Plan now for winter travel to national park lodges

         While many national park lodges in the United States close up shop when the snow falls, some throw open their doors to winter guests. Make your reservations now to get in on the fun. Here are a few of my favorites:

Travelers can escape winter at Furnace Creek Inn. Photo by David Morris

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, CA
The Mission-inspired Furnace Creek Inn closes each summer as temperatures soar, but come October 8th the 1927 luxury resort reopens. This is the ultimate oasis with fresh water, spring-fed swimming pool, lush gardens, locally inspired cuisine and the kind of setting that drew the Hollywood crowd of the Roaring 20s. Guests still get VIP treatment at this intimate retreat where days are filled with exploring the park, playing golf on the lowest elevation course in America or taking part in a variety of special events at the inn. Visitors to Death Valley now have the option of being picked up at the in-park hotels and taking guided jeep tours to some of the park’s remote attractions. In cooperation with Pink Jeep Tours, guests travel to areas where high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles are strongly recommended.
Tour prices range from $65 to $165. Reservations for the tours can be made directly with Pink Jeep Tours by calling 1-888-900-4480. For those who want to explore the park on their own, Jeep Wranglers are now available for rent at a rather pricey $175 for 24 hours. You can also rent a bicycle at nearby Furnace Creek Ranch. The best part of one's stay at the inn is simply the solitude. As one park ranger said of Death Valley, "The silence is deafening." www.furnacecreekresort.com, 800-236-7916. 

The Stanley is open year round, and winter is a joy.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, COLO

Stephen King may have been inspired to write The Shining after a stay at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, but today the elegant 1909 Colonial Revival hotel is anything but creepy. Constructed by FO Stanley of Stanley Steam automobile fame, the complex of perfectly restored buildings are parts of a National Historic District. When it opened, The Stanley's East Coast elegance defied the Wild West persona that had defined the state for so long. Instead of park rustic design found in lodges like Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, the hotel offered the comforts afforded the upper class clients of the era. While many of the public rooms are beautifully restored, their uses have been altered to accommodate conferences and weddings. It's worth taking a tour, but be prepared for lots of ghost stories. If you opt for a winter visit and it's is snowy, the setting is spectacular. Get a room with a view and be enchanted by this lovely hotel.  www.stanleyhotel.com, 800-976-1377.

The lobby of Lake Quinault Lodge is the ideal place to curl up and read a book. Photo by David Morris

OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST, WA

Set along the lake shore, surrounded by one of the Western Hemisphere's three temperate coniferous rain forests is the shingle-covered shake-roofed Lake Quinault Lodge. Designed by Robert Reamer (who also gave us Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn), the lodge is located in the south central portion of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Guests gather around the massive brick fireplace for games of Scrabble and chess while they look out through floor-to-ceiling paned windows at the wonder of it all. Meals are served in the same dining room where President Franklin D. Roosevelt dined during his 1937 tour of the peninsula while evaluating the feasibility of creating Olympic National Park. The guest rooms in the lodge have recently been updated along with some historic restoration of the main lobby. Always good news! Bring your rain gear and a good book. www.visitlakequinault.com, 888-896-3827.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA

Probably the most elegant hotel in a national park is The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park, California. Designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the towering stone, glass and concrete (made to look like wood) hotel was meant to draw visitors of "means" to the national park. Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service wanted to make sure that those he needed to support the parks had proper (and imposing) accommodations. The stunning hotel opened in 1927 and fabulous public rooms such as the 77-foot long Great Lounge and rustic yet formal dining room along with intimate spaces such as the Mural Room or Solarium wowed guests then as they do today. Winter hotel events include the Christmas holiday's Bracebridge Dinner, and Vintner’s and Chef’s Holidays, but nothing beats taking in the breathtaking views of the frozen Yosemite Falls, Half Dome or Glacier Point from one of the hotel’s many vantage points.

www.yosemitepark.com/Accommodations_TheAhwahnee.aspx, (801) 559-4884.

Most visitors to Yosemite know about The Ahwahnee, but one of the oldest mountain resorts in California is located just seven miles from the park’s south entrance. Built in 1879, the Wawona Hotel is part of eight New England-style buildings set on the site of old Clark Station and lodge in the park. This National Historic Landmark hotel is an ideal place for skiers headed to Badger Pass Ski Area or those who venture a cross-country ski trip whether for the day or an overnight adventure to Glacier Point Ski Hut. If you’re looking for a Currier and Ives setting in California, the Wawona Hotel is it. www.yosemitepark.com/Accommodations_WawonaHotel.aspx, (801) 559-4884.

There are numerous lodges and motels at the Grand Canyon but El Tovar is the Grand Dame of the South Rim

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ

At the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, five of the six lodges are open year-round, and many are fully booked during the summer season. The historic, 78-room El Tovar Hotel is typically the first lodge to sell out. During the months of November and December, however, there are still rooms available at El Tovar for visitors who book in the weeks ahead.  What you'll find is a low-slung, wood, and log hotel that seems to sink into the landscape along the edge of the Grand Canyon. Part Victorian-era resort and part rustic log cabin when it opened in 1905, it provided both the comforts of the established Eastern or European resorts and the excitement of the newly "discovered" Southwest. Winter is an ideal time to miss the crowds at the canyon without sacrificing the heart-stopping views found just steps from the hotel. El Tovar was redecorated, and updated for the 2005 centennial celebration, and the dining room offers some of the best food in the national parks.  www.grandcanyonlodges.com, 888-297-2757.

MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST, OR

 Six miles up a winding road on Mount Hood, Oregon, at the point where trees give way to volcanic ash, this elegant piece of soft-gray architecture looks rather unimposing in contrast to the looming presence of Oregon's highest peak. Built by the WPA during the Great Depression, this is the ultimate "ski lodge" where everything remains as it was in 1935. The lodge is a living museum featuring gigantic timber construction, hand wrought iron work, loomed textiles and mountains of personality. The Cascade Dining room offers fabulous Northwest cuisine. Since Timberline Lodge was built as a ski resort, it only makes sense to visit here in the winter. They've already kicked off the winter season with a bunch of ski pass offerings. As noted in my earlier post, you'll find about $4 million worth of improvements at this 74,000-square-foot National Historic Landmark. An added bonus is seeing the fabulous new snow entrance that replaced the ugly tunnel affair. The original design didn't take into account the mountains of snow blown into the entrance, so after much debate and many proposals here is the new winter entrance completed in 2009.  www.timberlinelodge.com, 800-547-1406.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MT

The Great Northern Railway constructed a series of massive lodges and backcountry retreats that dot Glacier National Park, Montana. Lake McDonald Lodge, Many Glacier Hotel and Glacier Park Lodge close for the winter, but the more intimate Belton Chalet stays open. Tucked against the hillside past the west entrance of the park, the chocolate brown cluster of restored buildings was the first foray into tourist development by the railway’s president Louis Hill. The chalet opened in 1910 the same year President Taft signed a bill creating Glacier National Park. Designed by Kirkland Cutter, the chalet was brought back from near ruin and reopened in 2000. Cottages are available, but the restaurant and taproom are only open on weekends during the winter season. You won’t find crowds this time of year, but you will discover a slice of “real” Montana. www.beltonchalet.com, 406-888-5000.

Cavallo Point Lodge is the newest lodge in the national park system.

GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARK, CA
 Set within the Golden Gate National Parks at Fort Baker, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge near Sausalito, California, is the national park's newest lodge. Cavallo Point Lodge is a compound of twenty-four historic military buildings, transformed into a combination of historic rehabilitation and contemporary construction. The one-time military post became a 350-acre national park site in 2002, and in 2008 the parade grounds and hillside became a “green” destination resort. Guests can choose from the renovated officers' residence (including the generals' house) or newly constructed guest suites and rooms. In addition, Cavallo Point offers a high-end Healing Arts Center and Spa, posh Murray Circle restaurant with extensive wine cellar, cooking classes, meditation and yoga in the former chapel, hiking and biking. Not exactly what those who awoke to revelry found. www.cavallopoint.com, 888-651-2003.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY

Yellowstone National Park’s nine lodges close between late September and mid-October. The park's winter season begins Dec. 18th with the reopening of Old Faithful Snow Lodge followed by the reopening of Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel on Dec. 21st. They will close the first week of March. My choice would be Old Faithful Snow Lodge next door to the shuttered Old Faithful Inn. Opened in 1999, the timber and log lodge houses 100 guest rooms, a huge great room with fireplace, dining room and nooks to call your own. Half of the fun is just getting there. The interior of the park is only accessible by snowmobile, snowcoach or cross-country skis.  Once you’ve checked in, the park is yours via cross country skiing, snowshoeing, or limited snowmobile and snowcoach rides. Geysers, roaming wildlife and the stark beauty of the snow-covered landscape make it a favorite time for a visit. Winter Getaway packages include snowcoach transportation, and are available from Jan. 2 through March 7, 2011 at Mammoth Hot Springs and through March 6 at the Snow Lodge. "Trail of the Wolf" packages take you into the park to observe wildlife in the Northern Range of the park.  Winter Getaway packages may be booked by phone by calling (1) 307-344-7311 or toll-free (1) 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375). Complete tour details are also available at the web site www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com 

For more information on the author's books and the great lodges, check out www.greatlodges.com

  

Maya Goes to Timberline Lodge

When asked if I'm doing another book or what's next, I like to say that I want to take our grandchildren to some of the great lodges and parks. You know, visit the parks and not work. So, we had just the chance with 7-year-old Maya who joined us on a trip to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, Oregon, in July 2010. As we approached Portland on Highway 84 east it looked like we would be engulfed in clouds, but as we started the assent to the 1937 WPA masterpiece that mammoth peak was bathed in late-day sunlight. The mountain seemed covered in giant swirls of frosting on a birthday cake with the top and lodge poking out of the whiteness.

"Awesome," exclaimed Maya. And, gee, it was! I never tire of coming upon these places whether it's the rim of Crater Lake, Old Faithful Geyser, El Capitan or the Grand Canyon. Yes, awesome just about covers it. With my captive audience in hand, we toured the lodge taking in every nook. Not only did Maya listen, but she took notes and did illustrations.

This visit we opted for a Fireplace Room, my first stay in one of these spacious suites. Not only was the fireplace a draw for reading in front of, but with plenty of snow outside, it made for a cozy evening. There were two queen beds, a seating area and easy access to the outdoor pool and jacuzzi just down the hall.  In addition, the bathroom had been redone as have all of  the bathrooms on the second and third floors. But new is not what this lodge is about. The original furniture (designed by Margery Hoffman Smith), and beautiful reproductions of drapes and bedspreads graced the room. (And the linens were top of the line.)
We made dinner reservations at the Cascade Dining Room, and while we could have opted for a  more casual dinner in the second floor eating area of the Ram's Head Bar, our dinner was well worth it! Our window table was the perfect place to watch the sun drop below the bank of clouds and chat about FDR, the handcrafted chairs and playing a game of finding all of the signature "Timberline arches" within eye's view. The food was delicious, service delightful and the kids' menu offered a bit more than the standard chicken nuggets and pizza slice.

Caring for this National Historic Landmark is an ongoing challenge, but this year numerous projects from painting the exterior to replacing windows are being done as part of the federal government's American Recovery Act. Summer was particularly busy, but we found little disruption during our stay at this finely operated institution.

If you go:

• Remember, this is a ski resort, so don't be shy about taking to the slopes. IF you don't ski or board, you can take the Magic Mile Sky Ride for an even better view.
• Discuss the kind of room and view you want when making your reservation. The staff is extremely accommodating. Ask if your bathroom has be renovated. The Lodge offers everything from dorm-like rooms to Fireplace Suites.
• Make your Cascade dinner reservations when you make your room reservation.
• Take a docent tour of the lodge. This is the only WPA constructed great lodge, and the history adds to its charm.
• Check out www.timberlinelodge.com for specials.
• Find Bruno, the lodge mascot. He's an adorable Saint Bernard and can be hanging out in the day lodge gift shop. It's also a handy place to purchase the stuffed variety for your grandchild.
• For more on this masterpiece, read Great Lodges of the National Parks. PBS has been re airing the television series featuring the lodge in the Pacific Northwest segment. It is very special, since the late Richard Kohnstamm, the man responsible for "saving" the lodge has a lovely segment in the program. 

HISTORIC ZION CABINS RENOVATED AND REOPENED

BOOKS:

ZION PARK LODGE AND CABINS
The "great lodge" at Zion National Park was designed by my favorite architect of the era,  Gilbert Stanley Underwood, whose work graces many of the national parks. Sad to say this lodge burned to the ground in 1966. The new facility was rebuilt by the Union Pacific Railway in 108 days. Not what Mr. Underwood had in mind, but by then he was deceased. What remained of his work at the park were the cabins that surround the lodge along with numerous other structures including the dormitories and what is now the Nature Center. The good news is that in 1992 the 108-day version of the lodge with the dining facilities was spruced up and redone to be more in keeping with the original concept with exterior sandstone pillars and balcony. And it looks pretty good. But the really good news is the recent renovation of 40 historic Western Cabins. I'm dying to get there and see what's been done! In 1997 these same cabins (then called Deluxe Cabins) were restored to a point by first removing acoustic paneled ceilings exposing the rafters and vaulted ceilings, repainting, in addition to some structural work. 
The latest undertaking by Archdeacon Designs looks like a successful effort to bring back the charm and detail of the 1927 cabins. The old carpeting was ripped out, original fir flooring refinished and custom-designed replica furniture by Old Hickory Furniture Company based upon an original dresser using oak and wicker replaces the standard motel-variety national park decor. Yippee!!!! Draperies and custom-made blankets to replicate the original Indian designs and lighting fixtures either replicate or complement the originals.

OK, so all of the charm is back, but with a few updates including ceiling fans, air conditioners, water heaters, desks with built-in power outlets and beds with "triple-sheeting, 300-count cotton." And the project was sort of green to boot. The only negative for me personally will be the July installation of television sets. Please. Oh, well, just don't turn the things on. Take a hike instead.
Unlike many lodges at national parks, Zion Lodge is open year round. There are 81 rooms (also spruced up)  40 cabins, a restaurant, cafe and gift shop.
The cabins are on the National Register of Historic Places and in the Zion Lodge Historic District that includes 19 buildings. (See TIPS below for details.) The park has had an uneven history on preservation. In 1976 the swimming pool and Underwood's bath houses were dismantled, and in 1984 the Standard Cabins were auctioned off and can be seen scattered around the state serving as summer cabins or storage sheds. I babble about the buildings (obviously the landscape is breathtaking), but if you're interested in national park rustic architecture take a self-guided tour of the structures that include Gilbert Stanley Underwood buildings (he worked on Zion park buildings for over 15 years), NPS architects' designs and numerous CCC constructed structures, bridges and pathways. Note that these rustic building are not the log-type construction found at some other parks, rather frame structures that rely on extensive use of stone work detailing or some buildings with smooth faced sandstone facades to blend the man made structures with the amazing towering cliffs of the park.
Anyone who goes to Zion before I do, let me know if the Western Cabin renovation is as good as it seems to be.
For reservations and information for Zion Park Lodge go to www.zionlodge.com or call 1-303-297-2757.


BEYOND ZION TO BRYCE AND NORTH RIM OF GRAND CANYON
If you travel to Zion, make sure to continue to Bryce Canyon NP and then the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Each facility features Underwood designed buildings. The construction of Zion Park Lodge and Cabins was the first lodge in a five-million-dollar plan the Union Pacific mapped out in 1922, under the direction of Stephen Mather (first director of the National Park Service), for Cedar Breaks, Zion, Bryce and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in what became the "Loop Tour." The 1928 Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim was probably Underwood's most spectacular great lodge after The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California. Tragically, it burned in 1936. The new lodge was constructed on the same hanging-on-the-edge of the canyon footprint with a different roofline. Mr. Underwood was not consulted on the design. (And he was very much alive.) It still remains a magnificent building. Bryce Canyon Lodge was inspired by not only NPS rustic "parkitecture" but the Arts and Crafts movement. More on Bryce Canyon Lodge later.


MY TIPS ON ZION PARK LODGE:

• Go off season not so much to miss the crowds, but to get a totally different impression of the park.
• Check out the NPS website for the park. There are some road closures that do not impact getting to the lodge, but best to be aware before you head out: http://www.nps.gov/zion/parkmgmt/upload/Zion%20Construction%20Information%20Final%202.pdf
• Reserve a Western Cabin. That's obvious by my post, but stay in the park if possible even in the newer motel units that were tastefully built to match the other buildings. There are no rooms in the lodge itself.
• If you are interested in other historic buildings, The Zion Lodge Historic District includes the Mattress Shed (1), Womens Dormitory (1), Bake Shop (1), Mens Dormitory (1) Deluxe Quadraplex Western Cabins (5) and Deluxe Duplex Western Cabins (10). There are dozens of other historic buildings and structures in the park, outside of the district. Underwood's Zion Nature Center and 1941 Greek Revival Ranger Dormitory; the 1924 Grotto residence, 1928 & 1932 Pine Creek residence and Ranger Residence (East entrance) are a sampling of historic buildings. The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is a story in itself. Harvey Kaiser's The National Park Architecture Sourcebook  has a chapter on Zion. It might be helpful in finding the individual buildings. Unfortunately, the Park Service does not have a handbook on the historic district.

BOOKS:
For more history on these Great Lodges (Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon among them) and the Loop Tour, purchase Great Lodges of the National Parks  (2002 edition). 




RECENT ARTICLES I'VE WRITTEN:
I wrote a couple of magazine pieces recently: A cover piece for Northwest Travel March/April 2010 edition featuring a road trip of the Pacific NW visiting 6 Grand Lodges and another for Style 1900 on America's Ten Best Craftsman Era Park Lodges. Check them out and thanks for following my blog.

Yellowstone's Great Lodges

OLD FAITHFUL INN

There is a sense of frenzy at Yellowstone National Park. Each year three million visitors, high on the anticipation of encountering bison, bear, elk, moose, coyote and wolves, visit America’s first national park. The wildlife roam 2.2 million acres of mountainous, deeply gorged, fire-scarred, geyser-studded landscape interspersed with gentle meadows and meandering rivers.The lodge options are varied, in different parts of the park, and each stunning in its own way. Old Faithful Inn (1904) is almost as well known as the geyser it is named after. Designed by Robert Reamer, whose touch is seen throughout the park, it is a National Historic Landmark and not to be missed stop to the Upper Geyser Basin.
With rooms in the "old house," two annexes, and cabins there are plenty of options. For those who seek authenticity, go for the "old house" where some rooms share a shower/bathroom with others; there are sinks in each room. (Think college dorm but old.) These rooms are also the cheapest at the Inn. Both annexes have been beautifully remodeled with new bathrooms, furniture, etc.. There are also cabins, but I'd stay in the Inn. Remember, these historic lodges are not about your guest room. When built, travelers of the era wanted to gather in grand public spaces and dining rooms not hide away in their rooms with spa baths.
The great hall is one of those awe-inspriing places that captivates you as soon as you step through the big red doors. Tiny windows catch the light and it dances about the great hall making sunspots on the hardwood floor. Look up: it's like being in a wooden circus tent! Much of the original furniture is intact, and the gnarled lodgepole pine details posts and beams make this such a treasure. The fire is usually burning, the gigantic clock ticking and activity abounds. Old Faithful Inn was nearly lost in the catastrophic fires of 1988, but the park has come back in all of it glory, and Old Faithful Inn remains what many see as the first and finest great lodge in a national park.

MY  TIPS FOR OLD FAITHFUL INN:

• Check in and make sure your dinner reservation is set. (It's best to book these when you make your room reservation.) 
• If you haven't seen Old Faithful do its thing yet, climb the stairway to the upper mezzanine and head for the terrace over the porte cochere. This is THE best vantage point from which to watch the fun.
• Get up early, go get a cup of coffee at the mezzanine espresso bar, take it out over the terrace and watch Old Faithful blow in near solitude. (You can't see this too many times.)
• Do not miss the docent tour of the Inn.
• Bring ear plugs and a flashlight, particularly if you are staying in the "old house."
• The Inn is closed in the winter, Old Faithful Snow Lodge is open year round. If you're not interested in staying at a historic lodge, Snow Lodge (right next door) is a good alternative.
• Read more about the history and architecture of Old Faithful Inn in Great Lodges of the National Parks (2002 edition). A bonus: fabulous color photography and historic black and white images, too.

 LAKE YELLOWSTONE HOTEL                                                                              

Lake Hotel is as elegant as Old Faithful Inn is rustic. Funny thing is, Robert Reamer is responsible for both done within a few years of each other. Reamer began transforming the original, plain-Jane 1889 hotel beginning in 1903 changing the exterior from bland to beautiful. And while there is a frenzy of activity at Old Faithful, Lake Hotel emotes a sort of calm. Instead of the hourly blast of a geyser, there is the lapping waters along the shore of Yellowstone Lake, the largest high elevation lake in North America. This could be my favorite lodge location within the park. We were there in June (after Grand Teton National Park), and the wildlife sightings were amazing including a grey wolf and a black bear with her cubs. People are so intent on seeing wildlife, that the rangers call the traffic jams, bear jams.
Back to the hotel: the interior was remodeled in the 1980s and plans are afoot for another go over. The guest rooms are a bit tired, but the dining room and huge solarium (a pianist plays each evening) are lovely and sparkling clean. Reamer also changed most of the interior to match the Colonial Revival exterior, but an Arts & Crafts-inspired fireplace and seating area on the first floor feature matte glazed Batchelder tiles and Leimert furniture.
 It's easy to get a bit lost finding your room, since there were various additions and airy lounges suddenly appear where the building was expanded. There are charming cottages behind the hotel, and I would try to nab one.

MY TIPS FOR LAKE HOTEL:

• As with Old Faithful, make your dinner reservations when you make your room reservations. Try the cafeteria at Lake Lodge down the road for a change of pace.
• Ask for a lake view room or stay in one of the darling cottages.
• There's a small snack room: note the original wicker furniture.
• Take a tour in one of the White Motor Company Yellowstone buses.
• Go out on the lake via tour or boat rental.
• This is a great base to see the east central section of the park. Fishing bridge and Yellowstone River and the Lower Fall of the Grand Canyon are close by.

OTHER LODGE OPTIONS I HAVE TRIED:

Lake Lodge and Cabins is a fantastic rustic lodge (also designed by Reamer) down the road from Lake Hotel. You get the best lake view from their dining room. The great hall is inviting and a typically rustic, wild western affair. There are historic Pioneer cabins and newer Western cabins. Room configuration varies from doubles, triples and quads. I like the restored (only some) Pioneer cabins. These are a good value.
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins compound is five miles from the north Gardiner entrance to the park. This is where the original Army Post was and many of those buildings still stand. The four-story hotel is an odd configuration, but the rooms are spacious and comfortable although the hallways are very dark. The dining room and snack bar are in a separate building. The geology around the hotel is amazing (as are the old fort buildings), but a stay here is for folks who are spending a good amount of time at the park. I have not stayed at the cabins.

The two exterior photos are copyright by Fred Pflughoft and published in Great Lodges of the National Parks (2002).

TRAVEL PACKAGES:

I love to plan my own trips, but many people don't have the time or interest. That means you are in luck. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has put together a bunch of packages that take the trip planning out of the pleasure of seeing America's first national park. Check out my YELLOWSTONE TRAVEL PACKAGE POST.

YELLOWSTONE TRAVEL PACKAGES ANNOUNCED

XANTERRA'S SUMMER SPECIALS ANNOUNCED

I find that half the fun of a national park trip is in the planning, but many travelers don't agree. And for me the adventure is seeing if my plan worked! There are lots of national park service programs at Yellowstone that are free, and if you want to do that, check out the NPS website, http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm where you can download a 2010 Trip Planner or click on your interest (hiking, fishing, etc..)

But if you want the planning done, the following may fill the bill. 

My disclaimer: I have not taken these tours, but I am familiar with the activities and locations. Make sure to ask how many will be in the tour with you, or if they can be done for just your group. This is a massive park (2.2 million acres), so tours would help with the logistics.

So, here you go:

Yellowstone concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts will offer a series of 11 multi-day vacation packages this summer. All packages include between four and six nights of lodging, in-park transportation, a variety of adventures and activities and a driver/guide. Several of the adventures include three meals a day for each person, and the remaining adventures include breakfast and lunch each day plus dinner one evening.

The lineup includes three Summer Adventure Packages, four- or five-night vacations featuring driver/guides from Xanterra. The driver/guides have completed intensive training and share extensive information and stories about the park’s colorful human history, geology and wildlife with program participants. The guides enhance the visitor experience as they provide interpretive information as they drive through the park. Guides also help with other logistics to ensure the comfort of all participants.

One of the three all-inclusive Summer Adventure packages is the Total Yellowstone Package. This five-night vacation includes lodging at three different hotels; breakfast, lunch and dinner each day; in-park transportation; Scenic cruise on Yellowstone Lake; choice of a horseback or stagecoach ride; and daily baggage handling. Each day of the vacation has a different theme. For example, the first day is “Great Geysers.” Participants walk the Upper Geyser Basin, take a walking tour of the Old Faithful Inn and explore the area. Another day is “Critters and Cowboys.” Guests participate in a morning wildlife watching excursion to Lamar Valley, known as the American Serengeti because of the abundance of wildlife. During the afternoon guests participate in their Western activity of choice at Roosevelt Lodge. For the complete Check out the Yellowstone Adventure Package itinerary. The Total Yellowstone package is priced at $1,139 per person double occupancy and $1,576 per person single occupancy.  The rate does not include taxes, gratuities or utility fee.

The Classic Yellowstone Adventure Package is also a good choice for travelers who want to pack a lot into their vacation. This five-day, four-night itinerary includes many of the park’s classic experiences such as wildlife watching in Lamar Valley; the Roosevelt Cookout, a family-pleasing Western adventure with fun transportation, food and entertainment; a scenic cruise of Yellowstone Lake; and a guided walking tour of the Upper Geyser Basin. The package also includes breakfast, lunch and dinner each day; accommodations in four different park lodges; all baggage handling; and a driver/guide with extensive knowledge of the human history, geology and wildlife of the park. The Classic Yellowstone Summer Adventure package is priced at $1,199 per person double occupancy and $1,513 per person single occupancy. Taxes, utility fees and gratuities are not included.


For more information about in park accommodations, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone visit www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges or call toll-free (1) 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375) or (1) 307-344-7311.

YELLOWSTONE ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE: In addition to Summer Adventure Packages Xanterra also offers eight Lodging Camp Learning programs. Offered in partnership with the non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI), these programs include lodging, in-park transportation, all breakfasts and lunches, one dinner per person and expert instruction provided by a Yellowstone Association Institute naturalist guide. Xanterra and YAI have created Lodging Camp Learning programs for groups with specific interests. Programs include “Yellowstone for Families,” “Trails through Yellowstone,” “Old Times on the Grand Tour” and “Spring Wolf and Bear Discovery.” 


In addition, the YAI has other summer programs. Their new facility (pictured) just outside of Gardiner offers a base for families and groups on Yellowstone vacations.


 At this point in the year lodging in Yellowstone can be hard to find because most facilities are already booked for the summer season. However because they’re new, the Institute’s educational packages still have dates available at rates starting at $90 per person per day.  

Summer and fall packages available now include:

Yellowstone Sampler: Spend four days seeing the best of Yellowstone. Learn about Yellowstone’s colorful history, abundant wildlife, and active volcano while visiting most of the major park highlights including Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley, Old Faithful, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. One flat package rate includes 3 days of activities and 5 nights lodging 1-5 people $2,485, 6-12 people $3,950, 13-24 people $7,900.

Wildlife Adventure: Learn about Yellowstone’s bears, wolves, and other animals during driving tours and short hikes in various wildlife hotspots. Locate and observe animals using high-power scopes, and understand their behavior, ecology, and management. Take advantage of seasonal wildlife watching opportunities from baby bison in the spring to bugling elk in the fall. One flat package rate includes 3 days of wildlife watching and 4 nights lodging 1-5 people $2,285, 6-12 people $3,550, 13-24 people $7,100.

Happy Trails: Venture off the beaten path with interpretive hikes throughout the park designed to showcase the best of Yellowstone’s backcountry. Hikers can learn about wolves, bears, elk and more, get up close and personal with the supervolcano, and be a part of the park’s colorful history on carefully chosen hikes in the northern range, Old Faithful, and Mammoth Hot Springs areas. One flat package rate includes 3 days hiking and 5 nights lodging 1-5 people $2,485, 6-12 people $3,950, 13-24 people $7,900.

For more information, see package information on their website  Yellowstone Association Institute Private Tours.

Contact information for YAI:

Angela Stewart 406-848-2400 or registrar@yellowstoneassociation.org.

For more information about in park accommodations, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone visit www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges or call toll-free (1) 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375) or (1) 307-344-7311.


From the Lodge Lady:
To read and see more about these national park lodges, check out my post Yellowstone's Great Lodges and Great Lodges of the National Parks (2002) for Old Faithful Inn and Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two for Lake Yellowstone Hotel

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.)