Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton's grandest

We arrived at Jackson Lake Lodge on a perfect Wyoming day, and pulled under the portico. I jumped out and entered the lower level lobby. Nice. Tasteful, but no wow!  factor. A little patience was needed. I checked in, then too impatient to wait for the publicist to accompany me, I walked up the stairway. Wham! To say that the massive windows frame one of the nature's most expansive canvases is an understatement.  I literally gasped, and I am not alone.
For some, the Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed International style, concrete and glass structure doesn't fit the "lodge" criteria.

Set on a bluff back from the edge of Jackson Lake, it is a 1950s interpretation of the national park lodge that only Underwood and JD Rockefeller, Jr. (who paid for it as a "gift" to the American people) could have come up with. And it works on many levels. This is not about the building as is the case with Old Faithful Inn (Yellowstone) or even The Ahwahee (Yosemite); it is about capturing the view. And it has always been that way.
The lodge features more than the grand hall. There are two restaurants, the lovely and fairly expensive Mural Room (and yes, there are exquisite murals along with the views) and the fun and funky Pioneer Grill where families can be more than comfortable, well fed and have lots of fun.
There is a huge conference center attached that most visitors won't even notice along with the Blue Heron cocktail lounge that was added in 1989. Two balconies above the grand hall are great vantage points to check out the lower hall and, of course, the view. Step outside, and a terrace runs the expanse of the lodge. Park rangers are on hand as guests check out the wildlife lurking just yards away. A quick hike up Lunch Tree Hill (where the whole idea of park expansion and the lodge was hatched with the Rockefellers), and you have the lodge in a nutshell.
There are rooms in the lodge, but the motor court units will spark memories of childhood park visits by any Baby Boomer lucky enough to have taken car trips in the family station wagon. Each unit has a little porch with Adirondack chairs. There's a pool, a corral where you can set up chuck wagon outings or horseback treks. And then there is the park. Need I say more?

My Tips:

• Stay in the lodge's one story motor court rooms (try to get one closest to the main lodge) unless you want something fancier; then stay in the lodge itself.
• Pop for at least one dinner in the Mural Dining Room then try Pioneer Grill. There are other restaurants in the park and in Moose and Jackson Hole.
• The chuck wagon breakfast is great for kids.
• Remember that there are wild animals...I mean, don't be foolish. I still see people running up to bears (honest!). You will see the most incredible array of wildlife especially if you're there in June when lots of baby animals abound. 
• If you can, take the guided tour about lodge art and murals.
• I'm not a big fan of gift shops, but this one has some lovely items.
• Combine your Grand Teton trip with Yellowstone National Park. The drive alone is worth it...and then there is Yellowstone!
• Learn more about the Jackson Lake Lodge history, Mission 66 plus fabulous photography in Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two.  Dignitaries visited many of our great lodges, but this was the site of the 1989 historic US-Soviet talks (check out the table at the top of the stairway); JFK visited two months prior to his assassination.
• There are lots of housing options at Grand Teton NP. The cheapest cabins (both tent and historic log) in the park are at Colter Bay Village. I was just talking with Kay Scott, author of The Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges, and she suggests Dornan's Spur Ranch Cabins, a complex of 12 modern log cabins near the south entrance of the park... she says they're especially nice for grandparents with grandkids. On the other end of the price spectrum is Jenny Lake Lodge. More on that in a new book????? But for me, it's Jackson Lake Lodge.
• Visit the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center not only to get park information, but to see the award-winning architecture of the building.

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

Glacier Bay, Alaska...cruise or lodge stay? That is the question.

The Park Service folks say that over 90% of the people who visit Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve never set foot on land...or ice. Most visitors arrive via cruise liners with a thousand "friends" with whom to share the experience. The modern day commercial cruises took off in 1968, but steamships like the Queen plied the icy water since around 1885. John Muir was the regions biggest PR agent writing eloquently about the astounding beauty of this glacial landscape. If you love cruising, by all means that's the way to go, but for my money, I'd take one of the once daily flights from Anchorage to Gustavas, catch a shuttle to Glacier Bay Lodge and make that your base for an amazing stay. There's an early reservation special going on now from the lodge website.

The lodge was built in 1966 and just about nothing has changed. It is the only federally financed NP lodge in the system, and since there are no roads into the park, it is secluded and a real blast from the past. Staff lovingly refer to it as the Brady Bunch Lodge. The main lodge has a lobby, dining room, gift shop and interpretive center upstairs. The deck is the gathering spot for evening cocktails and meals. Fresh fish is pulled from the dock. Rooms are in detached one-story units that are tucked into the wooded hillside. Black bears roam about.

Small boats (75 passengers) make full day trips back into the waters where you are treated to an astounding display of birds, sea life and plenty of mountain goats, moose, bears and even wolves. Alaskan "Grizzly" bears are called brown or Kodiaks. You are so close you want to hold you breath as they pace the shoreline. A park ranger and the captain give a running commentary on where and what to look at. Add to that, gigantic glaciers "calving," and even the biggest cynic is bowled over by the power of the place.

We were there in August, and in addition to the four-legged mammals, sea lions, puffins and guillemots, we took an evening dinner cruise that put us in the middle of a whale feeding frenzy. There were humpback and minke whales, and plenty of Orca also going for chow. Eating our lovely salmon dinner was almost a chore that took us away from the railing.

As Bill Brown, a retired park historian put it: "...you know you're in the presence of glory."

MY TIPS:

• Reserve NOW and get a 25% discount starting at $149 a night. http://www.visitglacierbay.com/specials/index.cfm
• I'd stay about 4 nights. You can walk into Gustavus and catch dinner at a pizza joint or have ice cream for a change. You can also pick up picnic fixings.
• Read Kim Heacox's book, The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska before going or while you are there. Beautiful and chilling. Kim and his wife live in Gustavus. Kim was featured in both Great Lodges of the National Parks and Ken Burn's The National Parks, America's Best Idea PBS series.
• Attend any Park Service program, and listen attentively to all of the precautions they dole out about hiking in the region.
• Go on BOTH the day cruise and evening whale watching cruise.
• You can rent kayaks or go on your own. I would opt for the guided day trip with lunch.
• For more on Glacier Bay Lodge and Camp Denali, buy Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two . (These two beautiful shot were taken by Jerald L. Barnes who took all of the photos for the Alaskan lodges that appear in the book.)
• Take rain gear, waterproof shoes or boots, insect repellant (the strong stuff), layers including fleece, both a stocking hat and brimmed hat and light-weight gloves for the boat trips.
• They do have internet service at the lodge, but it is so annoying watching people on their laptops in the lounge. How weird it is to have people ohhh and ahhh over their digital photos instead of trekking out there to take more. Please, this is the wilderness!
• If you don't mind small planes, you can book a private flight that gives you better flexibility than the once a day commercial trip. Spectacular.

(These copyrighted photos were taken by Jerald L. Barnes and appear in Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two.)

Camp Denali: wilderness with a touch of luxury

I think there are two not-to-be-missed parks in Alaska: Denali National Park and Preserve and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Most folks see Denali via the park service daily bus trip. It's good, and since private cars are not allowed deep into the park, it's the only option unless you hike in to see grandeur that is hard to grasp. Private plane trips over the park and even landings on glaciers give another heart stopping choice of viewing. But the hands-down best way to enjoy this park while still sleeping under a roof is a stay at Camp Denali or, for those who prefer a more traditional stay, North Face Lodge.

My stay at Camp Denali ranks as a highlight among research trips during the writing of Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two and scouting for the PBS television series. What could possibly be better than traveling 90 miles into the park on a bumpy dirt road following a wolf that decides to investigate a sleeping Grizzly bear, then stopping for a fabulous picnic lunch all the while getting a running commentary on this wilderness from Simon Hamm, the third operator of Camp and North Face? Not much.

By the time we got to "Camp" ---a group of log cabins dotting the ridge above Wonderlake, the historic centerpiece lodge, shower room and dining hall along with a spattering of other fabulous rustic buildings festooned with flower baskets---it was pouring rain. Camp employees met us with umbrellas and took each group and their gear to their assigned cabins. Ours had a queen and twin bed, wood-burning stove, propane lights and a kitchenette-type counter to wash up or fix snacks. No indoor water, toilet or shower, yet it was the most inviting cabin I'd visited in years. We built the fire, peered out the window at the spot where Mt. Denali should be looming, then unpacked. Guests congregate at the lodge before and after dinner to get to know each other. Beer and wine are shared (it's BYOB) along with a bit of chatter. Dinner is served family style, but Camp offers the kind of cuisine one would expect at a fine San Francisco restaurant, except larger portions. Both a meat and vegetarian entree are offered, and everyone introduces themselves that first night. Camaraderie is instant. Maybe because it's just you, the other guests and the staff (about one staff member for every two guests) out there where the bears and wolves roam.

We are talking remote, rough country where three fearless lovers of the Alaskan wilderness decided to build a lodge where people could experience the wonder of it all. Ginny and Morton Wood along with Celia Hunter began creating Camp in the early 1950s. Today it has expanded into one of the best wilderness resorts in the country.

Days are spent following naturalists on hikes, canoeing, fishing, even taking sightseeing flights. You can head out on your own or keep with the crew. The sun doesn't seem to ever set, so the days are full and long. Guests opt for three, four or seven night stays. A vacation to Camp Denali is an annual ritual for some, but for most it is a once in a lifetime experience.

I couldn't imagine anything improving Camp. Jenna and Simon Hamm (daughter and son-in-law of the second owners, Wally and Jerryne Cole) are constantly renovating, adding state-of-the-art solar and power supplies and organic gardens, but their plans for a new dining hall were on the drawing board. Now it is a reality.

Reports from Simon are that the old dining hall/kitchen came down in a day. The stunning new dining hall took considerably more time and effort to go up, but the spacious facility is a bonus to both guests and the kitchen staff known for creating fabulous meals.

Some openings for the 2010 season are still available. If you can't make it this season, start saving. It is worth it!

My Tips:

• Camp staff take all reservations on the phone, so they will find out your expectations and make recommendations. Just talk things over, and they'll do the rest.
• Try to stay as long as you can.
• Couple this with a visit to Glacier Bay if you have the time.

(This copyright photo was taken by Jerald L. Barnes as seen in Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two)

CHECK OUT CAMP'S NEW BLOG http://www.campdenali.com/live/blog/blog/10559

Spring deals at National Park lodges: Olympic NP and Death Valley

Lake Crescent Lodge specials:

 Aramark has the new concession contract for Lake Crescent Lodge and they are offering its Grand Opening Special in conjunction with the season opening on May 7, 2010. From opening day to June 15, 2010, guests can book lodging for as low as $79 a night plus taxes and fees for a total savings of up to 27 percent.

For more information about lodging and activities at Lake Crescent Lodge, or to book the Grand Opening Special, please call (866) 297-7367 or visit www.olympicnationalparks.com. Promo code: OPENRATE.

The cheap rate special is for the main lodge room, charming small rooms with shared bathrooms (each room has a sink); there is a $129 rate for queen size rooms with views in some of the one-story motel-like units. Ask for the rooms facing the lake, although these motel units are my least favorite.

I always recommend staying at the main lodge if you don't mind sharing a bath; Singer Tavern units (queen, $192 plus tax or a two room cottage $222 plus tax); or the Roosevelt Fireplace Cottages with kitchen (booked at this time), but you can check for other dates. Always ask about other promotions when you make your reservation.

Bring your rain gear, but don't fret about the weather. This is paradise!

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

READ MY FEBRUARY POST ON LAKE CRESCENT LODGE.

Death Valley deals, too
 If you love the heat, this could be for you:

Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley is offering its  summer season special on its year-round Stay and Play golf package with savings up to 16 percent now through May 8 and up to 38 percent off winter-season rates from May 9 through Oct. 7, 2010. 

The Stay and Play package at the Furnace Creek Resort includes accommodations for two people, one day of unlimited golf, club storage and electric cart rental for the first 18 holes. The per-night rate at the Ranch at Furnace Creek is $232 from April 19 through May 8 and the rate at the Inn at Furnace Creek is $387 per night. On May 9, the same day the Inn closes for the summer season, the Ranch drops package rates even more to $169 per night.

Note from the lodge lady: The Ranch is nice and a good alternative to the pricier Inn. It's ideal for family with a big pool. The golf course is on the dry side, but as the lowest elevation course in the US, it does have novel elements. (Why they have changed the names to Inn at Furnace Creek and Ranch at Furnace Creek is beyond me!) 


By the way, Furnace Creek Inn is one of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America.  

READ MY MARCH POST ON FURNACE CREEK INN

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?)

Lake Quinault Lodge, Olympic Peninsula, Washigton

I was thinking about my last trip to Lake Quinault Lodge and Lake Crescent Lodge on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. It was February, cold and snowy here in Central Oregon...not when most tourists head to the Olympic National Park. But for me, the off season is perfect for doing research, interviewing folks and getting a good sense of place without the crowds. No crowds was an under statement. I talked my friend, Deborah, into coming along. We headed over Mt. Hood outside of Portland (forgoing a stop at the fabulous Timberline Lodge, more on that later) then made our way to Olympia on I-5, cut over to Aberdeen taking Highway 101 through Humptulips to the tiny town of Quinault. Snow gave way to rain and lushy, mushy greenery that only exists in nooks of rain forest in the US. Trees so big you want to bow down to them, and thick carpets of moss like sponges and green hair hanging from the armpit-like limbs of ancient sitka and big leaf maples. Then there is the ghostly white lichen that dusts the red alder bark, and the mushrooms and the fog hanging over mountains and lakes and rivers and the Pacific ocean and water....water falling from nearly ever-present clouds then gushing and cutting river beds in a furious race to the lakes and ocean. And even with all of this, it is soulfully silent.

We arrived after a wind storm that had made matchsticks of acres of national forest. Gigantic trees simply whittled down to size. Amidst this, Lake Quinault Lodge (upper left photo), a shingle covered hotel designed by a great man, Robert Reamer, who battled his own demons, recovered his health and his family and created memorable buildings here, in Yellowstone National Park and in Seattle.

But this blog is about staying in the lodges, experiencing the places and the land around them. For the history, there are my books. For now, I will give you what didn't get into print. I love every lodge I visit, so that business in my profile about being objective is a tough one for me. I love them because no one has torn them down. And as is the case here, someone has more or less taken care of the place. It isn't perfect and I am disappointed when I walk in and see leather couches instead of the original wicker furniture, odd table and floor lamps and tacky accessories. But the great room...oh, it is great with a roaring fire in the brick fireplace, floor to ceiling small-paned windows, the original chandeliers, and painted posts and beams and wood paneling untouched by anything but time.. We check in. They have put us in the 1980s era annex. I'm a historian, writing a history book, scouting for the PBS television series that will follow. I ask for a second floor room in the historic main lodge. It is a smallish room with two double beds and a tiny bathroom. (These rooms have been redecorated since my visit---whew!---but it was comfortable with good beds, warm bedding, etc..) The stairway creaks, the windows stick a bit, and I love it. The second floor rooms, the Boathouse Annex and a few rooms off the great room are original to the 1926 structure. If you want something fancier, the Fireplace Rooms are lovely, spacious and have, you guessed it, fireplaces.

Let's see: the restaurant. The best part of the restaurant, housed in a large area once a porch, is the help. Nice doesn't cover it. These folks are local, and to be local and live here year-round says a lot about their character. Sturdy people who seem to like their isolation but are still incredibly friendly. This is at he rainiest place in the rainiest forest in the Lower 48, but no one here seems to notice. It seems that most of the help has been here for decades and their parents before them and their grandparents before them. So the dinner was good, not great, but tasty and reasonably priced. The lodge concessionaire is Aramark...a huge operation who stills makes things seem pretty personable here. President Franklin Roosevelt dined at the lodge in 1937, and the entire town and every town he went through turned out to welcome him. Hundreds crammed into the lodge and then bar, and the school kids dressed up like Indians (it was 1937) and sang. And, of course, it rained buckets. It was a very big deal, and photographs of this and other historic moments fill the walls. You can ask for the Roosevelt table to get the nostalgia going. If you're staying for more than a weekend, check out a couple of other eateries in the village.

After dinner, we did what any sane traveler would do: played Scrabble and read in front of the fire. Entertainment came when a group of college-age guests ran from the sauna across the manicured lawn and plugged into Lake Quinault. Their own polar plunge.

The next day we hired a guide through the lodge to take us on a nature tour via Jeep. Nice touch since there was a steady drizzle. If you're a wanna-be naturalist, this is the way to go. Our former national park ranger took us into the national forest, around the lake through a slice of the national park, stopped at little known sights and his favorite tree...a big leaf maple that should be a landmark in and of itself. He said few know of this fabulous tree, but low and behold, it is a regular stop (read about it elsewhere; and we thought we were special!). You can take the same outing yourself following South Shore Road up to the East Fork of the Quinault River, back to North Shore Road along the other side of Lake Quinault. I'd do this trip, then get on foot for some hiking in the Quinault National Recreation Trail System to Big Cedar Tree, along Gatton Creek or anything that strikes your fancy. Maps are available at the front desk. One thing to remember: do not take the moss as a souvenir. There are actually poachers who haul this stuff away for florists and landscapers to use. Illegal, of course. Let it be.

If you don't opt for a winter trip (always wear a rain jackets and rubber boots), spring brings a plethora of rhododendrons so spectacular it just takes your breath away. And summer: there is kayaking, fishing, swimming...the usual water sports in a circa 1950s setting. Instead of kids dressed as Indians, there are wonderful programs by members of the Quinault Tribe held on the lodge grounds.

This place was so darn special we hated to pack up and head out. We left Lake Quinault Lodge and a bunch of memories, ready to return in the summer. Lake Crescent Lodge awaited us.

My tips:

• Book a room in the main lodge if you're a history buff. Go for the Fireplace Rooms if you want more space. The newer Lakeside units are hidden away a bit, but modern and nice.
• A good family option is the The Boathouse annex, originally built to be Lake Quinault Lodge after the first lodge burned. It was way too small, so Reamer was hired to design this first class lodge. A bit on the funky side, but it has its own porch, and pets are welcome.
• Hire a guide. Roger Blain was knowledegable and fun.
• Get out on the lake if weather permits. There are canoes for guests along with seasonal boat tours.
• Sit in the great hall and read in front the the fire. Perhaps a copy of Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two will fill the bill.
• No TV and little internet access. This is a good thing. Play board games and throw horseshoes.

This copyright photo was taken by Fred Pflughoft and appears in Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two