. The window sides of each dome face up and also away from other units, though as darkness fell, I couldn鈥檛 help wondering (hey, a little) about anyone looking in. But all I had to do was close the lower tier of curtains, leaving the top ones open for viewing.

Hal Feinberg, resort founder and co-owner, said in the dining hall that evening that he came up with the sky-dome idea after seeing a teepee hotel in Livingston, Montana, that felt close to nature yet offered decks and nice indoor furniture.

In 2021, he opened Clear Sky Resorts Grand Canyon, 30 miles from the South Rim, with 45 sky domes that, like the ones in Utah, are connected by paths to shared activity spaces. With the Bryce iteration, Feinberg upgraded from using clear PVC canvas windows to ones made of glass. The result, he said, 鈥渋s like going from a Chevy to a Corvette.鈥�

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon opened August 9. It currently offers 25 domes, out of an intended final total of 62. Also underway is an employee-housing structure for up to 40 people.

This is luxury glamping with a jazzy, celestial theme. In the lobby, I passed a robot whose concierge duties include greeting guests by name and pulling up hiking maps. The nearby dining-hall dome, also known as the caf茅, featured a gleaming central boomerang-shaped bar. That evening as friends and I stared out of the caf茅鈥檚 28-foot-tall window, the amber lights lining the surrounding gravel paths and access road glowed like airport jetways.

A singer-guitarist played during dinner, and afterward, between showers, we hung out around the decorative fire pit on the deck. Daytime, people lounged there at the outdoor tables, and a grandfather smiled as his two grandsons went at it with cornhole.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel

You can sign up for stargazing tours and outdoor yoga, or walk a pleasant mile or two around the property on the gravel paths and roadway. A nearby option is to drive ten miles to the northernmost hike in the national park, the moderate (0.8 mile one-way, with just 150 feet of elevation gain). This waterfall hike, a rarity for the area, winds along the park boundary.

But most visitors are here to explore the heart of . Friends and I intended to hike with April LeFevre, a fourth-generation area resident who drove shuttle groups in Bryce for 18 years before opening her own outfit, . Rain, however, nixed the morning鈥檚 hike, and instead we motored along on the main park road, UT-63, which stretches 18 miles north to south. Before doubling back to finish at the famed Bryce Amphitheater overlook near the entrance, we marveled at seeing the arch at Natural Bridge, 12 miles in, and two miles later the Hunter spire at Agua Canyon, come in and out of the mist.

Along the way, LeFevre recounted many local tales, including that of LeRoy Parker, later known as the outlaw Butch Cassidy, who grew up 50 miles away in Circleville. His life changed when he was 13, LeFevre said, after he visited a mercantile to pick up a pair of overalls he鈥檇 had repaired, and, finding the place closed, slipped through a window to take them and a pie. He left a note regarding payment, but the owner pressed charges. Though acquitted, the youth henceforth resented authority. LeFevre also said that while Cassidy is thought to have died with his partner, the Sundance Kid, in Bolivia, an area rancher (now long gone) told her that Cassidy had returned to Circleville. The rancher claimed to have given the former robber a ride in his wagon. Some say Cassidy is buried in a secret location in Circleville.

Anyone visiting the park will want to see the spindly hoodoos, striated in red, gold, and white. Bryce Canyon has the greatest concentration of hoodoos in the world: 12 amphitheaters of them. According to an ancient Piaute , the hoodoos were once people who鈥檇 committed evil acts. A coyote spirit invited them all to a party, to trap them, and turned them to stone.

In geological terms, the hoodoos and holes in the walls are remnants from 50 million years ago when the area was a lake surrounded by rock walls. The spires formed from erosion, weather, and ice expansion during freeze-thaw cycles.

Later, when the clouds cleared, our crew hiked the , a 1.8-mile round-trip, to reach a formation that supposedly looks like Queen Victoria. I didn鈥檛 think too much of the resemblance, but marveled at the views of endless golden towers and labyrinths. This hike is commonly for a stellar three-miler. I鈥檇 have loved to do the 4.2-mile hike to see the top-heavy hoodoos of the .

听

Bryce is known as an otherworldly place to see the sunrise (head to Sunrise Point) as it lights up the hoodoos. Rangers offer in the park as well, and doing that would be amazing.

The landscape is also a bird-watchers鈥� dream, drawing hawks, eagles, peregrine falcons, and swifts. I delighted in seeing both ponderosa pine, which smells of vanilla, and, at the highest point of the canyon, ancient twisted bristlecone pines. The mellow one-mile cuts through a forest, with side views of hoodoos. (This trail is considered largely wheelchair accessible, with assistance.)

Much of the hiking at Bryce begins at about 8,000 feet, and the Bristlecone Loop reaches 9,100 feet, so in coming from lower elevation, be prepared to deal with altitude. Always bring water and pay attention to intake.

Choice Rooms

The Standard Sky Domes sleep two. I stayed in a Deluxe, called Milky Way, with more controls for lights and temperature and vents than I possibly knew what to do with. The place had a patio (some have decks) and kitchenette, a king bed and two twin beds in a loft, and a rad shower with six adjustable side jets. The Milky Way ($730) was dubbed an XL in that it slept four, and I thought about how much fun (aside from the snoring) it would be to have my husband and two sons here.

The designs varied. One friend stayed in a two-occupant Deluxe called the Big Dipper ($630) with no loft but a cool swinging chair. Another was in Nova ($680), also double occupancy, that had, I kid you not, a dance floor, disco ball, and flashing lights. There鈥檚 a two-suite dome that sleeps eight ($1,125) if you want to go big.

Eat and Drink

The resort鈥檚 Sky Nova Caf茅 Bar and Grill, open to the public, affords wall-to-ceiling views of the canyon and sky and has a lot of fun themed touches, like little inverted domes within the water glasses and crazily multicolored silverware.

Entr茅es are generously sized and range from $20 and to $35, though the 20-ounce Atlas Ribeye is $49鈥攁nd that thing is a brick. I ordered the heavenly pan-seared Titan鈥檚 Trout with lemon-dill sauce.

I didn鈥檛 know I liked barbecue that much until I had lunch at i.d.k. Barbecue, six miles from the resort in the town of Tropic. While I had the sweet chicken and baked beans, also on offer were pulled pork, beef brisket, slaw, potato salad, and cornbread.

Ebenezer鈥檚 Barn and Grill, 15 miles away in Bryce Canyon City, is a popular 鈥済ourmet cowboy鈥� music hall, with a fixed-price meal served to hundreds in turn. The night we visited, Due West, a country band founded in Nashville, Tennessee, played original tunes.

When to Go

Clear Sky is open year-round, as is Bryce Canyon. Most visitors to the park come from June through September to take advantage of the warmer weather and clearest skies. The months of October through May are cooler but the upsides are fewer crowds, autumn foliage, and spring wildflowers. Some say the park is at its most beautiful with white snow atop the red rock.

How to Get There

The small Bryce Canyon Airport is just four miles north of the park. Most visitors fly into Salt Lake City and rent a car for the spectacular 294-mile drive south.

Don鈥檛 Miss

Stick your head into the lobby of the Bryce Canyon Lodge, built in 1924 in the Rustic style of national-park architecture and one of some half dozen lodges designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it meshes development, landscape architecture, and the environment. The lodge is located in the forest only 700 feet from the canyon rim, and a beautiful half-mile walk from Sunrise Point.

Details

Price: From $525
Address: 855 UT-12, Cannonville, UT 84718

888 704 4445

To Book

Alison Osius is a senior editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 and part of the travel team. She lives in Western Colorado. Previously, she had only flown over Bryce Canyon, though in a small plane with a sunset view. This was a prized chance to explore the park from the ground.

Looking for more great travel intel?

For more by this author, see a personal tale of years of hiking the Storm King Memorial Trail, just off Interstate 70, in Western Colorado, site of a famous firefighting tragedy.

See also this tribute to the most beautiful mountain town in Colorado.

And a lifetime’s accumulated camping tips.

The post What It鈥檚 Like to Stay in a Glass Dome Under Utah’s Darkest Skies appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Base camp might be my favorite two words in the English language. Base camp is where you stage the next excursion, or refuel with a bowl of stew, or a beer. You rest and recover there. If you鈥檙e lucky, you can slip into a hot tub or cold spring, because base camps don’t always have to be a tent or in the back of your truck. Sometimes, base camp can be a lodge with soft sheets and a chef.

I鈥檝e gathered a handful of my personal favorite adventure lodges and picked a few more destination hotels and chalets on my bucket list. Some of them are high-end and听 worthy of a splurge, while others are downright affordable. All of them are chosen specifically for their locations and adventures they offer, putting visitors within reach of dramatic landscapes while providing gear, know-how, and sometimes in-house guides. Because occasionally it鈥檚 nice not to have to plan everything yourself.

The Gravel House Hotel, Patagonia, Arizona

You may not have heard of Patagonia, Arizona, a tiny town of 800-ish sitting at the base of the Patagonia Mountains, near the Mexico border. Much of the surrounding land is protected by the Coronado National Forest, which houses a chunk of the 700-mile Arizona Trail, while a lifetime of gravel rides begin and end in the two-block downtown.

is a collection of homes and a small hotel with nine rooms and a communal kitchen, all in the heart of town. The hotel is owned by cycling guide and chef Zander Ault, who you can hire to whip up regional delicacies like green chile stew and carne asada tacos. He and his team can also lead you on day rides through plains of shimmering grass flanked by the 7,000-foot Patagonias, which were capped with snow when I was there last spring. I loved the riding, which had me pedaling firm gravel through narrow canyons to historic ruins and across broad grasslands to the Mexican border before returning to town for a cold beer.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: You can hike or mountain bike a slice of the Arizona Trail, but the gravel is the magic here. I鈥檝e stayed at The Gravel House, spending three days exploring the lonely roads of the area, and want to return to it and the landscape. Elevation gain is moderate, so you can cover a lot of ground exploring canyons and prairies that butt up against the border with Mexico, just 18 miles away. Check out the ride, which climbs to the ruins of a mining camp from 1933.

Logistics: Rooms start at $135 per night, with chef services and guiding extra. Guided day rides start at $295 per person and include high-end Pivot bike rentals.

Sol Mountain Lodge, Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada

At 3.855 million square miles, Canada is a big place鈥攁mong the world鈥檚 countries, only Russia is bigger鈥攕o no lodge can put you within striking distance of everything that our neighbors to the north offer. But , south of one of Canada鈥檚 great destination towns, Revelstoke, brings you into the thick of the Monashee Mountains, which are blanketed with powder in winter and host hundreds of miles of trails in summer. Sol Mountain provides backcountry skiers access to the Monashees鈥� alpine bowls and steep chutes during chilly months (the lodge is owned and operated by certified members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides), and the rest of the year mountain bikers and hikers can explore the high alpine singletrack.

The lodge is off-grid, with all of the power generated on-site by micro-hydro electricity, but sustainable doesn鈥檛 mean uncomfortable.The place has private rooms, a gear room, full kitchen, and a bar stocked with local craft beers. There鈥檚 also a small library with books and games as well as guitars, a box drum, and a mandolin, if you鈥檙e musically inclined. There鈥檚 even a wood-fired sauna.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: The lodge shares a border with Monashee Provincial Park, and the owner/operators have built a trail system that extends from the lodge into the park, with permits to lead ski, biking, and hiking trips throughout. Mountain bikers are going to want to ride loads of , but the five-mile Infinity and Beyond Loop is a must. The purpose-built trail has it all鈥攔idgetop views of the Provincial Park and the Gold Range Mountains, lots of rock features, and a thrilling downhill back to the lodge. All rides end with a dip in Sol Lake, on Sol Lodge鈥檚 property, where the owners will stash a six pack by shore to keep it cold for you.

Logistics: In winter, you have to fly into the lodge (helicopter rides from Kelowna International Airport are included in the cost of a winter trip); stays require a five- or six-night trip (from $3250 Canadian per person) and include guides. But in the summer, you can make the 55-kilometer (34-mile) drive from Revelstoke on 4WD forest roads. Summer rates are per day, and catered trips (all meals included), start at $350 per person per night, two-night minimum.

Paradise Lodge, the Rogue River, Oregon

Once on site, you can enjoy hiking trails that start on the property, swimming holes, and paddling the class IV Rogue. The lodge sits on Paradise Bar, a long, unusually calm stretch of the Rogue that鈥檚 perfect for fishing for steelhead trout or salmon. In-house chefs create family-style meals served in a low-key dining room, while an expansive deck overlooks the river. There鈥檚 a disc-golf course, too.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: Trails start on the grounds, following the Rogue River and exploring the smaller Paradise Creek. There鈥檚 an easy quarter-mile hike to Paradise Falls and back to get started, but you鈥檙e here for the Rogue. The classic adventure is a multi-day, 32-mile trip through the Rogue Canyon. runs a trip where guests camp riverside on the first night and spend the second in the lodge. The run is a mix of class III-IV drops and swimming holes, culminating with the class IV Blossom Bar, just a half-mile upstream from the lodge (trips from $1,225 per person, including lodging).

Logistics: Hike-in options start at $215 a night per person, including breakfast, dinner, and a sack lunch. You can also raft into the lodge for $205 per person per night, but must make your own arrangements, through local outfitters including and . To raft the Rogue on your own, you need permits from the BLM for any dates between May 15 to October 15. Most commercial trips run in July and August.

Gunflint Lodge, Grand Marais, Minnesota

Tucked onto the southern shore of Gunflint Lake, near the Canadian border, has been hosting adventurers since 1925. The property sits on the edge of the million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, allowing boaters to explore the myriad paddle trails by day and come home to hot meals and a sauna by night.

The lodge consists of 25 private cabins spread across the shore of Gunflint Lake, with a main lodge and dining area, two floating docks, and a shop for the in-house outfitters. Most of the cabins have stone fireplaces, saunas, and hot tubs. The night sky is vibrant with stars, as this is one of the largest Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the world, and the lodge is far enough north that you may even experience the northern lights. Hiking trails on the property lead to the top of cliffs with epic views of Gunflint Lake and the surrounding Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The resort guides offer daily trips into the Boundary Waters on foot and canoe. In the winter, it鈥檚 all about ice fishing and cross-country skiing. Come summer, you鈥檙e hunting for smallmouth bass in Gunflint Lake and canoeing into the Boundary Waters on day trips.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: Retrace the path of early fur traders by paddling a piece of the Voyageurs Route across Gunflint Lake through a narrow inlet into Magnetic Lake, crossing into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness proper. This mixed route of lake and river paddling, with a few short portages, has you tracing the edge of the United States as you travel north, seeing waterfalls, historic chalets, and maybe a moose from the hull of your boat. Guided trips for lodge guests are $125 per person.

Logistics: Gunflint Lodge is a six-hour drive north from Minneapolis. You can book a cabin (from $300 a night, two-night minimum) only, or an all-inclusive package that includes the cabin, all your meals, access to canoes, and one guided adventure per day (from $1279 per person for four nights).

Red Mountain Alpine Lodge, Red Mountain Pass, Colorado

Want a taste of the Alps right here in the U.S.? Book a couple of nights in , a luxurious A-Frame 鈥渉ut鈥� perched at 11,000 feet on Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains above Ouray, with gorgeous high-alpine hikes and backcountry skiing right out the door. A few winters ago, I spent some days skiing the terrain outside the lodge, and was just about as impressed with the digs inside the lodge as the powder.

The lodge has three private rooms and 10 semi-private loft spaces above the expansive living room, which is warmed by a wood-burning stove set in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. A shot ski hangs above the dining room for apres shenanigans. 国产吃瓜黑料s abound, from endless jeep roads to the via ferrata in Telluride in warmer months. But it鈥檚 mainly about backcountry skiing in the winter and high-alpine trekking in the summer.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: The skiing is epic, but I want to hit Red Mountain Alpine Lodge in the summer. The hut is a key component to the , a guided five-day hike that traverses the 10,000- to 13,000-foot-tall San Juans, hitting alpine lakes and with nights spent in three different huts along the way. Or you could just base at Red Alpine and do your own day hikes. The above-treeline, off-trail routes are endless and the lodge staff can point you in the direction of Red Mountain #3, a 12,877-foot peak with 360-degree views of the Red Group. Or you could bring a gravel bike and knock out the , which hits 12,000-foot peaks and backcountry waterfalls along a high-alpine dirt road.

Logistics: Loft spaces start at $289 per person, which includes breakfast, trail lunch, and dinner. Guided adventures are add ons, but the lodge is owned by , so the process is seamless.

Mulberry Gap, Ellijay, Georgia

Sitting 90 minutes north of Atlanta, in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest, was designed with mountain bikers in mind, giving front-door access to more than 150 miles of single track through the mountains of North Georgia. This rustic lodge offers a collection of cabins, from basic rooms with access to communal showers, to plush multi-bedroom buildings with private baths. There is also a communal barn with games and, last time I was there, a tricycle for silly races, plus a family-style restaurant, a small gear-and-beer shop, hot tubs, and an onsite pump track and jump line.

I鈥檝e spent a few weekends riding bikes with Mulberry as my basecamp, and love the juxtaposition of a full day on hard, steep singletrack and a return to a smoked brisket in the restaurant, a cold beer and a hot tub. It hits just right.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: Mulberry Gap sits next to the Pinhoti Trail, a long-distance mountain-bike trail that spans the length of Georgia. And there鈥檚 twice as much gravel if that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e into. If you鈥檙e only going to experience one ride, let it be the , which combines a piece of the Pinhoti Trail with Bear Creek. It鈥檚 a mix of gravel and single track, with lots of loose rock descents, waterfalls, creek crossings, and a little bit of flow.

Logistics: Cabins start at $140 a night, midweek; prices vary for size. Weekends are minimum two-night stays. Meals are extra, as are shuttles (from $12 per person).

Johnstone Wilderness Lodge, Seward, Alaska

Johnstone Bay is wild. The inlet sits on the southeast coast of the Kenai Peninsula, 30 miles south of Seward with the Church Mountains rising steeply from the edge of the water. This collection of gray, rocky beaches, steep green mountains, and blue/white glaciers and icefields is only accessible by air (you鈥檒l have to get dropped off by helicopter or float plane) or sea. has three chalets that sit in the middle of all that action, with walk-out beach access, surf breaks galore (yes, Alaska has surfing, and it can be really good), and the massive Excelsior Glacier waiting for you to explore. The lodge itself is a collection of three chalets built by hand over three years. All are surrounded by dense forest and face the beach, where bonfires are the nightly entertainment.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: Jordan Pond, owner of the lodge, fell in love with Johnstone Bay because of the surfing, and if you鈥檙e hardy enough to handle the cold water, he can deliver you to the goods: a beach break along three miles of isolated beach. Swells can produce big, heavy waves. It鈥檚 also a deep bay, so you鈥檒l occasionally see humpback whales hanging out beyond the breakers. Pond will also guide you in a Zodiac, navigating icebergs to Excelsior Glacier, which covers a broad valley as it flows from the Sargent Icefield down to the edge of the water.

Logistics: You can for summer (June 1 to October 30) starting at $1,575 per person (three-night minimum), which includes three meals a day plus snacks, use of kayaks, and guiding for the various adventures surrounding the lodge, from surfing to hiking and kayaking. You鈥檒l have to from the Seward airport (prices depend on number of people and weight of gear). Boating to the place is possible, but helicopter access is much easier.

Field Station, Moab, Utah

You hardly need another reason to visit the historic desert town of Moab, but definitely sweetens the deal. The new hotel, which opened in April, 2023, sits at the bases of both Arches and Canyonlands national parks, which are full of sandstone rock formations and classic desert hikes, offering a mix of accommodations from van-life sites to spacious hotel rooms that sleep up to eight, all centered around communal spaces, such as a pool and hot tub, beer garden, and cafe.

Field Station鈥檚 a one-stop shop for exploring the surrounding landscape, with on-site equipment rentals and professional guiding partners, and , on hand to lead you on mountain biking, canyoneering, and climbing trips. The place often offers pop-up skills tutorials where you can learn things such as survivalist skills or how to patch a flat tire, and live music around the fire pits. I want to go here: Moab is great, but it would be even better with a pool.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: The problem with Field Station (and Moab in general) is choosing how to spend your time. Do you hike in Arches? Mountain bike on the area鈥檚 famous slickrock single track, which has been attracting fat-tire enthusiasts for decades? Climb desert towers and cliffs? Or raft the Colorado River? We say call in sick and extend your stay to do it all. But if you have to choose just one caper, sign up for a guided tour of the , which has 30 miles of dusty, sandstone-heavy single track with optional big descents and rock drops.

Logistics: Room rates start at $127. Van-life sites start at $29 and include access to all of the hotel鈥檚 amenities, including showers.

Surfhouse, Encinitas, California

California has no shortage of hotels with quick access to celebrated surf breaks, but makes your SoCal surf trip effortless with a combo of proximity and amenities. The eight-room motel is located in Encinitas, just a block from the beach and within a quick drive of dozens of world-class waves, including the iconic Swamis. Each room is crafted to represent a different local break. Small touches like an outdoor shower and in-house surf rentals go a long way, and the services include staff pros that can give lessons or even guide you through the local goods, helping you avoid any trouble (like upsetting crusty local surfers). You can even hire a photographer to hop in the water with you to document your trip.

The 国产吃瓜黑料: If you鈥檙e a beginner surfer, book a lesson with a Surfhouse pro and learn at a friendly beach break like Moonlight State Beach. If you have some experience, hire a (rates vary depending on break and number of surfers) who can tailor the experience to your skill level, putting you on the right wave that鈥檚 not only ideal for your ability, but is all-but-guaranteed to avoid the crowds. Or just pedal one of the hotel鈥檚 complimentary beach cruisers and roll from taco stand to beach to taco stand.

Logistics: Rooms start at $260 per night. Guides and lessons are extra. Surfhouse also has a rental van decked out with all of the amenities you need for the ultimate SoCal surf road trip (from $250 a day).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He鈥檚 always loved the idea of a basecamp, but as he鈥檚 gotten older, he likes them to have swimming pools, saunas, and cocktail bars. Has he gotten soft? He prefers the term 鈥渨ise.鈥�

For more by this author:

The 9 Best Gateway Towns to U.S. National Parks

The 8 Most Adventurous States in America. Number 1 Is 鈥�

And the 11 Least Visited National Parks Are鈥�

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At 6,593 feet, Mount LeConte is the third-tallest peak in the park and home to one of the most unique backcountry accommodations in the National Park System: LeConte Lodge. This remote lodge, built in 1926, is located near the mountain鈥檚 summit. The compound consists of seven log cabins and three lodges with individual bedrooms and a communal dining room.

Routes to LeConte Lodge

There are half a dozen trails leading to LeConte Lodge and the summit of Mount LeConte. While ambitious hikers could tackle most of the routes in a single day, overnighting at LeConte Lodge, if you can manage it, is an experience you won鈥檛 want to miss when summiting this peak.

Of the six trails that lead to the lodge, Alum Cave is the shortest but steepest at 5 miles one way and almost 3,000 feet in elevation gain. For those looking for a long route, Brushy Mountain clocks in at 9.1 miles one way. The most popular route, however, tends to be Trillium Gap at 6.7 miles. It鈥檚 considered the easiest of the six trails and it also has the bonus that hikers will likely encounter the lodge鈥檚 famous on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays along the trail. Vehicles can鈥檛 access LeConte Lodge, so food and other supplies for lodge guests must be packed in. Llamas have the least impact on the landscape, so they help deliver the goods. See the .

Staying at LeConte Lodge

Once you arrive at the lodge, enjoy the solitude of the surrounding area. Water and pack lunches are available here for day hikers, along with merchandise from the camp store.

If you have advance reservations to stay at the lodge, enter the quaint dining room for a hearty dinner consisting of beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, stewed apples, and dessert. Breakfast the next morning is scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, biscuits, pancakes and grits. Lunch is provided in the dining room or to-go if you are staying more than one night. While the lodge covers meals, guests carry all their other clothing and gear with them up the mountain: It鈥檚 the backpacking version of glamping.

Take in the views from a rocking chair on the deck, go for a hike, or play board games with your fellow guests. When it鈥檚 time for bed, you鈥檒l bunk down under the glow of kerosene lamps since there鈥檚 no electricity at the lodge. Linens are provided, and all cabins and lodge rooms have propane heaters to keep you warm on chilly mountain nights. There are no showers at the lodge, but there are flush toilets in an adjacent privy building.

Perhaps the best reason to choose to stay at LeConte Lodge rather than summiting and descending from Mount LeConte as a day hike is that you鈥檒l be perfectly positioned to watch the sunrise from Myrtle Point. This spot is where the lodge鈥檚 builder, Jack Huff, married his wife, Pauline, and it is a stunning place to watch the sun come up and bathe the Smokies in golden light.

Reservations for LeConte Lodge

This incredible backcountry experience is definitely no secret. Reservations are coveted and hard to come by. In early August 2022, the lodge opened a lottery for the 2023 season, and then closed it in late September. In the interim, people could fill out reservation requests for their desired dates. On Oct. 3, these written requests were processed simultaneously with phone-call requests. Usually, all dates are booked through this process, but occasionally certain dates don鈥檛 get filled, and there may also be cancellations. The lodge has a waitlist form that you can fill out,听 specifying three dates you鈥檇 like to be waitlisted for. You can also call the office at 865-429-5704 to see if any additional dates are available for reservation.

Now you know: Mark your calendars each year to submit requests in August and September. If you don’t get one in October, you can always watch and hope for cancellations.

While the process of obtaining a reservation can be frustrating, it鈥檚 well worth it if you do get the chance to experience an overnight stay at LeConte Lodge. Find more information at .

Whether or not you can snag a stay, you can visit the lodge. Its office is the hub of activities on the mountain. Visitors at the lodge are offered numerous forms of non-electronic entertainment, and many day hikers use the office as a resting place before trekking back down the mountain. Day hikers may purchase food and other items at the camp store.

This story was first published in 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚听sister brand听听where Mikaela Ruland is Content Director. In addition to eight , each one dedicated to a national park, National Park Trips publishes four magazines a year, providing expert travel service on Grand Canyon National Park, Colorado鈥檚 national parks, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park. National Park Trips also provide free trip planners for many parks.听

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Any number of concerns are on our radar as we plan our next trip, from serious issues like how destinations are working to mitigate tourists鈥� environmental impact to inconveniences like months-long passport wait times. In this column, we’ll be addressing your questions about how to navigate the world.

The other day I read that bedbugs are now in all 50 states and turning up in more and more hotels, even nice ones. I travel regularly, so this makes me nervous. How can I avoid bedbugs, and what’s the worst that can happen if I am bit? Also, if by chance they hitchhike back to my own home and start an infestation, what do I do? Eeeek! That鈥檚 my nightmare. 鈥擝ugged Out

Your fears are totally valid. A few years ago, when I was hiking in Morocco鈥檚 Atlas Mountains, I started experiencing a burning, itching sensation two hours into my five-hour trek. It was so intense that not even the surrounding snowcapped peaks could distract my urge to scratch. When my guide stopped to prepare mint tea, I finally yanked up the right sleeve of my puffy. A zigzag of tiny red bumps on my forearm confirmed my suspicion: bedbugs.

Two weeks earlier, at a conference in Marrakech, several attendees showed up with pocked faces, the result of staying at a bedbug-infested hotel in the Atlas Mountains where I was scheduled to overnight post-conference before my trek. Surely the owner would have taken care of the situation by then, I rationalized; plus, I鈥檇 only be there one night.

The line of swollen, tingling bites on my arm were proof that the hotel owner had not exterminated. By the time my guide and I reached our cabin, my skin felt like I鈥檇 rolled around in poison ivy and then was attacked by no-see-ums. It was unrelenting. Worse to me, though, was the horrifying thought of parasites crawling all over me as I slept. As fate would have it, the cabin and the previous hotel were both owned by the same proprietor; terrified of once again becoming a midnight snack, I opted to bunk in the bathtub for the next three nights.

Few bugs are as psychologically disturbing as bedbugs. By day, they lurk undetected, and by night, they emerge from the crevices of bed frames, seams of mattresses, and cracks of walls and floorboards to stick their beak into our skin and suck our blood for up to ten minutes. The bug鈥檚 saliva contains an anesthetic that numbs the skin, so you never feel the bite, and the resulting red, swollen bumps could take anywhere from one to several days to even appear.

The good news is that bedbugs aren鈥檛 poisonous, nor are they known to carry diseases. In rare cases, bites can cause anaphylaxis, but most people simply experience itchiness like I did. (Still others have no reaction at all.) When I got back to Marrakech, I was able to buy a skin cream with hydrocortisone to help calm the irritation, and upon return to the States, my dermatologist, who said I had an extreme reaction, suggested an oral antihistamine, like Benadryl. It took my bites over two weeks to disappear, but in most cases they鈥檙e gone within a week.

If you have been bitten, however, there鈥檚 something else to worry about: any stowaways that have crawled into your belongings. If these are pesticide-resistant, they鈥檙e a true pain to get rid of if they make it to your home.

After my trip to Morocco, I planned to move into a new apartment. The lease mentioned repercussions for any tenant found responsible for bringing in bedbugs, and at the time I remember thinking, Gross! What dirty person carries bedbugs?

But equating dirt with bedbugs or unclean establishments is a myth. They can be found in the cheapest hostels and the finest luxury resorts. 鈥淯nlike flies, bedbugs are not attracted to decay or the build-up of organic matter,鈥� says Eric Braun, a board-certified entomologist and technical-service manager for Philadelphia-based Ehrlich Pest Control. 鈥淏edbugs can be found anywhere there鈥檚 a population of people available to feed on.鈥�

Not willing to risk a bedbug breakout in my new apartment, I made the tough choice of leaving my luggage, including Berber carpets I鈥檇 splurged on, in Morocco. I also swore I鈥檇 never lazily throw my luggage on, or at the bottom of, my hotel-room bed again. Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist for the National Pest Management Association in Fairfax, Virginia, later explained to me that bedbugs are attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide. After a meal, they don鈥檛 always return to their original hiding place. Sometimes they head to any crack or crevice close to the host鈥攖ypically within five feet鈥攁nd seams of backpacks and luggage are particularly inviting, especially if they鈥檙e nearby.

When I told friends about my traumatizing misadventure, many shared their own bedbug horror story. As the media have reported in recent years, these insects, a terror to people for centuries, are on the rise yet again. According to the National Pest Management Association, one in five Americans has either been affected by the parasites personally or knows someone who has. In France, bedbugs have become such a menace, they鈥檙e considered a .

Hotels are particularly susceptible, due to the transient nature of their guests. One of the most recent , released in 2017 and conducted by Atlanta-based pest-management company Orkin, found that eight of ten U.S. hotels had dealt with bedbugs during the previous year. (And more recently, as reported in , Chicago ranked as the number one city in the nation for bedbug problems last year, followed by New York and Philadelphia.)

The pandemic has since highlighted a clear correlation between travel and bedbug occurrences, says Braun. 鈥淎s travel slowed, so did the number of bedbug sightings and reports,鈥� he says. 鈥淎s more people resume travel, we are noticing an uptick in bedbug reports for the hotel and hospitality industry.鈥�

According to an American Hotel and Lodging Association spokesperson, 鈥淥ur members take the health and safety of their guests very seriously, and that includes ensuring pest-control procedures are in place to prevent and eradicate any pests, including bedbugs.鈥�

Can you avoid something that only comes out at night, is the size of an apple seed, and may or may not have chosen a new home in your belongings? The answer is: possibly, armed with the information below and diligence. And if you do fall prey, these smart strategies will help you deal with bites and infected luggage.

Always Check Your Room for Signs of Bedbugs Before Settling In

is a free source of bedbug reports that lets you search by specific hotel. But that alone won鈥檛 be enough. Upon checking into your hotel, inspection is key. Resist the urge to flop down on your bed, and don鈥檛 unpack until you do a thorough room scan, says Fredericks.

鈥淧ull back the sheets, and inspect the mattress seams and box springs鈥攑articularly at the corners鈥攆or pepper-like stains, spots, or bedbug skins,鈥� he says. 鈥淒o not place luggage on upholstered surfaces. The safest place is in the bathroom in the middle of a tile floor, or on a luggage rack after it鈥檚 been thoroughly inspected. Do not use a luggage rack if it has hollow legs, where bedbugs may hide unseen.鈥�

Bedbugs have flattened, wingless oval bodies and are red-brown in color. Because they are nocturnal, they can be difficult to detect during daylight hours, as they tend to hide in tight, dark spaces. According to Braun, three telltale signs include fecal spotting, which are stains the bugs leave behind and resemble black Sharpie marks on fabric or small bubbles on hard surfaces; cast skins, the exoskeletons from previous molts; and blood smears, indicative of a crushed bedbug.

Identifying a Bedbug Bite and Next Steps

鈥淧eople usually don鈥檛 notice or wake up when bitten,鈥� says Fredericks. 鈥淎lthough the bite is painless at the time of the attack, most people develop an allergic reaction to the saliva that is transmitted during the bite鈥攖his is what causes bites to become red, itchy, and swollen.鈥� Bedbug bites, he says, tend to be found in a linear or zigzag pattern, and anti-itch creams can be used to provide relief.

Immediately alert management of your suspicion. (In Morocco, I complained to the hotel owner, and he offered to compensate me for my losses.) Do not agree to move to a room adjacent or directly above or below the suspected infestation, says Fredericks, because 鈥渂edbugs can easily hitchhike via housekeeping carts, luggage, and even through wall sockets. If an infestation is spreading, it typically does so in the rooms closest to the origin.鈥� Hotels should reach out to certified pest-control specialists, who will vacuum, steam, or use heat treatments, and in some cases use , to rectify the problem.

Now it鈥檚 time to address your luggage. Anything that can be laundered should immediately be placed in the dryer at a high-temperature setting, as heat will kill the bedbug and its eggs, says Changlu Wang, a professor at Rutgers University鈥檚 entomology department. Afterward, pack the clean clothing in plastic bags to prevent reexposure. If you find bedbugs in or on something that cannot be laundered, he suggests freezing the items for three to four days, though he says a home freezer may not be cold enough, as most experts recommend minus four degrees Fahrenheit.

Things to Consider Upon Your Return Home

Inspect your suitcases outdoors before bringing them into the house, advises Fredericks. Thoroughly vacuum your suitcase before storing it. Consider using a garment hand steamer on your luggage, which can kill any bedbugs or eggs that may have made the trip home with you. Wash and dry all of your clothes. And if you suspect there鈥檚 a chance any hitchhiking bugs may have escaped your vigilance, Fredericks recommends contacting a licensed pest professional in a timely manner鈥攜ou can鈥檛 expect to eradicate them yourself. 鈥淏edbugs,鈥� he says, and as the following video demonstrates, 鈥渁re not DIY pests.鈥�

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Try to picture a national-park lodge. You鈥檙e likely conjuring up images of hand-hewn timber frames, large granite-encrusted fireplaces, and exposed wooden beams, right? That鈥檚 no accident. These aesthetics are all a part of style, or, as it鈥檚 more colloquially called, Parkitecture.

When the National Park Service (NPS) was formed in 1916, public-land managers were caught in a bit of a pickle鈥攂uilding infrastructure to accommodate growing visitation while preserving natural and cultural resources for future generations. The Rustic style park lodges were created to accommodate the early visitors who often arrived after multiday train journeys. I鈥檝e had the privilege of exploring and dining at a handful of these storied structures, and, trust me, they are as impressive today as they were when they first opened.

This groundbreaking architectural movement was conceived with the intention of designing buildings to blend into, rather than impose upon, the landscape. Log columns and stone chimneys were created out of native materials. Dramatically sloping roofs drew the eye up and toward nearby mountains, and windows were strategically placed to give guests exquisite natural views from every room, while grand dining halls and lounge areas encouraged visitors to gather and mingle, a hallmark of the new 鈥渘ational park experience.鈥�

Though dozens of options for accommodation exist inside national-park boundaries, some retain the original grandeur and spirit of the original 20th-century Parkitecture. Below are 20 of our favorite national-park lodges, with cozy amenities, rustic decor, and histories as diverse as the parks themselves.

And a word about making reservations: book early, the further ahead, the better. These places fill up fast, and some allow reservations over a year in advance. It’s best to check each lodge’s website to find out when reservations open up and to mark that date on your calendar. Also, you can contact the lodges to ask about cancellations, which do happen. Prices vary with season.

1. The Ahwahnee, Yosemite National Park, California

Set in a wildflower-speckled meadow at the base of the Royal Arches (a series of enormous natural granite arches up a 2,000-foot wall) in Yosemite Valley, The was designed by the legendary parks architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood and built from 1925 to 1927. The 121-room hotel, named after the Miwok word for Yosemite Valley as the 鈥減lace of the gaping mouth,鈥� is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and often considered the crown jewel of national-park lodges.

The first things I always notice in approaching The Ahwahnee are its sweeping green slate roofs that draw the eye up toward immense granite walls, while shaded wooden terraces and huge rock columns help the lodge mesh with its surroundings. Inside, visitors will find a dining hall with 34-foot-high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, plus elegant suites and a Great Lounge with soft armchairs, sofas, and a vintage brick fireplace, perfect for evening cocoa and chats with other park-goers after the Valley trails or climbing on its walls.

HOW TO BOOK IT

The lodge schedules reservations a year and a day in advance, and the reservations can be made up to seven days out from the first day. Book on the website or call 888-413-8869. Note that The Ahwahnee will be closed January 2 to March 2, 2023, for seismic upgrades and other renovations.

For our complete travel guide to Yosemite National Park, click here. For a guide to a dozen best hikes in Yosemite, click here.

2. Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park, Montana

On the shoreline of shimmering Swiftcurrent Lake sits , a 215-room Swiss-style chalet and the largest inn in Glacier National Park. When first promoting the park to potential visitors in the early 1900s, the Great Northern Railway, which transported most guests to the area, used slogans like 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Switzerland鈥� and 鈥淭he American Alps,鈥� urging travelers to skip pricey trips to Europe and 鈥淪ee America First.鈥� As a result, Many Glacier, built by the railway in 1914 and 1915, embodies the storybook-style Germanic architecture often associated with the Alps; the Swiss style originated in Germany, inspired by the elements of the mountains and alpine world.

Partially renovated in 2016, the building still features all the cut-out wood detailing and earth-toned terraces of yesteryear, with view-filled lounges, exposed log beams, and a three-story lobby with a Chickering baby grand piano. At night, the serves up scrumptious Continental cuisine and Montana microbrews, which you can enjoy while gazing at the panoramic backdrop of the northern Rockies, perhaps after you have just been hiking, biking, or climbing there.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made through the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Glacier National Park, click here.听

3. The Inn at Death Valley, Death Valley, California

Built in 1927, the Inn at Death Valley has long served as a hangout and hideaway for California鈥檚 high society. Once frequented by actors Clark Gable, Marlon Brando, and Carole Lombard, the Inn recently completed a five-year $150 million renovation, bringing back its former stateliness for modern park guests.

Situated in the California side of the park (which stretches east into Nevada), in the popular tourist hub of Furnace Creek, the 88-room inn is just a stone鈥檚 throw from the hiking hot spots of Golden Canyon and Zabriskie Point. The hotel exudes SoCal Spanish (Spanish Mission) style, from its terra-cotta tile roof and spring-fed swimming pool to its walking paths through shady date palms. Remote and sunbaked, the Inn lets you imagine the roaring twenties, the early forty-niners hastening to the Gold Rush, and the Timbisha Shoshone who once used the freshwater oasis. My favorite dining spot in the park, the kitschy Last Kind Words Saloon, is just a mile away in Furnace Creek.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made through the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Death Valley National Park, click here.

4. El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Designed by Charles Whittlesey, chief architect for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, the opened its doors in 1905. Perched on a high ledge along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, looking down at the Colorado River, the structure has, to me, always felt slightly out of place in the desert Southwest of Arizona; that鈥檚 because it was designed to emulate a Norwegian-style villa to match the tastes of high society at a time when Western Europe was the epitome of refinement.

Once considered the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi, the 78-room El Tovar still impresses with many trappings of a cornerstone national-park lodge: its large lounge is wrapped in hewn Oregon pine, other spaces feature cobblestone fireplaces, and a handsome dining room offers dark wood paneling, vintage light fixtures, and murals reflecting the customs of four local tribes鈥搕he Hopi, Apache, Mojave, and Navajo.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can go through the lodge website,听 or 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Grand Canyon National Park, click here.

5. Jenny Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

What was once a rustic, 1930s-era dude ranch for up to 65 guests is now a AAA Four Diamond resort at the foot of the serrated peaks and steep canyons of the Teton Range. is comprised of 37 historic log cabins, with updated interiors that include tiled bathrooms, braided rugs, quilted bedspreads, and plush lounge chairs. With easy hiking access to three glacier-fed lakes鈥擲tring, Leigh, and, of course, Jenny鈥攁 scenic bike path, and a communal dining room overlooking the iconic mountains (and serving some of the destination鈥檚 best food), these once humble casitas now boast the best location in the park.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the lodge website or call 307-543-3100. Reservations can be made one year in advance.

For our complete guide to Grand Teton National Park, click here.

6. Lake Crescent Lodge, Olympic National Park, Washington

Nestled between towering firs and hemlocks, the makes a pretty epic base camp for exploring the Olympic Peninsula. Built in 1915, the 55-guestroom lodge is ideally situated between the park鈥檚 mountainous Hurricane Ridge area and driftwood-strewn beaches like Rialto and Second. A Victorian-era sunroom beckons visitors to kick back and enjoy the scenery, while an antique-furnished lobby with a stone fireplace is the place to hang out after hiking the Hoh Rainforest. Book a Roosevelt Fireplace Cabin for the best views of the water.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the lodge website or call 888-896-3818. Operating season for this year is April 29 through January 1, 2023.

For our complete guide to Olympic National Park, click here.

7. Big Meadows Lodge, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Named for a wide grassy field near the hotel where deer often graze, arose through the work of the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps, as funded by the New Deal, a massive push to add infrastructure to the national parks while providing much-needed jobs.

Full of fascinating details, such as the use of native chestnut wood paneling from trees that are now nearly extinct, Big Meadows offers 29 rooms in the main building and 72 others ranging from multi-unit lodges to stand-alone cabins with fireplaces. After a day exploring Shenandoah鈥檚 Skyline Drive (Big Meadows sits at mile 51), grab a plate of pan-seared trout and a slice of blackberry-ice-cream pie at the .

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the lodge website or call 877-847-1919. The lodge takes reservations 13 months in advance, and October is by far the busiest time. The lodge will close November 6 and reopen in mid-April.

For our complete guide to Shenandoah National Park, click here.

8. Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Designed by Robert Reamer and built in 1903 and 1904, the 327-room is famed as the largest log structure in the world, at 700 feet long and seven stories high. Simply walking into its 92-foot-high lobby is an awesome experience; I craned my neck in wonder at its twisted log brackets and the lodgepole columns soaring past a central stone chimney quarried from nearby Black Sand Basin.

This varnished woodsy wonder of a building was intentionally constructed around a prominent view of the most famous geyser in the country, Old Faithful, and hotel guests can request rooms with views of the geothermally active Geyser Basin that contains other spouts as well. Meals at the property鈥檚 Obisidian Dining Room were once accompanied by a string quartet, and though that鈥檚 now absent, modern park visitors are still treated to hearty dishes (like locally sourced bison burgers and smoked-trout ravioli) in the updated restaurant.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the fifth day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made through the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Yellowstone National Park, click here.

9. Glacier Park Lodge, Glacier National Park, Montana

Often referred to as the Big Tree Lodge, was the first of several Swiss-chalet-style accommodations built in then newly formed Glacier National Park. Opened to the public in 1913, the 161-room lodge is located just outside the eastern side of the park on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and offers excellent access to the waterfalls and hiking paths near Two Medicine Lake.

Helmed by architect Samuel Bartlett, the hotel features an incredible forest-themed lobby with soaring Douglas fir timbers, each over 40 feet tall and up to three feet in diameter. Modern guest rooms are designed to embody the Parkitecture style, with Native artwork, wood furnishings, and cowboy-inspired textiles. For tasty post-adventure eats (Moose Drool poutine, anyone?), it doesn鈥檛 get much better than the menu at the Great Northern Dining Room, with its stunning floor-to-ceiling views.

HOW TO BOOK IT

The lodge released 2023 bookings in mid January of this past year and will release 2024 bookings in mid January of 2023, for May through September. Book on the lodge’s website or call 406-892-2525.

For our complete guide to Glacier National Park, click here.

10. Zion Lodge, Zion National Park, Utah

Completed in 1925, was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, an architect well-known for his work on Bryce Canyon Lodge and the Ahwahnee. After an alliance was forged between the Union Pacific Railway and the NPS, permitting construction on protected park land, the lodge was created in the heart of the area using untreated natural logs and locally sourced sandstone to help it blend into Zion鈥檚 craggy vermillion walls and pi帽on pines. Nearly a century later, this historic hotel, with 76 rooms, six suites, and 40 cabins, is home to easy hiking access, hosts , and offers well-appointed cabins and suites, plus Southwestern fare like Navajo fry-bread tacos at Red Rock Grill.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made on the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Zion National Park, click here.

11. Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Phenomenal views of the Four Corners region, Native-inspired textiles, and custom-handcrafted furniture await guests at , the only in-park lodging at Mesa Verde. Although this lodge, completed in 1974, is newer than many park hotels on our list, its minimalist design and rust-tinted exterior epitomize the NPS ethic of blending into the surrounding landscape: the red buttes and mesa tops of southwestern Colorado. Situated a short drive from must-see sites like Cliff Palace, Far View, and Long House, the 150-room hotel occupies the most central location in the park, and its signature dining option, the Metate Room, is a wonderful spot to kick back and enjoy the sunset.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Far View Lodge closed for winter on October 26, 2022, and will reopen April 14, 2023. To book, check the lodge website or call 800-449-2288. Though the facility is closed, the concessionaire is still taking reservations and is accepting them through 2023 ending in October.

For our 63 Parks Traveler guide to Mesa Verde National Park, click here.

12. Grant Grove Cabins, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

It鈥檚 hard to argue with wood-shingled fairy-tale cabins set within walking distance of听 鈥�.鈥� Located in Grant Grove Village, on the western edge of Kings Canyon, vary from more modern 1940s-style duplex cottages with private baths to rustic canvas-sided tent cabins (large tents on platforms). Pro tip: rent the Honeymoon Cabin if you鈥檙e keen on national park history; it鈥檚 the oldest standing structure in the village. There are nine cabins and 17 tent cabins.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Closed now, the cabins are anticipated to reopen April 14, 2023, and the tent cabins to open on May 12, 2023. Book on the lodge’s website or by calling 866-807-3598. Reservations may be made up to a year in advance.

For our complete guide to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, click here.

13. Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Yet another Swiss-chalet-style structure on our list is Mount Rainier鈥檚 , constructed from 1916 to 1917 and located 19 miles from the southwestern Nisqually Entrance. Boasting one of the first ski lifts in the region, the 121-guestroom lodge once hosted Olympic Trials and housed a guide service led by Lou Whittaker, renowned as the first American to climb Mount Everest. Today鈥檚 inn has since modernized, but it retains some of the semi-rustic characteristics of its days of old: showers and restrooms are located down the hall, and there are no televisions, telephones, or internet service (but hot water and electricity are available鈥攏ot to worry). If you鈥檙e jonesing for a private bath after a day in the wilderness, book one of the property鈥檚 annex rooms.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Paradise Inn is closed for the season, to reopen May 20, 2023, typically operating until October. Reservations can be made on the inn’s website or by calling 855-755-2275.

For our 63 Parks Traveler Guide to Rainier National Park, click here.

14. Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

, built in 1999, is a fantastic example of a modern effort at creating iconic NPS accommodations right at the center of a park鈥檚 most popular sights. After Giant Forest Village鈥攁 1920s-era complex designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood鈥攚as carefully demolished to prevent further damage to vegetation and soils, Sequoia planned for and built a new lodging hub set nine miles farther north, an easy drive from some of my favorite Giant Forest hikes, like the three-mile Congress Trail.

Thanks to the 102-guestroom lodge鈥檚 modern-day construction, amenities like private baths and mini fridges didn鈥檛 have to be shoehorned in, as with many properties on this list. Guest rooms are also more spacious and offer central heating, flat-panel TVs, and ski racks for winter adventurers who want to hit the marked trails right outside the lodge. The Peaks restaurant with outstanding views is available for indoor dining, while hungry hikers perfecting their dirtbag suntans might prefer to chill outside on the pizza deck.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the lodge’s website or call 866-807-3598. The lodge may stay open all year; it had announced no winter closure date at time of publication. Reservations are taken one year in advance.

For our complete guide to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, click here.

15. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

is as charming today as it was in 1936, the year of its debut, and it鈥檚 notable as one of the few Yellowstone lodges that remains open in both summer and winter (with several weeks鈥� closure during the shoulder seasons). Come summer, the 222-room facility is the best spot in the north side of the park for hikers and wildlife lovers (elk are often seen grazing right outside), while winter heralds the opening of the Bear Den Ski Shop, where guests can rent cross-country skis or book guided snowshoeing trips. Though you won鈥檛 find air-conditioning at this establishment, there are surprisingly sophisticated amenities, like hot-tub cabins and an in-park espresso bar.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the fifth day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made on the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757. Will open December 15, closing March 6, 2023, and open again on April 28, 2023, closing November 26 (dates subject to change).

For our complete guide to Yellowstone National Park, click here.

17. Volcano House, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

is one of those mystical, only-in-the-national-parks hotels. After all, where else can you nab a room and a meal with views of an active crater? Structures on the rim of Kilauea are said to predate an 1824 grass hut erected by Chiefess Kapiolani and her entourage, while the first iteration of the Volcano House hotel was contructed in 1877, and the hotel as it currently stands dates back to 1941.

Significantly remodeled in 2013, this 33-room lodge has been refreshed to its 1940s luster, with polished jade-hued floors, vintage crown moldings, and a fierce bronze statue of the goddess Pele in the lobby, sculpted by Honolulu artist Marguerite Blassingame. Guest rooms feature tropical touches like bamboo-accent furniture, befitting their island locale. I鈥檇 recommend grabbing a fruity cocktail and a sashimi trio at Uncle George’s Lounge after traversing the along the Kilauea summit caldera.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the website or call 808-756-9625, especially for late availability that may not show on the website. May through September is the busy season, followed by slow months and more availability. Reservations are taken a year in advance.

For our 63 Parks Traveler guide to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, click here.

18. Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier National Park, Montana

In a country brimming with historic national-park lodges, the concentration in Glacier surely takes the cake. Built in 1913 in the Swiss Alps style so prevalent at the turn of the century, the 82-guest room , 11 miles from the West Glacier entrance, features all of the fabulous amenities one might expect from a historic NPS hotel: multiple dining options, a cozy reading room, evening ranger programs, and the park鈥檚 iconic Red Bus tours, which pull up right out front. Two years ago, I spent a glorious sunset traipsing from the lodge鈥檚 dreamy, storybook exterior straight out to the wooden dock overlooking the eponymous lake; the space oozes wistfulness.

Guest rooms are what hoteliers refer to as 鈥渞ustic, yet comfortable鈥濃�攊.e., no air-conditioning, no elevators, and no televisions鈥攂ut you won鈥檛 need them with the breathtaking vistas of Lake McDonald outside your window. Feeling intrepid? Book a hostel-style bunk room in the complex鈥檚 Snyder Hall. Just bring your slippers for nighttime visits to the shared bathrooms.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made on the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Glacier National Park, click here.

19. Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Mary Jane Colter, the of Hopi House, Hermits Rest, and Phantom Ranch鈥攖hree other iconic locations within this park鈥攄esigned the arts and crafts鈥搃nfluenced , which opened to the public in 1935. At a time when the El Tovar Hotel was considered much more luxurious, Colter redesigned and elevated this primo South Rim property, once the site of the shabby Bright Angel Camp, to its current glory.

The place encompasses 39 lodge guestrooms and 50 historic cabins. Interiors are accentuated by Southwest and Mission-inspired furnishings, historic photographs, and colorful textiles, while the exteriors of its quaint cabins feature log facades. History buffs might want to spring for the Buckey O’Neill Cabin, a circa-1890 suite once home to one of Theodore Roosevelt鈥檚 Rough Riders.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Reservations open the first day of the same month in which guests would like to visit the following year, and can be made on the lodge website, or by calling 888-297-2757.

For our complete guide to Grand Canyon National Park, click here.

19. Kalaloch Lodge, Olympic National Park, Washington

Watching the sun set over the wild Pacific Ocean is the experience. The 64-unit hotel, built in 1953, invites guests to step back to a simpler time, one without in-room telephones or Wi-Fi. With its central location between the Hoh and Quinault Rainforests, its adorable pet-friendly cabins, and easy access to quiet beaches, Kalaloch makes exploring the diverse Olympic Peninsula a breeze.

After a day of adventuring in the park, chow down on sustainably sourced seafood at its Creekside Restaurant, which also features expansive ocean views.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Visit the lodge’s website to make reservations or call 866-662-9969. The lodge is open every day all year and takes reservations 13 months in advance. Its website recommends making reservations at least four months ahead for summer visits, six months for extended stays, but notes often being able to accommodate last-minute requests, so check online or call.

For our complete guide to Olympic National Park, click here.

20. Chisos Mountains Lodge, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Situated at the base of the Casa Grande Peak, at an elevation of 5,400 feet, the 72-room听 is not what most people think of when planning a visit to the mostly flat Lone Star State. But Big Bend is full of surprises, and this hidden gem is nestled in its most stunning (and centrally located) hiking area. Visitors can walk right out of their rooms and onto the famous Window Trail, summit 7,832-foot Emory Peak, or, as I did during my sojourn, spend a full day on the 12-mile South Rim Trail. Digs are simple, with wooden Mission-inspired furnishings and colorful comforters, but it鈥檚 hard to beat the vistas of dramatic rocky outcroppings and the high-altitude conifers of Chisos Basin. An on-site restaurant, the Mountain View, offers Tex-Mex and American fare, plus more of those outstanding mountain views.

HOW TO BOOK IT

Check the lodge website or call 877-386-4383. On January 1, 2023, the lodge will open bookings for all of 2024. Open year-round, it is the only lodging within Big Bend National Park.

For our complete guide to Big Bend National Park, click here.

Emily Pennington is a freelance adventure journalist based in Los Angeles. She has visited 62 U.S. national parks (with only American Samoa National Park to go). Her book, Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America鈥檚 National Parks, is due out in February (Little A/Amazon Publishing).

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