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In the early 1900s, railroad companies built the first lodge hotels to lure well-off easterners westward, promising easy living against a stunning backdrop.
A century later, the clientele has changed but the appeal has not. We chose lodges that are urban and remote, refined and rustic, classic and contemporary.
Some are creaky-old and rife with history; others have gone modern with yoga classes and spa treatments. All say “summer escape,” and fill up fast — so book early.
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";
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Yosemite National Park, California
Bound by the craggy Sierra Nevada mountain range and roughly the size of Rhode Island, Yosemite is a park of dramatic backcountry grandeur. Befittingly majestic, the massive granite, glass, and timber Ahwahnee is an impressive piece of the past that dates back to 1927.
In terms of both history and architecture, it is among the most iconic lodges in the country, with a roster of past guests that includes Queen Elizabeth II, Clark Gable, John F. Kennedy, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. The design is a blend of Art Deco and Native American styles, and the lobby boasts elegant tapestries, floor-to- ceiling windows, and fireplaces big enough to stand in.
To top it off, almost every room, suite, and cottage offers a prime view of famous natural landmarks — Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and Glacier Point. www.yosemitepark.com.
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";
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Glacier National Park, Montana
If there was ever a time to visit this park in northern Montana, it’s now: Of the 120 glaciers that existed in the park more than a century ago, only 26 remain. Scientists predict that if global warming continues at its current rate, they all might disappear by 2030, adversely affecting the ecosystem and landscape. For now, the air and water are magnificently pristine, and the species of flora and fauna are practically unchanged since the park’s inception (which is rare).
With more than 700 miles of trails, it’s ideal for backpackers of all levels. At the park’s center sits the isolated Swiftcurrent Lake, next to the charming, Swiss chalet–style Many Glacier Hotel. At 93 years old, the hotel is starting to show its age, but the basic rooms are quaint.
The suites with balconies looking out on alpine views (watch for bears), the cozy lobby where afternoon fondue is served, and, ultimately, the unparalleled location all make the hotel worth seeking out — before the park changes forever. www.glacierparkinc.com/manyglacierhotel.
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";
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Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Built under the auspices of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1887, the four-diamond Banff Springs Hotel has the look of a Scottish baronial castle and the feel of an indulgent weekend retreat.
A Fairmont property, all rooms are appointed with de rigeur comforts and most offer views of the Bow River or Tunnel Mountain. There’s golf, tennis, and mountain biking, but the primo activity takes place at the Willow Stream spa, a 38,000-squarefoot operation fresh from a multimillion-dollar makeover.
Many of the treatments involve native plants and minerals (making the wildflower meadow come to you for a change). Yet even an Alpine Aromatherapy Massage can’t compete with the miles of unadulterated Rocky Mountain beauty just outside the door. www.fairmont.com/banffsprings.
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Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah is an easy and scenic 90-minute drive from Washington, D.C., but feels remarkably remote.
At Big Meadows Lodge, televisions are scarce; instead, guests watch deer and black bears wander through the nearby meadow for which the lodge is named. Accommodations, with views of the sprawling Shenandoah Valley, run from private cabins to in-lodge rooms and suites.
An architectural attraction in itself, the interior of the lodge is paneled in native oak and chestnut, while the outside is made of chunky stone mined from the nearby Appalachians. Lately the park has been getting serious about its food, hiring chef Peter Bizon to infuse the menus at Big Meadows and nearby Skyland Resort with Southern-inspired flavors, as well as oversee occasional cooking workshops and wine-pairing dinners. www.visitshenandoah.com.
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Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
There are more accessible places to play golf, but few are set among such rugged beauty, where clear lakes border wildflower meadows and elk, caribou, and moose roam freely.
The 83-year-old course at Jasper Park Lodge, which was designed by the legendary Stanley Thompson and ranks among the best in North America, is 224 miles away from the Edmonton airport, but it’s worth the trek.
This lakeside Fairmont property is a sprawling compound of cedar chalets and log cabins, with Signature Cabins like the eight-bedroom Milligan Manor, perched right on the fairway. From $499/night; fairmont.com/jasper.
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";
Travel_Shermans_Top10NationalParkLodges[i++] = new Array("","Crater Lake Lodge","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/z_Projects_in_progress/090630-natparks-lodges-trv/090630-CraterLake-lodges-trv.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Crater Lake Lodge", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Xanterra Parks & Resorts", "273", "386", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Famous for its intensely blue water, Crater Lake is one of the deepest and most pristine lakes in North America. Hovering near the edge of its steep rim (the lake was formed in a collapsed volcano 7,700 years ago), Crater Lake Lodge is the park’s only actual lakeside hotel and, thanks to a major overhaul in the 1990s, also it's most comfortable.
The lodge originally opened in 1915, and despite the remodel, it retains the feel of days gone by, down to the rustic rocking chairs on the veranda overlooking the lake and the families who claim them for remarkable stargazing after dark. With no modern distractions at the lodge, diversions center around the lake, where there is hiking, biking, boating, or fishing for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon.
From mid-October to early summer, roads to the park are covered in snow, which makes for a short tourist season (the lodge opens in late spring). Consequently, early reservations are essential — especially for the precious few rooms with water views. www.craterlakelodges.com.
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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
For those who prefer equal parts rusticity and refinement, there’s no better choice than the classic Jenny Lake Lodge in northwest Wyoming. Grand Teton, as well as Yellowstone Park to the north, get slammed with visitors in the summer, but quiet Jenny Lake offers a respite.
Bordering a bucolic wildflower meadow, the lodge’s 37 cabins have handmade quilts, dark-wood floors, and stunning views of the serrated Tetons towering above. Nightly five-course dinners (jackets suggested) evoke the park’s Rockefeller roots (the famous philanthropist played a major role in its creation); the lack of tech gadgets is in keeping with the sylvan setting.
Conceived as a dude ranch for easterners in the 1920s, the lodge has since hosted Rockefeller offspring, Princess Grace of Monaco and her family, and an exceptionally loyal clientele who return year after year. The loyalty factor, combined with the limited number of cabins, means that early reservations are a must.
Breakfast, dinner, bicycling, and horseback riding are included in the price. Other activities range from fly-fishing and float trips on the Snake River to golf and tennis at the Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club. www.gtlc.com/lodgejen.aspx.
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Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The first guests arrived at El Tovar in 1905; a few years ago, it received a $4.6 million renovation for its 100th birthday, including a major sprucing up of guestrooms (the most upscale in the park). In between, the sweeping, multitiered structure has hosted no fewer than eight U.S. presidents, from Teddy Roosevelt to Bill Clinton.
Built during a period of architectural mash-up, the hotel has been described as a cross between Swiss chalet and Norwegian villa, with the interior of a hunting lodge (taxidermy included). Situated just 100 yards from the canyon’s south rim, the view all but steals the show.
It can be appreciated from many angles — on the lounge porch during cocktail hour; in the dining room over buckwheat pancakes drizzled with prickly pear syrup; sitting on the private deck of one of three suites with prize views, which consistently sell out more than a year in advance. www.grandcanyonlodges.com.
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Travel_Shermans_Top10NationalParkLodges[i++] = new Array("","Cavallo Point Lodge","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Sections/Travel%20Section/z_Partners/ShermansTravel/2009%20Brill%20Photos/__Top%2010%20National%20park%20lodges/090630-CavalloPoint-lodges-trv2.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Cavallo Point Lodge", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Kodiak Greenwood", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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Golden Gate National Parks, California
This national park is not one piece of land but a composite of sites in the Bay Area, including spots in San Francisco. In 2001, the park acquired Fort Baker, a historic army outpost a mile from Sausalito in Marin County, and recently transformed it into Cavallo Point Lodge.
Opened in 2008, accommodations in both the new and restored buildings are hardly barracklike — the park wisely partnered with the folks behind Post Ranch Inn at Big Sur, and the results are stunning.
On top of spa services and yoga, guests can take photography classes, train for a triathlon, or channel their inner Alice Waters through a culinary program that includes olive oil tastings and day trips to wineries in the Napa and Sonoma valleys. www.cavallopoint.com.
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Travel_Shermans_Top10NationalParkLodges[i++] = new Array("","Paradise Inn ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090709-Paradise-Inn-11a.hmedium.jpg","","Image: ", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Mount Rainier Guest Services", "273", "418", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington
The last eruption of Mt. Rainier, the 14,410-foot peak an hour drive southeast of Seattle, occurred 150 years ago, and though scientists predict there may eventually be another, the park is safe now for visitors. Its top lodge is the historic Paradise Inn, built in 1916 from hand-carved Alaskan cedar logs.
Closed the for two years for a renovation, the lodge reopened in May 2008.
Besides a few new rooms and a fresh menu at the café, the changes were largely structural. Rooms are still spare and small, but you’ll want to spend your time outdoors anyway enjoying the wildflowers, miles of secluded hiking trails, and spectacular mountain views. www.mtrainierguestservices.com.
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";
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