Furnace Creek Inn, Death Valley National Park, California

There are swimming pools, and then there is the fresh water pool at Furnace Creek Inn. Right there in Death Valley where the average rainfall is 1.8 inches a year, spring water fills the pool five times a day then makes its way into the 3.3 acres of gardens, then onto the golf course. That's what an oasis is all about, and the 1927 inn is the real deal.

The Inn has the opposite season of most great lodges of the national parks. Searing heats prompts the summer closure in May with reopening in October. Now is the ideal time to go to visit Death Valley. Spring flowers are expected to show up in lower elevations in March, and with the excess rain, there should be a wonderful display. And what better place to stay than this blast from the past. It's part roaring Twenties, part big business enterprise (Pacific Coast Borax), tons of history and much of it built of adobe fashioned on site. Then there are the gardens....and, oh, yes, the pool. The gardens, designed by Daniel Hull, are as lush and lovely an oasis as anyone could hope for.

We arrived in early March, and I was sure we were on the wrong road. "It's the only road," answered my husband, Jerry, who was driving as I got myself worked up with anticipation. Desert lovers say you have to look hard to appreciate the grandeur of landscapes like Death Valley. True. It seemed like endless sand and windswept mountain ranges. We checked into the cheaper Furnace Creek Ranch a typical national park motel. I looked with longing at the Inn; we would check in the next day. We rounded up some grub (there is a big push to promote miner lingo) at the cafeteria, watched the sun set and called it a night.

The following day we moved into the Inn. The Inn, designed by Albert Martin, was built in phases beginning in 1926, and each addition is a bit different from the other. Our second floor North Wing room faced the Panamint Range and while not huge, it was a delight, and the Stargazer terrace at the end of the hall seemed to be reserved just for us. The general manager, Alex Cabana, added elegance to the whole place.

My days were spent at the marvelous archives with historic photos, documents, books...a plethora of records recently moved here from Borax headquarters. My husband played golf on the 18-hole course (lowest in the country) each morning. We met for lunch at the funky golf snack shop, then I drove him to Furnace Creek Inn where he lounged around the pool.

Since the 66-room Inn was built in stages, the room and a few suite offerings vary. For panoramic views, North Wing rooms with the View not Hill side are perfect. Other rooms in the single story addition offer soothing views of the gardens, but no balconies. This really doesn't matter, since there are terraces just around the corner. The Pool Bungalow, the most sought after room, stands alone above the pool and below the recreation hall. Rates range from $320 to $455 a night from now until closing in mid-May.

Tips:

• Check out the wild flowers season. The season begins at the end of February and goes through April.  Check out Wildflower Watch for regular updates. 
• If taking all of your meals at the Inn dining room seems a bit daunting, order room service and eat on your terrace or balcony. Remember to bring what they describe as "casual elegance" in your suitcase. T-shirts and jeans just don't cut it in the dining room. There are also four restaurants, a saloon and cocktail lounge at the casual Ranch (open all year).
• If you're on a budget, Furnace Creek Ranch is just fine. Unlike the Inn, the Ranch is open year round. You can still take a park ranger led tour of the Inn during its season.
• Golfing on the lowest elevation course in the US (214 feet below sea level) is also fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it is fun. Greens fee run $35-$55, cart is $25.The snack bar is an affordable place to have lunch.
• In addition to the wonders of Death Valley National Park, the Borax Museum is worth a stop. If you like horses, you can arrange for horseback and carriage outings.
• Stargazing. A must.
• The Inn books well in advance, and the Inn closes on May 9 reopening in October. If you can't get a room for 2010, do it for 2011!!!

CHECK OUT MY APRIL BLOG ON SPRING LODGE DEALS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS

This copyright photo was taken by David M.Morris and appears in Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two

Lake Crescent Lodge, Olympic National Park, Washington

As mentioned earlier, this was February. Lake Crescent Lodge was not fully open. Not even close. But you can reserve a cabin...and you should. The drive alone is worth the trip. Swiss Alps? Olympic National Park has it all.

The peninsula is like a puzzle with the national park, forest, reservation and private land interconnected. We left Lake Quinault Lodge following Highway 101 towards the Pacific. We could have taken days for this trip, but I had to get to Port Angeles and Olympic National Park Headquarters to do research at the museum. Instead of stopping along the beach, we cut inland at Ruby Beach, drove through the Olympic National Forest to Port Angeles. By the time we headed back to Lake Crescent, it was mid-afternoon. Mist hung over the lake and the two-lane road clung to the shoreline. Mountain peaks rose straight from the shoreline. As we headed along the southern edge of the lake, we were the only car. Snow began to fall as the light dropped behind the mountains. I turned onto Barnes Road along the creek and followed the signs to the lodge. A meadow unfolded before us introducing us to a simple two-story, shingle Arts and Craft style lodge and cabins. It seemed that not only were we the lone guests, but the only people within miles.

We had made reservations for one of the Roosevelt Fireplace Cottages, the only accommodations open during our visit. The manager knew when we were coming, and had left instructions to pick up our key. The two-bedroom, knotty pine paneled cottage faced the lake. A huge picture window framed the view. It was cold, so I loaded the fireplace with kindling and logs, and, viola, lighted the fire without opening the flue. The windows were open to let out the smoke, the fire was burning nicely, but it looked like it could be a long night. The cabin had snacks and breakfast makings there, but the restaurant was closed. My friend, Deborah, had packed food and wine, so we made due with a picnic. After we ate, I got my flashlight and walked around the grounds anxious for the next day and discovering what had changed at the lodge since my last visit over twenty years ago. The ground was crunchy cold and the moon was out. I made my way to the dock, and looked across the lake. Steely cold grey of the lake and mountains merged into one. What a place, what a history. I could hardly wait for morning to shed new light on this place.

What morning brought was snow, and more snow. The manager met us and we began walking through the lodge. I had spent a good amount of time looking at historic photos of the 1915 lodge, and without guests in baseball hats and sweatshirts, it could well have been the those days when guests arrived via boat with the ladies in billowing skirts and the gentlemen dressed in coats and ties. The main lobby had changed little with much of the original furniture, patined wood paneling and original light fixtures and the huge Roosevelt elk head still holding court over the lodge. There is a cocktail lounge partitioned off in a corner. An odd arrangement, but it looks to work just fine. The multi-paned dining room that once held views of Mrs. Singer's gardens has been turned into a gift shop, and the dining room moved to a large room added in the 1950s with lake views. The crown jewel of the main level is the glassed in front sunporch full of wicker furniture and when the warm weather comes, baskets of geraniums. A corner stairway leads to restored second floor guest rooms with shared bath.

Here are my tips for staying at Lake Crescent Lodge:

• Stay in the Singer Tavern Cabins if you can. They were rebuilt just like the originals after it was decided that the old buildings simply could not be restored. I usually hate this, but these are charming and you can opt for one or two rooms.
• If you like things true to history, the five upstairs rooms are tiny and fun with a shared central bath.
• Families will enjoy the one or two bedroom Roosevelt Fireplace Cottages with fireplaces. Open the flues.
• The motel units offer lots of rooms, but not the charm of the Singer, main lodge or Roosevelt cottages.
• If you go off season when the restaurant is closed, bring plenty of food and drink. There is nothing close by.
• Enjoy the historic gardens, then take hikes. This is a terrific base for exploring the park.
• Swim in the lake if it is summer.
• The restaurant attracts guests and locals to the lodge, so make a reservation. This is second hand info, but I trust the sources.
• Walk over to the 1914 Rosemary Inn grounds. This historic "camp" is now run by the Olympic Park Institute. The tiny cabins are unique and fabulous.
• For more on the lodge, check out Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two.

These photos were taken by Christine Barnes and do not appear in her books. (Not bad?)