These 20 lodges will leave you in the center of all that these parks have to offer, and they’re often the most comfortable and convenient places to stay on a national park trip.
LessOpened in 1915 and redone in the 1990s, Crater Lake Lodge (open seasonally) offers the classically-rustic accommodations found at most national park hotels. Even if you aren’t planning to spend the night here, you can explore the Great Hall and an exhibit on the lodge’s history, and grab a meal in the dining room, which offers Northwest-inspired cuisine and a view overlooking the lake.
Mount Rainier National Park‘s iconic Paradise Inn was built in the 1910s and has rustic, vintage charm—from the massive fireplace to floral light fixtures in the lobby, it feels a bit like stepping back into a simpler time. If you need a quick meal or just want to stock up on souvenirs, there’s an on-site cafe and gift shop. Mount Rainier also offers lodging at the National Park Inn.
Lake Quinault Lodge in Olympic National Park is a grand lodge built in 1926 by the same architect as Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn. With its location on Lake Quinault, a stay here means you’ll have a chance to rent boats and paddleboards, or find a nearby hike to take during the day. At night, grab dinner in the historic Roosevelt Dining Room and relax by the massive fireplace.
Stay in one of 15 floating cabins at Ross Lake Resort, and your backyard is the lake itself, surrounded by the snow-capped mountain peaks and evergreen forests of North Cascades National Park. The resort is remote, accessible by water taxi, ferry, or by hiking (1 mile with a shuttle service or longer without). The remote location means your view of the lake, mountains, and forests will be virtually undisturbed so you can spend your days fishing, hiking, and boating.
Visitors will find a lot of locations in Glacier National Park that are on the National Register of Historic Places. Lodges and hotels, often in the Swiss chalet-style commonly seen in the Alps, began popping up across the park, and many (like the Belton Chalet built in 1910) are still operational; Glacier, with its snow-capped mountain peaks, was known as America’s Alps to early tourists. A stay here feels like a charming trip back in time.
Designed by Robert Reamer, the Old Faithful Inn was built in waves, starting with the Old House that makes up the lobby and guest rooms. In the center of the seven-story-tall, gabled lobby is an unforgettable, 500-ton, 85-foot-tall stone fireplace. The inn is the most requested lodging in Yellowstone National Park, and the more than 300 rooms are open for booking from early May until mid-October.
Grand Teton National Park used to be filled with dude ranches, but Triangle X Ranch is the only remaining ranch inside the park, and fourth-generation family members still work here. The authentic dude ranch offers stays in rustic cabins, all-inclusive meals, and planned excursions for guests, such as fly fishing trips, horseback riding lessons and tours, river floats, and more. Grand Teton’s other lodges include Signal Mountain, Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and cabin-style accommodations.
While visiting Mesa Verde, bask in adobe beauty at Far View Lodge. It’s an NPS lodge within the boundaries of Mesa Verde, so it has a classic, retro charm, with an on-site restaurant and cocktail lounge. Ask for a room with a balcony and a view—the best reason to stay in the park is the incredible scenery.
Bryce Canyon Lodge is the only NPS-run hotel within Bryce Canyon National Park. This National Historic Landmark is conveniently located and features stunning, 1920s-rustic lodge-style decor. It offers suites within the main building, a motor lodge, and luxurious, historic pole-pine cabins. The lodge’s grand dining room is one of the better dining options inside the park.
The original Zion Lodge, built in the 1920s at the peak of parkitecture, was destroyed by a fire in the ‘60s. It was rebuilt, but in a more modern style that wasn’t exactly rustic—but a ‘90s restoration brought back the original lodge-style exterior. It has a prime location in the park, set right against towering red rocks with its own shuttle stop. The lodge offers both historic cabins and hotel rooms, most of which offer private balconies or porches.