Frommer's® National Parks of the American West, 8th Edition

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Planning Your Trip to the National Parks of the American West

The Parks Without the Crowds: Some General Tips

Visitor Information

A Word on Nature Associations

Planning a National Park Itinerary

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

National Parks/Federal Land Passes

Backcountry Permits

Other Permits

New Gun Laws

Getting a Campsite at a National Park

Maps

Tips for RVers

Renting an RV

Tips for Traveling with Kids

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Tips for Travelers with Pets

Health & Safety

Hiking Tips

Adventure Tours

Planning a Backcountry Trip

Protecting the Environment

Chapter 2: Arches National Park, UT

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Ground Transportation

Park Information

Visitor Center

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Nearby Attractions

Chapter 3: Badlands National Park, SD

Flora & Fauna

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Motor Coach Tours

Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

In Interior

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 4: Big Bend National Park, TX

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Park Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Nearby Attractions

Chapter 5: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

South Rim Trails

North Rim Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 6: The Black Hills: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument & Custer State Park, SD

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Seasons & Climate

Plaster Portraits

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Rock Climbing

Visiting Custer State Park

Essentials

Exploring the Park by Car

Day Hikes

Visiting Wind Cave National Park

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Organized Cave Tours

Exploring the Park by Car

Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Visiting Jewel Cave National Monument

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Organized Cave Tours

Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside Wind Cave National Park

Inside Custer State Park

Inside the Black Hills National Forest

Commercial Campgrounds

Where to Stay

In Rapid City

In Custer

In Deadwood

Inside Custer State Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Parks

At Mount Rushmore National Memorial

In Keystone

In Hill City

In Rapid City

In Piedmont

In Deadwood

Chapter 7: Bryce Canyon National Park & Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, UT

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Center

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Exploring the Park by Shuttle

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Nearby Attractions

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument

Essentials

Sports & Activities

Camping

Chapter 8: Canyonlands National Park, UT

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Flying Tours

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Island in the Sky District

Needles District

Maze District

Horseshoe Canyon

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Outfitters Based in Moab

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 9: Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Chapter 10: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Center

Fees & Reservations

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Cave Exploration

Main Carlsbad Cavern Routes

Caving Tour Programs in Carlsbad Cavern

Other Caving Tours

Wild Caving

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Nearby Attractions

Chapter 11: Channel Islands National Park, CA

Flora & Fauna

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Islands

Exploring Anacapa

Exploring Santa Cruz

Exploring Santa Rosa

Exploring San Miguel

Exploring Santa Barbara

The Extra Mile: Exploring the Coastline & Waters off the Channel Islands

Where to Stay in Ventura

Where to Eat in Ventura

Chapter 12: Crater Lake National Park, OR

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay & Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 13: Death Valley National Park & Mojave National Preserve, CA

Flora & Fauna

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Mojave National Preserve: A Nearby Desert Wonderland

Flora & Fauna

Essentials

Exploring the Preserve by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Biking

Camping

Chapter 14: Devils Tower National Monument, WY

Geology

American Indian Legend

First Ascent

On Top of the Tower

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Center

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Climbing the Tower

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Camping

Where to Stay & Eat

Near the Park

Chapter 15: Glacier National Park, MT & Waterton Lakes National Park, AB

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Lake McDonald Area

Logan Pass Area

Many Glacier Area

Two Medicine Area

Exploring the Backcountry

Kintla Lake Area

Polebridge Area

Logan Pass Area

Two Medicine Area

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Waterton Lakes National Park: A Side Trip to Canada

Essentials

A Brief History

Exploring the Park

Day Hikes

Camping

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Chapter 16: Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Fees & Permits

Visitor Centers

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Hermit Road

Desert View Drive

North Rim: Cape Royal Drive

Exploring the Park by Shuttle

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Rim Trails: South Rim

Rim Trails: North Rim

Canyon Trails

South Rim Corridor Trails

Wilderness Trails

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park: South Rim

Near the Park: North Rim

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Outside the Park

Where to Eat

South Rim

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 17: Grand Teton National Park, WY

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Road Openings

Exploring the Park

Jackson Lake & the North End of the Park

Jenny Lake & the South End of the Park

The East Side of the Park

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Colter Bay Area

Trails from the Hermitage Point Trail head

Jackson Lake Lodge Area

Two Ocean & Emma Matilda Lake Trails

Jenny Lake Area

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 18: Great Basin National Park, NV

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Center

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 19: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, CO

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Center

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Nearby Attractions

Chapter 20: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 21: Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Flora

Fauna

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Serious Gear

Picnic Supplies

Chapter 22: Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Other Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 23: Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Chaco & Other Archaeological Sites of the Four Corners Region

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Getting Around

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails on Chapin Mesa

Longer Trails on Chapin Mesa

Trails on Wetherill Mesa

Trails near Morefield Campground

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Nearby National Monuments & Archaeological Sites

Hovenweep National Monument, CO/UT

Ute Mountain Tribal Park, CO

Cortez Cultural Center, CO

Anasazi Heritage Center, CO

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, CO

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM

Aztec Ruins National Monument, NM

Navajo National Monument, AZ

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ

Chapter 24: Mount Rainier National Park, WA

Terrain

Flora & Fauna

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

All the Way Around Mount Rainier

Longmire Area

Paradise Area

Sunrise & Northeastern Areas

Ohanapecosh Area

Northwestern Rainier

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Outside the Southwest (Nisqually) Entrance

Outside the Northeast (White River) Entrance

Outside the Southeast (Stevens Canyon) Entrance

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Chapter 25: North Cascades National Park, WA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Getting Around Inside the Park

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Ross Lake National Recreation Area

Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

North Cascades National Park—Southern Unit

North Cascades National Park—Northern Unit

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

In Ross Lake National Recreation Area

In Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

Along the North Cascades Highway

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

In Rockport & Marblemount

In Mazama

In Winthrop

Where to Eat

In Stehekin

In Marblemount

In the Winthrop Area

Chapter 26: Olympic National Park, WA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

The Rainforests & the Coast

The East Side of the Park

Day Hikes

Coastal Area

Western Parklands & Rainforests

Northern Park Regions

Hurricane Ridge Area

Eastern & Southeastern Section

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

North- & East-Side Campgrounds

Southeast-Side Campgrounds

South- & Southwest-Side Campgrounds

Coastal Campgrounds

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park in Port Angeles

In the Forks Area

South of the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

In Port Angeles

In Forks

Chapter 27: Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Camping

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Chapter 28: Point Reyes National Seashore, CA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Beaches

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Chapter 29: Redwood National & State Parks, CA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Day Hikes

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Chapter 30: Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Estes Park Area (East Side of the National Park)

Grand Lake Area (West Side of the National Park)

Where to Eat

Estes Park Area (East Side of the National Park)

Grand Lake Area (West Side of the National Park)

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 31: Saguaro National Park, AZ

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park by Car

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West)

Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East)

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Chapter 32: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, CA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park

Sequoia National Park

Kings Canyon National Park

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

Near Giant Forest

Near Grant Grove

Near Cedar Grove

Other Hikes

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside Sequoia National Park

In Kings Canyon National Park

Outside the Parks

Where to Stay

Inside the Parks

Outside the Parks

Where to Eat

Inside the Parks

Outside the Parks

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 33: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND

Badlands & Buffalo

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park by Car

The South Unit

The North Unit

Exploring the Backcountry

Special Regulations

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

South Unit Trail

North Unit Trails

Camping

Where to Stay & Eat

In Medora

In Belfield

In Beach

In Watford City

Chapter 34: Yellowstone National Park, WY & Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, MT

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Road Openings

Exploring the Park

West Yellowstone to Norris

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower Junction

Tower-Roosevelt

From Tower Junction to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Canyon Village

Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge

Yellowstone Lake Area

Grant Village to the South Entrance

West Thumb to Old Faithful

Old Faithful Geyser Area

Old Faithful to Madison Junction

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

West Yellowstone to Madison

Norris Geyser Basin

Mammoth Hot Springs Area

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River Area

Yellowstone Lake Area

Old Faithful Area

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

A Side Trip: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, MT

Essentials

Ranger Programs & Guided Tours

Exploring the Monument

Chapter 35: Yosemite National Park, CA

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Seasonal Events

Exploring the Park

Yosemite Valley

North of the Valley

South of the Valley

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Day Hikes

In & Near the Valley

South of the Valley

North of the Valley

Near Hetch Hetchy

Overnight Hikes

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Outside the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Outside the Park

Where to Eat

In the Valley

Elsewhere in the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Chapter 36: Zion National Park & Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT

Avoiding the Crowds

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Information

Visitor Centers

Fees & Permits

Special Regulations & Warnings

Seasons & Climate

Exploring the Park

Ranger & Educational Programs

Park Attractions

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Longer Trails

Exploring the Backcountry

Other Sports & Activities

Camping

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Near the Park

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Nearby Entertainment

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Essentials

Exploring Cedar Breaks by Car

Summer Sports & Activities

Winter Sports & Activities

Camping

Chapter 37: Field Guide to Western Wildlife

Canyon Country

Mammals & Reptiles

Birds

The Rockies

Mammals

Birds

The Sierra Nevada

Mammals

Birds

Olympic & Sequoia National Parks

Mammals & Marine Life

Birds

Chapter 38: Airline, Hotel & Car Rental Websites

National Parks of the American West

8th Edition

by Don & Barbara Laine

with Jack Olson, Eric Peterson & Shane Christensen

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Residents of northern New Mexico for more than 40 years, Don and Barbara Laine have traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, exploring the mountains and deserts with their always-curious dogs. The Laines have authored or contributed to a number of Frommer's travel guides, including Frommer's Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks and Frommer's Utah. They have also written Little-Known Southwest, New Mexico & Arizona State Parks, and Best Short Hikes in Arizona for The Mountaineers Books; and The New Mexico Guide for Fulcrum Publishing.

A Denver-based freelance writer, Eric Peterson has contributed to numerous Frommer’s guides covering the American West, and has written Frommer’s Montana & Wyoming, Frommer’s Colorado, Frommer’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, and Ramble: A Field Guide to the U.S.A. Peterson also writes about travel and other topics for such publications as ColoradoBiz, Delta Sky, and the New York Daily News. In his free time, he’s an avid camper and hiker, a lifelong Broncos fan, and a part-time rock star (at least in the eyes of his niece Olivia and nephews Mitch and Sam).

Jack Olson, a longtime resident of Denver, wanders the Rockies and the entire country as a freelance photographer and writer. He writes travel articles and supplies photographs for AAA magazines, and his photos have been seen in such publications as Backpacker, Audubon, Sierra, and National Geographic Books.

Shane Christensen has written extensively for Frommer's, including in Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Originally from California, he knows the American Southwest well and returns each year to the Grand Canyon to explore its wonders and ensure the accuracy of this guide. Shane has also held a variety of diplomatic assignments with the U.S. Department of State, and he is currently a research scholar and faculty advisor at Columbia University.

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List of Maps

Arches National Park

Badlands National Park

Big Bend National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Black Hills

Mount Rushmore National Monument

Wind Cave National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Channel Islands National Park

Anacapa Island

Santa Cruz Island

Santa Rosa Island

San Miguel Island

Santa Barbara Island

Crater Lake National Park

Death Valley National Park

Mojave National Preserve

Devils Tower National Monument

Glacier National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Village

Grand Teton National Park

Great Basin National Park

Great Sand Dunes National Park × Preserve

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Mesa Verde National Park

Archaeological Sites of the Four Corners Area

Mount Rainier National Park

North Cascades National Park

Olympic National Park

Petrified Forest National Park

Point Reyes National Seashore

Redwood National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Saguaro National Park

Sequoia × Kings Canyon National Parks

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Area

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Valley

Zion National Park

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors offer sincere thanks to all the rangers and other employees of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state agencies, and various businesses who have reviewed chapters, provided information and tips, answered questions, and generally helped us assure the accuracy of this book.

HOW TO CONTACT US

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:

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Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. National parks are, by their very nature, potentially dangerous places. In visiting any of the places or doing any of the activities described herein, readers assume all risk of injury or loss that may accompany such activities. The publishers and the authors disavow all responsibility for injury, death, loss, or property damage that may arise from a reader’s visit to any of the places or participation in any of the activities described herein, and the publisher and that authors make no warranties regarding the competence, safety, and reliability of outfitters, tour companies, or training centers described in this publication. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

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Chapter 1: Planning Your Trip to the National Parks of the American West

The National Park Service walks a tightrope, with two missions that often seem to be in conflict. Its first job is to preserve some of America’s most unique and important natural areas for future generations; the second is to make these places available for the enjoyment of all Americans. Because the number of visitors to our national parks has grown tremendously over the years, some of the busiest parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Zion, and Yellowstone, are constantly searching for ways to make both of these goals a reality.

Park Service officials have often said that the real source of congestion in the most heavily visited parks is not the number of people, but rather the number of cars. (You don’t go to a national park to get caught in a traffic jam, do you?) As a result, those parks with yearly attendance in the millions are now putting together plans to limit vehicle traffic within their boundaries.

If all this leads you to despair that you can’t have a true “wilderness” experience at a national park in the American West, banish the thought! Even in a park as crowded as Yosemite, there are places where you can completely escape the crowds, where you’ll be able to walk among the trees and hear nothing but the sound of your own footsteps. All it takes is a little effort and planning, and that’s where this book can help.

Our authors have talked to the rangers, hiked the trails, and taken the tours, all the while asking, “How can our readers avoid the crowds?” In each of the following chapters, you’ll find a section giving you straightforward, practical advice on just how to do this. Sure, if you’re an outdoors ironman or woman you can avoid the crowds by taking off on the most strenuous backcountry hikes, but not everyone can manage that. So we’ve searched for secluded trails that can be hiked by the average person (not just the ones you see on the covers of Outside magazine), scenic drives where you won’t get caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and points where, with only minimal effort, you’ll be afforded spectacular views without feeling as if you’re packed into Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

We’ve also discovered that when you go is as important as where you go. Since most of the West’s national parks and monuments are busiest in July and August, you can avoid many of the crowds by going in April or September, especially if you go just before students’ summer vacation or just after classes resume. Most national parks are open year-round, though services are sometimes limited during the off season. In fact, many of the national parks are great places to go in winter for cross-country skiing and exploring, and you’re less likely to feel mobbed. The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, for example, are strikingly beautiful when they’re capped with snow, and you won’t be jostling with nearly as many people at the view points as you would in summer.

 To preserve and protect . . . and to provide for the enjoyment of park visitors.

—National Park Service Organic Act, 1916

Another thing we’ve discovered (though it’s not a big secret) is just how many hidden gems can be found among the national parks and monuments of the American West. Everyone knows about Mount Rainier and Carlsbad Caverns, but not always about the less-visited parks, such as Great Basin in Nevada, Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, the Channel Islands in California, Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana, Jewel Cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Guadalupe Mountains in Texas (which contains the highest peak in Texas). These are places of great beauty or historical significance, but they’re often overlooked because of their remoteness or simply because they’re relatively new to the national park system.

As we all explore these parks and monuments, we should remember that they have been set aside not only for our enjoyment, but also for future generations. Let our gift to tomorrow’s park visitors be that we have almost no impact on the beauty around us and, if anything, we leave it cleaner than we found it.

In this chapter, we give you the most useful general information you will need to help plan your trip to the national parks of the western United States. The individual park chapters that follow will answer your more specific questions.

The Parks Without the Crowds: Some General Tips

It’s not easy to commune with nature when you’re surrounded by hordes of fellow visitors. For each park, we discuss the best times of year to go and listed certain areas, trails, and sites that are less visited than others. For specific information (such as a breakdown of the number of visitors to a particular park by the month), you can find park-use statistics at www.nature.nps.gov/stats. Beyond that, here are a few general guidelines.

• Avoid the high season. For most parks in the West, this means July and August, but anytime schools are not in session, parks are crowded with families. Spring and fall in many of these national parks offer mild weather, vibrant plant and animal life, and relatively empty trails and roads. The exception (at least, regarding crowds) is college spring break, which is usually in March or April. Some parks, such as Big Bend, get extremely crowded at that time.

• Walk away if you find yourself in a crowd. It sounds simple, but often when a scenic overlook is crowded, you’ll find an equally good view in a completely empty spot just a short stretch down the road or trail.

• Visit popular attractions at off-peak hours, especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon. You’ll be surprised at how empty the park is before 9 or 10am. Dawn and dusk are also generally the best times to see wildlife. Eat at off-peak hours—try lunch at 11am and dinner at 4pm. Campers using public showers will often find them jammed first thing in the morning and just before bedtime, but deserted the rest of the day.

• Don’t forget winter. You may not see wildflowers, and some roads and areas may be closed, but many national parks are wonderful places to ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, or just admire the snowy landscape.

• Remember that some parks are rarely crowded, and we’ve made a special effort to include information about them in this book. Generally, the more difficult a park is to get to, the fewer people you’ll encounter. And many of the smaller parks remain essentially undiscovered while offering scenery and recreation opportunities that rival or even surpass the big-names. Consider parks such as Great Basin, as well as one of America’s newest national parks, Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Useful URLs for planning your trip

In each of the following chapters, we include pertinent websites, but here are a few for overall planning:

The National Park Service’s website, www.nps.gov, has general information on national parks, monuments, and historic sites, as well as individual park maps that can be downloaded in a variety of formats. The site also contains a link to every individual park’s website, and those often contain links to nearby attractions and other useful information. Unfortunately, the official national park websites are not as user-friendly as we would like, but you’ll find most of the information you want if you’re willing to do some searching. A good first step on the individual park websites is to look over the latest park newspaper, if it’s available online.

Another useful website is www.recreation.gov, a partnership of federal agencies that can link you to information on national parks, national forests, Bureau of Land Management sites, Bureau of Reclamation sites, Army Corps of Engineers sites, and National Wildlife Refuges. You can make reservations at campsites, book tours, and either apply for or purchase various permits here.

Finally, those who like to travel with an animal companion should check out www.petswelcome.com, a site that provides tips on traveling with pets, as well as lists of lodgings that accept pets, kennels for temporary pet boarding, and veterinarians to call in an emergency.

Visitor Information

Doing your homework can help you make the most of your trip; it can also help you avoid crowds. For park brochures and general planning information, contact each park directly, at the addresses included in each of the following chapters.

Another good source of information—and an important nonprofit advocate for America’s national parks—is the National Parks Conservation Association, 777 6th St., NW, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20001 (phone 800/628-7275 or 202/223-6722; www.npca.org).

A Word on Nature Associations

Throughout this book, you’ll read that a certain nature association or organization operates a particular park’s bookstore. Practically every national park has a bookstore, and some have several. Bookstores are excellent sources for maps, guidebooks, videos, postcards, posters, and the like. Most of the nature associations offer memberships (usually $25–$35 per year for individuals) that entitle the member to discounts of 15% to 20% on all purchases. You’ll also usually get a regular newsletter. Some of the larger nature associations also sponsor workshops and field trips, and membership usually gets you a discount for those as well.

For frequent travelers, here’s the really good news: Membership in one nature association almost always entitles you to a 15% to 20% discount at other nature association bookstores at national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreation areas. For those of us who like to collect books, topographical maps, posters, and so on, the savings add up quickly. And we can also feel very smug about what a good deed we’re doing in supporting these nonprofit groups.

Planning a National Park Itinerary

Even though distances seem vast in the western United States, it’s possible to visit more than one of the region’s national parks in a single trip. In fact, people often combine visits to Yellowstone with Grand Teton, Yosemite with Sequoia, and Zion with Bryce Canyon.

You can knit the parks of the California desert (Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Mojave Preserve) into an itinerary that might even leave you time to stop off in Palm Springs. A popular trip for families is a drive through Badlands National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota, on through Devils Tower, to Yellowstone. It’s not a small stretch, but it’s doable if you have more than a week.

Although it can be a lot of fun to combine several national parks in your vacation trip, try not to make the all too common mistake of attempting to see everything there is to see in too short a period of time. Be realistic about how much you want to see at each park, and create an itinerary that lets you thoroughly enjoy one or two aspects of a park rather than just glimpsing every corner as you speed by. And try to schedule a little relaxation time, especially for trips of more than a week—perhaps loafing in the campground one afternoon, or lounging by the motel swimming pool.

The following are two of our favorite park tours.

The Southwest Circle Itinerary

This long circle drive hits five states and involves a lot of driving (or flying regional airlines and renting cars), but it takes you to a fantastic variety of parks—desert, cave, mountain, and deep canyon, plus one of the world’s most fascinating archaeological preserves. We begin and end in Phoenix, Arizona, where almost all major airlines serve the airport, and car and RV rentals are available. We’ve laid it out for just under 2 weeks, but allowing more time would make it more satisfying.

Day 1: Phoenix, AZ

After arriving and picking up your rental car or RV, Phoenix is a good spot to stock up on supplies. The city is also famous for its golf resorts, so you may want to hit a few balls before heading south.

Day 2: Saguaro National Park, AZ

This is one of America’s few national parks dedicated to protecting a single plant: the saguaro cactus. You will see forests of them here. But you’ll also see a variety of other plants and animals, such as javelinas—odd piglike animals with mouths so tough they can bite through prickly pear cactus pads. The park has two good scenic drives, as well as trails through the Sonoran Desert, including the Valley View Overlook Trail, which provides a close-up view of the desert, and the Signal Hill Petroglyph Trail, where you’ll get a good look at some ancient petroglyphs. See chapter 31.

Days 3–5: Carlsbad Caverns, NM & Guadalupe Mountains, TX, National Parks

One of the largest and most spectacular cave systems in the world, Carlsbad Caverns in southern New Mexico has numerous cave formations, ranging from the fantastic to the grotesque. Take the Big Room Self-Guided Tour and the King’s Palace Guided Tour. For a genuine caving experience, get your clothes dirty on the Slaughter Canyon guided tour. Just over the state line in Texas, Guadalupe Mountains is a rugged wilderness of tall Douglas firs, offering panoramic vistas and the highest peak in Texas. Recommended for experienced hikers is the trek to the top of Guadalupe Peak. Everyone can enjoy the colors in McKittrick Canyon—either the trees in fall or the wildflowers in spring. See chapters 10 and 20.

Day 6: Santa Fe, NM

It’s a long drive from Carlsbad Caverns to Mesa Verde National Park, so break it up with an overnight stop in Santa Fe, famous for its art, history, picturesque adobe buildings, and exciting New Mexican cuisine.

Days 7–9: Mesa Verde National Park, CO

The largest archaeological preserve in the United States, Mesa Verde contains intriguing, well-preserved cliff dwellings, plus mesa-top pueblos, pit houses, and kivas, built by the ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) people hundreds of years ago. Recommended stops here are Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in the Southwest, and Balcony House. See chapter 23.

Day 10: Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Especially colorful after a rainstorm has washed away the dust, this park is a fascinating look at an unreal world of wood turned to stone. Take the 28-mile scenic drive, stopping at the pullouts and walking some of the short trails. We recommend the Giant Logs Trail, where you’ll see some of the park’s largest petrified logs, and Blue Mesa Trail, one of the prettiest and most otherworldly hikes in the park. At Newspaper Rock, early inhabitants pecked dozens of petroglyphs into the dark stone, including an image of the famous humpbacked flute player, Kokopelli. See chapter 27.

Days 11–12: Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim, AZ

The Grand Canyon truly is grand, and no matter how many photos you’ve seen, being there in person is an awe-inspiring experience. After stopping at the information center for a quick geology lesson, take the shuttle to some of the South Rim view points, and perhaps walk the Rim Trail a bit. Then, if you’re physically able, walk down Bright Angel Trail at least a little way, watching the vegetation and rock layers change as you descend. Unless you are in very good condition, however, it is probably best to not go beyond the One-and-a-Half-Mile House, which has restrooms and drinking water, before heading back up to the rim. See chapter 16.

Day 13: Back to Phoenix, AZ

Back in Phoenix, you can practice your golf swing or visit some of the city’s excellent museums before catching your plane for home.

The Grand Circle

Southern Utah has five delightful national parks and several national monuments; the North Rim of the spectacular Grand Canyon is just over the border in Arizona, and perched along the state line is the awe-inspiring Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Together they form a somewhat circuitous loop. This jaunt begins and ends in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is accessible by almost all major airlines and has car and RV rentals. You can complete this tour in 2 weeks, but it is much more satisfying in 3 weeks, as described here.

Day 1: Las Vegas, NV

Fly in, pick up your rental car or RV, lay in some supplies, and maybe try the slot machines for a half-hour or so. Then hit the road and head northeast into the mountains of southern Utah.

Days 2–4: Zion National Park, UT

Famous for its mammoth natural stone sculptures and unbelievably narrow slot canyon, this park begs to be explored on foot. Hop on the shuttle bus that runs the length of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, getting off to take trails. We especially recommend the easy Riverside Walk, which follows the Virgin River through a narrow canyon past hanging gardens, as well as the Emerald Pools Trail. Especially pleasant on hot days, this walk through a forest of oak, maple, fir, and cottonwood trees leads to a waterfall, a hanging garden, and a shimmering pool. See chapter 36.

Days 5–6: Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim, AZ

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon receives far fewer visitors than the South Rim, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less spectacular. The North Rim (which is open in summer only) provides views of and access to the same overpowering canyon as the South Rim does, just from the other side. You’ll want to stop at the Grand Canyon Lodge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and then hike a few of the rim trails. If you’re in good enough physical shape, you might want to hike partway down into the canyon on the North Kaibab Trail. See chapter 16.

Days 7–8: Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, UT

Although not a national park, this Navajo Tribal Park is well worth a stop (and it’s on your way). Monument Valley is, to many of us, the epitome of the Old West—we’ve seen it dozens of times in movies and on television. On the Utah/Arizona border, and part of the vast Navajo Nation, the park has a 17-mile self-guided loop road that lets you see most of the major scenic attractions, or you can get a personalized tour with a Navajo guide. Either way, you’ll see classic Western scenery made famous in movies such as 1939’s Stagecoach, the film that started John Wayne on the road to stardom. Note: Federal passes, such as the America the Beautiful pass, are not valid here.

Days 9–12: Arches & Canyonlands National Parks, UT

Famed for its massive red and orange rock formations, this area is home to two national parks and the lively town of Moab. Canyonlands National Park (see chapter 8) is a great hikers’ park. Make sure you stop at the Grand Viewpoint Overlook, in the Island in the Sky District, and hike the Grand View Trail, especially scenic in the late afternoon. Arches National Park (see chapter 2) is a bit more user-friendly, but also more crowded. Take the scenic drive and walk a few trails—on the Devils Garden Trail, you can see more than a dozen arches, including picturesque Landscape Arch.

Days 13–14: Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Relatively unknown, this park offers brilliantly colored rock formations and a bit of history. The Fremont River created a lush oasis in this otherwise barren land, and 19th-century pioneers found the soil so fertile that they established the community of Fruita, named for the orchards they planted. Today you can explore the buildings and even pick fruit in season. Hikers can examine Pioneer Register, a rock wall where traveling pioneers “signed in,” and explore canyons where famed outlaw Butch Cassidy is said to have hidden out between train and bank robberies. See chapter 9.

Days 15–18: Scenic Utah 12 & Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

From Capitol Reef, go south on Utah 12 over Boulder Mountain and through Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, possibly stopping for a short hike to Calf Creek Falls, before heading to Bryce Canyon National Park. Spend the night in the park or nearby so you can be on the rim of Bryce Amphitheater at sunrise, the best time to see the colorful and often whimsically shaped rock formations called hoodoos. Top hikes here include the colorful Queen’s Garden Trail, named for a formation that resembles Britain’s Queen Victoria. See chapter 7.

Days 19–20: Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT

This small, high-altitude park has an amphitheater reminiscent of Bryce Canyon’s, as well as a 5-mile road that offers easy access to the monument’s scenic overlooks and trail heads. Hike Spectra Point Trail along the rim for changing views of the colorful rock formations. The trail also takes you through fields of wildflowers, which are especially colorful in late July and August, and past bristlecone pines that are more than 1,500 years old. See chapter 36.

Day 21: Back to Las Vegas, NV

Back in Sin City, you can catch a show or feed the one-armed bandits before flying home.

Visitor Centers

Your first stop at any national park should be the visitor center. Some large parks have more than one, and we list the location of each. Not only will you learn the history of the park, but you’ll also get timely information such as road and trail closures, updates on safety issues, and the schedule for ranger programs. Visitor center hours usually vary by season; most are open daily from 8am until 6 or 7pm in summer, closing earlier at other times. Many park visitor centers close for New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, even though the parks themselves, especially those with camping, usually remain open.

Fees & Permits

Though fees have increased in the past few years, visiting a national park is still a bargain—a steal compared to the prices you’d pay for a theme park or even a movie. Entry fees, ranging from free to $25, are usually charged per private vehicle (for up to 1 week), regardless of how many visitors you stuff inside. Those arriving on foot, motorcycle, or bicycle usually pay lower per-person fees. Some parks offer passes good for unlimited visits to the same park, or a few nearby parks, for 12 months.

National Parks/Federal Land Passes

Those who enjoy vacationing at national parks, national forests, and other federal lands have opportunities to save quite a bit of money by using the federal government’s annual passes.

The America the Beautiful—National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass costs $80 for 1 year, from the date of purchase, for the general public. It provides free admission for the pass holder, and those in his or her vehicle, to recreation sites that charge vehicle entrance fees on lands administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation. At areas that charge per-person fees, the passes are good for the pass holder, plus three additional adults. Children 15 and under are admitted free.

The passes are also available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents ages 62 and older for a lifetime fee of $10—the Senior Pass—and are free for U.S. residents and permanent residents with disabilities—the Access Pass. The Senior and Access passes also provide 50% discounts on some fees, such as those for camping and ranger-guided tours in some parks, including Carlsbad Caverns.

The Senior and Access passes can be obtained by mail with an application form available online (see below) with a $10 processing fee, or without the processing fee in person at national parks, U.S. Forest Service offices, and other federal recreation sites.

The general public version (the $80 one) can be purchased in person, by phone (phone 888/275-8747, ext. 1), or online at http://store.usgs.gov/pass, a website that also provides complete information about the passes.

Backcountry Permits

At most national parks, it is necessary to obtain a permit to stay overnight in the park’s undeveloped backcountry. Some parks have even more restrictions. To be safe, if you intend to do any backpacking, look in the individual park chapter or contact the park’s backcountry office in advance. In some cases, it may be possible to obtain a permit online or by mail; in some cases, you must appear in person. Some parks charge for backcountry permits, while others do not; some restrict the number of permits issued and also the number of people in a group.

Other Permits

Hunting is generally not allowed in national parks, but fishing often is. You will usually need a state fishing license. Licenses are generally available at local sporting goods stores and state game and fish department offices. Fees vary for state residents and nonresidents, for various time periods, and sometimes by location within the state, but you can usually get a nonresident 1-day license for $5 to $15 and a 5- to 7-day nonresident license for $15 to $25.

In some parks (Yellowstone and Grand Teton, for example), you will need a special permit to go boating. In others, you may need a permit for cross-country skiing. Check individual park chapters for details on other required permits.

The Federal Lands name game

Throughout this book, you’ll read about America’s most spectacular public lands, most designated as national parks and managed by the National Park Service (NPS). But you will also learn about national monuments, historical parks, and other public lands, also run by the NPS, as well as areas managed by other agencies. So what’s in a name?

Although Yellowstone, America’s first national park, was established by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, President Theodore Roosevelt is generally credited with spearheading the movement to preserve America’s most beautiful scenic areas as public lands in the early 1900s. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act creating the National Park Service as a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Today the NPS includes nearly 400 areas of public land covering more than 84 million acres in every state (except Delaware), as well as in Washington, D.C., and American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

These NPS properties go by a variety of names. Generally, a national park is the best of the NPS properties, covering a fairly large area and containing a variety of attributes. Traditionally, these parks have been set aside to be preserved and visited by the public, so mining, oil and gas drilling, hunting, cattle grazing, and other activities that would change the areas are not permitted. National monuments, which many consider “junior” national parks, are usually smaller and with fewer attractions than national parks; they still must include at least one feature considered nationally significant, and they are often managed with similar practices to national parks. National preserves, which are sometimes adjacent to national parks, are like national parks, except that they often allow mineral exploration, hunting, and other activities prohibited in national parks.

There are also national historic sites, which usually contain a single historical place of note; national historical parks, which include more than one historic site; national memorials, which are designated to commemorate a historic event or person; and national battlefields, which contain the sites of historic battlefields, usually from the Revolutionary or Civil wars. The NPS’s 14 national cemeteries are significant historic cemeteries that mostly date to the Civil War era and are not the same as the national cemeteries managed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that contain the graves of more recent military veterans as well as veterans from earlier times.

National recreation areas are lands set aside primarily for recreation, such as boating or hiking; and national seashores, lakeshores, rivers, and wild rivers are usually scenic areas that include water sports and related activities. A national trail is a long-distance scenic or historic hiking trail, and a national parkway is a roadway through a scenic area.

Other departments and agencies also administer federal lands. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a separate division of the Department of the Interior, manages a lot of public land, almost always as multiple-use areas where recreation, cattle grazing, mining, and oil or gas drilling can go on side by side. While many national monuments are managed by the National Park Service, some are under the BLM. Another division of the Department of the Interior is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages America’s national wildlife refuges. In addition, national forests, which abound throughout the American West, are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. National Forests are also multiuse areas but often have a greater emphasis on recreation than BLM areas. Maybe that’s because they usually have more trees!

New Gun Laws

For years, guns have been forbidden in most national parks, but that changed in February 2010, when a new federal law went into effect that allows people who can legally possess firearms to have those firearms with them in most national parks. Guns are still prohibited in certain places, such as visitor centers, which are posted with firearms prohibited signs; and those going into national parks with firearms must comply with all state and local laws regarding firearms. Individual park websites now include links to their state’s firearms laws.

north to alaska! The 49th State’s Great National Parks

Although this book looks closely at the national parks in the American West of the continental United States, we must point out that some of the country’s most beautiful and pristine national parks are in a destination a bit farther north: Alaska. In fact, more than two-thirds of America’s national park acreage is in our northernmost state, encompassing huge areas of wilderness and near-wilderness, with few roads, buildings, or even airplane landing strips.

Most of the Alaska parks are challenging, both to get to and to explore. One exception is Denali National Park (phone 907/683-2294; www.nps.gov/dena), which provides visitors with easy access to genuine wilderness. Denali has sweeping tundra vistas, abundant wildlife, and North America’s tallest mountain: 20,320-foot Mount McKinley. But what makes this park unique is that its accessibility hasn’t spoiled the natural experience. That’s because the only road through the park is closed to the public. To see Denali, you must ride a bus. The grizzly bears and other animals are still visible, and their behavior remains more normal than that of the animals seen in the more visited, vehicle-intensive parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite.

Another recommended Alaska experience is Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve (phone 907/697-2230; www.nps.gov/glba), a rugged wilderness the size of Connecticut that can be seen only by boat or plane. Created by a receding glacier, this bay is a work in progress, where you’ll see a vast variety of flora and fauna, including grizzly bears, mountain goats, seals, and especially whales, including humpback whales breaching (leaping all the way out of the water).

Other national parks in Alaska include Katmai National Park & Preserve (phone 907/246-3305; www.nps.gov/katm), the site of a phenomenal volcanic eruption in 1912 and now an excellent place to see relatively close up the huge Alaska brown bear as it devours a seemingly endless supply of salmon. Kenai Fjords National Park (phone 907/422-0500; www.nps.gov/kefj), a remote area of mountains, rocks, and ice, is the spot to see a vast array of sea lions, otters, seals, and birds. And Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (phone 907/822-5234; www.nps.gov/wrst), which, at over 8 million acres, is by far the largest unit in the National Park Service system, consists of numerous rugged mountains and glaciers, plus some fascinating history from its early copper mining days.

The above parks, plus a number of other national parks, monuments, and preserves, are explored fully in the most recent edition of Frommer’s Alaska (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), by Kris Capps, Mike Dunham, Charlotte Glover, and Dave Kiffer.

Getting a Campsite at a National Park

Although a growing number of national park campgrounds accept campsite reservations, many still do not. If you plan to camp and are heading to a first-come, first-served campground, the first thing to do upon arrival is to make sure a site is available. Campsites at major park campgrounds fill up early in summer, on weekends, and during other peak times, such as school holidays (try to avoid college spring breaks, often in Mar or Apr). A reservation or an early morning arrival (sometimes as early as 7 or 8am) is the best defense against disappointment. In each chapter, we indicate whether a campground tends to fill up especially early and whether reservations are accepted.

Reservations for many National Park Service campgrounds, as well as national forest and other agency campgrounds, can be made through one central reservation center (phone 887/444-6777; TDD 877/833-6777; www.recreation.gov). Fees—usually an $8 or $9 booking fee regardless of how many nights—are charged.

Each chapter also includes information on nearby commercial campgrounds (both tent and RV) and other public lands campgrounds.

Maps

When you arrive at a national park, you’ll receive a large, four-color brochure that has a good map of the park in it and in many cases, a park newspaper that also has maps; of course, you also have the maps in this book. If you plan to do some serious hiking, especially into backcountry and wilderness areas, you’ll need detailed topographical maps.

Topographical maps can usually be ordered in advance from the individual park bookstores, which we list in the following chapters, and we suggest that you check with park personnel to see which maps they recommend. Maps can also often be purchased in electronic form and carried with you, or you can print out the sections of the areas you need to carry on the trail.

Tips for RVers

Many people prefer to explore the national parks in an RV—a motor home, truck camper, or camper trailer—especially in the warm months. One advantage to this type of travel is that early morning and early evening are among the best times to be in the parks if you want to avoid crowds and see wildlife. Needless to say, it’s a lot more convenient to experience the parks at these times if you’re already there, staying in one of the park campgrounds.

Carrying your house with you also lets you stop for meals anytime and anyplace you choose, and makes it easy to take care of individual dietary needs. RVing also means you don’t have to worry about sleeping on a lumpy mattress, and you won’t need to spend time searching for a restroom—almost all RVs have some sort of bathroom facilities, from a full bathroom with tub/shower combination to a Porta Potti hidden under a seat.

There are disadvantages, of course. If you already own an RV, you know what you had to pay for it. And even if you rent, you may not save a lot of money. Depending on the rate you get (and the cost of fuel at the time), renting a motor home could end up costing almost as much as renting a compact car, staying in moderately priced motels, and eating in family-style restaurants and cafes. That’s because the motor home will go only one-quarter to one-third as far on a gallon of fuel as your compact car will, and they’re expensive to rent. Some of the fancier private campgrounds now charge as much for an RV site with utility hookups as you’d expect to pay in a cheap motel.

Other disadvantages include the limited facilities in national park campgrounds (although they are being upgraded to the point where camping purists are starting to complain). Even in most commercial campgrounds, the facilities are less than you’d expect in moderately priced motels. And parking is often limited in national parks, especially for motor homes and other large vehicles. However, since most people are driving in the parks between 10am and 5pm, the solution is to head out on the scenic drives either early or late in the day, when there’s less traffic. It’s nicer then, anyway.

If you’ll be traveling through the park in your RV and want to make it obvious that your campsite is occupied, carry something worthless to leave in it, such as a cardboard box with “Site Taken” clearly written on it.

Many national park campsites are not level. If your RV does not have built-in levelers, carry four or five short boards, or leveling blocks, that can be placed under the wheels. You’ll discover that not only will you sleep better if your rig is level, but your food won’t slide off the table and the refrigerator will run more efficiently.

You might consider purchasing as a companion to this book Frommer’s Exploring America by RV (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), by Shirley Slater and Harry Basch, which includes five road trips in the West (including one in Alaska) that pass through many national parks. There are also chapters on RV basics that people renting a vehicle for the first time will find useful.

 What should i take?

In packing for your trip, keep in mind that much of the West is a land of extremes, with an often-unforgiving climate and terrain. Those planning to hike or bike should take more drinking water containers than they think they’ll need—experts recommend at least 1 gallon of water per person per day on the trail—as well as good-quality sunblock, hats, and other protective clothing, and sunglasses with ultraviolet protection.

Summer visitors will want to carry rain gear for the typical afternoon thunderstorms, and jackets or sweaters for cool evenings. Winter visitors will not only want warm parkas and hats, but lighter clothing as well—the bright sun at midday can make it feel like June.

Take a first-aid kit, of course, and make sure it contains tweezers—very useful for removing cactus spines from your flesh if you should make the mistake of getting too close. Hikers will appreciate having a walking stick.

Renting an RV

If you’re flying into the area and renting an RV when you arrive, choose your starting point carefully; not only do you want to keep your driving to a minimum—you’ll be lucky to get 10 miles per gallon of gas—but rental rates vary depending on the city in which you pick up your RV. Do some research before you commit to a starting point. Rates are generally highest, between $1,000 and $1,500 per week, in midsummer. The country’s largest RV rental company is Cruise America (phone 800/671-8042; www.cruiseamerica.com), with outlets in most major western cities. RV rentals are also available in many western states from El Monte RV (phone 888/337-2214; www.elmonte.com) and Camping World (phone 877/297-3687; www.rvrental.com). Information on additional rental agencies, as well as tips on renting, can be obtained online from the Recreation Vehicle Rental Association (www.rvra.org). See “Tips on Renting an RV,” above.

tips on Renting an RV

Shirley Slater and Harry Basch have been traveling the U.S. and Canada in their RV (and writing about it, authoring Exploring America by RV and RV Vacations For Dummies [John Wiley & Sons, Inc.]) for years; here, they offer some tips on what to look for, and where to look if you’re thinking of renting an RV for a national parks trip. Harry and Shirley say:

A great many rental RVs are booked by European and Australian visitors to the United States who want to see our national parks, or drive along the coast of California. The most common unit available for rental is the motor home, either the larger type A or the type C mini–motor home, which accounts for 90% of all rentals. Prices begin at around $975 a week.

Use of the generator is not usually included in the fee. You would need it only for operating the ceiling air-conditioning, microwave, and TV in a place without electrical hookups. The dealer will know how much time you’ve logged by reading the generator counter, usually located by the on/off switch.

If you’re looking to rent a travel trailer (which you pull behind another vehicle), you’ll find they usually require that you furnish your own tow vehicle, hitch, and electrical hookups on the tow vehicle.

Some companies offer a furnishings package with bedding, towels, dishes, cooking pots, and utensils for a flat price of around $100 for kitchen needs and $50 for bedding per trip. Other add-on kits are those containing power cords and hoses, plastic trash bags, toilet chemicals, and a troubleshooting guide. Remember to get a detailed list of what furnishings are included in your rental so you’ll know what necessary items you have to supply. It may be easier to bring things from home than to spend vacation time searching for them on the road.

Be sure you’re provided with a full set of instruction booklets and emergency phone numbers in case of a breakdown. The best thing to have is a 24-hour emergency toll-free number in case of a problem. When in doubt, ask fellow RVers what to do. They’re always glad to help, but sometimes hesitant to offer for fear of offending. No matter how much you bustle around like you know what you’re doing, the veterans in the campground can spot a goof-up a mile away.

Before setting out, be sure the dealer demonstrates how to operate all the components and systems of your unit. Take careful notes and, just as with rental cars, check for dents and damage from prior use before leaving the lot.

Another important detail you need to take care of when you rent before you leave: Make sure your rental vehicle is insured. Normally, insurance on a rental RV is not covered on your personal automobile insurance, so ask your agent for a binder that extends your coverage to the RV for the full rental period. Many dealers require the binder before renting you a vehicle.

Once you’ve made arrangements to rent an RV, if you’re flying into the region to pick up your RV, many rental companies offer free airport pickup and return, if you notify them ahead of time.

Finally, if you fall in love with your rental vehicle (as we did our first one), you might be able to negotiate a purchase price that would subtract your rental fee from the total. If the vehicle is a couple of years old, the price should be even lower, since most dealers get rid of vehicles after 2 or 3 years.

Tips for Traveling with Kids

Most parks offer Junior Ranger programs that give kids the chance to earn certificates, badges, and patches for completing certain projects, such as tree or animal identification, or answering questions in a workbook. It’s a good way to learn about the national parks and the resources that the Park Service protects. Also, many parks offer special discussions, walks, and other ranger-led activities for children.

For a complete list of national parks that offer Junior Ranger programs, visit www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.cfm. WebRangers is an online component of the Junior Ranger program, and kids of all ages can play dozens of National Park–based games, look at and share photos in a web community, and even earn WebRanger patches at www.nps.gov/webrangers.

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

The National Park Service has come a long way in the past 25 or 30 years in making the parks more accessible for visitors with disabilities. Most parks have accessible restrooms, and many have at least one trail that is wheelchair accessible—the Rim Trail at Bryce Canyon is a prime example. Several parks with sandy conditions, such as Great Sand Dunes, offer free use of specially designed wheelchairs with balloon tires for travel over sand.

In addition, as campgrounds, boat docks, and other facilities are upgraded, improvements are being made to make them more accessible. Many parks now have campsites designed specifically for travelers in wheelchairs, most in-park lodging offers accessible rooms—some with roll-in showers—and park amphitheaters can usually accommodate wheelchair users.

But perhaps just as important as upgrades in facilities is the prevailing attitude of National Park Service personnel that these parks are for the public—the entire public—and they are going to do whatever it takes to help everyone enjoy his or her park experience. People with special needs are encouraged to talk with park workers, who can usually assist, opening locked gates to get vehicles closer to scenic attractions, or simply by pointing out trails with the lowest grades or with portable toilets that are accessible.

One note on service dogs: Seeing Eye and other service dogs are not considered pets and are legally permitted anywhere in the parks. However, because of potential problems with wildlife or terrain (sharp rocks on some trails can cut dogs’ paws), it’s best for people taking service dogs into the parks to discuss their plans with rangers beforehand.

Many of the major car-rental companies now offer hand-controlled cars for drivers with disabilities and can provide those vehicles with advance notice. Wheelchair Getaways (phone 800/642-2042; www.wheelchairgetaways.com) rents and sells specialized vans with wheelchair lifts and other features for visitors with disabilities. It has outlets in most western states.

And don’t forget your National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (see “Fees & Permits,” above). It is free and will grant you free admission to most national parks and a 50% discount on many park services and facilities.

Tips for Travelers with Pets

Most national parks, as well as other federal lands administered by the National Park Service, are not pet-friendly, and those planning to visit the parks should consider leaving their pets at home. Pets are usually prohibited on hiking trails, especially in the more popular parks, in the backcountry, and in buildings, and must always be leashed. Essentially, this means that if you take your dog or cat into the parks, the animal can be with you in the campgrounds and inside your vehicle, and you can walk it in parking areas, but that’s about all. It’s no fun for you or your pet.

Aside from regulations, you need to be concerned with your pet’s well-being. Pets should never be left in closed vehicles, where temperatures can soar to over 120°F (49°C) in minutes, resulting in brain damage or death. No punishment is too severe for the human who subjects a dog or cat to that torture.

 The Inside Scoop for pet owners

Although pets are not permitted on the trails or backcountry in most national parks, those traveling with their dogs can hike with them over trails administered by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, as well as some of the state parks that are adjacent to many national parks.

Those who do decide to take pets with them despite these warnings should take the pets’ leashes, of course; carry plenty of water (pet shops sell clever little travel water bowls that won’t spill in a moving vehicle); and bring proof that the dogs or cats have been vaccinated against rabies. Flea and tick spray or powder is also important, since fleas that may carry bubonic plague have been found on prairie dogs and other rodents in some parks, such as Mesa Verde and Bryce Canyon.

So You Like a Mystery? national parks Set the Scene for Nevada Barr’s Books

Author Nevada Barr (www.nevadabarr.com) spins a good yarn. A former National Park Service ranger, she writes what she knows—the settings for her mysteries are national parks, and her detective, Anna Pigeon, is a ranger. Anna’s backstory is that she joined the Park Service after her actor husband was killed in New York City, and she finds safety in solitude. But occasionally someone breaks into her aloneness, such as the time she enjoyed a brief liaison with an FBI agent during a murder investigation at Lake Superior. Anna loves the wild country, and her work often takes her into strange situations. It’s fascinating to see the parks through Anna’s eyes, in the series’ inaugural volume, Track of the Cat (Berkley, 1993), as she patrols the backcountry of Guadalupe Mountains National Park on horseback—is the killer a mountain lion, as the tracks imply, or something more sinister?—or when she strives to uncover the cause of inexplicable deaths amid the ruins at Mesa Verde National Park in Ill Wind (Berkley, 1995). The “accident” that befalls a spelunker in the depths of Carlsbad Caverns in Blind Descent (Berkley, 1998) takes the reader into subterranean territory, and the tense situation that develops among the small group of isolated firefighters during the aftermath of a forest fire at Lassen Volcanic National Park in Firestorm (Berkley, 1996) is riveting. In High Country (Berkley, 2004), set in Yosemite National Park, Anna goes undercover to find four missing seasonal workers. Ms. Barr makes Anna the new District Ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park in Hard Truth (Putnam, 2005), where a 6-week-old mystery seems to be winding down . . . until the disembodied voices start and small slayings turn into something bigger. In Borderline (Putnam, 2009), Anna and her new husband, Paul, head down the Rio Grande on a raft in Big Bend, but the relaxing jaunt takes on nightmare proportions when their raft gets lost in rapids. Taking the reader back to 1995, when Anna Pigeon was just starting out in the Park Service, the 17th book in the series, The Rope (Putnam, 2012), takes place in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Fresh from New York City, Anna signs on as a seasonal employee and takes a workman’s holiday on her day off to go hiking. When she doesn’t return and her cabin is stripped of her belongings, everyone assumes she’s simply moved on. How Anna Pigeon not only survives being trapped at the bottom of a dry well with no clothes or supplies, but also pieces together the why and who of her predicament, is the story her fans have been awaiting. Don’t miss it.

Health & Safety

Bears, rattlesnakes, and lightning can be dangerous, but that driver heading for you on a park road can be even more dangerous. In fact, motor vehicle accidents cause more deaths in the parks every year than anything else. Scenic drives are often winding and steep; take them slowly and carefully. And no matter how stunning the snowcapped peak you may glimpse is, keep your eyes on the road.

When out on the trails, even for a day hike, keep safety in mind. The wild, untouched nature of these parks is what makes them so exciting and breathtakingly beautiful—but along with wildness comes risk. The national parks are neither playgrounds nor zoos. The animals here are truly wild and sometimes dangerous. This doesn’t mean that disaster could strike at any time, but visitors should exercise basic caution and common sense at all times, respecting the wilderness around them and always following the rules of the park.

Never feed, bother, or approach animals. Even the smallest among them can carry harmful, sometimes deadly, diseases, and feeding them is dangerous not only to you, but also to the animals, who (like us) will eat what their bodies can’t handle. In addition, wild animals’ dependence on handouts can lead to unpleasant confrontations, which often result in rangers having to relocate or kill the animal. As the Park Service reminds us, “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

In some parks where there are bears and mountain lions, it’s often a good idea to make noise as you hike, to make sure you don’t stumble upon and frighten an animal into aggression. Also, follow park rules on food storage when in bear country. Photographers should always keep a safe distance when taking pictures of wildlife—the best photos are shot with a telephoto lens.

It’s equally important for your safety to know your limitations, to understand the environment, and to take the proper equipment when exploring the park. Always stop at the visitor center before you set out on a hike. Park staff there can offer advice on your hiking plans and supply you with pamphlets, maps, and information on weather conditions or any dangers, such as bear activity or flash flood possibilities on canyon hikes. Once out on the trail, hikers should always carry sufficient water and, just as important, remember to drink it. Wear sturdy shoes with good ankle support and rock-gripping soles. Keep a close eye on children in your group, and never let them run ahead (especially in bear or mountain lion country).

Since many park visitors live at or near sea level, one of the most common health hazards is altitude sickness, caused by the high elevations of many of the parks in this book. Symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle pain, and lightheadedness. Doctors recommend that until you are acclimated—which can take several days—you should consume light meals and drink lots of liquids, avoiding those with caffeine or alcohol. It’s a good idea to take frequent sips of water as well.

One proven method of minimizing the effects of high altitudes is to work up to them. For instance, on a visit to southern Utah, go to lower-elevation Zion National Park for a day or two before heading to the higher mountains of Bryce Canyon. Those concerned about altitude sickness might also consult with their doctors before leaving home; there are drugs that can be taken beforehand that may minimize the risk.

A waterborne hazard is Giardia, a parasite that wreaks havoc on the human digestive system. If you pick up this pesky hanger-on, it may accompany you on your trip home. The best solution is to carry all the water you’ll need (usually a gallon a day). If you need additional water from the parks’ lakes and streams, it should be boiled for 3 to 6 minutes before consumption.

Health experts also warn outdoor enthusiasts to take precautions against hantavirus, a rare but often fatal respiratory disease, first recognized in 1993. About half of the country’s confirmed cases have been reported in the Four Corners states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The droppings and urine of rodents usually spread the disease, and health officials recommend that campers and hikers avoid areas with signs of rodent occupation. Symptoms of hantavirus are similar to flu, and lead to breathing difficulties and shock.

Hiking Tips

Don’t venture off on any extensive hike, even a day hike, without the following gear: a compass, a topographical map, bug repellent, a whistle, a watch, and sufficient water. In many western parks, sunglasses, sunscreen, and wide-brimmed hats are also considered essential. To be on the safe side, you should keep a first-aid kit in your car or luggage and have it handy when hiking. At a minimum, it should contain butterfly bandages, sterile gauze pads, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment, pain relievers, alcohol pads, and a knife with scissors and tweezers (tweezers are especially useful for removing those nasty little cactus spines that seem to attack from the side of the trail). In many national parks, cellphone service is spotty or nonexistent, so don’t depend on being able to call for help in an emergency unless you have a satellite phone (which is rather expensive to own but can be rented for your stay in a remote area).

America’s New Celebrities: the national parks

Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan’s six-part, 12-hour 2009 documentary series, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, told the dramatic story of the origin of the National Park system. Starting with “The Scripture of Nature,” it focused on the early appreciation (in the 1850s) of the areas that became Yosemite and Yellowstone national parks, followed by “The Last Refuge,” depicting the ongoing battle between the preservation of the parks, starting in the 1890s, and industrialization and commercialization of the lands. “The Empire of Grandeur” profiled the formation of the National Park Service in 1916, spearheaded by wealthy, charismatic businessman Stephen Mather, who returned again and again to nature to restore his own health. “Going Home” featured people following in the footsteps of Mather in the 1920s and ’30s to create more parks and protect the natural wonders all over the country, including John D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s, purchase of land to donate to the U.S. to expand Grand Teton National Park. “Great Nature” told the story of how the parks survived and changed in the Depression, with the creation of the WPA, and how President Franklin Roosevelt resisted pressure to use their natural resources during World War II. Set in the postwar years through about 1980, “The Morning of Creation” told how the parks have developed the balancing act between being cherished and visited by millions each year, and protecting the environments from being overrun and permanently altered. You can watch scenes from the series at www.pbs.org/nationalparks or purchase the DVDs, companion book, and soundtrack CD.

Adventure Tours

A number of nationally recognized companies offer guided trips to many of the parks in this book and surrounding areas. In most cases, all you do is pay, and then the outfitters arrange everything, including lodging, meals, transportation, and equipment such as mountain bikes and rafts. Offerings range from fairly standard biking, hiking, or boating trips to luxury adventure vacations, where you spend your days hiking or biking and your evenings being pampered with gourmet meals, hot tubs, and first-class hotels. You’ll want to contact companies as far in advance as possible, as reservations are required and group sizes are limited. The adventure tour operators generally specialize in small groups and have trips for various levels of ability and physical fitness.

A good online source for a variety of outdoor adventure trips offered by various outfitters is www.adventurefinder.com.

 Surely the great United States of America is not so poor we cannot afford to have these places, nor so rich we can do without them.

—Newton Drury, National Park Service Director, 1940–51

Here are some of the West’s most respected adventure tour operators:

• Austin-Lehman Adventures, P.O. Box 81025, Billings, MT 59108-1025 (phone 800/575-1540 or 406/655-4591; www.austinlehman.com).

• Backroads, 801 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94710-1800 (phone 800/462-2848 or 510/527-1555; www.backroads.com).

• Bicycle Adventures, 29700 SE High Point Way, Issaquah, WA 98027 (phone 800/443-6060 or 425/250-5540; www.bicycleadventures.com).

• REI Adventures, P.O. Box 1938, Sumner, WA 98390 (phone 800/622-2236 or 253/437-1100; www.rei.com/adventures).

• The World Outdoors, 2840 Wilderness Place, Ste. D, Boulder, CO 80301 (phone 800/488-8483 or 303/413-0946; www.theworldoutdoors.com).

Planning a Backcountry Trip

Here are some general things to keep in mind when planning a backcountry trip:

• Permits. In many parks, overnight hiking and backcountry camping require a permit.

• Camping Etiquette & Special Regulations. Follow the basic rules of camping etiquette: Pack out all your trash, including uneaten food and used toilet paper. Camp in obvious campsites. If pit toilets are not available, bury human waste in holes 6 inches deep, 6 inches across, and at least 200 feet from water and creek beds. When doing dishes, take water and dishes at least 200 feet from the water source, and scatter the wastewater. Hang food and trash out of reach of wildlife, use bear-proof containers, or follow other park rules to keep wildlife from human food.

• Footwear. Be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy hiking shoes or boots with good ankle support that will resist water, if you’re planning an early season hike.

• Sleeping Bags. Your sleeping bag should be rated for the low temperatures found at high elevations. Most campers are happy to have a sleeping pad.

• Water. If you’re not carrying enough water for the entire trip, you’ll also need a good purifying system, because that seemingly clear stream is filled with bacteria likely to cause intestinal disorders.

• Your Pack. The argument rages about the merits of old-fashioned external-frame packs and newer internal-frame models. Over the long run, the newer versions are more stable and allow you to carry greater loads more comfortably; however, they also cost more. The key issue is finding a pack that fits well and has plenty of padding, a wide hip belt, and a good lumbar support pad.

Protecting the Environment

Not long ago, the rule of thumb was to “leave only footprints”; these days, we’re trying to do better and not leave even footprints. It’s relatively easy to be a good outdoor citizen—just use common sense. Pack out all trash; stay on designated trails; be especially careful not to pollute water; don’t disturb plants, wildlife, or archaeological resources; don’t pick flowers or collect rocks; and, in general, do your best to have as little impact on the environment as possible. Some hikers go further, carrying a small trash bag to pick up what others may have left. As the Park Service likes to remind us, protecting our national parks is everyone’s responsibility.

Chapter 2: Arches National Park, UT

by Don & Barbara Laine

Natural stone arches and fantastic rock formations, sculpted as if by an artist’s hand, are the defining features of this park, and they exist in remarkable numbers and variety. Just as soon as you’ve seen the most beautiful, most colorful, most gigantic stone arch you can imagine, walk around the next bend, and there’s another—bigger, better, and more brilliant than the last. It would take forever to see them all, with more than 2,000 officially listed and more being discovered, or “born,” every day.

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

Arches National Park

Just down the road from Canyonlands National Park (see chapter 8), Arches is more visitor-friendly, with relatively short, well-maintained trails leading to most of the park’s major attractions. It’s also a place to let your imagination run wild. Is Delicate Arch really so delicate? Or would its other monikers (Old Maid’s Bloomers and Cowboy Chaps) be more appropriate? And what about those tall spires? You might imagine they’re castles, giant stone sailing ships, or the petrified skyscrapers of some ancient city.

Exploring the park is a great family adventure. The arches seem more accessible and less forbidding than the spires and pinnacles at Canyonlands and most other western parks. Some think of arches as bridges, imagining the power of water that literally cuts a hole through solid rock. Actually, to geologists there’s a big difference. Natural bridges are formed when a river cuts a channel; the often bizarre and beautiful contours of arches result from the erosive force of rain and snow, freezing and thawing, as it dissolves the “glue” that holds sand grains together and chips away at the stone.

Although arches usually grow slowly—very slowly—occasionally something dramatic happens, like that quiet day in 1940 when a sudden crash instantly doubled the size of the opening of Skyline Arch, leaving a huge boulder lying at its feet. Luckily, no one (that we know of) was standing underneath at the time. The same thing happened to the magnificently delicate Landscape Arch in 1991, when a slab of rock about 60 feet long, 11 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feet thick fell from its underside. Today, it’s hard to believe that such a thin ribbon of stone can continue hanging on at all.

Spend a day or a week here, exploring the terrain, watching the rainbow of colors deepen and explode with the long rays of the setting sun, or glimpsing ribbons of moonlight on tall sandstone cliffs. Be on the lookout for mule deer, cottontail rabbits, and bright-green collared lizards as they go about the task of desert living. And let your imagination run wild among the Three Gossips, the Spectacles, the Eye of the Whale, the Penguins, the Tower of Babel, and the thousands of other statues, towers, arches, and bridges in this remarkable sandstone playground.

Avoiding the Crowds

This is a popular park, attracting about one million visitors annually. Expect to find crowded parking areas and a full campground daily from March through October, with the peak month being August. The quietest months are December, January, and February, but it can be cold then. Those wanting to avoid crowds might gamble on Mother Nature and visit in November or late February, when days can be delightfully sunny and just a bit cool, or bitterly cold, windy, and awful. As with most popular parks, avoid visiting during school vacations, if possible.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The entrance to the park is 5 miles north of Moab, Utah, on U.S. 191. To get there from Salt Lake City, about 240 miles away, follow I-15 south to Spanish Fork, take U.S. 6 southeast to I-70, and follow that east to Crescent Junction, where you’ll pick up U.S. 191 south. From Grand Junction, Colorado, take I-70 west until you reach Crescent Junction, and then go south on U.S. 191.

The Nearest Airport Located 16 miles north of downtown Moab, Canyonlands Field (phone 435/259-4849; www.moabairport.com) has daily scheduled flights between Moab and Denver and Moab and Las Vegas on Great Lakes Airlines (phone 800/554-5111 or 435/259-0566; www.flygreatlakes.com) and car rentals from Enterprise (phone 435/259-8505; www.enterprise.com). Shuttle service into Moab is also available from several companies, including Roadrunner Shuttle (phone 435/259-9402; www.roadrunnershuttle.com) and Moab Luxury Coach (phone 435/940-4212; www.moabluxurycoach.com).

The closest major airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport, about 112 miles east in Grand Junction, Colorado (phone 970/244-9100; www.gjairport.com). It has direct flights or connections from most major cities on Allegiant, American/American Eagle, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways. Car rentals are available at the airport from Alamo (phone 970/243-3097), Avis (phone 970/244-9170), Budget (phone 970/244-9170), Enterprise (phone 970/254-1700), Hertz (phone 970/243-0747), and National (phone 970/243-6626). Website listings for airlines, hotel chains, and car-rental companies appear in chapter 38.

Another option for air travelers is to fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (phone 800/595-2442 or 801/575-2400; www.slcairport.com), about 240 miles from Moab, which has service from most major airlines and rental-car companies. You can rent a car at the airport and drive to Moab, or check with Roadrunner Shuttle or Moab Luxury Coach (see above) about current shuttle rates and schedules.

Amtrak’s (phone 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) California Zephyr stops in Green River, about 52 miles north of Moab, and provides service to Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, Colorado. If you plan to go from Green River to Moab, make reservations with Roadrunner Shuttle or Moab Luxury Coach (see above).

See chapter 38 for website listings of major airlines, hotel/motel chains, and car-rental agencies.

Ground Transportation

Rentals (standard passenger cars, vans, and four-wheel-drive vehicles) are available from Enterprise (phone 435/260-6081; www.enterprise.com). Rugged four-wheel-drive vehicles are available from Farabee’s Jeep Rentals (phone 877/970-5337 or 435/259-7494; www.farabeejeeprentals.com), Canyonlands Jeep Adventures (phone 866/892-5337 or 435/259-4413; www.canyonlandsjeep.com), and Cliffhanger Jeep Rental (phone 435/259-0889; www.cliffhangerjeeprental.com).

Park Information

Contact Arches National Park, P.O. Box 907, Moab, UT 84532 (phone 435/719-2299; www.nps.gov/arch).

Books, maps, and videos on Arches as well as Canyonlands National Park and other southern Utah attractions can be purchased from the nonprofit Canyonlands Natural History Association, 3015 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (phone 800/840-8978 or 435/259-6003; www.cnha.org). Some publications are available in foreign languages.

For more detailed descriptions of the park’s hiking trails and backcountry roads, purchase Hiking Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, by Bill Schneider, at the visitor center or through the Canyonlands Natural History Association.

For area information, contact the Moab Area Travel Council, P.O. Box 550, Moab, UT 84532 (phone 800/635-6622 or 435/259-8825; www.discovermoab.com). When you arrive, stop by the Moab Information Center, at the corner of Main and Center streets, open Monday through Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday from 9am to 7pm from mid-March through October, with shorter hours the rest of the year.

This multiagency visitor center has information from the Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Grand County Travel Council, and Canyonlands Natural History Association. You can get advice, watch a number of videos on Southwest attractions, pick up brochures on local businesses and outfitters, and purchase books, videos, and other materials. A board displays current weather conditions and campsite availability.

tips from a Park Ranger

A “good family park” is how Arches’ former chief of interpretation Diane Allen describes this national park. “What makes Arches special is its variety of rock formations and the ease of accessibility,” she says. “You can see quite a bit even if you have only a few hours.”

Allen says that 2 hours is about the minimum time needed to tour the scenic drive, stopping at the view points and taking a few short walks, but 1 to 1 1/2 days would give you a pretty good look at the park. She suggests that you start at the visitor center to find out about guided hikes and other ranger-led activities, and then get out on the trails early in the day, while it’s still cool. The Devils Garden Trail provides a variety of experiences, Allen says, and is a fairly easy hike to scenic Landscape Arch. She says that hikers should carry and drink plenty of water—rangers recommend a gallon per person per day—because in this extremely arid climate, dehydration and heat problems can be fatal. If at the end of the day you have a slight headache and feel a bit lethargic and grouchy, it’s likely because you didn’t drink enough water.

Although park visitors will, of course, want to see the park’s arches—Delicate Arch has practically become the symbol for the state of Utah—Allen says that Arches National Park is more than arches. “There are many other formations—spires, pinnacles, natural bridges, and great walls,” she says, adding that the park is a prime example of Colorado Plateau vegetation. “We’ve got a little bit of everything: wildflowers, cactus, pinyon, juniper, a few riparian areas. And if you want to learn about geology, it’s all exposed, easy to see.”

The park is busiest between March and October, with August usually registering the most visitors. Summers are hot, and spring and fall are pleasant. One way to avoid crowds, Allen says, is to visit in winter: “You can get fantastic hiking days in February, but keep in mind that days are shorter then.” The other proven way to avoid crowds, even at the height of the summer, is to get out onto the trails early in the day. “It’s a much more pleasant time to be in the park,” she says. “It’s cooler, you have a better chance of seeing wildlife, and there are fewer people.”

You can also ask rangers for suggestions on less used trails. Allen says she likes the Tower Arch Trail, which is more of a primitive experience where you are less likely to see a lot of other hikers.

Visitor Center

The attractive Arches National Park Visitor Center is just inside the entrance gate. It offers maps, brochures, and other information, and a museum explains arch formation and other features of the park. Be sure to take time to watch the orientation film, Secrets of Red Rock, shown in the auditorium. From April through October the visitor center is open daily from 7:30am to 6:30pm; the rest of the year it’s open daily 8am to 4:30pm. On Christmas Day, the park is open but the visitor center is closed.

Fees & Permits

Entry for up to 7 days costs $10 per private vehicle or $5 per person on foot, motorcycle, or bike. A $25 annual pass is also available; it’s good for Arches and Canyonlands national parks as well as nearby Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments. Campsites cost $20 per night, and guided ranger walks into Fiery Furnace cost $10 for adults and $5 for children 5 to 12. Required permits for overnight trips into the backcountry, available at the visitor center, are free.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Ground fires are not permitted; the campground provides grills, but you must bring your own firewood. Be aware that although the desert terrain appears hardy, it is easily damaged. Rangers ask that hikers stay on trails and be careful around the bases of arches and other rock formations.

Seasons & Climate

Summer days are hot, often exceeding 100°F (38°C), and winters can be cool or cold, dropping below freezing at night, with snow possible. The best time to visit, especially for hikers, is in the spring or fall, when daytime temperatures are usually between 60° and 80°F (16°–27°C) and nights are cool. Spring winds, although not usually dangerous, can be gusty, so hold on to your hat.

If You Have Only 1 day

Arches is one of the easiest national parks to see in a day if that’s all you can spare. A scenic drive offers splendid views of natural rock arches and other formations, and several easy hikes open up additional scenery. The drive is 18 miles one-way, plus 5 miles for a side trip to The Windows and 4 1/2 miles for a side trip to Delicate Arch.

Start at the visitor center, and ask rangers for their suggestions for a short hike so you can get a close-up view of some of the arches. Possibilities include the short, easy hike to Double Arch and the longer and sometimes hot hike to Delicate Arch. If you’re up for a more strenuous excursion, and the timing’s right, join one of the ranger-guided hikes to Fiery Furnace.

Exploring the Park by Car

You can see many of the park’s most famous rock formations through your car windows, although we strongly urge you to get out and explore on foot. You have the option of walking short distances to a number of view points or stretching your legs on a variety of longer hikes (see “Day Hikes,” below). The main road is easy to navigate, even for RVs, but parking at some view points is limited. Please be considerate and leave trailers at the visitor center parking lot or in a campground.

After leaving the visitor center, drive north past the Moab Fault to the overlook parking for Park Avenue, a solid rock “fin” that reminded early visitors of the New York skyline. From here, your next stop is La Sal Mountain Viewpoint, where you look southeast to the La Sal Mountains, named by early Spanish explorers who thought the snow-covered mountains looked like huge piles of salt. In the overlook area is a “desert scrub” ecosystem, composed mostly of blackbrush, with some sagebrush, saltbush, yucca, and prickly pear cactus, all plants that can survive in sandy soil with little moisture. The area’s wildlife includes the black-tailed jackrabbit, rock squirrel, kangaroo rat, coyote, and several species of lizards.

Continuing on the scenic drive, you begin to see some of the park’s major formations at Courthouse Towers, where monoliths such as Sheep Rock, the Organ, and the Three Gossips dominate the landscape. Leaving Courthouse Towers, watch for the Tower of Babel on the east (right) side of the road, and then proceed past the “petrified” sand dunes to Balanced Rock, a huge boulder weighing about 3,600 tons, perched on a slowly eroding pedestal.

You’ll soon take a side road east (right) to The Windows. Created when erosion penetrated a sandstone fin, they are visible after a short walk from the parking area. Also in this area are Turret Arch and the Cove of Caves. As erosion continues in the back of the largest cave, it may eventually become an arch. A short walk from the parking lot takes you to Double Arch, which looks like exactly that. From the end of this trail, you can also see the delightful Parade of Elephants.

Return to the main park road, turn north (right), and drive to Panorama Point. You’ll find an expansive view of Salt Valley and the Fiery Furnace, which can really live up to its name at sunset.

Next, turn east (right) off the main road onto the Wolfe Ranch Road and drive to the Wolfe Ranch parking area. A short walk leads to what’s left of the century-old ranch. If you follow the trail a bit farther, you’ll see some Ute petroglyphs. More ambitious hikers can continue for a moderately difficult 3-mile round-trip excursion to Delicate Arch, with a spectacular view at trail’s end. You can also see this lovely arch, albeit from a distance, by getting back in your car, continuing down the road for 1 mile, and walking a short trail to the Delicate Arch Viewpoint.

Returning to the park’s main road, turn north (right) and go to the next stop, the Salt Valley Overlook. Varying amounts of iron in the rock, as well as other factors, have caused the various shades and colors in this collapsed salt dome.

Continue now to the view point for Fiery Furnace, which offers a dramatic view of colorful sandstone fins. From here, drive to a pullout for Sand Dune Arch, down a short path from the road, where you’ll find shade and sand along with the arch. It’s a good place for kids to play. The trail also leads to Broken Arch (which isn’t broken at all; it just looks that way from a distance).

Back on the road, continue to Skyline Arch, which doubled in size in 1940 when a huge boulder tumbled out of it. The next and final stop is the often crowded parking area for the Devils Garden trail head. From here you can hike to some of the most unusual arches in the park, including Landscape Arch, considered the longest natural rock arch in the world.

From the trail head parking lot, it’s 18 miles back to the visitor center.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

From spring through fall, rangers lead 2-mile guided hikes into the Fiery Furnace area daily, by reservation. Cost is $10 per adult, $5 per child from 5 to 12. Children 5 to 13 must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 5 are not permitted. Reservations must be made at least 4 days in advance (no more than 6 months in advance) online at www.recreation.gov. As you hike along, a ranger describes the desert plants, points out hard-to-find arches, and discusses the geology and natural history of the Fiery Furnace. Also see the section on the Fiery Furnace under “Day Hikes,” below. Also from spring through fall, rangers lead daily nature walks from various park locations, and present evening campfire programs, which cover topics such as rock art, geological processes, and wildlife. Check the schedule at the visitor center and on bulletin boards throughout the park.

Park Attractions

Although not many have left their mark in this rugged area, a few intrepid Ute Indians and pioneers have spent time here. Just off the Delicate Arch Trail is a Ute petroglyph panel that includes etchings of horses and possibly of bighorn sheep. Also, near the beginning of the trail is Wolfe Ranch. Disabled Civil War veteran John Wesley Wolfe and his son Fred moved here from Ohio in 1898; John’s daughter Flora, her husband, and their two children arrived in 1907. They left in 1910, after which John’s cabin was destroyed by a flash flood. The cabin used by Flora’s family survived and has been preserved by the Park Service. You’ll see the cabin, a root cellar, and a corral.

Day Hikes

Most trails are short and relatively easy, although because of the hot summer sun and lack of shade, it’s wise to wear a hat and carry plenty of water on any jaunt expected to last more than 1 hour.

Shorter Trails

Balanced Rock Trail This short, easy walk is perfect for visitors who want to stretch their legs and get a great close-up view of the precariously perched Balanced Rock. The loop takes you around the formation. The trail is wheelchair accessible. .3 mile RT. Easy. Access: Balanced Rock parking area, on east side of main park road.

Broken Arch This easy hike, with little elevation change, traverses sand dunes and slickrock to the arch. Watch for the rock cairns, in some places poorly defined, marking the path through the arch. A little farther along is a connecting trail to Sand Dune Arch, about .5 mile out and back. At the end of the loop is a .25-mile walk along the paved campground road back to your car. 1.3 mile RT. Easy. Access: End of Devils Garden Campground across from campsite #40.

Double Arch This easy walk, with very little elevation change, leads you to the third-largest arch opening in the park—don’t be fooled by how small it looks from the parking area. Along your way, look for the Parade of Elephants, off to the left. Once there, you can go a little farther and climb right up under the arch—just be very careful not to disturb the delicate desert vegetation or natural features. To the right of Double Arch are several alcoves that may one day become arches. If you’re visiting in spring, look for the sego lily, Utah’s state flower. It has three lovely cream-colored petals with a reddish-purple spot fading to yellow at the base. .25 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Double Arch parking area, in Windows section of park.

Park Avenue This steep downhill hike takes you into the canyon through scattered Utah juniper, single-leaf ash, blackbrush, and, in spring, wildflowers that sprinkle the sides of the trail with color. The park road allows views of Courthouse Towers, Tower of Babel, Three Gossips, and Organ Rock, but it’s not nearly as awe-inspiring as actually walking among them. Have a friend provide a ride to the starting point so the trip is all downhill, or start at the Courthouse Towers end and make the 320-foot climb first, so the return to your vehicle is downhill. 1 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Park Ave. or Courthouse Towers parking area.

Sand Dune Arch This is an easy walk through low shrubs and grasses to the arch, which is hidden among and shaded by rock walls, with a naturally created giant sandbox below. Please resist the temptation to climb onto the arch and jump down into the sand—not only is it dangerous, but it can damage the arch. Just before Sand Dune Arch, a trail cuts off to the left that leads to Broken Arch, adding 1.2 miles to your hike. Those who try this should watch for mule deer and kit foxes, which inhabit the grassland along the way. .3 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Sand Dune Arch parking area.

Skyline Arch This is an easy walk along a flat, well-defined trail, with a view of Skyline Arch dominating the horizon. On a cold November night in 1940, a large boulder fell from the opening of this arch, doubling its size. .4 mile RT. Easy. Access: Skyline Arch parking area.

The Windows This fairly flat hike leads to three massive arches, two of which appear to be almost perfectly round windows. It’s a busy trail, but you’ll find fewer people if you hike early or late in the day. On your way to North Window, take a short side trip to Turret Arch. Once you reach North and South Windows, take the loop around back and see for yourself why they are sometimes called Spectacles—the scene looks almost like a sea monster poking its large snout up into the air. 1-mile loop. Easy. Access: Windows parking area.

Longer Trails

Delicate Arch Climbing about 480 feet, this hike is considered by many the park’s best and most scenic; it’s also complicated by slippery slickrock, no shade, and some steep drop-offs along a narrow cliff. The reward for your efforts is a dramatic, spectacular view of Delicate Arch. Along the way, you’ll see the John Wesley Wolfe Ranch and have an opportunity to take a side trip to a Ute petroglyph panel that includes drawings of horses and what may represent a bighorn sheep hunt.

When you get back on the main trail, watch for collared lizards, bright-green foot-long creatures with stripes of yellow or rust and black collars. Feeding mostly in the daytime, they particularly enjoy insects and other lizards, and can stand and run on their large hind feet in pursuit of prey. Continuing along the trail, watch for Frame Arch, off to the right. Its main claim to fame is that numerous photographers have used it to “frame” a photo of Delicate Arch in the distance. Just past Frame Arch, the trail gets a little weird, having been blasted out from the cliff.

Should you skip this hike, consider driving to the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail, which provides an ideal location for a photo, preferably with the arch highlighted by a clear blue sky. From the parking area, it is about a 5-minute walk to the viewpoint. 100 yards RT. Easy. Access: Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead.

Devils Garden Primitive Loop The whole Devils Garden loop is a fairly long, strenuous, and difficult hike, from which you can see 15 to 20 arches and some exciting scenery, as well as can’t-miss Landscape Arch. Be sure to take plenty of water, and don’t hurry. A trail guide is available at the trail head, and rangers advise that you not take this trail when the rock is wet or snowy.

You don’t have to go the entire way to see some unusual formations. Just .25 mile from the trail head, a spur takes off to the right down a little hill. Here a left turn takes you to Pine Tree Arch, and turning right brings you to Tunnel Arch.

After returning to the main trail, stay to the left, and soon you’ll reach the turnoff to Landscape Arch, a long (306-ft.), thin ribbon of stone that is one of the most beautiful arches in the park. This is about a 2-mile round-trip trail and is an absolute must-see during a visit to Arches National Park. Geologically speaking, Landscape Arch is quite mature and may collapse any day. Almost immediately after passing Landscape Arch, look to your right for Wall Arch. From here the trail is less well defined, but marked by cairns.

After another .25 mile, a side trip to the left has two spurs leading to Partition Arch, which you could see earlier behind Landscape Arch, and Navajo Arch. The spurs take you right up under the arches. Navajo Arch is shaded, providing a spot to stop and take a breather while absorbing the view.

Once back on the main trail, which gets rougher and slicker as you hike, it’s .5 mile to the strange Double O Arch, where one arch stands atop another. Now you’ve reached another junction. The left spur leads to the Dark Angel, a dark sandstone spire reaching toward the heavens from the desert floor. The right spur takes you on to the primitive loop, a difficult trip through a dramatic desert environment with some drop-offs and narrow ledges. Along this part of the trail is just one major arch, Private Arch, on a short spur to the right. You’ll have the primitive loop almost to yourself—most people turn back at Double O Arch rather than tackle this more difficult trail. 7.2 miles RT. Easy to strenuous. Access: Devils Garden Trailhead.

Fiery Furnace This is a difficult and strenuous hike to some of the most colorful formations in the park. The name comes from the rich reddish glow the rocks take on at sunset.

Guided hikes run daily from spring through fall (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” above). You can also choose to head out on your own, although you must first obtain a permit (there’s a fee) and watch a short video presentation. Trails aren’t marked, so unless you are experienced in the Fiery Furnace, it’s best to join a guided hike. 2 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Fiery Furnace parking area.

Tower Arch This is a short but rugged hike on a primitive trail. It starts with a steep incline to the top of the bluff and proceeds up and down, with great views of the Klondike Bluffs to the right. Beware of the slickrock that makes up part of the trail, and watch for the cairns leading the way. The hardest part is near the end, where you struggle uphill through loose sand. Your reward is a grand sight: the immense Tower Arch standing among a maze of sandstone spires. Climb up under it for a soothing view while you take a much-deserved break. In spring, the majestic, snowcapped La Sal Mountains can be seen to the east through the arch opening. 1.7 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Follow Salt Valley Rd. for 7 miles, turn left toward Klondike Bluffs, and go 1.5 miles to the Tower Arch trail head. (Be careful not to take the left turn just before the Klondike Bluffs Rd., which is a difficult four-wheel-drive road.)

Exploring the Backcountry

There are no designated backcountry trails or campsites, and little of the park is open to overnight camping, but backcountry hiking is permitted. Ask park rangers to suggest routes. No fires are allowed, and hikers must carry their own water and practice low-impact hiking and camping techniques. Those planning to be out overnight need free backcountry permits, available at the visitor center.

Other Sports & Activities

Arches National Park and the surrounding public lands offer plenty for the do-it-yourselfer, and more than 60 local outfitters offer excursions of all kinds just outside the park. They range from rugged mountain-bike treks to relatively comfortable four-wheel-drive adventures. You can also rent a canoe or take a guided boat trip on the Colorado River, which follows the park’s southeast boundary.

The chart below lists some of the major companies that can help you fully enjoy this beautiful country. They are all in Moab. Advance reservations are often required, and it’s best to check with several outfitters before deciding which best fits your needs. When making reservations, be sure to ask about the company’s cancellation policy, just in case.

Biking Bikes are prohibited on all trails and off-road in the backcountry. They are permitted on the scenic drive, although the 18-mile dead-end road is narrow and winding in spots, and can be crowded with motor vehicles during the summer.

Mountain bikers also have the option of tackling one of several four-wheel-drive roads (see the “Four-Wheeling” section, below). Cyclists can get information, as well as rent or repair bikes, at Poison Spider Bicycles, 497 N. Main St. (phone 800/635-1792 or 435/259-7882; www.poisonspiderbicycles.com), which recommends shuttle services from Porcupine Shuttle (phone 435/260-0896). Bike rentals and repairs, plus shuttle services, will be found at Chile Pepper Bike Shop, 702 S. Main St. (phone 888/677-4688 or 435/259-4688; www.chilebikes.com). Bike rentals range from $40 to $65 per day, with discounts for multiday rentals. Bike shuttle services are also available from several of the companies, including Coyote Shuttle (phone 435/260-2097; www.coyoteshuttle.com) and Roadrunner Shuttle (phone 435/259-9402; www.roadrunnershuttle.com).

Several local companies (see “Outfitters,” above) also offer guided mountain-bike tours, with rates starting at about $85 for a half-day and about $110 for a full day. Multiday biking/camping trips are also available.

Boating, Canoeing & Rafting Although there are no bodies of water inside Arches National Park, the Colorado River follows the park’s boundary along its southeast edge, and river-running is a wonderful change of pace from hiking over the park’s dry, rocky terrain. You can travel down the river in a canoe, kayak, large or small rubber raft (with or without a motor), or speedy, solid jet boat.

Do-it-yourselfers can rent kayaks or canoes for $40 to $65 for a full day, or rafts starting at $70 for a full day. Half-day guided river trips start at about $45 per person; full-day trips are usually $55 to $75 per person. Multiday rafting expeditions, which include meals and camping equipment, start at about $300 per person for 2 days. Jet-boat trips, which cover a lot more river in a given amount of time, cost about $50 for 2 hours, and from $80 for a half-day trip. Children’s rates are usually 10% to 20% lower. Some companies also offer sunset or dinner trips. See the chart.

Public boat-launching ramps are opposite Lion’s Park, near the intersection of U.S. 191 and Utah 128; at Take-Out Beach, along Utah 128 about 10 miles east of its intersection with U.S. 191; and at Hittle Bottom, also along Utah 128, about 24 miles east of its intersection with U.S. 191. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (phone 801/539-1311 [recording]; www.cbrfc.noaa.gov) provides information on river flows and reservoir conditions.

Four-Wheeling There aren’t as many four-wheel-drive opportunities here as in nearby Canyonlands National Park, but there are a few, including the Salt Valley Road and the Willow Flats Road, both of which can be extremely slick after a rain and are open to four-wheel-drive vehicles and mountain bikes. Check at the visitor center for directions and current conditions.

Rock Climbing Technical climbing is permitted in some areas of the park, but only for experienced climbers. In addition, it is prohibited on many of the park’s best-known arches, as well as Balanced Rock and a few other locations. Special permits are not required for day trips. Information is available from park rangers.

Several local companies offer instruction and guided climbs in surrounding areas, with rates for full-day climbs generally from $150 to $200 per adult with two people going. Contact Desert Highlights, 50 E. Center St. (P.O. Box 1342), Moab, UT 84532 (phone 800/747-1342 or 435/259-4433; www.deserthighlights.com), Moab Desert Adventures, 415 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532 (phone 877/765-6622 or 435/260-2404; www.moabdesertadventures.com), or Moab Cliffs & Canyons, 253 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532 (phone 877/641-5271 or 435/259-3317; www.cliffsandcanyons.com). For climbing equipment, you’ll find one of the best selections anywhere, at reasonable prices, at Gearheads, 471 S. Main St. (phone 435/259-4327), which also offers free filtered water (bring your own jugs).

Camping

Inside the Park

At the north end of the park’s scenic drive, Devils Garden Campground is Arches’ only developed campground. The sites nestle among rocks, with plenty of pinyon and juniper trees. In the summer, the campground fills early, so it’s a good idea to get reservations (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov; $9 booking fee) to make sure you’ll have a site. Reservations are available March through October. Summer campers who haven’t made reservations should arrive early; sites are available beginning at 7:30am.

Near the Park

More than a dozen commercial campgrounds are in and around Moab. Located at the junction of U.S. 191 and U.S. 313, Arch View Resort RV Camp Park, U.S. 191 (P.O. Box 938), Moab, UT 84532 (www.archviewresort.com; phone 800/813-6622 or 435/259-7854), offers all the usual RV hookups, showers, and other amenities you’d expect in a first-class commercial RV park, plus great views into the park and trees throughout. Arch View has a grassy tent area, convenience store, pool, and playground, as well as propane, gasoline, and diesel sales. There are also log cabins and upscale cottages ($50 and up for two).

Canyonlands Campground, 555 S. Main St., Moab, UT 84532 (www.canyonlandsrv.com; phone 800/522-6848 or 435/259-6848), is surprisingly shady and quiet, given its in-town location. It’s convenient to Moab’s restaurants and shopping. Onsite is a convenience store with food and some RV supplies. RV hookups include cable TV, and there is Wi-Fi throughout the campground. There are also six camping cabins ($58 double).

The Moab KOA, 3225 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (www.moabkoa.com; phone 800/562-0372 for reservations, or 435/259-6682), about 3 miles south of Moab, has trees and great views of the La Sal Mountains. It has a miniature golf course, game room, playgrounds, cable TV hookups, Wi-Fi, and a convenience store with RV supplies and propane. About half of the sites are for tents only. There are also one- and two-room camping cabins ($51–$65 double), plus some more upscale cottages with kitchens and bathrooms at about $150.

On the north side of Moab, near the intersection of U.S. 191 and Utah 128, is Moab Valley RV Resort, 1773 N. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (www.moabvalleyrv.com; phone 435/259-4469). All sites offer great views of the surrounding rock formations. The park accommodates practically any size RV in its extralarge pull-through sites and provides cable television connections on full RV hookups. There are trees and patches of grass for both tenters and RVers, as well as Wi-Fi. You can refuel at the convenience store, which sells propane, groceries, and RV and camping supplies. Dogs are permitted in RV sites, but not in tent sites or cabins. There are 18 cabins and cottages (starting at $55 for two).

You’ll find campgrounds at nearby Canyonlands National Park (see “Camping” in chapter 8) and in areas under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Utah state parks. The Mountain View RV Park and Campground in Monticello (included in the campground chart here) is discussed in chapter 8. Also check at the Moab Information Center (see “Park Information,” earlier in this chapter).

Where to Stay

There are no lodging facilities inside the park.

Near the Park

Moab is the nearest town to Arches (5 miles south). Room rates are generally highest from March through October—with the highest rates often in September—and sometimes drop by up to half in winter. High season rates are listed here; call or check websites for off-season rates.

Most visitors are here for the outdoors and don’t plan to spend much time in their rooms; as a result, many book into one of the fully adequate chain and franchise motels, most of which are located on Moab’s Main Street (zip code 84532). Franchises here include our favorite, the very well-maintained but pricey La Quinta Inn, 815 S. Main St. (www.lq.com; phone 435/259-8700), which is pet friendly and charges from $169 double. Other more-than-adequate franchises, with rates in the same general area, include Super 8, on the north edge of Moab at 889 N. Main St. (www.super8.com; phone 435/259-8868), which is the town’s largest lodging, with almost 150 units; Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn, 16 S. Main St. (www.bestwesternutah.com; phone 435/259-2300); Best Western Plus Greenwell Inn, 105 S. Main St. (www.bestwesternutah.com; phone 435/259-6151); and Comfort Suites, 800 S. Main St. (www.choicehotels.com; phone 435/259-5252). You’ll generally find lower rates at Days Inn, 426 N. Main St. (www.daysinn.com; phone 435/259-4468); Motel 6, 1089 N. Main St. (www.motel6.com; phone 435/259-6686); and Sleep Inn, 1051 S. Main St. (www.moabsleepinn.com; phone 435/259-4655). Website listings for the major hotel/motel chains are in chapter 38.

Also see the cabins at Arch View Resort RV Camp Park, Canyonlands Campground & RV Park, Moab KOA, and Moab Valley RV Resort, listed under “Camping,” above.

Pets are not accepted unless otherwise noted.

Big Horn Lodge Spacious rooms with log furniture and knotty pine walls give the Big Horn its lodgelike atmosphere. All of the well-maintained units have two queen-size beds, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, dataports, hair dryers, and bathrooms with tub/showers. Bikes are permitted in the rooms. The property has an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub, a coin-op laundry, and a restaurant. All units are smoke-free.

550 S. Main St., Moab, UT 84532. www.moabbighorn.com. phone 800/325-6171 or 435/259-6171. Fax 435/259-6144. 58 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $90–$120 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted; $5 per night.

Bowen Motel This older family-owned and -operated motel offers fairly large, comfortable, clean, basic rooms with attractive wallpaper, a king-size or one or two queen-size beds, Wi-Fi, and combination tub/showers. Some units have a refrigerator and microwave; family units sleep up to six persons each, and there is an 1,800-square-foot guesthouse with three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a complete kitchen (about $300 per night). Facilities include an outdoor heated swimming pool. All units are smoke-free.

169 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532. www.bowenmotel.com. phone 800/874-5439 or 435/259-7132. Fax 435/259-6641. 40 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $84–$109 double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted; $10 per-night fee.

Cali Cochitta Bed & Breakfast For a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of Moab, head to the Cali Cochitta (Aztec for “House of Dreams”), a handsomely restored late-1800s Victorian home, with great views of the surrounding mountains and red rock formations. The spacious guest rooms have queen-size beds, handsome wood furnishings (including many antiques), and cotton robes. Our favorite room is the romantic “Cane,” which has a high queen-size mahogany sleigh bed and French glass doors. The cottages have refrigerators, and the suite can be rented as one or two rooms. The B&B has Wi-Fi, and all units have TVs, hair dryers, and down comforters. Breakfasts include a hot entree (often prepared with herbs from the inn’s garden), plus fresh muffins or other baked goods, fruit, and beverages. Bike storage is available. All units are smoke-free.

110 S. 200 E., Moab, UT 84532. www.moabdreaminn.com. phone 888/429-8112 or 435/259-4961. Fax 435/259-4964. 6 units. A/C, TV. Mar–Oct $135–$175 double; Nov–Feb $90–$140 double. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V.

The Lazy Lizard International Hostel On the south side of town behind the A-l Self-Storage units, this hostel offers exceptionally clean, comfortable lodging at bargain rates for those willing to share. The main house, which is air-conditioned, has basic dorm rooms plus two private units. A separate building contains four additional private rooms, which look much like older motel units. The best facilities are the cabins, constructed of real logs and holding beds for up to six. There’s also a camping area (no hookups). Everyone shares the bathhouses, and there’s a phone in the main house. Guests also have use of a fully equipped kitchen; living room with TV, VCR, and movies; coin-op laundry; gas barbecue grill; and picnic tables. Groups should inquire about the nearby houses, which rent by the night ($120–$260 for 12–30 people).

1213 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532. www.lazylizardhostel.com. phone 435/259-6057. 25 dorm beds, 10 private rooms, 8 cabins; total capacity 65 persons. A/C. $10 dorm bed; $29 private room double occupancy; $33 cabin double occupancy; $7 per person camping space. Hostel membership not required. MC, V.

Red Stone Inn This centrally located motel is comfortable, quiet, and an especially good choice for mountain bikers. The exterior gives the impression that these are cabins, and the theme continues inside, with log furniture, knotty-pine walls, and colorful posters and maps of area attractions. Rooms are a bit on the small side, although perfectly adequate and spotlessly maintained. All rooms have microwaves, 10-cup coffeemakers (with coffee supplied), refrigerators, and DSL dataports. Three units accessible for travelers with disabilities have tub/showers; the rest have showers only. There’s an indoor hot tub, a 24-hour self-service coin-op laundry, a covered picnic area with tables and gas barbecue grills, and a bike work stand and bike wash station. Bikes are permitted in the rooms. There is no swimming pool on the premises, but guests have access to an outdoor heated pool at the motel across the street.

535 S. Main St., Moab, UT 84532. www.moabredstone.com. phone 800/772-1972 or 435/259-3500. Fax 435/259-2717. 52 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $90–$99 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted; $5 fee.

Sunflower Hill Luxury Inn This upscale country-style retreat, 3 blocks off Main Street, is our choice for a relaxing escape. The elegant rooms are individually decorated—for instance, the Summer House Suite boasts a colorful garden-themed mural—with handmade quilts on the queen-size beds, DVD/VCR players, bathrobes, and Molton Brown toiletries. Deluxe rooms have jetted tubs and private balconies. The popular French Bedroom includes a hand-carved antique bedroom set, stained-glass window, vaulted ceiling, white lace curtains, and large whirlpool tub and separate tiled shower. The lush grounds are grassy and shady, with fruit trees and flowers, and a delightful swimming pool, all lending the air of an oasis. The substantial breakfast buffet includes fresh-baked breads and pastries, honey-almond granola, fresh fruits, and a hot entree such as a vegetable frittata, Belgian waffles, or a savory potato omelet. Guests have the use of an outdoor heated pool, hot tub, swing, picnic table, barbecue, locked bike storage, and self-serve laundry. The units are all smoke-free.

185 N. 300 East, Moab, UT 84532. www.sunflowerhill.com. phone 800/662-2786 or 435/259-2974. Fax 435/259-3065. 12 units. A/C TV. Mid-Mar to Oct $169–$239 double; Nov to mid-Mar $120–$180 double. Rates include full breakfast and evening refreshments. AE, DISC, MC, V. Children 9 and under are generally not allowed.

Where to Eat

There are no restaurants inside the park.

Near the Park

In addition to the restaurants discussed here, Moab has a 24-hour Denny’s at 191 N. U.S. 191 (phone 435/259-8839; www.dennys.com). To view the menus of practically every restaurant in town, see www.moabhappenings.com.

Those looking for a Western-style dinner along with a foot-stompin’ good time will want to make their way to the Bar-M Chuckwagon Live Western Show and Cowboy Supper, 7 miles north of Moab on U.S. 191 (phone 800/214-2085 or 435/259-2276; www.barmchuckwagon.com). Diners go through a supper line to pick up sliced roast beef or barbecued chicken, baked potatoes, baked pinto beans, cinnamon applesauce, buttermilk biscuits, cake, and nonalcoholic beverages. Vegetarian meals can be prepared with advance notice, and beer and wine coolers are available. After dinner, a stage show entertains with Western-style music, jokes, and down-home silliness from the Bar-M Wranglers. The grounds, which include a small Western village and gift shop, open at 6:30pm, with gunfights starting at 7pm, dinner at 7:30pm, and the show following supper. The Bar-M is usually open from April through mid-October, but is closed several evenings each week; call for the current schedule. Supper and show cost $28 for adults, $14 for children 4 to 12, and free for kids 3 and younger. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Another themed dining experience is available from Canyonlands by Night & Day (phone 800/394-9978 or 435/259-5261; www.canyonlandsbynight.com), which offers a variety of excursions in the area, including an evening river trip, operating spring through fall, that combines a 1 1/2-hour sunset jet-boat ride with a Dutch-oven dinner. Cost for the boat trip and dinner is $70 for adults and $60 for children 4 to 12 (minimum age 4), with a family rate of $215 for two adults and two children. Reservations are recommended. The office and dock are just north of Moab at the Colorado River Bridge.

Scouting movie locations Around Moab

Pick up a free “Moab Movie Locations” brochure in the Moab Information Center, Center and Main streets (or download it from the website, www.discovermoab.com/movie.htm), and you can head to your favorite movie locations in the area. See where scenes for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) were shot in Arches National Park. At Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky, Max von Sydow as Christ delivered the Sermon on the Mount in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965); he stood facing the Green River at the Green River Overlook on a rock to the left of the fence. Just 2,000 years later in cinematic time, the two heroines of Thelma & Louise (1991) drove off the cliff under Dead Horse Point 10 miles down the Shafer Trail (also called Potash Road), an unpaved road off Rte. 279, 19 miles south of Moab. Earlier in the film, at Arches’ Courthouse Towers, they locked a pursuing police officer in his patrol car trunk, and several chase scenes were filmed in the La Sal Mountains outside the town of La Sal off Rte. 46.

For fans of westerns, in Rio Grande (1950), John Wayne rescued kidnapped cavalry children from a pueblo just off Utah Scenic Byway 128, a half-mile up a dirt road from Milepost 19, and located a hideout in The Comancheros (1961), 1 mile east of Milepost 21. In Cheyenne Autumn (1964), cavalryman Richard Widmark chased the Cheyenne across a flat area south of the Arches’ South Park Avenue. And Devils Garden in Arches served as the site where an Indian ambush trapped the U.S. Cavalry in the truly terrible Taza, Son of Cochise (1954), starring Rock Hudson and Barbara Rush. More recent movies that shot scenes in the area include Geronimo, City Slickers II, Mission Impossible II, 127 Hours, and Guns, Girls, and Gambling.

Buck’s Grill House AMERICAN WESTERN Among Moab’s best choices for steak, this popular restaurant also does a lot of other things well. The dining room’s subdued Western decor is accented by exposed wood beams and local artwork, and there are two patios—one open air and one heated and covered. There’s also a bar, the Vista Lounge. Especially good is the grilled sirloin or New York strip; the buffalo meatloaf, with black onion gravy; or the slow-cooked elk stew. Southwestern dishes include duck tamale with grilled pineapple salsa, and the ground chuck or bison burgers are an especially good deal at $10. Pasta and vegetarian items are also served. Buck’s offers full liquor service and a good wine list and serves a variety of Utah microbrews.

1393 N. U.S. 191, about 1 1/2 miles north of town. phone 435/259-5201. www.bucksgrillhouse.com. Main courses $9–$38. DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30pm–closing.

Eddie McStiff’s AMERICAN This bustling, noisy brewpub is half family restaurant and half bar, with a climate-controlled garden patio bar as well. The dining room has a Southwest decor, and the bar has the look of a Old West saloon—long bar, low light, and lots of wood. You can’t beat the fresh-ground burgers here—beef, buffalo, salmon, turkey, and veggie—but the menu also includes a good variety of grill items, pasta, and excellent pizzas. Specialties include grilled Atlantic salmon and slow-smoked barbecued ribs, and prime rib is available after 4:30pm. About a dozen fresh-brewed beers are on tap, and full liquor service is available.

In McStiff’s Plaza, 57 S. Main St. (just south of the information center). phone 435/259-2337. www.eddiemcstiffs.com. Main courses $8–$19. DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–midnight.

Moab Brewery ECLECTIC Fresh ales brewed on-site, along with a wide variety of steaks, sandwiches, salads, soups, vegetarian dishes, and assorted house specialties, are served at this open, spacious microbrewery and restaurant on the south side of town. It’s popular with families, who gobble down basic American fare such as half-pound burgers, fresh fish including good salmon tacos, and our top choice here—the St. Louis smoked pork ribs. The huge dining room is decorated with light woods, outdoor sports equipment—including a hang glider on the ceiling—and local artwork. Patio dining is available. You can sample the brews—from wheat ale to oatmeal stout—at the separate bar. Aside from the wares in the gift shop, you can also purchase beer-to-go in half-gallon jugs. Beer is sold in the bar; in the restaurant, diners can purchase beer, wine, or mixed drinks.

686 S. Main St. phone 435/259-6333. www.themoabbrewery.com. Main courses $7–$22. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11:30am–10:30pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–11:30pm.

Moab Diner & Ice Cream Shoppe AMERICAN/SOUTHWESTERN Late risers can get breakfast—about the best in town—all day here, featuring the usual egg dishes, biscuits and gravy, and a spicy breakfast burrito. Hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads are the offerings at lunch. For dinner, it’s steak, shrimp, and chicken, plus liver and onions. The green chili is excellent. In addition to ice cream, you can get malts and shakes, plus sundaes with seven different toppings. The decor is old-time diner, with comfy red vinyl booths, a bit of neon, photos of classic cars, and old Coca-Cola ads. No alcoholic beverages are served.

189 S. Main St. phone 435/259-4006. www.moabdiner.com. Main courses $5.75–$11 breakfast and lunch, $7.25–$15 dinner. MC, V. Mon–Sat 6am–10pm. Closed New Year’s, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Sunset Grill AMERICAN Perched on a hill at the north edge of Moab, this fine restaurant offers the best sunset views in town. Once the home of uranium miner Charles Steen, the Sunset Grill contains four tastefully decorated dining rooms and three patios. A favorite of locals celebrating special events, the restaurant serves excellent steaks, hand-cut in-house, plus such treats as roasted half duck with a raspberry sauce; and a grilled salmon filet with an Asian glaze and served in a light soy-sherry cream sauce. Texas-style prime rib sells out often, so get here early if it’s your first choice. The menu also includes a number of chicken dishes and several pasta selections. Full liquor service is available.

900 N. U.S. 191. phone 435/259-7146. www.sunsetgrillmoab.com. Main courses $14–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 5pm–closing.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

The best grocery store in town is City Market, 425 S. Main St. (phone 435/259-5181; www.citymarket.com), open daily from 6am to 11pm. You can pick up sandwiches from the deli, assemble your own salad at the salad bar, or choose fresh-baked items from the bakery. The store also sells fishing licenses, money orders, and stamps; offers photo finishing and Western Union services; and has a pharmacy.

For camping supplies and equipment for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities, try Walker Drug & General Store, 290 S. Main St. (phone 435/259-5959); Canyon Voyages Adventure Company, 211 N. Main St. (phone 435/259-6007; www.canyonvoyages.com); Moab Desert Adventures, 415 N. Main St., Moab, UT 84532 (phone 877/765-6622 or 435/260-2404; www.moabdesertadventures.com); or Gearheads, 471 S. Main St. (phone 435/259-4327), which also offers free filtered water (bring your own jugs).

Nearby Attractions

For a delightful escape from the desert heat, take a break at the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve, 934 W. Kane Creek Blvd. (phone 435/259-4629; www.nature.org/wherewework). Owned by the Nature Conservancy, this lush oasis attracts more than 200 species of birds and other wildlife, such as river otters, beavers, and muskrats. The preserve has a wheelchair-accessible 1-mile loop trail, boardwalks over the wet areas, and a two-story viewing blind. Guided bird walks are given (call for the current schedule), and bird and wildlife lists and self-guided tour brochures are available. In late spring and summer, visitors are advised to bring mosquito repellent.

The preserve is open daily year-round from dawn to dusk, and admission is free. From downtown Moab, go south on Main Street to Kane Creek Boulevard (btw. McDonald’s and Burger King); go west about 3⁄4 mile, passing the Moab Public Works Department, to a Y in the road. Take the left fork, and continue for about another 1⁄2 mile to the preserve entrance. From the parking area, a footpath and bridge lead over Mill Creek to an information kiosk and into the preserve.

Many visitors to Arches spend time at nearby Canyonlands National Park. See chapter 8.

Chapter 3: Badlands National Park, SD

by Jack Olson

It’s a strange and seemingly complicated place. From the ragged ridges and saw-toothed spires to the wind-ravaged desolation of Badlands Wilderness Area, Badlands National Park is an awe-inspiring sight and an unsettling experience. Few leave here unaffected by the vastness of this geologic anomaly, which spreads across 381 square miles of moonscape.

Badlands National Park

The Lakota Indians who once traversed this incredible land named it mako sica, or “land bad.” Early French-Canadian trappers labeled it les mauvaises terres à traverser, or “bad lands to travel across.”

Steep canyons, towering spires, and flat-topped tables all appear among Badlands buttes. Despite their apparent complexity, the unusual formations of the Badlands are essentially the result of two basic geologic processes: deposition and erosion.

The layered look of the Badlands comes from sedimentary rocks composed of fine grains that have been cemented into a solid form. Layers with similar characteristics are grouped into units called formations. The bottom formation is the Pierre Shale, deposited 68 to 77 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, when a shallow, inland sea stretched across the Great Plains. The mud of the sea floor hardened into shale, leaving fossil clamshells and ammonites that confirm a sea environment. The sea eventually drained away, and the upper layers of shale were weathered into soil, now seen as Yellow Mounds.

The Chadron Formation, deposited 34 million to 37 million years ago during the Eocene epoch, sits above the Pierre Shale. By this time, a flood plain had replaced the sea, and each time the rivers flooded, they deposited a new layer of sediment on the plain. Alligator fossils indicate that a lush, subtropical forest covered the region. However, mammal fossils dominate. The Chadron is best known for large, elephant-size mammals called titanotheres.

Some of the sediment carried by rivers and wind was volcanic ash, the product of eruptions associated with the creation of the Rocky Mountains. This ash mixed with river and stream sediments to form clay stone, the main material from which Badlands buttes are constructed. After the Eocene epoch, the climate began to dry and cool, and tropical forests gave way to open savanna. Rivers deposited the Brule and Sharps formations during the Oligocene epoch from 28 to 34 million years ago, and today these formations contain the most rugged peaks and canyons of the Badlands.

Actually, the impressive serrated ridges and deep canyons of the Badlands did not exist until about 500,000 years ago, when water began to cut through the layers of rock, carving fantastic shapes into what had been a flat flood plain. Once again, the ancient fossil soils, buried for millions of years, became exposed. That erosion continues: Every time rain falls, or snow melts in spring, more sediment is washed from the buttes in this ongoing work of sculpting the earth. On average, the buttes erode an inch a year; scientists believe that the buttes will be gone in another 500,000 years.

In addition to its scenic wonders, the Badlands are one of the richest Oligocene fossil beds known to exist. Remains of three-toed horses, dog-size camels, saber-toothed cats, giant pigs, and other species have been found here; all date from 28 million to 37 million years ago.

Flora & Fauna

Largely a mixed-grass prairie, the park contains 56 types of grasses, most of which are native species, including green needlegrass and buffalo grass. Wildflowers, including curlycup gumweed and pale purple coneflower, add color, with the best wildflower displays in June and July. You won’t find many trees here.

Wildlife to watch for include bison, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, pronghorns, and mule deer. Darting in and out of the grass are desert and eastern cottontail rabbits. Prairie dogs thrive here; a prairie dog town is just 5 miles down Sage Creek Rim Road. You might also see a prairie rattlesnake slithering through the grass, plus several nonpoisonous snake species.

Avoiding the Crowds

The vastness of the park means that overcrowding is usually not a problem. Entrance stations, visitor centers, park concessions, and the Loop Road can become busy during the height of the summer season, especially in July and August, but most roads, trails, and services are not overtaxed at any time of the year.

As with most other national parks, those wishing to avoid crowds should visit during the shoulder seasons of April to May and September to October. If you must go in summer, visit early in the day, when the numbers of people are lowest and the sun hasn’t begun to scorch the earth. Dawn and dusk are ideal times to photograph the unearthly beauty of the park and are the best times to see wildlife.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Located in extreme southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park is easily accessible by car either on S. Dak. 44 east of Rapid City, or off I-90 at Wall or Cactus Flat. Westbound I-90 travelers take exit 131 south (Cactus Flat) onto S. Dak. 240, which leads to the park boundary and the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass. This road becomes Badlands Loop Road, the park’s primary scenic drive. After passing through the park, S. Dak. 240 rejoins I-90 at exit 110 at Wall. Eastbound travelers do the reverse, beginning in Wall and rejoining I-90 at exit 131.

The Nearest Airport Rapid City Regional Airport (phone 605/393-9924; http://www.rcgov.org/Airport, 10 miles southeast of Rapid City on S. Dak. 44, provides direct access to the Badlands, Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore. American Airlines/American Eagle, Delta/Skywest, United Express, and Allegiant Air operate daily flights to Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Car-rental companies at the airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. See chapter 38 for website listings of major airlines and car-rental companies.

Information

For Badlands National Park information, contact Badlands National Park, P.O. Box 6, Interior, SD 57750 (phone 605/433-5361; www.nps.gov/badl). From the home page, click on “Badlands Visitor Guide” and you’ll get excellent and thorough information.

For information about the area, contact South Dakota Tourism, 711 E. Wells Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 (phone 800/S-DAKOTA [732-5682] or 605/773-3301; fax 605/773-3256; www.travelsd.com), or the Black Hills Visitor Information Center, north side of I-90 at exit 61, Rapid City, SD 57701 (phone 605/355-3600; www.blackhillsbadlands.com), open 8am to 5pm.

The National Park Service distributes a wide variety of brochures on topics including geology, prairie grasses, backpacking, biking, wildlife, plants, and use of horses in the park. You can pick up brochures at the park visitor centers and ranger stations or download them from the park’s website.

The Badlands Visitor Guide, published by the nonprofit Badlands Natural History Association, P.O. Box 47, Interior, SD 57750 (phone 605/433-5489; www.badlandsnha.org), provides up-to-date information on visitor center hours, park programs, camping, and hiking trails.

tips from the Chief of Interpretation

Badlands National Park’s 244,000 acres of stark scenery deserve special attention on any visitor’s itinerary, according to the park’s chief of interpretation, Jennie Albrinck. Just a short drive off I-90, the terrain changes dramatically.

“This park is larger than all of the other National Park Service units in the Midwest combined,” Albrinck notes. “We have a great diversity of stories that converge here—the fossils, the prairie grasses and wildlife, Lakota history, pioneer history, and homesteading. It’s all here waiting to be explored.”

Albrinck suggests allowing no less than 2 days to fully experience the park. “Visitors to the Badlands should at least experience a night in the park. The air is so clear here that the stars shine.”

She also advises visiting in the spring or fall. “The grasses are just greening in spring, the birds are migrating, and the prairie animals are giving birth to their young. In the fall, the canyons and the ravines are filled with beautiful golden colors, the birds are migrating . . . and you can enjoy an uncrowded hike, a bike ride, or just a solitary experience.”

Visitor Centers

Visitor centers are at Cedar Pass and White River. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass is open year-round and features exhibits on the park’s natural and cultural history. The White River Visitor Center, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, is open June through late August only. It includes exhibits about Oglala Sioux history.

Fees

Park entry fees are $15 per passenger vehicle (up to 7 days), motorcycles $10, and each person on foot or bike pays $7. Members of the Oglala Sioux tribe pay half price. Camping costs $15 per site per night at the Cedar Pass Campground; sites with electrical hookups are $28 per night. Camping at Sage Creek Primitive Campground is free.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Water in the Badlands is too full of silt for humans to drink and will quickly clog a water filter. When hiking or traveling in the park, always carry an adequate supply of water. Drinking water is available only at the Cedar Pass area, the White River Visitor Center, and the Pinnacles Ranger Station. No campfires are allowed. Climbing Badlands buttes and rock formations is allowed, but it can be extremely dangerous due to loose, crumbly rock. Unpaved roads in the park can be dangerous in winter and during thunderstorms, when surfaces may become extremely slippery.

Seasons & Climate

Badlands weather is often unpredictable. Heavy rain, hail, and high, often damaging winds are possible, particularly during spring and summer. Lightning strikes are common. Summer temperatures often exceed 100°F (38°C), so sunscreen, a broad-brimmed hat, and plenty of drinking water are essential to avoid severe sunburn, dehydration, and heat stroke. Winter travelers should be aware of approaching storms and be prepared for sleet, ice, heavy snow, and blizzard conditions.

If You Have Only 1 day

It’s relatively easy to explore the highlights of the North Unit of Badlands National Park in a day or less. (Most visitors spend an average of 3–5 hr.) A few miles south of the park’s northeast entrance, the closest entrance to I-90, is the park headquarters. It’s open year-round and includes the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Cedar Pass Lodge, and a campground, amphitheater, and dump station. After you stop at the visitor center exhibits, bookstore, and information desk, and then watch an orientation video (which we recommend), it’s time to hit the trail.

The visitor center is within 5 miles of several trail heads, scenic overlooks, and three self-guided nature trails. Each of the seven trails in the area offers an opportunity to view some of the formations for which the Badlands is famous. The Fossil Exhibit Trail is wheelchair accessible. The Cliff Shelf Nature Trail and the Door Trail are moderately strenuous and provide impressive glimpses of Badlands formations. But none is longer than 1 mile, and you can hike any one of them comfortably in less than an hour. Also, a short hike on the Castle Trail from the Door Trail parking area will take you to some impressive formations. A hike shortly after sunrise from the east will paint the formations in wondrous light, or walk farther past the formations late in the day for delightful color. (See “Day Hikes,” below.)

Leading directly from the visitor center is the 30-mile Badlands Loop Road, the park’s most popular scenic drive. Angling northwest toward the town of Wall, it passes numerous overlooks and trail heads, each of which commands inspiring views of the Badlands and the prairies of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Binoculars will increase your chances of spotting bison, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, and coyote.

The paved portion of the Loop Road ends at the turnoff for the Pinnacles Entrance. Beyond this point, the road becomes the Sage Creek Rim Road, a 30-mile gravel road, at the end of which is the Sage Creek Campground. Five miles west of the end of the pavement, a visit to the Roberts Prairie Dog Town gives you a chance to watch black-tailed prairie dogs.

If You Have More Time Those staying overnight have more opportunities to explore the park at a leisurely pace, taking advantage of some of the other trails, such as the Castle Trail, which connects the Fossil Exhibit Trail and Window Fossil Exhibit Trail, and Notch Trail. You could also take in some of the park’s summer evening ranger programs.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

In addition to these suggestions, look at “Other Sports & Activities,” below.

Motor Coach Tours

Gray Line of the Black Hills, P.O. Box 1106, Rapid City, SD 57709 (phone 800/456-4461 or 605/342-4461; www.blackhillsgrayline.com) does not schedule tours to Badlands National Park, but tours can be arranged by contacting Gray Line at the above number.

Ranger Programs

A limited schedule of naturalist-led walks and programs generally begins in mid-June, and offerings become more frequent as visitation increases. Check the activities board at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center or campground bulletin boards for times, locations, and other details. Activities vary each year but often include the following:

• Evolving Prairie Walk. Generally conducted in the early evening, this 60-minute, 1-mile stroll introduces visitors to the paleontology, prairie, and people of the Badlands. Participants meet at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

• Fossil Talk. Generally slated for midmorning and late afternoon, this program allows participants to join a naturalist for a 20-minute discussion of the geological history and fossil resources of the White River Badlands. It’s wheelchair accessible and meets at the Fossil Exhibit Trail.

• Night Sky Program, or Evening Program. These 45-minute amphitheater programs cover topics such as the night sky, paleontology, geology, the prairie, and the area’s human history. The program is wheelchair accessible and meets at the Cedar Pass Campground amphitheater. The program begins when the sky is dark. The programs are scheduled for 9pm in May through July, 8:30pm in August, and 8pm in September.

Day Hikes

Numerous hiking trails provide a closer look at the Badlands for those adventurous enough to leave the confines of their vehicles. All developed trails start from parking areas within 5 miles of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Cedar Pass.

Castle Trail Winding some 5 miles (10 miles round-trip) through the mixed-grass prairie and badlands, this is the longest developed trail in the park and runs parallel to some interesting formations. The fairly level trail connects the Fossil Exhibit Trail and the Door and Window parking area. Just walking this trail a short distance from the parking area brings the hiker close to outstanding formations. Walk the Castle Trail from the Door parking area in the early morning for wonderful views of the formations. Walk a bit farther in the late day for beautiful color and patterns. To make this a loop, follow the signs and turn off onto the well-marked Medicine Root Trail. The trail is not heavily used, making it an ideal spot to escape the crowds, but it can be treacherous during and just after a heavy rain and, with no tree cover, can be hot on some summer days. 10 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail heads at Fossil Exhibit Trail and at Door Trail parking area.

Cliff Shelf Nature Trail This popular trail takes you through a “slump” area where a good supply of water supports an oasis of green, which stands out in contrast to the stark badlands formations. You can pick up a brochure describing a self-guided excursion at the Visitor Center desk. The trail includes some steep sections and boardwalk stairs. Its parking lot cannot accommodate RVs towing other vehicles. .5 mile RT. Moderate. Access: .5 mile north of Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

Door Trail This trail winds through some of the “baddest” of the Badlands. The first 100 yards to a beautiful view at “The Door” are mostly downhill and accessible, with assistance, to those in wheelchairs. The more rugged section takes off to the right of the viewing area; striped posts mark the way, indicating the safest route. .6 mile RT. Moderate. Access: 2 miles northeast of Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

Fossil Exhibit Trail This easy boardwalk loop will give you an idea of what animal life was like 30 million years ago. Wheelchair accessible. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: 5 miles northwest of Ben Reifel Visitor Center.

Notch Trail This trail takes you up a wash between the buttes, up a 45-degree angle wood-and-rope ladder, a climb that may rattle those afraid of heights. Follow the wash to the “Notch”; you’ll find a striking view over the Cliff Shelf area and the White River Valley. 1.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North end of Door Trail parking area.

Saddle Pass Trail In less than .25 mile, this trail rises steeply 200 feet from the bottom of the Badlands Wall to the top, connecting with the Castle and Medicine Root trails. It’s impassable after rains, so ask about trail conditions at the visitor center before you set out. .5 mile RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Branches off Castle Trail just west of intersection with Medicine Root Trail and leads to Badlands Loop Rd.

Window Trail A 100-yard boardwalk trail leads to a spectacular view through a “window,” or opening, in the Badlands Wall. Wheelchair accessible. .25 mile RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Trail head at center of Door Trail parking area.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park encompasses the largest prairie wilderness in the United States, where expansive grasslands make cross-country travel unique. Vast ranges of classic badlands provide rugged, challenging terrain for even skilled hikers. Wildlife is close and abundant. Best of all, it’s never crowded; hikers often have hundreds of acres to themselves.

The Badlands has no formal system of backcountry permits or reservations. Let friends and relatives know when you depart and when you expect to return. Rangers at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center can assist in planning a safe, enjoyable excursion by offering directions, safety tips, maps, and information sheets.

When planning your backcountry hike, examine past, present, and forecasted weather carefully. With even a small amount of precipitation, some trails can become slick and impassable. Carry water if you think you could be out for as little as a half-hour. Cross-country hikers are encouraged to carry a map, compass, and water, and to wear or carry appropriate clothing. No campfires are allowed. All overnight backcountry hikers should discuss their route with a park ranger before departure.

Spring and fall may be the best times to experience the Badlands backcountry. Days are often pleasant, and nights are cool. In summer, temperatures often exceed 100°F (38°C) and pose health hazards. Avoid heat sickness by drinking plenty of water and avoiding the midday sun. Only the hardiest hikers attempt winter backpacking trips. Severe winter temperatures coupled with strong winds and blizzards make backcountry survival difficult for the unprepared. Winter hikers should speak with a ranger at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center before setting out.

Other Sports & Activities

Aerial Tours If you want to see the Badlands from above, you have two options: helicopter and hot-air balloon. Badger Helicopters (phone 605/433-5322) takes off near the park’s east entrance (take I-90, exit 131) between mid-May and mid-September. Call for current rates.

Those looking for a hot-air-balloon adventure can contact Black Hills Balloons (phone 605/673-2520; www.blackhillsballoons.com), which offers flights over the Badlands and Black Hills year-round.

Biking Off-road biking is not allowed in the park, but the Loop Road is accessible to bikes. There are bike racks at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. The 22-mile route from Pinnacles Overlook to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center is mostly downhill (though there are several steep passes to climb). Many bikers ride along Sage Creek Rim Road, past the prairie dog town, to spectacular views of the Badlands wilderness. During summer, though, car traffic is heavy and the temperatures hot. There are no bike rentals available in the park.

Horseback Riding Several companies offer guided trail rides through the backcountry of the Badlands (and the Black Hills). They include family-run Dakota Badland Outfitters (phone 605/574-3412; www.ridesouthdakota.com). Call for rates, activities, and reservations.

Camping

A chart summarizing facilities at campgrounds in the Badlands and Black Hills area is in chapter 6.

Inside the Park

Camping is available inside Badlands National Park at the Cedar Pass Campground and the Sage Creek Primitive Campground, on a first-come, first-served basis. Both are suitable for tents and small RVs, and offer scenic views but little shade. Campfires are not permitted. Cedar Pass Campground, with 96 sites, is just off the Loop Road and has an amphitheater and the Night Sky Interpretive Area. Sage Creek Primitive Campground is at the end of Sage Creek Rim Road, a gravel road that begins at the point where the park’s Loop Road turns toward the Pinnacles Entrance. Impassable roads may limit access in winter. Up to 15 camping “units” can be accommodated.

Backcountry camping is also permitted (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” above).

Near the Park

Badlands Ranch and Resort is much more than a campground. Here, in addition to the amenities noted in the campground chart in chapter 6, you’ll find a barbecue area with gas grills, pool, whirlpool, playground, good fishing, rock hunting, and trail rides. For details, see “Where to Stay,” below.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Cedar Pass Lodge Cabins The Cedar Pass Lodge, adjacent to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, offers rustic but comfortable cabins in a great location. This is the spot to be to see the Badlands at dawn and dusk—an incredible experience.

Badlands National Park, P.O. Box 5, Interior, SD 57750. www.cedarpasslodge.com. phone 877/386-4383. 22 cabins. A/C, TEL. $85 double. Cabin with private bathroom $100, cottage $115. AE, DISC, MC, V. May close mid-Oct to mid- Apr; check with lodge.

the famous Wall Drug Store

You’ll see the signs offering free ice water at Wall Drug, 510 Main St., Wall, about 8 miles north of Badlands National Park on S. Dak. 240 and I-90. And you’ll see them almost everywhere you go throughout the Black Hills region, all telling you how many miles it is to the small town of Wall and its eponymous drugstore. In fact, there are now more than 3,000 of these signs, all over the world. The advertising gimmick saved a small-town drugstore in an isolated community from bankruptcy during the Great Depression. Dorothy and Ted Hustead’s marketing also turned their little establishment into a block-long Old West emporium that draws crowds from all over the United States and the world. You can buy pancakes or doughnuts (some of the best in the state, in fact), American Indian crafts, books, jewelry, and Western apparel, and watch the animatronic “cowboy band” perform every 15 minutes. Do you want a “genuine” jackalope? Yes, they’ve got those, too. Oh, and the ice water is still free. There’s free entry to this 76,000-square-foot icon. Want to know more? Go to www.walldrug.com. Summer hours 6:30am to 10pm; fall 7am to 7pm; winter 7am to 5:30pm (Sun 7am–3pm).

Near the Park

The closest lodging outside the park is in the tiny community of Interior. Wall, north of the park, and Rapid City, 55 miles west on I-90, offer hundreds of hotel and motel rooms, as well as quaint bed-and-breakfasts. Reliable chains in Wall include Best Western Plains Motel, 712 Glenn St., Wall, SD 57790 (phone 800/780-72348 or 605/279-2145), which charges $67 to $175 double; Days Inn, 212 10th Ave., Wall, SD 57790 (phone 888/440-2021 or 605/279-2000), $60 to $113 double; and Super 8 Motel, 711 Glenn St., Wall, SD 57790 (phone 888/288-5081 or 605/279-2688), $64 to $95 double. A list of their websites is in chapter 38.

Chapter 6 lists accommodations in Rapid City and the Mount Rushmore area.

Rates vary by season, with the highest rates in summer. Some properties close for the winter.

In Interior

Badlands Ranch and Resort This friendly, year-round resort, which opened in 1997, is on 1,000 picturesque acres with views of the Badlands and plenty of wildlife to see. In addition to several accommodations options, there is a campground (see “Camping,” above). The resort offers a pool and a hot tub, nightly bonfires and cookouts with entertainment, two fishing lakes, and horseback trails (moonlight trail rides can be arranged). If you wish, the owners can help arrange guided tours of the area’s attractions and the adjoining American Indian reservation. Cabins and motel units are comfortable and well maintained. Rooms in the lodge are plusher—we suggest the top-floor honeymoon suite, which has a sunroom, a whirlpool, and great views of the Badlands.

S. Dak. 44 (HCR 53, P.O. Box 3), Interior, SD 57750. www.badlandsranchandresort.com. phone 877/433-5599 or 605/433-5599. 7 cabins, 4 motel units, 33 RV hookups; large lodge space for up to 30. A/C TV. $78–$110 cabin; $58–$68 motel room; $24 RV hookup; $12–$14 tenting; $735 entire lodge. Winter rates negotiable. Lodge room rates include breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. From the park, head west on S. Dak. 44 approx. 6 miles toward Interior; when you pass the KOA Campground, look for the marked turnoff that leads to the resort.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Cedar Pass Lodge Restaurant Located near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center in the park’s North Unit, the lodge’s restaurant (the only dining choice inside the park) has a full menu ranging from buffalo burgers to steaks and trout, as well as ice-cold soft drinks, beer, and wine.

Cedar Pass Lodge. phone 605/433-5460. www.cedarpasslodge.com. Main courses $13–$19. AE, DISC, MC, V. 3 meals daily; call for hours. May close Oct to mid-Apr; check with lodge.

Near the Park

The towns around Badlands National Park, Interior, and Wall (see the sidebar “The Famous Wall Drug Store,” above) offer several dining choices. Establishments in Rapid City and the communities surrounding Mount Rushmore are listed in chapter 6.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Badlands National Park has two designated picnic areas, though you’re likely to see people munching at nearly every overlook and trail head in the park. Conata Picnic Area is on Conata Road, just south of Dillon Pass and the Badlands Loop Road in the North Unit. It has tables, trash cans, and pit toilets. Camping and fires are not allowed, and there is no drinking water available. Big Foot Picnic Area is near Big Foot Pass on the Badlands Loop Road in the North Unit, about 7 miles northwest of the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. It also has tables and pit toilets, but no drinking water. Camping and fires are not allowed.

Chapter 4: Big Bend National Park, TX

by Eric Peterson

Vast and wild, Big Bend National Park is a land of extremes, diversity, and a few contradictions. Its rugged terrain harbors thousands of species of plants and animals, some seen almost nowhere else on Earth. A visit to the park can be a hike into the sunbaked desert, a float down a majestic canyon-land river, or a trek in mountains where black bears and mountain lions rule.

Big Bend National Park

Geologists tell us that an inland sea once covered this area. As it dried up, sediment of sand and mud turned to rock. Tectonic plates collided and mountains were created; later on, volcanic eruptions created further upheaval. It took millions of years of geologic activity and erosion to form the delightful canyons and rock formations we marvel at today. These rock formations, with their wonderful hues of red, orange, yellow, white, and brown, have created a unique and awe-inspiring world of immense and rugged beauty. This is not a fantasyland of delicate shapes and intricate carvings, such as Bryce Canyon in Utah, but a powerful and dominating landscape. Although the greatest natural sculptures are in the park’s three major river canyons—the Santa Elena, Marsical, and Boquillas—throughout Big Bend you’ll find spectacular and majestic examples of what nature can do with this mighty yet malleable building material we call rock.

Visitors to Big Bend National Park encounter not only a geologic wonder, but also a wild, rugged wilderness populated by myriad desert and mountain plants and animals, ranging from box turtles and black-tailed jackrabbits, to the piglike javelinas, to powerful black bears and mountain lions. The park is considered a birders’ paradise, with more species than at any other national park. It’s also a wonderful spot to see wildflowers and the colorful display of cactus blooms.

For hikers, the park offers a tremendous variety of options, from easy walks to rugged backcountry routes that barely qualify as trails. There are also opportunities to let the Rio Grande do the work, carrying watersports enthusiasts on rafts, canoes, and kayaks through canyons carved into 1,500 feet of solid rock. Adventurers with 4WDs enjoy exploring the backcountry roads, and history buffs enjoy a number of historical attractions and cultural experiences.

Avoiding the Crowds

Average annual visitation is just over 350,000. Although the park is relatively uncrowded much of the year, lodging and campgrounds fill during several periods: college spring break (usually in Mar and early Apr), Easter weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, and the last week of December. Park visitation is generally highest in March and April and lowest in August and September.

Although the park’s visitor centers, campgrounds, and other developed facilities may be overburdened during busier times, visitors can still get some breathing room by seeking out lesser-used hiking trails. Discuss your hiking skills and expectations with rangers, who can offer advice on the best areas to get away from the crowds.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Big Bend National Park is not really close to anything except the Rio Grande and Mexico. There is no public transportation to or through the park. The gateway towns of Marathon and Terlingua/Study Butte are quite small and remote.

Park headquarters is 108 miles southeast of the town of Alpine on Tex. 118 and 69 miles south of Marathon on U.S. 385. There is train and bus service to Alpine, where you’ll also find car rentals and the nearest hospital to the park. For information, contact the Alpine Chamber of Commerce, 106 N. 3rd St., Alpine, TX 79830 (phone 800/561-3712 or 432/837-2326; www.alpinetexas.com).

From El Paso, 323 miles northwest of the park, take I-10 east 121 miles to exit 140, follow U.S. 90 southeast 99 miles to Alpine, then turn south on Tex. 118 for 108 miles to park headquarters.

The Nearest Airport The nearest commercial airport is Midland International (phone 432/560-2200; www.flymaf.com), 225 miles north and served by American Eagle, Continental Express, United Express, and Southwest. From the airport, located between Midland and Odessa, take I-20 west about 50 miles to exit 80 for Tex. 18, which you follow south about 50 miles to Fort Stockton. From there, take U.S. 385 south 125 miles through Marathon to park headquarters. Website listings for airlines and car-rental agencies are in chapter 38.

Park Information

For information, contact Big Bend National Park, P.O. Box 129, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834 (phone 432/477-2251; www.nps.gov/bibe).

The free park newspaper, The Paisano, published seasonally by the National Park Service, is a great source of information on seminars, new and special publications, suggested hikes, kids’ activities, and local facilities.

Books, maps, and videos are available from Big Bend Natural History Association, P.O. Box 196, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834 (phone 432/477-2236; www.bigbendbookstore.org). The Big Bend Guide (Great Texas Line Press, 2008) is a good introduction to the what and why of the park, describing in detail the drives, hikes, and attractions in the area. Several Park Service booklets detail improved and unimproved roads and hiking trails. A particularly good hiking guide is Hiking Big Bend National Park, 2nd edition (Falcon Press, 2005), by Laurence Parent. Those planning backpacking trips will also want to get the appropriate topographical maps, which, along with the publications discussed above, are available at the park’s visitor centers or by mail from the Big Bend Natural History Association.

For information on nearby attractions, as well as places to stay and eat, contact the Big Bend Area Travel Association (www.visitbigbend.com).

Visitor Centers

The park has five visitor centers. Panther Junction Visitor Center (open daily year-round) is centrally located at park headquarters; Persimmon Gap Visitor Center (open Nov–Apr) is at the north entrance to the park on U.S. 385; Rio Grande Village Visitor Center (open Nov–Apr) is on the river in the eastern part of the park; Castolon Visitor Contact Station (open Nov–Apr) is near the river in the southwest end of the park; and Chisos Basin Visitor Center (open year-round) is in the Chisos Mountains in the middle of the park, at 5,401 feet in elevation.

All visitor centers provide information, backcountry permits, books, and maps. They also have exhibits; a particularly impressive display on mountain lions is at Chisos Basin. Bulletin boards with schedules of ranger programs, notices of animal sightings, and other visitor information are at each of the visitor centers.

tips from a Park Ranger

“This park has something for everyone,” says David Elkowitz, Big Bend’s chief of interpretation and visitor services. High among the park’s assets, he says, is its variety of activities, including both easy day hikes and extended backpacking trips, bird-watching, wildlife viewing, river running, and camping.

Big Bend is not a good choice for a quick visit, and Elkowitz recommends that people spend at least 3 days. “Be prepared for long distances, and don’t expect all the amenities you might find in other places,” he says.

Although Big Bend is one of America’s less visited national parks, Elkowitz says that it does get busy occasionally, particularly during spring break, usually March and early April, when college students arrive en masse to hit the trails. The hottest months are May and June, according to Elkowitz, adding that the heat of July and August is usually tempered by afternoon thunderstorms. September is among the slowest times in the park, and it can be very nice, although still hot. “October is a great time, still quiet and a bit cooler,” he says.

Elkowitz advises summer visitors to avoid hiking in the desert, but it’s a “good time to visit the higher and cooler Chisos Mountains, which offer camping and miles of good trails.” Here it can be 20° cooler than on the river. He also recommends hiking into the high country from October through December to see the beautiful fall colors. On the other hand, the desert is a “wonderful choice for fall and winter hiking into remote areas, with few, if any, other visitors.”

Fees & Permits

Entry into the park for up to a week costs $20 per passenger vehicle and $10 per person on foot or bicycle. Camping costs $14 per night in the three developed campgrounds. The concession-operated RV campground at Rio Grande Village has full hookups, costing $27. A $10 camping permit, available at any visitor center, is required for all backcountry camping; $10 permits are also required for all river-float trips (see “Camping” and “River Running,” later in this chapter).

Special Regulations & Warnings

Watch for wildlife along the roads, particularly javelinas, reptiles, deer, and rabbits. Be especially alert at night, when they may be blinded by your vehicle’s headlights and freeze in the middle of the road. Feeding wildlife is prohibited, not only to minimize the risk of injuries to park visitors, but also because it’s bad for the animals.

The Basin Road Scenic Drive into the Chisos Mountains has sharp curves and steep grades, and is not recommended for trailers longer than 20 feet or RVs longer than 24 feet. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Castolon is okay for most RVs and trailers but can present a problem for vehicles with insufficient power to handle the steep grade. These roads require extra caution by all users—drivers of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Horses are not permitted on any paved roads in the park.

Desert heat can be dangerous. Hikers should carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day; wear a hat, long pants, and long sleeves; and use a good sunscreen. Don’t depend on springs as water sources, and avoid hiking in the middle of the day in summer. Early mornings and evenings are best for both comfort and sightseeing. Talk to rangers about your plans before heading out; they can help you plan a hike according to your ability and time frame. Check with rangers about weather forecasts—sudden summer thunderstorms are common and can cause flash flooding in dry washes and canyons.

Swimming is not recommended in the Rio Grande, even though it may look tantalizing on a summer day. Waste materials and waterborne microorganisms have been found in the river and can cause serious illness. Strong undercurrents, deep holes, and sharp rocks in shallow water are common. Should you decide to swim in spite of these conditions, be sure to wear a life jacket.

Wood or ground fires are prohibited, and caution is advised when using camp stoves, charcoal grills, and cigarettes. Smoking is prohibited on all trails in Chisos Basin. Check at the visitor centers for current drought conditions and for any special restrictions that may be in effect when you visit.

Crossing the Rio Grande for a visit to Mexico was once a staple of a visit to Big Bend, but the Department of Homeland Security now frowns on the practice. Beware: DHS can slap violators with a $5,000 fine and a year of imprisonment.

Seasons & Climate

Weather here is generally mild to hot, although because of the vast range of elevations—from about 1,800 feet at the eastern end of Boquillas Canyon to 7,825 feet on Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains—conditions can vary greatly throughout the park at any given time. Essentially, the higher you go, the cooler you can expect it to be. Higher elevations are also wetter, although no section of the park gets a lot of precipitation.

Summers here are hot, often well over 100°F (38°C) in the desert in May and June, and afternoon thunderstorms are common from July through September. Winters are usually mild, although temperatures occasionally drop below freezing, and light snow is possible, especially in the Chisos Mountains. Fall and spring are usually warm and pleasant.

If You Have Only 1 day (Consider Staying a Couple More . . .)

Big Bend National Park is huge, and you can’t hope to see all of it in 1 day or even 2. It’s best to allow at least 3 days, essentially devoting 1 day each to the desert, river, and mountains. If you have a limited amount of time in the park, however, the best choice is to start with the Chisos Basin and see the mountains in the middle of the park. Take the short, easy Window View Trail, a self-guided nature trail (see “Day Hikes,” below) that highlights the flora and fauna of the Chisos Mountains. Then head back down and drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive (see “Exploring the Park by Car,” below) through the Chihuahuan Desert to the Rio Grande. If time allows, hike into Santa Elena Canyon (see “Day Hikes,” below), one of the most beautiful canyons in the park. Finally, take in a ranger program at one of the park amphitheaters.

Exploring the Park by Car

The park has several paved roads—one goes through the park, and others take you to different sections. In addition, there are several roads that require high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles (see “Backcountry Driving,” below).

The park has two scenic drives, both with sharp curves and steep inclines, and not recommended for certain RVs and trailers (see “Special Regulations & Warnings,” above).

The 7-mile Chisos Basin Drive climbs up Green Gulch to Panther Pass before dropping down into the basin. Near the pass are some sharp curves, and parts of the road are at a 10% grade. The views are wonderful any time of the year, particularly when the wildflowers dot the meadows, hills, and roadsides. The best month for wildflowers is usually October, after the summer rains.

When you’ve breathed your fill of clear mountain air, head back down and turn west toward the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive through the Chihuahuan Desert and finally to the Rio Grande. This drive winds through the desert on the west side of the Chisos Mountains, providing a different perspective. Afterward, it passes through Castolon and then continues along and above the river to Santa Elena Canyon. Here you should park and hike the trail, which climbs above the river, offering great views into the steep, narrow canyon (see “Day Hikes,” below).

Another worthwhile drive, recommended for all vehicles, begins at Panther Junction Visitor Center and goes to Rio Grande Village, a distance of 20 miles. From the visitor center, head southeast through the desert toward the high mountains that form the skyline in the distance. The first half of the drive passes through desert grasses, which are finally making a comeback after severe overgrazing in the decades before the establishment of the park in 1944. Recovery is slow in this harsh climate, but the land is beginning to revegetate.

Keeping the wild in Wildlife, or How to Avoid an Unpleasant Encounter

The signs and warnings are everywhere: this is bear and mountain lion country, and although one of the thrills of visiting Big Bend National Park is the opportunity to see wildlife, for the safety of both humans and animals, always keep your distance. Rangers say that since the 1950s, there have been more than 1,000 sightings of mountain lions in the park and numerous sightings of black bears. Although the vast majority of encounters have been uneventful—albeit definitely something to tell your friends about—four people have been attacked by mountain lions in the park. Fortunately, all recovered from their injuries; unfortunately, it was considered necessary to kill the mountain lions.

Hikers, especially in the Chisos Mountains, should be especially careful to minimize the danger of an encounter. First, discuss your hiking plans with park rangers to see if there have been any recent mountain lion sightings where you plan to hike. Don’t hike alone, especially at dawn or dusk. Watch children carefully—never let them run ahead or lag behind. If you do end up face-to-face with a mountain lion, rangers offer these tips: Don’t run, but stand your ground, shout, wave your arms, and try to appear as large as possible. If you have children with you, pick them up. If the mountain lion acts aggressively, throw stones, and try to convince it that you are not prey, but actually dangerous. Then report the incident to a ranger as soon as possible.

The other animal you may see is one of the estimated 10 to 20 black bears that live in the Chisos Mountains. Bears are attracted to food, and the best way to avoid an unwanted encounter is to keep a clean camp. Park rangers recommend that you store all foodstuffs, cooking utensils, and toiletries in a hard-sided vehicle. Food storage lockers are available for hikers and campers in the Chisos Mountains. Always dispose of garbage properly in the receptacles provided. If you see a bear, keep a safe distance; do not approach or follow it, and, never attempt to feed a bear. If a bear approaches you, scare it away by shouting, waving your arms, or throwing rocks or sticks. Watch for cubs—you never want to be between a mother bear and her cubs. Report any bear sightings to a ranger.

Bears and mountain lions aren’t the only wild animals in the park. Many visitors see javelinas (officially known as collared peccaries), which look a bit like their rather distant relatives, pigs, and are very nearsighted. A group of 10 to 20 is often seen in and near Rio Grande Village Campground. Some of them have learned to recognize the crinkling sound of potato chip bags and will run toward the sound in hopes of a snack. Although javelinas are not aggressive, they are easily frightened and could inflict some damage with the javelin-sharp tusks from which they get their name. Please help protect these wild animals: Never actively feed them, and always practice proper food storage.

Also deserving of mention are the park’s poisonous snakes, scorpions, spiders, and centipedes, which are most active during the warmer months. Rangers advise that you watch carefully where you put your feet and hands, and use flashlights at night. Hikers may want to consider wearing high boots or protective leggings. It’s also a good idea to check your shoes and bedding before use. Although few find these creatures cute or cuddly, they are an important part of the park’s ecosystem, and they should be respected and protected—by avoiding them whenever possible.

As you progress farther into the desert, the elevation gradually decreases, and the grasses give way to lechuguilla and ocotillo stalks, cacti, and other arid-climate survivors. To the south is long, rather flat Chilicotal Mountain, named for the chilicote, or mescal-bean bushes, growing near its base. The chilicote’s poisonous red bean is used in Mexico to kill rats. Several miles farther, the River Road turns off and heads southwest toward Castolon, more than 50 miles away. This primitive road is for high-clearance vehicles only.

If you feel adventurous, take the Hot Springs turnoff about a mile beyond the Tornillo Creek Bridge. It follows a rough wash to a point overlooking the confluence of Tornillo Creek and the Rio Grande. A trail along the riverbank leads to several springs. The foundation of a bathhouse is a remnant of the town of Hot Springs, which thrived here about 20 years before the park was established and continued as a concession for another 10 years.

Back on the paved road, you’ll soon pass through a tunnel in the limestone cliff, after which is a parking area for a short trail to a view point overlooking Rio Grande Village. It’s just a quick drive from here to Rio Grande Village, your destination, where you can take a .75-mile nature trail ending at a high point above the Rio Grande that offers terrific views up and down the river, as well as some great bird-watching opportunities.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park ranger naturalists offer a variety of programs year-round. Campground programs take place at the Chisos Basin amphitheater in summer. From November through April, evening programs are offered regularly in the amphitheater at Rio Grande Village and occasionally at Cottonwood Campground. Subjects include the park’s geology, plants, animals, and human history. Rangers also offer guided nature walks and offer guided tours for $35 hourly with a 4-hour minimum; transportation is not provided. Look for weekly schedules on the bulletin boards scattered about the park or check the website.

There are several outfitters that offer river trips and other tours. See “Other Sports & Activities,” later in this chapter.

Park Attractions

There is evidence that prehistoric American Indians and later Apaches, Kiowas, and Comanches occupied this area. Throughout the park you can find petroglyphs, pictographs, and other signs of early human presence, including ruins of stone shelters. Pictographs are along the Hot Springs Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below) and along the river. Watch for mortar holes scattered throughout the park, sometimes a foot deep, where American Indians would grind seeds or mesquite beans.

Also within the park boundaries are the remains of several early-20th-century communities, a mercury mine, and projects by the Civilian Conservation Corps (see below).

The Castolon Historic District, in the southwest section of the park just off the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, includes the remains of homes and other buildings, many stabilized by the National Park Service, that were constructed in the early 1900s by Mexican-American farmers, Anglo settlers, and the U.S. Army. The first is the 1901 Alvino House, the oldest surviving adobe structure in the park. Nearby is La Harmonia Store, built in 1920 to house cavalry troops during the Mexican Revolution but never actually used by soldiers, because the war ended. Two civilians then purchased the building and converted it to a general store. The store continues to operate, selling snacks, groceries, and other necessities.

The village of Glenn Springs, in the southeast section of the park and accessible by dirt road off the main park highway, owes its creation to having a reliable water source in an otherwise arid area. It bears the name of a rancher called H. E. Glenn, who grazed horses in the area until he was killed by American Indians in the 1880s. By 1916 there were several ranches, a factory that produced wax from the candelilla plant, a store, a post office, and a residential village divided into two sections—one for Anglos and the other for Mexicans. But then Mexican bandit-revolutionaries crossed the border and attacked, killing and wounding a number of people, looting the store, and partially destroying the wax factory. Within 3 years, the community was all but deserted. Today the spring still flows, and you can see the remains of several adobe buildings and other structures.

Remains of a small health resort are visible at the Hot Springs, accessible by hiking trail or dirt road, along the Rio Grande west of Rio Grande Village in the park’s southeast section. Construction of the resort was begun in 1909 by J. O. Langford, who was forced to leave during the Mexican Revolution. Langford returned and completed the project in the 1920s, advertising the Hot Springs as “The Fountain of Youth that Ponce de León failed to find.” Today you’ll see the ruins of a general store and post office, other buildings, and a foundation that fills with natural mineral water, at about 105°F (41°C), creating a great place to soak off those post-hike aches and pains.

To get to the Marsical Mine, you will likely need a four-wheel-drive or high-clearance vehicle. Located in the south-central part of the park, it is easiest to reach from River Road East, which begins 5 miles west of Rio Grande Village. The mine operated on and off between 1900 and 1943, producing 1,400 76-pound flasks of mercury (almost one-quarter of the total amount of mercury produced in the United States during that time). Mining buildings, homes, the company store, a kiln, foundations, and other structures remain in what is now a National Historic District.

Also in the park, you can see some excellent examples of work the Civilian Conservation Corps performed in the 1930s and early 1940s. These include stone culverts along the Basin Road, the Lost Mine Trail, and several buildings, including some stone-and-adobe cottages that are still in use at the Chisos Mountain Lodge.

Day Hikes

Shorter Trails

Boquillas Canyon Trail This hike, a good choice for those who want to see some of the area’s birds, begins by climbing a low hill and then drops down to the Rio Grande, ending near a shallow cave and huge sand dune. It affords good views of the scenic canyon and the Mexican village of Boquillas, across the Rio Grande. 1.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of Boquillas Canyon Rd.

Burro Mesa Pour-Off This short hike takes you to the bottom of a desert pour-off. The beginning of the trail is a well-marked path, but as you turn into Javelina Wash, it becomes less obvious; watch for the lines of rocks pointing the way. The trail has an elevation gain of about 60 feet. The pour-off is a long, narrow chute that is usually dry, but the extensive cut gives testimony to the power of rushing water after a heavy summer rain. Don’t attempt to climb to the top from here; it is quite hazardous. There is an easier way for those with good route-finding skills: See “Upper Burro Mesa Pour-Off,” below. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Parking area at end of Burro Mesa spur road, about 12 miles down Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr. on the west (right).

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail A good introduction to the flora of the Chihuahuan Desert, this is an easy stroll along a relatively flat gravel path with signs describing the plants you see along the way. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Dugout Wells Picnic Area, 6 miles east of Panther Junction.

Chisos Basin Loop Trail This fairly easy walk climbs about 350 feet into a pretty meadow and leads to an overlook that offers good views of the park’s mountains, including Emory Peak, highest point in the park, at 7,825 feet. 1.6-mile loop. Easy. Access: Chisos Basin trail head.

Hot Springs Trail An interpretive booklet available at the trail head describes the sights, including a historic health resort and homestead (see “Park Attractions,” above), along this easy loop. Fairly substantial ruins remain, including a foundation that fills with natural mineral water, creating an inviting hot tub. Also along the trail are pictographs left by ancient American Indians and panoramic views of the Rio Grande and Mexico. .8 mile RT. Easy. Access: End of improved dirt road to Hot Springs, off road to Rio Grande Village.

Panther Path This is a short walk through a garden of cacti and other desert plants. A booklet discussing the park’s plant life is available at the trail head. 50 yards RT. Easy. Access: Panther Junction Visitor Center.

Rio Grande Village Nature Trail A good choice for sunrise and sunset views, this self-guided loop nature trail (booklet available at the trail head) climbs from the surprisingly lush river floodplain about 125 feet into desert terrain and up a hilltop that offers excellent panoramic views. .75 mile RT. Easy. Access: Southeast corner of Rio Grande Village Campground, across from site 18.

Santa Elena Canyon You may get your feet wet crossing a broad creek on this trail, which also takes you up a series of steep steps. But it’s one of the most scenic short trails in the park, leading along the canyon wall (with good views of rafters on the Rio Grande) and continuing down among the boulders along the river. Interpretive signs describe the canyon environment. Beware of flash flooding as you cross the Terlingua Creek, and skip this trail altogether if the creek is running swiftly. 1.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr.

Tuff Canyon This easy trail leads into a narrow canyon, carved from soft volcanic rock called tuff, with several canyon overlooks. .75 mile RT. Easy. Access: Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr., 5 miles south of Mule Ears Overlook access road.

Upper Burro Mesa Pour-Off Trail This moderate hike takes you through some narrow, rocky gorges to the top of the Burro Mesa Pour-Off. The trail may not be well marked, so it’s a good idea to carry a topographical map and compass. As you hike along the now-dry washes, you’ll realize that the rock cairns marking the trail scatter quickly when water floods through them. There is a gradual decline of about 525 feet to the top of this desert waterfall, where the drainage drops suddenly and precipitously from the wash where you stand to the one below. Do not chance this hike in stormy weather, or you might get washed away with the rock cairns. 3.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head parking about 7 miles down Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr. on the west (right).

Window View Trail Level, paved, and wheelchair accessible, this self-guided nature trail (a brochure is available at the trail head) runs along a low hill and has a variety of plant life. In addition, it offers magnificent sunset views through the Window, a V-shaped opening in the mountains to the west. .3 mile RT. Easy. Access: Chisos Basin trail head.

Longer Trails

Chimneys Trail This flat trail through the desert follows an old dirt road to a series of chimney-shaped rock formations. American Indian petroglyphs can be seen on the southernmost chimney, and nearby are ruins of rock shelters. Those who want to extend this hike can continue to a desert spring, although the trail is difficult to follow after the Chimneys and a topographical map is highly recommended. 4.8 miles RT (to the chimneys). Moderate. Access: Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr., 1 1/4 miles south of Burro Mesa Pour-Off access road.

Emory Peak Trail A challenging hike to the high point in the park, the 7,832-foot Emory Peak, this trail begins in the Chisos Basin and gains over 2,400 feet on its way to the top. The final ascent is a scramble up a steep rock wall, but those who make it are rewarded with one of the best views in West Texas. 11 miles RT. Difficult. Access: Basin trail head.

Lost Mine Trail This self-guided nature trail (a booklet is available at the trail head) is a popular mountain hike that climbs about 1,100 feet. It was constructed in the 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps—evidence of the builders’ rock work can still be seen. Along the way, the trail climbs through forests of pinyon, juniper, and oak, and offers splendid views. Those with limited time or ambition don’t have to hike all the way—some of the trail’s best views are about 1 mile from the trail head, from a saddle where you can look out over a canyon to the surrounding mountains and even deep into Mexico. 4.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Chisos Basin Rd. at Panther Pass.

Mule Ears Spring Trail This relatively flat desert trail crosses several arroyos and then follows a wash most of the way to Mule Ears Spring. It offers great views of unusual rock formations, such as the Mule Ears, and ends at a historic ranch house and rock corral. 3.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Mule Ears Overlook parking area, along Ross Maxwell Scenic Dr.

Pine Canyon Trail With a 1,000-foot elevation gain, this trail takes you from desert grasslands, dotted with sotols, into a pretty canyon with dense stands of pinyon, juniper, oak, and finally bigtooth maple and ponderosa pine. At the higher elevations, you’ll also see Texas madrones—evergreen trees that shed their smooth reddish bark each summer. At the end of the trail is a 200-foot cliff, which becomes a picturesque waterfall after heavy rains. At the cliff’s base, you’re likely to see the delicate yellow flowers of columbine, a member of the buttercup family. 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of unpaved Pine Canyon Rd. (check on road conditions before setting out).

Window Trail A scenic trail through Oak Creek Canyon, this hike involves descending about 800 feet to the base of the Window, a V-shaped opening in the mountains that frames panoramic desert scenes. Following the Oak Creek drainage, it provides a good chance to see deer, javelinas, rock squirrels, and a variety of birds. 5.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Chisos Basin trail head.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park offers numerous possibilities for backpacking, on established and marked hiking trails and on relatively unmarked hiking routes following washes, canyons, or abandoned rough dirt roads dating from the late 1800s. In all, the park has more than 150 miles of designated trails and routes. Cross-country hiking is also permitted. Because many trails and hiking routes are hard to follow, rangers advise that hikers carry detailed 7.5-minute topographical maps and compasses.

Campers can use numerous designated backcountry campsites and may camp in desert areas. The required $10 permits must be obtained in person, no more than 24 hours in advance. In the high Chisos Mountains, backcountry campers must stay at designated campsites and carry special permits, available on a first-come, first-served basis. These campsites are often difficult to obtain during the park’s busiest times—Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and college spring-break season (usually Mar and early Apr). Highly recommended is the South Rim, a 12-mile round-trip with a view that stretches far into Mexico.

Ground fires are prohibited throughout the park. Rangers warn that backcountry water availability is spotty and constantly changing, and advise backpackers to carry enough water for their entire trip.

Other Sports & Activities

Local companies that provide equipment rentals and a variety of guided adventures in both the park and the general area include Desert Sports (phone 888/989-6900 or 432/371-2727; www.desertsportstx.com), located on FM 170, 5 miles west of the junction of FM 170 and Tex. 118, Far Flung Outdoor Center, FM 170 (P.O. Box 377), Terlingua, TX (phone 800/839-7238 or 432/371-2633; www.ffoc.net), and Big Bend River Tours (phone 800/545-4240 or 432/371-3033; www.bigbendrivertours.com).

BACKCOUNTRY DRIVING Big Bend has a number of unimproved roads requiring high-clearance and sometimes four-wheel-drive vehicles. Many have roadside campsites. Get details on current road conditions from rangers before setting out, and pick up the useful backcountry road guide, available at visitor centers. All overnight trips require backcountry permits. Far Flung Outdoor Center (see above) offers four-wheel-drive tours of the area, including trips into the national park. The most popular trip costs $69 per person for 3 hours. The nearest four-wheel-drive rentals are in Alpine, Texas, 108 miles northwest of the park.

HORSEBACK RIDING Horses are permitted on most dirt roads and many park trails (check with rangers for specifics), and may be kept overnight at many of the park’s primitive road campsites, although not at the developed campgrounds. The Hannold Draw Campsite, 5 miles north of Panther Junction, is a primitive campsite with a corral that accommodates up to eight horses. It can be reserved up to 10 weeks in advance; call phone 432/477-1158. Those riding horses in the park must get free stock use permits, which should be obtained in person up to 24 hours in advance at any of the park’s visitor centers.

Although there are no commercial outfitters offering guided rides in the park as of this writing, there are opportunities for rides just outside the park on private land, such as nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park and across the river in Mexico. Lajitas Stables (phone 800/887-4331 or 432/371-2212; www.lajitasstables.com) offers a variety of guided trail rides, lasting from 2 hours, to all day, to 5 days. Some trips follow canyon trails; others visit ancient Indian camps and ghost towns. Typical rates are $40 for 1 hour, $60 for 2 hours, and $90 for 4 hours; multiday trips are usually about $170 per day and include all meals and camping equipment, as well as the horse. There are also combination riding/rafting expeditions.

MOUNTAIN BIKING Bikes are not permitted on hiking trails but are allowed on the park’s many established dirt roads. Mountain bikes are available for rent from Desert Sports (see above); prices start at $40 per day or $150 for a week. The company also offers 1-day and multiday guided trips, including a combination mountain-biking and float trip in the park (3 days, $600).

RIVER RUNNING The Rio Grande follows the southern edge of the park for 118 miles and extends another 127 miles downstream as a designated Wild and Scenic River. The river offers mostly fairly calm float trips, but it does have a few sections of rough white water during high-water times. It can usually be run in a raft, canoe, or kayak. Bring your own equipment, rent equipment near the park (none is available in the park), or take a trip with one of several local river guides under permit by the National Park Service. Note: The water can be quite low in summer, so call ahead if this is an important part of your visit.

Those planning trips on their own must obtain free permits at a park visitor center, in person only, no more than 24 hours before the trip. Permits for the lower canyons of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River are available at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, when it’s open, and at a self-serve permit station at Stillwell Store and RV Park, 7 miles from the park’s north entrance on FM 2627. Permits for the section of river through Santa Elena Canyon can also be obtained at the Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center, 1 mile east of Lajitas, Texas, about 20 miles from the park’s west entrance. Park rangers strongly advise that everyone planning a river trip check with them to get the latest river conditions. A river-running booklet, with additional information, is available at park visitor centers and from the Big Bend Natural History Association (see “Park Information” under “Essentials,” earlier in this chapter).

Several local companies rent rafts, inflatable kayaks, and canoes. Rafts typically cost about $30 per person per day (with a three-person minimum), inflatable kayaks cost about $40 per day, and canoes cost about $50 per day. There are discounts for multiday rentals. You can also take guided river trips; rates run about $150 per person for a full day. Multiday trips are also available; 10-day Lower Canyons excursions run about $2,000 per person. Check with Desert Sports, Far Flung Outdoor Center, and Big Bend River Tours (contact information earlier in this section).

WILDLIFE VIEWING & BIRD-WATCHING Big Bend National Park has an absolutely phenomenal variety of wildlife. About 450 species of birds may be found here over the course of the year—that’s more than at any other national park and nearly half of all those found in North America. At last count, there were also about 75 species of mammals, close to 70 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than three dozen species of fish.

This is the only place in the United States where you’ll find the Mexican long-nosed bat, listed by the federal government as an endangered species. Other endangered species that make their homes in the park include the black-capped vireo (a small bird) and the Big Bend gambusia, a tiny fish that I hope prospers and multiplies—its favorite food is mosquito larvae.

Birders consider Big Bend National Park a key bird-watching destination, especially for those looking for some of America’s more unusual birds. Among the park’s top bird-watching spots are Rio Grande Village and Cottonwood campgrounds, the Chisos Basin, and the Hot Springs. Species to watch for include the colorful golden-fronted woodpecker, which can often be seen year-round among the cottonwood trees along the Rio Grande; and the rare Colima warbler, whose range in the United States consists solely of the Chisos Mountains at Big Bend National Park. Among the hundreds of other birds that call the park home, at least part of the year, are scaled quail, spotted sandpipers, white-winged doves, greater roadrunners, lesser night-hawks, white-throated swifts, black-chinned hummingbirds, broad-tailed hummingbirds, acorn woodpeckers, northern flickers, western wood pewees, ash-throated flycatchers, tufted titmice, bushtits, cactus wrens, canyon wrens, loggerhead shrikes, Wilson’s warblers, and Scott’s orioles.

Mammals you may see in the park include desert cottontail rabbits, black-tailed jackrabbits, rock squirrels, Texas antelope squirrels, Merriam’s kangaroo rats, coyotes, gray foxes, raccoons, striped skunks, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. There are occasional sightings of mountain lions (usually called panthers here), most commonly in the Green Gulch and Chisos Basin areas. Four attacks on humans are known to have occurred in the park (see “Keeping the Wild in Wildlife, or How to Avoid an Unpleasant Encounter,” earlier in this chapter). Black bears, which were frequently seen in the area until about 1940, were mostly killed off by local ranchers, who saw them as a threat to their livestock. With the protection provided by national park status, however, they began to return in the mid-1980s and have now established a small population, and many have ignored regulations and crossed into the park from Mexico.

A number of reptiles inhabit the park, including some poisonous snakes, such as diamondback, Mojave, rock, and black-tailed rattlesnakes, plus the trans-pecos copperhead. Fortunately, you are unlikely to see a rattler or copperhead, since they avoid both the heat of the day and busy areas. You are more apt to encounter nonpoisonous western coachwhips, which are often seen speeding across trails and roadways. They’re reddish, sometimes bright red, and among America’s fastest snakes; sometimes they’re called “red racers.” Other nonpoisonous snakes that inhabit the park include Texas whipsnakes, spotted night snakes, southwestern black-headed snakes, and black-necked garter snakes.

Among the lizards you may see in the desert is the southwestern earless lizard. Adult males are green with black-and-white chevrons on their lower sides, and they often curl their black-striped tails over their backs. You’ll also see whiptail lizards in the desert, but in the canyons and higher in the mountains, watch for the crevice spiny lizard, which is covered with scales and has a dark collar. Although rare, western box turtles inhabit the park, as do several types of more common water turtles.

Camping

A $10 camping permit, available at any visitor center, is required for use of the primitive backcountry roadside and backpacking campsites.

Inside the Park

The park runs three developed campgrounds, and a concessionaire operates an RV park. Reservations for Chisos Basin and Rio Grande Village campgrounds are available through the National Recreation Reservation Service (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov).

Rio Grande Village Campground is the largest. It has numerous trees, many with prickly pear cacti growing around them, and thorny bushes everywhere. Sites are either graveled or paved and are nicely spaced for privacy. They often fill up by 1pm in winter (the high season). One area is designated a “No Generator Zone.” Separate but within walking distance is Rio Grande Village RV Park, a concessionaire-operated RV park with full hookups. It looks like a parking lot in the midst of grass and trees, fully paved with curbs and back-in sites (no pull-throughs). Tents are not permitted. A small store has limited camping supplies and groceries, a coin-operated laundry, showers for a fee, propane, and gasoline. For information and reservations, call phone 877/386-4383 or 432/477-2293.

Chisos Basin Campground, although not heavily wooded, has small pinyon and juniper trees and well-spaced sites. The campground nestles around a circular road in a bowl below the visitor center. The access road to the campground is steep and curved, so take it slowly.

Cottonwood Campground is named for the huge old cottonwood trees that dominate the scene. Sites in this rustic area are gravel and spacious, within walking distance of the river. There are pit toilets.

Near the Park

About 7 miles east of the park’s north entrance on FM 2627 is Stillwell Store and RV Park, HC 65, Box 430, Alpine, TX 79830 (phone/fax 432/376-2244; www.stillwellstore.com), a casual RV park in desert terrain. There are two areas across the road from each other. The west side has full hookups. The east side has water and electric only, but it also features horse corrals and plenty of room for horse trailers. There is also almost unlimited space for tenters, who pay $5 per person. The park office is at the Stillwell Store, where you can get groceries, limited camping supplies, and gasoline. A small museum (donations accepted) features exhibits from the Stillwell family’s pioneer days.

About 3 miles from the west entrance to the park is the Big Bend Resort RV Park, part of the Big Bend Resort & Adventures complex at the junction of Tex. 118 and FM 170 (phone 877/386-4383 or 432/371-2218; www.bigbendresort.com). This park offers pull-through and back-in sites, grassy tent areas, gasoline and diesel fuel, a restaurant, a convenience store, and a gift shop.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Chisos Mountains Lodge The lodge offers a variety of accommodations, from simple motel rooms to historic stone cottages. Motel rooms are small and simply decorated but well maintained. They have two double beds, air-conditioning, tub/showers, and terrific views of the Chisos Mountains, but no telephones or TVs. The Casa Grande Lodge, part of the Chisos Mountains Lodge, offers somewhat larger motel rooms, air-conditioned and attractively furnished, with tiled bathrooms and tub/showers; most have two beds. Each room has a private balcony.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, the six delightful Roosevelt Stone Cottages are my choice. Each has stone floors, a front patio, wooden furniture, three double beds, and shower only. Book as far in advance as possible. The Emory Peak Lodge units are the least expensive accommodations and are a bit more rustic. They have one double and one single bed, a tiled bathroom, tub/shower, wood furnishings, painted brick walls with Western or Southwestern art (or both), and good views.

Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834-9999. www.chisosmountainslodge.com. phone 877/386-4383 or 432/477-2292. Fax 432/477-2352. 72 units. A/C. $113–$144 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Near the Park

Just outside the national park’s west entrance, Study Butte and Terlingua are the the closest communities to the park with lodging and other services. Here you’ll find the Big Bend Resort & Adventures, at the junction of Tex. 118 and FM 170 (P.O. Box 336), Terlingua, TX 79852 (www.bigbendresort.com; phone 877/386-4383 or 432/371-2218), offering simple but comfortable and well-maintained modern motel rooms, with rates of $70 to $105 for doubles, and $149 to $199 for kitchenette two-bedroom apartments. A restaurant and convenience store are on-site. In Terlingua Ghost Town, the formerly abandoned Holiday Hotel, behind the Terlingua Trading Company (www.bigbendholidayhotel.com; phone 877/298-5638 or 432/837-1818), has been nicely restored and features six rooms with double rates of $160 to $190. The proprietors also have numerous historic homes for rent in the area, including the historic Rio Grande Rock House ($228 nightly), with two queens perched above the river west of town. At the Far Flung Outdoor Center (see “Other Sports & Activities,” earlier in this chapter), you’ll find six casitas for $99 to $135, with kitchenettes. This is an excellent choice for groups going out on the river with the company; they meet right out front.

Gage Hotel Located 50 miles north of the park boundary, the historic Gage Hotel opened in 1927 as the social hub for area ranchers and miners, but fell into shambles under the desert sun in the ensuing decades. But that period is long over: The current owners restored the old redbrick and its many charms in the early 1980s, melding history and an eye for Texas chic. The historic rooms have cowhide rugs, hardwood floors, Navajo blankets, and oodles of personality; those with shared bathrooms are a bit on the smallish side, and those with private bathrooms are my personal favorites. With outdoor entrances closer to the magnificent pool and courtyards, the larger Los Portales rooms have adobe floors and coffeemakers, phones, hair dryers, and irons. The restaurant, Café Cenizo, serves steaks and gourmet Southwestern cuisine.

102 NW 1st St., U.S. 90 (P.O. Box 46), Marathon, TX 79842. www.gagehotel.com. phone 800/884-4243 or 432/386-4205. 39 units (9 with shared bathroom), including 1 suite and 3 guesthouses. A/C. $97–$112 double with shared bathroom; $124–$242 double with private bathroom; $266–$320 suite; $303–$350 –$400 house. AE, DISC, MC, V.

La Posada Milagro Built on the site of a former ruin that is now incorporated into the structure, La Posada Milagro overlooks Terlingua Ghost Town and is a terrific place to hang your hat. Featuring distinctive West Texas touches—thatched ceilings, corner hearths, and patio seating areas—three smaller rooms share a full bathroom and a half-bathroom, and a fourth room is the Chisos Honeymoon Suite, larger, with a private bathroom. Also available is a nearby guesthouse, La Casita.

100 Milagro Rd., Terlingua Ghost Town, Terlingua, TX 79852. www.laposadamilagro.net. phone 432/371-3044. 5 units, 3 with shared bathroom, including 1 guesthouse. A/C. $145–$195 double with shared bathroom; $210 double with private bathroom; $350 guesthouse. AE, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant AMERICAN Good food at reasonable prices, plus the best location in the area, is the draw here. The dining room is simply but attractively decorated, with good views from the large windows. The menu changes periodically but generally includes steak, burgers, and sandwiches, plus Southwestern and Tex-Mex dishes. At breakfast, there’s a buffet as well as a menu.

Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park. phone 432/477-2292. Main courses $8–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am; 11:30am–4pm; and 5–9pm.

Near the Park

La Kiva BARBECUE One of my favorite bars in the West is also a great spot for a bite to eat. The cavelike La Kiva has personality to spare and all sorts of lowbrow touches, from faux dinosaur fossils of questionable taste embedded in the craggy walls to tree-stump bar stools. The menu features steaks, barbecue platters, burgers, and—my favorite—a fried-chicken sandwich. The dining room opens up to a courtyard with a stage on Terlingua Creek, and the management doesn’t mind if you pitch a tent and camp out back.

FM 170 at Terlingua Creek. phone 432/371-2250. www.lakiva.net. Main courses $10–$20. DISC, MC, V. Daily 5pm–midnight (until 1am Sat).

Starlight Theatre MEXICAN/NEW AMERICAN A 1930s movie palace abandoned when the mines in Terlingua went bust, the Starlight Theatre (named for what was formerly visible through a hole in the ceiling) was reborn as an eatery and watering hole in 1991. Now bedecked with murals, artful tables, and longhorn skulls, the theatre still has a stage, but the silver screen takes a back seat to the food (especially the trademark chili and filet mignon, as well as a number of vegetarian and seafood options), drink (namely Texas beers and prickly pear margaritas), and desserts (including a very good tres leches cake). Briefly shuttered in 2010, the Starlight still occasionally hosts movie nights, as well as plays and live music.

In Historic Terlingua Ghost Town, off FM 170. phone 432/371-2326. www.starlighttheatre.com. Main courses $9–$30. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Bar open later.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Inside the park, limited groceries and camping supplies are available at Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village, Castolon, and Panther Junction. There is also a gift shop in the lodge at the Basin. Gasoline is available at Rio Grande Village and Panther Junction only, so check your gas gauge before heading out—everything in this park is pretty far from everything else. Minor car repairs are available at Panther Junction.

Outside the north entrance to the park, southeast about 7 miles on FM 2627, is Stillwell Store and RV Park (phone 432/376-2244; www.stillwellstore.com), where you’ll find groceries, limited camping supplies, and gasoline. Just outside the west entrance to the park, in Study Butte/Terlingua, you’ll find several gas stations, car repair, a convenience store, and a liquor store. Also in the Study Butte/Terlingua area is Desert Sports (see above), with rental equipment, bike and boat parts and supplies, maps, and guidebooks.

Nearby Attractions

On the west side of Big Bend National Park, just beyond Study Butte and Terlingua, are three worthwhile side trips. Heading west, you’ll encounter the Barton Warnock Visitor Center, 1 mile east of Lajitas on FM 170 (phone 432/424-3327; www.tpwd.state.tx.us). Named for botanist and author Dr. Barton Warnock, the center is operated by Texas Parks & Wildlife. It features exhibits on the geology, archaeology, human history, and especially flora and fauna of the Big Bend area, with a museum plus 2 1/2 acres of desert gardens with a self-guided walk among the various plants of the Chihuahuan Desert. There is also a gift shop and bookstore. Gates are open daily year-round from 8am to 4:30pm (closed Dec 25); admission costs $3 (free for children under 12) and is also good for the Fort Leaton State Historic Site (see below).

Continuing west, you enter Big Bend Ranch State Park, P.O. Box 2319, Presidio, TX 79845 (phone 432/358-4444; www.tpwd.state.tx.us), which covers some 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert wilderness along the Rio Grande. Perhaps even more remote and rugged than Big Bend National Park, this mostly undeveloped state park (also called Big Bend Ranch Natural Area on some signs) contains two mountain ranges, extinct volcanoes, scenic canyons, a wide variety of desert plants, and wildlife including javelinas, mountain lions, deer, coyotes, a variety of lizards, several poisonous snakes, and numerous birds, including golden eagles and peregrine falcons. There is also a small herd of Texas longhorn cattle, a reminder of the property’s ranching days. Hiking on and around the giant volcanic dome known as El Solitario is highly recommended. Day use is $3; camping is $8 per night. Lodge rooms are available for $100 double; the bunkhouse at Sauceda charges $35 for a bunk. Several outfitters offer river trips as well as mountain biking and hiking excursions in the state park. See “Other Sports & Activities,” earlier in this chapter.

The 50-mile Farm Road 170 between Lajitas and Presidio goes through the park, providing a wonderful scenic drive for 28 miles along the Rio Grande, and also offering access to several put-in and take-out points for rafts and canoes. The road is winding and hilly in places, with no shoulders and a maximum speed limit in most places of 45 mph. It meanders along the Rio Grande, passing among hillsides dotted with mesquite, yucca, ocotillo, prickly pear cactus, and a variety of desert shrubs. There are pullouts with picnic tables (protected from the weather by fake Indian tepees). Although paved, the road is subject to flash floods and rock slides, so I do not recommend driving it during or immediately after heavy rains.

The park also has several miles of roads that require high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, and about 30 miles of hiking and backpacking trails, with trail heads along FM 170. There are also a number of primitive camping areas. Those planning trips into the park can get permits and information (including a very good trail guide) at Barton Warnock Environmental Education Center (see above), Fort Leaton State Historic Site (see below), or the ranch administrative offices. Those driving through the park on FM 170 are not required to pay the entrance fee and can get out of their vehicles to look around, but should generally stay within sight of their vehicles.

Just west of Big Bend Ranch State Park is Fort Leaton State Historic Site, 4 miles east of Presidio on FM 170 (phone 432/229-3613; www.tpwd.state.tx.us). Admission to the site costs $3 (free for children under 12; also good for the Warnock center). The site is a restored fort and trading post best known for the violence perpetrated both by and toward its residents. It was built by Benjamin Leaton in 1848, just after the end of the Mexican-American War, in which the United States acquired most of the Southwest from Mexico. Leaton had been working as a “scalp hunter”—killing American Indians for the governments of several Mexican states—and built the adobe fortress for his family and employees and to use as a base of operations for a trading business. It was said at the time that part of this business included encouraging area bands of Apaches and Comanches to steal livestock from Mexican settlements, which they would trade to Leaton for guns and ammunition. Leaton, considered a generally unsavory character, was known locally as un mal hombre—Spanish for “a bad man.”

After his death in 1851, Leaton’s widow married Edward Hall, who moved into the fort, from which he operated a freight business. Hall borrowed a large sum of money from a former associate of Leaton’s, John Burgess, and when in 1864 Hall could not repay the loan, Burgess foreclosed on the fort. Hall refused to leave and then was murdered, supposedly by Burgess, who then moved his family in. Burgess ran a successful freight business from there until 1875, when he was murdered by Bill Leaton, Ben Leaton’s youngest son.

Despite this bloody chain of events, the remaining members of the Burgess family lived in the fort until 1926, when it was abandoned and began to fall into ruin. It was donated to the state in 1968 and has been partially restored so today’s visitors can get a sense of what life was like at a trading-post fort in the untamed frontier of the 19th century. Twenty-five rooms are open to the public by guided (45–60 min.) or self-guided tour. The guided tours are especially good, giving visitors the guide’s perspective on the building’s violent past.

Fort Leaton State Historic Site includes a museum, with exhibits on the human history of the area—from the prehistoric American Indians who farmed here in the 15th century, to the Spanish and Mexican colonizers who followed, and, finally, the Anglo-Americans who arrived in the mid-1800s, including, of course, those who built and lived in Fort Leaton. The park holds periodic living-history demonstrations, such as how to make adobe bricks, blacksmithing, 19th-century cooking, and the like. The historic site is open daily from 8am to 4:30pm (closed Dec 25).

Chapter 5: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

by Don & Barbara Laine

Early American Indians (and, later, Utes and Anglos) avoided the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, believing that no human could survive a trip through its depths. Now, the deepest and most spectacular 14 miles of this 48-mile canyon make up one of America’s newest national parks.

The Black Canyon, which had been a national monument since 1933, became a national park on October 21, 1999. In a statement issued after the bill-signing ceremony, President Bill Clinton called it a “true natural treasure,” adding, “Its nearly vertical walls, rising a half-mile high, harbor one of the most spectacular stretches of wild river in America.”

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Black Canyon ranges in depth from 1,730 to 2,700 feet. Its width at its narrowest point (cleverly called “The Narrows”) is only 40 feet at the river. This deep slash in the earth was created through 2 million years of erosion, a process that’s still ongoing. At 30,300 acres, the Black Canyon is among the smallest of America’s national parks.

Most visitors view the canyon from the South Rim Road, site of the visitor center, or the less used North Rim Road. Short paths branching off both roads lead to splendid view points with signs explaining the canyon’s unique geology.

The park has hiking trails along both rims and backcountry hiking routes down into the canyon, and offers excellent trout fishing for anglers willing to make the trek to the canyon floor. It also provides an abundance of thrills for the experienced rock climbers who challenge its sheer canyon walls. In winter, much of the park is closed to motor vehicles, but it’s a delight for cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

The Black Canyon shares its eastern boundary with Curecanti National Recreation Area, which offers boating and fishing on three reservoirs, as well as hiking and camping.

 No other canyon in North America combines the depth, narrowness, sheerness, and somber countenance of the Black Canyon.

—Geologist Wallace Hansen, who mapped the canyon in the 1950s

Avoiding the Crowds

Although overcrowding has not been much of a problem, with fewer than 200,000 people visiting in most years, the park can be busy, especially in summer, with more than half the park visitors arriving between Memorial Day and Labor Day. December through February is the quietest time. Those seeking solitude should visit before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Although winter can be beautiful, park access is limited.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The park is on Colo. 347, 6 miles north of U.S. 50. To reach the south rim, travel east 8 miles from Montrose on U.S. 50 to the well-marked turnoff. To reach the north rim from Montrose, drive north 21 miles on U.S. 50 to Delta, east 31 miles on Colo. 92 to Crawford, then south on an 11-mile access road.

THE NEAREST AIRPORT The Montrose Regional Airport, 2100 Airport Rd. (phone 970/249-3203; www.montroseairport.com or www.montrosecounty.net), is off U.S. 50, 2 miles northwest of town. Airlines serving the town include American, Continental, Delta, and United. Car-rental agencies with outlets at the airport include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National/Alamo.

A bigger airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport, about 70 miles northwest in Grand Junction, Colorado (phone 970/244-9100; www.gjairport.com). It has direct flights or connections from most major cities on Allegiant, American/American Eagle, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways. Car rentals are available at the airport from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.

Website listings for airlines, hotel chains, and car-rental companies appear in chapter 38.

Information

For information on both the national park and the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area, contact Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230 (phone 970/641-2337; www.nps.gov/blca). A bookstore at the South Rim Visitor Center, operated by the Western National Parks Association, offers a variety of publications, including the very useful South Rim Driving Tour Guide, published by the association.

For information on other area attractions, lodging, and dining, contact the Montrose Association of Commerce and Tourism, 1519 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (phone 800/873-0244; www.visitmontrose.net), or stop at the Montrose Visitor Center, operated by the chamber of commerce, at the same address. Information on federal lands in the area, including those under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, is available at the Public Lands Center, 2505 S. Townsend Ave. (phone 970/240-5300), open weekdays year-round.

Visitor Centers

The park’s South Rim Visitor Center is open daily in summer and most days the rest of the year, except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Summer hours are 8am to 6pm, and hours the rest of the year are 8:30am to 4pm. The North Rim Ranger Station is open intermittently in summer but closed at other times; a self-registration board is available at the North Rim to pay entrance fees and obtain wilderness permits.

Fees & Permits

Admission for up to 7 days costs $15 per vehicle or $7 per person 17 or older on foot, bike, or motorcycle. Those under 17 are admitted free. Camping costs $12 per night for basic sites and $18 for sites with electric hookups. Required backcountry permits are free.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Visitors are warned to not throw anything from the rim into the canyon, since even a single small stone thrown or kicked from the rim could be fatal to people below. Visitors are also advised to supervise children very carefully—many sections of the rim have no guardrails or fences.

Unlike at most national parks, leashed pets are permitted on three trails—Rim Rock, Cedar Point, and Chasm View—but are prohibited on others and are not permitted in the inner canyon or wilderness areas.

Those hiking down to the bottom of the Black Canyon are advised to watch out for poison ivy, which can grow to 5 feet tall along the Gunnison River.

Seasons & Climate

Temperatures and weather conditions often vary greatly between the canyon rim and the canyon floor; it gets progressively hotter as you descend into the canyon. Average summer temperatures range from highs of 60° to 100°F (15°–38°C), with summer lows dropping to 30° to 50°F (–1° to 10°C). In winter, highs range from 20° to 40°F (–6° to 4°C), with lows from –10° to 20°F (–23° to –6°C). Brief afternoon thunderstorms are fairly common in the summer. The South Rim Road usually remains open to the visitor center through the winter, but snow often closes the North Rim Road between December and March.

If You Have Only 1 day

It’s fairly easy to see a great deal here in a short time, especially if you stick to the South Rim. First, stop at the visitor center to see the exhibits and get an understanding of how this phenomenal canyon was created. From the visitor center, drive 6 miles (one-way) to the end of South Rim Drive, stopping at the overlooks. Finally, take off on one of the rim hiking trails, such as the easy Cedar Point Nature Trail or the more challenging Warner Point Nature Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below). If you’ll be camping in the park or staying nearby, you might plan to attend the evening ranger program.

Exploring the Park by Car

The park’s 7-mile (one-way) South Rim Road provides an excellent and fairly easy way to see much of the park. There are a dozen overlooks along the drive, and in most cases you’ll be walking from 140 feet to about 700 feet to reach the view points from your vehicle.

Among the not-to-be-missed overlooks are Gunnison Point, behind the visitor center, which offers stunning views of the seemingly endless walls of dark rock, capped by a pinkish rock layer; and the Pulpit Rock Overlook, which provides a splendid view of the rock walls and about 1 1/2 miles of the Gunnison River, some 1,770 feet down. Farther along the drive is Chasm View, where you can see the incredible power of water, which here cut through more than 1,800 feet of solid rock. Near the end of the drive, stop at Sunset View, where there’s a picnic area and a short (140-ft.) walk to a view point, which offers distant views beyond the canyon as well as of the scenic canyon (but not the river). And if your timing is right, you might be treated to a classic Western sunset, in all its red-and-orange glory.

Note: South Rim Road is closed to motor vehicles beyond the visitor center in winter.

The North Rim Road (generally closed in winter) accesses six overlooks, each providing stunning views into the canyon, over the almost vertical walls of the North Rim.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A variety of free ranger-conducted programs, which might include nature walks, geology talks, and evening programs at the South Rim Visitor Center or campground, take place from Memorial Day through mid-September on the South Rim (check at the visitor center for the current schedule). During the winter, guided snowshoe walks and cross-country ski tours are usually offered on the South Rim when snow conditions are right (stop at the visitor center or call ahead for information and reservations).

Day Hikes

Trails on the monument’s rims range from short, easy walks to moderate to strenuous hikes of several miles; hiking below the rim is difficult and not recommended for those with a fear of heights. Permits are not needed for rim trails, but free backcountry permits are required for treks below the rim.

South Rim Trails

Cedar Point Nature Trail With signs along the way describing the plants you’ll see, this sunny trail not only offers a painless botany lesson, but at the end provides breathtaking views of the Gunnison River, 2,000 feet down, as well as the Painted Wall, at 2,250 feet, considered the tallest cliff in Colorado. .7 mile RT. Easy. Access: Cedar Point trail head, along South Rim Rd.

Oak Flat Loop Trail Dropping below the rim, this steep trail offers excellent views into the canyon while taking you through a grove of aspen, past Gambel oak, and finally through a forest of aspen, Gambel oak, and Douglas fir. Be aware that the trail is narrow in spots and a bit close to steep drop-offs. 2 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Near visitor center.

Rim Rock Nature Trail Following the rim along a relatively flat path, this trail leads to an overlook providing good views of the Gunnison River and the canyon’s sheer rock walls. A pamphlet available at the trail head describes plant life and other points of interest. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Near entrance to South Rim Campground’s Loop C.

Warner Point Nature Trail This trail offers a multitude of things to see, such as mountain mahogany, pinyon pine, Utah juniper, and other area flora; distant mountains and valleys; and the Black Canyon and its creator, the Gunnison River, 2,722 feet below. A trail guide is available at the trail head. 1.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: High Point Overlook, at end of South Rim Rd.

North Rim Trails

Chasm View Nature Trail Starting in a pinyon-juniper forest, this trail heads to the rim for good views of the canyon and the river; you’ll also have a good chance of seeing swallows, swifts, and raptors. .3 mile RT. Moderate. Access: End of North Rim Campground loop.

Deadhorse Trail Actually an old service road, this trail offers a chance of seeing a variety of birds, plus views of Deadhorse Gulch and the East Portal area at the southeast end of the park. 5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Kneeling Camel Overlook.

North Vista Trail Offering some of the best scenic views in the Black Canyon, this trail also provides hikers with a good chance of seeing red-tailed hawks, white-throated swifts, Clark’s nutcrackers, and ravens. You might also be lucky enough to spot a peregrine falcon. The trail goes through a pinyon-juniper forest along the canyon’s rim about 1.5 miles to Exclamation Point, which offers an excellent view into the canyon. Up to this point the trail is rated moderate, but it continues another 2 miles (rated strenuous) to Green Mountain, where you’ll find broad, panoramic vistas. 7 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: North Rim Ranger Station.

Exploring the Backcountry

Experienced hikers in excellent physical condition may want to hike down into the canyon. Although the canyon has no maintained or marked trails, rangers can help you plot out several recommended routes. Free permits are required. A limited number of campsites are available for backpackers, but bring your camp stove—wood fires are prohibited.

The most popular inner canyon hike is the strenuous Gunnison Route, which branches off the South Rim’s Oak Flat Loop Trail (see above) and meanders down the side of the canyon to the river. Eighty feet of chain help keep you from falling on a stretch about a third of the way down. This hike has a vertical drop of 1,800 feet and usually takes a bit under 4 hours.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Although bikes are not permitted on any park trails, this is still a popular destination for bikers, who travel the South Rim Road to the various overlooks and trail heads. There are also plenty of mountain-biking opportunities outside the park. You can get maps, information, bike repairs, and accessories in Montrose at Cascade Bicycles, 21 N. Cascade Ave. (phone 970/249-7375; www.cascadebicyclesllc.com), and Jeans Westerner, 147 N. Townsend Ave. (phone 800/426-6756 or 970/249-3600; www.jeanswesterner.com), which rents mountain bikes starting at $29 per day.

Climbing The sheer vertical walls and scenic beauty of the Black Canyon make it an ideal and popular destination for rock climbers, but—we cannot emphasize this too strongly—this is no place for beginners. These cliffs require a great deal of experience and the best equipment. Free permits are required, and prospective climbers should discuss their plans first with park rangers.

FISHING Dedicated anglers can make their way to the Gunnison River at the bottom of the canyon in a quest for brown and rainbow trout. East Portal Road (open only in summer) provides access to the upstream section of the river from adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area. The stretch of the Gunnison River within the park has been designated as Gold Medal Waters; only artificial lures are permitted, and other special rules apply (check with park rangers). A Colorado fishing license is required. For fly-fishing tips and equipment, stop at Jeans Westerner (see “Biking,” above) or Cimarron Creek, 317 E. Main St. (phone 970/249-0408; www.cimarroncreek.com).

WATERSPORTS Mostly, don’t do it! Through the park, the Gunnison River is extremely dangerous for both swimmers and rafters (it’s considered unraftable). Sections of river west of the park, however, are more suitable; information is available from the Public Lands Center office in Montrose (see “Information,” above). The only exception is for experienced kayakers, who find the river an exhilarating challenge. Free permits are required.

Amazing Feat!

In September 1949, Ed Nelson accomplished what practically everyone considered impossible: He was the first man to boat through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Amazingly, he accomplished the feat in a 5-pound collapsible boat, using Ping-Pong paddles for oars!

WILDLIFE VIEWING The park is home to a variety of wildlife; you’re likely to see chipmunks, ground squirrels, badgers, yellow-bellied marmots, and mule deer. Although not frequently spotted, there are also black bear, cougars, and bobcats, and you’ll probably hear the lonesome high-pitched call of coyotes at night. The peregrine falcon can sometimes be spotted along the cliffs, especially in spring and early summer, and you may also see red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, golden eagles, blue grouse, canyon wrens, and white-throated swifts.

WINTER SPORTS When the South Rim Road is closed by winter snow, the Park Service plows only to the South Rim Visitor Center, leaving the rest of the park the domain of cross-country skiers and snowshoers. The South Rim Road, running about 6 miles from the visitor center into the park, makes a great trail for cross-country skiers, providing fairly easy access to the scenic drive’s overlooks. Snowshoers especially like the upper section of Oak Flat Loop Trail and the Rim Rock Nature Trail (see “Day Hikes,” above). You can rent cross-country skis, at $9.50 per day, or snowshoes, at $15 per day, at Jeans Westerner (see “Biking,” above).

Camping

There are campgrounds on both rims with toilets but no showers. There is drinking water available only from mid-May through mid-December, and because it must be trucked in, filling of RV water tanks is not permitted. The South Rim Campground, which rarely fills, has 88 sites (23 of which have electric hookups); some sites are open year-round. The North Rim Campground, which is open spring through fall only, has 13 basic sites and occasionally fills up. Sites at the North Rim Campground are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while some sites in the South Rim Campground can be reserved (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777), with a $3 reservation fee. Cost is $12 per night for basic sites and $18 for sites with electric hookups. RVs over 35 feet long are not recommended in either campground.

Campgrounds with hot showers and full RV hookups are available in Montrose. These include Cedar Creek R.V. Park, 126 Rose Lane, Montrose, CO 81401 (www.cedarcreekrv.com; phone 877/425-3884 or 970/249-3884), which is open year-round, with spacious sites, lots of mature trees, and attractive landscaping. There are 47 RV sites (both full hookup and water and electric only), including large pull-throughs for big rigs, a shady creekside tent area, free Wi-Fi and cable TV, a coin-op laundry, a well-maintained bathhouse, 18-hole minigolf, a playground, propane, and a dump station. Tent sites are $25 per night, and RV sites run $29 to $35 per night. There are also several camping cabins, which share the campground’s bathhouse, at $42 double; and deluxe cabins with full bathroom and kitchen for $99 double. Major credit cards are accepted.

Where to Stay

Near the Park

There is no lodging inside the park; the nearest facilities are in Montrose. National chain motels in Montrose include the Best Western Red Arrow, 1702 E. Main St. (phone 970/249-9641), with rates for two from $70 to $120; Econo Lodge, 2100 E. Main St. (phone 970/240-8000), with double rates from $50 to $80; Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 1391 S. Townsend Ave. (phone 970/240-1800), with rates for two from $98 to $114; and Quality Inn & Suites, 2751 Commercial Way (phone 970/249-1011), with double rates from $68 to $110.

Rates in Montrose are usually highest in July and August, and lowest November through April. Chapter 38 lists website info for the major national chains.

Looking for something more interesting than the standard chain motel? We like the Uncompahgre Bed & Breakfast, 21049 Uncompahgre Rd., Montrose, CO 81403 (www.uncbb.com; phone 800/318-8127 or 970/240-4000). This quiet country retreat, housed in a renovated 1914 school building, offers eight spacious guest rooms, tastefully decorated in themes such as wild birds and Spanish flamenco or, our favorite, French country, which has an electric log fireplace and two-person whirlpool tub in addition to the subtle French countryside decor. Rates here are $110 to $150 double from mid-May through October and $90 to $125 double the rest of the year.

Where to Eat

Near the Park

Looking for something familiar? There’s a 24-hour Denny’s at 1515 Venture Way (phone 970/249-0315), with all the usual Denny’s favorites.

Camp Robber SOUTHWESTERN Innovative twists on Southwestern favorites are the mark of this locally popular restaurant, where creativity rules and there’s always plenty of green chile. Top choices here include the green chile chicken potato soup, green chile pistachio crusted pork medallions, and Asian barbecue chicken salad. The varied menu also offers a good selection of pasta, New Mexican dishes, vegetarian items, seafood, and beef, including prime rib Friday and Saturday evenings. There are also gluten-free items. The dining room has a casual, contemporary Western look, with tables and booths; and there’s also an outdoor patio and a bar.

1515 Ogden Rd. phone 970/240-1590. www.camprobber.com. Main courses $10–$22. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 9am–2pm.

Red Barn Restaurant & Lounge AMERICAN The big statue of a cow outside is a giveaway—this is the place to come for beef, from excellent steaks and prime rib, including prime rib sandwiches, to burgers such as the green chili guacamole cheddar burger. The Red Barn’s extensive menu also includes a good selection of American comfort food, including liver and onions, Southwest meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, center-cut pork chops, and veggie stir fry with noodles. There’s a good salad bar and an in-house bakery. The casual restaurant is simply decorated in a Western motif, and the adjacent sports bar has nine televisions to help you keep track of who’s winning.

1413 E. Main St. phone 970/249-9202. www.redbarnmontrose.com. Main courses $6–$28. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6am–10:30pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

A good bet for those seeking groceries, deli sandwiches, and baked goods is one of the two City Market grocery stores in Montrose. There’s one at 128 S. Townsend Ave. (phone 970/240-3236; www.citymarket.com), which also has a pay-by-the-pound salad bar; and another at 16400 S. Townsend Ave. (phone 970/249-3405). For general camping and other outdoor gear, stop at Jeans Westerner (see “Biking,” above) or the 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter, at 16750 S. Townsend Ave. (phone 970/249-7544; www.walmart.com).

Chapter 6: The Black Hills: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument & Custer State Park, SD

by Jack Olson

Chiseled in granite high on a pine-clad cliff in South Dakota’s fabled Black Hills are the portraits of four of America’s greatest leaders. Since 1941, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt have gazed quietly across the Great Plains and a land they did so much to mold.

The Black Hills

Most of the 2.7 million people who visit each year spend an hour or so at the memorial, maybe eating a sandwich, then moving on to Yellowstone National Park or some other “major” destination. But those with the time and inclination will discover much to enjoy at Mount Rushmore and the other attractions of the Black Hills. Within an hour’s drive, you will find not only Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument, but also Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial—a work in progress that will be far larger than Mount Rushmore. And if you are willing to get off the beaten path—something that relatively few visitors do—you will find a backcountry dotted with trails through the region’s pine forests, a nearly untrammeled wilderness where you can escape the crowds for days, or perhaps just an hour. As a bonus, you are almost certain to view a variety of wildlife matched in few places in the United States.

Geologists predict the presidents will continue their earthly vigil at Mount Rushmore National Memorial for many centuries, as they erode less than 1 inch every 10,000 years.

As the “crown jewel” of South Dakota’s state park system, Custer State Park offers 71,000 acres of prime Black Hills real estate, the largest and most diverse population of wildlife, the best accommodations and facilities, and the most memorable natural resources of any park in the state.

Located east of the town of Custer, the park is home to four lodges, four fishing lakes, wildlife loops, campgrounds, scenic drives, and granite spires so impressive that they make you want to get out of the car and walk the forest floor. With rolling meadows and foothills, pine forests, and the giant fingerlike granite spires of the Needles, Custer State Park is a must on any Black Hills itinerary.

Even after more than 100 years since the establishment of the park, there is still something to discover in the darkened depths of Wind Cave National Park. Although the cave formations here are generally not as ornate as those in some of the West’s other caves, such as Carlsbad Cavern, Wind Cave has its share of fairyland-style decorations, including popcorn, shimmering needle-shaped crystals, and an abundance of formations called “boxwork,” which sometimes looks like fine lace. With more than 132 miles of mapped passageway, Wind Cave is one of the longest caves in the world. And with each succeeding expedition, the interconnecting network of known passages continues to grow, sometimes by a few paces, other times by several hundred feet. Barometric wind studies estimate that only 5% of the total cave has been discovered.

But there’s a great deal more to Wind Cave than just its geological wonders. Aboveground, 28,295 acres of rolling prairie and ponderosa pine forests are ablaze with wildflowers and teeming with wildlife. Bison and pronghorn antelope graze on the park’s lush grasslands, while prairie dogs watch from the relative safety of their “towns.” In the fall, elk can be heard “bugling” throughout the confines of the park, and overhead, hawks, eagles, and vultures float on the thermal currents that rise from the rocky ridges of the Black Hills.

In the limestone labyrinth that rests below the Black Hills, Jewel Cave National Monument offers a mysterious, mazelike network of caverns and passageways. It is filled with delicate speleothems (cave formations) and beautiful crystal-like paths that have yet to be fully explored.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Rapid City is the most popular gateway to the Black Hills and its bountiful selection of national and state parks, monuments, and memorials.

The most direct route to the Black Hills by car is I-90. To reach Mount Rushmore, take exit 57 to U.S. 16 (Mt. Rushmore Rd.) and continue approximately 23 miles southwest of Rapid City to the memorial entrance.

Custer State Park, between Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park, is accessible via S. Dak. 79 and S. Dak. 36 from the east, U.S. 16A from the north and west, and S. Dak. 87 from the north and south.

Wind Cave National Park is best accessed via U.S. 385 north of Hot Springs, South Dakota, or S. Dak. 87 from Custer State Park, which shares its southern boundary with Wind Cave’s northern perimeter. It’s about an hour’s drive south from Mount Rushmore.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is 5 miles north of Custer on U.S. 16/385.

Jewel Cave National Monument, the westernmost of the sites discussed in this chapter, is just off U.S. 16, 13 miles west of Custer.

THE NEAREST AIRPORT Rapid City Regional Airport (phone 605/393-9924; www.rcgov.org/Airport), 10 miles southeast of Rapid City on U.S. 44, provides direct access to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. American Airlines/American Eagle, Delta/Skywest, Allegiant Air, and United Express offer flights between Rapid City and Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Car-rental agencies at the airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. See chapter 38 for airline/car-rental website listings.

Information

For information on Mount Rushmore, contact the Superintendent, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 13000 Hwy. 244, Building 31, Ste. 1, Keystone, SD 57751 (phone 605/574-2523; www.nps.gov/moru). For information about Custer State Park, contact the park at 13329 U.S. Hwy. 16A, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/255-4515; www.custerstatepark.com). To get information about Wind Cave, contact the Superintendent, Wind Cave National Park, 26611 U.S. Hwy. 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747 (phone 605/745-4600; www.nps.gov/wica). For details on Jewel Cave, contact the Superintendent, Jewel Cave National Monument, 11149 U.S. Hwy. 16, Building B12, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-8300; www.nps.gov/jeca). To get information about Crazy Horse, contact the Crazy Horse Memorial, Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-4681; www.crazyhorsememorial.org).

For information about the entire area, contact South Dakota Tourism, Capitol Lake Plaza, 711 E. Wells Ave., Pierre, SD 57501-3369 (phone 800/S-DAKOTA [732-5682] or 605/773-3301; www.travelsd.com), or the Black Hills Visitor Information Center, north side of I-90 at exit 61, Rapid City, SD 57701 (phone 605/355-3600; www.blackhillsbadlands.com). Open 8am to 5pm.

Seasons & Climate

Summer days in the Black Hills are often sunny, with temperatures in the 80s (upper 20s–lower 30s Celsius), so a broad-brimmed hat and sunscreen are advised. Temperatures often drop rapidly after sunset, particularly in the mountains. In the fall, sunny skies and crisp temperatures can make for pleasant conditions, though snowstorms may occur as early as September at higher elevations. Winter daytime temperatures average 20° to 40°F (–7° to 4°C), and icy roads are common. Even in spring, weather can often be cold and wet.

Visiting Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Widely regarded as one of the man-made wonders of the world, Mount Rushmore is as much a work of art as it is an engineering marvel. Its creator, sculptor Gutzon Borglum, wanted to symbolize in stone the very spirit of a nation and, through four of its most revered leaders—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—the country’s birth, growth, preservation, and development. A half-century after its completion, Mount Rushmore remains one of America’s most enduring icons.

In 1924, Borglum visited the Black Hills, looking for a place to carve a lasting legacy for himself and the nation. He hoped to locate a mountain with a suitable mass of stone, as well as a southeasterly exposure that would take advantage of the sun’s rays for the greatest portion of the day. He decided on a rock outcropping named Mount Rushmore.

Inclement weather and lack of funds often stalled progress on the memorial. All told, the monument was completed at a cost of about $1 million during 6 1/2 years of work over a 14-year period.

Plaster Portraits

Having studied under the master sculptor Auguste Rodin in Paris, Borglum understood art. When he arrived at Rushmore in 1925, Borglum was 58 years old and had already created a full roster of memorials to famous Americans, including Gen. Philip Sheridan, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and President Abraham Lincoln. Relying on his independent study of the four presidents, as well as life masks, paintings, photographs, and descriptions, Borglum created plaster sketches of the men. These sketches became the models for the memorial, and copies of each president’s likeness were always on display on the mountain as a guide for the workmen.

Using a method of measurement called “pointing,” Borglum taught his crews to measure the models, multiply by 12, and transfer the calibrations to the mountain carving. Using a simple ratio of 1:12, 1 inch on the model would equal 1 foot on the mountain.

Borglum and his crew used dynamite to carve more than 90% of the memorial. Powdermen became so skilled in the use of dynamite that they could grade the contours of the cheeks, chin, nose, and eyebrows to within inches of the finished surface. Skilled drillers used bumper bits and pneumatic drills to complete each portrait, leaving the surfaces of the presidents’ faces as smooth as a concrete sidewalk. Up close, the pupils of each of the presidents’ eyes are shallow recessions with projecting shafts of granite. From a distance, this shape makes the eyes sparkle. Several men were injured working on Mount Rushmore, but no one was killed during its construction.

As work neared completion in March 1941, Borglum died in a Chicago hospital at age 74. His son, Lincoln, carried on the work for another 6 months, but that work was interrupted by World War II. On October 31, as war clouds rumbled over Europe, the younger Borglum and his crew turned off the drills for good and removed the last scaffolding from the sculpture, returning the mountain to the eternal silence from which it had been awakened in 1927.

The efforts of the Borglums and their cadre of influential supporters resulted in a work of art for the ages. George Washington, the most prominent figure in the group, symbolizes the birth of a republic founded on the principle of individual liberty; Thomas Jefferson, who managed to fund the Louisiana Purchase and balance the federal budget, signifies the growth of the United States; Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, imparts the strength of character responsible for preserving the union during the Civil War; and Theodore Roosevelt, the “Trust Buster” and friend of the common man, embodies the American spirit of independence, strength, and love of the wilderness.

tips from the Park Superintendent

Mount Rushmore has undergone a great many changes recently, according to Superintendent Cheryl Schreier, who says, “The Lincoln Borglum Museum provides an interpretive experience unequaled in Western national park areas.” Schreier says that interactive displays depict sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his crew at work. There’s also a large mural on the history of the United States that helps visitors understand why these four presidents were selected for the monument.

The Presidential Trail is a favorite of visitors, according to Schreier, who adds, “This trail allows visitors to get close to the carving to better understand the scale of the sculpture.” She adds that it also offers extraordinary views. “Our ranger program in the evening, with the lighting of the memorial, is a popular, patriotic experience,” Schreier says. “Cultural demonstrations at the Memorial depict the Native American way of life.”

Avoiding the Crowds

Mount Rushmore is very popular, with peak visitation during June, July, and August. The best time to visit, though, is September and October, with April and May as alternatives. Although spring months can be wet and cold, the Hills’ dry weather patterns make fall visits ideal. The varied mix of trees and plant life found in the high meadows and creek-carved canyons also makes the Black Hills a popular destination for avid “leaf-peepers.”

If possible, view the sculpture at daybreak, when the golden orb of the sun crawls out of the morning mist of the badlands. Few vacationers are stirring at sunrise, making it among the best times to enjoy a more contemplative and less crowded experience. And there may be no finer setting for breakfast than the park’s Carvers Cafe, which affords a commanding view of the presidents.

Essentials

Visitor Center

Mount Rushmore is open 24 hours a day, year-round. The Information Center, just inside the entrance to the memorial, is open daily (except Christmas) from 8am to 5pm October 1 to May 7, 8am to 10pm May 8 to August 13, and 8am to 9pm August 14 to September 30. The Lincoln Borglum Museum maintains the same hours. This museum contains 5,200 square feet of exhibits, a bookstore operated by the Mount Rushmore History Association, and two 125-seat theaters. One interactive display features the dynamite blasting used to carve the mountain. This is an educational experience not to be missed. The museum also features some of the best views of the sculptures.

Fees

Mount Rushmore remains one of the few popular parks that have managed to avoid an entrance fee. However, you will have to pay an $11 fee for an annual parking pass, which funds the parking structure at the memorial. America the Beautiful Annual, Senior, and Access passes are not accepted for the parking fee, but because it’s an annual ticket, you can come back later for no extra charge.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Visitor access is prohibited within a restricted area around the Mount Rushmore sculpture. In other areas of the park, rock climbing and hiking are permitted.

Useful Publications

The National Park Service has a number of informational pamphlets and other materials at the Information Center as you enter the memorial. A variety of books, maps, and videos are sold in the bookstore inside the Lincoln Borglum Museum.

Exploring the Park by Car

Although Mount Rushmore is best enjoyed on foot, many visitors overlook an impressive view of the sculpture that is best reached by car. After leaving the park’s parking lot, turn right on S. Dak. 244 and proceed west then northwest around the memorial. Less than a mile from the parking lot, you’ll discover the proud profile of George Washington in the upper-right corner of your windshield. While surveying the scene, keep an eye out for the Rocky Mountain goats that frequent the memorial and the Black Elk Wilderness Area to the west.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Mount Rushmore offers a variety of excellent interpretive programs, including the following:

• The 30-minute Ranger Walk leaves the Grand View Terrace six times a day in the summer. Join a ranger for a walk along the Presidential Trail to learn why Gutzon Borglum chose the four faces.

• The 15-minute Studio Talk (summer only) at the 1939 Sculptor’s Studio examines techniques used by the artist to carve the memorial, as well as the original tools and plaster models employed in its construction.

• A 30-minute program at the amphitheater includes a talk and movie about the memorial, which coincides with its dramatic lighting ceremony. The program begins at 9pm from May through mid-August and at 8pm from mid-August through September. (The sculpture is illuminated nightly for 1–2 hr. year-round.)

• A 13-minute film narrated by noted reporter and South Dakotan Tom Brokaw is shown continuously at the visitor center and museum. Painting a broad overview of the memorial’s history, construction, and subjects, the movie gives visitors a greater understanding of the colossal carving.

Crazy Horse Memorial: the “fifth face”

Known by locals as the “Fifth Face” in the Black Hills, the sculpture of the legendary Lakota Sioux Chief Crazy Horse began with the dedication of the work on June 3, 1948. More than a half-century later, work continues on what is expected to be the world’s largest sculpture. The chief’s nine-story-high face has been completed, and work has begun on carving the 22-story-high horse’s head.

Begun by the late sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (pronounced Jewel-cuff-ski), and carried on by his widow, sons, and daughters, the mountain sculpture memorial is dedicated to all American Indians.

“My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red man has great heroes, too,” Sioux Chief Henry Standing Bear wrote Ziolkowski in 1939, inviting him to create the mountain memorial. Seven years later, the sculptor agreed and began carving the colossal work.

When the sculpture is completed, Crazy Horse will sit astride his mount, pointing over his stallion’s head to the sacred Black Hills. So large is the sculpture (563 ft. high) that all four presidents on Mount Rushmore would fit in Crazy Horse’s head.

Visitors driving by the site on U.S. 16/385, 5 miles north of the town of Custer, might hear dynamite blasts, a surefire signal that work on the mountain carving is progressing. When night blasts are detonated, they tend to be among the most impressive events in the Black Hills.

In addition to viewing the carving in progress and watching an audiovisual display about the work, visitors may stop at the Indian Museum of North America at Crazy Horse, which is home to one of the most extensive collections of American Indian art and artifacts in the country. The museum’s gift shop features authentic American Indian crafts.

For more information, go to www.crazyhorsememorial.org.

Park Attractions

The 1939 Sculptor’s Studio played an important role in the final years of the construction of Mount Rushmore. Today the spacious studio and the artist’s models it houses are integral to understanding how Borglum and his drill-dusty crew carved the sculpture from Black Hills granite.

Located on the walkway between the Concession Building and the Lincoln Borglum Museum, the Avenue of Flags features the flags of all U.S. states, territories, districts, and commonwealths, arranged in alphabetical order. The flags serve as a patriotic, colorful frame to Mount Rushmore.

Day Hikes

The Presidential Trail begins near the main viewing terrace and proceeds west through the ponderosa pines to the talus slope at the base of the sculpture. The trail is .6 mile long, and a large portion of it is accessible to travelers with disabilities. The other portion consists of many steps, and depending on which direction a visitor walks, the trail can be a steep climb. The boardwalk circles the southeastern slope of the mountain before arriving at the Sculptor’s Studio. In addition to decreasing crowding on the memorial’s viewing terraces, this trail takes visitors into the woods and affords vantage points from which to view the four presidents.

A Native American Heritage Village is located on the first section of the Presidential Trail. The village illustrates the history, customs, and traditions of local American Indian communities.

Rock Climbing

Although climbing on the Mount Rushmore sculpture and within the restricted zone adjacent to the sculpture is prohibited, much of the park is open to climbing. The park is known as a world-class sports climbing area, with its massive spires and large rock faces nestled amid tall ponderosa pines.

Visiting Custer State Park

Custer State Park is one of the largest state parks in the Lower 48, and because of its unique historical, cultural, and natural resources, it attracts many visitors. If you want to avoid the crowds, the best times to visit are from May to mid-June and September through October. Spring offers a reawakening of the grasslands and the birth of cinnamon-colored bison calves, as well as elk, deer, pronghorn, and other wildlife. Fall beckons the change of colors in every canyon and ravine, as well as the bugling of bull elk as they search for mates. It’s also the season for the annual buffalo roundup, held the last Monday in September, which draws nearly 11,000 spectators.

Creekside Lodge is open in the winter, and winter camping is available.

Essentials

Visitor Centers

The Peter Norbeck Visitor Center, located between the State Game Lodge and the Coolidge General Store on U.S. 16A, offers brochures, interpretive exhibits, and a variety of educational items.

The Wildlife Station Visitor Center, located on the southeast part of the Wildlife Loop, has shade, information, exhibits, and educational items.

Fees

Entrance fees for 7 days are $15 per vehicle or $10 for a motorcycle. Campsites with electricity are available for $24 per night in most of the park’s eight campgrounds.

Special Regulations & Warnings

The park’s biggest attraction may be its 1,300 head of bison. Remember that all animals in the park are wild and can be dangerous. Bison are extremely fast and can be lethal if provoked, so give them plenty of space. Campers and hikers should never drink water from lakes, streams, or springs.

Useful Publications

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department provides a number of helpful brochures for the park, available at the Peter Norbeck Visitor Center. The park’s newspaper, Tatanka, provides information on the park’s resorts and activities. The newspaper is available at each park entrance station, the visitor center, and park headquarters.

Exploring the Park by Car

For a first-class excursion, pick any of the park’s three scenic drives: the Needles Highway, the Wildlife Loop Road, or the Iron Mountain Road. When driving, it’s important to keep an eye on the road and not your watch. Winding roads generally keep travel at 25 mph or less.

Be aware: Tunnels on Iron Mountain Road (U.S. 16A) are as low as 12 feet, 2 inches high and as narrow as 13 feet, 2 inches wide. Tunnels on the Needles Highway/Sylvan Lake Road (S. Dak. 87) are as low as 10 feet, 7 inches and as narrow as 8 feet, 4 inches.

Needles Highway This is a mesmerizing 14-mile journey through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and quaking aspen, and giant granite spires that reach to the sky. Visitors pass the picturesque waters of Sylvan Lake, through tunnels, and near a unique rock formation called the Needle’s Eye.

Wildlife Loop Road This 18-mile drive takes you through open grasslands and pine-clad hills—an area that is home to most of the park’s wildlife, including pronghorn, bison, white-tailed and mule deer, elk, coyote, begging wild burros, prairie dogs, eagles, hawks, and other birds. Stop by the Wildlife Station Visitor Center on the southeast part of the loop for information and exhibits. There are unpaved side roads off the Wildlife Loop Road that offer a quiet outdoor experience, in contrast to the main road in the summer. For example, one circle drive starts near the Wildlife Station Visitor Center. Take Park Road #3 (Oak Draw Rd.), then right on Park Road #4 (North Lame Johnny Rd.), right again on Park Road #5 (Swint Rd.), and one more right on Park Road #2 (Fisherman Flats Rd.), which will take you back to the Wildlife Loop Road and the Wildlife Station.

Iron Mountain Road Although only a portion of this scenic roadway rests in Custer State Park, it ranks as a must-see. The winding road runs between Mount Rushmore and the junction of U.S. 16A and S. Dak. 36. Along the route are wildfire exhibits, wooden “pig-tail” bridges, pullouts with wonderful views, and tunnels that frame the four presidents at Mount Rushmore.

Day Hikes

Custer State Park is home to a wide variety of hiking experiences, ranging from short nature walks to backcountry treks. A 22-mile segment of the South Dakota Centennial Trail, the Harney Peak Summit Trail, extends through the park. The Cathedral Spires Trail is also a popular choice. Be aware that some trails are also open to mountain bikers and horseback riders.

Visiting Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park

For several centuries, American Indians have told stories of holes in the Black Hills through which the wind would blow and howl. But the first recorded discovery of Wind Cave came in 1881, when brothers Jesse and Tom Bingham were lured to the cave by a whistling noise. As the legend goes, the wind was rushing from the cave entrance with such force that it blew Tom’s hat right off his head.

A few days later, when Jesse returned to the cave to show this phenomenon to friends, he was surprised to find that the wind had shifted directions and his hat was sucked into the cave. A hundred years later, we know that the direction of the wind is related to the difference in atmospheric pressure between the cave and the surface.

J. D. McDonald was the first person to attempt to establish a tourist attraction at Wind Cave, complete with stagecoach transportation, a hotel, and a gift shop. He did this primarily because there were no valuable mineral deposits in the cave to mine. But “ownership” of the cave came into question, and the matter entered a courtroom. The Department of the Interior decided in December 1899 that no party had a claim to Wind Cave. In 1901, the department withdrew all the land around the cave from homesteading.

On January 9, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill that established Wind Cave as what is now America’s seventh national park, and the first created to protect the underground resources of a cave. In 1913 and 1914, the American Bison Society assisted in reestablishing a bison herd at Wind Cave, through the donation of 14 head from the New York Zoological Society. Also arriving in the park were 21 elk from Wyoming and 13 pronghorn antelope from Alberta, Canada. Today Wind Cave is home to 400 bison, as well as large herds of elk and pronghorn.

tips from an Insider

Former Wind Cave National Park Superintendent Jimmy Taylor loves this park.

“This is truly an amazing park,” says Taylor. “You can see and hear wildlife here. We have 800 to 900 head of elk, more than 400 bison, 50 pronghorn, two highways, and two all-weather gravel roads that make this park very accessible and suitable to the family sedan.”

Wind Cave is “an intimate park” where road-weary travelers can put the brakes on and enjoy plant and animal life at its best, Taylor says. Visitors often settle back and just watch prairie dogs building their “towns” or bison grazing on the prairie grasses. In fall, Taylor says there’s nothing quite like the sound of a lonely bull elk bugling from a rocky ridge in the park.

And beneath this remarkable place, says Taylor, is an underground wilderness whose depths have only been guessed at, and whose complexity we are only beginning to understand.

“Imagine,” he says, “only a few hundred feet underground there are spaces people have never seen, and perhaps may never see. Think that every time someone crawls through a hole or peeks into the next opening, they may literally be the first person in the history of mankind who has ever seen it.”

Avoiding the Crowds

With more than 28,000 acres, two paved highways, two all-weather gravel roads, 30 miles of excellent trails, backcountry camping, and plenty of room to roam, avoiding the crowds in Wind Cave National Park is a cinch.

July and August are the busiest months. Annual visitation averages 800,000, and about 100,000 people participate in a cave tour each year. When planning daily itineraries, include Wind Cave in either the early morning or late afternoon, when visitation is lowest and wildlife is most active. Buy your cave tour tickets early in the day.

Essentials

Visitor Center

The visitor center (off U.S. 385) is open daily year-round, 8am to 4:30pm off season (except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) and extended hours late April to mid-October, and offers books, brochures, exhibits, and video programs about the cave and other park resources. Cave tour information and tickets are available, and schedules of activities, including talks and nature walks, are posted.

Fees & Permits

Wind Cave National Park does not charge an entrance fee. It does, however, charge a fee for cave tours, ranging from $7 for a simple guided tour ($3.50–$4.50 for children 6–16, children under 6 are free) to $23 for a 4-hour introduction to basic caving techniques. Tours for visitors with special needs are also available.

Camping in Elk Mountain Campground costs $12 per night from mid-May through mid-September, and $6 per night during the rest of its season; all camping is on a first-come, first-served basis. Backcountry camping is allowed with a free permit, which must be picked up in person at the visitor center.

Special Regulations & Warnings

The danger of wildfire is high year-round. Build fires only in the campground and only in fire grills or camp stoves. Never leave a fire unattended. Off-road driving is prohibited. Watch for rattlesnakes and black widow spiders, especially around prairie dog burrows.

Cave tour pathways may be uneven or wet and slippery. Watch your step and wear low-heeled, nonslip shoes. A jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt is recommended for protection from the cave’s 53°F (12°C) temperature. If you have breathing, heart, or walking problems, or are claustrophobic, consult with a ranger before taking a tour. The cave’s delicate formations are easily broken or discolored by skin oils, so please don’t touch them. Smoking, food, and drink are prohibited in the cave.

Useful Publications

The National Park Service publishes a variety of handouts on topics such as park history, hiking, camping, geology, wildlife, bird life, prairie grasses and ecosystems, and environmental concerns. In addition, the park produces Passages, a free visitor newspaper that is available at the visitor center.

Organized Cave Tours

The park offers five different cave tours during the summer (a total of 30 tours per day) and one tour the remainder of the year (see “Fees & Permits” above for more details). Adventurous cavers should consider the two tours limited to 10 people each; these will definitely take them away from the crowds.

The Garden of Eden Tour Entering and leaving Wind Cave by an elevator, this 1-hour tour takes participants past representative cave features. It’s the park’s least strenuous tour, climbing 150 stairs.

Natural Entrance Tour Beginning at the walk-in entrance to the cave and leaving by elevator, this moderately strenuous 75-minute tour has 300 stairs (though most of these are down) and leads visitors through the middle of the cave, with an abundance of “boxwork”—thin blades of calcite that project from the cave’s walls and ceiling in a honeycomb pattern.

Fairgrounds Tour This includes some of the larger rooms found in the developed area of the cave. Participants view many cave formations, including boxwork. The tour enters and exits by elevator. This moderately strenuous excursion has 450 stairs and lasts 90 minutes.

Candlelight Tour This is one of the most popular tours, especially for children 8 and over. Trekking through a less-developed, unlighted section of the cave, tour participants carry a candle bucket and experience the cave by candlelight. Shoes with nonslip soles are required; no sandals are allowed. This strenuous 2-hour tour is limited to 10 people (minimum age is 8) and covers 1 mile of rugged trail. Reservations, available no more than 1 month before the tour, are strongly advised (phone 605/745-4600).

Wild Cave Tour You can also explore Wind Cave away from the established trails. On this 4-hour adventure, visitors are introduced to basic, safe caving practices. You need to wear old clothes and gloves, since much of the tour is spent crawling. Long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and sturdy, lace-up boots or shoes with nonslip soles are a must. The park provides hard hats, lights, and kneepads. Do not bring or wear jewelry, watches, or other valuables. This tour is limited to 10 people and the minimum age is 16. (Signed consent forms from a parent or guardian are required for 16- and 17-year-olds.) Reservations, which are available 1 month before the tour, are required (phone 605/745-4600).

Tours for People with Disabilities The visitor center and the cave are accessible to people with limited mobility. Call (phone 605/745-4600) to make arrangements or inquire about a special tour at the information desk. Some areas of the cave are accessible to wheelchairs. Fees are charged for special services.

deadwood: The Wildest & Woolliest Town in the West

There was a time when it wasn’t safe to walk the cobblestone streets of the Black Hills’ original Sin City. But that was a thousand gunfights and barroom brawls ago, when Deadwood was known as the wildest, wickedest, woolliest town in the West. It was where Wild Bill Hickok was gunned down and where Calamity Jane Canary claimed she could outdrink, outswear, and outspit any man.

Today the sounds of slot machines and streetside barkers have replaced the gunshots, crunching blows, and rowdiness of a century ago, when miners, gamblers, and painted ladies all searched for their pots of gold. They found gold, of course, but seldom retained it.

The city’s merchants, bankers, and saloonkeepers, however, invested their money in beautiful Victorian buildings and residences that today stand as testament to a richer time.

Although Deadwood was labeled “a disaster” by historic preservation officials just over a decade ago, the town is still alive and kicking. This is due, to a great extent, to limited-stakes gambling, approved by South Dakota voters in 1989 to generate money to restore and preserve this mile-high community. The $5 maximum bet was raised to $100 in 2000.

Now state and national historic preservation officials call Deadwood’s metamorphosis “a miracle.” Brick streets, period lighting, and colorful trolleys greet visitors, who spend hours ducking in doorways and trying their luck in 80 gambling halls. In addition to gambling, Deadwood has some of the best restaurants and hotels in the state.

For more information on accommodations, tours, museums, attractions, special events, and gambling, contact the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau (phone 800/999-1876; www.deadwood.org), or stop by the History and Information Center in the train depot at 3 Siever St.

Exploring the Park by Car

Wind Cave National Park is not just about a cave. The rolling prairies of western South Dakota run smack into the ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills in the park, and its roadways provide access to some of the best wildlife-viewing opportunities in the region. Bison, pronghorn, elk, and other wildlife abound in this rugged preserve, and you’ll be able to see many of them as you drive down through Custer State Park on S. Dak. 87 to Wind Cave. The combination of Wind Cave National Park and the adjoining Custer State Park presents a most attractive introduction to the Black Hills. Several scenic roadways lead through the Black Hills to Wind Cave. Roadside sightseers will find the Wildlife Loop Road, Iron Mountain Road, and Needles Highway particularly enjoyable. All of these are in Custer State Park, just north of Wind Cave National Park, and are described in the preceding section.

Warning: Tunnels on Iron Mountain Road (U.S. 16A) are 12 feet, 2 inches high and 13 feet, 2 inches wide. Tunnels on the Needles Highway/Sylvan Lake Road (S. Dak. 87) are as low as 10 feet, 7 inches and as narrow as 8 feet, 4 inches.

Ranger Programs

Park rangers provide a number of talks and programs at Wind Cave. Topics range from local wildlife, plants, and geology to area history and spelunking and cave surveying. Campfire programs are conducted most evenings during the summer. There is a 2-hour ranger-guided prairie hike daily in the morning during the summer. Check with the visitor center for times and locations.

Day Hikes

More than 30 miles of trails crisscross the park’s backcountry. Several can be combined to create round-trip hikes, or you may want to leave the trails and hike a ridgeline, explore a canyon, or trek across an open prairie bordered by ponderosa pine. Backcountry camping is permitted in the northwestern portion of the park with a free permit, available at the visitor center or either of the Centennial trail heads.

Park handouts also provide information on more than a half-dozen other trails, ranging from 1.4 miles to 8.6 miles.

Centennial Trail Wind Cave provides the southern terminus for the 110-mile-long Centennial Trail, built in honor of South Dakota’s centennial in 1989. The trail leads through the heart of the Black Hills before ending at Bear Butte State Park near Sturgis. A 6-mile section of the Centennial Trail is in the park, where it crosses the prairie, climbs the foothills and forested ridges, and also provides access to the wetter, riparian habitat of Beaver Creek. 6 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Along S. Dak. 87, 3⁄4 mile north of its intersection with U.S. 385.

Elk Mountain Nature Trail This interpretive trail explores an ecotone, or meeting zone, where prairie and forest converge. Booklets are available at the trail head. .5 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Elk Mountain Campground.

Rankin Ridge Nature Trail This loop trail leads to the highest point in the park and is one of Wind Cave’s most popular. You can stop at the lookout tower (closed to public access), about halfway around the loop. Booklets are available at the trail head. .75 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Rankin Ridge parking lot.

Visiting Jewel Cave National Monument

The exploration of Jewel Cave began in about 1900, when two South Dakota prospectors, Frank and Albert Michaud, and a companion, Charles Bush, happened to hear wind rushing through a hole in the rocks in Hell Canyon. After enlarging the hole, they discovered a cave full of sparkling crystals. The entrepreneurs filed a mining claim on the “Jewel Lode,” but they found no valuable minerals, so they attempted to turn the cave into a tourist attraction. The business was never a success, but the cave did attract attention. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt established Jewel Cave National Monument to protect this natural wonder.

A half-century later, exploration of the cave intensified. Led by the husband and wife team of Herb and Jan Conn, spelunkers explored and mapped miles of passageways.

When first asked to consider a trek below the surface, the Conns were reluctant. But after their first excursion into the underworld, the couple was hooked. In more than 2 decades of spelunking in Jewel Cave, the Conns logged 708 trips into the cave and 6,000 hours of exploration and mapping. Their efforts proved that Jewel Cave was among the most extensive and complex cave ecosystems in the world, filled with scenic and scientific wonders.

The explorers discovered chambers with exquisite calcite crystals and other rare specimens. One room mapped by the Conns, the Formation Room, is now a highlight of the Park Service tours. They also found rooms as large as 150 feet by 200 feet, passageways as long as 3,200 feet, and a place where the cave wind blows at speeds of over 30 miles per hour. In 1980, after discovering more than 65 miles of passageways, the Conns retired, and a new generation of spelunkers have pushed the known boundaries of the cave to well over 150 miles.

When the Conns said, “We are still just standing on the threshold,” they could not have known how accurate they were. Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey have since attempted to determine the number of passageways in the cave by measuring the volume of air leaving or entering the cave, depending on the barometric pressure outside. Results indicate that known passageways at Jewel Cave constitute less than 5% of what actually exists in the quiet darkness below the Black Hills.

Only Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is longer than Jewel Cave. More recent explorations of Jewel Cave have determined it is the second-longest cave system in the world.

Known for its calcite nailhead and dogtooth spar crystal, Jewel Cave is also home to a variety of rare and unusual cave formations. The Cave’s hydromagnesite “balloons,” fragile silvery bubbles that look as if they might pop any minute, have been found in just a handful of other caves. Scintillites, reddish rocks coated with sparkling clear quartz crystals, were unknown until they were discovered in Jewel Cave. One particularly intriguing mineral, gypsum, combines with time and the ceaseless presence of seeping water to assume the shapes of flowers, needles, spiders, and cottony beards that sway from the heat of an explorer’s lamp.

tips from the Chief of Interpretation

“Jewel Cave is one of the most structurally complex caves in the world and it is still being explored,” according to Chief of Interpretation Bradley Block. “This is not a cave that has been fully mapped, and it’s probable that it will not be fully explored in any of our lifetimes.” He adds, “To this point, we have been very successful in developing a visitor experience that allows people to enjoy the cave in a relatively pristine state.”

For travelers with children over 6, Block recommends the “adventurous experience” of a Historical Lantern Tour into the cave, the park’s Junior Ranger Program, and the variety of surface programs that augment the cave tours.

Fall, winter, and spring are ideal times to visit the cave, Block says. Even with arctic blasts on the surface, temperatures within the cave are constant at 49°F (9°C), with humidity averaging 98%. “In the middle of winter, it can actually be quite pleasant in the cave,” says Block.

Avoiding the Crowds

The highest visitation at Jewel Cave occurs June through August. With around 1,274 acres above the surface and annual visitation of approximately 105,000, Jewel Cave is rarely overcrowded, even at the height of the season. However, because space on each tour is limited and more than 90,000 visitors participate in a cave tour annually, you should anticipate a wait to enter the cave. If you want to keep your wait to a minimum, reservations are strongly recommended.

Essentials

Visitor Center

The visitor center has books and brochures, and park rangers can assist travelers in planning their visit, pointing out interpretive programs, and answering questions about the park’s cultural, historical, and geologic resources. Up-to-date cave information and tour tickets are available at the center, which is open daily year-round, except for Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Fees

There is no entry fee for the national monument, but there is a charge for all cave tours. The Scenic and Lantern tours cost $8 ($4 for children ages 6–16); the Discovery tour is $4 for adults and no charge for children under 16; the Wild Caving tour is $27. Reservations can be made by calling phone 605/673-8300. Holders of the National Park Pass and their immediate families can take the Discovery tour free of charge, but not the other tours. Holders of the Senior Pass and Golden Access Pass and up to three family members can take the Discovery tour with no charge. If the holder wishes to take the Scenic, Lantern, or Wild Caving tour, only the cardholder may receive the benefit of a half-price tour.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Low-heeled, rubber-soled shoes are highly recommended because trails can be slippery; stair-climbing is required on each tour. A jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt will keep you comfortable in the 49°F (9°C) year-round temperature of the cave. Persons with respiratory or heart problems or who have been recently hospitalized, have lower joint problems, or have a fear of heights or confined spaces should talk with a park ranger before selecting a tour. Damaging or even touching cave formations is prohibited because of the fragile and irreplaceable nature of the formations. Pets and smoking are not allowed in the visitor center or the cave. Cameras are permitted on cave tours, but tripods are not.

Useful Publications

The National Park Service publishes brochures covering a variety of topics, such as bats, birds, surface trails, wild caving tours, and the history and exploration of the cave. Also refer to the park website at www.nps.gov/jeca.

Organized Cave Tours

Visitors can have an adventure in Jewel Cave by taking any of the park’s ranger-guided tours. Tickets for the Scenic Tour, Historical Lantern Tour, or Wild Caving Tour may be purchased by reservation or at the visitor center. Reservations for the Wild Caving Tour are strongly encouraged. Call phone 605/673-8300 for advance reservations. It’s also a good idea to contact the Monument before visiting to determine whether special hours, activities, or tour schedules are being observed.

Scenic Tour This 1⁄2-mile, 80-minute tour visits chambers decorated with calcite crystals and colorful stalactites, stalagmites, and draperies. The loop tour begins at the visitor center with an elevator ride into the cave. Participants take a paved, lighted path and climb up and down more than 700 stairs on this moderately strenuous journey into the underground. The tour, which is offered year-round, is conducted several times daily from May to September and is limited to 30 persons.

Historical Lantern Tour This 1⁄2-mile, 105-minute tour follows in the footsteps of early Jewel Cave explorers. Tour participants see the cave’s calcite-coated passageways lighted by old-style oil lanterns. This round-trip tour starts at the monument’s historic cabin. The cave tour is moderately strenuous, with many steep stairs, and requires much bending and stooping. Long pants and sturdy, closed-toe shoes are highly recommended. The tour is offered several times daily from mid-June through Labor Day and is limited to 20 persons. (Definitely call ahead to find out if it will be offered when you are in the area.) Children under age 6 are not allowed.

Wild Caving Tour This physically and mentally challenging nearly 2⁄3-mile, 3- to 4-hour tour gives participants a taste of modern-day cave crawling in a wild, undeveloped portion of Jewel Cave. The round-trip tour begins at the visitor center with an elevator ride into the cave. Old (they’ll get permanently stained) long-sleeved shirts and long pants, gloves, knee and elbow pads, and ankle-high laced boots with lug soles are required. The park supplies hard hats and headlamps. To qualify for the tour, participants are required to crawl through an 8 1/2-by-24-inch concrete block tunnel—and no, that’s not a typo. This extremely strenuous enterprise is offered daily (12:30pm) from mid-June through mid-August; the limit is five persons (here’s your chance to avoid the crowds). Children under 16 are not allowed; 16- and 17-year-olds must have a parent or guardian’s written permission. You can (and should) reserve your place on a tour in advance by calling phone 605/673-8300.

Discovery Tour For those with little time or limited physical abilities, this tour may be for you. You will visit one room of the cave in the 20-minute tour and learn Jewel Cave’s natural and cultural histories. The cave is entered and exited by elevator and involves up to 15 steps. This tour is wheelchair accessible.

Ranger Programs

In addition to the cave tours (see above), during the summer season, a number of special interpretive programs take place at the visitor center, including patio talks, demonstrations, and guided hikes. Check at the visitor center for specifics.

Day Hikes

Travelers to Jewel Cave should also take time to experience life aboveground by taking a nature hike (there are two hiking trails), enjoying a picnic, or searching out the plants and animals that inhabit the rugged hills and canyon country of the Black Hills.

In the stillness of the ponderosa pine forest that blankets the Monument are mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, porcupines, coyote, squirrels, chipmunks, and several species of birds, including golden eagles and hawks. Plants of both the prairie and the hills grow here, and in summer, wildflowers paint the landscape.

A huge wildfire burned about 90% of the Monument’s land area in August 2000, and visitors today still see evidence of what is called the Jasper Fire, ranging from dead or damaged trees to plants that have come back since the blaze. Check with the visitor center or a park ranger for current trail conditions.

Canyons Trail This loop trail provides views of the limestone palisades of Hell Canyon and Lithograph Canyon, and offers a chance of seeing some of the deer, birds, and wildflowers that live in the ponderosa pine forest through which the trail winds. If you want to experience a part of the Canyons Trail without going the entire distance, you might try the 1.5-mile round-trip between the visitor center and the historic area of the cave. 3.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Visitor center.

Roof Trail While visiting the “roof” of Jewel Cave on this self-guided interpretive walk, you’ll learn how the monument’s surface and subsurface resources interact. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Visitor center.

Other Sports & Activities

Aerial Tours If you want to see the Black Hills from above, contact Black Hills Balloons, P.O. Box 210, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-2520; www.blackhillsballoons.com), which offers flights over the Black Hills, as well as Badlands National Park and Devils Tower National Monument, year-round.

Biking The Black Hills region has more than 6,000 miles of fire trails, logging roads, and other undeveloped roads, and it is becoming a top spot for mountain biking. Custer State Park is a prime spot for mountain biking—most park trails and roads are open to bikers. (The Legion Lake Resort in Custer State Park rents mountain bikes; see the complete listing under “Where to Stay,” below.)

Fishing Rainbow trout are stocked at Horsethief Lake, below Mount Rushmore, where there is a Forest Service campground (see “Camping,” below). Center and Stockade lakes in Custer State Park are also good fishing spots. Many streams, including Grizzly Bear Creek, behind Mount Rushmore, have good fishing for brook trout. You’ll need a fishing license, available at sporting-goods stores and many convenience stores.

Guided Tours of the Black Hills

A number of charter bus park tours and guide services are available. Gray Line of the Black Hills, 1600 E. St. Patrick St., Rapid City, SD 57703 (phone 800/456-4461 or 605/342-4461; www.blackhillsgrayline.com), offers daily bus tours of the area in season. Golden Circle Tours Inc., P.O. Box 454, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-4349; www.goldencircletours.com), gives guided van tours of the area.

HorseBack Riding Several companies offer guided trail rides through the backcountry of the Black Hills, including family-run Dakota Badland Outfitters, (phone 605/574-3412; www.ridesouthdakota.com). Call for rates, activities, and reservations.

Snowmobiling The upper Black Hills have hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails, and many guest ranches and resorts, such as Deadwood Gulch Resort (see “Where to Stay,” below), rent snowmobiles to their guests. You can get more information on trails and companies that rent snowmobiles from South Dakota Tourism (see “Information,” earlier in this chapter).

Camping

Although there are no campgrounds within the boundaries of Mount Rushmore National Memorial or Jewel Cave National Monument, there are several in Custer State Park and another in Wind Cave National Park, plus those in the Black Hills National Forest and privately operated campgrounds. Many commercial campgrounds offer free shuttle services, nightly entertainment, pools, convenience stores, and horseback riding. Reservations are recommended. Choice spots are often filled by midmorning, so arriving at popular campgrounds early in the day is advised.

For more information on camping opportunities, contact South Dakota Tourism (see “Information,” earlier in this chapter). For information on National Forest Service campgrounds, contact the Forest Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest, 1019 N. 5th St., Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-9200; www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills), or contact Forest Recreation Management, Inc., 12620 Hwy. 244, Hill City, SD 57745 (phone 605/574-2525).

*Campground opening and closing dates can vary from year to year.

*Campground opening and closing dates can vary from year to year.

*Campground opening and closing dates can vary from year to year.

Inside Wind Cave National Park

In the pine forests 1⁄2 mile north of the park visitor center, Elk Mountain Campground has shady sites suitable for tents and recreational vehicles. The campground fee is $12 per night per site mid-May through mid-September and $6 per night per site the remainder of its season, when water is turned off. Park rangers give campfire programs at the amphitheater in the summer. Backcountry camping is also permitted (contact the park office for details), and backcountry campers are encouraged to practice low-impact camping and hiking techniques.

Inside Custer State Park

Campgrounds here require park entrance fees as well as camping fees.

Each campsite has either a gravel or a paved camping pad, drinking water and showers, fire grates, and a picnic table, and all campgrounds but Center Lake have flush toilets. About 270 campsites and 50 new camper cabins throughout the park may be reserved beginning in January, while other sites are available on a same-day-of-arrival reservation. Campsites range from modern to primitive. There is electricity at campgrounds throughout the park.

For information and reservations, contact Custer State Park, 13329 U.S. Hwy. 16A, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 800/710-2267 or 605/255-4515), or go to www.campsd.com.

Blue Bell Campground is in a mature stand of ponderosa pine near French Creek, not far from the site where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry discovered gold in 1874. It offers easy access to the Wildlife Loop Road, horseback riding, stream fishing, and fabulous hiking.

Game Lodge Campground was designed for larger RVs, but tent campers will find cool, shady sites and an occasional bison along the banks of Grace Coolidge Creek. It’s near the park’s Peter Norbeck Visitor Center and the State Game Lodge.

Legion Lake Campground is centrally located in Custer State Park, with fishing, boating, and hiking opportunities right at your doorstep. Historic sites are within walking distance, as is the Legion Lake Lodge across the highway.

You’d probably have to camp in Yosemite Valley to get a better view than the one at Sylvan Lake Campground. This mountain retreat is just off the incredible Needles Highway, near 7,242-foot Harney Peak, the highest point between the Rockies in the west and the Swiss Alps in the east, and offers the best Black Hills hiking and mountain climbing. Its campsites fill quickly, so make your reservations early; all sites are reservable.

The park’s other three campgrounds are Center Lake, 5 miles northeast of the junction of U.S. 16A and S. Dak. 87; Grace Coolidge, 13 miles east of Custer on U.S. 16A; and Stockade Lake, just inside the park’s western boundary on U.S. 16A.

Reservations are accepted at all campgrounds and camper cabins except Center Lake, whose sites are all available on a same-day-of-arrival reservation.

Inside the Black Hills National Forest

You can make National Forest camping reservations by calling phone 877/444-6777 or online at www.reserveusa.com. Below are just two of 19 campgrounds in the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming.

Horsethief Lake Campground, a mile west of Mount Rushmore, offers scenic sites adjacent to picturesque Horsethief Lake. At a 5,000-foot elevation, the campground has 30 sites for travel trailers and RVs; 10 sites are for tents only. Sites not reserved (50% can be reserved) fill quickly, so you need to claim yours early in the day.

Roubaix Lake Campground, off U.S. 385 on FDR 255, is nestled in a ponderosa pine forest next to scenic Roubaix Lake, which offers great fishing and swimming at a 5,500-foot elevation. Spaces fill fast; some can be reserved.

Commercial Campgrounds

A variety of private campgrounds provide all the usual RV hookups and other services.

American Presidents Resort, 1 mile east of Custer on Hwy. 16A, P.O. Box 446, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 605/673-3373; www.presidentsresort.com), is a perfect base for touring the southern Black Hills. The campground’s 40-by-60-foot heated pool and Jacuzzi are popular, as are its miniature golf and horseshoes. The campground, with 70 sites, has a store and fishing nearby. A 10% discount is offered on reservations made before May 15. Also available are 45 full-service cabins, with rates from $99, some with kitchens, that sleep from two to eight people and a 15-unit motel (call for rates).

Big Pine Campground, 12084 Big Pine Road, Custer, SD 57730 (phone 800/235-3981 for reservations, or 605/673-4054; www.bigpinecampground.com), secluded from traffic noises, offers level, naturally shaded sites plus fireplaces and wood, a store, game room, playground, hiking, and horseshoes.

Sleep Land RV Park, P.O. Box 157, Keystone, SD 57751 (phone 605/666-4638, in the heart of the former mining town of Keystone, is close to numerous attractions and only a stone’s throw from Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The campground and its adjacent 43-unit motel offer cool shade and a gurgling brook, as well as a store, gas, ice, gifts, restaurant, heated pool, and hot tub. Take a fun walk down Keystone’s Main Street while you’re here.

Mount Rushmore KOA, P.O. Box 295, Hill City, SD 57745 (phone 800/562-8503 or 605/574-2525; www.mtrushmorekoa.com), part of the Palmer Gulch Resort, is among the best campgrounds in the region. With 500 sites and 55 Kamping Kabins, two pools and spas, a water slide, live entertainment, movies, miniature golf, fishing, hayrides, a restaurant, tours, and car rentals, this is what many commercial campgrounds want to be when they grow up.

Rapid City KOA, P.O. Box 2592, Rapid City, SD 57709 (phone 800/KOA-8504 [562-8504] or 605/348-2111; www.rapidcitykoa.com), is on Rapid City’s eastern flank. This large KOA offers a free pancake breakfast and a grand pool and spa. Bus tours and car rentals are available, and shopping, sightseeing, and Rushmore Plaza Civic Center are nearby.

Whistler Gulch Campground, 235 Cliff St., Hwy. 85 S., Deadwood, SD 57732 (phone 800/704-7139 or 605/578-2092; www.whistlergulch.com), is in one of Deadwood’s famous mining gulches. The campground offers 100 full-service RV sites and secluded tent sites. Facilities include a heated swimming pool, a sport court, and a small store. The town trolley takes visitors to Deadwood’s casinos and historic sites.

Where to Stay

There are no accommodations at Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, or Jewel Cave national parks, but inns, hotels, motels, lodges, and bed-and-breakfasts are plentiful in nearby Black Hills communities and parks. Custer State Park has four popular lodges; reservations are strongly recommended, especially in summer. For popular destinations such as Custer State Park, it’s best to reserve 6 months to a year in advance of your visit. In addition to the properties listed below in Rapid City, Nemo, and Deadwood, you’ll find accommodations in Keystone and Hill City (convenient to Mount Rushmore), as well as in Custer and Hot Springs (more convenient to Jewel Cave and Wind Cave, respectively). If you’re continuing west, you might also consider lodging in Newcastle, Wyoming, 25 miles west of Jewel Cave National Monument.

For information on accommodations in the Black Hills, contact either the South Dakota Office of Tourism or the Black Hills & Badlands Association (see “Information,” earlier in this chapter).

In Rapid City

Abend Haus Cottages and Audrie’s B&B Set on the banks of a rippling trout stream, Audrie’s is a perfect choice for those couples seeking a romantic and luxurious escape during their visit to the Black Hills. The spacious cottages and suites ooze old-world charm, with European antiques, hot tubs, fireplaces, and patios. Among the cottages, an excellent choice is the Yuletide Haus, made of hand-peeled lodgepole pine logs, with a king-size bed, refrigerator, microwave, CD, and TV with DVD player. More upscale is Moonlight Lodge, an 1,100-square-foot log cabin that has a king bed, river rock gas fireplace, refrigerator and microwave, hot tub, and entertainment center complete with a 53-inch large-screen TV. Smoking is not permitted.

23029 Thunderhead Falls Rd., Rapid City, SD 57702. www.audriesbb.com. phone 605/342-7788. 9 units. TV. $145–$210 double. Rates include full breakfast. No credit cards. Couples only (no children). Located 7 miles west of town on U.S. 44.

Hotel Alex Johnson This finely restored hotel, listed on the National Historic Register, has a Germanic Tudor mixed with Lakota Sioux atmosphere on the inside, with a Germanic Tudor exterior. The furniture was handcrafted in Rapid City to replicate the hotel’s original 1928 furnishings. It contains an Irish pub, gift shop, and a highly recommended restaurant that’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

523 6th St., Rapid City, SD 57701. www.alexjohnson.com. phone 800/888-2539 or 605/342-1210. Fax 605/342-7436. 143 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $49–$169. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn This eight-story atrium hotel with a pool and waterfall offers all the spaciousness and amenities you would expect in a top-rated modern hotel. It also has a relaxing piano lounge and exercise facilities, and is close to downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment. It’s adjacent to Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

505 N. 5th St., Rapid City, SD 57701. www.rushmoreplaza.com. phone 605/348-4000. Fax 605/348-9777. 205 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Winter $100–$135 double; summer $160–$183 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

In Custer

Bavarian Inn Motel The Bavarian Inn’s location 1 mile north of downtown is convenient to many of the Black Hills’ most popular attractions, including Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Custer State Park. There’s a restaurant (German/American) and lounge on-site, plus heated indoor and outdoor pools, a tennis court, a sauna and hot tub, and a playground.

U.S. 16/385 N., Custer, SD 57730. www.bavarianinnsd.com. phone 800/657-4312 or 605/673-2802. 64 units, 1 condo. A/C, TV, TEL. $49–$119 double; $89–$189 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

In Deadwood

The Bullock Hotel This is one of the finest hotels in South Dakota. You’ll find turn-of-the-20th-century surroundings complemented by modern amenities. There’s also 24-hour gambling, a full-service bar, and a quaint restaurant called Bully’s. For a special treat, try one of the Jacuzzi suites. Keep an eye out for the hotel’s namesake, legendary lawman Seth Bullock, whose ghost reportedly has a habit of reappearing here.

633 Historic Main St., Deadwood, SD 57732. www.historicbullock.com. phone 800/336-1876. 28 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $45–$175 double, varied by seasons. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Deadwood Gulch Resort With a comfortable hotel, three casinos, a convention center, bars, a newly remodeled creekside restaurant, outdoor recreation, a 24-hour hot tub, and heated pools, this resort is a good home base for those exploring the area, as well as a destination to enjoy for its own merits. The attractive modern rooms have one or two queen-size beds; minisuites are also available. There’s a convenience store and gas station, and trolley service to historic Main Street. In the summer, the resort has mountain-bike rentals; in the winter, you can rent snowmobiles, and special events are on offer year-round.

U.S. 85 S., 1 mile from Historic Main St. (P.O. Box 643, Deadwood, SD 57732). www.deadwoodgulch.com. phone 800/695-1876 or 605/578-1294. 90 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Oct 4–May 21 $69 double; May 22–June 13 $89 double; June 14–Aug 31 $119; Sept 1–Oct 3 $89 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Rates include breakfast. No pets. Kids 17 and under stay for free.

Inside Custer State Park

Custer State Park is home to four distinct lodges, each with its own unique personality, that offer lodging, dining, and a wealth of recreational opportunities in the heart of the Black Hills.

The State Game Lodge (phone 605/255-4541), located on U.S. 16A near the park’s main visitor center, served as the “Summer White House” for Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The stone and wood lodge features stately lodge rooms, hotel rooms, and pine-shaded cabins, as well as meeting and banquet facilities. The dining room was rejuvenated in the 2009 season and continues to offer casual yet elegant breakfast and lunch dining, while creating a formal ambience for dinner. The lodge offers an excellent Buffalo Jeep Safari Ride into the backcountry and a Safari Ride cookout dinner tour.

Open year-round, Creekside Lodge, located on the grounds of the State Game Lodge, features 30 luxurious, oversized lodge rooms, a beautiful lobby, and two meeting rooms perfect for business or leisure gatherings.

The Sylvan Lake Lodge (phone 605/574-2561), on S. Dak. 87 in the northeast corner of Custer State Park, overlooking scenic Sylvan Lake and the Harney Range, features cozy lodge rooms and rustic family cabins. Sylvan’s dining room was remodeled in 2009 and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a view. Stop in at the lakeside general store to pick up your rental watercraft and snacks. The lodge is also close to a number of outdoor activities, including hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, and rock climbing.

The Blue Bell Lodge (phone 605/255-4531), located on S. Dak. 87 just before the turnoff for the Wildlife Loop Road (if you are traveling south), is among western South Dakota’s best-kept secrets. The retreat has an Old West flavor, with handcrafted log cabins (our choice for the best place to stay in the park) scattered around a lodge with a newly remodeled dining room, lounge, and meeting room. A general store, gift shop, and gasoline station are located on-site, and fishing is available nearby. The Blue Bell also offers hayrides, chuckwagon cookouts, and trail rides.

The Legion Lake Lodge (phone 605/255-4521), located near the junction of the Needles Highway (S. Dak. 87 and U.S. 16A), dates from 1913 and features cottages in the pines near the lakeshore. The dining room and store provide guests with the best in deli, bakery, and burgers in a casual lakeside setting. Here you can pick up fishing licenses and all the supplies you need. The 110-mile Centennial Trail passes through the Legion Lake area.

Rates vary depending on the lodge and also by cabin and room type. Rates range from $115 per night for a twin room at the State Game Lodge to $380 per night (10-person housekeeping cabin at Sylvan Lake Lodge). Several unique one-of-a-kind cabins are also available at a higher rate.

The more facilities and amenities, the more you pay. Most of the lodges open in late April or May and close down in late October. Creekside Lodge and a few cabins are kept open for winter visitors. Creekside Lodge is open year-round. These fill quickly, and some people call 6 months in advance for reservations. For more information or to make reservations at any of Custer State Park’s lodges, contact Custer State Park Resort Co., 13389 U.S. Hwy. 16A, Custer, SD 57730 (www.custerresorts.com; phone 888-875-0001).

Where to Eat

Dining in the Black Hills tends to be a casual affair, but the selection can be excellent, ranging from homemade pies and ranch-raised buffalo to hearty steaks and succulent pheasant. “Summer” means Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Inside the Parks

The only full-service dining for all meals within the National Park Service properties in the Black Hills is the Buffalo Dining Room at Mount Rushmore (see below). Wind Cave and Jewel Cave have vending machines. The four resorts at Custer State Park offer dining facilities that nonguests may enjoy as well; all offer what we might call upscale family dining, with mostly American fare at relatively moderate prices (see the individual resort descriptions under “Where to Stay,” above).

In addition to the restaurants listed below, you might consider two places in Custer, east of Jewel Cave National Monument, west of Custer State Park, and northwest of Wind Cave National Park. The Bavarian Inn, at the junction of U.S. 385 and U.S. 16 (phone 605/673-4412), serves American and German dishes at reasonable prices, with live music most nights. The Chief Restaurant, 140 Mount Rushmore Rd. (phone 605/673-4402), offers family-style dining, with choices ranging from prime rib and steaks to pizza and buffalo burgers.

At Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Carvers Cafe AMERICAN Every day, visitors to the Black Hills dine with presidents at Mount Rushmore’s fabled Buffalo Dining Room. Operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the Memorial’s concessionaire, the dining room serves a wide array of food year-round in one of the world’s most famous settings. Scrambled eggs, hash browns, homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, and country-fried steak are a good deal at $5.50. What’s especially nice about the place is that most choices retain a homemade taste, not something you can say about all national park fare. The buffalo stew is excellent; you’ll also find burgers, hot dogs, chicken, pot roast, spaghetti, baked fish, ham steaks, great pies and fudge, and monumental scoops of ice cream.

At Mount Rushmore. phone 605/574-2515. www.mtrushmorenationalmemorial.com. Main courses $7–$15. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 8am–9pm; other times of the year daily 8am–4:30pm (hours may vary during the off season).

In Keystone

The Ruby House Restaurant and Red Garter Saloon STEAK/SEAFOOD/BUFFALO/ELK Steaks, seafood, game, and other specialties are served in a richly appointed Victorian dining room. If you’ve never tried buffalo, order one of the steaks or burgers here—they’re similar to very lean beef, but pricier. This is a quiet stop in a tumultuous town.

124 Winter St., Keystone. phone 605/666-4404. www.historicrubyhouse.com. Main courses $9–$15 lunch, $11–$26 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. End of Apr–Oct daily for lunch and dinner, 11am–9pm.

In Hill City

The Alpine Inn STEAKS The Alpine Inn remains a favorite among most locals and all carnivores. This is a steak place, and steak is what the restaurant does well. The lack of a wide selection of entrees is mitigated by a choice of more than 20 desserts, most of which are homemade and all of which are delectable. An attractive porch overlooks the bustle of downtown.

225 Main St., Hill City. phone 605/574-2749. www.alpineinnhillcity.com. Main courses $3.50–$8.50 lunch, $9–$13 dinner. No credit cards. Lunch Mon–Sat 11am–2:30pm and dinner Mon–Thurs 5–9pm and Fri–Sat 5–10pm. Closed Sun.

In Rapid City

Botticelli Ristorante Italiano ITALIAN Botticelli is ones of the area’s culinary hot spots. Featuring a wide selection of creamy pastas and delightful chicken and veal dishes, the fare smacks of northern Italy. Even though Botticelli is set in the heart of cattle country, the fresh seafood specials and other non-beef items are generally the best choices. There’s also a fine wine selection.

523 Main St., Rapid City. phone 605/348-0089. Main courses $6–$10 lunch, $10–$25 dinner. AE, MC, V. Lunch Mon–Fri 11am–2:30pm; dinner 5–9pm; lunch/dinner Sat 11am–9pm; dinner Sun 5–9pm.

Firehouse Brewing Co. CONTINENTAL/PUB FARE The brewing process is visible behind glass in this classic, renovated fire station. Burgers, buffalo, and chicken wings are favorites, but we also recommend the Reuben sandwich, the bean soup offered in fall, and the desserts, such as the Big Cookie—a freshly baked white and dark chocolate mix the size of a dinner plate that is topped with two large scoops of French vanilla ice cream and served with melba sauce on the side. Live entertainment is offered on a large, heated patio Wednesday through Saturday nights in the summer.

610 Main St., Rapid City. phone 605/348-1915. www.firehousebrewing.com. Main courses $8–$15 lunch, $11–$25 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer Sun 11am–10pm Mon–Thurs 11am–11pm, Fri–Sat until midnight; other times of the year Sun 11am–9pm, Mon–Thurs 11am–10pm, Fri–Sat until 11pm.

Fireside Inn STEAKS/SEAFOOD/PASTA Bean soup is a great starter, but the Fireside Inn has made a name for itself with its prime rib and intimate fireside setting. Relax with refreshments on a spacious new patio before checking out the 20-ounce Cattlemen’s Cut. Or you might want to sample the fresh salmon or the delicious chicken Wellington. The New York steak is among the best in the business.

On S. Dak. 44, 6 miles west of Rapid City. phone 605/342-3900. Main courses $16–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 5–9pm.

Golden Phoenix CHINESE A relaxed atmosphere with reasonable prices, quick service, and convenient parking make this a good choice in Rapid City. There is a wide selection of Chinese dishes, but it’s hard to beat the Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, or Hunan shrimp.

2421 W. Main St., Rapid City. phone 605/348-4195. Main courses $6–$6.65 lunch, $6–$10 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–9:30pm.

In Piedmont

Elk Creek Steakhouse & Lounge STEAKS/SEAFOOD/PASTA/CHICKEN Steak’s the thing at Elk Creek, and the buffalo steaks are excellent. The Duchess potatoes are wonderful, and the Chef’s Special—a rib-eye served on an English muffin, topped with broccoli, mock crab, and a hollandaise-cheese sauce—is wicked. The lounge features a live band on Saturday and Sunday nights.

I-90 at exit 46, Piedmont. phone 605/787-6349. Main courses $10–$39. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 4–10pm; Fri–Sat 4pm–midnight.

In Deadwood

Deadwood Social Club STEAKS/PASTA A warm atmosphere is made even cozier with light jazz and blues in the background and one of South Dakota’s largest wine selections in the cellar. Pasta dishes, such as the smoked Tuaca pheasant, are exquisite. The South Dakota buffalo tenderloin and hand-cut rib-eye are served with fresh sautéed vegetables and garlic smashed potatoes, then topped with Florentine butter.

On the 2nd floor of Saloon No. 10, 657 Main St. phone 800/952-9398. www.saloon10.com. Reservations appreciated but not required. Main courses $5–$10 lunch, $15–$25 dinner. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am–10pm.

Jakes NEW AMERICAN Before dining, browse handsomely displayed costumes worn by Kevin Costner in his feature films, including The Postman, Dances with Wolves, and Tin Cup. Kevin and partners Carla and Francis Caneva own Jakes, which features some of the most unique food in the region. Seasonal dishes include salmon, elk, chicken, duck, lamb, and buffalo, and a different chef’s featured selection is part of the menu every night. Appetizers can range from escargot to buffalo carpaccio. There is also an excellent wine list.

Atop the Midnight Star, 677 Main St., Deadwood. phone 605/578-3656. www.themidnightstar.com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $21–$32. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Fri–Sat 5–10pm; Sun and Tues–Thurs 5:30–9:30pm. Closed Mon.

Chapter 7: Bryce Canyon National Park & Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, UT

by Don & Barbara Laine

Welcome to a magical land, a place of inspiration and spectacular beauty where thousands of intricately shaped hoodoos stir the imagination as they stand in silent watch.

Hoodoos, geologists tell us, are pinnacles of rock, often oddly shaped, left standing after millions of years of water and wind erosion have carved away softer or less protected rock. But perhaps the truth really lies in a Paiute legend. These American Indians, who lived in the area for several hundred years before being forced out by Anglo pioneers, told of a “Legend People” who lived here in the old days. For their evil ways, the powerful Coyote turned them to stone, and even today they remain frozen in time.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is unique. Its intricate and often whimsical formations are smaller and on a more human scale than the impressive rocks at Zion and Canyonlands national parks, and Bryce is far easier to explore than the huge and often intimidating Grand Canyon. The park is comfortable and inviting in its beauty; we feel we know it simply by gazing over the rim.

Although the hoodoos grab your attention first, before long you notice the deep amphitheaters that enfold them, with their cliffs, windows, and arches—all in shades of red, brown, orange, yellow, and white—that change and glow with the rising and setting sun. Beyond the rocks and light are the other faces of the park: three life zones, each with its own unique vegetation, changing with elevation; and a kingdom of animals, from the busy chipmunks and ground squirrels to stately mule deer and their archenemy, the mountain lion.

Human exploration of the Bryce area likely began with the Paiutes. Trappers, prospectors, and early Mormon scouts may have visited in the early to mid-1800s, before Maj. John Wesley Powell conducted the first thorough survey of the region in the early 1870s. Shortly after, Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce and his wife, Mary, moved to the area and tried raising cattle. They stayed only a few years, but Bryce left behind his name and his oft-quoted description of the canyon as “a helluva place to lose a cow.”

tips from a Park Insider

“A lot of people think this is one of America’s prettiest parks,” says former park ranger Dave Mecham. “The hoodoos are what people come to see—that’s what made Bryce famous—and it’s the most popular thing.”

Bryce Amphitheater has the best scenery in the park, in Mecham’s opinion. “It’s the place in the park where everything’s coming together geologically to carve hoodoos at their best,” he says. He particularly enjoys the Rim Trail along the edge of the canyon, and recommends the section between Inspiration and Bryce points, with perhaps the best view from Upper Inspiration Point, 300 to 400 yards south of Inspiration Point.

Mecham calls Bryce Canyon a “morning park” because the views are better illuminated in the early morning than at any other time of day. He recommends spending at least 1 night at or near the park. “If you’re spending the night close by, I think it would be a big mistake to miss sunrise.”

Getting up early is also the best way to avoid crowds, since most people don’t get to the view points or out onto the trails until about 10am. The other way to avoid crowds is to walk away from them. Mecham says that you’re not likely to see anyone at all on the two backcountry trails at the south end of the park, but avoiding crowds even in the park’s most popular areas often takes only a short walk.

“Sunset Point is the busiest place in the park, especially in midsummer at midday,” he says. “You finally get a parking spot, then walk out to a very crowded vantage point, where you’re standing shoulder to shoulder and it’s real hectic. But if you take a 5-minute walk south along the rim trail toward Inspiration Point, you’ll leave the crowds immediately—they just cluster at those views.”

Mecham says September and October are probably the best times to visit. “It’s still busy,” he says, “but less crowded on trails.” If you really want to avoid people, you’ll feel you have the park all to yourself if you visit midweek in the middle of the winter. “We plow the roads so people can drive to the view points and photograph the canyon with snow on it, and the people who ski or snowshoe will enjoy it the most,” he says, adding, “Skiing is at its best in January and February, when it’s really cold.”

Avoiding the Crowds

Although Bryce Canyon receives only two-thirds the number of annual visitors that pour into nearby Zion National Park, Bryce can still be crowded, especially during its peak season, from mid-June to mid-September. If you must visit then, try to hike some of the lesser-used trails (ask rangers for recommendations), and get out onto the trails as soon after sunrise as possible.

A better time to visit, if your schedule allows, is spring or fall. If you don’t mind a bit of cold and snow, the park is practically deserted in the winter—a typical January sees some 22,000 to 25,000 visitors, less than a tenth of the number in August—and the sight of bright red hoodoos capped with fresh white snow is something you won’t soon forget.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Utah 12 crosses the park, which is in the mountains of southern Utah, from east to west. The bulk of the park, including the visitor center, is accessible from Utah 63, which turns south off Utah 12. West of the park, U.S. 89 runs north to south. Utah 12 heads east to Tropic and eventually Escalante.

From Salt Lake City, it’s about 250 miles to the park. Take I-15 south about 200 miles to exit 95 and head east 13 miles on Utah 20, south on U.S. 89 for 17 miles to Utah 12, and east 17 miles to the park entrance road. The entrance station and visitor center are 3 miles south of Utah 12.

From St. George, about 135 miles southwest of the park, travel north on I-15 10 miles to exit 16, then head east on Utah 9 for 63 miles to U.S. 89, north 44 miles to Utah 12, and east 17 miles to the park entrance road.

From Cedar City (I-15 exits 57, 59, and 62), about 80 miles west of the park, take Utah 14 southeast 41 miles to its intersection with U.S. 89 and follow that north 21 miles to Utah 12, then east 17 miles to the park entrance road.

A couple of other handy driving distances: Bryce is 83 miles east of Zion National Park, 160 miles north of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and 245 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Nearest Airport Bryce Canyon Airport (phone 435/834-5239; www.brycecanyonairport.com), at 7,586 feet of elevation, is located several miles from the park entrance on Utah 12, and has a 7,400-foot lighted runway. Charter service is available from Bryce Canyon Airlines (phone 435/834-8060; www.rubysinn.com/bryce-canyon-airlines.html). There is a free shuttle service to local motels, and car rentals are available from Hertz (phone 800/654-3131; www.hertz.com), located at the Chevron service station in the Ruby’s Inn complex.

You can also fly to St. George or Cedar City and rent a car.

Information

Contact Bryce Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 640201, Bryce, UT 84764-0201 (phone 435/834-5322; www.nps.gov/brca). Officials request that you write rather than call, at least a month before your planned visit, for them to mail information. However, you will find everything they will send you and more at the park website.

If you desire even more details to help plan your trip, you can order books, maps, posters, DVDs, videotapes, and CDs from the nonprofit Bryce Canyon Natural History Association, P.O. Box 640051, Bryce, UT 84764-0051 (phone 888/362-2642 or 435/834-4782; www.brycecanyon.org). Association members ($35 single or $50 family annually) receive a 15% discount on purchases and discounts for programs presented by the High Plateaus Institute. Members also receive discounts at the Bryce Lodge gift shop and most other nonprofit bookstores at national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreation areas.

Among the books that the association sells is the excellent Hiking Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks, by Erik Molvar and Tamara Martin, which includes detailed trail descriptions for both parks. The Bryce Canyon Auto and Hiking Guide, by Tully Stroud and Paul R. Johnson, is published by the association and has discussions of the various view points and hiking trails, a variety of color photos of the park, and historic black-and-white photos. For those seeking more details on the park’s geology, the association publishes Shadows of Time: The Geology of Bryce Canyon National Park, by Frank DeCourten, John Telford, and Hannah Hinchman.

For additional information on the area, contact Bryce Canyon Country, operated by the Garfield County Office of Tourism (phone 800/444-6689 or 435/676-1102; www.brycecanyoncountry.com).

Visitor Center

At the north end as you enter the park, the visitor center has exhibits on the geology and history of the area and presents a short video program. Rangers answer questions, offer advice, and provide backcountry permits. You can also pick up free brochures and buy books, maps, videos, postcards, and posters. The visitor center is open daily year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Summer hours are usually from 8am to 8pm, with shorter hours the rest of the year (in the dead of the winter, the visitor center will close at 4:30pm).

Fees & Permits

Entry into the park (for up to 7 days) costs $25 per private car, pickup truck, van, or RV, which includes unlimited use of the park shuttle (when it’s operating). Individuals 16 and older entering the park on motorcycle, bike, or foot are charged $12 each; those 15 and under are admitted free. Campsites cost $15 per night.

Backcountry permits are required for all overnight trips into the backcountry, and for up to 7 days cost $5 for 1 or 2 people, $10 for 3 to 6 people, and $15 for 7 to 15 people (group sites only). Backcountry camping is permitted on only two trails (details are available at the visitor center).

Special Regulations & Warnings

Although most visitors to Bryce Canyon enjoy an exciting vacation without serious mishap, accidents can occur. The most common injuries are sprained, twisted, and broken ankles. Park rangers strongly recommend that hikers, even those just out for short day hikes, wear sturdy hiking boots with good traction and ankle support.

Another concern in recent years has been bubonic plague (treatable with antibiotics if caught early). The bacteria that causes bubonic plague has been found on fleas in prairie dog colonies in the park, so you should avoid contact with wild animals, especially prairie dogs, squirrels, and other rodents. Those taking pets into the park should dust them with flea powder. Avoiding contact with infected animals will greatly minimize the chances of contracting this holdover from the Dark Ages, but caution is still necessary. Symptoms, which generally occur 2 to 6 days after exposure, may include high fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and swollen glands. Anyone showing these symptoms after visiting the park should get medical attention immediately—the plague can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Backcountry hikers should carry water. Campfires are not permitted in the backcountry.

Seasons & Climate

With elevations ranging from 6,620 to 9,115 feet, Bryce Canyon is cooler than southern Utah’s lower-elevation parks. From May through October, daytime temperatures are pleasant—usually from the low 60s to the upper 80s (high teens to low 30s Celsius)—but nights are quite cool, dropping into the 40s (single digits Celsius) even at the height of summer. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. In winter, days are generally clear and crisp, with high temperatures often reaching the 40s (single digits Celsius), and nights are cold, usually in the single digits or teens, and sometimes dipping well below zero. Snow is common in winter, but the roads to the view points are plowed.

If You Have Only 1 day

There are several ways to see a good deal of Bryce in a short time. Start at the visitor center and watch the video program that explains some of the area’s geology. Then drive the 18-mile (each way) dead-end park road, stopping at view points to gaze down into the canyon (see “Exploring the Park by Car,” below), or visit the most popular view points on the Bryce Canyon Shuttle.

Whichever way you choose to get around, make sure you spend at least a little time at Inspiration Point, which offers a splendid (and, yes, inspirational) view into Bryce Amphitheater and its hundreds of statuesque pink, red, orange, and brown hoodoo stone sculptures. After seeing the canyon from the top down, walk at least partway down the Queen’s Garden Trail. If you can spare 3 hours, hike down the Navajo Loop Trail and return to the rim on the Queen’s Garden Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below). Those who can’t hike into the canyon can enjoy a leisurely walk along the Rim Trail, which provides spectacular views down into the canyon, especially just after sunrise and about an hour before sunset. In the evening, try to take in the campground amphitheater program.

Exploring the Park by Car

The park’s 18-mile (one-way) scenic drive follows the rim of Bryce Canyon, offering easy access to a variety of views into the fanciful fairyland of stone sculptures below. Trailers are not allowed on the road and must be left at one of several parking lots. Because all overlooks are on your left as you begin the drive, it’s best to avoid crossing traffic on your way up, and instead drive all the way to the end of the road, turn around, and stop at the overlooks on your return. Allow 1 to 2 hours.

After leaving the visitor center, drive the 18-mile road to Yovimpa and Rainbow Point overlooks, which offer expansive views of southern Utah, Arizona, and sometimes even New Mexico. From these pink cliffs, you can look down on a platoon of stone soldiers, standing at eternal attention. A short loop trail from Rainbow Point leads to an 1,800-year-old bristlecone pine, believed to be the oldest living thing at Bryce Canyon.

From here, drive north to Ponderosa Canyon Overlook, where you can gaze down from a dense forest of spruce and fir at multicolored hoodoos, and then continue to Agua Canyon Overlook, with some of the best color contrasts in the park. Looking almost straight down, watch for a hoodoo known as The Hunter, with its hat of green trees.

The Best Time to Make the Scenic Drive

The scenic drive is practically deserted in early mornings—anytime before 9am. This is the best time to see deer and the best time to see the hoodoos, when the light on them is at its richest.

Continue on to Natural Bridge, actually an arch carved by rain and wind, spanning 85 feet. From here, continue to Farview Point, with a panoramic view to the distant horizon and the Kaibab Plateau at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Next, pass through Swamp Canyon and continue until you hit a turnoff from the main road on the right.

This turnoff leads to three overlooks. The first is Paria View, looking off to the south of the White Cliffs, carved into light-colored sandstone by the Paria River. To the north of Paria View, you’ll find Bryce Point, a splendid stop for seeing the Bryce Amphitheater, the largest natural amphitheater in the park, as well as distant views of the Black Mountains to the northeast and Navajo Mountain to the south. From here it’s just a short drive to Inspiration Point, which offers views similar to those at Bryce Point, plus the best view in the park of the Silent City, a sleeping metropolis of stone.

Now return to the main road and head north to Sunset Point, where you can see practically all of Bryce Amphitheater, including Thor’s Hammer and the 200-foot-tall cliffs of Wall Street.

Continue north to a turnoff for your final stop, Sunrise Point, where there’s an inspiring view into Bryce Amphitheater. This is the beginning of the Queen’s Garden Trail, an excellent choice for a walk (even a quick one) below the canyon rim.

Exploring the Park by Shuttle

In recent years, congestion has been increasing along the park’s only road, making a drive through the park a less-than-pleasurable experience. To alleviate this, a voluntary shuttle service runs from early May through early October, daily from 8am until 7:40pm (until 5:40pm the last few weeks of the shuttle season). Visitors can park their cars at the parking and boarding area at the intersection of the entrance road and Utah 12, 3 miles from the park boundary, and ride the shuttle into the park. Those staying in the park at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon or one of the campgrounds can also use the shuttle, at no additional charge (see “Fees,” earlier in this chapter). The shuttle has stops at various view points, as well as at Ruby’s Inn, Ruby’s Campground, the visitor center, Sunset Campground, and the Lodge at Bryce Canyon. The shuttle runs every 12 to 15 minutes and is handicap accessible. The shuttle is free and you can get on and off as you please. Note that using the shuttle is not required; you can use your own car if you wish.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park rangers present a variety of free programs and activities. One-hour evening programs, which may include a slide show, take place at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, the visitor center, and occasionally at the North Campground amphitheater. Topics vary, but could include such subjects as the animals and plants of the park, geology, and the role of humans in the park’s early days. Rangers also give half-hour talks several times daily at various locations in the park, and lead hikes and walks, including a moonlight hike and a wheelchair-accessible, 1 1/2-hour canyon rim walk. (Reservations are required, so sign up at the visitor center.) Schedules are posted on bulletin boards at the visitor center, General Store, campgrounds, and the Lodge at Bryce Canyon.

Especially popular are the park’s Astronomy Programs, which are usually offered 3 nights a week through the summer. Telescopes are provided.

The High Plateaus Institute, which is affiliated with Bryce Canyon Natural History Association, occasionally presents educational programs for the public. For details, check with park offices or the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association (phone 888/362-2642 or 435/834-4782; www.brycecanyon.org).

For a bird’s-eye view of the canyon and its numerous formations, contact Bryce Canyon Airlines & Helicopters (phone 435/834-8060; www.rubysinn.com/bryce-canyon-airlines.html) for scenic flights by helicopter or open cockpit biplane. Tours last from about 35 minutes to several hours, and the longer trips include surrounding attractions. Prices start at about $100 per person, and reservations are required.

Several adventure tour operators give guided biking, hiking, and backpacking trips in and near the park. Operators offering a variety of classic or multisport tours include Austin-Lehman Adventures (phone 800/575-1540; www.austinlehman.com), Backroads (phone 800/462-2848; www.backroads.com), Bicycle Adventures (phone 800/443-6060 or 360/786-0989; www.bicycleadventures.com), REI Adventures (phone 800/622-2236 or 253/437-1100; www.rei.com/adventures), and The World Outdoors (phone 800/488-8483; www.theworldoutdoors.com). A good online source for a variety of outdoor adventure trips offered by various outfitters is www.adventurefinder.com.

Park Attractions

Although American Indians and 19th-century pioneers spent some time in what is now Bryce Canyon National Park, they left little evidence. The park’s main historic site is the sandstone and ponderosa pine The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, built by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1924. Much of it has been faithfully restored to its 1920s appearance.

Day Hikes

One of the wonderful things about Bryce Canyon is that you don’t have to be a long-distance backpacker to really get to know the park. But those looking for a challenge won’t be disappointed, either.

All trails below the rim have at least some steep grades, so you should wear hiking boots with a traction tread and good ankle support to avoid ankle injuries, the most common accidents in the park. During the hot summer months, you’ll want to hike either early or late in the day, always keeping in mind that it gets hotter the deeper you go into the canyon. Bryce’s rangers do not rate hiking trails by difficulty, saying that what is easy for one person may be difficult for another. Ratings here are provided by the authors and other experienced hikers, and are entirely subjective.

The best of Two Great Trails

A great choice for getting down into the canyon and seeing the most with the least amount of sweat is to combine the Navajo Loop Trail with the Queen’s Garden Trail. The total distance is just under 3 miles, and most hikers take 2 to 3 hours. It’s best to start at the Navajo Loop Trailhead at Sunset Point and leave the canyon on the less steep Queen’s Garden Trail, returning to the rim at Sunrise Point, .5 mile north of the Navajo Loop Trailhead.

Shorter Trails

Bristlecone Loop An easy walk above the canyon rim, this trail traverses a subalpine fir forest. Here you’ll find more bristlecone pines than along the other park trails. It takes just 45 to 60 minutes to complete the loop, which has an elevation change of 150 feet. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Rainbow Point parking area at end of scenic drive.

Hat Shop Trail This hike has a 1,336-foot elevation change. Leaving the rim, you’ll drop quickly to the Hat Shop, so named because it consists of hard gray “hats” perched on reddish-brown pedestals. The trail offers close-up views of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir, as well as distant panoramas across the Aquarius Plateau toward the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. This trail is also the beginning of the Under the Rim Trail (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” below). 4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Bryce Point Overlook.

Mossy Cave Trail This often-overlooked trail outside the main part of the park offers an easy and picturesque 45-minute walk. The trail follows an old irrigation ditch up a short hill to a shallow cave, where seeping water nurtures the cave’s moss. Just off the trail, you’ll also see a small waterfall. Elevation gain is 200 feet. Hikers will usually get their feet wet; be careful when crossing the ditch. .8 mile RT. Easy. Access: Along Utah 12, about 3 1/2 miles east of the intersection with Utah 63.

Navajo Loop Trail This trail descends from the canyon rim 550 feet to the canyon floor and back up again. Traversing graveled switchbacks, it affords terrific views of several impressive formations, including the towering skyscrapers of Wall Street, the awesome Twin Bridges, and the precariously balanced Thor’s Hammer. The round-trip on this trail takes 1 to 2 hours. 1.3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head at central overlook point at Sunset Point.

Queen’s Garden Trail This short trail, which drops 320 feet below the rim, takes you down into Bryce Amphitheater, with rest benches near the formation called Queen Victoria. At the beginning of the descent, keep an eye cocked to the distant views so you won’t miss Boat Mesa, the Sinking Ship, the Aquarius Plateau, and Bristlecone Point. As you plunge deeper into the canyon, the trail passes some of the park’s most fanciful formations, including “Queen Victoria” herself, for whom the trail and this grouping of hoodoos were named, plus the Queen’s Castle and Gulliver’s Castle. The round-trip takes 1 to 2 hours. 1.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: South side of Sunrise Point.

Longer Trails

Fairyland Loop From Fairyland Point, this strenuous but little-traveled trail descends into Fairyland Canyon, and then meanders up, down, and around Boat Mesa. It crosses Campbell Canyon, passes Tower Bridge junction—a 200-yard side trail takes you to the base of Tower Bridge—and begins a steady climb to the Chinese Wall. About halfway along the wall, the trail begins the serious ascent back to the top of the canyon, reaching it near Sunrise Point. To complete the loop, follow the Rim Trail back through juniper, manzanita, and Douglas fir to Fairyland Point. The loop has an elevation change of 2,309 feet. 8 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Fairyland Point Overlook, off park access road north of visitor center; also accessible from Sunrise Point.

Peekaboo Loop Open to hikers, mules, and horses, the Peekaboo Loop winds among hoodoos below Bryce and Inspiration points and has an elevation change of 1,555 feet. It has several steep inclines and descents, but the views make the effort worthwhile. You can see far to the east beyond Bryce Canyon—toward the Aquarius Plateau, Canaan Mountain, and the Kaiparowits Plateau—or enjoy the closer prospect of the Wall of Windows, the Three Wisemen, the Organ, and the Cathedral. Various connecting trails make Peekaboo easily adaptable. Note: Horse use is heavy from spring to fall, and hikers should step aside as horseback riders pass them on the trail. 5.5 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Bryce Point Overlook parking area.

Rim Trail The Rim Trail, which does not drop into the canyon but offers splendid views from above, meanders along the rim with a total elevation change of up to 1,734 feet if you walk the entire length of the trail. This is more of a walk than a hike, and includes a half-mile section between two overlooks—Sunrise and Sunset—that is paved, fairly level, and suitable for wheelchairs. Overlooking Bryce Amphitheater, the trail offers almost continually excellent views. This is a good choice for an early morning or evening walk, when you can watch the changing light on the rosy rocks below. Another advantage is that you can access the trail from many locations, so you can have a short or long walk. You may also find this a convenient trail if you want to rush out to the rim for a quick look at sunrise over the hoodoos. Some people feel that the best view in the park is from the Rim Trail, south of Inspiration Point. 5.5 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: North trail head at Fairyland Point; south trail head at Bryce Point. Also accessible from Sunrise, Sunset, and Inspiration points and numerous locations in between.

Sheep Creek Trail This trail takes you down into the canyon bottom and, if you follow the extension, out of the park into the Dixie National Forest. The first mile is on the rim. It then descends the Sheep Creek draw below pink limestone cliffs toward the canyon bottom, traversing part of the Under the Rim Trail along its way. Watch signs carefully; the route can be confusing. The trail has up to a 1,250-foot elevation change. 3–5 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Trail head and parking area 5 miles south of visitor center.

Exploring the Backcountry

For die-hard hikers who don’t mind rough terrain, Bryce has two backcountry trails, usually open in the summer only. The truly ambitious can combine the trails for a weeklong excursion. Permits, are required for all overnight trips into the backcountry. Cost is $5 for 1 or 2 people, $10 for 3 to 6 people, and $15 for 7 to 15 people (group sites only). Permits cannot be reserved, but must be obtained at the park during the 48 hours preceding your hike.

Riggs Spring Loop This hike can be done in 4 or 5 hours, or it can be more comfortably done as a relaxing overnight backpacking trip. The trail goes through a deep forest and also provides breathtaking views of the huge Pink Cliffs at the southern end of the plateau. It has an elevation change of 2,248 feet. 8.5-mile loop. Moderate to strenuous. Access: South side of parking area for Rainbow Point.

Under the Rim Trail This moderately strenuous trail runs between Bryce and Rainbow points; it offers the full spectrum of views of Bryce Canyon’s scenery. Since the trail runs below the rim, it is full of steep inclines and descents, with an overall elevation change of 1,500 feet. Allow 2 to 3 days to hike the entire length. There are five camping areas along the trail, plus a group camp area. 23 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: East side of parking area for Bryce Point Overlook.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking & Mountain Biking Bikes are permitted only on the park’s established roads, which are generally narrow, winding, and crowded with motor vehicles during the summer. However, you’ll find plenty of mountain-biking opportunities just outside the park in the Dixie National Forest. For information, stop at the national forest’s Red Canyon Visitor Center (phone 435/676-2676), along Utah 12, about 11 miles west of the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance road. It’s usually open daily from early May to early October, and offers various interpretative programs on many Saturdays. Or contact the Dixie National Forest Information Center, 345 E. Riverside Dr., St. George, UT 84790 (phone 435/688-3246; www.fs.fed.us/dxnf).

Mountain bikes can be rented across the road from Ruby’s Inn at the Bryce Canyon American Car Care Center (phone 866/866-6616 or 435/834-5232; www.rubysinn.com) for $20 for up to 6 hours and $35 for a full day.

Horseback Riding To see Bryce Canyon the way the early pioneers did, you need to look down from a horse. Canyon Trail Rides, P.O. Box 128, Tropic, UT 84776 (phone 435/679-8665; www.canyonrides.com), offers a close-up view of Bryce’s spectacular rock formations from the relative comfort of a saddle. The company has a desk inside Bryce Lodge. A 2-hour ride to the canyon floor and back costs $50 per person, and a half-day trip farther into the canyon costs $75 per person. Rides are offered April through November. Riders must be at least 7 years old for the 2-hour trip, at least 10 for the half-day ride, and weigh no more than 220 pounds.

Guided horseback rides in Red Canyon are also provided by Ruby’s Inn Horse Rides (phone 866/782-0002 or 435/834-5341; www.horserides.net), at Ruby’s Inn. Rates are $45 for a 1-hour ride, $75 to $85 for a half-day ride, and $125 for a full day, including lunch. Ruby’s will also board your horse. (Call for rates.)

Wildlife Watching The park has a variety of wildlife, ranging from mule deer, which seem to be almost everywhere, to the often-seen golden-mantled ground squirrel and Uinta chipmunk. Occasionally, visitors catch a glimpse of a mountain lion, most likely on the prowl in search of a mule deer dinner; elk and pronghorn may be seen at higher elevations. Also in the park are black-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, striped skunks, and deer mice.

The Utah prairie dog, which is listed as a threatened species, is actually a rodent. It inhabits park meadows in busy colonies and can be fascinating to watch. However, keep your distance, because its fleas may carry disease (see “Special Regulations & Warnings,” above).

Many birds live in the park. You’re bound to hear the rather obnoxious call of the Steller’s jay. Other birds often seen include violet-green swallows, common ravens, Clark’s nutcrackers, American robins, red-shafted flickers, dark-eyed juncos, and chipping sparrows. Watch for white-throated swifts as they perform their exotic acrobatics along cliff faces. The park is also home, at least part of the year, to peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, bald eagles, and great horned owls.

The Great Basin rattlesnake, although pretty, should be given a wide berth. Sometimes growing to more than 5 feet long, this rattler is the park’s only poisonous reptile. Like most rattlesnakes, it is just as anxious as you are to avoid a confrontation. Other reptiles you may see are the mountain short-horned lizard, the tree lizard, the side-blotched lizard, and the northern sagebrush lizard.

Winter sports & activities The Bryce is beautiful in the winter, when snow settles over the red, pink, orange, and brown hoodoos.

Snowshoes may be used anywhere in the park except on cross-country ski tracks. Cross-country skiers will find several marked, ungroomed trails (all above the rim). They include the Fairyland Loop Trail, which leads 1 mile through a pine and juniper forest to the Fairyland Point Overlook. From here you can take the 1-mile Forest Trail back to the road, or continue along the rim for another 1.2 miles to the park boundary. There are also connections to trails in the adjacent national forest.

Although the entire park is open to cross-country skiers, rangers warn that it’s impossible to safely ski the steep trails leading down into the canyon. Stop at the visitor center for additional trail information, and go to Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, just north of the park entrance (phone 866/866-6616 or 435/834-5341; www.rubysinn.com), for information on cross-country trails and snowmobiling opportunities outside the park. Ruby’s grooms over 30 miles of ski trails and rents cross-country ski equipment.

Camping

Inside the Park

Typical of many of the West’s national park campgrounds, the two facilities at Bryce offer plenty of trees with a genuine “forest camping” experience and easy access to trails, but limited facilities. Both North and Sunset campgrounds have sites suitable for tent and RV campers. Sunset Campground is open late spring through early fall only, while a section of North Campground is open year-round. Although we would happily camp at either campground, we prefer North Campground because it’s closer to the Rim Trail, making it easier to rush over to catch those amazing sunrise and sunset colors. Those without reservations should get to the park early to claim a site (usually by 2pm in the summer). Reservations are available from early May through late September for North Campground (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777) and for 20 tent-only sites in Sunset Campground, for an additional nonrefundable booking fee of $10. Showers ($2) are at a general store in the park, although it’s a healthy walk from either campground. The Park Service also operates an RV dump station ($2 fee) in the summer.

The general store near the Sunrise Point parking area has a coin-operated laundry and a snack bar, plus bundles of firewood, food and camping supplies, and souvenirs.

Near the Park

Just north of the entrance to the park is Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground, 300 S. Main St., Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764 (phone 866/878-9373 or 435/834-5301; www.rubysinn.com; credit cards accepted), which is situated just outside the park, along the shuttle bus route. The RV and tent sites are mostly shady and attractive. The campground contains an outdoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, barbecue grills, coin-operated laundry, propane, and a store with groceries and RV supplies. A lake and a horse pasture are nearby. Also on the grounds are several camping cabins ($56 double) and tepees ($34 double), which share the campground’s bathhouse and other facilities.

Bryce Canyon Pines, milepost 10, Utah 12 (P.O. Box 640043), Bryce, UT 84764 (phone 800/892-7923 or 435/834-5441; fax 435/834-5330; www.brycecanyonmotel.com; credit cards accepted), is part of a motel/restaurant/store/campground complex, about 3 miles west of the park entrance road. The campsites, set back from the highway, behind a gas station and store, are interspersed among ponderosa pines and junipers, with wildflowers and grasses. All RV sites have full hookups. Campers have access to the motel swimming pool across the street.

Bryce Pioneer Village, 80 S. Main St. (Utah 12; P.O. Box 119), Tropic, UT 84776 (phone 866/657-8414 or 435/679-8546; fax 435/679-8607; www.brycepioneervillage.com; credit cards accepted), is a small motel/cabins/campground combination in nearby Tropic, with easy access to several restaurants.

King Creek Campground is in the Powell District of the Dixie National Forest, located above Tropic Reservoir, with graded gravel roads and sites nestled among tall ponderosa pines. The reservoir has two boat ramps and good trout fishing. For information, stop at or contact the Red Canyon Visitor Center (phone 435/676-2676), along Utah 12, about 11 miles west of the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance road (usually open daily from early May to early Oct), or contact the Dixie National Forest Information Center, 345 E. Riverside Dr., St. George, UT 84790 (phone 435/688-3246; www.fs.fed.us/dxnf; no credit cards). From the intersection of Utah 63 and Utah 12, head west on Utah 12 about 2 1/2 miles to the access road, turn south (left), and follow signs to Tropic Reservoir for about 7 miles to the campground.

About 9 1/2 miles west of the park is another Dixie National Forest campground, Red Canyon Campground (same contact information as King Creek Campground, above). Set among the trees along the south side of Utah 12, it offers terrific views of the red rock formations, although there is a bit of road noise. There are a number of scenic trails close by. Reservations are available (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov), for a $10 administrative fee. Showers cost $2 and use of the dump station costs $5, whether you’re staying in the campground or not.

Kodachrome Basin State Park, P.O. Box 180069, Cannonville, UT 84718-0069 (phone 435/679-8562; www.stateparks.utah.gov), about 22 miles southeast of Bryce Canyon National Park, has an attractive campground with sites among unusual rock “chimneys” and pinyon and juniper trees.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon This is the perfect place to stay while you explore Bryce Canyon National Park. The location allows you to watch the play of changing light on the rock formations throughout the day. The handsome sandstone and ponderosa pine lodge opened in 1924. The luxurious lodge suites are wonderful, with white wicker furniture, ceiling fans, and separate sitting rooms. The motel units are simply pleasant, modern rooms, with two queen-size beds and either a balcony or a patio. The best choice is one of the historic cabins, restored to their 1920s appearance. They’re not large, but they have two double beds, high ceilings, stone (gas-burning) fireplaces, and log beams—you might call the ambience “rustic luxury.” At desks in the lobby, travelers can book horseback riding and other activities, and there is an excellent restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below). The gift shop sells everything from postcards and souvenirs to a fine selection of American Indian pawn jewelry. There is no swimming pool. All units are smoke-free.

Bryce Canyon National Park, (P.O. Box 640041), Bryce, UT 84764. www.brycecanyonforever.com. phone 877/386-4383 or 435/834-8700. 114 units (110 in motel rooms and cabins; 3 suites and 1 studio in lodge). TEL. $130–$165 double; $175 cabin; $179 lodge suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Nov through Mar.

Near the Park

Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel This upscale hotel offers excellent facilities a stone’s throw from the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. The rooms and suites, in two four-story towers with interior corridors, are what we might call “Western luxury,” with solid wood furnishings, good lighting, and top-quality beds—either one king or two queens. The deluxe suites, at 770 square feet, have a king bed, hide-a-bed couch, and jetted tub. All units have hair dryers, refrigerators, and microwaves. The hotel caters to those who want to take care of business while on vacation, with large working desks, a well-equipped business center, and Wi-Fi. There is a heated outdoor pool, a whirlpool, a fitness center, a coin-op laundry, and a restaurant that serves American food. The hotel is under the same management as the nearby Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn (see below). All units are smoke-free.

31 N. 100 E. (at the entrance to Bryce Canyon), Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764. www.brycecanyongrand.com. phone 866/866-6634 or 435/834-5700. Fax 435/834-5701. 162 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $150 double, $200–$290 suite; rest of year $75 double, $140–$199 suite. Rates include a hot breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn This large Best Western provides most of the beds for tired hikers and canyon gazers visiting the park. The lobby is among the busiest places in the area, with an ATM, a small liquor store, car rentals, a salon, a photo shop providing digital photo services, and tour desks where you can arrange excursions, from horseback and all-terrain-vehicle rides to helicopter tours. Near the lobby are a restaurant; a Western art gallery; a huge general store that sells souvenirs, cowboy hats, camping supplies, and groceries; and a post office. Outside is a gas station with repair facilities.

Spread among nine buildings, the modern motel rooms are typical of this chain, and contain art depicting scenes of the area, wood furnishings, and tub/showers, as well as Wi-Fi access. Some units have whirlpools. Services include a concierge and courtesy transportation from the Bryce Airport; facilities include two indoor pools, one indoor and one outdoor whirlpool, a sun deck, nature and cross-country ski trails, a game room, a business center, conference rooms, two coin-operated laundries, and two restaurants (see “Where to Eat,” below). All units are smoke-free.

26 S. Main St. (at the entrance to Bryce Canyon), Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764. www.rubysinn.com. phone 866/866-6616 or 435/834-5341. 370 units. A/C, TV, TEL. June–Sept $135–$169 double, $195 suite; Oct–May $70–$140 double, $145 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($20 per night fee).

Bryce Canyon Pines A modern motel with a Western flair, the Bryce Canyon Pines offers well-maintained rooms with Wi-Fi, light-wood furnishings, a table and two padded chairs, and two queen-size beds in most rooms. Some units have fireplaces (wood is supplied free in winter), some have fully stocked kitchenettes, and one has its own whirlpool tub. There’s a covered, heated swimming pool and an adjacent restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below). All units are smoke-free.

Milepost 10, Utah 12 (3 miles west of intersection with park entry road; P.O. Box 640043), Bryce, UT 84764. www.brycecanyonmotel.com. phone 800/892-7923 or 435/834-5441. Fax 435/834-5330. 53 units. $55–$105 double, $95–$130 cottage, $120–$325 deluxe room and suite; highest rates are in summer. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Bryce Country Cabins There’s something special about staying in a log cabin during a national park vacation, but there’s also something appealing about hot showers and warm beds. Bryce Canyon Country Cabins offers both, with recently constructed log-style cabins and a historic two-room pioneer cabin, set on a 20-acre farm. The grounds surrounding the cabins are nicely landscaped, and you get views out over the park, although we wish the units were farther back from the highway. The intriguing part of the facility is the farm behind the buildings, where cattle graze in the fields and the chickens think they own the place.

The comfortable modern cabins have knotty pine walls and ceilings, exposed beams, and ceiling fans. Each has one or two queen-size beds, a table with two chairs, fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, hair dryer, and private porch. Some bathrooms have showers only; others have tub/showers. The pioneer log cabin, built in 1905, has two spacious rooms with country-style decor, each with its own entrance. Both of the rooms have two queen-size beds, fridges and microwaves, and full bathrooms with tub/showers combos. The pioneer cabin’s two rooms can be rented together or individually. The property has Wi-Fi, outdoor barbecues, a fire pit for evening gatherings, and a children’s play-fort. All cabins are smoke-free.

320 N. Utah 12 (P.O. Box 141), Tropic, UT 84776. www.brycecountrycabins.com. phone 888/679-8643 or 435/679-8643. 13 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $95–$135 double; lower rates at other times. AE, DC, MC, V.

Bryce Pioneer Village This is a good choice for those seeking a good night’s rest at a reasonable rate. Decor is simple, with light-colored walls and rustic touches like rough log headboards in some units. All units have Wi-Fi. The small, no-frills motel rooms are clean and comfortable, with one or two queen-size beds or two double beds, large walk-in closets, and showers only (no tubs). Cabins, relocated from inside the national park, are more interesting. Most are small but cute, with one queen-size bed plus a twin bed, one chair, and a small bathroom with shower. Several others are larger, with two queen-size beds and average-size bathrooms with tub/showers. There are also cabins with three queen-size beds or one queen and a kitchenette. There is a campground on the property (see “Camping,” above), two hot tubs, a picnic area, and a small curio shop. Just outside the motel office, you can see the cabin where Ebenezer and Mary Bryce, for whom the national park is named, lived in the late 1870s.

80 S. Main St. (Utah 12; P.O. Box 119), Tropic, UT 84776. www.brycepioneervillage.com. phone 866/657-8414 or 435/679-8546. Fax 435/679-8607. 62 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $65–$80 double, $70–$90 cabin and kitchenette units; winter rates lower. DISC, MC, V.

Bryce Valley Inn A member of the America’s Best Value Inn & Suites franchise, the Bryce Valley Inn offers simply decorated, basic motel rooms that are a clean, well-maintained, and relatively economical choice for park visitors. Units have Wi-Fi and are furnished with either one king-size bed, one or two queen-size beds, or two double beds. There are also suites with either one queen or one king bed, plus a refrigerator and microwave. A restaurant serves American cuisine, and a gift shop offers a large selection of American Indian arts and crafts, handmade gifts, rocks, and fossils. All units are smoke-free.

199 N. Main St., Tropic, UT 84776. www.brycevalleyinn.com. phone 800/442-1890 or 435/679-8811. 65 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Late spring to early fall $85–$115 double and suite; rates from $50 double the rest of the year. AE, DISC, MC, V. 8 miles east of the park entrance road. Pets accepted ($20 fee).

Bryce View Lodge This basic modern American motel gets our vote for the best combination of economy and location. It consists of four two-story buildings, set back from the road and grouped around a large parking lot and attractively landscaped area. Rooms are simple but comfortable, recently refurbished, and quiet, and have Wi-Fi. Guests have access to the amenities across the street at Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn (see above).

105 E. Center St., Bryce Canyon City, UT 84764. www.bryceviewlodge.com. phone 888/279-2304 or 435/834-5180. Fax 435/834-5181. 160 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $80–$110 double; rest of year $60–$100 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($20 per night fee).

Stone Canyon Inn This charming inn gets our vote as the best place to stay outside the park for those who seek upscale accommodations, an abundance of pampering, and fantastic views. Each of the six guest rooms are unique, with queen- or king-size beds, colorful quilts, handsome wood furnishings, and a classic Western look. Three rooms have double whirlpool tubs and separate showers, two rooms have a whirlpool tub/shower, and a partially handicap-accessible room has a traditional tub/shower.

The four cottages—they’re much too nice to be called cabins—each have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a gas fireplace, full kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops, living room with TVs with VCR/DVD players, tile floors, a private deck with a hot tub, and a barbecue grill. All units have Wi-Fi and phones with free long-distance calls in the continental United States. Room guests (not those in cottages) receive a home-cooked full breakfast. Smoking is not permitted.

1220 W. 50 S. (P.O. Box 156), Tropic, UT 84776. www.stonecanyoninn.com. phone 866/489-4680 or 435/679-8611. From Utah 12 in Tropic, take Bryce Way Rd. west 1 mile to Fairyland Lane, and follow the sign to the inn. 10 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Oct $145–$200 room, $330 cottage; winter rates lower. Room rates include full breakfast; cottage rates do not. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Children 4 and under not allowed in the inn; no age restrictions for cottages.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon AMERICAN We would come here just for the mountain-lodge atmosphere, with two stone fireplaces and large windows looking out on the park. But the food’s good, too, and reasonably priced, considering that this is the only real restaurant in the park. The service is good, although not always speedy, but this is not a fast-food restaurant. Breakfasts offer typical American standards and a good buffet. At lunch, you’ll find sandwiches, burgers, salads, and a taco bar. The menu changes periodically, but may include dinner specialties such as pan-seared Alaskan sockeye salmon topped with sun-dried tomato pesto, and perhaps a rack of lamb. Steaks are also offered, including a bison tenderloin, and other dishes frequently available include chicken with lime and chile. There are also vegetarian items, and the restaurant serves wine and beer.

Bryce Canyon National Park. phone 435/834-8700. www.brycecanyonforever.com. Main courses $5–$12 breakfast and lunch, $13–$25 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am, 11:30am–3pm, and 5–10pm. Closed mid-Nov through Mar.

Near the Park

In addition to the restaurants discussed below, Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill, part of the huge Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn complex, at 26 S. Main St., in Bryce Canyon City, offers a Western dinner and show, nightly at 8pm, during the summer. Similar to chuck wagon dinners elsewhere, diners go through a chow line and pick up their grub and then head to large tables to eat and enjoy the show, a combination of Western-style music and humor. Dinner choices include rib-eye steak, baked salmon, baked chicken, and barbecue, with prices from $26 to $32, and all meals include beans, potatoes, corn bread, dessert, and a nonalcoholic beverage. Tickets are available at Ruby’s Inn; for information call phone 435/834-5341, ext. 7099 (www.rubysinn.com/ebenezers).

Bryce Canyon Pines AMERICAN A country cottage–style dining room, with an old wood stove, is the perfect setting for the American food served here. Especially popular for its breakfasts, the restaurant is also known for its homemade soups and pies—all the usuals, plus some not-so-usual selections such as banana blueberry. Sandwiches and full meals are available at lunch and dinner. Recommended are the Utah trout; the 8-ounce tenderloin steak; and the hot sandwiches, such as the open-faced turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. Beer and wine are available.

Utah 12, about 3 miles west of intersection with park entry road. phone 435/834-5441. www.brycecanyonmotel.com. Sandwiches $5–$12; full dinners $10–$22. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–9:30pm summer (call for hours at other times).

Canyon Diner AMERICAN This self-serve restaurant offers typical fast-food fare, relatively quick and close to the park. Breakfasts, served until 11am, include bagels and several egg croissants; for lunch and dinner, you can get hoagies, burgers, hot dogs, nachos, pretty good stuffed potatoes, pizza, broiled chicken sandwiches, and salads. Specialties include a fish and chips basket. No alcohol is served.

At the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, 1000 S. Utah 63, Bryce Canyon City. phone 435/834-8030. www.rubysinn.com. Reservations not accepted. Individual items $4–$7; meals $6–$11. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30am–9:30pm. Closed Nov–Mar.

Cowboy’s Buffet and Steak Room STEAK/SEAFOOD The busiest restaurant in the Bryce Canyon area, this main restaurant at the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn moves ’em through with buffets at every meal, plus a well-rounded menu and friendly service. The breakfast buffet offers more choices than you’d expect, with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, several breakfast meats, potatoes, pastries, and cereals. At the lunch buffet, you’ll find country-style ribs, fresh fruit, salads, soups, vegetables, and breads; while the dinner buffet features charbroiled thin-sliced rib-eye steak and other meats, pastas, potatoes, and salads. Regular menu dinner entrees include prime rib, pot roast, grilled rainbow trout, grilled turkey breast, southern-style catfish, and salads. In addition to the large, Western-style dining room, an outdoor patio is open in good weather. Full liquor service is available.

At the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, 26 S. Main St., Bryce Canyon City. phone 435/834-5341. www.rubysinn.com. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast and lunch $3.50–$15; dinner main courses and buffets $12–$30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 6:30am–10pm; winter daily 6:30am–9pm.

Foster’s Family Steak House STEAK/SEAFOOD The simple Western decor here provides the right atmosphere for a down-to-earth steakhouse. Locally popular for its slow-roasted prime rib and steamed Utah trout, Foster’s also offers several steaks (serious carnivores appreciate the 14-oz. T-bone), sandwiches, a soup of the day, and homemade chili with beans. All of the pastries, pies, and breads are baked on the premises. Bottled beer is available with meals.

At Foster’s motel, 1150 Utah 12, about 1 1/2 miles west of the park entrance road. phone 435/834-5227. www.fostersmotel.com. Main courses $5–$12 breakfast and lunch, $12–$26 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mar–Nov daily 7am–10pm; call for winter hours.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

A small store inside the national park has groceries, camping supplies, and snacks, all at surprisingly low prices. Just outside the park, the huge general store in the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn (see “Where to Stay,” above) offers camping supplies, groceries, Western clothing, and souvenirs.

Nearby Attractions

For excursions throughout the area, the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, on Utah 63 just north of the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance (see “Where to Stay,” above), is a one-stop entertainment center.

Directly across Utah 63 from the inn are Old Bryce Town Shops, open daily 8am to 10pm from May through September, where you’ll find a rock shop and a variety of other stores offering an opportunity to buy that genuine cowboy hat you’ve been wanting. There’s a trail here especially for kids, where they can search for arrowheads, fossils, and petrified wood; or perhaps they would prefer checking out the jail.

Nearby, Bryce Canyon Country Rodeo (phone 866/782-0002) showcases bucking broncos, bull riding, calf roping, and all sorts of rodeo fun in a 1-hour program, from Memorial Day weekend through late August, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children 3 to 12, and free for children 2 and under. Adventurous visitors can also ride—bulls for adults and steers and sheep for kids. Call for details.

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument

Covering almost 1.9 million acres, this vast area of canyons, mesas, plateaus, and river valleys became a national monument by presidential proclamation in 1996. Known for its rugged beauty, it contains a combination of geological, biological, paleontological, archaeological, and historical resources. In announcing the creation of the monument, President Bill Clinton proclaimed, “This high, rugged, and remote region was the last place in the continental United States to be mapped; even today, this unspoiled natural area remains a frontier, a quality that greatly enhances the monument’s value for scientific study.”

Unlike most other national monuments, almost all of this vast area is undeveloped—it has few all-weather roads, only one maintained hiking trail, and two small campgrounds. But the adventurous have access to miles upon miles of dirt roads and practically unlimited opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and camping.

The national monument consists of three distinct sections: The Grand Staircase of sandstone cliffs—including five life zones, from Sonoran desert to coniferous forests—is the southwest section; the Kaiparowits Plateau, a vast, wild region of rugged mesas and steep canyons, is the center section; and the Escalante River Canyons, a delightfully scenic area containing miles of connecting river canyons, is the northern section.

Essentials

Getting There

The monument covers an area almost as large as the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined, with Bryce Canyon National Park to the west, Capitol Reef National Park along the northeast edge, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area along the east and part of the south sides.

Access is on Utah 12 along the monument’s northwest edge, from Kodachrome Basin State Park and the communities of Escalante and Boulder; and by U.S. 89 to the southern section of the monument, east of the town of Kanab.

Information & Visitor Centers

The national monument remains a rugged area, with limited facilities, poor roads, and changeable weather. We strongly suggest that before setting out, all visitors contact one of the monument’s visitor centers to get maps and other information, and especially to check on current road and weather conditions. Also see the monument’s website, www.ut.blm.gov/monument.

Visitor centers include the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, on the west side of Escalante, at 755 W. Main St. (Utah 12), Escalante, UT 84726 (phone 435/826-5499), open daily 8am to 4:30pm from mid-March through mid-November, and Monday through Friday the same hours the rest of the year. You can also get information at the Bureau of Land Management’s Kanab Visitor Center, 745 E. U.S. 89, Kanab, UT 84741 (phone 435/644-4680), open daily 8am to 4:30pm.

The Cannonville Visitor Center is open daily from 8am to 4:30pm, mid-March through mid-November only, at 10 Center St., in Cannonville (phone 435/826-5640), east of Bryce Canyon National Park. The Big Water Visitor Center is along U.S. 89, near the southern edge of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, at 100 Upper Revolution Way, in Big Water (phone 435/675-3200). It is open daily from 9am to 5:30pm April through October and daily 8am to 4:30pm the rest of the year.

Fees, Regulations & Safety

There is no charge to enter most of the monument. Calf Creek Recreation Area charges $2 for day use and $7 for camping; camping at Deer Creek costs $4. Regulations are similar to those on other public lands and, in particular, forbid damaging or disturbing archaeological and historic sites.

The main safety concern is water—too little or too much. This is generally very dry country, so those going into the monument should carry plenty of drinking water. On the other hand, thunderstorms can turn the dirt roads into impassable mud bogs in minutes, stranding motorists. Potentially fatal flash floods through narrow canyons can catch hikers by surprise. The upshot: Everyone planning trips into the monument should check first with one of the offices listed above about current and anticipated weather and travel conditions.

Sports & Activities

The monument offers numerous opportunities for outdoor adventures, including canyoneering through narrow slot canyons (with the aid of ropes). You can get information on the best areas for canyoneering at the monument’s visitor centers, but we cannot emphasize too strongly that this is not a place for beginners. To put it bluntly, people die here, and you don’t want to be one of them.

It is strongly recommended that unless you are an expert at this specialized sport you go with an expert. One of the best is Rick Green, owner of Excursions of Escalante, 125 E. Main St. (P.O. Box 605), Escalante, UT 84726 (phone 800/839-7567; www.excursionsofescalante.com). Trips, which are available mid-March through mid-November, usually include four people with one guide, and all equipment is provided. In addition to canyoneering trips, the company offers day hiking and backpacking excursions, specialized tours, and 3-day canyoneering courses ($500–$600). Day trips include lunch. Day hiking trips cost $125 per person, canyoneering costs $145 to $165 per person, and a photo safari costs $170 per person. Overnight backpacking trips cost $250 to $275 per person per day, which includes practically everything you need, including food. Credit cards are not accepted; cash and checks are welcome. Excursions of Escalante also provides a flexible shuttle service; call for a quote.

Hiking, Mountain Biking & Horseback Riding About 15 miles northeast of Escalante on Utah 12, the Calf Creek Recreation Area has a campground (see “Camping,” below) and a picnic area with fire grates, tables, drinking water, and flush toilets. Well shaded, it lies along a creek at the bottom of a narrow, high-walled rock canyon.

The best part of the recreation area is the moderately strenuous 5.5-mile round-trip hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls. A sandy trail leads along Calf Creek, past beaver ponds and wetlands, to a beautiful waterfall cascading 126 feet down a rock wall into a tree-shaded pool. You can pick up an interpretive brochure at the trail head.

Even though the Calf Creek Trail is the monument’s only officially marked and maintained trail, numerous unmarked cross-country routes are ideal for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. We strongly recommend that hikers stop at the Interagency Office in Escalante or the Bureau of Land Management office in Kanab to get recommendations on hiking routes and to purchase topographical maps.

Among the popular and relatively easy-to-follow hiking routes is the footpath to Escalante Natural Bridge. It repeatedly crosses the river, so be prepared to get wet up to your knees. The easy 2-mile (one-way) hike begins at a parking area at the bridge that crosses the Escalante River near Calf Creek Recreation Area, 15 miles northeast of the town of Escalante. From the parking area, hike upstream to Escalante Natural Bridge, on the south side of the river. The bridge is 130 feet high and spans 100 feet. From here you can continue upstream, exploring side canyons, or turn around and head back to the parking lot.

Also starting at the Utah 12 bridge parking area is a hike downstream to Phipps Wash. Mostly moderate, this hike goes about 1.5 miles to the mouth of Phipps Wash, which enters the river from the west. On a north-side drainage of Phipps Wash, you’ll find Maverick Natural Bridge; by climbing up the south side, you can get to Phipps Arch.

Hiking the slot canyons is very popular, but we can’t stress too strongly that you must make sure to check on flood potential before starting out. One challenging and very strenuous slot canyon hike is through Peek-a-boo and Spooky canyons, which are accessible from the Hole-in-the-Rock Road (see “Sightseeing & Four-Wheeling,” below). Stop at the Escalante Interagency Office for directions.

Sightseeing & Four-Wheeling This is one of America’s least-developed large sections of public land, offering a wonderful opportunity for exploration by the adventurous. Be aware, though, that roads inside the monument are dirt that becomes mud, and often impassable, when it rains.

One particularly popular road is the Hole-in-the-Rock Scenic Backway, which is partly in the national monument and partly in the adjacent Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Like most roads in the monument, it is safe in dry weather only. Starting about 5 miles northeast of Escalante off Utah 12, this clearly marked dirt road travels 57 miles (one-way) to the Hole-in-the-Rock, where Mormon settlers in 1880 cut a passage through solid rock to get their wagons down a 1,200-foot cliff to the canyon floor and Colorado River below.

About 12 miles in, the road passes by the sign to Devil’s Rock Garden, an area of classic red-rock formations and arches, where you’ll find a picnic area (about 1 mile off the main road). The road continues across a plateau of desert terrain, ending at a spectacular scenic overlook of Lake Powell. The first 35 miles of the scenic byway are relatively easy (in dry weather) in a standard passenger car, but then it gets a bit steeper and sandier. The last 6 miles of the road require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. Allow about 6 hours round-trip, and make sure you have plenty of fuel and water.

Another recommended drive is the Cottonwood Canyon Road, which runs from Kodachrome Basin State Park south to U.S. 89, along the monument’s southern edge, a distance of about 46 miles. The road is sandy and narrow (and washboard in places) but usually passable for cars in dry weather. It mostly follows Cottonwood Wash, with good views of red-rock formations plus panoramas from hilltops. Unfortunately, two power lines mar views through the canyon and make photography a challenge—though in all fairness, we should acknowledge that the road would not exist at all if not for the power lines.

About 10 miles east of Kodachrome Basin State Park is a short turnoff from Cottonwood Canyon Road that leads to Grosvenor Arch. This magnificent stone arch, with an opening 99 feet wide, is well worth the trip. (It bears the name of National Geographic Society founder and editor Gilbert H. Grosvenor.)

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching The isolated and rugged terrain offers a good habitat for a number of species, such as desert bighorn sheep and mountain lions. As for birds, more than 200 species have been spotted, including bald eagles, golden eagles, Swainson’s hawks, and peregrine falcons. The best areas for seeing wildlife are along the Escalante and Paria rivers and Johnson Creek.

Camping

Backcountry camping is permitted in most areas of the monument with a free permit, available at the Interagency office in Escalante and the BLM office in Kanab. There are also two designated campgrounds. Calf Creek Recreation Area, about 15 miles northeast of the town of Escalante on Utah 12, has 14 sites and a picnic area. Open year-round, the tree-shaded campground often fills by 10am in summer. Located in a scenic, steep canyon along Calf Creek, surrounded by rock walls, the campground has a volleyball court and offers access to an interpretive hiking trail (see “Hiking, Mountain Biking & Horseback Riding,” above). It has drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets, but no showers, RV hookups or dump station, or garbage removal. In addition, from November through March, water is turned off and only vault toilets are available. To reach the campground, vehicles ford a shallow creek. The campground is not recommended for vehicles over 25 feet long. Campsites cost $7 per night; day use is $2 per vehicle.

The national monument’s other designated campground is Deer Creek, 6 miles east of the town of Boulder along the scenic Burr Trail Road. It has seven primitive sites and no drinking water or other facilities; camping costs $4 per night.

Chapter 8: Canyonlands National Park, UT

by Don & Barbara Laine

Utah’s largest national park, Canyonlands is a rugged high desert of rock, with spectacular formations and gorges carved over the centuries by the park’s primary architects, the Colorado and Green rivers. This is a land of extremes, of vast panoramas, deep canyons, steep cliffs, broad mesas, and towering red spires.

Canyonlands National Park

The most accessible part of Canyonlands is the Island in the Sky District, in the northern section of the park between the Colorado and Green rivers. A paved road leads to sites such as Grand View Point, overlooking some 10,000 square miles of rugged wilderness. Island in the Sky also has several easy to moderate trails offering sweeping vistas of the park. A short walk provides views of Upheaval Dome, which resembles a large volcanic crater but may actually have been created by the crash of a meteorite. For the more adventurous, the 100-mile White Rim Road takes experienced mountain bikers and those with high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles on a winding loop tour through a vast array of scenery.

The Needles District, in the park’s southeast corner, has only a few view points along the paved road, but it offers numerous possibilities for hikers, backpackers, and high-clearance 4WDs. Named for its tall, red-and-white-striped rock pinnacles, this district is home to impressive arches, including the 150-foot-tall Angel Arch, as well as meadows and the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers. Backcountry visitors to the Needles District will also find ruins and rock art left by American Indians some 800 years ago.

Most park visitors don’t get a close-up view of the Maze District, which lies on the west side of the Green and Colorado rivers, but instead see it off in the distance from Grand View Point at Island in the Sky, or Confluence Overlook in the Needles District. That’s because it’s inhospitable and practically inaccessible. You’ll need a lot of endurance and at least several days to see even a few of its sites. In 1 day, hardy hikers can visit Horseshoe Canyon, where they can see the Great Gallery, an 80-foot-long rock art panel.

The park is also accessible by boat, which is how explorer Maj. John Wesley Powell first saw the canyons in 1869, when he made his first trip down the Green to its confluence with the Colorado, and then traveled farther downstream, eventually to the Grand Canyon. River access is from the towns of Moab and Green River; local companies offer boat trips of various durations.

You’ll find a fascinating mixture of mountain and desert animals in Canyonlands; it varies depending on the time of year and your location. The best times to see most wildlife are early and late in the day, especially in the summer, when the midday sun drives all Canyonlands residents to search for shade. Throughout the park, you’ll probably hear, if not see, coyotes, and you’ll likely spot white-tailed antelope, squirrels, and other rodents scampering among the rocks. Watch for the elusive bighorn sheep along isolated cliffs, where you might also see a golden eagle or a turkey vulture soaring above the rocks in search of prey. In the pools of water that appear in the slickrock after rainstorms, you’re likely to see tadpole shrimp—1-inch-long crustaceans. Among the cottonwoods and willows along the rivers, you’ll find a variety of wildlife: deer, beaver, an occasional bobcat, and various migratory birds.

tips from a Park Ranger

“A wilderness of rock” is how Paul Henderson, Canyonlands’ chief of interpretation, describes the park, adding it contains some of the most remote country in the Lower 48. “There’s some wonderful opportunities here to find solitude that don’t exist in too many other places,” Henderson adds.

“Island in the Sky District receives the highest visitation and has the most extensive front-country road system, so it’s a place where folks that aren’t equipped for a backcountry adventure can still get a good feeling for what this park is all about,” he says. “There’s a paved road system, and you can have a really good experience in half a day.”

Henderson says that Island in the Sky is not only for the pavement-bound. “The premier opportunity at Island in the Sky is the White Rim Road,” he says. “A network of old mining roads and cowboy trails that make about a 100-mile trip—it’s one of the premier mountain-biking trips in the country.”

The Needles District is not a good place to cycle, but has first-rate options for hiking, backpacking, and four-wheeling. “Needles is pretty rough country, with some classic four-wheel-drive roads that, for the most part, are not for novice four-wheel-drivers,” he says. “I cringe when I see somebody in a brand-new $35,000 rig and it’s probably the first time they’ve locked it into four-wheel-drive.”

The park’s third district, the Maze, is very rough backcountry, Henderson says, and not for everyone. It is a great destination if you don’t want to see many people. In one recent year, there were about 40,000 people at Island in the Sky, about 20,000 at Needles, but only 546 at the Maze.

Avoiding the Crowds

Although Canyonlands does not get as crowded as other major national parks—usually just a bit over 400,000 visitors annually—the more popular trails can be busy. Spring and fall see the most visitors, but summer has recently become popular, despite scorching temperatures. Those who seriously want to avoid humanity should visit from November through February, when the park is practically deserted, though some trails and 4WD roads may be inaccessible. College spring-break time (usually mid-Mar through Apr) can be especially busy, and any other school vacation usually brings more visitors as well. Hiking in the early morning—often the best time to hike anyway—is a good way to beat the crowds any time of year.

One thing that makes the backcountry experience here especially pleasant is that the number of permits for overnight trips is limited (and permits often sell out well in advance). If you’re willing to hike, bike, or drive far enough, you’re almost guaranteed that you won’t be sharing the trail or road with a lot of other people.

Essentials

There are campgrounds but no lodgings, restaurants, or stores inside the park. Most visitors stay in Moab.

Getting There & Gateways

For directions to Moab, see “Getting There & Gateways,” in chapter 2.

To get to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center from Moab (about 34 miles), take U.S. 191 (which runs north-south through eastern Utah from Wyoming to Arizona) north to Utah 313, and follow it south into the park.

To reach the Needles Visitor Center from Moab, leave U.S. 191 at Utah 211 south of Moab, and head west into the park. It’s about 75 miles.

To get to the Maze District, from Moab, take U.S. 191 north, then go west for about 11 miles on I-70, crossing Green River, and then take Utah 24 south. Watch for signs and follow two- and four-wheel-drive dirt roads east into the park.

The Horseshoe Canyon area of the park is about 120 miles from Island in the Sky. To get there by two-wheel-drive vehicle, follow I-70 west from Green River to U.S. 24, and then go south about 24 miles to the Horseshoe Canyon turnoff (near the watch for sand drifts sign), where you turn left. Follow this maintained dirt road for about 30 miles to the canyon’s west rim, where you can park. This is the trail head for the hike to the Great Gallery (see “Day Hikes,” below).

The Nearest Airport & Renting A Car See the sections “The Nearest Airport” and “Ground Transportation,” in chapter 2.

Information

Contact Canyonlands National Park, 2282 SW Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532 (phone 435/719-2313; www.nps.gov/cany). Area information is available in advance from the Moab Area Travel Council, P.O. Box 550, Moab, UT 84532 (phone 800/635-6622 or 435/259-8825; www.discovermoab.com).

When you arrive, stop by the Moab Information Center, at the corner of Main and Center streets, open Monday through Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday from 9am to 7pm from mid-March through October, with shorter hours the rest of the year. This multiagency visitor center has information from the Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Grand County Travel Council, and Canyonlands Natural History Association. You can get advice, watch videos on Southwest attractions, pick up brochures on local businesses and outfitters, and purchase books and other materials. A board displays current weather conditions and campsite availability.

Canyonlands Natural History Association offers a number of helpful books and maps for sale (see “Information,” in chapter 2). A good guide for serious hikers is Hiking Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, by Bill Schneider.

Visitor Centers

Canyonlands National Park operates Island in the Sky Visitor Center, in the northern part of the park, and Needles Visitor Center, in the southern section. At both, you can get advice from rangers, as well as maps and free brochures on hiking trails. The Island in the Sky Visitor Center is open 8am to 6pm from late March through late October and 9am to 4:30pm the rest of the year. The Needles Visitor Center is open 8:30am to 4:30pm from November through February, with extended summer hours. Both centers are closed Christmas and New Year’s Day, and close early on Thanksgiving. Those going into the Maze District can get information at the Hans Flat Ranger Station, usually open daily from 8am to 4:30pm.

Fees & Permits

Entry into the park (for up to 7 days) costs $10 per private vehicle or $5 per person on foot, bike, or motorcycle. A $25 annual pass is also available; it’s good for Canyonlands and Arches national parks, as well as Natural Bridges and Hovenweep national monuments. The camping fee at Squaw Flat Campground in the Needles District is $15; camping at Willow Flat Campground in the Island in the Sky District costs $10.

Backcountry permits, available at either visitor center, are required for all overnight stays in the park, except at the two established campgrounds. Permit reservations can be made in advance (phone 435/259-4351; www.nps.gov/cany/reserve.htm). Permits for overnight four-wheel-drive and mountain-bike trips are $30; for overnight backpacking trips, $15. The permit for white-water boating through Cataract Canyon is $30 per group plus $20 per person; flat-water boating costs $20 per group plus $20 per person.

There is a $5 day-use fee for those taking four-wheel-drive vehicles into the Needles District.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Backcountry hikers must pack out all trash, and wood fires are prohibited. Canyonlands National Park is not a good place to take pets. Dogs, which must be leashed at all times, are prohibited in public buildings, on all trails, and in the backcountry. This includes four-wheel-drive roads—dogs are not permitted even inside your vehicle.

The main safety problem at Canyonlands is that people underestimate the hazards. It’s important that you know your limitations, as well as the limitations of your vehicle and other equipment. Rangers warn hikers to carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, to be careful near cliff edges, to avoid overexposure to the sun, and to carry maps in the backcountry. During lightning storms, avoid lone trees, high ridges, and cliff edges. Four-wheel-drive-vehicle operators should carry extra food and emergency equipment. Also, anyone going into the backcountry should let someone know where they’re going and when they plan to return. Traveling alone in Canyonlands is not a good idea.

Seasons & Climate

Summers here are hot, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 100°F (38°C). Winters can be cool or cold, dropping below freezing at night. The best time to visit, especially for hikers, is in the spring or fall, when daytime temperatures are usually from 60° to 80°F (16°–27°C) and nights are cool. Late summer and early fall visitors should be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms.

If You Have Only 1 day

If your schedule permits only a day, skip the Needles and Maze districts and drive to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. After looking at the exhibits, drive to several of the overlooks, stopping for a short hike or two. Make sure you get to the Grand View Point Overlook, at the south end of the paved road. Among the best trails for a quick trip is the Grand View Trail, which starts at the overlook and is especially scenic in late afternoon. Allow about 1 1/2 hours for this easy 2-mile walk. Also recommended is the Upheaval Dome Overlook Trail, which should take about a half-hour; it brings you to a mile-wide crater of mysterious origins.

Perhaps a better choice for a quick visit to the park, especially for those with a bit of extra cash, is to take a guided trip by four-wheel-drive vehicle or raft. See the “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs” and “Outfitters Based in Moab” sections, below.

Exploring the Park by Car

No driving tour has yet been designed to show off Canyonlands National Park. The Island in the Sky District has about 20 miles of paved highway, some gravel roads accessible to two-wheel-drive vehicles, and several view points. The Needles District has only 8 miles of paved roads. Many (but not all) of Needles’ view points and trail heads are accessible only by high-clearance 4WD vehicles or on foot. The Maze District has only two main roads, neither of them paved. Both lead to trail heads.

If you happen to have a serious 4WD, and if you are equally serious about doing some hard-core four-wheeling, this is the park for you. See “Other Sports & Activities,” below. Because of the constantly changing conditions of dirt roads, we strongly suggest that you discuss your plans with rangers before setting out.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A variety of ranger programs are presented from March through October. Several programs are offered daily in the Island in the Sky District, including geology presentations at Grand View Point at 10:30 and 11:30am, and talks at the Visitor Center at 2pm. In the Needles District there are 1-hour evening programs at Squaw Flat Campground most nights of the week. In the Maze District, guided hikes in Horseshoe Canyon are offered most weekends in spring and fall.

Canyonlands by Night & Day (phone 800/394-9978 or 435/259-5261; www.canyonlandsbynight.com) offers a variety of excursions in the area, including an evening river trip, operating spring through fall, that combines a 1 1/2-hour sunset jet-boat ride with a Dutch-oven dinner. Cost for the boat trip and dinner is $70 for adults and $60 for children 4 to 12 (minimum age 4), with a family rate of $215 for two adults and two children. A 4-hour daytime jet boat ride costs $80 for adults and $70 for children 4 to 12 (minimum age 4), with a family rate for two adults and two kids of $249. Reservations are recommended. The office and dock are just north of Moab at the Colorado River Bridge.

Flying Tours

Canyonlands is beautiful, but many of its most spectacular sections are difficult to get to. One solution is to take to the air. Slickrock Air Guides, Inc. (phone 866/259-1626 or 435/259-6216; www.slickrockairguides.com) offers 1-hour scenic flights over Canyonlands National Park and nearby areas for $150 per person, 2-hour flights that take in Canyonlands, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park for $270 per person, and 3-hour flights that include Canyonlands, Lake Powell, the edge of the Grand Canyon, and Capitol Reef National Park for $395 per person.

Park Attractions

This land was once the domain of prehistoric American Indians, who constructed their buildings out of the region’s rock, hunted deer and bighorn sheep, and left numerous drawings on rock walls. Most of the park’s archaeological sites are in the Needles District. They include the well-preserved cliff dwelling called Tower Ruin, high on a cliff ledge in Horse Canyon, and an easy-to-reach ancient granary, near the Needles Visitor Center, that is accessible on the short self-guided Roadside Ruin Trail. Throughout the park you’ll also find evidence of more modern peoples—the trappers, explorers, and cowboys of the 19th century.

In Horseshoe Canyon, a separate and remote section of the park on the west side of the Green River, you’ll find the Great Gallery, one of the most fantastic rock art panels in the Southwest. More than 80 feet long, the panel contains many red-and-white paintings of what appear to be larger-than-life human figures. The paintings are believed to be at least 2,000 years old.

Day Hikes

Conditions along these trails can be tough in summer: little shade, no reliable water sources, and temperatures soaring to over 100°F (38°C). Because of this, rangers strongly advise that hikers carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, along with sunscreen, a hat, and all the usual hiking and emergency equipment. If you expect to do some serious hiking, try to plan your trip for the spring or fall, when conditions are much more hospitable.

All hikers should be careful on the trails that cross slickrock, a general term for any bare rock surface. As the name implies, it can be slippery, especially when wet. Also, because some of the trails may be confusing, hikers attempting the longer ones should take good topographical maps, available at visitor centers and at stores in Moab.

The following are some of the park’s many hiking possibilities, arranged by district; check with rangers for other suggestions.

Island in the Sky District

Shorter Trails

Aztec Butte Trail This short but steep trail, which climbs about 225 feet, leads up to a slickrock dome where you’ll see some Ancestral Puebloan granaries, as well as fantastic panoramic views across a canyon. 1 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Aztec Butte parking area.

Grand View Point Trail At the trail head, read the sign that points out all the prominent features you can see, such as the Totem Pole and the confluence of the Colorado and Green rivers. Although this is a fairly flat and easy trail, you should watch carefully for the cairns that mark the trail, because some are on the small side. And stay back from the cliff edge. This trail is especially beautiful at sunset, when the panorama seems to change constantly with the diminishing angle of sunlight. 1 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Grand View Point Overlook at south end of paved road.

Mesa Arch Trail This is a pleasant walk through an area of pinyon and juniper trees, mountain mahogany, cactus, and a plant called Mormon Tea, from which Mormon pioneers made hot drinks. The trail’s main scenic attraction is the Mesa Arch, made of Navajo sandstone. It hangs precariously on the edge of a 500-foot cliff, framing a spectacular view of nearby mountains. Views are especially good at sunrise. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Trail head along paved road about 6 miles south of visitor center.

Upheaval Dome Overlook This hike to the overlook has a few steep inclines. Upheaval Dome doesn’t fit with the rest of Canyonlands’ terrain—it’s the result not of gradual erosion (like the rest of the park), but of a dramatic deformity in which rocks have been pushed into a domelike structure. Experts say it may have been caused by a meteorite that struck Earth some 60 million years ago. Hiking another .5 mile takes you to a second overlook, closer to the Dome but with a less panoramic view. .5 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Trail head at end of Upheaval Dome Rd.

Whale Rock Trail This trail provides breathtaking 360-degree views of the Island in the Sky District. It’s a climb up a slickrock trail with handrails. Wander around on top a bit and study the varied formations; to those with some imagination, the outcrop you just climbed resembles a whale. .5 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Trail head about 4 miles down Upheaval Dome Rd.

Longer Trails

Gooseberry Trail Although the beginning of this trail is so steep it looks like a cliff, don’t be deterred. True, it drops 1,400 feet over the course of the hike, and most of that (1,300 ft.) in the first 1.5 miles. But the trail is well made and, with a little care, is quite safe. As you gingerly hike down the switchbacks—be careful of the loose sand—you get superb views of this rugged red-rock country. Once down in Gooseberry Canyon, it’s nearly a level walk out to the road. When you decide you’re ready to face the climb back to the top, be sure to take lots of rest stops to admire the varying scenery. 2.7 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Island in the Sky Picnic Area, about 11 miles south of visitor center.

Lathrop Canyon Trail The first 2.5 miles of this trail are on top of the mesa, but then it meanders down into the canyon, descending about 1,600 feet to the White Rim Road. This hike traverses steep terrain and loose rock—and remember, unless you have been able to arrange for someone to meet you at the road, you have to climb back up to your car. As you hike down the slope, you get grand views of Lathrop Canyon and glimpses of the Colorado River. It is possible to continue down to the river from the road (another 4 miles each way), but check with rangers about the feasibility of an overnight trip before attempting it. 6.8 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Trail head about 1 1/2 miles south of visitor center along paved road.

Neck Spring Trail This hike follows the paths that animals and early ranchers created to reach water at two springs. You’ll see water troughs, hitching posts, and the ruins of an old cabin. Because of the water source, you’ll encounter types of vegetation not usually seen in the park, such as maidenhair ferns and Gambel oak. The water also draws wildlife, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, ground squirrels, and hummingbirds. Climbing to the top of the rim, you get a beautiful view of the canyons and even the Henry Mountains, some 60 miles away. 5.8 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Trail head about 1⁄2 mile south of visitor center along paved road.

Syncline Loop Trail This is a long, hot day hike over one of only three loop trails in the Island in the Sky District. Be sure to start early and carry plenty of water. The trail drops 1,300 feet, and the best approach is clockwise, so you take the steepest part going down into Upheaval Canyon. Along the way, you’ll follow dry washes, climb small hills and steep canyon sides, cross part of the Syncline Valley, pass Upheaval Dome, traverse some slickrock, and finally hit an area of lush vegetation. 8.2 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Upheaval Dome Picnic Area, at end of Upheaval Dome Rd.

Needles District

Hiking trails here are generally not too tough, but keep in mind that slickrock can live up to its name and that there is generally little shade.

Shorter Trails

Roadside Ruin Trail This self-guided nature walk leads to an ancient granary, probably used by the ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi) some 700 to 1,000 years ago to store corn, nuts, and other foods. For 25¢ you can get a brochure at the trail head that discusses the plants along the trail. Although it’s flat, this trail can be muddy when wet. .3 mile RT. Easy. Access: Trail head just over 1⁄2 mile west of visitor center along paved road.

Slickrock Trail View points along this trail show off the stair-step topography of the area, from its colorful canyons and cliffs to its flat mesas and striped needles. Watch for bighorn sheep. 2.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head about 6 1/2 miles from visitor center, almost at end of road.

Longer Trails

Big Spring Canyon to Squaw Canyon Trail This hike over steep slickrock winds through woodlands of pinyon and juniper, offering views along the way of the Needles rock formations for which the district is named, plus nearby cliffs and mesas as well as distant mountains. Watch for wildflowers from late spring through summer. You can complete this hike in about half a day, but several backcountry campsites make it available to overnighters. 7.5-mile loop. Strenuous. Access: Squaw Flat Campground.

Confluence Overlook Trail This hike has steep drop-offs and little shade, but the hard work is worthwhile—it shows off splendidly the many colors of the Needles District and offers excellent views into the Maze District of the park. The climax is a spectacular view overlooking the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers in a 1,000-foot-deep gorge. This excursion can be done as a day hike (allow 4–6 hr.) or quite pleasantly as an overnight hike. 5 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Big Spring Canyon Overlook.

Druid Arch Trail A number of connecting trails lead into the backcountry from this trail head. The hike to Druid Arch, though not difficult, challenges hikers with steep drop-offs, quite a bit of slickrock, and a 1,000-foot increase in elevation. But the views make it well worth the effort. You hike through narrow rock canyons, past colorful spires and pinnacles, and up the steep climb to the bench just below the huge Druid Arch, its dark rock somewhat resembling the stone structures of Stonehenge. 5.5 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Elephant Hill trail head at end of graded gravel road, manageable for most 2-wheel-drive passenger cars, but not for large vehicles such as RVs.

Maze District

Getting to the trail heads in the Maze District involves rugged four-wheel-drive roads; rangers can help you with directions.

The 3-mile Maze Overlook Trail is not for beginners or those with a fear of heights. It is quite steep in places, requiring the use of your hands. At the trail head, you get a fine view of the narrow canyons that inspired this district’s name; the trail then descends 600 feet to the canyon bottom.

The 9-mile Pictograph Fork to Harvest Scene Loop is a 7- to 10-hour hike (or an overnight) that leads over slickrock and along canyon washes—watch for the cairns to be sure you don’t wander off the trail—to a magnificent example of rock art.

Other trail heads lie in what is known as the Doll House Area. Check with a ranger for current trail conditions and difficulty.

Horseshoe Canyon

This detached section of the park was added to Canyonlands in 1971 mainly because of its Great Gallery, an 80-foot-long rock art panel with larger-than-life human figures, which dates from 2000 b.c. to a.d. 500. The Horseshoe Canyon Unit is some 120 miles (one-way) from Island in the Sky, and only one road runs in (see “Getting There & Gateways,” above). From the parking area, it’s a 6.5-mile round-trip hike to see the rock art. The hike begins with a 1.5-mile section down an 800-foot slope to the canyon floor, where you turn right and go 1.75 miles to the Great Gallery. There is no camping in Horseshoe Canyon, but just outside the park boundary, primitive camping is available on Bureau of Land Management property on the rim.

Exploring the Backcountry

You’ll find many opportunities for backpacking in Canyonlands National Park, although hikers will often be sharing trail/road combinations with four-wheel-drive vehicles and mountain bikes. Additional information is provided below.

Other Sports & Activities

If you’ve come to Utah for mountain biking, hiking, four-wheeling, or rafting, this is the place. The region holds surprises, too, from ancient American Indian dwellings and rock art to dinosaur bones.

Unlike most national parks, the backcountry at Canyonlands is not only the domain of backpackers. Here rugged four-wheel-drive and mountain-bike roads, as well as rivers navigable by boat, lead to some of the park’s most scenic areas. Primitive campsites, strategically located throughout the backcountry, are available to all visitors, regardless of their mode of transport. Just be sure to make your backcountry campsite reservations well in advance—up to a year ahead for the more popular areas. You can get reservation forms and detailed information by mail, over the phone, or from the park’s website (see “Information,” above).

Outfitters Based in Moab

More than 60 local outfitters offer excursions of all kinds, from lazy canoe rides to hair-raising jet-boat and four-wheel-drive adventures. The chart below lists some of the major companies that want to help you fully enjoy this beautiful country. All are in Moab. Advance reservations are often required, and it’s best to check with several outfitters before you decide on one. In addition to asking about what you’ll see and do and what it will cost, it doesn’t hurt to make sure the company is insured and has the proper permits with various federal agencies. Also ask about the cancellation policy, just in case.

Biking Road bikes are of little use in Canyonlands, except for getting to and from trail heads, view points, visitor centers, and campgrounds in the Island in the Sky and Needles districts. Although bikes of any kind are prohibited on hiking trails and cross-country in the backcountry, they are permitted on designated two- and four-wheel-drive roads. Mountain bikers have many possibilities, although they will find themselves sharing dirt roads with motor vehicles and hikers. Some spots on the four-wheel-drive roads have deep sand that can turn into quicksand when wet—so you may find that mountain biking, while certainly a challenge, is not as much fun as you’d expect. It’s wise to talk with rangers about conditions on specific roads before setting out.

Among popular rides are the Elephant Hill and Colorado Overlook roads, both in the Needles District. The 100-mile White Rim Road, in the Island in the Sky District, also makes a great mountain-bike trip (allow at least 4 days), especially for bikers who can arrange for an accompanying 4WD vehicle to carry water, food, and camping gear. See “Four-Wheeling,” below.

Cyclists can get information and rent or repair bikes at Poison Spider Bicycles, 497 N. Main St. (phone 800/635-1792 or 435/259-7882; www.poisonspiderbicycles.com), which recommends shuttle services from Porcupine Shuttle (phone 435/260-0896, also access through Poison Spider website). Bike rentals and repairs, plus shuttle services, will be found at Chile Pepper Bike Shop, 702 S. Main St. (phone 888/677-4688 or 435/259-4688; www.chilebikes.com). Bike rentals range from $40 to $65 per day, with discounts for multiday rentals. Bike shuttle services are also available from several other companies, including Coyote Shuttle (phone 435/260-2097; www.coyoteshuttle.com) and Roadrunner Shuttle (phone 435/259-9402; www.roadrunnershuttle.com).

Several local companies (see the “Outfitters” chart, at right) also offer guided mountain-bike tours, with rates starting at about $85 for a half-day and about $110 for a full day. Multiday biking/camping trips are also available.

Boating, Canoeing & Rafting After spending hours in the blazing sun looking at mile upon mile of huge red sandstone rock formations, it’s easy to get the idea that Canyonlands National Park is a baking, dry, rock-hard desert. Well, it is. But both the Colorado and Green rivers run through the park, and one of the most exciting ways to see the park and surrounding country is from river level.

You can travel into the park in a canoe, kayak, large or small rubber raft (with or without motor), or speedy, solid jet boat. Do-it-yourselfers can rent kayaks or canoes for $40 to $65 for a full day, or rafts starting at $70 for a full day. Half-day guided river trips start at about $45 per person; full-day trips are usually $55 to $75 per person. Multiday rafting expeditions, which include meals and camping equipment, start at about $300 per person for 2 days. Jet-boat trips, which cover a lot more river in a given amount of time, cost about $50 for 2 hours, and from $80 for a half-day trip. Children’s rates are usually 10% to 20% lower. Some companies also offer sunset or dinner trips. See the “Outfitter” chart.

The Colorado and Green rivers meet in the park and are calm before the confluence. But after they meet, the Colorado becomes serious white water; you will most likely want a guided raft trip here.

One fantastic canoe trip is along the Green River. Canoeists usually start in or near the town of Green River (put in at Green River State Park or at Mineral Bottom, just downstream) and spend about 2 days to get to the Green’s confluence with the Colorado, where they can be picked up by a local outfitter.

Public boat-launching ramps in the Moab area are opposite Lion’s Park, near the intersection of U.S. 191 and Utah 128; at Take-Out Beach, along Utah 128 about 10 miles east of its intersection with U.S. 191; and at Hittle Bottom, also along Utah 128, about 24 miles east of its intersection with U.S. 191. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (phone 801/539-1311 [recording]; www.cbrfc.noaa.gov) provides information on river flows and reservoir conditions statewide.

Four-Wheeling Unlike most national parks, where motor vehicles and mountain bikes must stay on paved roads, Canyonlands has miles of rough four-wheel-drive roads where mechanized transport is king. We’re talking serious four-wheeling here; most roads require high-clearance, short-wheelbase vehicles. Many of these roads also require the skill that comes only from experience, so it’s usually a good idea to discuss your plans with rangers before putting your vehicle on the line. Four-wheelers must stay on designated 4WD roads, but here the term road can mean anything from a graded, well-marked two-lane gravel byway to a pile of loose rocks with a sign that says that-a-way. Many of the park’s jeep roads are impassable during heavy rains and for a day or two after.

Several local companies offer four-wheel-drive vehicle rentals. They include Farabee’s Jeep Rentals (phone 877/970-5337 or 435/259-7494; www.farabeejeeprentals.com), Canyonlands Jeep Adventures (phone 866/892-5337 or 435/259-4413; www.canyonlandsjeep.com); and Cliffhanger Jeep Rental (phone 435/259-0889; www.cliffhangerjeeprental.com)

The best four-wheel-drive adventure in Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District is the White Rim Road, which runs some 100 winding miles and affords spectacular and ever-changing views, from broad panoramas of rock and canyon to close-ups of red and orange towers and buttes. A high-clearance 4WD is essential. Expect the journey to be slow, lasting 2 to 3 days, although with the appropriate vehicle it isn’t really difficult. There are primitive campgrounds along the way. Reservations on this route should be made well in advance.

Four-wheeling on one of many routes in the Needles District can be an end in itself or a means to get to some of the more interesting and remote hiking trails and camping spots. Four-wheelers will find one of their ultimate challenges on the Elephant Hill Road, which begins at a well-marked turnoff near Squaw Flat Campground. Although most of the 10-mile trail is only moderately difficult, the stretch over Elephant Hill near the beginning can be a nightmare, with steep and rough slickrock, drifting sand, loose rock, and treacherous ledges. Coming down the hill, one switchback requires you to back to the edge of a steep cliff before continuing. This is also a favorite of mountain bikers, although riders will have to walk bikes on some stretches over an abundance of sand and rocks. The route offers views of numerous rock formations, from striped needles to balanced rocks, plus steep cliffs and rock “stairs.” Side trips can add another 30 miles. Allow 8 hours to 3 days.

For a spectacular view of the Colorado River, the Colorado Overlook Road can’t be beat. This 14-mile round-trip is popular with four-wheelers, backpackers, and mountain bikers. Considered among the park’s easiest 4WD roads, the first part is very easy indeed, accessible by high-clearance two-wheel-drives, but the second half has a few rough and rocky sections that require four-wheel-drive. Starting at the Needles Visitor Center parking lot, the trail takes you past numerous panoramic vistas to a spectacular 360-degree view of the park and the Colorado River some 1,000 feet below.

Several local companies (see “Outfitters,” above) provide guided trips, starting at about $70 per adult and $60 per child under 16 or 17, for a half-day.

Camping

For details on the following campgrounds, see the chart in chapter 2, “Arches National Park.”

Inside the Park

The park has two developed campgrounds, set among rugged rocks. Willow Flat Campground is in the Island in the Sky District, and Squaw Flat Campground is in the Needles District. Primitive campsites are available throughout the park for four-wheelers, boaters, bikers, and backpackers (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” above).

Near the Park

Near Island in the Sky, the campground at scenic Dead Horse Point State Park, P.O. Box 609, Moab, UT 84532-0609 (www.utah.com/stateparks/dead_horse.htm; phone 435/259-2614), has electric hookups with 20-amp power. Reservations are accepted (and encouraged Mar–Oct) with an $8 processing fee (phone 800/322-3770; www.reserveamerica.com). There are also primitive campgrounds nearby on BLM lands.

Accommodations, Dining, Picnic & Camping Supplies

There are no facilities for lodging, dining, or buying supplies inside Canyonlands National Park. The nearest town is Moab. For information on restaurants, hotels, and supply stores in Moab, see the “Where to Stay,” “Where to Dine,” and “Picnic & Camping Supplies” sections in chapter 2.

Additional camping facilities are available on nearby public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service; check with the Moab Area Travel Council, P.O. Box 550, Moab, UT 84532 (www.discovermoab.com; phone 800/635-6622 or 435/259-8825), or stop at the Moab Information Center, at the corner of Main and Center streets, open Monday through Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday from 9am to 7pm from mid-March through October, with shorter hours the rest of the year. In and around Moab are over a dozen commercial campgrounds, some of which are discussed in chapter 2.

Near the Needles District are several commercial campgrounds in Monticello, along U.S. 191, about 15 miles south of the intersection of U.S. 191 and the park entry road. These include Mountain View RV Park and Campground, 632 N. Main St., Monticello, UT 84535 (phone 435/587-2974), a well-maintained campground with grassy sites, some trees, free Wi-Fi, and cable TV hookups.

Chapter 9: Capitol Reef National Park, UT

by Don & Barbara Laine

Capitol Reef National Park is one of those undiscovered gems, its rangers quietly going about the business of protecting and interpreting its natural wonders and historic sites while visitors flock to its more famous neighbors, Bryce Canyon and Zion.

But when people do stumble across this park, they are often amazed. Capitol Reef not only offers spectacular southern Utah scenery, but it also has a unique twist and a personality all its own.

Capitol Reef National Park

The geologic formations here are incredible, if not downright peculiar. This is a place to let your imagination run wild, where you’ll see the commanding Castle; the tall, rust-red Chimney Rock; the silent and eerie Temple of the Moon; the appropriately named Hamburger Rocks, sitting atop a white sandstone table. A spectacular palette of colors paints Capitol Reef’s canyon walls, which is why some Navajos called the area “The Land of the Sleeping Rainbow.”

Capitol Reef is more than brilliant rocks and barren desert, however. Here the Fremont River has helped create a lush oasis in an otherwise unforgiving land. Cottonwood, willow, and other trees fill its banks. In fact, 19th-century pioneers found the land so inviting that they established the community that’s now called Fruita, planting orchards that have been preserved by the National Park Service.

Because of differences in geologic strata, elevation, and water availability in different sections of the park, you’ll find a variety of ecosystems and terrain, along with a selection of activities. There are trails for hiking; roads for mountain biking and four-wheel-drive touring; fruit orchards; green cottonwood groves and desert wildflowers; an abundance of songbirds; and a surprising amount of wildlife, from lizards and snakes to the bashful ring-tailed cat (which is really a member of the raccoon family). You’ll also find thousand-year-old petroglyphs left behind by the ancient Fremont and ancestral Puebloan peoples, and other traces of the past left more recently by the Utes and Southern Paiutes. This was both a favorite hideout for Wild West outlaws and a home for industrious Mormon pioneers, who planted orchards while their children learned the three Rs and studied the Bible and the Book of Mormon in the one-room Fruita Schoolhouse.

The name Capitol Reef conjures up images of a shoreline—an odd choice for a park composed of cliffs and canyons in landlocked Utah. But many of the pioneers who settled the West were former seafaring men, and they extended the meaning of the word reef to include these rock barriers. They added Capitol to the name because the huge white, rounded domes of sandstone reminded them of the domes of capitol buildings.

The park should probably be called the Big Fold. When Earth’s crust rose some 60 million years ago, creating the Rocky Mountains, most of the uplifting was relatively even. But here, through one of those fascinating quirks of nature, the crust wrinkled into a huge fold. Extending 100 miles, almost all within the national park, it’s known as the Waterpocket Fold.

tips from a Park Ranger

Thanks to the geology of the Waterpocket Fold, the park has a lot of variety in elevation, landscape, and terrain, according to Riley Mitchell, Capitol Reef’s former chief of interpretation.

“This tilted layer cake of geologic strata formed a variety of different microhabitats as it eroded,” he says. “There’s an immense desert wilderness, but within that you’ve got perennial streams that have created a very rich riparian habitat, where prehistoric and historic people settled.”

Capitol Reef is still relatively unknown, he says, and hasn’t changed much since Outside magazine sang its praises as one of America’s eight most undervisited national parks—“parks as they were meant to be.” Mitchell says, “When people stop here on their way to one of Utah’s better-known national parks, they’re usually pleasantly surprised.”

The park is known for its wonderful colors, and Mitchell says you can see them practically everywhere. “At sunset along Utah 24 and along the Scenic Drive, you’ll find a brilliant spectrum of colors—you can see them right from your car.”

“The Frying Pan Trail is one of my favorite hikes,” he says. “It’s well marked, easy to get to, and you get wonderful views from the top as you hike along the crest of the Waterpocket Fold.” Mitchell adds that another benefit to the trail is that it provides access to the spectacular spur trail to Cassidy Arch.

The dirt roads in the park can be a bit rugged, but most are accessible by two-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles, he says. However, Mitchell advises that a four-wheel-drive vehicle makes exploring the remote areas of the park easier and less worrisome in bad weather.

Given a choice, Mitchell would visit in the spring or fall, because it’s a bit cooler. But, he adds, “summer’s beautiful, too, because wildflowers are in bloom and the orchards are open for fruit picking.”

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The park is about 121 miles northeast of Bryce Canyon National Park, 204 miles northeast of Zion National Park, 224 miles south of Salt Lake City, and 366 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada.

It straddles Utah 24, which connects with I-70 to both the northeast and the northwest. Coming from the east along I-70, take exit 147 and follow Utah 24 southwest to the park. Traveling from the west along I-70, there are two options: Take exit 48 for Sigurd and follow Utah 24 east to the park; or take exit 85 for Fremont Junction, then Utah 72 south to Loa, where you pick up Utah 24 east to the park.

Those coming from Bryce Canyon National Park can follow Utah 12 northeast to its intersection with Utah 24 at the town of Torrey, and turn right (east) to Capitol Reef. If you’re approaching the park from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, take Utah 276 (from Bullfrog Basin Marina) or Utah 95 (from Hite Crossing) north to the intersection with Utah 24, and follow that west to the park.

The Nearest Airport The closest major airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport, about 200 miles east, in Grand Junction, Colorado (phone 970/244-9100; www.gjairport.com). It has direct flights or connections from most major cities on Allegiant, American/American Eagle, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways.

Renting A Car Car rentals are available at the Grand Junction airport from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. See chapter 38 for websites for airlines and car rental companies.

Information

Contact Capitol Reef National Park, HC 70 Box 15, Torrey, UT 84775 (phone 435/425-3791, ext. 111; www.nps.gov/care). Books and maps are available from the nonprofit Capitol Reef Natural History Association, Capitol Reef National Park, HC 70 Box 15, Torrey, UT 84775 (phone 435/425-4106; www.capitolreefnha.org).

For additional information on area lodging, dining, and activities, contact the Wayne County Travel Council, P.O. Box 7, Teasdale, UT 84773 (phone 800/858-7951 or 435/425-3365; www.capitolreef.travel), which operates a visitor center at the junction of Utah highways 12 and 24, April through October, Sunday through Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday and Saturday 8am to 7pm.

Visitor Centers

The park visitor center is on the Scenic Drive at its intersection with Utah 24. A path connects it to the campground, passing the historic blacksmith shop, orchards, and a shaded picnic ground. The visitor center, open daily from 8am to 6pm in summer (shorter hours at other times), has exhibits on the geology and history of the area, and a video about the park. Rangers answer questions and provide backcountry permits. You can also pick up free brochures and buy books, maps, videos, postcards, and posters.

The Ripple Rock Nature Center, about 3⁄4 mile south of the visitor center along the Scenic Drive, offers exhibits and activities especially for children. It’s open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend only. Check at the visitor center for its current hours.

Fees & Permits

Entry to the park is free, although it costs $5 per vehicle (including motorcycles) or $3 person on foot or bicycle to access the scenic drive beyond the main campground (pass valid for up to 7 days). Camping in the main campground costs $10 per night; two primitive campgrounds are free. Free backcountry permits (available at the visitor center) are required for all overnight hikes.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Although most visitors to the park enjoy a wonderful vacation without mishap, problems can occur. Hikers need to carry plenty of water, especially in summer. A major concern is weather: Afternoon thunderstorms in July, August, and September can bring flash floods, which fill narrow canyons suddenly and without warning. Steep-walled Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge can be particularly hazardous and should be avoided whenever storms are threatening.

Because wildlife refuses to follow park rules regarding wildlife diet, campers should be careful of where and how they store food, and dispose of garbage promptly.

Seasons & Climate

Because of its higher elevation, Capitol Reef doesn’t get as hot as some other Southwestern parks, but summer temperatures can be uncomfortably warm on the trails without shade. Winters can be very pleasant—snow falls occasionally but doesn’t usually last, and temperatures are often in the 50s (teens Celsius). Late winter and spring are frequently windy.

Depending on the weather, the Scenic Drive sometimes closes, most often in late summer during flash-flood season and occasionally in winter due to snow. When it’s closed, you still have access to a network of trails from Utah 24 and can get to the picnic area and campground.

Exploring the Park by Car

Capitol Reef is relatively easy to see from the comfort of your automobile. From the visitor center, the Scenic Drive leads about 13 miles south into the park. Pick up a copy of the Scenic Drive brochure ($2 at the visitor center), then set out, stopping at view points to gaze at the array of colorful cliffs, monoliths, and commanding rock formations.

If the weather is dry, drive down the gravel Capitol Gorge Road at the end of the paved Scenic Drive for a look at what many consider to be the park’s best scenery. It’s a 5-mile round-trip drive. If you’re up for a short walk, the relatively flat 2-mile (round-trip) Capitol Gorge Trail, which starts at the end of Capitol Gorge Road, takes you to the Pioneer Register, a rock wall where traveling pioneers “signed in” (see “Day Hikes,” below).

Illuminating Your Drive

The park’s scenic drive runs mostly north-south, with most of the best rock formations on the east side of the road. In the morning you’ll be looking into the sun, but drive the road in late afternoon or just before sunset, and the formations are richly illuminated.

Another dry-weather driving option is the Grand Wash Road, a maintained dirt road that is subject to flash floods but in good weather offers an easy route into a spectacular canyon. Along the 2-mile round-trip, you’ll see Cassidy Arch, named for famed outlaw Butch Cassidy, who, at least by some accounts, hid out in this area.

Utah 24, which crosses Capitol Reef from east to west, also has several view points offering a look at some of the park’s best features, such as the monumental Capitol Dome, Chimney Rock, the aptly named Castle, the Fruita Schoolhouse, and some petroglyphs left by the prehistoric Fremont people (see “Park Attractions,” below).

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Park rangers present a variety of free programs and activities from spring through fall. Campfire programs take place most evenings at the outdoor amphitheater at Fruita Campground. Topics vary but may include the animals and plants, geology, and human history of the area. Rangers also lead walks and give short talks on a variety of subjects, such as the history of the Fruita Schoolhouse and the Gifford Farmhouse. Schedules are posted at the visitor center and campground.

Several local companies offer guide services, both in the national park and nearby. Hondoo Rivers and Trails, 90 E. Main St. (P.O. Box 98), Torrey, UT 84775 (phone 800/332-2696 or 435/425-3519; www.hondoo.com), offers multiday horseback trail rides plus half- and full-day hiking and four-wheel-drive tours, including special tours for photographers and expeditions to rock art sites, plus shuttle services for hikers and mountain bikers. Backcountry Outfitters, 677 E. Utah 12 (P.O. Box 750298), Torrey, UT 84775 (phone 866/747-3972 or 435/425-2010; www.ridethereef.com), offers a variety of guided trips, including hiking, canyoneering, biking, fishing, horseback riding, and four-wheel-drive excursions.

Avoiding the Crowds

Although Capitol Reef receives fewer than 700,000 visitors annually, it can still be busy, especially during its peak season, which lasts from April through September. For this reason, the best time to visit is fall, particularly in October and November, when temperatures are usually warm enough for hiking and camping, but not so high as to send you constantly in search of shade. You also don’t have to be as worried about flash floods through narrow canyons as you do during thunderstorm season, July through September.

Park Attractions

The Fremont people lived along the river as early as a.d. 700, staying until about 1300. Primarily hunters and gatherers, the Fremonts also grew corn, beans, and squash to supplement their diet. Their dwellings were pit houses, which were dug into the ground; the remains of one can be seen from the Hickman Bridge Trail. Many Fremont petroglyphs (images carved into rock) and pictographs (images painted on rock) are visible on the canyon walls. If we could understand them, they might tell us why these early Americans left the area, a puzzle that continues to baffle archaeologists. The most easily accessible site is 1 1/2 miles east of the visitor center along Utah 24. There is a sign near the parking area, and a path leads to the petroglyph panels, which contain some of the most interesting images in the park.

Prospectors and other travelers passed through the Capitol Gorge section in the late 1800s, leaving their names on the Pioneer Register, reached on a 2-mile round-trip walk (see “Day Hikes,” below).

Mormon pioneers established the community of Junction—later named Fruita—in 1880. Now a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the orchards those settlers planted continue to flourish, tended by park workers who invite you to sample the fruits of their labor. Nearby is a historic blacksmith shop. The tiny Fruita Schoolhouse, built in 1896, was a church, social hall, and meeting hall in addition to a one-room schoolhouse. The school closed in 1941 and was restored in 1984. It’s furnished with old wood-and-wrought-iron desks, a wood stove, a chalkboard, and textbooks. A hand bell used to call students to class still rests on the corner of the teacher’s desk.

Also in the Fruita district, the Gifford Farmhouse, built in 1908, is typical of rural Utah farmhouses of the early 1900s. Renovated and furnished by the Capitol Reef Natural History Association, it’s off the Scenic Drive about 1 mile south of the visitor center, and is open from April through September. The former kitchen is a gift shop, selling reproductions of the household tools, toys, and utensils used by Mormon pioneers, crafts, jams and jellies, dried fruits, postcards, and books.

Day Hikes

Among the last areas in the continental United States to be explored, Capitol Reef has many parts that remain all but unknown, perfect for those who want to see this rugged country in its natural state.

Trails through the park offer panoramic views of colorful cliffs and domes; journeys through desolate, steep-walled canyons; and cool walks along the tree-shaded Fremont River. Watch for petroglyphs and other reminders of this area’s first inhabitants. One of the best things about hiking here is the combination of scenic beauty, prehistoric American Indian rock art, and Western history you’ll discover.

Guided hikes in the park and in other nearby locations are available from Hondoo Rivers and Trails and Backcountry Outfitters (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” above). Prices vary, but as an example, half-day guided hiking trips cost about $90 and full-day guided hikes, including lunch, cost about $125.

If You Have Only 1 day

Because Capitol Reef is such a compact park, it’s fairly easy to see a lot in a short time. Although 2 or 3 days in the park would be ideal, it is possible to have an enjoyable time with just half a day or so. Because there are no food services in the park (except fruit in season), pack a picnic lunch.

Start at the visitor center, and watch the short slide show explaining the park’s geology and early history. Then head out on the paved 25-mile round-trip Scenic Drive (see p. 112), stopping along the way for a short hike, perhaps the easy walk up the Grand Wash. In the historic pioneer community of Fruita, near the beginning of the Scenic Drive, you can wander among the orchards, where you’re likely to see deer. Then visit the Gifford Farmhouse, where you can get a taste of the daily life of Fruita’s Mormon settlers and purchase replicas of pioneer-era household items and crafts. Hike one of the shorter trails in the Fruita area before going to see the Fruita Schoolhouse and some of the park’s petroglyphs. In the evening, try to take in a ranger program at the amphitheater.

Shorter Trails

Capitol Gorge Trail This is a mostly level walk along the bottom of a narrow canyon. Looking up at the tall, smooth walls of rock conveys a strong sense of what the pioneers must have seen and felt 100 years ago when they moved rocks and debris to drive their wagons through this canyon. The trail leads past the Pioneer Register, where early travelers carved their names. 1.25 miles one-way. Easy. Access: End of Capitol Gorge dirt road.

Fremont River Trail This self-guided nature trail is quite easy—and wheelchair accessible—for the first .5 mile as it meanders past the orchards along the river. It becomes increasingly strenuous thereafter. The path climbs to an overlook of the lovely valley. Part of the trail is steep, with long drop-offs. 1.25 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Fruita Campground.

Goosenecks Trail This short walk affords great views of Sulphur Creek Canyon. It’s a good trail for those with little time, because it offers both sweeping views of the geology of Waterpocket Fold and close-ups of interesting rock formations. .1 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Panorama Point Turnoff on Utah 24, 3 miles west of visitor center, then 1 mile on gravel access road.

Hickman Bridge Trail Starting at the Fremont River, this self-guided nature trail heads into the desert, ascending several short steep hills to Hickman Natural Bridge, which has an opening 133 feet wide and 125 feet high. The trail has a 400-foot elevation gain. 1 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Hickman Bridge parking area on Utah 24, 2 miles east of visitor center.

Sunset Point Trail This hike affords panoramic views of cliffs and domes, most dramatic around sunset. .3 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Panorama Point Turnoff on Utah 24, 3 miles west of visitor center, then 1 mile on gravel access road.

Longer Trails

Cassidy Arch Trail This trail offers spectacular views as it climbs steeply from the floor of Grand Wash to high cliffs overlooking the park. From the trail, you get several perspectives of Cassidy Arch, a natural stone arch named for outlaw Butch Cassidy, who is believed to have occasionally used the Grand Wash as a hideout. 1.75 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Scenic Dr. and Grand Wash Rd. to Grand Wash Trailhead.

Chimney Rock Trail This trail begins with a strenuous climb up switchbacks to the more moderate loop trail on top. It affords views of Chimney Rock from both below and above, plus panoramic views of the Waterpocket Fold and surrounding areas. 3.5 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Chimney Rock parking area on Utah 24, 2 miles west of visitor center.

Cohab Canyon Trail After the first .25 mile, which is strenuous, this trail levels out a bit and has fewer steep grades. It climbs to a hidden canyon above the campground and has two short side trails leading to overlooks, from which you get good views of the Fremont River, Fruita, and the campground. 1.75 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Across from Fruita Campground.

Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail A strenuous climb to 1,000 feet above the Fremont River, this trail rewards you at the end with a great view into the Fremont Gorge. The middle of the hike, across Johnson Mesa, is fairly easy. The trail also affords good views of Fruita and the escarpment of the Waterpocket Fold. 2.25 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Blacksmith shop.

Frying Pan Trail This strenuous but scenic trail, which links Cohab and Cassidy Arch trails, follows the ridge of the Waterpocket Fold escarpment, with a number of climbs up and down canyons and over slickrock. You’ll get good views of Miners Mountain to the southwest, rugged canyons to the side, and the Grand Wash below near the end of the trail. 3 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Across from Fruita Campground or Grand Wash parking area.

 The colors are such as no pigments can portray. They are deep, rich, and variegated; and so luminous are they, that light seems to flow or shine out of the rock.

—Geologist C. E. Dutton, 1880

Golden Throne Trail A strenuous climb from the bottom of the gorge to the top of the cliffs at the base of the Golden Throne, this trail provides several panoramic vistas, which are good spots to catch your breath. The Golden Throne is a formation of Navajo sandstone that glows golden in the light of the setting sun. 2 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Capitol Gorge parking area.

Grand Wash Trail This is a relatively easy hike along a narrow wash bottom with rock walls on both sides. The trail shows the phenomenal power of water as it winds between tall polished walls of stone, scoured smooth by flash floods. 2.25 miles one-way. Easy. Access: Grand Wash parking area, or on Utah 24 east of visitor center.

Old Wagon Trail This 1,100-foot climb up the east flank of Miners Mountain is certainly strenuous, but it affords spectacular and unusual views of the Waterpocket Fold escarpment. This hike is best done late in the day, when the cliffs are lit by the setting sun. 3.5 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: West side of Scenic Dr. near end.

Rim Overlook Trail After a strenuous 1,000-foot climb, hikers are rewarded with good views of Fruita and vistas to the south. 2.25 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: Hickman Bridge parking area on Utah 24 east of visitor center.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park offers a variety of backpacking opportunities, including the 15-mile round-trip Upper Muley Twist route, which follows a canyon through the Waterpocket Fold and offers views of arches and narrows, and panoramic vistas from the top of the fold; and the 22-mile round-trip Halls Creek Narrows, which follows Halls Creek through a slot canyon (where you may have to wade or swim). Free backcountry permits (available at the visitor center) are required for overnight hikes, and groups cannot exceed 12 people. Backcountry hikers should discuss their plans with rangers before setting out, because many of these routes are prone to flash floods.

Other Sports & Activities

Four-Wheel-Drive Touring & Mountain Biking As in most national parks, bikes and 4WD vehicles are restricted to established roads, but Capitol Reef has several such “established” roads—actually, little more than dirt trails—that provide exciting opportunities for those using 4WD or pedal power.

The only route appropriate for road bikes is the Scenic Drive, described above. Both the Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge roads (see “Exploring the Park by Car,” above), plus three longer backcountry roads, are open to mountain bikes as well as four-wheel-drive vehicles. Be aware that rain can make the roads impassable, so it’s best to check on current conditions before setting out.

One recommended trip is the Cathedral Valley Loop. It covers about 60 miles on a variety of road surfaces, including dirt, sand, and rock, and requires the fording of the Fremont River, where water is usually 1 to 1 1/2 feet deep. The reward is unspoiled scenery, including sandstone monoliths and majestic cliffs, in one of the park’s more remote areas. There’s a primitive campground (see “Camping,” below). Access is from Utah 24, outside the park, 12 miles east of the visitor center on the River Ford Road, or 19 miles east of the visitor center on the Caineville Wash Road.

Hondoo Rivers and Trails and Backcountry Outfitters (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” above) offer full-day four-wheel-drive tours, including lunch, into the national park and surrounding areas, at rates from $125 to $150 per person. Early morning starting times are available for photographers who want to catch the light at sunrise, and specialized tours, including trips to rock art sites, are also available. Backcountry Outfitters, whose motto is “Get Out and Stay Out!”, also rents mountain bikes at $32 to $42 for a half-day and $38 to $48 for a full day. Those wanting to go four-wheel-drive touring on their own can rent a 4WD vehicle for $95 to $125 per day, including 150 miles, at Thousand Lakes RV Park & Campground (see “Camping” below).

Horseback Riding Horses are permitted in some areas of the park but prohibited in others; check at the visitor center for details. Multiday guided trail rides that include the national park or other areas are offered by Hondoo Rivers and Trails (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” above), at rates of about $1,500 per person for a 6-day trip, including all food and equipment; and Hondoo also leads custom trips. Backcountry Outfitters (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” above) also provides multiday trail rides, and in addition offers kids’ pony rides (5 and younger) for $20, plus 1-hour horseback rides for $35, 2-hour rides for $60, half-day rides for $120, and full-day rides, with lunch, for $160.

Wildlife Viewing Summer in Capitol Reef is hot and sometimes stormy, but it’s a good season for wildlife viewing. In particular, many species of lizards make their home in the park; you will probably catch a glimpse of one warming itself on a rock. The western whiptail, eastern fence, and side-blotched lizards are the most common; the most attractive is the collared lizard, which is usually turquoise with yellow speckles.

Watch for deer and marmots in Fruita, especially along the path between the visitor center and Fruita Campground. This area is also where you’re likely to see chipmunks and white-tail antelope squirrels. Although they’re somewhat shy and only emerge from their dens at night, ring-tailed cats (part of the raccoon family) also call the park home, as do bighorn sheep, bobcats, cougar, fox, and coyote.

If you keep your eyes to the sky, you may see a golden eagle, Cooper’s hawk, raven, or any of the many other types of birds attracted by the park’s variety of habitats. Year-round residents include chukars, common flickers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, horned larks, canyon wrens, rock wrens, American robins, ruby-crowned kinglets, starlings, and American kestrels. In warmer months, you’re also likely to see yellow warblers, red-winged blackbirds, western tanagers, northern orioles, violet-green swallows, white-throated swifts, and black-chinned hummingbirds. Bird-watching is particularly good along the Fremont River Trail in the spring and early summer.

Especially for kids

In addition to the Junior Ranger Program (see “Tips for Traveling with Kids,” in chapter 1), children of all ages can become Junior Geologists by joining a ranger on a 30-minute field trip. Get details at the visitor center. The Ripple Rock Nature Center also offers hands-on activities for kids (see “Visitor Centers,” earlier in this chapter).

Camping

Inside the Park

The pleasant Fruita Campground, located along the Scenic Drive, 1 mile south of the visitor center, has shade trees and modern restrooms, and is within walking distance of the Fruita Schoolhouse and other historic attractions. It also has an RV dump station that is open in summer only.

Capitol Reef also has two primitive campgrounds. To reach Cedar Mesa Campground, in the southern part of the park, go east on Utah 24 about 9 miles to Notom-Bullfrog Road, which you take about 23 miles south (the first 10 miles are paved) to the campground. The road may be impassable in wet weather. Cathedral Valley Campground is in the northern part of the park, about 35 miles from the visitor center (get directions at the center). Note: Access roads to Cathedral Valley Campground require a high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle and may be inaccessible in bad weather.

Backcountry camping is permitted in much of the park with a free permit, available at the visitor center.

Near the Park

Several commercial campgrounds are in the community of Torrey, about 5 miles west of the park entrance, and an attractive U.S. Forest Service campground is not too far away.

The closest full-service RV park and campground to the national park is Wonderland RV Park, at the junction of Utah 12 and 24 (P.O. Box 67), Torrey, UT 84775 (www.capitolreefrvpark.com; phone 877/854-0184 or 435/425-3665). The grounds and bathhouses are immaculate, and there are shade trees, grass, big rig sites, and croquet, horseshoes, volleyball, and basketball. Wi-Fi, cable TV, and use of gas barbecue grills are included in the rates. Also on the grounds and sharing the bathhouse are two basic camping cabins ($28 double) and two of what are called mountain cabins, with two queen beds, color TVs, microwave and fridge ($48 double). There’s also a cute sheep wagon ($48 double).

At Sandcreek RV Park, 540 Utah 24 (P.O. Box 750276), Torrey, UT 84775 (www.sandcreekrv.com; phone 435/425-3577), you’ll find RV sites with full hookups, plus grassy tent sites, trees, and great views in all directions. There are horseshoe pits, a gift shop with handmade stone and antler jewelry, and two attractive cabins that share the campground bathhouse ($30 double). There is also horse boarding ($5 per horse per night).

About 1 mile west of Torrey on Utah 24 is Thousand Lakes RV Park, P.O. Box 750070, Torrey, UT 84775 (www.thousandlakesrvpark.com; phone 800/355-8995 for reservations, or 435/425-3500). In addition to the usual amenities, this campground offers good views of surrounding rock formations, some shade trees, and Wi-Fi. RV sites are gravel; tent sites are grass. The campground also has a convenience store, a coin-op laundry, horseshoes, an outdoor heated pool, and barbecues. The campground has several cabins, some of which involve a walk to the bathhouse, and some deluxe cabins with private bathrooms, one of which sleeps six and has a kitchen and bathroom. Cabin rates range from $35 to $95 double. In addition, from May through early October, Western dinners are offered Monday through Friday and some Saturdays ($15–$23 adults, $8–$10 children 12 and younger), and 4×4 rentals are available at $95 to $125 per day.

Those looking for a forest camping experience on the west side of the national park will like Single Tree Campground, on Utah 12 about 16 miles south of Torrey (Fremont River Ranger District of the Fishlake National Forest; office at 138 S. Main St. [P.O. Box 129], Loa, UT 84747; phone 435/836-2800; www.fs.fed.us/r4; reservations 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov; credit cards accepted for reservations but not on-site). Note that although the campground is managed by the Fishlake National Forest, it is technically in the Dixie National Forest. Located in a forest of tall pines, this campground has paved sites (some are especially big and will accommodate large RVs), and many offer distant panoramic views of the national park. The campground also has five multifamily sites ($20 per night), and there is a horseshoe pit and volleyball court.

Where to Stay

There are no lodging facilities in the park, but the town of Torrey, just west of the park entrance where Utah 12 meets Utah 24, can take care of most needs.

Near the Park

In addition to the properties below, Torrey has a Days Inn, 825 E. Utah 24 (phone 888/425-3113 or 435/425-3111), with rates of $79 to $94 double and $94 to $129 suite. Also see the information on cabins at Sandcreek RV Park, Thousand Lakes RV Park, and Wonderland RV Park under “Camping,” above. Website listings for national hotel/motel chains can be found in chapter 38.

Austin’s Chuck Wagon Motel This attractive family-owned and -operated motel offers a wide range of options. The well-maintained property includes modern motel rooms with Southwestern decor, phones, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, and two queen-size beds. Also available is a family suite, which has a living room with a queen sofa bed, a kitchen with microwave, and three bedrooms. The best choice here is one of the plush Western-style cabins. Each cabin has two bedrooms (each with a queen-size bed), a living room with a queen-size sofa bed, a complete kitchen, a full bathroom with tub/shower, satellite TV, a covered porch, and a yard with a barbecue grill and a picnic table. The grounds are attractively landscaped, with a lawn and large trees, and facilities include an outdoor pool and whirlpool. On the property are a grocery store/bakery/deli (see “Where to Eat,” below), coin-op laundry, and salon.

12 W. Main St. (P.O. Box 750180), Torrey, UT 84775. www.austinschuckwagonmotel.com. phone 800/863-3288 or 435/425-3335. Fax 435/425-3434. 24 units. A/C, TV. Motel rooms $75 double; cabins $135 for up to 4; family suite $150 for up to 4. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Dec–Feb.

Best Western Capitol Reef Resort A mile west of the national park entrance, this attractive Best Western is one of the closest lodgings to the park. Try to get a room on the back side of the motel, where you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views of the area’s red-rock formations. Standard units have one king or two queen beds and hair dryers. Minisuites have a king bed and a queen sleeper sofa, plus a coffeemaker, refrigerator, microwave, iron, and wet bar; full suites add a sitting room for the sleeper sofa, a second TV and telephone, a jetted tub, and a patio. The heated pool, whirlpool, and sun deck are out back, away from road noise, with glass wind barriers and spectacular views. The hotel also has Wi-Fi, a tennis court, and a coin-op laundry. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner daily.

2600 E. Utah 24 (P.O. Box 750160), Torrey, UT 84775. www.bestwesternutah.com. phone 888/610-9600 or 435/425-3761. Fax 435/425-3300. 97 units. A/C, TV, TEL. June–Sept $110–$130 double, $140–$150 minisuite and suite; Oct–May $90–$109 double, $119–$129 minisuite and suite. Children 12 and under free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in designated pet rooms.

Boulder View Inn This attractive, well-maintained modern motel is a bargain for those who want a good night’s sleep without a lot of frills. Guest rooms are large and comfortable, with combination tub/showers, queen or king beds, tables with chairs, and a Southwestern motif. The units all have Wi-Fi, but the inn has no swimming pool. Smoking is not permitted.

385 W. Main St. (Utah 24), Torrey, UT 84775. www.boulderviewinn.com. phone 800/444-3980 or 435/425-3800. 11 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Nov $75 double; Nov–Mar $40 double. Rates include continental breakfast. DISC, MC, V.

Capitol Reef Inn & Café This older, Western-style motel—small, nicely landscaped, and adequately maintained—offers guest rooms that are homey and comfortable. The furnishings are handmade of solid wood, and all rooms have refrigerators and coffeemakers. Only one unit has a combination tub/shower; the others have showers only. Facilities include a playground, 10-person whirlpool tub, and desert garden and kiva. Adjacent, under the same ownership, is a good restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below) and a gift shop that sells American Indian crafts, guidebooks, and maps.

360 W. Main St. (Utah 24), Torrey, UT 84775. www.capitolreefinn.com. phone 435/425-3271. 10 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $53 double. Children 2 and under free. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to mid-Mar.

Sandstone Inn If you want panoramic views in all directions and an attractive, comfortable room at a good price, this is the place. Perched high on a hill set back from the highway, the well-maintained property is peaceful and quiet. Standard motel rooms have two queen-size beds or one king, along with typical modern motel decor and some genuine wood touches. Deluxe rooms add refrigerators and microwaves, and suites have king-size beds, large whirlpool tubs, and private balconies. All units have hair dryers and Wi-Fi. Facilities include an indoor heated swimming pool, whirlpool, and restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below).

955 E. Utah 24, at the junction of Utah 24 and 12 (P.O. Box 750208), Torrey, UT 84775. www.sandstonecapitolreef.com. phone 800/458-0216 or 435/425-3775. Fax 435/425-3212. 50 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Oct $78–$98 double, $125 suite; Nov–Mar $58–$78 double, $80 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted, for $10 per night nonrefundable fee.

Torrey Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast This excellent inn offers a charming alternative to the standard motel. The imposing three-story red sandstone building served as the community’s school from 1917 until 1954, and during its early days also hosted plays, boxing matches, and dances, which local residents claim were sometimes attended by famed outlaw Butch Cassidy and his “associates.” Beautifully restored, the schoolhouse now houses a bed-and-breakfast which maintains the schoolhouse theme on the first and second floors, with furnishings such as an antique writing desk and musical instruments, while third-floor rooms have a pioneer theme. Units are spacious, with light-colored walls and high ceilings, which makes them feel even more spacious. The inn offers a good mix of historic ambience and modern comforts and conveniences, including top-of-the line beds, massage recliners, hair dryers, and Wi-Fi. Organic breakfasts, often from locally grown ingredients, might include a breakfast quiche, Belgian waffles with fruit topping, or a breakfast burrito, with homemade muffins and breakfast meats. All units are smoke-free.

150 N. Center St. (P.O. Box 750337), Torrey, UT 84775. www.torreyschoolhouse.com. phone 435/633-4643. 10 units. A/C. Apr–Oct $110–$160 double. Rates include full breakfast. Children 13 and older welcome. MC, V. Closed Nov–Mar.

Where to Eat

There are no dining facilities inside the park.

Near the Park

In addition to the restaurants below, you’ll find a good deli and bakery at Austin’s Chuck Wagon Motel, 12 W. Main St., Torrey (phone 800/863-3288 or 435/425-3335; www.austinschuckwagonmotel.com), open daily with varying hours from mid-March through October (closed the rest of the year). It offers a good choice of hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, and Mexican items such as burritos and enchiladas, at prices from $3 to $7. Although primarily for takeout, the deli does have several small tables. In the same building is a grocery store.

Cafe Diablo SOUTHWESTERN Looks are deceiving. What appears to be a simple, western cafe is in fact a fine restaurant—among Utah’s best—offering innovative beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian selections, many with a Southwestern flair. The rack of glazed pork ribs, slow roasted in chipotle, molasses, and rum glaze, is spectacular. Other noteworthy dishes include pumpkinseed-crusted red trout served with cilantro-lime sauce and wild rice pancakes, and Mayan tamales—eggplant, poblano peppers, roasted tomatoes, masa, and casera cheese steamed in a banana leaf. The pastries—at least eight different ones are prepared daily—and homemade ice creams are wonderful. In addition to the dining room there is a heated patio. Beer, wine, and cocktails are served.

599 W. Main St., Torrey. phone 435/425-3070. www.cafediablo.net. Main lunch courses $10–$13, main dinner courses $22–$30. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Closed late Oct to early Apr.

Capitol Reef Inn & Café AMERICAN This popular restaurant offers a good selection of fresh, healthy foods, although the service can be a bit slow, especially at dinner. Known for its locally raised trout (available at every meal), the cafe is equally famous for its 10-vegetable salad. Vegetables are grown locally, and vegetarian dishes include spaghetti and mushroom lasagna. There are several steaks, including an excellent tenderloin, plus chicken. The atmosphere is casual, with comfortable seating, American Indian crafts, and large windows. The restaurant offers beer and wine.

360 W. Main St. phone 435/425-3271. www.capitolreefinn.com. Main courses $6–$11 breakfast and lunch, $10–$20 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–9pm. Closed late Oct to mid-Mar.

Chillzz Malt Shoppe PIZZA/BURGERS/ICE CREAM Want a pepperoni pizza and a chocolate malt? Head to Chillzz. This fast food restaurant with a 1950s atmosphere and a pool table serves great pizza, okay burgers, and excellent malts and shakes. Beer is available.

156 E. Main St., Torrey. phone 435/425-2600. Shakes and malts $2.50–$4; burgers and sandwiches $3.50–$5; whole pizzas $5–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily noon–7pm; call for off-season hours.

Rim Rock Restaurant AMERICAN A local favorite for special occasions, this fine-dining restaurant is an excellent choice for beef—try the grilled tenderloin with cranberry demi-sauce or the blackened top sirloin with caramelized onions and button mushrooms. The smoked pork barbecue ribs are recommended, as is the smoked trout appetizer. The menu also includes a pasta of the day, pan-seared Utah trout, several chicken dishes, a few vegetarian items, and homemade pies. The casual dining room has a Western look, with lots of windows providing stupendous views and a raised outdoor dining area. Full liquor service is available.

2523 E. Utah 24. phone 435/425-3388. www.therimrock.net. Main courses $15–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–9:30pm. Closed Nov to late Mar.

Sandstone Restaurant AMERICAN Perched on a hill back from the highway, the Sandstone offers tremendous views of the area’s famed red-rock formations plus good food at reasonable prices. The Sandstone does an especially good job with barbecue—try the tender pork ribs—and beef, including a prime rib special most Fridays and Saturdays. It also has pasta and chicken dinners, a salad bar, and excellent desserts, such as the four-layer chocolate cake and the huge brownie sundae. Breakfasts offer the usual American standards, and lunch may be served in summer (call for hours). Beer and wine are available.

Sandstone Inn, 955 E. Utah 24, at the junction of Utah 24 and 12. phone 435/425-3775. www.sandstonecapitolreef.com. Main dinner courses $12–$23. AE, DISC, MC, V. Apr–Nov daily 7am–noon and 5–9pm. Call for summer lunch hours if available, and all hours Dec–Mar.

Slacker’s Burger Joint BURGERS/SANDWICHES This non-franchise fast food restaurant serves good burgers—about a dozen varieties including one topped with pastrami!—plus sandwiches, fries, fish and chips, and for those who insist on eating healthy, several salads and a garden burger. A small dining room is decked out in ’50s memorabilia, and a lawn is set with picnic and patio tables. A wide variety of ice-cream cones and thick milkshakes are also available; no alcohol is served.

165 E. Main St., Torrey. phone 435/425-3710. $2–$9. MC, V. May–Aug daily 11am–9pm, closes at 8pm beginning and end of season. Closed Nov to mid-Mar.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

In addition to groceries, the general store at Austin’s Chuck Wagon Motel, 12 W. Main St., Torrey (phone 800/863-3288 or 435/425-3335; www.austinschuckwagonmotel.com), has a bakery, a full-service deli, organic fruits and vegetables, a coin-operated laundry, and a salon. It is closed November through mid-March. The closest year-round supermarket is Royal’s Market, 135 S. Main St., Loa (phone 435/836-2841), which is about 16 miles northwest of Torrey via Utah 24. Royal’s has a good selection of groceries, some camping and fishing equipment, and also sells hunting and fishing licenses.

Chapter 10: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM

by Don & Barbara Laine

One of the largest and most spectacular cave systems in the world, Carlsbad Caverns National Park comprises more than 100 known caves that snake through the porous limestone reef of the Guadalupe Mountains. Fantastic and grotesque formations fascinate visitors, who find every shape imaginable (and unimaginable) naturally sculpted in the underground—from frozen waterfalls to strands of pearls, soda straws to miniature castles, draperies to ice-cream cones.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Formation of the caverns began some 250 million years ago, when a huge inland sea covered this region. A reef formed, and then the sea disappeared, leaving the reef covered with deposits of salts and gypsum. Eventually, uplifting and erosion brought the reef back to the surface, and then the actual cave creation began. Rainwater seeped through cracks in the earth’s surface, dissolving the limestone and leaving hollows behind. With the help of sulfuric acid, created by gases released from oil and gas deposits farther below ground, the cavern passageways grew, sometimes becoming huge rooms.

Once the caves were hollowed out, nature’s artistry took over, decorating the rooms with a variety of fanciful formations. Water dripped down through the rock into the caves, dissolving more limestone and absorbing the mineral calcite and other materials on its journey. Each drop of water then deposited a tiny load of calcite, gradually creating the cave formations that lure visitors to Carlsbad Caverns each year.

Carlsbad Caverns on the Silver Screen

In 1959, the Kings Palace and Boneyard sections of Carlsbad Caverns filled in for a scary world deep below the earth’s surface in the film Journey to the Center of the Earth, based on the novel by Jules Verne, and starring Pat Boone, James Mason, and Diane Baker.

Although American Indians had known of Carlsbad Cavern for centuries, settlers didn’t discover it until sunset flights of bats emerging from the cave attracted ranchers in the 1880s. The first reported trip into the cave was in 1883, when a man supposedly lowered his 12-year-old son into the cave entrance. A cowboy named Jim White, who worked for mining companies that collected bat droppings for use as fertilizer, began to explore the main cave in the early 1900s. Fascinated by the formations, White shared his discovery with others, and word of the magical underground world soon spread.

Carlsbad Cave National Monument was created in October 1923. In 1926, the first electric lights were installed, and in 1930 Carlsbad Caverns gained national park status.

Underground development has been confined to the famous Big Room, one of the largest and most easily accessible of the caverns, with a ceiling 25 stories high and a floor large enough to hold more than six football fields. Visitors can tour parts of it on their own, aided by an excellent portable audio guide, and explore other sections and several other caves on guided tours. The cave is also a summer home to about 400,000 Brazilian (also called Mexican) free-tailed bats, which hang from the ceiling of Bat Cave during the day. They put on a spectacular show each evening as they leave the cave in search of food, and again in the morning when they return.

In addition to the fascinating underground world, the national park has a scenic drive, an interpretive nature trail, and backcountry hiking trails through the Chihuahuan Desert.

tips from a Park Insider

“If you can only see one thing here, see the Big Room in Carlsbad Cavern,” advises Bridget Litten, the park’s former public affairs specialist. “Allow an hour and a half, and if you have more time and are in good physical condition, take the Natural Entrance Route into the cave, which has a 750-foot descent and is a bit strenuous.”

The potential for scientific discoveries from caves is tremendous, Litten says, adding that research is underway in Lechugilla Cave that may eventually provide a cure for certain types of cancer. “They’re collecting microscopic life forms—bacteria that survive without sunlight and secrete an enzyme that appears to be able to kill breast cancer cells without harming healthy human cells.”

Litten says that park visitors should not miss out on the aboveground attractions, such as the evening bat flight, and the 9 1/2-mile scenic drive, which provides panoramic views of the surrounding desert. “A good time to take the drive is late afternoon or early evening after the visitor center has closed and before the bat flight program has begun,” Litten says, adding that “it’s usually cooler then, too.”

She also suggests a picnic at Rattlesnake Springs, a “birders’ paradise,” she calls it, and adds that those who want to experience the Chihuahuan Desert without any crowds should consider hiking the park’s backcountry, which less than 1% of the park’s visitors do.

Avoiding the Crowds

The park is open year-round and receives more than 400,000 visitors annually. Crowds are thickest in summer and on weekends and holidays year-round; visiting on weekdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day is the best way to avoid them. January is the quietest month.

Visiting during the park’s off season is especially attractive because the temperature in the caves stays the same regardless of the weather above—56°F (13°C). The only downside is that you won’t be able to see the bat flights. The bats head to Mexico when the weather starts to get chilly, usually by late October, and don’t return until May. There are also fewer guided cave tours off season. The best time to see the park might be September, when you can still see the bat flights but there are fewer visitors than during the peak summer season.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The main section of the park, with the visitor center and entrance to Carlsbad Cavern, is about 30 miles southwest of the city of Carlsbad by way of U.S. 62/180 and N. Mex. 7. From Albuquerque, drive east on I-40 for 59 miles to Clines Corners, then turn south on U.S. 285 for 216 miles to the city of Carlsbad. For the caverns, continue southwest 23 miles on U.S. 62/180 to White’s City, and go about 7 miles on N. Mex. 7, the park access road, to the visitor center. From El Paso, drive east 150 miles on U.S. 62/180 to White’s City, then 7 miles on N. Mex. 7 to the visitor center.

The Nearest Airport Air travelers can fly to Cavern City Air Terminal (phone 575/887-3060), at the south edge of the city of Carlsbad, which has commercial service from Albuquerque on New Mexico Airlines (phone 888/564-6119; www.flynma.com), plus Enterprise car rentals.

The nearest major airport is El Paso International (phone 915/780-4749; www.elpasointernationalairport.com), in central El Paso, Texas, just north of I-10, with service from major airlines and car-rental companies. See chapter 38 for websites of the major airlines and car-rental companies.

Information

Contact Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/785-2232, or 575/785-3012 for bat flight information; www.nps.gov/cave).

Because the park’s backcountry trails may be hard to follow, rangers strongly recommend that those planning any serious aboveground hiking obtain topographical maps. An excellent book for hikers is Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, by Bill Schneider, which was published in partnership with the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association and is keyed to the Trails Illustrated topographical map of the park. Books and maps can be ordered from the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association, 727 Carlsbad Caverns Hwy. (P.O. Box 1417), Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/785-2486; www.ccgma.org).

For additional information on area lodging, dining, and other attractions, contact or stop at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 302 S. Canal St., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 800/221-1224 or 575/887-6516; www.carlsbadchamber.com).

Visitor Center

The park visitor center is open daily 8am to 7pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day; self-guided cave tours can begin from 8:30am to 4pm. The rest of the year, the visitor center is open daily from 8am to 5pm, with self-guided cave tours from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Tour times and schedules may vary during slower times in the winter. The park is closed December 25.

At the visitor center, displays depict the geology and history of the caverns, bats, and other wildlife; you can also see a 3D model of Carlsbad Caverns. You can also get information about tours and other park activities, both below- and aboveground.

Attached to the visitor center is a restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter) and a gift shop that offers the usual souvenir items such as postcards and sweatshirts, plus a variety of gift items, including handmade American Indian crafts. Another gift shop and snack bar is in the Underground Rest Area.

Fees & Reservations

Admission to the visitor center and aboveground sections of the park is free. The basic cavern entry fee, which is good for 3 days and includes self-guided tours of the Natural Entrance and Big Room, is $6 for adults 16 and older, and free for children under 16. Holders of all America the Beautiful passes, plus up to three adults, are admitted free. An audio tour of the two self-guided routes is available for a $3 rental fee.

Reservations are required for all guided tours. In addition to tour fees, you will need a general cave admission ticket for guided cave tours, except those to Slaughter Canyon Cave and Spider Cave. Holders of the America the Beautiful Senior and Access passes receive a 50% discount on tours. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older, and minimum age restrictions for tours also apply.

The King’s Palace guided tour costs $8 for adults and $4 for children 4 to 15; younger children are not permitted. Guided tours of Left Hand Tunnel, limited to those 6 and older, cost $7 for adults and $3.50 for children 6 to 15. Guided tours of Spider Cave, Lower Cave, and Hall of the White Giant are limited to those 12 and older; they cost $20 for adults and $10 for youths 12 to 15. Slaughter Canyon Cave tours, for those 8 and older, cost $15 for adults, $7.50 for children 8 to 15.

You can make reservations for cave tours in advance by phone or on the Internet (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov).

Special Regulations & Warnings

As you would expect, damaging the cave formations in any way is prohibited. Even touching the formations, walls, or ceilings of the caves can damage them. This is not only because many of the features are delicate and easily broken, but also because skin oils will discolor the rock and disturb the mineral deposits that are necessary for growth.

All tobacco use is prohibited underground. In addition, food, drinks, candy, and gum are not allowed on the underground trails. Do not throw coins or other objects into the underground pools.

Cave visitors should wear flat shoes with rubber soles and heels to negotiate the slippery paths. Children under 16 must remain with an adult at all times. Strollers are not allowed in the caves, so child backpacks are a good idea, but beware of low ceilings and doorways along the pathways.

Photography of any kind is not permitted at the evening bat flight programs.

Pets are not permitted in the caverns, on park trails, or in the backcountry. Because of the hot summer temperatures, pets should not be left unattended in vehicles. A kennel is available at the visitor center, operated by a concessionaire (phone 575-785-2281). It has cages in an air-conditioned room but no runs, and is primarily used by pet owners for a few hours while they are on cave tours. Pets are given water but not food, and there are no overnight facilities. Reservations are not necessary and no proof of vaccinations is required.

Seasons & Climate

The climate aboveground is warm in the summer, with highs often in the 90s (30s Celsius) and sometimes exceeding 100°F (38°C); evening lows are in the mid-60s (upper teens Celsius). Winters are mild, with highs in the 50s and 60s (10s and midteens Celsius) in the day and nighttime lows usually in the 20s and 30s (low negatives Celsius). Summers are known for sudden intense afternoon and evening thunderstorms; August and September see the most rain. Underground it’s another story entirely, with a year-round temperature that varies little from its average of 56°F (13°C), making a jacket or sweater a welcome companion.

Seasonal Events

A “bat flight breakfast,” planned from 5 to 7am on a summer Saturday at the Bat Flight Amphitheater, offers visitors an opportunity to have breakfast while they watch the bats return to the cavern after their night of insect hunting. Breakfast can be purchased at the restaurant near the visitor center. Call the park for the date, cost, and other details.

If You Have Only 1 day

Those with only 1 day to spend at Carlsbad Caverns National Park can see quite a bit if they organize their time well. First, stop at the visitor center to look at the exhibits and check out that day’s tours and programs. If you would like to take any guided tours, it’s best to buy tickets now. Then head into the main cave through the steep Natural Entrance Route and continue on a self-guided tour of the Big Room. For those not wishing to follow the steep switchback trail into the Natural Entrance, and anyone with health concerns, an elevator from the visitor center will deliver you to the Big Room.

You’ll finish your Big Room tour at the elevators near the Underground Rest Area, so pick up a sandwich there or take the elevator up to the surface, where you can dine in the restaurant at the visitor center or drive out for a picnic lunch at Rattlesnake Springs. (Rattlesnake Springs is a picnic area with tables, grills, drinking water, and restrooms. It’s along the access road to Slaughter Canyon Cave.) After lunch, take the King’s Palace Guided Tour (for which you purchased tickets earlier). Then walk the nature trail outside the visitor center and drive the 9 1/2-mile Walnut Canyon Desert Drive. If possible, try to get back to the amphitheater at the cave’s Natural Entrance by dusk to see the nightly bat flight (spring through fall), when thousands of bats leave the cave.

Exploring the Park by Car

No, you can’t take your car into the caves, but it won’t be totally useless, either. For a close-up as well as panoramic view of the Chihuahuan Desert, head out on the Walnut Canyon Desert Drive, a 9 1/2-mile loop. You’ll want to drive slowly on the one-way gravel road, both for safety and to appreciate thoroughly the dramatic scenery. Passenger cars can easily handle the tight turns and narrow passage, but the road is not recommended for motor homes or cars pulling trailers. Pick up an interpretive brochure for the drive at the visitor center bookstore. Allow about 1 hour.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

In addition to cave tours (discussed below), rangers give a sunset bat talk each evening from mid-May through mid-October at the Bat Flight Amphitheater at cavern’s Natural Entrance. Another popular program are star parties, which are planned about six times during the summer. Telescopes are available for viewing the night sky and rangers discuss astronomy, the night sky, and related topics. Especially popular are climbing programs, during which rangers demonstrate caving techniques. Rangers also offer a variety of other demonstrations, talks, guided nature walks, and other programs. Check at the visitor center for the current schedule of ranger-led activities.

Park Attractions

Although this park is devoted primarily to the work of nature, observing human activities in the caves is part of the Carlsbad Caverns experience. Throughout the main cavern, you’ll see evidence of human use (and misuse) of the caves. Those taking the guided Lower Cave tour will see artifacts left by early cave explorers, including members of a 1924 National Geographic Society expedition.

Cave Exploration

Carlsbad Cavern (the park’s main cave), Slaughter Canyon Cave, and Spider Cave are open to the public. Experienced cavers with professional-level equipment can request permission to explore some of the park’s other caves.

Most visitors head first to Carlsbad Cavern, which has elevators, a paved walkway, and the Underground Rest Area. A 1-mile section of the Big Room self-guided tour is accessible to those in wheelchairs (no wheelchairs are available at the park), though it’s best to have someone along to assist. Pick up an accessibility guide at the visitor center.

Main Carlsbad Cavern Routes

Most visitors see Carlsbad Cavern by taking the following three trails, all of which are lighted and paved and have handrails. However, the Big Room is the only one of the three that’s considered easy. The formations along these trails are strategically lit to display them at their most dramatic.

Big Room Self-Guided Tour Considered the one essential of a visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, this trail meanders through a massive chamber—it isn’t called the Big Room for nothing—where you’ll see some of the park’s most spectacular formations and likely be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. Allow about 1 1/2 hours. 1.25-mile loop. Easy. Access: Visitor center elevator to Underground Rest Area, or Natural Entrance Route (see below).

King’s Palace Guided Tour This ranger-led 1 1/2-hour walk wanders through some of the cave’s most scenic chambers, where you’ll see fanciful formations in the King’s Palace, Queen’s Chamber, and Green Lake Room. Watch for the Bashful Elephant formation between the King’s Palace and Green Lake Room. Along the way, rangers discuss the geology of the cave and early explorers’ experiences. Although the path is paved, the 80-foot elevation change makes this more difficult than the Big Room trail. Children under 4 are not permitted. 1-mile loop. Moderate. Access: Visitor center elevator to Underground Rest Area.

Natural Entrance Route This moderately strenuous hike takes you into Carlsbad Cavern on the same basic route used by its early explorers. You leave daylight to enter a big hole, then descend more than 750 feet into the cavern on a steep and narrow switchback trail, moving from the “twilight zone” of semidarkness to the depths of the cave, which would be totally black without the electric lights conveniently provided by the Park Service. The self-guided tour takes about 1 hour and ends near the elevators, which can take you back to the visitor center. However, it is strongly recommended that from here you proceed on the Big Room Self-Guided Tour, which is described above, if you have not already been there. 1.25 miles. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Outside visitor center.

Caving Tour Programs in Carlsbad Cavern

Ranger-led tours to these less developed sections of Carlsbad Cavern provide more of the experience of exploration and genuine caving than the above routes, which follow well-trodden trails. Caving tours vary in difficulty, but all include a period of absolute darkness or “blackout,” which can make some people uncomfortable. Because some tours involve walking or crawling through tight spaces, people who suffer from claustrophobia or who have other health concerns should discuss specifics with rangers before purchasing tickets.

See below for age restrictions and required equipment. Rangers provide headlamps and helmets on some tours. All tours must be reserved; the cost is separate from the general entrance fee. Tours can book up weeks in advance, so reserve early.

Hall of the White Giant If you want a strenuous 4-hour trip during which you crawl through narrow, dirty passageways and climb slippery rocks, this tour is for you. The highlight is the huge formation called the White Giant. Only those in excellent condition should consider this tour; children must be at least 12. Four AA batteries for the provided headlamp, sturdy hiking boots, kneepads, gloves, and long pants are required. .5 mile one-way. Strenuous. Access: Visitor center.

Left Hand Tunnel The easiest of the caving tours, this one allows you to actually walk—rather than crawl—the entire time! Hand-carried lanterns (provided by the Park Service) light the way, and the trail is dirt but relatively level. You’ll see a variety of formations, fossils from Permian times, and pools of water. Children must be at least 6. The tour takes about 2 hours. .5 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Visitor center, near the elevator.

Lower Cave This 3-hour trek involves descending or climbing over 50 feet of ladders, and an optional crawl. It takes you through an area that was explored by a National Geographic Society expedition in the 1920s, and you’ll see artifacts from that and other excursions. In addition, you’ll encounter a variety of formations, including cave pearls, which look a lot like the pearls created by oysters and can be as big as golf balls. Participants must be at least 12. Four AA batteries are required for the provided headlamp. Hiking boots or good sneakers and gloves are also required. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Visitor center, near the elevator.

Other Caving Tours

It takes some hiking to reach the other caves in the park, so carry drinking water, especially on hot summer days. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; other age restrictions apply as well. Each tour includes a period of total darkness or “blackout.” Fees apply for both, but a general cave admission ticket is not required. Tours are popular and are frequently fully booked; call a few months ahead for reservations.

Slaughter Canyon Cave Discovered in 1937, this cave was commercially mined for bat guano (used as fertilizer) until the 1950s. It consists of a corridor 1,140 feet long with many side passageways. The excellent guided tour lasts about 2 hours, plus at least another half-hour to hike up the steep trail to the cave entrance. No crawling is involved, although the smooth flowstone and old bat guano on the floor can be slippery. You’ll see a number of wonderful cave formations, including the crystal-decorated Christmas Tree, the 89-foot-high Monarch, and the menacing Klansman. Children must be at least 6. Participants must take strong flashlights with fresh batteries, drinking water, and good hiking boots. 1.25 miles RT (plus .5-mile hike to and from cave entrance). Moderate. Access: Take U.S. 62/180 from Carlsbad, going south 5 miles from White’s City, to marked turnoff that leads 11 miles to parking lot. Driving time is 45 min. Tours meet at and depart from cave entrance.

Spider Cave Very strenuous, this tour is ideal for those who want the experience of a rugged caving adventure, as well as some great underground scenery. Highlights include climbing down a 15-foot ladder, squeezing through tight passageways, and climbing on slippery surfaces—all this after a fairly tough half-mile hike to the cave entrance. But it’s worth it. The cave has numerous beautiful formations—most much smaller than those in the Big Room—and picturesque pools of water. Allow 4 hours. Participants must be at least 12, need four AA batteries for the provided headlamps, and should have good hiking boots, kneepads, gloves, long pants, and drinking water. 1-mile loop (plus .5-mile hike to and from cave). Strenuous. Access: Visitor center; follow ranger to cave.

Wild Caving

Experienced cavers with the proper gear can request permits from the park’s Cave Resource Office (phone 575/785-3105 or 575/785-3107) to enter one of several undeveloped caves in the park on their own. Permits for most caves are free; applications should be submitted at least 1 month ahead of time. At this writing, Ogle Cave was closed for bat protection. However, if and when it does again become available for caving, it will be open to experienced vertical cavers on ranger-led trips, and there will be a fee. Further information is available from the Cave Resource Office.

Other Sports & Activities

Hiking & Backpacking Most of the hiking here is done underground, but there are opportunities on the earth’s surface as well. The park’s busiest trail is the Nature Trail, a fairly easy, 1-mile paved loop that begins just outside the visitor center and has interpretive signs describing the various plants of the Chihuahuan Desert.

About a half-dozen other trails wander through the park’s 30,000 acres of designated wilderness. These backcountry trails are usually poorly marked—rangers strongly recommend that hikers carry topographical maps, which are for sale at the visitor center. Watch for rattlesnakes, especially in warmer months. Lighting fires and entering backcountry caves without permits are prohibited. For overnight hikes, you’ll need to pick up a free permit at the visitor center.

Backcountry trails include the 3.7-mile (one-way) Old Guano Road Trail, with an elevation change of 710 feet; the 2.2-mile (one-way) Rattlesnake Canyon Trail, with an elevation change of 670 feet; the 5.3-mile (one-way) Slaughter Canyon Trail, which has an elevation change of 1,850 feet; the 7.7-mile (one-way) Yucca Canyon Trail, with a 1,520-foot elevation change; the 12-mile (one-way) Guadalupe Ridge Trail, with an elevation change of 2,050 feet; and the 2.8-mile (one-way) Juniper Ridge Trail, with an 800-foot elevation change. Backcountry camping is allowed (with a free permit) on all of the above trails except Old Guano Road. Additional trail information is available from park rangers.

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching At sunset, roughly from April or May until late October or early November, a crowd gathers at the Carlsbad Cavern Natural Entrance to watch hundreds of thousands of bats take off for the night. All day long, the free-tailed bats, which spend the winter in Mexico, sleep in the cavern; they strike out on an insect hunt each night. An amphitheater in front of the Natural Entrance provides seating, and ranger programs are held each evening from mid-May through mid-October (check the schedule at the visitor center or call phone 575/785-3012). The most bats are seen in August and September, when baby bats born earlier in the summer join their parents, along with migrating bats from the north, on the nightly forays. Early risers can see the bats return just before dawn. Cameras, including video cameras, are not permitted.

Bats aren’t the only wildlife at Carlsbad Caverns. The park has a surprising number of birds—more than 300 species—many of which are seen in the Rattlesnake Springs area. Among species you’re likely to see are turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, scaled quail, killdeer, mourning doves, lesser night-hawks, black-chinned hummingbirds, vermilion flycatchers, canyon wrens, northern mockingbirds, black-throated sparrows, and western meadowlarks. In addition, several thousand cave swallows build their mud nests each summer on the ceiling just inside the Carlsbad Cavern Natural Entrance. (The bats make their home farther back in the cave.)

Among the park’s larger animals are mule deer and raccoons, which are sometimes spotted near the Natural Entrance at the time of the evening bat flights. The park is also home to porcupines, hog-nosed skunks, desert cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits, rock squirrels, and the more elusive ringtails, coyotes, and gray fox. These are sometimes seen in the late evenings along the park entrance road and the Walnut Canyon Desert Drive. In recent years there have also been a few sightings of mountain lions and bobcats.

Especially for kids

Children usually love the self-guided walk through the main cavern’s Big Room, with its many bizarre and beautiful shapes, especially when they’re encouraged to let their imaginations run wild. Younger children are often bored on the King’s Palace Guided Tour because it has several stops and everyone must remain with the group. (Children under 4 are not permitted on the King’s Palace tour.) Families with children at least 6 years old (and preferably a bit older) enjoy the Slaughter Canyon Cave tour, which has some spectacular formations and gives the feeling of exploring a wild cave.

Camping

There are no developed campgrounds or vehicle camping of any kind inside the national park. Backcountry camping, however, is permitted in some areas. (See the description of backcountry trails under “Hiking & Backpacking,” above.) Pick up free permits at the visitor center.

Near the Park

The closest camping to the national park that we recommend is in the city of Carlsbad at Carlsbad RV Park & Campground, 4301 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (www.carlsbadrvpark.com; phone 888/878-7275 or 575/885-6333). This tree-filled campground offers pull-through sites large enough to accommodate big rigs with slideouts, as well as tent sites and sites for everything in between. Some sites have cable TV hookups, and all sites have Wi-Fi. There’s an indoor heated pool, a game room, a playground, and a meeting room with kitchen. A convenience store sells groceries, gifts, and RV supplies.

The most luxurious camping in the area for both RVers and tenters is at Carlsbad KOA, 2 Manthei Rd., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (www.carlsbadkoa.com; phone 800/562-9109 or 575-457-2000). Near Brantley Lake State Park (see below), the KOA is 13 miles north of the city of Carlsbad, just off U.S. 285. The top-rated RV park in the entire state by several respected RV park publications, the facility is nicely landscaped with grass and trees and boasts large (40×70-ft.) sites that can accommodate the largest rigs with slideouts. All RV sites have full hookups, including cable TV and Wi-Fi, and there is an outdoor heated pool, hot tub, playground, coin-op laundry, and fenced pet park where dogs can be off-leash. Some tent sites have water and electric available, and there are two meticulously maintained bathhouses. Barbecue dinners, sandwiches, and pizza are prepared each evening and can be ordered for campsite delivery. An on-site wind turbine provides a portion of the campground’s electricity. There are also 12 cabins, ranging from basic to luxurious, at rates from $57 to $145 per night.

Another good choice for those who will be exploring the area is Brantley Lake State Park, P.O. Box 2288, Carlsbad, NM 88221 (www.nmparks.com; phone 575/457-2384). Located 14 miles north of the city of Carlsbad (take U.S. 285, then go 4 1/2 miles northeast on Eddy C.R. 30), this quiet and relaxing park is just under 40 miles from the Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center. Activities include boating, swimming, and fishing on the 3,000-acre lake, as well as bird-watching. The park also has boat ramps, picnic tables, two playgrounds, and exhibits on the 19th-century community of Seven Rivers, considered one of the West’s wildest towns, which now lies at the bottom of the lake. The day-use fee is $5 per vehicle. There are 51 developed RV campsites (48 with water and electric hookups, 3 with water, electric, and sewer), plus primitive camping along the lakeshore for 20 to 50 RVs or tents, depending on the lake level. Rangers present programs in the campground Saturday evenings during the summer. Reservations, for an $11 processing fee (in addition to the campsite fee), are available from spring through early fall through the state park website, www.nmparks.com.

Where to Stay

There are no accommodations within the park. Although White's City is closer to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, we recommend you stay in the city of Carlsbad, where the lodging choices are not exciting, but you will find several clean, well-maintained chain motels, including our favorite, the Best Western Stevens Inn (see below). Other options include the Days Inn, 3910 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/887-7800), $85 to $105 double; Fairfield Inn &Suites, 2525 S. Canal St., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/887-8000), $129 to $149 double; Motel 6, 3824 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/885-0011), $44 to $56 double; and Super 8 Motel, 3817 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/887-8888), $75 to $80 double. See chapter 38 for website listings of the national chains.

Best Western Stevens Inn Well-landscaped gardens surround this handsome property, composed of several buildings spread across spacious grounds. Rooms have Southwestern decor, coffeemakers, hair dryers, and Wi-Fi. They have one king- or two queen-size beds, and refrigerators and microwaves are available ($10 extra each). Some units, with peaked ceilings that make them feel even larger, also have back-door patios. There are also wheelchair-accessible rooms with roll-in showers. All units are non-smoking. The motel has a good restaurant, The Flume (see “Where to Eat,” below), room service, courtesy airport transportation, coin-op laundry, 24-hour front desk, large outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool, exercise room, and playground.

1829 S. Canal St., Carlsbad, NM 88220. www.stevensinn.com. phone 800/730-2851 or 575/887-2851. 198 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $109–$119 double. Children 12 and under free. Rates include full breakfast buffet. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted, $10 per night.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

There are two concessionaire-operated restaurants at the park (phone 575/785-2281), whose hours coincide with visitor center and cave hours. A buffet restaurant at the visitor center serves three meals daily. It offers standard breakfasts and a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and salads for lunch and dinner. Most prices are in the $6-to-$12 range. The Underground Rest Area, inside the cavern 750 feet belowground, has a snack bar that offers a limited menu of fast food items, including sandwiches, in the $4-to-$8 range.

Near the Park

The Flume AMERICAN This casually elegant restaurant, with comfortable seating and attractive wall sconces and chandeliers, is our top dining choice in Carlsbad. For breakfast and lunch, you can choose from a good selection of American favorites. The dinner menu includes the house specialty prime rib, a variety of steaks, seafood such as the broiled halibut, chicken, pasta, and Mexican items. Lighter dinners for those 55 and older are also available.

At the Best Western Stevens Inn, 1829 S. Canal St., Carlsbad. phone 575/887-2851. Main courses $5.95–$11 lunch, $9.95–$22 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6am–10pm; Sun 6am–9pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

You’ll find a good variety of stores in the city of Carlsbad, including an Albertson’s grocery store, 808 N. Canal St., at West Church Street (phone 575/885-2161; www.albertsonsmarket.com), that has a well-stocked deli and bakery.

Larez Mexican Restaurant NEW MEXICAN Authentic New Mexico–style Mexican food prepared personally by restaurant owner Dora Larez is what you’ll get here. Be prepared to wait a little because items are prepared from scratch. The decor is unpretentious—simple and cafelike, and the food is tasty and not excessively spicy. Try guacamole with homemade chips for an appetizer, and then move on to a Mexican specialty such as chimichangas, a chile relleno plate, a green-chile plate, or a taco plate. A good choice is the Larez deluxe plate, which includes an enchilada, tamale, asado, taco, rice, beans, chile relleno, green chile, and guacamole. There are lunch buffets Monday through Friday ($9.50) and a dinner buffet Friday evening ($11).

1524 S. Canal St., Carlsbad. phone 575/885-5113. www.larezrestaurant.com. Most main courses $6.50–$9.50. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11am–2pm; Mon–Thurs 4:30–8pm; Fri 4:30–8:30pm.

New Mexican cuisine

Half the fun of a trip to the Southwest is eating New Mexican food. Whether it’s a burrito or bowl of green chile stew from a takeout stand or a full-course meal from one of the state’s finest restaurants, you’ll find that New Mexico cooking is somewhat unique, similar to but not quite the same as Mexican and Tex-Mex.

The key to genuine New Mexico cuisine is the chile pepper (New Mexicans prefer the Spanish spelling of chile, ending in e instead of i). Served red or green, usually as a sauce (called salsa), it tops enchiladas, burritos, and practically every type of food short of oatmeal. Green tends to be hotter. In 1999, the New Mexico State Legislature proclaimed the official state question to be, “Red or green?”

Following are some of the terms you’ll run across in restaurants and roadside stands across the state.

• Biscochitos Anise cookies made best with lard.

• Breakfast burrito Scrambled eggs, potatoes, chile, cheese, and often meat wrapped in a flour tortilla, consumed hand-held or on a plate smothered with red or green chile salsa.

• Calabacitas Green summer squash fried with onions and garlic, sometimes other vegetables.

• Carne adovada Tender pork marinated in red chile sauce and then baked. Tends to be spicy.

• Carne asada Literally, roasted or broiled meat, usually beef flank steak, marinated and cooked slowly. The marinade is the key and usually a closely guarded secret.

• Chile relleno Cheese stuffed green chile pepper in a light batter and pan fried. Great any time of day.

• Chorizo Spicy Mexican sausage, often found in breakfast burritos or as a side with other breakfast dishes.

• Christmas The proper term for ordering half red and half green chile salsa.

• Empanadita Individual pastry filled with minced meat, spices, and nuts.

• Green chile stew A thick soup with green chile, meat (usually pork), potatoes, and sometimes beans. Tends to be hot.

• Guacamole Avocados mashed with seasonings and sometimes chopped veggies such as tomatoes and onions. When served with chips, the perfect beginning to a New Mexican meal.

• Huevos rancheros Fried eggs on tortillas, topped with cheese and chile salsa. Often served with pinto beans.

• Mole sauce A flavorful sauce combining spices, almonds, red chile, tomatoes, and chocolate. Incredibly delicious over chicken.

• Pinyon nuts The tasty nuts of the pinyon tree, a type of pine. Available at roadside stands.

• Posole Hominy corn in a soup or stew, sometimes with pork and chile.

• Sopaipilla Tasty “little pillows” served with most native foods, the dough must be deep fried in very hot fat to achieve the proper puffiness. Drizzle on a bit of honey and they are ambrosia.

New Mexican food seems as if it should travel easily, but like French bread or New York bagels, you just can’t find it done right once you get away from the source. So eat as much of it as you can while you have the chance.

Nearby Attractions

Many visitors to Carlsbad Caverns also spend time at nearby Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is discussed in chapter 20.

We also highly recommend spending a few hours at Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park, located on the northwest edge of the city of Carlsbad off U.S. 285 (phone 575/887-5516; www.nmparks.com), where you’ll get a close-up look at the plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert. A 1.3-mile trail meanders through the various habitats that make up the desert, from sand hills, to gypsum rock formations, to the mountainous pinyon-juniper zone. Animals here include elk, mule deer, pronghorn, black bear, bison, mountain lion, badger, and porcupine.

There’s also a small herd of javelina, named for their short, javelin-sharp tusks, that enjoy a meal of tasty prickly pear cactus, spines and all. There’s a Reptile House, an aviary, and a pond that attracts migrating ducks and geese.

There are numerous plants of the Chihuahuan Desert and an amazing collection of cacti and succulents from around the world—those hardy species that can endure extreme heat and cold, sandy soil, and very little water.

From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, the park is open daily from 8am to 5pm, with the last entry to the zoo at 3:30pm. Hours the rest of the year are shorter, and it is closed Christmas Day. Especially in summer, it’s best to get to the park during the cooler morning hours, when the animals are more active. Admission costs $5 for those 13 and older, $3 for children 7 to 12, and is free for kids under 7.

Chapter 11: Channel Islands National Park, CA

by Eric Peterson

A rusted windmill watches over Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island, a reminder of man’s impact on even our wildest places. It is but one of an array of archaeological and historic sites in this national park.

But the Channel Islands are still defined more by the sea and the wind than by anything else. On land, the dry grasses and shrubs remain in motion, mimicking the whitecapped water of the Santa Barbara Channel that separates the islands from the mainland. These waters contain a diversity of life matched by few places.

Channel Islands National Park

Although they make up one of America’s less visited national parks, the Channel Islands offer plenty of reasons to keep visitors coming back. Opportunities for sea kayaking and hiking are numerous, you’ll find plants and animals that live nowhere else, and archaeological remains serve as reminders of long-vanished cultures. It’s also a draw for underwater explorers from all over—twice as many people come here to explore the waters around the islands as ever set foot on the shore.

Channel Islands National Park encompasses the five northernmost islands of an eight-island chain: Santa Barbara, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, or San Miguel. (The park does not include Santa Catalina, San Clemente, or San Nicolas.) Not limited to the islands themselves, the park also encompasses 1 nautical mile of ocean around each island, and the 6 nautical miles around each island have been designated a national marine sanctuary. The smallest of the park’s islands, tiny Santa Barbara, lives a solitary existence off by itself. The four northern islands cluster in a 40-mile-long chain. During the last ice age, before the continental ice sheets melted, driving up the level of the sea, these islands were connected in one huge island that geologists now call Santa Rosae.

Although it was once theorized that the Channel Islands broke off the California coast some 600,000 years ago, geologists now believe that the islands were never connected to the mainland, ultimately owing their origins to underwater volcanic activity.

Flora & Fauna

The isolation of the Channel Islands has allowed a diverse array of life to develop and evolve, prompting some biologists to dub the islands the “North American Galápagos.” Most of the differences from mainland species are in size, shape, or color variation. Perhaps the most curious of the islands’ former inhabitants was the pygmy mammoth, only 4 to 6 feet tall, which roamed over Santa Rosae during the Pleistocene era—fossilized remains have been found on San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa.

Other island species have survived. Like the mammoth, the Santa Cruz gopher snake, island spotted skunk, and endangered island fox (two of the islands’ three endemic mammal species—the other is the deer mouse) have all evolved to be smaller than their mainland relatives. At just 4 pounds, the island fox is the smallest fox species in North America. Like Darwin’s finches in the Galápagos, the islands’ native birds also show marked adaptation: The Santa Cruz Island scrub jay, for instance, displays “gigantism”—it is one-third larger than mainland jays.

But the diversity of animal life is outdone by the array of native plant life. One of the most spectacular of the islands’ plants is the yellow coreopsis, or tree sunflower, which grows on all five islands (as well as the mainland). Other species of plants live nowhere else on Earth—the islands support a number of endemic varieties of plants. Santa Rosa’s endemic Torrey pine population dates from the Pleistocene era, though a remnant mainland subspecies survives at Torrey Pines State Reserve, north of La Jolla, California.

Marine life around the islands easily wins the diversity award. The islands are the meeting point of two distinct marine ecosystems: the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Northern California and the warmer, clearer currents of Baja California. Everything from microscopic plankton to the largest creature ever to live on Earth, the blue whale, calls these waters home. Orcas and great white sharks, anemone and abalone, lobsters and starfish, plus dozens of varieties of fish, live in the tide pools, kelp forests, and waters surrounding the islands. Six varieties of seal and sea lions beach themselves on San Miguel, four of which breed here, making it one of the largest seal and sea lion breeding colonies in the United States. The islands are also the most important seabird nesting area in Southern California.

Avoiding the Crowds

Unlike many of the more popular (and more easily accessible) national parks, the Channel Islands rarely have a crowding problem. In a given year, about 300,000 people stop in at the park visitor center, but less than 100,000 set foot on the islands. Although visitors to any given island rarely number more than a few hundred a day, the open section of Anacapa (the closest and most popular day-trip destination) is so small that it may be difficult to completely separate yourself from the flock. As for the other four islands in the park, you should have no trouble finding a secluded picnic spot or overlook. Santa Barbara Island is the least crowded, Santa Rosa allows for backcountry beach camping, and San Miguel is the most remote (the boat trip takes 3–4 hr.) and the wildest.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Most people travel to the islands by boat from Ventura. Although there are no park fees, getting there is expensive—anywhere from $56 to $160 per person, the higher price being for a trip by air to Santa Rosa. If you fly, you may leave from the Camarillo airport. Anacapa, 14 miles out, is closest to the mainland, about a 1-hour boat ride.

The Nearest Airport The closest major airport to the Channel Islands is Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX (phone 310/646-5252; www.lawa.org/welcomeLAX.aspx). It’s served by all major airlines, with connections to almost anywhere you want to go. Los Angeles is 66 miles southeast of Ventura and 96 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. All major car-rental companies have vehicles at LAX. Websites for airlines and car-rental companies appear in chapter 38.

Getting To The Islands By Boat Island Packers, at Ventura Harbor at 1691 Spinnaker Dr. (phone 805/642-1393; www.islandpackers.com), is one of the park’s two concessionaires for boat transportation to and from the islands. They will take you on a range of scheduled excursions, from 3 1/2-hour nonlanding tours of the islands to full-day excursions, and will transport you to and from the islands for overnight trips. Prices start at $32 per person for nonlanding tours and run $56 to $100 for full-day excursions or $75 to $140 for campers. Island Packers also arranges specialty trips, primarily sea kayaking and snorkeling. Private yachts and commercial dive and tour boats also visit the park on a regular basis. Specializing in dive trips, the second boat concessionaire is Truth Aquatics (phone 805/962-1127; www.truthaquatics.com). It leaves from Santa Barbara Harbor and charges $90 for a nonlanding round-trip to Santa Cruz; overnight live-aboard trips are also available. The trips take about 3 hours each way.

If You Have Your Own Boat If you want to take your own boat, check with the mainland visitor center. Access to the islands is prohibited in some places and difficult in others—going ashore often requires a skiff, raft, or small boat. More details:

• You may land without a permit on East Anacapa, Santa Barbara, and east Santa Cruz, between Prisoner’s Harbor and Valley Anchorage.

• West Anacapa, except the beach at Frenchy’s Cove, is closed to the public to protect nesting brown pelicans.

• Access to middle Anacapa requires a ranger escort.

• At San Miguel, landings at Cuyler Harbor are allowed, and hiking access is limited without a permit and ranger escort.

• Landings and beach use on Santa Rosa do not require a permit; inland hiking excursions are also allowed. Special closures may exist; contact the park for up-to-date information.

• To land on the private western portion of Santa Cruz, boaters must obtain a permit from the Nature Conservancy, Attn.: Santa Cruz Landing Permit Program, 3639 Harbor Blvd., Ste. 201, Ventura, CA 93001 (phone 805/642-0345; www.nature.org/cruzpermit). A fee is charged, no overnight stays are permitted, and processing the request may take 2 weeks. Applications are available from the mainland visitor center or by contacting the Nature Conservancy directly.

Getting To The Islands By Air If you want to get to Santa Rosa in a hurry, Channel Islands Aviation, 305 Durley Ave., Camarillo, CA 93010 (phone 805/987-1301, ext. 0; www.flycia.com), will fly you there from Camarillo or Santa Barbara in one of its small, fixed-wing aircraft (around $160 per adult round-trip, $300 if you’re camping).

Information

Contact Channel Islands National Park, 1901 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura, CA 93001 (phone 805/658-5730; www.nps.gov/chis).

For information on Ventura, try the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, 101 S. California St., Ventura, CA 93001 (phone 800/483-6214 or 805/648-2075; www.ventura-usa.com).

Visitor Centers

The main visitor center for the islands is on the mainland, in Ventura Harbor, where you’ll also find the park headquarters. Visit the Robert J. Lagomarsino Channel Islands Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura, CA 93001 (phone 805/658-5730), to get acquainted with the various programs and individual personalities of the islands through maps and displays. A wide variety of publications are available; among the most helpful are the free handouts focusing on the individual islands. The center is open daily from 8:30am to 5pm (closed Thanksgiving and Dec 25). The visitor center on the mainland in Santa Barbara at the Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center, 113 Harbor Way, 4th floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 (phone 805/884-1475), is open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Anacapa, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara islands also have smaller visitor centers with exhibits and other information. Rangers and volunteers run interpretive programs on the islands and the mainland year-round.

Fees

The park does not charge entrance fees, but you should consider the cost of getting to the islands when planning your budget. There is a nightly $15-per-site charge for camping on all five islands; you must make reservations (see the “Camping” sections for each island, below).

Special Regulations & Warnings

The islands’ relative inaccessibility makes preplanning a must. The boat concessionaires are often booked a month or so in advance, so be sure to make reservations. Also remember to bring anything you might need (including water, food, and equipment if you’re camping). If you’re camping, bring a good tent. If you don’t know the difference between a good and a bad tent, the island wind will gladly demonstrate.

Seasons & Climate

Although the climate is mild, upper 40s to high 60s (about 8–20°C), with little variation in temperature year-round, the weather on the islands is always unpredictable. Winds of 30 mph can blow for days, or sometimes a fog bank will settle in and smother the islands for weeks at a time. Winter rains can turn island trails into mud baths. In general, plan on wind, lots of sun (bring sunscreen), cool nights, and the possibility of hot days. Water temperatures are in the 50s and 60s (teens Celsius) year-round. Also be aware that inclement weather or sea conditions can cause concessionaires to cancel trips on the day of the excursion, so it’s a good idea to have a plan B just in case.

Seasonal Events

January through March, gray whales can be viewed from the islands as they pass by on their annual 10,000-mile migration from their warmer breeding grounds off the coast of Baja California to their cold-water feeding grounds in the Arctic Ocean. Blue and humpback whales can be seen in the waters off the islands between June and October.

Deciding Which island You Should Visit

ANACAPA Families with children might want to start here, and they will want to be especially cautious near the island’s unfenced cliff edges. There are more organized activities here than on the other islands, and the crossing to Anacapa is the shortest. If you’re interested in sea kayaking, Anacapa’s scores of sea caves make it your best bet. Though much smaller than its huge neighbor Santa Cruz, Anacapa has several times more caves, many of which are accessible by kayak.

SANTA CRUZ It has fewer caves than Anacapa, but Santa Cruz, the largest of the islands, is still a good choice for sea kayakers—on Nature Conservancy land, the island’s Valdez Cave (or Painted Cave) is the largest and deepest sea cave in the world. The Nature Conservancy owns much of Santa Cruz, and you must apply for permission to visit the portions of the island it manages (see “Getting There & Gateways,” above). Backcountry enthusiasts, take note: Landing at Prisoner’s Harbor here allows for the most challenging hikes in the park. It’s also a good pick for families with younger kids.

SANTA ROSA This is a good bet if you want to visit one of the islands for more than a day. (It’s relatively big, so there’s more to explore.) Those interested in ranching history and vaqueros (Mexican cowboys) will find Santa Rosa appealing. Santa Rosa’s hundreds of undisturbed archaeological sites (please leave them undisturbed) also may attract anthropology buffs and others interested in Chumash culture. (The Chumash were the American Indians who inhabited all five of the islands.) Those interested in endemic plant life will probably also enjoy a visit. Though a century of ranching has wreaked havoc on the island’s traditional landscape, the prehistoric stand of Torrey pines is spectacular—the species grows in only one other spot on Earth (near San Diego).

SAN MIGUEL If adventure is what you’re after, the choice is pretty simple: The ranger-led 16-mile trek to Point Bennett and back offers the greatest diversity of scenery among the park’s hikes. San Miguel is also your best choice if you want to observe wildlife—over 30,000 seals and sea lions gather at Point Bennett, and seabirds nest on Prince Island at the mouth of Cuyler Harbor.

SANTA BARBARA This is the smallest of the island chain, not to mention one of the most distant and solitary. After a 3-hour boat trip, you’ll be free to hike this tiny island as alone as you care to be.

If you have only a day, Anacapa and east Santa Cruz are the closest to the mainland and the easiest to get to. The bad side: They’re the most crowded (though crowded is a relative term here).

Exploring the Islands

Exploring Anacapa

Anacapa Island

Sitting only 15 nautical miles off the Ventura coast, tiny Anacapa has historically been the most visited of the park’s islands. (Santa Cruz recently overtook it in terms of visitation.) Referring to Anacapa as an island is somewhat misleading, because it is a chain of three small islets—East, Middle, and West Anacapa—inaccessible to each other except by boat. From the shore, the flat landscapes of East and Middle Anacapa stand out in sharp contrast to West Anacapa’s twin peaks.

Anacapa is the only island in the chain to keep anything resembling its original name—Anacapa is from the Chumash word Eneepah, meaning “island of deception or mirage,” and on a foggy or hot day, it is easy to see why: Tricks of light make the island’s cliff walls seem enormous or almost nonexistent, and 40-foot-high Arch Rock, a natural offshore bridge, can seem to dominate the eastern end of the island or barely emerge from the water.

At 1 square mile (700 acres), Anacapa is not the best choice for people who need room to roam. To cramp things even more, only East Anacapa is completely open to the public. Visitors to Middle Anacapa must be accompanied by a park ranger.

Visitors interested in seeing the island’s marine life may want to head for Frenchy’s Cove on West Anacapa instead of East Anacapa. Unlike most of the mainland tide pools, the island’s tide pools are pristine, housing thriving marine communities. Only the beach at Frenchy’s Cove is open to visitors, though. The rest of West Anacapa is closed to protect the nesting areas of the endangered brown pelican—the islet houses the largest breeding rookery for the bird on the West Coast.

Seabirds are easily the island’s most abundant wildlife. Because of the island’s relative lack of predators, thousands of birds nest on the island, including the endangered brown pelican, rare xantus murrelets, and western gulls. Cormorants, scoter ducks, and black oystercatchers can be seen plying the air and waters above and around the island. To protect seabirds, the park removed non-native rats from Anacapa in the largest-scale rodent-eradication program on any island in the world.

The island also harbors a community of California sea lions and harbor seals. The animals rest and breed on Anacapa’s rocky shores and feed in the kelp forests surrounding the island. Overlooks at Cathedral Cove, Pinniped Point, and Inspiration Point offer visitors views of them.

Although scrubby brownish vegetation covers the island for most of the year, winter rains bring the island’s flora to vibrant life—the bright blossoms of the yellow coreopsis, or tree sunflower, are often so numerous that they’re visible from the mainland.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Rangers, volunteers, and concessionaire-employed naturalists lead guided nature walks daily during the summer, and self-guided trail booklets are available at the visitor center on the island.

At 2pm Tuesday through Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, rangers plunge into the kelp forest off the island with a camera. The rangers allow visitors to view the undersea world on the monitor on the island’s landing dock (or on a large screen in the mainland visitor center).

Park Attractions

In 1853, the steamer Winfield Scott grounded and sank off the coast of Middle Anacapa (remains of the wreck can still be seen off the north coast of the islet), prompting the government to build a 50-foot tower supporting an acetylene beacon.

In 1932, the U.S. Lighthouse Service replaced the tower with the present lighthouse and facilities on East Anacapa. The fully automated lighthouse used the original handmade Fresnel lens until 1990, when a more modern lighting system was installed. The original lead crystal lens is on display in the island’s visitor center. The U.S. Coast Guard operates the lighthouse. Do not approach the building—the foghorn can cause permanent hearing damage.

Today the other lighthouse service buildings house the visitor center and ranger residences. A churchlike building that holds two 55,000-gallon water tanks that supply fresh water for the residences and fire fighting is intriguingly designed to resemble a Spanish mission.

Day Hikes

The 2-mile, figure-eight Loop Trail on East Anacapa serves up great views and is a good introduction to the island’s natural history. Follow signs from the boat-landing area to the trail head. A pamphlet describing the island’s most significant features is available in the visitor center. Naturalists also lead guided nature walks daily year-round.

Camping

Camping is allowed on East Anacapa year-round, but don’t bring more than you’re able to carry up the 154-stair, half-mile trail from the landing cove. The campground has seven sites and a capacity of 30 people. The campsites are primitive; there is no shade, and food and water are not available. Pit toilets are provided. No fires are allowed, but cooking is permitted on enclosed, backpack-type stoves. Bring earplugs and steer clear of the foghorn. There is a nightly $15-per-campsite charge, and a reservation is required (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777). Campground reservations fill quickly, so be sure to call well in advance.

Exploring Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Island

By far the biggest of the islands—nearly 100 square miles—Santa Cruz is also the most diverse. It has huge canyons, year-round streams, beaches, cliffs, the highest mountain in the Channel Islands (2,400 ft.), abandoned cattle and sheep ranches, and Chumash village sites.

The pastoral central valley that separates the island’s two mountains is still being created by a major tectonic fault. The island is home to an amazing display of flora and fauna, including 650 species of plants, 9 of which are endemic; 140 land-bird species; and a small group of other land animals, including the endangered island fox. Lying directly between cold northern and warm southern waters, the waters off the island contain a marine community representing 1,000 miles of coastline.

Originally called Limuw by the Chumash (who believed the island was the site of their creation, before they took to the mainland over the mythological Rainbow Bridge), Santa Cruz gained its present moniker after a priest’s staff was accidentally left on the island during the Portola expedition of 1769. A resident Chumash found the cross-tipped staff and returned it to the priest, inspiring the Spaniards to dub the island La Isla de Santa Cruz (The Island of the Holy Cross).

Much of the island is still privately owned; the Nature Conservancy holds the western three-quarters. In 1997 the Park Service acquired the eastern end from the Gherini family, which had operated a sheep ranch here. Most visitors come to Scorpion Ranch and Smuggler’s Ranch on the Park Service’s land. Much of the most beautiful land is on Nature Conservancy property, which includes Santa Cruz’s lush Central Valley and the islands’ highest peaks.

Unfortunately, the island’s ranching heritage has left its mark on the land and created a serious domino effect. In 2003, the last of the island’s feral sheep population (which had badly overgrazed the land) was shipped off; focus was then on eradicating feral pigs, a project completed in 2007. The pigs provided food for golden eagles, which moved in after DDT decimated the native bald eagle population in the 1970s. Bald eagles don’t hunt island foxes, but golden eagles do; the population boom ultimately resulted in a 93% decline in the island fox population. The multiyear restoration plan involves removing golden eagles, reintroducing island foxes and bald eagles, and controlling the growth of fennel. The island fox has recovered nicely, but the species is still considered critically endangered.

Island Packers (see “Getting There & Gateways,” above) also runs regular trips to Prisoner’s Harbor. Contact the Nature Conservancy (phone 805/642-0345) for up-to-date information on access and regulations on Conservancy land.

Valdez Cave (also known as Painted Cave for its colorful rock types, lichens, and algae) is the largest and deepest known sea cave in the world. The huge cave stretches nearly a quarter of a mile into the island and is nearly 100 feet wide. The entrance ceiling rises 160 feet, and in the spring, a waterfall tumbles over the opening. Located on the northwest end of the island, the cave can be entered in a dinghy or kayak, and many concessionaire-operated boat tours also have boats that can fit inside. See “The Extra Mile: Exploring the Coastline & Waters off the Channel Islands,” later in this chapter.

Park Attractions

After more than a century of ranching, Santa Cruz has acquired its fair share of historic buildings, including adobe houses, barns, blacksmith and saddle shops, wineries, and a chapel. The ranch house at Scorpion Ranch is a private residence today, just as it was in the early 20th century; the old adobe bunkhouse is now a ranger station and visitor center. All around Scorpion Ranch, ranch and farm implements, some dating back decades, speckle the landscape. A visitor center in an 1886 ranch outbuilding features interactive exhibits focusing on Santa Cruz’s Island Chumash and ranching eras.

Day Hikes

Most hikes in the national parkland of Santa Cruz begin at Scorpion Ranch. The easiest and shortest is the Historic Ranch Walk. The ranch area is visible from the beach. This hike is basically the beginning leg of all the hikes described below, so if you are planning to take one of those, you don’t really need to allocate much additional time for this hike.

The hike up to Cavern Point leads you to the bluffs northwest of Scorpion Harbor, providing spectacular views of the north coast of the island. Between January and March, this is an excellent vantage from which to spot migrating gray whales. Follow the main trail from the beach through the ranch area. Beyond the ranch, look for the second side canyon on your right (west). Follow the signed trail through the eucalyptus grove and up the side of the canyon to Cavern Point. Avoid the unstable cliff ledges at the top and return to Scorpion Beach by following the trail to the east. At 2 miles round-trip, the hike is rated moderate to difficult due to a 200-yard uphill climb, uneven terrain, and loose rock.

A little longer than the Cavern Point hike, the hike up to the Potato Harbor Overlook also provides magnificent coastal views. Head past the ranch about .75 mile until you come to a big break in the eucalyptus trees. A trail sign marks the spot. Follow the old road on the right (west) until you reach the bluff trail to Potato Harbor Overlook. Avoid cliff edges, and return the way you came (or make a loop of it on the scenic Northwest Bluff Trail). The round-trip is 4 miles and is rated moderate due to a 1-mile uphill climb.

For another coastal view, you can head up to Scorpion Bluffs. Approximately 100 feet past the ranch area, before the eucalyptus grove, turn left (east) on the road/trail across the streambed to the base of Smugglers Road. At the top of the road, follow the trail that goes along the bluffs. Avoid cliff ledges, and return the way you came. The round-trip is 2 miles and is rated moderate for its 300-foot elevation gain.

Your best chance to see the island jay is to head up Scorpion Canyon. Follow the main road/trail through the ranch area and into the eucalyptus grove. The trail will eventually wind in and out of an old streambed before reaching the first oak tree after approximately 1.5 miles. You may continue up the streambed, but the terrain is rocky and uneven.

For those with a little more time, the hike to Smugglers Cove is a nice way to spend a day. At 7 miles round-trip, it is not recommended for visitors with time constraints. Easy to follow, the hike follows Smugglers Road all the way from Scorpion Ranch to the white-sand and cobblestone beaches of Smugglers Cove. Because of the 600-foot elevation gain over many uphill sections, the hike is rated strenuous. Another longer option is the strenuous hike up to Montañon Ridge, an 8-mile round-trip.

Camping

Camping is allowed at the Scorpion Ranch Campground on the east end of Santa Cruz year-round. All gear must be carried about a half mile to the numerous sites. The campsites are primitive, but there is plenty of shade. Potable water is available; food is not. Pit toilets are provided. Cooking is permitted on enclosed backpack-type stoves, and open fires are allowed only on the beach from December to May. There are four backcountry campsites at Del Norte Campground. There is a nightly $15 per campsite charge. A reservation is required and can be obtained at the park visitor center or by calling phone 877/444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov. Camping is not allowed on Nature Conservancy land (the western 76% of the island).

Exploring Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Island

Windy Santa Rosa was California’s only singly owned, entirely private island until the 1980s, when the National Park Service bought it from the Vail and Vickers ranching company for $30 million. In 1998, the company ceased all cattle operations, ending nearly 2 centuries of ranching on the islands that now form the national park.

The second-largest island in the park, Santa Rosa consists of widely different landscapes. Because of its ranching past, rolling non-native grasslands cover about 85% of the island. Elsewhere are high mountains with deep canyons. A unique coastal marsh on the east end of the island is among the most extensive freshwater habitats found on any of the Channel Islands.

As with Santa Cruz, the island’s size allows for a fantastic variety of life. Although the impact of ranching has been severe, native plant species survive, primarily in the rocky canyons and on the upper slopes. Santa Rosa is home to a large concentration of endangered plant species, 34 of which occur only on the islands. Torrey pines grow only in two places. One is on Santa Rosa, where two ancient groves lie near Bechers Bay. (The trees also grow on the mainland near San Diego.) The island’s vast grasslands provide prime habitat for over 100 bird species; shore birds and waterfowl prefer the marshy terrain on the island’s eastern tip.

Santa Rosa is also home to the island fox, a tiny cousin of the gray fox that has become nearly fearless, as it has evolved in the predator-free environment. Golden eagles nearly wiped out the fox population, leading to a captive breeding program. As of 2009, the program was successful, to the tune of bolstering the population from a low of 15 to over 50 animals.

The kelp beds that surround the island function as an invaluable nursery for the sea life that feeds the Channel Islands’ marine mammals and seabirds.

Park Attractions

The Chumash lived on Wima (their name for the island) until they were moved to mainland missions around 1820. Through radiocarbon dating, scientists have been able to date human use of the island back 13,000 years, making Santa Rosa an invaluable archaeological resource. Thousands of largely undisturbed archaeological sites have been recorded, and visitors are asked to be especially careful not to disturb any sites that they encounter. In 1959, archaeologist Philip Orr discovered an individual we now refer to as Arlington Springs Man (though the remains are actually those of a woman). Lacking evidence of a traditional burial site, scientists believe she was killed accidentally some 13,000 years ago, possibly while gathering food. Her bones may be the oldest human remains found in the United States.

The island provides an important fossil record. A fossilized pygmy mammoth skeleton, carbon-dated at 12,000 years old, was found on the island in 1994, the most complete specimen ever discovered.

The island also provides insights into a more modern culture, with the buildings and other remains of a cattle ranch. Owned by the Vail and Vickers Company, it operated here from 1902 until 1998, with few changes except the addition of modern vehicles.

Day Hikes

Because of its large size, Santa Rosa offers a diverse array of possible hikes. To get to all the trail heads, follow signs from the boat-landing area. Volunteers and concessionaire employees lead guided hikes.

The white sands of Water Canyon Beach are a popular destination for hikers and day-trippers. The trail is 2 miles round-trip and is rated easy.

The Lobo Canyon Trail descends through Lobo Canyon to a Chumash village site and on to an excellent tide-pooling area. Unlike most mainland tide pools, the Channel Islands’ intertidal zones have not been destroyed by human impact on the fragile habitats. The hike is 13 miles round-trip and is rated moderate.

The hike to the island’s endemic stand of Torrey pines is 5 miles round-trip and affords unbelievable views. East Point Trail is a strenuous 12-mile round-trip that also allows for more views of these rare trees, as well as the brackish marsh at the island’s eastern tip.

Camping

Camping is allowed in Water Canyon on Santa Rosa’s northeast end year-round. All gear must be carried 1 1/2 miles from the pier on Bechers Bay. The campground has water and toilets, and each of the 15 sites has its own picnic table and windbreak. There is a nightly $15 charge per campsite for the campground; the required reservations can be obtained by calling phone 877/444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov.

Camping is permitted on a limited number of beaches that are at least a 10-mile hike from the landing site around the island from June to December. Although the winds will definitely test your tent, this is a good option for those who want to sleep in relative solitude near the water. A free permit (phone 805/658-5711) is necessary.

Exploring San Miguel

San Miguel Island

People often argue about the location of the wildest place left in the Lower 48. They bat around places such as Montana, Colorado, and Idaho. Curiously, no one ever thinks to consider San Miguel, the farthest west of the Channel Islands. They should, for this 9,500-acre island is a wild, wild place. The wind blows constantly here, and fog can shroud the island for days at a time. Human presence is definitely not the status quo.

Visitors land at Cuyler Harbor, a half-moon-shaped cove on the island’s east end. Arriving here is like arriving on Earth the day it was made: perfect sand, outrageously blue water, seals basking on the offshore rocks. The island’s caliche forest appears otherworldly. Created by caliche (calcium carbonate) sand castings, these natural stone sculptures are the remains of a once-living forest.

As it did on most of the other islands in this chain, a long history of ranching nearly destroyed native vegetation. The removal of the imported grazing animals has given the island’s recovery a major boost. Today many native species are reclaiming their ancestral lands.

Though widely hunted during the 19th century, the island’s seal and sea lion populations have clearly recovered and can be seen on ranger-guided hikes. At certain times of the year—June is often the best—over 30,000 animals, including California sea lions, northern elephant seals, and northern fur seals, occupy the beach at Point Bennett, making it one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in the world. The Guadalupe fur seal and Stellar sea lion, former island residents, also appear occasionally. Harbor seals haul out on other island beaches.

Prince Island, just outside the mouth of Cuyler Harbor, is an important nesting area for western gulls, brown pelicans, cormorants, and Cassin’s auklets. And San Miguel’s inland bird species can once again count the peregrine falcon among their number. After years of decimation by the pesticide DDT, the falcon has been reintroduced to the island and is now nesting successfully.

The waters around San Miguel are the richest but most dangerous surrounding the Channel Islands—this island is exposed to wave action from all sides. Harsh sea conditions have resulted in a fair number of shipwrecks, including the luxury liner Cuba, which went under on September 8, 1923. Fortunately, everyone on board was rescued, along with $2.5 million in gold and silver bullion.

Swimming among the wrecks are a wide variety of sea mammals. In addition to the pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), dolphins, porpoises, gray whales, orcas, and even blue whales can sometimes be seen off the island’s shore.

The boat concessionaires’ schedule to San Miguel is sporadic in summer and almost nonexistent in winter, so call ahead.

Park Attractions

Like Santa Rosa, San Miguel has more than 500 Chumash archaeological sites.

The island also holds the remains of the earliest modern structure on any of the islands. In the 1850s, Capt. George Nidever established a sheep, cattle, and horse ranch on the island. The adobe home he built is barely visible today.

In the 1930s, Herbert and Elizabeth Lester became the island’s caretakers. During his time on the island, Herbert became known as “the King of San Miguel.” After being asked to leave San Miguel during World War II by the U.S. Navy, which owned the island, Herbert committed suicide in 1942. Both he and Elizabeth are buried on San Miguel. Today only a few fence posts and small piles of rubble near the trail mark the Lester Ranch Complex. Technically the Navy still owns San Miguel, and the Park Service manages it.

Day Hikes

Outside of the Cuyler Harbor/Lester Ranch Area, hikes on San Miguel must be led by a ranger. There are three trails, all of which meet at Lester Ranch. Due to terrain, length, and the tiring effects of walking in all that wind, all three are rated moderately strenuous. Concessionaire employees and volunteers also lead guided hikes.

If you don’t feel up to a serious trek, you can make the relatively easy walk from the landing at Cuyler Harbor to Cabrillo Monument and Lester Ranch, the starting point for the three official hikes.

The first trail heads north to Harris Point, allowing marvelous views of Prince Island to the east and Simonton Cove to the west. Taking the trail southeast from Lester Ranch will lead you to Cardwell Point.

San Miguel’s most popular hike is the 5-mile round-trip trek along the Point Bennett Trail to the aforementioned caliche forest.

For those with more time and stamina, consider following the trail all the way to Point Bennett, a 16-mile round-trip. Camping along the trail is forbidden. The diversity of scenery and wildlife on view is seemingly endless for those hikers hardy enough to endure the wind and weather. After crossing San Miguel Hill, the trail passes the caliche forest. The trail then heads west to Point Bennett, passing south of the island’s other peak, Green Mountain. At the end of the trek, the barking of sea lions will signal your arrival at Point Bennett, where 30,000 pinnipeds sometimes congregate.

Note: San Miguel Island was used as a bombing range for the U.S. Navy between 1948 and 1970. Live ordnance is still occasionally uncovered in the shifting sand, so it is extremely important to stay on established trails.

Camping

Camping is allowed on San Miguel year-round, though camping dates are subject to Island Packers’ schedule. Located 1 mile south of Cuyler Harbor, between Cabrillo Monument and the old Lester Ranch complex, the campground has nine primitive sites and a capacity of 30 people. The hike to the campground includes a steep climb up Nidever Canyon—keep this in mind before packing your accordion. There is a pit toilet and basic wind shelter at each site, but food and water are not available. No fires are allowed, but cooking is permitted on enclosed backpack-type stoves. Be sure to bring a strong tent, a sleeping bag, and waterproof clothes—the wind is often fierce, and damp fog can set in for days.

There is a nightly $15 charge per site for camping, and a reservation is required. Reservations can be obtained at the park visitor center or by calling phone 877/444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov. Campground reservations fill quickly, so be sure to call well in advance.

Exploring Santa Barbara

Lonely, lonely Santa Barbara. As you come upon the island after a 3-hour crossing, you may think that someone took a medium-size grassy hill, ringed it with cliffs, and plunked it down in the middle of the ocean. In terms of land, there’s not a lot here. Even the Chumash eschewed living on the island because of its lack of fresh water. But the upside is that, of all the islands, Santa Barbara gives you the best sense of what it’s like to be stranded on a desert isle, surrounded by the immense Pacific Ocean.

The island’s deserted appearance is somewhat misleading. During the 1920s, farming, overgrazing, intentional burning by island residents, and the introduction of rabbits all but destroyed the island’s native vegetation. To survive the island conditions, plants must be tolerant of salt water and wind—and, unfortunately, the Santa Barbara ice plant is perfectly suited to this type of environment.

Originally imported from South Africa in the early 1900s, the non-native ice plant survives by capturing moisture from sea breezes and subsequently leaches salt into the soil, raising the soil’s salt concentration. It has wreaked havoc on the natural ecosystem, virtually taking over much of the island. Through its resource-management program, the Park Service is taking steps to eradicate non-native species from the islands.

Other than the landing cove, there’s no access to the water’s edge. (The snorkeling in the chilly cove is great.) You can hike the entire 640-acre island in a few hours, then spend some time staring out to sea. You won’t be let down. The cliffs and rocks are home to elephant seals (weighing up to 6,000 lb.) and sea lions that feed in the kelp forests surrounding the island. Because of the island’s small size, the barking of sea lions is audible almost everywhere. The Sea Lion Rookery, Webster Point, and Elephant Seal Cove all provide excellent overlooks from which to observe the animals. Be sure to stay at least 100 yards away, particularly from January through July during pupping time—young animals may become separated from their mothers if disturbed.

Santa Barbara’s cliffs and rocks are home to swarms of seabirds such as you’ll never see on the mainland, including western gulls, endangered brown pelicans, and the world’s largest colony of xantus murrelets. Inland species include the horned lark, orange-crowned warbler, and house finch, all found only on Santa Barbara Island.

There’s also a tiny museum chronicling island history. Note: Island Packers schedules boats to Santa Barbara only during the summer. (See “Getting to the Islands by Boat,” earlier in this chapter, for more information.)

Day Hikes

Hiking the short Canyon View Nature Trail is a good introduction to Santa Barbara, but since it’s such a small island, it’s not that difficult to hike all three of the island’s main trails. All trails begin and end at the campground and visitor center; guided hikes are available.

At 5 miles round-trip, the Elephant Seal Cove Trail heads southwest from the visitor center to the west coast of the island, then heads up by Webster Point, a favorite beach for sea lions and elephant seals, and continues to Elephant Seal Cove.

The Arch Point Trail heads north from the visitor center to Arch Point, the northernmost tip of the island. You can then turn south and follow the island’s northwestern bluffs, before turning inland and crossing the Elephant Seal Cove Trail. Once across the Elephant Seal Cove Trail, the trail becomes the Signal Peak Loop Trail and continues southwest and up Signal Peak. It then follows the bluffs around the southern portion of the island, cutting inland briefly to bypass Cat Canyon. Once on the southeastern side of the island, the trail heads up to Sea Lion Rookery, where it runs inland and then north back to the visitor center.

Camping

Camping is allowed on Santa Barbara year-round. Note that all gear must be carried up the 131 steps to the campground, located approximately 1⁄4 mile inland. The 10 campsites are primitive; there are pit toilets, but food, water, and shade are not available. No fires are allowed, but cooking is permitted on enclosed backpack-type stoves. There is a nightly $15-per-site charge for camping, and a reservation is required. Permits can be obtained at the park visitor center or by calling phone 877/444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov; campground reservations fill up quickly, so be sure to call in advance.

The Extra Mile: Exploring the Coastline & Waters off the Channel Islands

Sea Kayaking One of the best ways to explore the fascinating coastline of the islands is by kayak. Aquasports (phone 800/773-2309 or 805/968-7231; www.islandkayaking.com) and Paddle Sports (phone 888/254-2094 or 805/899-4925; www.kayaksb.com) both offer guided trips out of Santa Barbara starting around $175 per day per person. Trips can also be arranged through Island Packers or Truth Aquatics (see “Diving,” below) and other concessionaires (see the park website for the entire list).

Diving Half of Channel Islands National Park is underwater. In fact, twice as many visitors visit the waters annually than the number of people who set foot on the islands. Scuba divers come here from all over the globe for the chance to explore stunning kelp forests, shipwrecks, and underwater caves, all with the best visibility in California. Everything from sea snails and urchins to orcas and great white sharks call these waters home.

Truth Aquatics in Santa Barbara (phone 805/962-1127; www.truthaquatics.com) is the best provider of single- and multiday dive trips to the islands; 1-day trips begin at about $130. Ventura Dive & Sport (phone 805/650-6500; www.venturadive.com) also offers guided trips, instruction, and rentals.

Where to Stay in Ventura

Although no accommodations other than camping are available on any of the islands, the town of Ventura, on the mainland, has lots of options.

In addition to the lodgings below, chain motels include the Ventura Beach Marriott, 2055 Harbor Blvd. (phone 805/643-6000), which charges $159 to $219 for a double during summertime; Best Western, 708 E. Thompson Blvd. (phone 805/648-3101), which charges $99 to $189 double; Four Points by Sheraton, also at the harbor at 1050 Schooner Dr. (phone 805/658-1212), with rates of $115 to $235 double; and Motel 6, 2145 E. Harbor Blvd. (phone 805/643-5100), which costs $55 to $65 double. See chapter 38 for websites of the major hotel chains.

Bella Maggiore Inn European elegance pervades the Bella Maggiore, an intimate Italian-style inn whose simply furnished rooms (some with fireplaces, balconies, or bay window seats) overlook a romantic courtyard or roof garden. Breakfast is served around the patio fountain, an intimate spot known to nonguests as Nona’s Courtyard Cafe. Nona’s also serves breakfast and lunch daily (and dinner Wed–Sun).

67 S. California St. (1⁄2 block south of Main St.), Ventura, CA 93001. phone 800/523-8479 or 805/652-0277. Fax 805/648-5670. 28 units. TV, TEL. $75–$175 double; $150 suite. Rates include full breakfast and afternoon refreshments. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Crowne Plaza Ventura The beachfront Crowne Plaza is the most luxurious place to hang your hat in downtown Ventura. Featuring plush guest rooms with the full assortment of in-room perks, as well as a restaurant and bar with ocean views, a heated outdoor pool, and attractive modern furnishings throughout, the Crowne Plaza balances the best location in town, with plenty of style and service. Wi-Fi is available for a daily fee.

450 E. Harbor Blvd. (adjacent to the Ventura pier), Ventura, CA 93001. www.cpventura.com. phone 800/842-0800 or 805/648-2100. 258 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $99–$239 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Lavender Inn Located in Ojai, about 20 miles north of downtown Ventura, the Lavender Inn is a good pick for those who want to combine a Channel Islands expedition with hikes in Los Padres National Forest, which nearly melts right into the inn’s sumptuous backyard. The building dates from 1874 and offers a variety of rooms and a guest cottage. The seven rooms (two of which share a bathroom) include the Topa Room, decorated with Craftsman furnishings, and the more contemporary Romantic Suite, featuring a private balcony and king bed. Some rooms have TVs (the backyard pond’s “symphony of frogs” also provide entertainment) and there is a spa on-site. Breakfasts are a treat, featuring serve-yourself quiche and pastries and outdoor seating.

210 E. Matijila St., Ojai, CA 93001. www.lavenderinn.com. phone 877/646-6635 or 805/646-6635. 8 units, including 1 cottage. A/C. $130–$220 double; $285–$305 cottage or suite. Rates include full breakfast. AE, MC, V.

Where to Eat in Ventura

There is no food available on the islands in the park. Ventura has several good places to eat. For breakfast or lunch, hit the excellent Savory Cafe & Bakery, 419 E. Main St. (phone 805/652-7092). If you want a box lunch to go, try the Sandwich Factory, 4531 Market St. (phone 805/650-0465). Both open before the boats leave at 7am. For a healthy lunch or dinner, try the Local Cafe, 1751 E. Main St. (phone 805/643-0237), featuring sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas with an emphasis on local ingredients in the fare and local art on the walls.

Anacapa Brewing Company MICROBREWERY An attractive eatery with brick walls, stainless steel fermenting vats, and local art, this microbrewery makes excellent beers and offers respectable steaks and pasta dishes, as well as burgers, pizzas, and salads. Of the beers, I’m partial to Pierpont India Pale Ale and Santa Rosa Red.

472 E. Main St. phone 805/643-2337. www.anacapabrewing.com. Main courses $9–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs and Sun 11:30am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm. Bar open later.

Andria’s Seafood Restaurant and Market SEAFOOD Set aside your reservations at seeing the fast-food decor here and proceed to the counter to place your order. Andria’s, which doubles as a fresh seafood market, has been voted Ventura County’s best seafood restaurant for over a decade. The fish go directly from the ocean into the deep-fat fryer (charbroiled selections are also available) and onto your plate, with only a short stint on the boat in between. The food isn’t fancy, but it’s fresh, and the harborside seating is pleasant.

In Ventura Harbor Village, 1449 Spinnaker Dr. phone 805/654-0546. www.andriasseafood.com. Main courses $10–$20. MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm.

Jonathan’s at Peirano’s MEDITERRANEAN Inhabiting the first commercial building in Ventura County (1877), Jonathan’s is the sleek anchor of the west end of downtown Ventura. The attractive room, with a Douglas fir floor, is an ideal setting for a selection of fresh fish, pastas, stews, and entrees from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and other Mediterranean locales. Among the specialties are a spicy cioppino (with a pinch of saffron). Attached (and under the same ownership) is J’s, a casual tapas bar with live entertainment.

204 E. Main St. phone 805/648-4853. www.jonathansatpeiranos.com. Main courses $9–$19 lunch, $14–$30 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Thurs 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30–9pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–4pm and 5–10pm; Sun 11:30am–4pm and 5:30–9pm.

71 Palm FRENCH/ECLECTIC Housed in a restored 1910 Craftsman home, 71 Palm is a nice pick for a romantic dinner in Ventura, in a quiet location just off the main drag with several intimate seating areas, indoors and out. Chef-owner Didier Poirier’s fare is quite good—try terrific horseradish-crusted Chilean sea bass, tender and with just the right amount of bite. The menu also includes a nice range of seafood, pasta, and meat.

71 Palm St. phone 805/653-7222. www.71palm.com. Main courses $7–$16 lunch, $11–$33 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–2pm and 5–9pm.

The SideCar NEW AMERICAN Originally opening as a diner in the 1930s in an authentic 1910 Pullman railcar, this restaurant was reinvented in 2004 by chef-owner Tim Kilcoyne. The Pullman opens onto an intimate dining room and bar featuring live jazz, decorated with rich red hues and a classic-meets-contemporary vibe. The food is as good as anything you’ll find in L.A., let alone Ventura, and nearly all of the ingredients, from beets to beef, are sourced within 25 miles. Depending on your taste, try a Niman Ranch pork chop or a roasted tofu steak; the horseradish mashed potatoes are terrific. Lunch includes gourmet egg salad and pastrami sandwiches and a selection of entree salads.

3029 E. Main St. phone 805/653-7433. www.thesidecarrestaurant.com. Main courses $7–$18 lunch and brunch, $16–$27 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Fri 11:30am–2pm; Sun 11am–2pm; Tues–Sun 5–9pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Food is not available on any of the islands, so you’ll need to bring a picnic lunch and water for day trips, and enough food and water (1 gal. a day per person) if you are camping. You can buy supplies in Ventura at Von’s grocery store, 2433 Harbor Blvd. (phone 805/642-6761), or the Village Market (phone 805/644-2970) in Ventura Harbor Village. There is a Big 5 Sporting Goods in Ventura at 3860 E. Main St. (phone 805/644-0668).

The Sportsman AMERICAN You might walk right by the inconspicuous facade of Ventura’s oldest restaurant. Like the intriguingly retro lettering on its awning, the interior hasn’t changed a lick since it opened in 1950: plush leather booths, brass lamps, wood-paneled bar, giant trophy swordfish on the wall, and light at levels normally reserved for planetariums. The Sportsman serves hearty omelets at breakfast, and burgers, steaks, and other grilled items for lunch and dinner. Or you can just wet your whistle with the stiff drinks from the bar.

53 California St. (1⁄2 block south of Main St.). phone 805/643-2851. Main courses $6–$16 breakfast, $8–$25 lunch, $11–$39 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–9:30pm; Fri 11am–10pm; Sat 9am–2pm and 5–10pm; Sun 9am–2pm and 4–10pm. Bar open later.

Watermark on Main NEW AMERICAN My pick for a fancy dinner in Ventura, Watermark occupies a former bank (1930) with one of the most ornate interiors on the West Coast, featuring restored murals, a hand-painted ceiling, and stately wood paneling. The excellent food is a match for the exquisite decor, from the terrific breads to the seafood and steak options that dominate the menu, including lobster potpie, filet mignon, and sugar-spiced salmon, as well as a half-pound Kobe beef burger. Breakfast and lunch, served only on Sunday, includes crab Benedict, swordfish tostadas, and steak and eggs. Upstairs is W2O, a swank nightclub and tapas bar.

598 E. Main St. phone 805/643-6800. www.watermarkonmain.com. Main courses $9–$18 breakfast and lunch, $16–$44 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Thurs 5–9pm; Fri–Sat 5–10pm; Sun 10am–2pm. Bar open later.

Chapter 12: Crater Lake National Park, OR

by Eric Peterson

To many people, southern Oregon means one thing: Crater Lake. It’s the deepest lake in the country, and it’s arguably the most beautiful. Visitors to the area can’t imagine the sudden impact of the awesome grandeur that lies ahead as they approach the rim of the caldera, and that makes the lake’s appearance 1,000 feet below all the more stunning.

Crater Lake National Park

With Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen, the Trinity Alps, and the Marble Mountains just south of the Oregon–California border, it’s hard to get excited about the low peaks of southern Oregon. Evidence of past volcanic activity is less vertical here, but more dramatic. Mount Mazama, in which Crater Lake is located, once stood as tall as its neighbors to the south. Then, 7,700 years ago, it erupted with almost unimaginable violence, a blast estimated at about 100 times greater than that of Mount St. Helens. When it had finished erupting, the volcano collapsed in on itself, forming a vast caldera 6 miles wide and almost 4,000 feet deep. Within 500 years, the caldera filled with water to become today’s Crater Lake. The sapphire-blue lake’s surface is at the base of 1,000- to 2,000-foot cliffs that rise to a total elevation of more than 8,000 feet.

The lake has no inlet or outlet streams and is fed solely by springs, snowmelt, and rainfall. Evaporation and ground seepage keep the lake at a nearly constant level. Because it is so deep, it rarely freezes over entirely, despite long, cold winters. The high elevation of the caldera rim and heavy winter snowfalls mean that the summer season here is short.

Gold prospectors stumbled upon the lake’s rim in 1853. The American Indian tribes of the region, who considered the lake sacred, had never mentioned its existence to explorers and settlers. By 1886, explorers had made soundings and established its depth at 1,996 feet, making it the deepest lake in the United States. Sonar soundings later set the depth at 1,943 feet. In 1902, the lake was designated a national park.

“I came, I saw, I left,” could be the motto of many of the almost 500,000 annual visitors. From mid-July to mid-September, they ride dutifully around the Rim Road and then move on. If you’re looking to interact with the landscape on a more personal level, you have some options, such as road biking around the Rim Road or day hiking to the summits of several peaks, including that of 760-foot Wizard Island in the middle of the lake. The boat tours are highly recommended, but you first need to make the short but steep hike to Cleetwood Cove, 700 feet below the road and the only place you can get to water’s edge. The area also offers superb cross-country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities in winter.

The Pacific Crest Trail passes through the park, with a 6-mile stretch on the west side of the lake. Wildlife is mostly limited to the lowlands surrounding the caldera, although at the summit you can see hawks, eagles, and many types of birds and small mammals. In addition, the spotted owl has been found nesting within the park boundaries. The forested slopes provide refuge for deer, elk, porcupine, coyote, and fox, and trout and salmon live in the lake.

Avoiding the Crowds

It’s hard to avoid crowds here when the snow is melted. Given the area’s harsh winters, most visitors come during the relatively short “summer” season between late June and the end of September. Many day visitors drive some distance to the park, so the Rim Road is not crowded early in the morning. Circle the lake before 10am, and you can easily pick your overlook. The best advice is to stay longer than the single day that 90% of the visitors allot to the park. Once you’ve seen and appreciated the lake by car, take an early boat tour, but get an early start (the line for tickets usually starts forming by 8am), then go off and hike some of the less trampled paths. Several of the longer trails will lead you to fabulous, relatively uninhabited view points. Especially recommended are the Watchman Peak, Garfield Peak, and Mount Scott trails (see “Day Hikes,” later in this chapter).

If You Have Only 1 day

Most people enter the park’s west and south entrances on Ore. 62. Bypass the Mazama Village area unless you need to load up on snacks, and stop at the Steel Information Center for a preview.

At this point, provided you have the stamina to hike down to the lakeshore, it might be a good idea to head for the requisite boat trip to Wizard Island before it gets too late in the day and, consequently, too crowded at the boat dock. The first boat leaves at 10am.

Drive north, clockwise around the rim from the Rim Village entrance, to the Cleetwood Cove Trailhead (the only trail in the park that leads to the lakeshore), approximately 5 miles past the junction of the northern route to the Pumice Desert.

The trip down Cleetwood Cove Trail is for the muscles in the front of your thighs, and the trip back is for your calves. It’s a steep, strenuous trail, equal to a climb of 65 flights of stairs, or an elevation change of about 700 feet over about a mile in distance. Consider carefully whether you are in good enough shape to make the 1-mile climb back up before you head down to the boat dock. There are benches along the way, if you have to rest (you will). At the trail head is a concessionaire who sells tickets for the guided boat ride. The tour takes approximately 2 hours to return you to the shore, provided that you don’t lay over on Wizard Island when the boat stops there during the tour.

It’s perfectly fine to explore Wizard Island for a while, climbing 760 feet to its summit on the Wizard Island Trail and catching the next boat back. You might want to eat lunch on the beach at Cleetwood Cove before you head back up the trail. After all, this is the only area of the park where you can get next to the water, so why not take advantage?

After the boat trip, it’s time for the Rim Drive. Go clockwise toward the Cloudcap Overlook turnoff, for a brief drive that gives you 2,000-foot views of the lake and, farther off on the horizon to the south, Mount Scott and Mount Shasta. Then keep heading clockwise. You’ll eventually approach a turnoff to view The Pinnacles, an area of unique rock formations. These spires are the remnants of fumaroles that formed in hot volcanic debris from the great eruption of Mount Mazama. The road back to the rim terminates at a junction with another great view, the Phantom Ship Overlook. The “ship” is an ornate piece of eroded basalt jutting up from the lake; it sometimes seems to be sailing when the wind whips up the water just right. You might want to skip this if you took the boat ride and got an up-close look.

Next, make a short stop to admire pretty Vidae Falls; there may be lovely wildflowers blooming along the cascade. Return to the Rim Village for the last stop of the day, a little walk to the Rim Village Visitor Center (which closes at 5pm) and down the path to the Sinnott Overlook, which has exhibits that tell you about the lake and the geology of the volcano.

You can get a cup of coffee at the Rim Village Cafeteria, or sit back and watch the sun go down with a meal at the Crater Lake Lodge (see “Where to Stay & Eat,” later in this chapter), just east of the visitor center. Be sure to call ahead for reservations. Way ahead.

If you skipped the boat ride, you’ll have time for a short hike. Two of the easy, short trails in the park are the Annie Creek Canyon and Godfrey Glen trails, which begin around Mazama Village. A third is the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail, which begins at the Steel Information Center. None of these trails are over 2 miles (see “Day Hikes,” later in this chapter).

IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME Even though most summer visitors come into the park’s west or south entrances, you can reach Crater Lake from the north. And it would be a shame to miss the northern perimeter lands; the sands of the Pumice Desert are otherworldly when wildflowers are scattered across its flat canvas. If you have the time, detour north when driving in from the south—it’s worthwhile just to see this area. From the south entrance, it adds only an extra 15 miles or so, depending on how far toward the north entrance station you want to drive.

If you’d rather spend any extra time you have outside your car, try hiking a section of the moderate to strenuous Pacific Crest Trail (listed under “Longer Trails,” later in this chapter).

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

There are three ways into Crater Lake National Park, the most convenient being from the west and south on Ore. 62, which runs through the southwest corner of the park.

To get to the park’s west entrance, drive northeast from Medford 75 miles on Ore. 62.

To get to the park’s south entrance from Klamath Falls, travel north on U.S. 97, then northwest on Ore. 62; the total distance is 60 miles.

To get to the park’s summer-only north entrance from Roseburg, take Ore. 138 east; the total distance to Rim Drive is approximately 92 miles.

If you’re arriving in winter, call park headquarters for road information (phone 541/594-3000).

The Nearest Airports Area airports include Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (phone 541/776-7222; www.co.jackson.or.us), in Medford, which is served by Allegiant Air, Delta, Horizon, and United, with car rentals from Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. The Klamath Falls Airport (phone 541/883-5372; www.flykfalls.com) is served by United Airlines, and Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz offer car rentals. See chapter 38 for listings for airlines and car-rental agencies.

Information

Contact Crater Lake National Park, P.O. Box 7, Crater Lake, OR 97604 (phone 541/594-3000; www.nps.gov/crla), for the free park guide, Crater Lake Reflections, which has a good summary of most of the park’s trails, accommodations, and seasons. You can obtain a catalog of books and maps about the park from the Crater Lake Natural History Association, P.O. Box 157, Crater Lake, OR 97604 (phone 541/594-3110; www.craterlakeoregon.org).

Visitor Centers

The park has two visitor centers. Steel Information Center, south of the lake off Ore. 62, is open daily year-round and contains the park headquarters. You can talk to a ranger, find out about local weather forecasts, pick up general park information, purchase books and maps, and watch an 18-minute film. The Rim Visitor Center is on the south side of the lake in Rim Village. It’s open daily from June through September. Here you can obtain general park information, books, videos, and maps. In addition, a short paved trail leads from the visitor center to the Sinnott Overlook, which offers a fine view of the lake and several interpretive exhibits.

Fees & Permits

Entrance to the park costs $10 per vehicle. Camping in Mazama Campground is $21 per tent site and $27 to $29 per RV site. Camping in the Lost Creek Campground is $10 per site. Backcountry camping requires registration but no fee.

Special Regulations & Warnings

You may not climb into the caldera. After getting a view of some of the steep and sharp-looking volcanic boulders lining the trip down, you won’t want to try. The only access to the lake is through the Cleetwood Cove Trail. Fire prevention is also a big concern in this park.

Seasons & Climate

Crater Lake basically has two seasons. The main tourist season lasts from mid-June, when most of the park’s facilities open, through September. The busiest months are July and August. Summer temperatures in southern Oregon can be scorching, sometimes hovering near the 100°F (38°C) mark in the lower elevations. The upper elevations remain cooler; the lake’s rim can get up to 80°F (27°C) in summer.

In the winter, snowfall averaging 44 feet a year buries the park, making it virtually impassable to everyone save skiers and snowshoers. Roads along the lake rim are left unplowed and are open to noncar travelers exclusively. The winter season generally includes fall and spring, stretching from late October to mid-June or even early July.

The crater lake Rim Drive

Exploring the park by car is de rigueur for most people. There are 33 miles of the famous Rim Drive, with more than 30 overlooks lining the summer-only, two-lane road, and a couple of spur roads that lead to spectacular spots in the southeastern section of the park. Allow 2 hours to complete the drive, adding time if you plan to enjoy any of the many trails and overlooks that are accessible from it. Gasoline is available only at Mazama, and then only from late May to mid-October. Otherwise, gas up in Medford, Roseburg, or any of the other outlying communities.

It’s best to travel clockwise on Rim Drive because all the lake view points are on the inside (right side) of the road as you drive that way, so entering and exiting the view points is easier. There are also some view points on the outside of the ring that offer views of mountain scenery.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Numerous ranger-led programs and tours take place in the summer. At Rim Village, 20-minute talks run several times daily. Check the park newspaper, bulletins boards, or the visitor center for the current program schedule.

At Mazama Campground, evening programs at an outdoor amphitheater focus on a variety of topics; details are posted daily at the visitor centers. The talks generally start at 9pm in July, and earlier from August to Labor Day.

The most famous Crater Lake tour is the guided boat tour that leaves Cleetwood Cove every hour, daily from early July to early September, from about 10am to the last shove-off at 4pm. Remember, the trail down to the boat landing is steep. Some boats stop at Wizard Island and then glide past the Phantom Ship before heading back to the Cleetwood Dock; others are purely scenic cruises. Take a jacket, because weather here can change rapidly. Tickets are available at the trail head beginning at 8am. Tickets cost $29 for adults, $19 for children 2 to 11, free for children under 2; the prices are, respectively, $39 and $25 if you want to be dropped off on Wizard Island. For information, contact park concessionaire Xanterra (phone 888/774-2728; www.craterlakelodges.com).

Park Attractions

In addition to the Crater Lake Lodge, which you might want to take a look at even if you don’t spend the night, the Sinnott Memorial Overlook has evidence of past travels through and visits to this area by numerous people over the last 150 years. If you’re lucky, you might find some wagon tracks; the faint impressions can be found here and there throughout the outer perimeter of the park. Ask the rangers at the visitor center to suggest trails where you might be able to see them.

Day Hikes

More than 90 miles of trails lead into the park’s backcountry. They’re usually snow-free from mid-July to early October. There’s no smoking on all trails.

Shorter Trails

Annie Creek This is a scenic walk through old-growth forest and wildflower meadows. It’s a nice little break from all the ancient volcanic starkness going on up at the rim. There is an elevation gain of about 200 feet. 1.7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Mazama Campground Trailhead, btw. the D and E loops of the campground.

Castle Crest Wildflower Garden Summer is short on the rim of Crater Lake, so when the snow finally melts, wildflowers burst forth with nearly unrivaled abandon. This trail meanders through one of the best displays of wildflowers in the park. Late July and early August are the best wildflower periods. Although this trail is rated “easy,” be careful of slick rocks. Hiking boots, or shoes with good tread, are helpful. The trail has an elevation gain of about 100 feet. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Park headquarters, Mazama Village.

Cleetwood Cove Trail This is the only trail down to the shore of Crater Lake, and it stays busy with those trying to get to the water or to Cleetwood Cove to take the boat tour. Because the trail leads downhill, many visitors are lured into thinking that this is an easy trail. It’s not! Volcanic boulders line the trail, and the climb 700 feet back up from the water to the rim is strenuous and steep. 2.2 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: North side of the lake, 4 1/2 miles east of the North Junction.

Discovery Point This trail, like most trails around the rim, provides brilliant views of the vast lake and Wizard Island below, ending after a short climb at an overlook where John Hillman, one of the first European explorers of the area, first witnessed the beauty of Crater Lake in 1853. 2.2 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: West end of Rim Village parking area.

Godfrey Glen This trail is a very easy walk through an old-growth forest overlooking the Annie Creek Valley (also accessible by trail). You’ll cross Munson Creek at Duwee Falls before you head back to the car. It’s a good walk for kids, with lots of possibilities to see deer, elk, rabbits, and grouse. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: 1 1/2 miles past Mazama Village Entrance, on right side of the road.

Sun Notch This trail, with an elevation gain of 115 feet, takes hikers through a meadow to a terrific overlook of Crater Lake and Phantom Ship. There are steep drop-offs, so be careful. .5 mile RT. Moderate. Access: 4 miles east of park headquarters on East Rim Dr.

Watchman Peak With a historic fire lookout perched on its summit, the Watchman is one of the high points on the rim of the caldera. A short but steep (420-ft. elev. gain) hike leads to the top for an outstanding view of the lake, with conical Wizard Island rising from the deep blue of the foreground. This is the shortest climb you can make along the rim of the caldera. 1.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: 3 3/4 miles northwest of Rim Village on West Rim Dr.

Wizard Island Though it is small, Wizard Island is a great place to visit. The island, with its steep volcanic cone rising from the deep, is fun to explore for a few hours. This trail climbs 760 feet up to the island’s summit, capped with a 90-foot-deep crater. To spend some time here, take an early boat tour, get off on the island, and return on a later boat. Because most of the hiking is on jagged lava rock, be sure to wear sturdy boots. 2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Cleetwood Cove Trail (see above), then boat tour; disembark on the island.

Longer Trails

Bald Crater/Boundary Springs The ashy, flat, and rolling Pumice Desert stretches north along the trail as you travel approximately 3 miles toward the 8,763-foot summit of the Red Cone, a miniature Mount Mazama before it collapsed and created the caldera that holds the lake. The plains give way to ancient forests interspersed with fields of wildflowers. At the junction of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Bald Crater Trail, turn right to head for Bald Crater Peak. The peak is about 2 miles south of some fine campsites at the end of the Bald Crater Trail, along Boundary Springs, near the headwaters of the beautiful Rogue River. 20 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Rim Dr. to northwest of Rim Village area; continue to the Northern Park Junction of the Rim Dr. and the northern access road; from here, it’s 3 miles down the northern access road to the trail head, on the left.

Crater Peak This beautiful hike takes you to a peak that is also a crater. How? The summit of the hike is the rim of yet another little volcanic cone, south of once-huge Mount Mazama.

The trail begins with an uphill climb through 2 miles of alpine forest and meadow. The steep, final half mile leads to the summit of Crater Peak, with its panoramic vistas of the Klamath Basin to the south and the rim of Crater Lake to the north. To the west lies Arant Point, near Mazama, and to the east the Grayback Ridge. All of them combine to form an incredible view. Early in the morning or late in the evening, you may see deer or elk. 6.4 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From park headquarters, head east around the Rim Dr.; trail head is at the Vidae Falls Picnic Area.

Dutton Creek If you think the whole volcano experience is about ash and pumice, check out the old-growth forest of hemlocks, fir, and pine on the sometimes-vertiginous Dutton Creek Trail. This is also the section of the Pacific Crest Trail that leads the long-distance hiker up to the rim. For short-timers heading south, it provides an opportunity to get away from the crowds and see something besides a volcano’s mouth: perhaps a deer or an elk that appears as you hike down this narrow, forested valley along Dutton Creek. The route meets the Pacific Crest Trail, where you climb back the way you came. 4.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: West end of Rim Village parking area.

Garfield Peak Sure, the view from the Rim Village borders on sublime, but this is even better. You’ll leave most of the crowds behind, get in a good hike, and treat yourself to a breathtaking (literally—the hike starts above 7,000 ft.) view of the lake. This hike leads to the summit of 8,054-foot Garfield Peak, which lies just east of the Rim Village. The route gains all of its 1,010 feet of elevation in 1.7 miles of nearly constant switchbacks. From the summit, the entire lake is visible below, including the island called Phantom Ship, which is hard to see from the Rim Village. To the south, Mount Shasta is visible. 3.4 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: East end of Rim Village parking area.

Mount Scott If the trail to Garfield Peak had a few too many other hikers on it for your taste, try this trail to the top of 8,929-foot Mount Scott. This is the highest point within Crater Lake National Park, and the trail is longer and entails more elevation gain (1,250 ft.) than the trail up Garfield Peak. The views from the summit are the most far-reaching in the park, encompassing not only the entire lake, but also such surrounding peaks as Mount Thielsen, Mount Shasta, and Mount McLoughlin, as well as the vast expanse of Klamath Lake to the south. 5 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: 14 miles east of park headquarters on East Rim Dr., across the road from Cloudcap Junction.

Pacific Crest Trail Section For those who want to chalk up this particular section of the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches along the West Coast from the Mexican to the Canadian border, there’s a lot to chalk up. The trail essentially bisects the park, with only one section that follows the rim and allows views of the lake. Otherwise, you’re pretty much out there in the flatlands.

From the trail head, the path follows the base of the mountain’s curve to the west, with views of the mountain’s slow climb to its rim to your right, and the rolling high desert plains to your left. At the northern end of the walk, before crossing into the vast Pumice Desert, there is an opportunity to circle back to the rim at North Junction. 33 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Approx. 1⁄4 mile west of Mazama Village, trail head is on the left.

Pumice Flat This is the southern equivalent of the park’s northern Pumice Desert area. The dusty trail takes you through gently rolling, forested pumice and ash plains littered with sharp volcanic rocks, before intersecting the Pacific Crest Trail for the loop to Mazama. You can also return on the shorter route back to the trail head where you started. 5.4 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: 3 miles south of Mazama Village on Ore. 62.

Stuart Falls Stuart Falls is outside the park’s boundaries, but the trail head isn’t. You’ll experience a nice contrast as you climb down to the dusty, volcanically beautiful Pumice Flat before heading into the Red Blanket Valley after the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. You’ll begin to notice a bare trickle of water turning into a creek, turning into a much bigger creek that ends up as a fine crashing mist of spray known as Stuart Falls. Folks have been known to take a rest in Stuart Falls’ fine white spray before heading back up the steep and often parched trail. 7.7 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: 3 miles south of Mazama Village park entrance on Ore. 62.

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Biking The 33-mile circuit of Crater Lake is one of the most popular road-bike trips in the state, despite the heavy car traffic. Although it seems like an easy trip at first, numerous ups and downs (especially on the east side of the lake) turn the circuit into a demanding ride. Keep in mind that there are more hills on the east side, but also more views. An alternative is to do the 21-mile out-and-back ride from the Rim Village to the Cleetwood Cove Trailhead (and maybe add a boat tour of the lake). Diamond Lake Resort (see “Where to Stay & Eat,” later in this chapter) rents a limited selection of bikes in the summer for $30 a day; no rentals are available in the park.

Fishing Anglers occasionally try for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon near the boat dock or from Wizard Island. Licenses aren’t required and only artificial lures and flies are allowed, but because fishing in the lake generally isn’t very good, I suggest you stick to sightseeing and hiking in the park. However, fly-fishing in streams outside the park is pretty good—stop at the fly-fishing shop at Steamboat Inn (see “Where to Stay & Eat,” later in this chapter) for information.

Swimming/Scuba Diving Although Crater Lake is too deep to ever reach a truly comfortable temperature (even in the summer), plenty of people do a few quick strokes to cool down after hiking the Cleetwood Cove Trail or after exploring Wizard Island. But this is an informal activity, and there are no facilities for swimmers. The lake has also emerged as a diving destination for hardcore types. The only diving access is at Cleetwood Cove and Wizard Island. There are no refills or rentals available in the immediate vicinity.

Winter Sports & Activities

Cross-Country Skiing The Diamond Lake Nordic Center, 4 miles north of the park on Ore. 138 (phone 800/733-7593; www.diamondlake.net/winter.html), offers Crater Lake ski tours that include a Sno-Cat ride. The Nordic Center has 8 miles of groomed trails and more than 50 miles of marked backcountry trails. It also rents cross-country skis and boots. Maps of ski areas are available at the Steel Information Center at park headquarters.

Without a doubt, the rim of Crater Lake National Park offers some of the best cross-country skiing in the country. Not only are there numerous views of sapphire-blue Crater Lake 1,000 feet below you, but the views to the west and south take in Mount McLoughlin, Mount Shasta, and countless ridges and seemingly endless forest vistas as well. The lake rarely freezes.

The ultimate ski tour is the 30- to 33-mile circuit of the lake. Although racers have completed this route in a single day, most skiers take 3 days and enjoy the views along the way. Because the weather is better and there’s still plenty of snow, March and April are the most popular months. The route is straightforward, although you may have to do some route finding on the northeast side of the lake. Be sure to get a backcountry permit for overnight trips, and check weather forecasts and avalanche danger.

The West Rim Trail, which follows Rim Drive, is the most popular day skiing area. By late November, the road is unplowed and the snow cover turns it into an excellent trail that requires a little climbing. It’s best done in good weather and good snow conditions. Consult a park ranger for snow conditions before heading out.

The East Rim Trail is not as popular as the West Rim Trail, for the simple reason that the first view of the lake (depending on where you start) is between 4.25 and 5.4 miles along. This trail also has a lot more ups and downs. So, why would you want to start on this section at all? To stay out of the wind, that’s why. If, after driving all the way up here, a gale-force wind is blowing up the west slopes, you don’t have much choice. Never set out without checking with the rangers at park headquarters to find out about avalanche conditions and other dangers.

Snowmobiling During the winter, snowmobiling is allowed, but only on the north entrance road up to its junction with Rim Drive. Snowmobiles are not allowed on Rim Drive. You cannot drive snowmobiles on any park trails, either. Snowmobile rentals are available from Diamond Lake Resort (see “Where to Stay & Eat,” below) at $100 for 2 hours, $200 for a half-day, and $300 for a full day, plus gas and oil. Guided snowmobile tours are $50 hourly by reservation.

Snowshoeing With its jewel of a lake for a centerpiece and views that extend all the way to Mount Shasta in California, Crater Lake National Park is a natural magnet for snowshoers. The West Rim Trail is the most popular route with both snowshoers and cross-country skiers, but snowshoers have the advantage of being able to go where few skiers can. Before you head out, discuss possible routes with the rangers and ask about avalanches and other potential dangers.

If you’ve never snowshoed before, you can give it a try at Rim Village, where 90-minute guided snowshoe hikes begin at 1pm on weekends from late December through early April. Call the visitor center (phone 541/594-3100) for reservations; snowshoes are provided free.

Camping

Within Crater Lake National Park, there are only two campgrounds, one large and one small. No reservations are taken.

Mazama Village Campground ($21 per tent, $27–$29 per RV per night) has 213 sites, some of which are available by reservation (www.craterlakelodges.com; phone 888/774-2728). A few sites have electric hookups, but most have no hookups. There is drinking water, a dump station, restrooms with showers, a coin-op laundry, a public phone, and fire pits. It’s at Mazama Village off Ore. 62. There is also a general store and an adjacent post office. It’s usually open from mid-June to early October.

First-come, first-served Lost Creek Campground ($10 per night) has 16 sites for tents only. There is running water and flush toilets; each site has a fire ring, picnic table, and bear-proof food locker. It is in the southeastern section of the park, on the spur road to The Pinnacles. It’s usually open from early July to early October.

Where to Stay & Eat

Inside the Park

Aside from the Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room (see below), places to eat include the Rim Village Café (at Rim Village) and Annie Creek in the Mazama Village area.

The Cabins at Mazama Village The Cabins at Mazama Village are a short drive away from the rim of the caldera. The modern motel-style guest rooms are in 10 steep-roofed buildings that look like traditional mountain cabins. Rooms have one or two queen-size beds, and bathrooms have showers only. A coin-op laundry, gas station, and general store make Mazama Village a busy spot in the summer.

1211 Ave. C, White City, OR 97503. www.craterlakelodges.com. phone 888/774-2728 or 541/594-2255. Fax 541/830-8514. 40 units. $132 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov–May.

Crater Lake Lodge Perched on the edge of the rim overlooking Crater Lake, this is the finest national park lodge in the Northwest. Not only are the views breathtaking, but the amenities are modern without sacrificing the rustic atmosphere that visitors expect in a mountain lodge. Among the lodge’s original features are the stone fireplace and ponderosa pine bark walls in the Great Hall. Slightly more than half the guest rooms overlook the lake. Most rooms have modern bathrooms, and eight units have claw-foot bathtubs. The very best rooms are the corner ones on the lake side of the lodge. As at other national park lodges, reservations should be made as far in advance as possible.

The lodge’s dining room features creative Northwest cuisine and provides views of Crater Lake and the Klamath River basin. The only full-service restaurant in the park, it serves three meals daily when the lodge is open, from mid-May to mid-October. Lunches ($11–$14) feature salads, burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips, and specialties such as fettuccine Alfredo with Alaskan salmon. Dinner main courses ($21–$35) include steak, chicken, venison, vegetarian items, and seafood, like Pacific halibut filet with a roasted hazelnut crust, seared in brandy. Reservations (phone 541/594-2255, ext. 3217) are highly recommended for dinner.

1211 Ave. C, White City, OR 97503. www.craterlakelodges.com. phone 888/774-2728 or 541/594-2255. Fax 541/830-8514. 71 units. $157–$284 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.

Near the Park

Because the park is so isolated, the range of accommodations and dining options in the small surrounding communities is limited.

Diamond Lake Resort On the shores of Diamond Lake just outside the park’s north entrance, this resort has long been a popular family vacation spot. With Mounts Thielsen and Bailey flanking the lake, it’s also one of the prettiest settings in the Oregon Cascades. There is a range of accommodations. My favorites are the lakefront cabins, which are large enough for a family or two couples, with great views. If you want to do your own cooking, you’ll find kitchenettes in both the cabins and the studios, or you can dine at the resort’s three restaurants—all family-friendly, with standard American menus and moderate prices. Boat, mountain-bike, and horse rentals are available, and there’s a small sandy beach and a bumper-boat area. In winter, the resort is most popular with snowmobilers but also attracts a few cross-country skiers; it also offers snow cat backcountry skiing. The Diamond Lake RV Park (www.diamondlakervpark.com; phone 541/793-3318), nearby, is open in summer only. It has full hookups; prices begin at $33.

350 Resort Dr., Diamond Lake, OR 97731-9710. www.diamondlake.net. phone 800/733-7593 or 541/793-3333. Fax 541/793-3309. 91 units. TV. $99 motel double; $99 studio for 2; $179–$559 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Prospect Historic Hotel-Motel On peaceful, gardened grounds near three waterfalls, this hotel, 34 miles from Crater Lake’s Rim Village in the tiny town of Prospect, combines vintage and modern style. The beautiful historic (1889) hotel has a wraparound veranda on which sit several bent-willow couches and a comfy swing. The cozy rooms are period-furnished with quilts and considerable country flair. The modern motel rooms have cable TVs, telephones, refrigerators, microwaves, and coffeemakers; some also have kitchenettes. There is also free Wi-Fi. The elegant dining room, open seasonally, serves a fixed-price dinner, with prices in the $25 to $35 range.

391 Mill Creek Dr. (P.O. Box 50), Prospect, OR 97536. www.prospecthotel.com. phone 800/944-6490 or 541/560-3664. Fax 541/560-3825. 24 units. May–Sept hotel $140–$150 double, $205 suite; motel $90–$110 double; motel kitchenette suite $145. Oct–Apr hotel $120–$130 double, $185 suite; motel $70–$95 double, motel kitchenette suite $125. Hotel rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in motel rooms but not in hotel.

Steamboat Inn Midway between Roseburg and Crater Lake, this inn is the finest lodging on the North Umpqua River. The beautiful gardens, luxurious guest rooms, and gourmet meals attract people looking for a quiet getaway in the forest and a base for hiking and biking. The suites have their own soaking tubs overlooking the river; the next best are the streamside rooms (the units the inn calls “cabins”). All are nicely maintained, with gas fireplaces, and open onto a long deck that overlooks the river. The hideaway cottages are more spacious, but they don’t have river views and are half a mile from the lodge (and the dining room). Dinners ($50) are elaborate multicourse affairs served in a cozy dining room. The innovative American menu changes nightly, utilizing local, seasonally available ingredients. There’s also free Wi-Fi and a fly-fishing shop in the main lodge, where anglers congregate in the fall.

42705 N. Umpqua Hwy., Steamboat, OR 97447-9703. www.thesteamboatinn.com. phone 800/840-8825 or 541/498-2230. Fax 541/498-2411. 20 units. Cabin $175 double; cottage or house $215–$245; suite $300. MC, V. Closed Jan–Feb.

Union Creek Resort Practically across the road from the Rogue River Gorge, this rustic resort has been catering to Crater Lake visitors since the early 1900s; it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. In my opinion, it’s the best (as well as the closest) lodging option outside the west entrance to Crater Lake National Park. Tall trees shade the grounds of the resort, which is on Ore. 62 about 23 miles from Rim Village. Accommodations include lodge rooms, with a bit of historic charm, and basic cabins (many of which have kitchenettes). Lodge units accommodate two to four people and share bathrooms; cabins sleep two to ten. ATV and snowmobile rentals are available, as are Wi-Fi access, DVDs, and TVs. Across the road is an ice-cream shop and Beckie’s Cafe, which serves three home-style meals a day in summer for $5 to $20.

56484 Ore. 62, Prospect, OR 97536. www.unioncreekoregon.com. phone 866/560-3565 or 541/560-3565. Fax 541/560-3339. 33 units. May–Sept $60–$65 lodge unit, $90–$130 cabin for 2–4, $145–$255 cabin for 6–12; Oct–Apr $55–$60 lodge unit, $75–$220 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Chapter 13: Death Valley National Park & Mojave National Preserve, CA

by Eric Peterson

In 1994, Death Valley National Monument became Death Valley National Park. The ’49ers, whose suffering gave the valley its name, would’ve howled at the notion. To them, several four-letter words other than park would have come to mind, including—but not limited to—gold, mine, lost, and dead.

Death Valley National Park

Americans looking for gold in California’s mountains in the winter of 1849–50 got lost in the parched desert here while trying to avoid severe snowstorms in the nearby Sierra Nevada. One person perished along the way, and the land became known as Death Valley. Little about the valley’s essence has changed since. Its mountains stand naked, unadorned. The bitter waters of saline lakes evaporate into odd, thornlike crystal formations. Jagged canyons jab deep into the earth. The ovenlike heat, the frigid cold, and the driest air imaginable combine to make this one of the world’s most inhospitable locations.

Death Valley is raw, bare earth, the way things must’ve looked before life began. Here, Earth’s forces are exposed with dramatic clarity; just looking out on the landscape, you’ll find it impossible to know what year, or century, it is. It’s no coincidence that many of Death Valley’s topographical features are associated with hellish images: Funeral Mountains, Furnace Creek, Dante’s View, Coffin Peak, and Devil’s Golf Course. But the valley can be a place of serenity as well.

Human nature being what it is, it’s not surprising that people have long been drawn here to challenge the power of Mother Nature. The area’s first foray into tourism was in 1926, a scant 77 years after the ’49ers’ harrowing experiences. It probably would have begun sooner, but the valley had been consumed by lucrative borax mining since the late 1880s, when teamsters drove 20-mule-team wagons filled with the mineral through the dusty landscape. This white compound is used as a cleaning agent, preservative, and flux; in fireproofing; and as a water softener.

In one of his last official acts, President Herbert Hoover designated Death Valley a national monument in February 1933. With the stroke of a pen, he not only authorized the protection of a vast and wondrous land, but also helped to transform one of the earth’s least habitable spots into a tourist destination.

The naming of Death Valley National Monument came at a time when Americans were discovering the romance of the desert. Land that had previously been considered devoid of life was being celebrated for its spare beauty; places that had once been feared for their harshness were being admired for their uniqueness.

In 1994, when President Bill Clinton signed the California Desert Protection Act, Death Valley National Park became the largest national park outside Alaska, with more than 3.3 million acres. Though remote, it attracts upwards of a million visitors a year, from all over the world.

Flora & Fauna

Most of Death Valley’s climate zones are harshly limiting to plants and animals, but they are diverse nevertheless. Within the park, elevations range from 282 feet below sea level (Badwater, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere) to 11,049 feet above sea level (Telescope Peak, blanketed by snow during winter and early spring). Little sign of life is found at the lowest elevations; any groundwater is highly saline and supports predominantly algae and bacteria. One notable exception is the unique desert pupfish, an ancient species that has slowly adapted to Death Valley’s increasingly harsh conditions. In the spring, you can see the tiny fish in the marshes of Salt Creek, halfway between Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, where a boardwalk lined with interpretive plaques allows an up-close look.

Hardy desert shrubs such as mesquite, creosote, and arrowweed flourish wherever there’s groundwater below or snowmelt trickling from above. You have to look closely to see the surprising number of small mammals and birds that live at the lower elevations (from below sea level to 4,000 ft.); rabbits, rodents, bats, snakes, roadrunners, and even coyotes all get by on very little water. At the higher elevations, where pinyon and juniper woodlands blanket the slopes, animals are more plentiful and can include bobcats and mule deer. Elusive bighorn sheep are found on rocky slopes and in desert canyons. Above 10,000 feet, look for small stands of bristlecone pine, the planet’s longest-lived tree; some specimens on Telescope Peak are more than 3,000 years old.

If You Have Only 1 day

The distances inside Death Valley National Park are enormous, so this is merely a guideline. If there’s a destination you don’t want to miss, you’ll have to pass up something else in the interest of time.

If you have only 1 day and want to get a sampling of the park’s best-loved spots, start at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, at the center of the action in Furnace Creek (see “Visitor Centers,” above). View the slide show (shown throughout the day) for an overview of the park. This advice holds even for visitors with several days. Step over to the center’s museum for a look at the 10×20-foot relief map of the park, which will give you a feel for where your destinations are in the context of the region, including the all-important elevation factor. If you have time, check out the tiny Borax Museum, in an old miners’ boardinghouse at the nearby Ranch at Furnace Creek. Admission is free.

Scotty’s Castle is a must-see for most people, but you need to plan ahead because of the popularity of ranger-guided house tours. Even if you want to explore only the grounds, the castle is 53 miles north of Furnace Creek, over an hour’s drive each way. A good plan is to make the castle your first activity after breakfast, avoiding the crowds and freeing up the afternoon for seeing other sites or squeezing in a short hike. If it’s hot, reverse course and hit Scotty’s in the afternoon. Easily reached spots are Artists Palette (I especially recommend taking Artists Drive), Harmony Borax Works, Badwater, Devil’s Golf Course, Zabriskie Point, and Dante’s View.

If the weather is agreeable, replace one or two of these with a short hike (such as Golden Canyon, Mosaic Canyon, Sand Dunes, or the Salt Creek Nature Trail)—for details, see “Day Hikes,” below.

Because each gateway to Death Valley has its own features, visitors with time limitations can maximize their experience by choosing a different entrance and exit route. If you drove in on Calif. 127 through Death Valley Junction, try leaving on the scenic route west through the Panamint Valley. If you entered from the Panamint side, try following Badwater Road (aka Calif. 178) south from Furnace Creek, across the Black Mountains and Greenwater Valley, to pick up Calif. 127 at Shoshone.

Avoiding the Crowds

You may think that no one would plan a vacation in a 120°F-plus (49°C-plus) remote desert, but Death Valley is a year-round destination. Visitors tend to avoid the summer and crowd Death Valley on weekends and school holidays the rest of the year, especially in the spring. December and January are the quietest months (with the exception of Christmas week and Martin Luther King, Jr., Day weekend). The following advice will help ease the crush during your visit.

• Make accommodations reservations as far in advance as you can, at least 2 or 3 months ahead. Facilities are limited inside the park, and Death Valley’s isolation makes it time-consuming to base yourself elsewhere. Those planning to set up in one of the first-come, first-served camping areas should try to claim a site between 9am and noon.

• Avoid visiting on weekends and during school vacation periods. Plan to enjoy the most popular activities early in the day, before crowds start building up (around 10am). An alternative, particularly on summer days, is to wait until crowds dissipate, around 4pm. Remember, the sun doesn’t set until after 7pm between June and September, and it stays hot well past midnight.

• With the help of a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle with upgraded tires, you’ll find a whole world of hidden valleys, ghost towns, sand dunes, and remote canyons that are inaccessible to most of Death Valley’s visitors. Check the Park Service’s official map, where roads are clearly marked according to how passable they are, and ask at the visitor center about current road conditions.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

All the routes into the park involve crossing one of the steep mountain ranges that isolate Death Valley. The most common access route from Los Angeles and points south is Calif. 127 from I-15 at the town of Baker; from Death Valley Junction, Calif. 190 leads to the park’s center. From Las Vegas, Nev. 160 leads to Pahrump, 2 miles past which the route heads west to Death Valley Junction on Belle Vista Road. Perhaps the most scenic entry is on Calif. 190 from the west, reached from Calif. 14 and U.S. 395 by taking Calif. 178 from Ridgecrest. To reach the same route from the north, pick up Calif. 190 directly from U.S. 395 at Olancha, or via Calif. 136 at Lone Pine. You can also approach the park from Nevada by taking Nev. 374 from Beatty, which is on U.S. 95.

The Nearest Airport The nearest major airport is Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport, 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd. (phone 702/261-5211; www.mccarran.com), with scheduled flights on most major airlines, and offices of all major car-rental agencies. See chapter 38 for website listings.

It’s a 2 1/2-hour drive from Las Vegas to Death Valley. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is necessary for backcountry travel, and you’ll need one to reach 2 of the 10 campgrounds (see “Camping,” later in this chapter). If you rent a car, be sure to read the fine print about driving off-road.

Information

Contact Death Valley National Park, P.O. Box 579, Death Valley, CA 92328 (phone 760/786-3200; www.nps.gov/deva). Be sure to pick up the official Visitor Guide, a newspaper-style free handout listing most of the park basics. It’s available at ranger stations and the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (see below). Also, it’s not a bad idea to ask a ranger for tips on avoiding heat exhaustion and on high-temperature auto care (although the latter is usually a problem only with older vehicles).

The Death Valley Natural History Association, P.O. Box 188, Death Valley, CA 92328 (phone 800/478-8564; www.dvnha.org), operates the park bookstores and organizes a number of events.

Visitor Centers

Park headquarters are at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (phone 760/786-3200), open daily from 8am to 5pm year-round in Furnace Creek, 15 miles inside the eastern park boundary on Calif. 190. You’ll find well-done interpretive exhibits and an hourly slide program, as well as an extensive bookstore. There’s also a museum, a bookshop, and an information center at Scotty’s Castle (phone 760/786-2392), also open daily year-round (see “Park Attractions,” below).

Ranger stations that collect fees and can provide you with information are at Stovepipe Wells (no phone) and Grapevine (no phone).

Fees

Entry to the park for up to 7 days costs $20 per car (or $10 per person on foot, motorcycle, or bike). Be sure to keep the receipt handy; you’ll be required to show it when passing the entry checkpoint near Scotty’s Castle (Grapevine).

There are nine campgrounds within park boundaries. Four are free; overnight fees elsewhere range from $12 to $18.

Special Regulations & Warnings

It isn’t called Death Valley for nothing, but there’s little chance you’ll encounter any life-threatening situations, especially if you follow common-sense safety tips. You’ll find these and many more in brochures available at the park’s visitor centers.

• Always carry a supply of water for everyone, including your car. Dehydration is your most urgent concern, particularly in summer, when temperatures routinely reach at least 120°F (49°C) at the arid lower elevations. Recommended minimum amounts are 1 gallon per person per day, twice that if you’re planning strenuous activity. Drink often, whether you feel thirsty or not, and be alert for the signs of dehydration: dizziness, headache, and cool, clammy skin. It’s a good idea to stow several gallons for the car, even though radiator water is available from tanks placed at strategic points (uphill climbs) along the main roads.

• Always carry sunscreen and protective clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

• Watch your temperature gauge, especially if you have an older vehicle. When driving, turn off your air-conditioning on uphill grades if your car begins overheating. In the event that your car overheats, keep the engine running, turn the heat on full blast, and turn the car into the breeze. Remove the cap only if the engine has cooled significantly.

• Be alert for wildlife on the road, and don’t let yourself be distracted by the scenery. Single-car accidents are the number-one cause of death in Death Valley, and they can occur summer or winter, daylight or nighttime. Many long miles of roads run through the park; though well paved, they often have sharp curves, dips, and steep downhill grades. If your tires wander off the edge of the pavement at high speed, don’t jerk the wheel, which can cause you to skid. Instead, gradually slow down until it’s safe to bring all four tires back onto the road.

Seasons & Climate

Although Death Valley is one of the world’s driest deserts, altitudes range from 282 feet below sea level to over 11,000 feet above; therefore, “desert” doesn’t always equal “hot.” From June to September, temperatures in the valley can soar above 120°F (49°C), making the mountain sections of the park a relief, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s (20s Celsius). From November to February, when valley temperatures are comfortable—in the 60s and 70s (upper teens to mid-20s Celsius)—many higher areas are frigid and snowy.

Seasonal Events

The weeklong Death Valley ’49ers Encampment (www.deathvalley49ers.org) is held in early November. It features a fiddlers’ contest, square dancing, tours, a Western art show, and a golf tournament. Contact the visitor center for information.

Exploring the Park by Car

A network of roads, ranging from washboard remnants of old mining days to well-maintained highways built during the 1930s, crisscrosses Death Valley National Park. You’ll find that most of the popular destinations, as well as the five major entry routes, have superior-quality roads suitable for all passenger vehicles, as well as trailers and RVs. One exception is the Emigrant/Wildrose Canyon pass between Calif. 190 and Calif. 178, sections of which are rough, narrow, and winding; vehicles over 25 feet are prohibited, and other drivers may want to consult a ranger about road conditions before attempting the unpaved section south of Wildrose.

Because of its vast area and unforgiving climate, the park is ideal for viewing by car. Some of the most beautiful sites have handy access roads, vista turnouts, or loop drives to facilitate viewing. These include Artists Palette, where the 9-mile (one-way) Artists Drive takes you through a colorful display hidden from the main road. Over millions of years, mineral deposits have created brilliant swaths of color across the low, rocky hills. There’s a scenic overlook at the beginning of the drive, as well as a parking area farther along, in case you want to stop and scramble amid the pink, blue, red, orange, and green patches. (Sci-fi buffs, take note: This area served as a location in the original Star Wars.)

South of Artists Drive, Badwater Road takes you past several of Death Valley’s highlights, which best illustrate this environment of low-elevation extremes. Devil’s Golf Course, accessible by a short spur of graded dirt road, sets your car right in the middle of a forbidding landscape created by salt and erosion on a lake bed that dried up about 2,000 years ago. The results are spikes, pits, craters, and jagged ridges stained brown and smoothed by human feet near the parking area; walk just 2 minutes in any direction and you’ll see the salty white surface in its natural state.

About 5 miles south of this is Badwater, whose name indicates the lowest, hottest, and (curiously) wettest spots on the valley floor. At 279 feet below sea level, Badwater is the lowest spot in the park accessible by auto and is marked by permanent spring-fed pools. The basin drops 3 feet from the road to the continental superlative of 282 feet below sea level. The water at first seemed like relief to early travelers—until they tasted the chloride, sodium, and sulfate. It isn’t poisonous, and it is home to beetles, soldier fly larvae, and a snail that slowly adapted to these harsh conditions.

A similar site is 25 miles north on Calif. 190: Salt Creek, home to the Salt Creek pupfish, found nowhere else on Earth. In the spring, you can glimpse this little fish, which has made some amazing adaptations to survive in this arid land, from a wooden boardwalk nature trail. In spring, a million pupfish might be wriggling in the creek; they’re not visible at any other time of year.

Your car will also take you all the way to two of the best lookout points around, both along Calif. 190 southeast of Furnace Creek. Before sunrise, photographers set up their tripods at Zabriskie Point, 5 miles southeast of Furnace Creek off Calif. 190, and aim their cameras down at the pale mudstone hills of Golden Canyon and the great valley beyond. The panoramic view is magnificent.

Another grand park vista is at Dante’s View, 25 miles south of Furnace Creek by way of Calif. 190 and Dante’s View Road. This 5,475-foot point looks out over the shimmering Death Valley floor backed by the high Panamint Mountains.

Nearly everyone takes the scenic drive up Scotty’s Castle Road to visit the park’s major man-made attraction, Scotty’s Castle (see below). While you’re there, it’s worth taking the 15-minute drive to Ubehebe Crater, 9 miles west of the castle. The otherworldly pockmark resulted from a volcanic explosion that occurred as recently as 300 years ago. You’ll know that you’re close when the landscape begins to darken from layers of cinders that were spewed from the half-mile crater. A convenient loop road takes you up to the most scenic lip. An explanatory sign graces the parking area, and there’s a hiking path (for those willing to brave the often-gusting winds) to an even more dramatic overlook and a field of smaller craters.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs In addition to providing hourly Scotty’s Castle “Living History” tours (see below), Death Valley rangers keep busy giving lectures, group discussions, and film presentations on varied topics. For those eager to get their shoes dusty, several hikes and guided walks are available on a seasonal basis. Contact park headquarters for a seasonal schedule of day and evening events; nearly all programs (except for year-round Scotty’s Castle tours) cease between mid-April and late October.

Pink Jeep Tours out of Las Vegas offers day trips to various park destinations for $119 per day and up. Among the tours is an all-day journey ($239, light breakfast and lunch included) into the remote Racetrack area, where rocks mysteriously skate around on an ancient dry lakebed. Call 888/900-4480 or visit www.pinkjeep.com for reservations or additional information.

Park Attractions

Scotty’s Castle, the Mediterranean-style hacienda in the northern part of the park, is Death Valley’s premier attraction. Visitors are wowed by the Spanish tiles, well-crafted furnishings, and innovative construction with ahead-of-its-time solar water heating. Even more compelling is the colorful history of this villa in remote Grapevine Canyon, brought to life by park rangers dressed in 1930s clothing. Construction of the “castle”—officially, Death Valley Ranch—began in 1922. It was to be a winter retreat for Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson. The insurance tycoon’s unlikely friendship with prospector/cowboy/spinner-of-tall-tales Walter Scott put the $2.3-million structure on the map and captured the public’s imagination. Scotty greeted visitors and told them fanciful stories from the early mining days of Death Valley.

The 50-minute guided tour of Scotty’s Castle is excellent, both for its inside look at the mansion and for what it reveals about the eccentricities of Johnson and Scotty. Tours depart about every 20 minutes from 9am to 5pm in the winter and 9:30 to 4pm in the summer; they fill up quickly, so arrive early for the first available spots. The tour costs $11 for adults, $9 seniors, $6 children 6 to 15, and is free for kids under 6. During busy periods, you may have to wait an hour or more, perusing the gift shop, relaxing in the snack bar, or hiking to Scotty’s grave on the hill behind the castle. Or, you can order tickets (at least 24 hr. in advance) at www.recreation.gov or phone 877/444-6777. There’s also a self-guided walking tour (excluding the interiors); the pamphlet A Walking Tour of Scotty’s Castle leads you on an exploration from stable to pool, from bunkhouse to powerhouse. Organized groups only can reserve tour times by calling phone 760/786-2392.

There are also seasonal tours of Scotty’s true domicile, Lower Vine Ranch, and the amazing “Underground Mysteries Tour” below the castle. Call phone 760/786-2392 for current information; fees are the same as the castle tour for the latter and $15 per person for the former.

In 2000, Congress passed a bill that returned 7,000 acres (including about 300 acres in the Furnace Creek area) in and around the park to the Timbisha Shoshone, an American Indian tribe that inhabited the area for thousands of years before it became a national monument. This represents the first time that an Indian reservation has been established within the boundaries of a national park, and nearly 50 tribal members now live in the valley year-round in a private community. For more information, contact the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe (phone 760/872-3614; www.timbisha.org).

For yet another side of the human experience here, visit the Harmony Borax Works, 1 mile north of Furnace Creek off Calif. 190 (take a short spur road and a very short trail). This is a rocky landscape as tortured as you’ll ever find. Death Valley prospectors called borax “white gold,” and though it wasn’t a glamorous substance, it was a profitable one. From 1883 to 1888, more than 20 million pounds of it were transported from the Harmony Borax Works; some borax mining continues in Death Valley to this day. A short trail with interpretive signs leads past the ruins of the old borax refinery and some outlying buildings.

Transport of borax was the stuff of legends, too. The famous 20-mule teams hauled the huge loaded wagons 165 miles to the rail station at Mojave. (To learn more about this colorful era, visit the Borax Museum at the Ranch at Furnace Creek, near the park visitor center.) Other remnants of human industry are the Eagle Borax Works ruins, 20 miles south of Furnace Creek on Badwater Road and the unpaved dirt West Side Road, and the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, 39 miles south of Stovepipe Wells off Emigrant Canyon Road, where vast amounts of charcoal were manufactured for use in the lucrative silver mine near neighboring Panamint Valley. Located near the Wildrose campground, the road to the kilns is partially paved and twists precariously; vehicles over 25 feet are prohibited.

Day Hikes

The park has routes to suit all levels of expertise and at varying elevations. Wherever you hike, never forget to carry enough water; even in seemingly mild weather conditions, hikers can become dehydrated quickly. Park rangers can provide topographical maps, current weather conditions, and detailed directions to each trail head.

Shorter Trails

Eureka Dunes This area is approachable only from the remote north end of the park and by rutted dirt and gravel roads that are subject to washout, so travel to the area requires a sturdy vehicle. The magnificent dunes are the tallest in California. The whole family will enjoy hiking here, spotting dune grass and wildflowers or the tracks of lizards and rodents. (Tread lightly, because this area is home to endangered and threatened plant species.) The view from atop the highest dune (about 700 ft.) takes in the contrast of creamy sand against the layer-cake band of nearby rock, and small avalanches of sand create the trademark “singing” peculiar to such dunes. 5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Eureka Valley, at the end of South Eureka Rd.

Golden Canyon Interpretive Trail A good choice for a quick hike in just about any weather, Golden Canyon is convenient to Furnace Creek accommodations and offers an opportunity to get up close with an interesting rock formation. The fairly level trail twists and turns a mile up Golden Canyon, to the foot of the aptly named Red Cathedral. An interpretive trail guide is available for a small fee at the trail head, with signposts marking the trail side; the Red Cathedral is 1⁄4 mile past the last signpost. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: 2 miles south of Calif. 190 on Badwater Rd.

Little Hebe Crater Trail You get to the bleakly beautiful crater on a steep but plain trail that leads from the parking area, up to the crater’s lip, around some of the contours, and past several lesser craters. Black cinders and volcanic fragments cover the countryside surrounding the apocalyptic-looking Ubehebe Crater, which erupted as recently as 300 years ago. Fierce winds can hamper your progress, but you’ll get an exhilarating feeling, as though you’re visiting another planet. High-top boots or shoes are recommended for the pebbly path. Adventurous types can also descend a short, steep trail to the crater floor, about 500 feet below the rim. 1.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head leads up from parking area for Ubehebe Crater, 7 miles northwest of the Grapevine Ranger Station.

Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes Although not as majestic as the remote Eureka Dunes in northern Death Valley, these golden mounds off U.S. 190 are easy to reach and fun to romp on. There’s no formal trail—simply explore to your heart’s content. Kids especially will enjoy a barefoot romp on the fine sand dotted with stands of mesquite. Don’t forget an adequate supply of water; in the midday sun, the dunes get very hot. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: 2 miles east of Stovepipe Wells Village on Calif. 190.

Mosaic Canyon This short stroll requires a bit of rock scrambling into a canyon where water has polished the marble into white, gray, and black mosaics. The first mile is easy, suitable for every skill level; children will love running their hands over the water-smoothed rock walls. More adventurous climbers can continue up a series of chutes and dry waterfalls in the latter half of the hike. .5 to 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of a short, graded dirt road just east of Stovepipe Wells on Calif. 190.

Natural Bridge Canyon This short walk takes you into a colorful narrow canyon. The loose gravel underfoot makes for a tiring walk, but it’s less than .5 mile to the distinctive formation that gives the canyon its name: a rock bridge overhead, formed when rushing waters cut through softer lower layers. If you wish to hike past the bridge, it’s another .5 mile to the end of the canyon, making for a 2-mile hike. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Take Badwater Rd. 15 miles south of Furnace Creek and continue 2 miles on unpaved spur road suitable for passenger vehicles.

Salt Creek Nature Trail A leisurely hike on a wooden boardwalk leads you along the unique salt marshes, passing a few plants (including the unusual pickleweed) along the way. In the spring, watch for the amazingly adaptive Salt Creek pupfish flashing about in the shallow water. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Take Calif. 190 14 miles north of Furnace Creek or 13 miles east of Stovepipe Wells, then follow 1-mile graded dirt spur road.

Titus Canyon Narrows As you hike, watch for vehicle traffic coming one-way from the other direction. The canyon’s rock walls are an amateur geologist’s dream—layers of orange, black, and blue-gray volcanic sediment streaked with threads of gleaming white calcite. Though you can augment this easy hike by continuing through the canyon, there’s a broad pullout from the road at 1.5 miles; it’s a good place to enjoy the view, and perhaps a picnic, before returning the way you came. More adventurous types can hike 5 miles more to walls bedecked with petroglyphs near Klare Springs. 3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Up a signed dirt road off Scotty’s Castle Rd. (about 15 miles north of Calif. 190) that leads to the mouth of Titus Canyon, where it meets a one-way road for 4WD vehicles from Nev. 374; trail begins where the road becomes one-way coming toward you (from NV).

Longer Trails

Gower Gulch Loop This trail’s proximity to Furnace Creek, plus its varying degrees of difficulty, make it quite popular. Start by hiking along the once-paved route that allowed cars to drive into the canyon but which was destroyed by flash flooding. Soon you’ll be scrambling around the “badlands,” hills of mud and silt deposited by ancient lakes. Those with more stamina can continue past Manly Beacon (a sandstone formation), across gullies and washes, and then up to Zabriskie Point for panoramic views of the forbidding badlands. Note: If you hike beyond Manly Beacon, be sure to pick up a map at one of the park’s visitor centers—it is easy to lose your bearings in this area. 4 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Golden Canyon parking lot along Calif. 178, about 2 miles south of the Inn at Furnace Creek.

Grotto Canyon This route is marked by deep “grottos” (smooth hollows formed by erosive floodwaters) in the rocks. The first mile follows a rugged gravel road up the canyon’s alluvial fan; if you have an off-highway vehicle, drive this portion as far as the wash. Continue on foot from there, as the canyon narrows and you begin to encounter the grottos, beyond which waterfalls occasionally trickle. The cool hidden grottos are a nice place to stop for a snack, sheltered from the sun. 2 to 4 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: 2 1/2 miles east of Stovepipe Wells on Calif. 190.

Jayhawker Canyon This out-of-the-way route follows the path of a desperate group of pioneers who attempted to find a way out of Death Valley in 1849–50. The footing in the debris-filled canyon is treacherous, and several forks and tributaries can distract you from staying in the main wash. At the end of the route lies a spring marking the Jayhawkers’ camp, also a popular stopping place for the native Shoshone. Boulders in the area are marked with petroglyphs depicting bighorn sheep, along with the initials of several pioneers scratched into the rocks. You can stop and turn around here or continue up 3 miles more to the base of Pinto Peak. 4 to 10 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Off Calif. 190, just west of Emigrant Ranger Station.

Telescope Peak Trail A grueling 3,000-foot climb ultimately leads to the 11,049-foot summit, where you’ll be rewarded with the view described thusly by one pioneer: “You can see so far, it’s just like looking through a telescope.” Snow-covered in winter, the peak is best climbed from May to November; the trail is snowed in the rest of the year and recommended only for experienced winter climbers. Consult park rangers for current conditions and detailed advice—and never attempt this climb alone. 14 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Mahogany Flat Campground, past Wildrose Charcoal Kilns (4WD vehicles only).

Wildrose Peak Trail Consisting mostly of steady and unrelenting ascents, this steep hike has several level portions for rest stops. And you’ll need them, because you’ll be climbing over 2,000 feet on the way to the 9,060-foot summit. Marvelous views along the way present the stark Panamint Range, a bird’s-eye view of Death Valley, and panoramas of the Sierras on the western horizon. It’s unwise to attempt this hike in winter or without obtaining a topographical map from the ranger station. 8.4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, usually accessible by passenger vehicles (check with park rangers for road conditions).

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Cycling is allowed on the 1,000 miles of dirt and paved roads used by motor vehicles in the park, but not on hiking trails or anywhere else. Weather conditions between May and October make bicycling at the lower elevations dangerous at times other than early morning.

There are no bike rentals available in the park, and given the park’s isolation, the only practical option is to bring your own. You’ll need a pretty rugged mountain bike to do most of these routes.

Good choices are Racetrack (28 miles one-way), Greenwater Valley (30 miles one-way, mainly level), Cottonwood Canyon (20 miles one-way), and West Side Road (40 miles one-way, fairly level with some washboard sections). Artists Drive is 9 miles long and paved, with some steep uphill stretches. Other favorites include Titus Canyon (28 miles on a one-way hilly road—it has some very difficult uphill and downhill stretches) and Twenty-Mule Team Canyon Road (a one-way 2 3/4-mile graded gravel road through colorful badlands).

Camping

* Road not passable for trailers, campers, or RVs. Passenger cars not advised; four-wheel-drive vehicle may be necessary.

** Reservations can be made Oct 15–Apr 15 only.

*** Water not available at Wildrose in winter.

* Road not passable for trailers, campers, or RVs. Passenger cars not advised; four-wheel-drive vehicle may be necessary.

** Reservations can be made Oct 15–Apr 15 only.

*** Water not available at Wildrose in winter.

* Road not passable for trailers, campers, or RVs. Passenger cars not advised; four-wheel-drive vehicle may be necessary.

** Reservations can be made Oct 15–Apr 15 only.

*** Water not available at Wildrose in winter.

Death Valley offers little variety to those seeking conventional accommodations, but campers (tent, trailer, and RV) can expect to find comforts similar to those at most other desert parks. You should take care, however, when selecting a campground. Although most locations are closed seasonally to protect visitors from the harshest elements (only five campgrounds are open year-round), there’s always a risk of unseasonably hot temperatures at the none-too-shady campgrounds on the valley floor, as well as early or late snow at remote mountain sites. Always inquire with the park ranger about current conditions before setting up camp.

Furnace Creek Campground, just north of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, has showers nearby (for a fee) from a strained water supply. (During peak times, there are quotas.) The Furnace Creek Campground is the only campground in Death Valley that takes advance reservations (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777). Reservations can be made for the camping season of October 15 through April 15 up to 6 months in advance. The campground also has group sites, which can be reserved. The huge Sunset Campground, just 1⁄4 mile east of the Ranch at Furnace Creek, has individual sites and nearby showers (fee). Texas Spring, near Sunset Campground, has 92 sites and two group sites. The fee for an individual site at these campgrounds ranges from $12 to $18 a night.

Stovepipe Wells Campground has 204 spaces, with 14 RV hookups in two areas, and pay showers; the fee is $12 for a campsite, or $30 if you want an RV utility hookup (phone 760/786-2387 for reservations for the latter). The basic, tents-only Emigrant Campground is 9 miles southwest of Stovepipe Wells on Calif. 190.

Thorndike Campground, 37 miles south of Stovepipe Wells and 1 mile from Mahogany Flats Campground, off the Trona-Wildrose Road, is accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicle. It has eight primitive campsites with pit toilets but no other facilities. Wildrose Campground, 30 miles south of Stovepipe Wells off the Trona-Wildrose Road, has pit toilets and drinking water. Mahogany Flats Campground, 38 miles south of Stovepipe Wells, off Trona-Wildrose Road, can be reached only by four-wheel-drive vehicle. It has pit toilets but no other facilities. Mesquite Spring Campground is 5 miles south of Scotty’s Castle on Grapevine Road.

The Panamint Springs Resort (www.deathvalley.com/psr; phone 775/482-7680), 30 miles west of Stovepipe Wells on Calif. 190, operates a commercial campground with 62 spaces (12 with RV utility hookups). It charges $30 per night for full RV hookups, $20 for a water-only RV site, and $7.50 for a tent campsite.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

The Inn at Furnace Creek The Inn at Furnace Creek is exceptional, a 1920s resort whose charm has been preserved. Like an oasis in the middle of stark Death Valley, the inn’s red-tiled roofs and hot spring–fed pool hint at the elegance within. The deluxe rooms and suites have every modern amenity. Stroll the lush, palm-shaded gardens before sitting down to a meal in the elegant dining room, where the food is excellent. Tennis courts and nearby golf and horseback riding are available; there’s even a shuttle from the Furnace Creek private airstrip.

Calif. 190, 1 mile south of Furnace Creek Visitor Center (P.O. Box 1), Death Valley, CA 92328. www.furnacecreekresort.com. phone 760/786-2345; 800/236-7916 or 303/297-2757 for reservations. 66 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $265–$470 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-May to mid-Oct.

Panamint Springs Resort The privately owned Panamint Springs Resort, across the Panamint Range and about a 45- to 60-minute drive west of Furnace Creek, is off the electric grid and off the beaten path—not just geographically, but also philosophically. A welcome change from the touristy overtones of Death Valley, this charming rustic motel has plain rooms, as well as a full-service restaurant that serves traditional American fare at breakfast, lunch, and dinner—as well as 100 different brands of beer and a bar made of a massive slab of Big Sur redwood.

Calif. 190, 30 miles west of Stovepipe Wells (P.O. Box 395), Ridgecrest, CA 93555. www.deathvalley.com/psr. phone 775/482-7680. Fax 760/482-7682. 14 units, 1 cottage. A/C. $79–$108 double; $149 cottage. AE, DISC, MC, V.

The Ranch at Furnace Creek Run by the same folks who maintain the elegant Inn at Furnace Creek, the year-round Ranch at Furnace Creek is more down to earth, with rustic cabin units and motel rooms that are great for families. Amenities include a naturally heated, spring-fed pool, the world’s lowest 18-hole golf course (at 214 ft. below sea level), tennis and basketball courts, a playground, and a selection of dining options (see below).

Calif. 190, adjacent to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (P.O. Box 1), Death Valley, CA 92328. www.furnacecreekresort.com. phone 760/786-2345; 800/236-7916 or 303/297-2757 for reservations. Fax 760/686-2514. 224 units. A/C, TEL. $138–$219 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Stovepipe Wells Village The truly budget-conscious opt for Stovepipe Wells Village, where the modest air-conditioned motel rooms (sans phones and TVs) surround a small pool. About 23 miles northwest of Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells has a general store, satellite Internet, saloon, and dining room (see below). Rooms have one or two beds, most of them queens.

Calif. 190 at Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley, CA 92328. www.escapetodeathvalley.com. phone 760/786-2387. Fax 760/786-2389. 83 units. A/C. $80–$145 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Near the Park

Because accommodations in Death Valley are limited, you might consider the money-saving (but inconvenient) option of spending a night in one of the gateway towns. Lone Pine, on the west side of the park, is a good choice, with a wide selection of lodgings and great Western views and charm. Beatty, Nevada, and Shoshone have inexpensive lodgings. Each is about an hour’s drive from the park’s center, but accommodations are limited to unremarkable motels. In Death Valley Junction, the one-of-a-kind Amargosa Opera House and Hotel (www.amargosa-opera-house.com; phone 760/852-4441) offers 15 air-conditioned rooms in a historic out-of-the-way place, 30 miles from Furnace Creek. Room rates are $67 to $84, and credit cards (AE, MC, V) are accepted. See the box, “Death Valley’s Unique Opera House & Its Creator,” for more on the story of the Amagosa Opera House.

Death Valley’s Unique opera house & Its Creator

The town of Death Valley Junction has as many opera houses as it does residents: exactly one. And though the closest town to the Amargosa Opera House (phone 760/852-4441; www.amargosa-opera-house.com) is 30 miles away, it manages to pack the house every weekend it’s open. For many years, the sole performer was Marta Becket. You can still visit and stay at the hotel, and see a show.

Located on the edge of Death Valley, the opera house is the culmination of a dream of the bizarre Becket, who arrived by accident in 1967. A dancer, Becket had been touring in California. She and her husband were driving back east when their car had a flat tire. The closest garage was in Amargosa, which at the time was a company town run by the Pacific Borax Company. While the tire was being fixed, Beckett poked around the old adobe structures and instantly fell in love with the opera house. “As I looked into that hole, into this empty building, I had this distinct feeling I was looking into the other half of my life,” Becket recalls.

Though the floors and ceilings were falling apart and there were rats living in the space, to Becket, it symbolized freedom and independence. So she did it. She and her husband abandoned their lives in New York City to move out here, at the intersection of nowhere and nothing.

The opera house itself is a work of art—and so is the hotel it’s attached to. Before she began performing, Becket wanted to guarantee herself an audience. She spent 4 years painting its walls to resemble the inside of a theater, with level upon level of character-filled balconies. There are whimsical nuns, prostitutes, court jesters, and royalty. Two years were spent on the blue ceiling, illustrated with cherubs flying amid clouds. The people she painted were a silent guarantee, to her anyway, that she’d never be performing to an empty house. Since the beginning, she performed whether there was an actual audience or not.

Often, there wasn’t, and her painted characters sufficed. An unexpected stroke of luck befell the opera house 6 years into its run when a writer from National Geographic stumbled upon the show. He loved it, wrote about it, and the place has been packed ever since.

The Opera House is more than just a roadside attraction. It’s a labor of love and showcases the true (though slowing) talent of Becket, whose husband left a few years after they moved there. For 23 years she took on a partner, a maintenance man with a flair for comedy. He passed away in 2005.

Now in her eighties, the semiretired Becket still performs here, with a piece called The Sitting Down Show, November through April. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children. Reservations are required.

—Kate Silver

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

There aren’t many restaurants inside the park, or much variety (most of them serve basic American fare), but here’s a rundown.

There are four dining options at the Ranch at Furnace Creek (phone 760/786-2345), all relatively informal. The best and most economical is the Forty Niner Cafe, a diner with better-than-average food and a widely varied menu. It’s open daily from 7am to 9pm October to May and from 4 to 9pm the rest of the year. The adjacent Wrangler Steakhouse offers an all-you-can-eat buffet for breakfast (6–9am) and lunch (11am–2pm). The prices are higher than average, but the buffet is a good choice for families with hearty eaters. From 5:30 to 9:30pm from October to May (and 6:30–10pm the rest of the year), the Wrangler offers table service, grilling steaks, ribs, and other satisfying specialties; the servings are generous, but the dinners are pricey. The most casual option is the Corkscrew Saloon, serving pizza, bar fare, and libations from 11am to midnight. At the golf course, the 19th Hole Bar & Grill serves sandwiches and pub fare from October to May. All of these places accept all major credit cards.

At the elegant dining room at the Inn at Furnace Creek (phone 760/786-3385), the menu highlights several Continental and regional cuisines. The peaceful setting and attentive service can be a welcome (though pricey) treat during exhausting travels through the park. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. The Sunday buffet brunch is truly decadent; reservations are necessary. The dining room closes from 2:30 to 5:30pm daily and closes with the hotel from mid-May to mid-October. All major credit cards are accepted. T-shirts and tank tops are not allowed.

The Toll Road Cafe, the restaurant at Stovepipe Wells (phone 760/786-2604) is kind of a cross between a camp dining room and a casual cafe. It’s open daily for breakfast and dinner (lunch is available at the Badwater Saloon), and accepts major credit cards. Other choices are a snack bar at Scotty’s Castle and a rustic (and affordable) burgers-and-beer cafe at Panamint Springs.

Helpful hint: Meals and groceries are costly inside the park because of its remote location. If possible, consider bringing a cooler with some snacks, sandwiches, and beverages. Ice is easy to find, and you’ll also be able to keep water chilled.

Near the Park

Too far away for a round-trip excursion once you’re in Death Valley, The Mad Greek (phone 760/733-4354) in Baker is a restaurant you must stop at on the way in or out. At the junction of I-15 and Calif. 127, this roadside treasure is an ethnic surprise beloved by many. White tiles, Aegean-blue accents, and plenty of Athenian kitsch complement a menu of Greek specialties such as souvlaki, spinach-and-feta spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, green salad with tangy feta, exquisite pastries, and even Greek beer. The mile-long menu also includes traditional road fare, such as hamburgers and hot sandwiches, and killer strawberry shakes.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Within park boundaries, the Ranch at Furnace Creek has a market carrying a fairly wide selection of groceries and ice; propane is available at the adjacent service station. Stovepipe Wells offers ice, limited groceries, propane, and white gas.

Outside the park, if you want to stock up before entering, groceries and supplies are available in the towns of Baker, Beatty, Shoshone, Pahrump, and Ridgecrest. For visitors approaching on U.S. 395 from the south, Ridgecrest is the best choice—it’s a sizable city with chain grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, and a selection of gas stations. If you’re coming from Las Vegas, booming Pahrump is the place to stop; it has a pair of good-size grocery stores to fill most travelers’ needs.

Mojave National Preserve: A Nearby Desert Wonderland

Mojave National Preserve

To most Americans, the eastern Mojave is a bleak, interminable stretch of desert to be crossed as quickly as possible. But many consider the national preserve, just southeast of Death Valley National Park along California’s I-15 and I-40, the crown jewel of the California desert.

This is a hard land to get to know—it has no accommodations or restaurants, few campgrounds, and only a handful of roads suitable for the average passenger vehicle. But hidden within this natural fortress are some true gems—its 1.6 million acres include the world’s largest Joshua tree forest; abundant wildlife; spectacular canyons, caverns, sand dunes, and volcanic formations; tabletop mesas; and a dozen mountain ranges.

Paradoxically, the eastern Mojave owes much of its appearance to water—canyons carved by streams, mineral-encrusted dry lake beds, and mountains whose colorful layers represent limestone deposited in ancient oceans. Today the landscape is distinguished primarily by its extreme dryness. The climate changed dramatically following the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago; around this time, the first humans are believed to have migrated into the area. Lakes fed by glacial runoff supported fish, mammoths, camels, and diverse vegetation. When traditional food such as antelope diminished, the inhabitants adapted a lifestyle better suited to the arid climate, ultimately relying on small game and plants.

The European invasion started in the 18th century, when Spanish missionaries and explorers ventured north from Mexico. In the 19th century, American pioneers arrived, crossing the Mojave on their way west to the coast. Then in 1883, the railroad arrived, boosting existing mining and ranching operations.

By the 1970s, environmentalists had become gravely concerned with the region’s protection. Destructive off-road use, the theft of rare desert plants, the plunder of archaeological sites, and the killing of threatened desert tortoises all endangered the delicate ecological balance. Then in 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the California Desert Protection Act, creating Mojave National Preserve.

The Mojave’s elevated status hasn’t attracted hordes of sightseers, and devoted visitors are happy to keep it that way. Unlike a national park, the national preserve allows hunting and continued grazing and mining within its boundaries, practices that are sore spots for ardent preservationists.

Flora & Fauna

There’s much more life in the Mojave Desert than the human eye can immediately discern. Many animals are well camouflaged or nocturnal (or both), but if you tread lightly and keep your eyes open, the experience is rewarding. Wildlife includes the hopping kangaroo rat, ground squirrels, cottontails and jackrabbits, bobcats, coyotes, lizards, snakes, and the threatened desert tortoise. Consider yourself lucky to spot elusive bighorn sheep or shy mule deer. Migrating birds that stop off in the Mojave are met by permanent residents such as quail, pinyon jays, sparrows, noisy cactus wrens, and the distinctive roadrunner.

You’ll see familiar desert plants such as the fragrant creosote bush, several varieties of cacti (including the deceptively fluffy-looking cholla, or “teddy bear”), and several strains of yucca. On and around Cima Dome grows the world’s largest and densest Joshua tree forest. Botanists say that Cima’s Joshuas are more symmetrical than their cousins elsewhere in the Mojave. The dramatic colors of the sky at sunset provide a breathtaking backdrop for Cima’s Joshua trees, some more than 25 feet tall and over 100 years old.

Other desert flora include Mormon tea, cliff rose, desert sage, desert primrose, and cat’s-claw; these flowering plants are among many that make the spring wildflower season a popular time to visit. Junipers, nut-bearing pinyon pines, and scrub oaks are found in the preserve’s higher elevations.

Essentials

Getting There

I-15, the major route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, extends along the northern boundary of the preserve. I-40, the major route between Southern California and Arizona, is the southern access route.

Common entry points include Kelbaker Road, which crosses the preserve from Baker to Kelso. There are Kelbaker Road exits from both I-15 and I-40. The Essex Road exit from I-40, 25 miles east of Kelbaker Road, is the access point for Providence Mountains State Recreation Area (Mitchell Caverns) and two other campgrounds. The Cima Road exit from I-15 near Mountain Pass leads into the center of the preserve.

The town of Nipton, technically outside preserve boundaries, is a common destination for Mojave travelers. Take Nipton Road from I-15, within sight of the Nevada border.

The nearest airport is Las Vegas’s McCarran International, discussed earlier in this chapter.

Information & Visitor Centers

Contact the superintendent, Mojave National Preserve, 2701 Barstow Rd., Barstow, CA 92311 (phone 760/252-6100; www.nps.gov/moja).

The best source for up-to-date weather conditions and a free map is the Mojave National Preserve–Kelso Depot Visitor Center, 90942 Kelso-Cima Rd., Kelso, CA 92309 (phone 760/252-6108), which offers a superior selection of books. The historic depot in the heart of the preserve is open daily from 9am to 5pm year-round. Additional information and maps are available inside the preserve at the Hole-in-the-Wall Ranger Station (phone 760/928-2572 or 760/252-6104), open on weekends in summer from 9am to 4pm and Wednesday through Sunday in winter from 9am to 4pm.

Fees & Warnings

Entry to the preserve is free. Campsites at two developed campgrounds cost $12, but dispersed camping is free. A constant threat in the desert is dehydration. Rangers recommended drinking 1 gallon of water per person per day, twice that if you’re planning strenuous activity.

Seasons & Climate

Mojave National Preserve’s 1.6 million acres lie in the high desert, with elevations from 1,000 feet to nearly 8,000 feet. Although conditions from December to February can be windy and cold with a dusting of snow, summers often see blistering temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C). The best time to visit is between February and April, when temperatures are mild and wildflowers are in bloom. October and November have comfortable weather and few visitors. The area gets little rainfall, but what does occur (usually during winter) can begin suddenly and cause flash flooding.

Seasonal Events

Best between February and May, the wildflower viewing depends on weather conditions such as rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures, but you can bet on seeing the brilliant blooms somewhere in the preserve each year. Rangers can help direct you to the flowers currently in bloom.

Exploring the Preserve by Car

At the risk of discouraging you from leaving your car to really experience the Mojave, I must admit that Kelbaker Road provides an excellent opportunity to sample the preserve with a minimal expenditure of time or trouble. The well-paved two-lane road, crossing the preserve roughly from north to south between I-15 and I-40, takes about 1 hour one-way without stops.

You’ll drive through the eerie blackened landscape of lava beds and cinder cones, visit the elegant Kelso Depot, and see the towering golden mounds of Kelso Dunes. This 45-square-mile formation of sculpted sand dunes is famous for its “booming,” a low rumble emitted when small avalanches or blowing sands pass over the underlying layer. Geologists speculate that the extreme dryness of the East Mojave Desert, combined with the wind-polished, rounded nature of the sand grains, has something to do with the musicality. Sometimes the low rumbling resembles a Tibetan gong; other times it sounds like a 1950s doo-wop musical group. After Kelso Dunes, you’ll end your trip with views of the Granite Mountains, where erosion has removed all but the most resilient chunks of extraordinarily hard rock, leaving piles of rosy-hued boulders that are alternately smooth and jagged.

Leading northeast from Kelso Depot, the Kelso-Cima Road provides another scenic diversion, running alongside railroad tracks to the tiny community of Cima (Spanish for “summit”), at the foot of a geological oddity called Cima Dome, an almost perfectly rounded landform rising 1,500 feet above the desert. The dome is a batholith, created by molten rock that, unlike its volcano cousin, stopped rising below the surface. This unusual formation is blanketed by majestic Joshua trees. The community of Cima consists of a tiny U.S. post office and a ramshackle market, but no gas station. (Don’t be fooled by its boarded-up appearance.) Be prepared for the many heart-stopping dips in the Kelso-Cima Road; they’re a favorite with young backseat passengers.

Visitors with four-wheel-drive vehicles or especially rugged two-wheel drives can explore the Wildhorse Canyon Road, looping from Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall, at the preserve’s heart. In 1989, this short route was declared the nation’s first official “Backcountry Byway,” an honor that federal agencies bestow on America’s most scenic back roads. The 11-mile horseshoe-shaped route crosses wide-open country dotted with cholla cactus, but the landscape was irrevocably altered by a 2005 wildfire.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The Park Service holds evening ranger programs intermittently at Hole-in-the-Wall campground; they’re worth planning a stop around. The programs might include talks on the endangered desert tortoise or the area’s geological history, or an evening slide program. Guided walks to petroglyph sites are also offered. Contact one of the information centers listed above for the current schedule.

Park Attractions

In the days of steam trains, the town of Kelso was a critical watering spot for locomotives. Built in 1924, the elegant Kelso Depot is Spanish Mission style, with the requisite red-tile roof and graceful arches. At its peak, during World War II, the town supported 2,000 residents, and the depot’s diner, the Beanery, served customers 24 hours a day. Once slated for demolition, the depot has been restored by the National Park Service for use as the preserve’s visitor center. The Beanery now serves sandwiches, chili, and ice cream from 9am to 5pm daily.

Skirting the preserve’s northern boundary is the whistle-stop town of Nipton. Founded in 1885, Nipton was a true ghost town, until nearly a century later, Los Angeles transplants Jerry and Roxanne Freeman began restoring its dilapidated buildings. At its height, Nipton was at the center of Mojave industry, providing railroad access for miners and ranchers; silent film star Clara Bow was a visitor. Call phone 760/856-2335 or visit www.nipton.com for additional information on Nipton.

At the preserve’s western boundary, on the shores of the stark white Soda Dry Lake, is Zzyzx (a cryptic name, pronounced Zeye-zix, that’s puzzled generations of motorists). Reached by taking the Zzyzx Road exit from I-15 and carefully negotiating a 4-mile rocky dirt road, the springs have a colorful history. In addition to being an important watering hole for those crossing the desert, the site was an American Indian camp, a military outpost, a wagon station, the headquarters of a Hollywood radio evangelist, and a trendy health resort (with the fanciful name of Zzyzx Mineral Springs). The springs are still active, feeding the elegant pools left over from the resort’s heyday and supporting an entire ecosystem of wildlife at the lake bed’s edge. You can stroll among the buildings, now used by California State University’s Desert Studies Center (http://biology.fullerton.edu/dsc), and learn more about the area’s history from interpretive signs on a .25-mile trail around Lake Tuendae.

Throughout the preserve are remnants of the historic Mojave Road, a 19th-century wagon route to the West Coast. Check with preserve rangers for tips on where to find sections of the old road.

Especially for kids

There’s a lot for kids to enjoy in Mojave, from scrambling on sandy Kelso Dunes to exploring lava beds so similar to the moon’s surface that U.S. astronauts once trained here, or you can make a contest of finding familiar shapes and profiles in the jagged Granite Mountains.

Day Hikes

In addition to the preserve’s marked and maintained hiking trails, many hikers create their own routes using the dirt roads that crisscross the area. Some are so poor that they’re passable only by off-road vehicles, so there’s little or no traffic.

There are several good hiking areas along New York Mountains Road, west of Ivanpah Road (itself unpaved and rough), an area of mine ruins, ranch structures, and cool, pine-studded canyons. Several sections of the historic Mojave Road are also great for hiking but accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles; remains of a wagon route stretch from Piute Wash beyond the eastern boundary of the preserve, through Cedar Canyon and past the lava beds, all the way to Zzyzx Springs on Soda Dry Lake at the western edge. When you’re hiking in the backcountry, please respect private lands, which are not always well marked.

Shorter Trails

Kelso Dunes Trail These are the second-highest dunes in California, covering 45 square miles and reaching almost 700 feet in height. The dunes are visible from Kelbaker Road. Three miles of graded dirt road lead to a parking area, where several interpretive signs give information on dunes ecology. Follow the trail out past the vegetation, then ramble to your heart’s content, trying to spot examples of the many plants and animals that live in the seemingly barren dunes. Among them are rodents, kit foxes, lizards, sand verbena, and desert primrose, which color the dunes with brilliant blooms of yellow, white, and pink in springtime. Note: Climbing the soft dunes requires time and exertion, but tumbling back down is the fun reward. 3 miles RT (to the dunes). Moderate. Access: Parking area 10 miles south of Kelso Depot.

Mary Beal Nature Trail Suitable for all ages, the path winds past examples of the diverse plant and animal life found in the Mojave. Named for a prominent naturalist who spent 50 years exploring this desert, the trail has numbered posts keyed to a brochure that’s for sale at the visitor center. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Providence Mountains State Recreation Area Visitor Center, Essex Rd., 16 miles northwest of I-40.

Longer Trails

Mid Hills/Hole-in-the-Wall Trail Stretching between the two campgrounds, this maintained trail can be hiked in part or full. The entire hike is a grand tour of canyons and tabletop mesas, large pinyon trees, and colorful cacti; it’s an all-day, one-way undertaking if you can arrange a car shuttle, and is much more enjoyable in the downhill direction, from Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall. If you’re not up for a long day hike, the 2-mile hike from Hole-in-the-Wall Campground to Banshee Canyon offers an easier alternative. From Hole-in-the-Wall, the initial segment of the trail offers the most adventure; climbers descend through a vertical chute in the rock using a series of metal rings. Even with handholds, the climb requires agility and concentration—don’t try it if you have any doubts. Note: Much of the area between Mid Hills and Hole-in-the-Wall was charred by a 2005 wildfire. 1 mile RT to 8 miles one-way. Easy to strenuous. Access: Hole-in-the-Wall Picnic Area.

Teutonia Peak Trail This trail leads up about 600 feet to Teutonia Peak, atop Cima Dome, an unusual volcanic formation. The top affords panoramic views of the dome and desert. You’ll walk among the world’s densest forest of Joshua trees, as well as Mojave yucca and cholla (“teddy bear”) cactus. Near the summit, the trail is faint but marked with cairns (small piles of stones). 3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: On Cima Rd. btw. I-15 and the town of Cima.

Biking

Opportunities are as extensive as the preserve’s hundreds of miles of lonesome dirt roads. The 140-mile-long historic Mojave Road, a rough four-wheel-drive route, crosses the preserve east to west and visits many of the most scenic areas in the East Mojave; sections of this road make excellent bike tours, but you’ll definitely need a mountain bike. Prepare well—the Mojave’s dirt roads are rugged routes surrounded by miles of desert wilderness. There are no bike rentals in the park.

Camping

The preserve has three established campgrounds, all open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. None have showers, laundry facilities, or RV hookups, though the Hole-in-the-Wall Campground has a dump station.

The Mid Hills Campground was damaged in the 2005 wildfire but restored for use; about half of its 26 sites were back in commission at press time. It is 36 miles northwest of Essex, off Black Canyon Road. The mile-high camp is the coolest in the East Mojave. Pit toilets, fire grates, and drinking water are provided, but there are no public telephones. Cost is $12 per night.

Nearby Hole-in-the-Wall Campground perches above two dramatic canyons, 26 miles northwest of Essex, on Black Canyon Road near the Mid Hills Campground. There are 37 sites, 35 of which accommodate RVs; the fee is $12. You’ll find pit toilets, drinking water, public phones, fire grates, and a dump station.

A highlight of the East Mojave is camping in the open desert all by your lonesome; backcountry camping requires no registration. Backcountry campers need to pack out all trash and take care to set up in only previously affected campsites 200 yards from any water source. It’s advisable to contact an information center before establishing camp. And please respect private lands.

In addition to the campgrounds in the preserve, 30 acres of camping space are available in a privately owned campground in solar-powered Nipton, in the open desert beyond the town’s historic B&B inn (double rates are about $80, continental breakfast included). Other facilities include hot tubs, showers, drinking water, a Wi-Fi network (free), a restaurant, five “ecocabins” ($65–$85 per night, breakfast included), and four RV hookups ($35 per night). For information, call phone 760/856-2335 or visit www.nipton.com.

Chapter 14: Devils Tower National Monument, WY

by Eric Peterson

Rising 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, the stone stump of Devils Tower greets visitors miles before they arrive. Established in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt as the country’s first national monument, Devils Tower is well off the beaten path in northeast Wyoming, but it’s well worth the trip.

Devils Tower National Monument

Col. Richard I. Dodge, who commanded a military escort for a U.S. Geological Survey party that visited the Black Hills in 1875, is credited with giving the formation its name. In his book The Black Hills (1876), Dodge described Devils Tower as “one of the most remarkable peaks in this or any other country.”

The steep-sided mass of igneous rock rises abruptly from the grasslands and pine forests, and it remains one of the Black Hills’ most conspicuous geologic features. Movie buffs will recognize the tower as the landing site of an alien spaceship in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 Oscar-winning film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, starring Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, and Teri Garr.

Geology

Although the 50-million-year-old tower is composed of hard igneous rock, much of the other exposed rock within the 1,347-acre monument is made of soft sediments from the warm, shallow seas of the Mesozoic era. These colorful bands of rock encircling the igneous core include layers of sandstone, shale, mudstone, siltstone, gypsum, and limestone.

The story of Devils Tower’s geology is but one chapter in the history of the Black Hills. Even now, after extensive study and detailed geologic mapping, modern scientists are still debating the origins of Devils Tower. While scientists agree it is an igneous (or volcanic) intrusion, their theories diverge on the tower’s original size and shape. The most popular suggests that it is the result of volcanic activity in the early Tertiary period, some 50 million years ago. Scientists believe that a mass of molten rock forced its way up from below the surface of the earth, forming an inverted, cone-shaped structure beneath layers of sedimentary rock in what is now northeastern Wyoming. As the molten rock slowly cooled, it cracked and fractured, creating one of the most striking features of the monument, its polygonal columns. Most of the columns are five-sided, and others are four- or six-sided. The largest columns measure 15 to 20 feet in diameter at their base and gradually taper upward to about 10 feet in diameter at the summit.

Over centuries, the gentle waters of ancient streams and rivers carried away sedimentary layers, leaving the more erosion-resistant igneous rock behind. Today the tower appears to sit quietly on the crest of a wooded hill, but its base is actually the top of the unexposed magma, covered with fallen columns and soil.

American Indian Legend

American Indians have their own names for Devils Tower, which earned its current moniker from a translation of “bad god’s tower.” Since long before 1875, the Lakota have called it Mato Tipila, or Grizzly Bear Lodge, and descendants of several American Indian nations of the Great Plains share similar legends of how the prominent butte was formed.

According to the Kiowa version of the tale, seven sisters watched with horror as their brother was turned into a bear. The sisters ran from him to the stump of a large tree, which beckoned them to climb on. (In other versions, they ran to a large, flat stone.) When they did, the stump rose up into the sky, and the bear, unable to climb up the stump to reach the sisters, scored it with its claws. The sisters were then raised into the sky, becoming the seven stars of the Big Dipper.

Devils Tower is a sacred place to many native peoples. In deference to the religious significance of the tower, the National Park Service has requested that climbing of the tower be voluntarily suspended during the month of June so that ceremonies may be conducted without interference.

First Ascent

As a battle to preserve the monument from commercial encroachment was being waged in 1893, two local ranchers decided it was time someone made the first recorded climb to its summit.

William Rogers and Willard Ripley planned for months before making their first attempt on the southeast face on July 4, 1893. As the date approached, the pair began distributing handbills offering such amenities as ample food and drink, daily and nightly dancing, and plenty of grain for horses. The flyers also touted the feat as the “rarest sight of a lifetime.”

Rogers and Ripley used a wooden stake ladder for the first 350 feet of the climb. As more than 1,000 spectators watched, the pair made the harrowing climb in about an hour, raised Old Glory, and then sold pieces of it as mementos of the occasion. Thereafter, the tower became a popular place for Independence Day family gatherings. At the annual affair in 1895, Mrs. Rogers used her husband’s ladder to become the first woman to reach the summit.

On Top of the Tower

From its base, most visitors would surmise that the top of Devils Tower is a flat, barren pinnacle. As the approximately 4,000 climbers who make it to the peak each year will attest, the top of the tower isn’t much different from the countryside that surrounds it—except that it’s said you can see five states.

The summit is actually slightly domed, with a few small outcroppings, and is covered with prairie grasses, prickly pear cactus, currant and gooseberry bushes, and native big sage, thanks to prairie falcons and turkey vultures that nest in the tower’s columns and deposit seeds on top. A number of animals also have been spotted on the crown of Devils Tower, including rattlesnakes, pack rats, and cute red squirrels that have slithered and scampered up the cracks and fissures.

At the top, climbers may sign a register and record any unusual aspect or oddity of their adventure. More than 60,000 signatures have been gathered since records of tower climbs were established in 1937. In that time, climbers have used more than 220 routes to the top; in 1941 parachutist George Hopkins jumped from an airplane to the cap of the tower, then lost his escape rope and was stranded on top for 6 days.

Avoiding the Crowds

Traffic patterns at the monument are similar to those of national park areas throughout the West. Expect the highest visitation from June through August, with lower visitation in the shoulder months of April, May, September, and October; the lowest visitation is during winter. Parking is limited in summer.

If you visit during the summer, stop at the tower early in the day or take in a fireside ranger talk when crowds have thinned in the evening. Each year during the second week in August, a huge motorcycle rally takes place in nearby Sturgis, South Dakota. Attendance may significantly increase during that period.

Day’s End at devils tower

Visitors to Devils Tower should take the time to stay a night, if only to watch the drama that unfolds at dusk. Head to Joyner Ridge via Joyner Ridge Rd., about 2 1/2 miles up the main road from the park entrance, with a picnic dinner on a nice night, and just gaze at the tower and watch the moon rise. It also offers a tremendous vantage point to photograph the tower. There are also occasional guided full-moon hikes here in the summer; contact the park for details.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Because of Devils Tower’s remote location, the best access is by private vehicle. The monument entrance is 33 miles northeast of Moorcroft, Wyoming, and 27 miles northwest of Sundance, Wyoming, on U.S. 14 (travel to the immediate area on I-90). Scheduled airlines serve Gillette-Campbell County Airport (phone 307/686-1042; www.iflygillette.com), in Wyoming, with regional commuter flights via Delta, and United, and their partners; and Rapid City, South Dakota. For information on the Rapid City airport and car-rental options, see chapter 3, “Badlands National Park.”

Information

Contact Devils Tower National Monument, P.O. Box 10, Devils Tower, WY 82714-0010 (phone 307/467-5283; www.nps.gov/deto). The Devils Tower Natural History Association, P.O. Box 37, Devils Tower, WY 87214-0037 (phone 307/467-5283; ext. 631; www.devilstowernha.org), operates a bookstore at the monument’s visitor center and offers a variety of publications.

Visitor Center

Open from early April through November, the visitor center is 3 miles from the monument’s entrance. It has exhibits about the tower’s history and geology.

Fees

There is an entrance fee of $10 per car or motorcycle, and $5 per person on foot or bike. Camping costs $12 per night.

 A dark mist lay over the Black Hills, and the land was like iron. At the top of the ridge I caught sight of Devils Tower upthrust against the gray sky as if in the birth of time the core of the earth had broken through its crust and the motion of the world was begun. There are things in nature that engender an awful quiet in the heart of man; Devils Tower is one of them.

—N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of House Made of Dawn

Special Regulations & Warnings

Do not feed, chase, or disturb prairie dogs; they bite and may carry diseases. Abandoned prairie dog holes are often homes to black widow spiders and rattlesnakes. Disturbing any wildlife or gathering items such as rocks or flowers is prohibited. Also see “Climbing the Tower,” below.

Seasons & Climate

The monument is open year-round. The climate and seasons at Devils Tower echo those in the Black Hills region. Summer days can be hot and dry, although thunderstorms are not uncommon; evenings and early mornings are usually damp and cool. Spring weather is often chilly and rainy, and fall weather is often pleasant but can be cool and often cold at night. Winters are usually cold, but snow and sunlight can combine to create incredible pictures of the landmark.

If You Have Only 1 day

You can experience much of what Devils Tower has to offer in less than a day. Rangers recommend that you allow 2 to 4 hours to walk a trail, stop at the visitor center, and view the prairie dogs.

Surrounded by ponderosa pines and bathed in blue sky, the towering rock obelisk is visible for miles, and it’s easy to imagine the reaction of the first lonely American Indian scouts and French fur trappers who stumbled upon this stunning geologic anomaly.

Home to the feisty black-tailed prairie dog, the grounds of Devils Tower National Monument are perfect for picnicking and viewing wildlife. You can watch the sociable prairie dogs in their colony, or “town,” just inside the park’s east entrance station. The critters excavate elaborate networks of underground passageways, then guard their burrows with warning “barks” when predators such as hawks, eagles, bullsnakes, coyote, red fox, and mink come too close. Walk the leisurely Valley View Trail, or savor a picnic lunch among the wildflowers at the monument’s picnic area on the banks of the sleepy Belle Fourche River.

Climbing the Tower

Climbers must register with the park before starting and upon their return; otherwise, there are no requirements for climbing the tower. Be prepared for sudden storms; carry rain gear and a flashlight. Rockfall is common, so helmets are advised. Ask a ranger for additional safety and climbing information. The visitor center has a list of those permitted to guide climbs up the tower. I recommend Frank Sanders’s Above All Climbing Guides and Instruction (phone 888/314-5267; www.devilstowerclimbing.com), which specializes in working with novice climbers and has rates starting at $250 per day for two people or $300 per day for one. Sanders operates a climbing gym at his Devils Tower Lodge (see “Where to Stay & Eat,” below) on the monument boundary, where introductory packages begin, and always has at least one guide for every two customers.

A voluntary climbing ban is observed each June out of respect for American Indian religious ceremonies on Devils Tower at that time.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A variety of talks, walks, and other activities are scheduled, mostly in summer. Check at the visitor center for locations and times.

Interpretive talks. Meet a park ranger in front of the visitor center for bear tales and interpretive talks about climbing, geology, and tower trivia. Programs last about 20 minutes and are wheelchair accessible.

Tower walk. Meet a park ranger in front of the visitor center and enjoy a lively walk as the sun rises above the tower. Good walking shoes and water are recommended. These guided walks last about 1 1/2 hours and end on the Tower Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below).

Evening programs. Learn more about America’s first national monument by the glow of a campfire. On many nights, you can join a park ranger in the monument’s amphitheater from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During inclement weather, programs may move to the picnic shelter. There are also full moon walks.

Cultural program series. During the summer, Devils Tower plays host to scholars, artists, and performers who bring their expertise to the monument. They include American Indian storytellers, musicians, historians, costumed interpreters, photographers, poets, and astronomers.

If you’re a writer who’d like to be considered for a residency at Devils Tower (one of the many national parks that offers space to artists), call phone 307/467-5283, ext. 224, or e-mail deto_interpretation@nps.gov. For additional information, write to Writers in Residence Coordinator, Devils Tower National Monument, Box 10, Devils Tower, WY 82714.

Day Hikes

Devils Tower will announce itself (through your windshield) miles before you arrive. In fact, you may drive to within a few hundred yards of the tower, but the real highlight of any nonclimbing visit to Devils Tower is the park’s trails; get out and enjoy them. Pets are not allowed on trails.

The paved 1.3-mile Tower Trail, rated easy, goes all the way around the tower, offering close-up views of the tower on fairly level ground. Wayside exhibits tell the Devils Tower story.

There are several other trails: the scenic Red Beds Trail, 3 miles; Southside Trail, .6 mile; Joyner Ridge Trail, 1.5 miles; Valley View Trail, .6 mile (or you can combine Southside and Valley View for 1.2 miles). None of the trails get very crowded, so these are a good way to examine the terrain around the monument, including the pine forest and the prairie dog town, and avoid some of the summer crowds.

Camping

Located a mile from the monument’s headquarters, Belle Fourche Campground is open from April through October and rarely fills up except around the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August. The campground’s 50 sites accommodate RVs (up to 35 ft. long) and tents on a first-come, first-served basis. Each campsite has a cooking grill, table, and nearby drinking water. There are no showers, RV hookups, or dump station. Sites costs $12 per night; there are three group sites, which cost $2 per person per night, with a six-person minimum. The adjacent Valley View Trail skirts a giant prairie dog town. The campground’s amphitheater offers excellent interpretive ranger programs.

Those looking for a commercial campground with RV hookups and hot showers will find the Devils Tower KOA, P.O. Box 100, Devils Tower, WY 82714 (www.devilstowerkoa.com; phone 800/562-5785 or 307/467-5395), just outside the monument entrance. Open from May through September, it offers 56 RV sites, 100 tent sites, 11 camping cabins (which share two bathhouses and other campground facilities), and a camping lodge. Rates for two adults are $25 to $80 in hookup sites, $20 to $60 for tents, $75 to $300 for the camping lodge, and $45 to $80 for cabins (DISC, MC, V). Amenities include a heated outdoor pool, playground, self-service laundry, free Wi-Fi, game room, cafe, two gift shops (featuring homemade fudge), hayrides, propane sales, and a nightly showing of Close Encounters of the Third Kind Memorial Day to Labor Day, which was filmed in part at Devils Tower.

Where to Stay & Eat

There are no lodging facilities or restaurants within the monument boundaries.

Near the Park

Recommended in Sundance is the Bear Lodge, 218 Cleveland St., on Wyo. 14 at Business Loop I-90 (P.O. Box 912), Sundance, WY 82729 (www.bearlodgemotel.com; phone 307/283-1611; fax 307/283-2537). It offers 32 well-maintained basic motel rooms, all air-conditioned and with TVs, free Wi-Fi, and phones. The double rate is about $64 to $68 during the summer and fall, and a bit less in winter and spring. Major credit cards (AE, DISC, MC, V) are accepted. Another good choice is the Best Western Inn at Sundance, 2719 E. Cleveland, at I-90 exit 189 (P.O. Box 927), Sundance, WY 82729 (phone 800/238-0965 or 307/283-2800; fax 307/283-2727). It offers everything you would expect from a top-notch Best Western, at rates of $90 to $100 double in summer, and lower prices from fall through spring.

There are two moderately priced restaurants, open year-round, across the street from the Best Value Inn Bear Lodge: Aro Restaurant, 203 Cleveland St. (phone 307/283-2000), is open daily from 7am to 9pm in summer, with slightly shorter hours in winter. It serves a home-style American menu of sandwiches, burgers, and steak, plus a few Mexican dishes, with lunch prices from $4 to $8 and dinner prices from $8 to $20. Higbee’s Café, 101 N. 3rd St. (phone 307/283-2165), generally serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, plus dinner on Wednesday. It offers homemade soups and a variety of sandwiches, with most prices from $5 to $7, and serves breakfast anytime.

Immediately outside of the monument’s boundaries, climbing guru Frank Sanders runs the Devils Tower Lodge, P.O. Box 66, Devils Tower, WY 82714 (www.devilstowerlodge.com; phone 888/314-5267 or 307/467-5267), an eclectic yet nicely appointed four-room B&B in the former superintendent’s residence; there’s also an adjacent cottage. The rooms all have private bathrooms; the facilities are geared toward climbers, and the communal mood makes guests feel as if they’re staying in a home instead of an inn. Room rates ($125–$200 double; $250 cottage) include full breakfast; dinners (about $12) are available upon request. Checks and credit cards (MC, V) are accepted.

In Hulett, try the Hulett Motel, 202 Main St., Hulett, WY 82720 (www.hulettmotel.com; phone 307/467-5220). Double rates are $65 to $95; major credit cards (DISC, MC, V) are accepted. Rooms are well maintained, and there’s also a row of trim and tidy cabins on the Belle Fourche River.

Chapter 15: Glacier National Park, MT & Waterton Lakes National Park, AB

by Eric Peterson

Majestic and wild, this vast preserve beckons visitors with stunning mountain peaks (many covered year-round with glaciers), verdant mountain trails, and a huge diversity of plant and animal life. Every spring, Glacier is a postcard come to life: Wildflowers carpet its meadows; bears emerge from months of hibernation; and moose, elk, and deer play out the drama of birth, life, and death. The unofficial mascot in these parts is the grizzly, a refugee from the high plains.

Glacier National Park

Here you’ll see nature at work: The glaciers are receding (the result of global warming, many say), and avalanches have periodically ravaged Going-to-the-Sun Road, the curving, scenic 50-mile road across the park. For the time being, the park is intact and very much alive, a treasure in a vault that opens to visitors.

Named in honor of the slow-moving glaciers that carved awe-inspiring valleys throughout this expanse of more than 1 million acres, Glacier National Park exists because of the efforts of George Bird Grinnell, a 19th-century magazine publisher and cofounder of the Audubon Society. Following a pattern established with Yellowstone and Grand Teton, Grinnell lobbied for a national park to be set aside in the St. Mary region of Montana, and in May 1910 his efforts were rewarded. Just over 20 years later, it became, with its northern neighbor Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park—a gesture of goodwill and friendship between the governments of two countries.

If your time is limited, motor along Going-to-the-Sun Road, viewing the dramatic mountain scenery. Visitors with more time will find diversions for both families and hard-core adventurers; while some hiking trails are suitable for tykes, many more will challenge those determined to conquer and scale the park’s tallest peaks. The park’s lakes, streams, ponds, and waterfalls are equally engaging. Travelers board cruise boats to explore the history of the area; recreational types can fish, row, and kayak.

To truly experience the park requires more effort, interest, and spunk than a simple drive through—abandon the pavement for even a short, easy hiking trail, and you’ll discover a window into Glacier’s soul.

Avoiding the Crowds

The simplest way to leave the crowds behind is to avoid visiting the park in its peak season, from mid-June to Labor Day. July is the busiest month. Late September and October, when fall colors light up the park, are excellent months to visit. A highlight is the display the larch trees put on throughout the western portions of the park. Entire hillsides turn bright yellow, fading to a dull orange glow as October wanes.

If visiting in the off season isn’t possible, consider the following: Find a trail head that is equidistant from two major points, and head for the woods. Because most people congregate in proximity to the major hotels, this strategy should gain you a measure of solitude. If you must drive, to make the trip more enjoyable (and traffic-free), journey across the Going-to-the-Sun Road before 8:30am; you’ll be astounded at the masterful job Mother Nature does of painting her mountains. You can always see more wildlife in the early morning (or just before dark) than at other times.

If You Have Only 1 day

If you have a limited amount of time to spend in Glacier, the best way to experience the park’s full beauty is to drive Going-to-the-Sun Road, the 50-mile road that crosses the park between West Glacier and St. Mary. Points of interest are clearly marked and correspond to the map in the park newspaper Points of Interest Along the Going to the Sun Road, available at visitor centers and downloadable from www.nps.gov/glac as a podcast.

Remember that the road gains more than 3,400 feet in 32 miles, and is very narrow in places. Visitors with a fear of heights might consider a guided van tour or using the park’s free shuttle (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below).

A short drive from West Glacier is Lake McDonald, the largest body of water in the park. Numerous turnouts along the way present opportunities to photograph panoramic views of the lake with its mountainous backdrop. Sacred Dancing Cascade and Johns Lake are visible by taking a short hike from the roadside through a red cedar and hemlock forest. You’ll often see moose and waterfowl. The Trail of the Cedars is a short, wheelchair-accessible boardwalk trail rich in vibrant, verdant hues. All hiking trails mentioned below are described in the “Day Hikes” section, below.

Almost exactly halfway along Going-to-the-Sun Road is The Loop, an excellent vantage point for views of Heaven’s Peak. Just 2 miles farther is the Bird Woman Falls Overlook, an outlook for falls located across the valley. The Weeping Wall, a wall of rock that does, in fact, weep groundwater profusely in the summer, is a popular subject for photographers.

At the 32-mile mark from West Glacier is Logan Pass, one of the park’s most highly trafficked areas and the starting point for the hike to Hidden Lake, one of Glacier’s most popular. There’s a visitor center here, atop the Continental Divide.

As you head downhill, you’ll reach the turnout for Jackson Glacier Overlook, the most easily recognizable glacier in the park, followed by Sunrift Gorge, which is accessible via a short trail that presents opportunities to view wildlife.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Glacier National Park is in the northwest corner of Montana, on the Canadian border. The closest cities with airline service are Kalispell, 29 miles southwest of the park; Great Falls, 200 miles southeast; and Missoula, 150 miles south. If you’re driving, the easiest ways to reach the park are from U.S. 2 and U.S. 89.

Among the park’s entrances are those at West Glacier, Camas Road, St. Mary, Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and Polebridge. Access is primarily at either end of Going-to-the-Sun Road: at West Glacier on the southwest side and St. Mary on the east.

From the park’s western boundary, you may enter at Polebridge to reach Bowman and Kintla lakes or take Camas Road to Going-to-the-Sun Road.

The following east-side entrances are primarily hiking trails designed to access specific places and do not necessarily take you into the heart of the park: Essex, East Glacier, Two Medicine, Cut Bank, and Many Glacier.

Visitor entrance passes are sold at the West Glacier, Two Medicine, Many Glacier, Polebridge, and St. Mary Park entrances. Entrance is restricted during the winter, when most of Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed. (See “Seasons & Climate,” below.)

The Nearest Airports Glacier Park International Airport, north of Kalispell at 4170 U.S. 2 (phone 406/257-5994; www.glacierairport.com), is serviced by United, Allegiant, Delta, and Horizon. Avis, Budget, Hertz, and National have counters at the airport. The airports in Missoula and Great Falls are within a relatively easy drive of Glacier as well. See chapter 38 for websites of the major airlines, car-rental companies, and hotel/motel chains.

By Rail Amtrak’s Empire Builder (phone 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com), a Chicago-Seattle round-trip train, stops between May 1 and October 1 at East Glacier and year-round at West Glacier and Essex.

Information

Contact the superintendent, Glacier National Park, P.O. Box 128 West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 406/888-7800; TDD 406/888-7806; www.nps.gov/glac). A vast array of publications is available from the Glacier Association, 12544 U.S. 2 E., (P.O. Box 310), West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 406/888-5756; www.glacierassociation.org).

Visitor Centers

For up-to-date information on park activities, check in at visitor centers at Apgar, Logan Pass, and St. Mary; Travel Alberta staffs a center at West Glacier. St. Mary is open from mid-June through mid-October; Logan Pass, from mid-June through late September; and Apgar, from May through October (and weekends during the winter). Park information is also available from the Two Medicine, Polebridge, and Many Glacier ranger stations or from park headquarters.

Fees & Permits

A vehicle pass good for 7 days costs $25; an individual pass for walk-ins, bicycle riders, and motorcyclists, also good for 7 days, is $12. In winter, the fees drop to $15 and free, respectively. An annual park pass costs $35. Visitors to Waterton Lakes National Park (which is located in Canada) pay a separate entrance fee.

Camping fees are $10 to $23 per night at the park’s drive-in campgrounds. Shared hiker-biker sites run $5 to $8 per person.

If you plan to backpack overnight, you’ll need a backcountry permit before your trip (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” later in this chapter).

Special Regulations & Warnings

Biking Bikes are restricted to established roads, bike routes, and parking areas, and are not allowed on trails. Restrictions apply to the most hazardous portions of Going-to-the-Sun Road during peak travel times, from around mid-June to Labor Day; call ahead or check the website to find out when the road will be closed to bikers. During low-visibility periods of fog or darkness, a white front light and a red back reflector are required.

Boating Although boating is permitted on some of Glacier’s lakes, motor size is restricted to 10 horsepower on Bowman and Two Medicine lakes. A detailed list of other regulations is available at park headquarters and staffed ranger stations. Park rangers may inspect or board any boat to determine regulation compliance.

Fishing A fishing license is not required within the park’s boundaries; however, there are guidelines, so check with rangers at visitor centers or ranger stations for regulations. Also keep in mind that the eastern boundary of the park abuts the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, so you may find yourself fishing in their territorial waters. To avoid a problem, purchase a $10 daily use permit from businesses in the gateway towns; the permit covers fishing, hiking, and biking in the reservation. Fishing outside the park in Montana waters requires a state license; check in at a local fishing shop to make certain you’re within the law.

Horses Although visitors may bring their own horses and pack animals into the park, restrictions apply to private stock. A free brochure detailing regulations regarding horseback riding is available from the Park Service.

Vehicles RVs and vehicles longer than 21 feet or wider than 8 feet are prohibited on the 24-mile stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road between Avalanche Campground and Sun Point on St. Mary Lake; vehicles over 10 feet are discouraged. Snowmobiling is prohibited in the park.

Seasons & Climate

Glacier is magnificent at any time of the year, but some roads are closed and park access is limited in the winter. By far the most popular time to visit is during the summer, when Going-to-the-Sun Road is fully open; in summer, sunrise is around 5am and sunset is nearly 10pm, so you have plenty of time for exploring. Spring and fall are equally magnificent, with budding wildflowers and variegated leaves and trees, but these sights can be viewed only from the park’s outer boundaries and a limited stretch of the scenic highway.

In winter, Glacier shuts itself off from much of the motorized world. Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is generally fully open only from mid-June to mid-September, is usually plowed from West Glacier to the head of Lake McDonald. U.S. 89 provides access to the St. Mary area. The North Fork Road from Columbia Falls is open for winter travel to North Fork and the Polebridge Ranger Station. Temperatures sometimes drop to –30°F (–34°C), so appropriate dress is essential.

Exploring the Park by Car

Because of the massive mountains that surround Glacier National Park, visitors inevitably compare it to Grand Teton. Perhaps the most significant difference is that here one drives among the mountain peaks; at Teton, you view the mountains from a distance, unless you’re willing to head for the hiking trails.

Going-to-the-Sun Road is by far the most driver-friendly avenue on which to enjoy the park and see some of the more spectacular views. See the previous section, “If You Have Only 1 Day,” for an idea of what you’ll see along this road.

You can easily circumnavigate the lower half of the park in 1 long day, without traveling at warp speed. Along the way, you’ll get a bird’s-eye view of Big Sky country. After a leisurely breakfast in West Glacier, you’ll be in East Glacier in plenty of time for lunch at the Glacier Park Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” later in this chapter) and at St. Mary or Many Glacier for dinner. (Note: Going-to-the-Sun Road’s multiyear rehabilitation will cause 30-min.- to 4-hr. delays for several years.)

U.S. 2 between West Glacier and East Glacier, which is approximately 57 miles, is a well-paved, two-lane affair that winds circuitously around the western and southern edges of the park and follows the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. In the summertime, you’ll see inner tubes and white-water rafts galore. As you descend to the valley floor, you’ll drive through beautiful Montana ranchland and farmland. Shortly after entering the valley, look to the north and admire the park’s massive peaks—spires as beautiful as any on the planet. The Goat Lick parking lot, on U.S. 2 just east of Essex, gets you off the beaten path and provides a view into a canyon carved by the Flathead River; if you have time, take the short hike down to the stream and look on the hillside for mountain goats.

Beyond East Glacier, as you head northwest on Mont. 49 and west toward Two Medicine, you’ll notice that the earth appears to fall off. The contrast is inescapable—mountains tower in the west, but to the east the Hi-Line begins, with a horizon that extends far and flat. But round a corner on the Two Medicine Road, and suddenly you’ll find yourself faced with three mountains (Appistocki Peak, Mt. Henry, and Bison Mountain), bare of vegetation, but as red as their Southwest counterparts. The difference here is that snow fills the crevasses, even in mid-August. Ten miles later, continuing the route north on U.S. 89, you’ll come across a wide panorama of mountain peaks, valleys, ridges, and forested mountains that truly characterize Glacier’s personality. Conclude the bottom half of your long loop by winding downward from these high elevations to the village of St. Mary. Not a bad day’s drive!

There are two ways to see the park’s western boundary and to reach the Polebridge area, in the north; one is slow and uncomfortable, the other slightly faster and less uncomfortable. The North Fork Road (Mont. 486) from Columbia Falls takes about an hour to negotiate. It’s a sometimes-paved (often gravel- and pothole-filled) stretch that follows the North Fork of the Flathead River; spectacular views ameliorate the condition of the drive. Not much is there besides water and scenery, but the area around Polebridge is a popular spot for the outdoor crowd—an excellent location to experience Montana’s natural beauty.

The Inside North Fork Road, just north of Apgar, also runs to Polebridge. However, it’s totally unpaved, takes an hour longer, and is much harder on driver, passenger, and equipment. Unless you are a glutton for punishment, take the faster route and spend that extra hour relaxing on a riverbank.

Picnicking tips

The best picnicking spot on the Going-to-the-Sun Road is at Sun Point, which is also the trail head for the 1.6-mile round-trip to Baring Falls, a trail that follows the shoreline of the lake. From the picnic area, the views across the lake to the mountains are unrivaled. Even better: Be there at sunrise.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Ranger-guided activities and evening campfire and slide-show programs run daily throughout the park. The park’s Glacier Visitor Guide publication—free upon entering the park and also available at visitor centers—is a thorough source for days, times, and locations of various educational programs. Local tribal members provide programs highlighting American Indian culture and history. Most programs are free; there may be a minimal charge for some of the American Indian programs and those including boat trips.

For kids, there is a Junior Ranger program with an activity book; backpacks with kid-oriented naturalist activities can also be checked out at the Logan Pass, St. Mary, and Apgar visitor centers.

The park offers a free shuttle bus service. Visitors simply park their cars at the Apgar Transit Center on the west side or the St. Mary Visitor Center and take the shuttle to about 20 stops throughout the park, most of them on Going-to-the-Sun Road. The shuttles connecting the two lots run from about 7am to 7pm. For detailed information on the schedule and routes, visit the park’s website or check the insert in the Glacier Visitor Guide.

Glacier Park Boat Co., P.O. Box 5262, Kalispell, MT 59903 (phone 406/257-2426; www.glacierparkboats.com), offers narrated boat tours from Lake McDonald, St. Mary, Two Medicine, and Many Glacier from mid-June to mid-September. These “scenicruises” combine the comfort of an hour-long lake cruise with a short hike or picnic. Spectacular views of Lake McDonald sunsets, the awe-inspiring Grinnell Glacier, and the panoramic rugged cliffs ringing St. Mary Lake are just a few of the possible photo opportunities you may have while aboard. The boats typically depart every hour, usually seven times each day (although schedules are subject to change in late season or if the weather is inclement). Ticket prices top out at $23. Check ahead for a complete listing of prices and departure times. The concessionaire also offers charter service for larger groups and guided hikes in the park.

“Jammer” coach tours run along Going-to-the-Sun Road and north to Waterton. Thirty-three classic bright-red coaches from the 1930s, long identified with Glacier, are in service after a restoration project that began in 1999. Drivers provide insightful commentary about the park and its history, and you don’t have to worry about how close you may be to the edge of the often-precipitous road! Full-day rates top out at about $80 for adults and about $40 for children, with tours departing from both sides of the park. Half-day tours (for about half the price) are also available. For schedules, contact Glacier Park Inc. (phone 406/892-2525; www.glacierparkinc.com).

Historical-cultural 25-passenger motor coach tours of Going-to-the-Sun Road conducted by knowledgeable guides from the Blackfeet Nation originate from West Glacier, East Glacier, Browning, and St. Mary. Rates start at $40 for a 4-hour trip and $75 for a full day. Contact Suntours (phone 800/786-9220; www.glaciersuntours.com).

Scenic helicopter tours are offered by Glacier Heli Tours (phone 800/879-9310 or 406/387-4141; www.glacierhelitours.net) and Kruger Helicop-Tours (phone 800/220-6565 or 406/387-4565; www.krugerhelicopters.com). Prices start at $115 per person for four people for a half-hour trip.

The Glacier Institute, 137 Main St. (P.O. Box 1887), Kalispell, MT 59903 (phone 406/755-1211; www.glacierinstitute.org), conducts summer field classes that examine the park’s cultural and natural resources. These 1- to 4-day courses include instruction, transportation, park fees, and college credit. Highly skilled instructors bring an intimate knowledge of the region and subject matter to each course. The classroom is Glacier National Park and other areas in northwest Montana; courses cover wildflowers, grizzlies, weather systems, and nature photography. Prices range from $65 to $500 per course. (The pricier classes include lodging.) Contact the institute or visit the website for a listing of the current catalog.

Finally, Glacier Guides, P.O. Box 330, West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/521-7238 or 406/387-5555; www.glacierguides.com), organizes backpacking trips into the Glacier National Park backcountry. The company has been the exclusive backpacking guide service in the park since 1983. See “Exploring the Backcountry,” below.

picture this: Glacier Park Photo Tips

The adventurous shutterbug will find that the best photo ops occur early in the morning. Near bodies of water, the sunrise provides a multitude of oranges, blues, and yellows. Then, as the earth warms, lakes are transformed to fog-covered valleys, creating a mystical photographic opportunity.

One of the most picturesque spots is the west end of St. Mary Lake; not only does sunrise paint the lake orange and yellow, but it also paints the mountains red and orange. A close runner-up is the view west from an overlook across St. Mary Lake to Wild Goose Island in the foreground and the peaks and glaciers at the west end of the lake. Logan Pass, when it’s carpeted with wildflowers, is breathtaking.

Late-day photos of the Garden Wall from west of Logan Pass are also very dramatic.

Day Hikes

With more than 700 miles of maintained trails, the park is best explored by hiking. Because most of these trails are rather short, you might also wish to check out “Exploring the Backcountry,” below. Many of the longer trails described there can be done fully (or at least partially) in a day, and are likely to take you farther off the beaten path than the shorter routes, and away from the crowds.

Trail maps are available at outdoor stores in Whitefish and Kalispell, as well as at visitor centers and the major ranger stations at each entry point. The park’s new free shuttle can take you to numerous trail heads; there is a comprehensive guide in the Glacier Visitor Guide newspaper. Glacier Park Inc. (phone 406/892-2525) also operates a hiker’s shuttle on the east side to get people from St. Mary to Many Glacier, Waterton, and East Glacier.

Before setting off, check with the nearest visitor center or ranger station to determine the accessibility of your destination, trail conditions, and recent bear sightings. It can be a bummer when, 10 miles into a trip, a ranger turns you back.

The Park Service asks you to stay on trails to keep from eroding the park’s fragile components. Also, do not traverse snowbanks, especially the steeper ones. Before approaching any trail head, you should have proper footwear and rain gear, enough food, and, most important, enough water. A can of pepper spray can also come in handy when you’re in grizzly habitat. If you plan on hiking in Canada, be sure the spray is USEPA-approved. Contact Canadian Customs (phone 204/983-3500 or 506/636-5064) for regulations. See “Exploring the Backcountry,” below, for more information.

Lake McDonald Area

Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail This level trail, consisting of a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, offers a respite from the crowds in a forested area. There are interpretive signs along the way. .75 mile RT. Easy. Access: Across from Avalanche Campground Ranger Station.

Trout Lake This is a good workout if you’re around Lake McDonald Lodge, sipping coffee and skipping rocks off the lake. The hike is straight up and straight down, 2,100 feet each way. The trail takes you from the north end of Lake McDonald to the foot of Trout Lake and back. 8.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North end of Lake McDonald, 1 1/2 miles west on Lake McDonald Rd.

Logan Pass Area

Hidden Lake Overlook Nature Trail This trail climbs 460 feet and requires more spunk than others in the area, yet it’s not too hard. It’s a popular trail, but if you go past the overlook up to the lake, you’ll get past most of the crowds. This is an interpretive nature trail, with signs along the way that point out what you are seeing. 3 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Logan Pass Visitor Center.

The Loop Not considered easy mainly because of its altitude gain of 2,200 feet, The Loop is a popular hiking trail that winds up to Granite Park Chalet and back. Many people use it as a continuation of the Highline Trail (see below), but this is the section to do if you’re short on time. The Highline Trail is 7.6 miles one-way to the chalets, but not nearly as steep as the Loop; see the descriptions of the chalets under “Camping,” below. If you want to spend the night in a chalet, contact Granite Park Chalet for reservations (www.graniteparkchalet.com; phone 888/345-2649). 8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Along Going-to-the-Sun Rd., about halfway btw. Avalanche Campground and Logan Pass Visitor Center.

 Give a month to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal.

—John Muir, naturalist and conservationist

Sunrift Gorge Trail Most hikers approach Siyeh Pass from the Piegan Pass trail head, but I prefer ascending to this gorgeous glacial valley from Sunrift Gorge. The creekside trail climbs through a forest and switches back to reveal a hanging glacier and several waterfalls, before ascending the pass up a wall that is prime bighorn habitat. 11 miles RT. Difficult. Access: Sunrift Gorge parking area, 10 miles west of St. Mary.

Many Glacier Area

Iceberg Lake This beautiful hike traverses flower-filled meadows to a high lake backed against a mountain wall. Even in summer, there may be snow on the ground and ice floating in the lake. Look for mountain goats or bighorn sheep on the cliffs above. As in many of the backcountry areas, keep an eye out for the grizzlies. 9.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head in a cabin area east of the Swiftcurrent Coffee Shop and Campstore.

Swiftcurrent Nature Trail This is a fun hike along the shore, through the woods, and near a marsh. You may see deer and birds—watch for blue grouse. If you have time, continue on the trail as it circles Lake Josephine, another easy hike that adds 2.8 miles to the trip. Dramatic Mount Gould towers above the far end of the lake. Midsummer wildflowers can be spectacular. Access to a longer, 10-mile round-trip trail to Grinnell Glacier, the park’s largest, is also from this area. 2.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Picnic area 1⁄2 mile west of the hotel turnoff.

Two Medicine Area

Appistoki Falls This trail, with an elevation gain of only 260 feet, climbs through a forest of fir and spruce, then runs along Appistoki Creek before ending at an overlook that provides views of a 65-foot waterfall. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: 1⁄4 mile east of Two Medicine Ranger Station.

Running Eagle Falls Hardly even a hike, the easiest trail in the area leads to Running Eagle Falls along a path that winds through a heavily forested area to a large, noisy waterfall. The path is wheelchair accessible. .6 mile RT. Easy. Access: 1 mile west of the Two Medicine entrance.

Twin Falls Trail The most popular hiking path in this area is the one to Twin Falls, which originates at the campground. Hikers may walk the entire distance to Twin Falls on a clearly identified trail, or boat across Two Medicine Lake to the foot of the trail head and hike the last mile. 7.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Two Medicine Campground.

Exploring the Backcountry

Depending upon your point of view, negotiating the backcountry may translate to a leisurely stroll or a strenuous experience in the high country. Choices range from 4-mile day hikes to multiday treks, so consider your experience and fitness level before heading out. Study a park map that illustrates trails and campsites in the area you want to explore.

Backcountry campgrounds have maps at the entrance to show you the location of each campground, the pit toilet, food-preparation areas, and, perhaps most important, food-storage areas. In addition, you can obtain a free loan of bear-resistant food containers at most backcountry permit-issuing stations. If you fish while camping, it’s recommended you exercise catch-and-release to avoid attracting wildlife in search of food. If you eat the catch, be certain to puncture the air bladder and throw the entrails into deep water at least 200 feet from the nearest campsite or trail. When backpacking in Glacier, especially in the high country, it’s important to remember to pack as lightly as possible and make sure you’re aware of the trail’s degree of ascent. And remember the cardinal rule: Pack it in, pack it out. No exceptions.

Wherever you decide to go, remember that you must secure a backcountry permit before your overnight trip. Advance reservations can be made June 15 to October 31 for $30; a fee of $5 per night per camper is also charged. Call phone 406/888-7857 for additional information.

A Guided Backcountry Trip Many folks like to let someone else make the arrangements, leaving themselves free to concentrate on the hiking experience. The exclusive backpacking guide service in Glacier National Park is Glacier Guides, P.O. Box 330, West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/521-7238 for reservations, or 406/387-5555; www.glacierguides.com). For a price, the company will put together any kind of trip; it has several regularly scheduled throughout the season, from the end of June through the beginning of September. These include a 3-day “taste” of the park for about $450 per person, and an entire week in the wilderness for about $850 per person. Custom trips run $170 a day per person, with a four-person minimum. Glacier Guides will even organize a trip that lets you spend the day hiking and the night cuddled in a comfy inn inside the park or in the Granite Park Chalet (see “Camping,” below). Gear rentals are also available.

The main office is 1 1/2 miles west of West Glacier on U.S. 2. For information and reservations, contact the company.

Kintla Lake Area

Kintla Lake to Upper Kintla Lake Skirting the north shore of Kintla Lake above Polebridge for about 7 miles, before climbing a couple of hundred feet, this stretch of the Boulder Pass hike is a breeze. However, once you hit Kintla Creek, you may want to reconsider going farther. With 12 miles under your belt at this point, climbing 3,000 feet may not seem like a great idea. The trail, once it breaks into the clear, offers views of several peaks, including Kinnerly Peak to the south of Upper Kintla Lake. 12 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Kintla Lake Campground.

Polebridge Area

Bowman Lake This trail (14 miles to Brown Pass) is similar to the Kintla Lake hike in difficulty and, like the Kintla Lake Trail, passes the lake on the north. After a hike through rolling hills sheathed in foliage, the trail climbs out of reach for anyone not in top shape, ascending 2,000 feet in less than 3 miles to join the Kintla Lake Trail at Brown Pass. A left turn takes you back to Kintla Lake (23 miles), and a right takes you to Goat Haunt at the foot of Waterton Lake (9 miles). 7.1 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Bowman Lake Campground; follow Glacier Rte. 7 to Bowman Lake Rd., just north of Polebridge, then follow signs to Bowman Lake Campground.

Quartz Lake The loop runs up and over an 1,800-foot ridge and down to the south end of Lower Quartz Lake. From there it’s a level 3-mile hike to the west end of Quartz Lake, then 6 miles back over the ridge farther north (and higher up) before dropping back to Bowman Lake. An interesting aspect of this trail is evidence of the Red Bench Fire of 1988, which took a chunk out of the North Fork area. 12 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Bowman Lake Picnic Area; cross the bridge over Bowman Creek and you’re on your way.

Logan Pass Area

Highline Trail This relatively easy hike gains a mere 200 feet in elevation over 7.6 miles. It begins at the Logan Pass Visitor Center and skirts the Garden Wall at heights of over 6,000 feet to Granite Park Chalet. Give yourself plenty of time for the return hike to Logan Pass. Or, rather than retracing your steps, continue from the chalet to The Loop, the aptly named section of Going-to-the-Sun Road. The trail terminates here (an additional 3.5 miles), although you’ll need to plan for a shuttle back to your car. (It’s also possible to continue all the way to Upper Waterton Lake, but if you do, you should allow 3 days for the trip.) 12 miles one-way (including The Loop). Moderate. Access: Granite Park Chalet.

Two Medicine Area

Pitamakan Pass Trail This trail presents several options: You can take one or two long day hikes, or you can use it as the jumping-off point for an extended trip. From the trail head, the path winds to Old Man Lake and a campground, and then up 2,400 feet to Pitamakan Pass. At this point, your options are to return on the same trail or to continue to Dawson Pass, through Twin Falls, and then back to the campground, which adds about 10 miles to the trip and completes the loop. Or you could head north on the Cut Bank or Nyack Creek trails, which will add days to your trip. 6.9 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Two Medicine Campground.

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Boating At Apgar and Lake McDonald, you will find kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and motorboats for rent; gas-powered outboard motors of 10 horsepower or less are permitted at Two Medicine Lake and Bowman Lake. You can also rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and electric motorboats at Two Medicine. At Many Glacier, you can rent kayaks, canoes, and rowboats. For details, contact Glacier Park Boat Co. (phone 406/257-2426; www.glacierparkboats.com).

Fishing The crystal-clear mountain streams and lakes of Glacier are home to many native species of trout. Anglers looking to hook a big one should try the North Fork of the Flathead for cutthroat, and any of the three larger lakes in the park (Bowman Lake, St. Mary Lake, and Lake McDonald) for lake trout and cutthroat. For equipment or sage advice, or to schedule a guided foray ($325 for one or two people for a half-day), contact Glacier Anglers (phone 800/235-6781; www.glacierraftco.com), at the Glacier Outdoor Center in West Glacier.

Horseback Riding If you want to saddle up Old Paint and take an Old West approach to transportation, Swan Mountain Outfitters (phone 406/888-5121 or 406/732-4203; www.swanmountainoutfitters.com) offers horseback riding at Lake McDonald, Apgar Village, and Many Glacier. The company offers hourly ($40) to full-day rides ($160) into the nearby wilderness.

Kayaking Most kayaking in the park involves passages across lakes; the most popular are Bowman Lake and Lake McDonald. Inquire at any ranger station for details and conditions (for rentals, see “Boating,” above).

Mountain Climbing The peaks of Glacier Park rarely exceed elevations of 10,000 feet, but these are incredibly difficult climbs; you must inquire at a visitor center or ranger station regarding climbing conditions and closures. In general, the peaks are unsuitable except for experienced climbers or those traveling with experienced guides. The park administration does not recommend climbing because of the unstable nature of the rock.

Rafting & Float Trips Though the waters in the park don’t lend themselves to white-water rafting, the boundary forks of the Flathead River are some of the best in the northwest corner of the state. For just taking it easy and floating along in the summer sun, the North Fork of the Flathead River stretching from Polebridge to Columbia Falls and into Flathead Lake is ideal. The same may be said for the Middle Fork of the Flathead, which forms the southern border of the park.

For white-water voyagers, the North Fork of the Flathead River (classes II and III) and the Middle Fork (class III) are the best bets. Flow rates change dramatically as snow melts or storms move through the area; inquire at any ranger station for details and conditions.

The Middle Fork is a little more severe and isn’t the sort of river you enjoy with an umbrella drink in hand. The names of certain stretches of the Middle Fork are instructive (the Narrows, Jaws, Bonecrusher), but you can book a trip with several outfitters that offer expert, sanctioned guides.

Established in 1975, Glacier Raft Company, P.O. Box 210, West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/235-6781 or 406/888-5454; www.glacierraftco.com), is Montana’s oldest raft company. Offerings include half-day trips ($49 adult, $39 child under 13), full-day excursions ($84 adult, $59 child), 2-day trips ($335 adult, $270 child), and 3-day outings ($409 adult, $390 child). Prices include all necessary equipment and food. The company also offers scenic trips, inflatable-kayak rentals, and other services. Other local raft guides include Great Northern Whitewater, 12127 U.S. 2 East (P.O. Box 270), West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/735-7897 or 406/387-5340; www.greatnorthernresort.com); Montana Raft Company, P.O. Box 330, West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/521-7238 or 406/387-5555; www.glacierguides.com); and Wild River Adventures, P.O. Box 272, West Glacier, MT 59936 (phone 800/700-7056 or 406/387-9453; www.riverwild.com).

Winter Sports & Activities

All unplowed roads become trails for snowshoers and cross-country skiers, who rave about the vast powdered wonderland here. Guided trips into the backcountry are a great way to experience the park in winter, or you can strap on a pair of snowshoes and explore on your own. Note: Snowmobiles are prohibited in the park.

Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing Glacier has many cross-country trails, the most popular of which is the Upper Lake McDonald Trail to the Avalanche picnic area. This 8-mile trail offers a relatively flat route up Going-to-the-Sun Road with views of McDonald Creek and the mountains looming above the McDonald Valley. For the advanced skier, the same area presents a more intense trip that heads northwest in a roundabout fashion to the Apgar Lookout.

The most popular trail on the east side is the Autumn Creek Trail near Marias Pass. Avalanche paths cross this area, so inquire about weather conditions before setting out. Yet another popular spot is in Essex along the southern boundary of the park at the Izaak Walton Inn.

In West Glacier, Glacier Outdoor Center (phone 800/235-6781; www.glacierraftco.com) rents snowshoes and cross-country ski packages for $15 and $18 per day, respectively. Guided trips start at $155 per person for a half-day. There is also a 10K Nordic trail system here; trail passes are $8.

Camping

* Campground accessible only by narrow dirt roads. RVs not recommended.

** Public showers nearby, for a fee.

* Campground accessible only by narrow dirt roads. RVs not recommended.

** Public showers nearby, for a fee.

* Campground accessible only by narrow dirt roads. RVs not recommended.

** Public showers nearby, for a fee.

Inside the Park

You can spend your evenings at the park in the hotel lounge looking over your cocktail at the folks in the campground, and vice versa. For those who prefer the latter, Glacier offers 13 campgrounds, 8 of which are accessible by paved road.

Most campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fish Creek and St. Mary campgrounds may be reserved through the National Park Service Reservation System (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov). Most campgrounds have restrooms with flush toilets and cold running water. Despite its proximity to the center of the hotel and motel activity, the Many Glacier Campground is a well-forested, almost secluded campground that provides as much privacy in a public area as you’ll see anywhere. The campground has adequate space for recreational vehicles and truck-camper combinations, but space for vehicles pulling trailers is limited. It is a veritable mecca for tent campers.

Apgar Campground is at the bottom of Lake McDonald, near the West Glacier entrance and the Apgar Visitor Center. The Avalanche Campground may be the nicest of all, because it is 4 miles north of Lake McDonald on Going-to-the-Sun Road in a heavily treed area adjacent to the creek. Of its 86 sites, 50 are suitable for RVs.

Bowman Lake Campground is at the end of a primitive dirt road in the northwest section of the park (accessible through the Polebridge entrance). It’s not recommended for RVs. The bad news about the Cut Bank Campground road is that it’s not paved. The good news is that it’s only 5 miles from the pavement of U.S. 89 to the ranger station and campground, which are in the southeast portion of the park between St. Mary and Two Medicine. And the unpaved road deters many from heading into the outback to this primitive campground, which sits in the shadow of Bad Marriage and Medicine Wolf mountains. The campground only recently reopened after being rebuilt, so is relatively undiscovered; the road and campground are best suited to recreational vehicles 21 feet or shorter.

Fish Creek Campground is 2 miles from Apgar, on the western shore of Lake McDonald. Kintla Lake Campground is in the northwest section of the park, reached by primitive dirt roads through the Polebridge entrance station, so it is not recommended for RVs. Logging Creek is a primitive campground just beyond Quartz Creek and reached by dirt roads. Quartz Creek is another primitive campground, accessible by dirt roads through the Polebridge entrance.

Sprague Creek Campground is on the eastern shore of Lake McDonald. No towed trailers or vehicles longer than 21 feet are allowed. St. Mary Campground is outside the town of St. Mary. Rising Sun Campground, 6 miles west of St. Mary, is near the public showers at Rising Sun Motor Inn.

The Two Medicine Campground is in the shadows of major mountains near three lakes and a stream. It is a forested area that has beautiful sites, plenty of shade, and opportunities to wet a fishing line or dangle your feet in cool mountain water.

Some campgrounds are open early in the season as primitive campgrounds, with limited facilities and lower fees than the bulk of the summer.

Backcountry Camping

Glacier has 65 backcountry campgrounds. Fortunately, many are at lower elevation, so inexperienced backpackers have an opportunity to experience them. For an accurate estimation of your itinerary’s difficulty and advice on what you may need, check with rangers in the area you contemplate visiting. One of the main dangers is running into a bear.

Visitors planning to camp overnight in Glacier’s backcountry must stop at a visitor center, ranger station, or the Apgar Backcountry Permit Office and obtain a backcountry use permit. Backcountry permits may be reserved in advance (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” above). Permits are good only for the prearranged dates and locations, with no more than 3 nights allowed at each campground. Certain campgrounds have a 1-night limit. There are separate fees for advance reservations ($30 per permit) and backcountry camping ($5 per person per night or $2.50 for kids under 16).

You can obtain backcountry camping permits in person from the backcountry office at Apgar, Waterton Townsite, and St. Mary, or the ranger stations at Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and Polebridge. During summer months, permits may be obtained no earlier than 24 hours before your trip.

Winter Backcountry Camping

Though snow camping isn’t for everyone, it’s a great way to see the park in winter and to complement a winter excursion. Permits are required for all overnight trips, but there is no fee to reserve one up to 7 days in advance. There are a few rules that take effect beginning each November 20, so double-check at visitor centers for details.

Chalets

Two of the park’s most popular destinations, Granite Park and Sperry Chalets, are National Historic Landmarks built by the Great Northern Railway between 1912 and 1914. Granite Park is a basic hikers’ shelter, and Sperry is a full-service chalet.

Granite Park Chalet has 12 rooms (all with single bunk beds) and sleeps two to six per room. The chalet runs $90 for the first person, and $73 for each additional person in the same room, plus tax, with a optional linen/bedding service at $16 per person (and an optional preorder menu). There are kitchen facilities, which are shared.

Damaged by an avalanche in 2011, Sperry Chalet, a rustic backcountry chalet, is accessible by trail only. It operates from mid-July through mid-September. Services include overnight accommodations and full meal service for $185 for the first person, and $130 for each additional person in the room. Reservations are required. For information and reservations for either chalet, contact Belton Chalets, P.O. Box 189, West Glacier, MT 59936 (www.graniteparkchalet.com or www.sperrychalet.com; phone 888/345-2649).

Near the Park

In East Glacier

Y Lazy R Just off U.S. 2, this campground is within walking distance of East Glacier and is the closest to town with laundry facilities. Arrive early if you want to snag one of the few sites with trees. This place is a great value and an ideal place to base yourself while exploring the region.

Washington St. and U.S. 2 (P.O. Box 13), East Glacier, MT 59434. phone 406/226-5505. 10 tent sites, 20 RV sites. $20 tent; $23 water and electric only; $25 full hookup.

In St. Mary

Johnson’s of St. Mary From April through September (depending on the weather), this is where you want to camp if you can get a spot. The campground has showers, an 18-hole miniature golf course, and a laundromat. Campers both inside the park and out come to St. Mary for a good meal at Johnson’s Cafe, which serves homemade American grub family style (with serving dishes placed on each table) at breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Lunches include burgers, sandwiches, and homemade soup (most items $3–$8), and dinners usually include your choice of entrees such as fried chicken, trout, sirloin or T-bone steak, or pork chops, with prices from $10 to $18.

St. Mary, MT 59417. www.johnsonsofstmary.com. phone 406/732-4207. 50 tent sites, 82 RV sites. $25 tent; $36–$39 RV with electricity and water only; $44 full hookup; $29 RV, no hookup.

In West Glacier

Glacier Campground One mile west of West Glacier on U.S. 2 is the closest campground outside the park. Set in a forested area overgrown with evergreens, it’s a quiet, comfortable place to retreat under the shade of the trees, especially on hot days. Most sites have water and electric hookups; the rest are perfect for tent camping. Five rather primitive cabins are also available, with modest furnishings, electricity, beds with mattresses, and use of the campground’s bathhouse. Recreational facilities include volleyball, horseshoes, and a basketball court; also on the premises are an excellent cafe, a laundromat, and a small general store.

P.O. Box 477, 12070 U.S. 2, West Glacier, MT 59936. www.glaciercampground.com. phone 888/387-5689 or 406/387-5689. 80 tent sites, 80 RV sites, 5 cabins. $19 tent; $22–$29 RV; $35–$55 cabin.

Lake Five Resort Located 3 miles west of West Glacier and less than a mile from U.S. 2, this cabin and campground arrangement is an alternative to potentially crowded park campgrounds but is still close to the park. The resort is on a 235-acre lake. Seven of the nine cabins are on the lakefront; all are equipped with bathrooms and showers.

540 Belton Stage Rd. (P.O. Box 338), West Glacier, MT 59936. www.lakefiveresort.com. phone 406/387-5601. 9 cabins, 6 tepee lodges; 31 sites with electricity and water, 14 sites with electricity, water, and sewer hookup. $75–$225 cabin; $60 tepee; $40–$45 site.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

With only one exception, Glacier Park, Inc. (GPI), operates all of the hostelries in Glacier National Park, which fall into two categories. Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier Park Lodge, and Many Glacier Hotel are first-tier properties that have been popular destinations since early in the 20th century; Swiftcurrent Motor Inn is typical of the casual motel-style properties at the other end of the spectrum that provide good accommodations for less money.

Although the lodges have a certain stately charm, don’t expect in-room hot tubs or even air-conditioning. The structures may have been constructed to withstand natural disasters, but little thought was given to interior soundproofing. If you’re an eavesdropper, you’ll be in heaven; if you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Although all the lodges are comfortable, their greatest attribute, aside from the architecture, may be their stunning setting.

Reserve well in advance; July and August dates may fill before the spring thaw. For more information on the GPI-operated properties and to make reservations, contact Glacier Park Inc., P.O. Box 2025 Columbia Falls, MT 59912 (www.glacierparkinc.com; phone 406/892-2525; fax 406/892-1375).

Apgar Village Lodge The Apgar Village Lodge, on the south end of Lake McDonald, is one of two lodgings in Apgar Village. A less expensive alternative to the park’s GPI-managed properties, the log-and-frame cabins have a rustic charm but lack in-room amenities. Many units have multiple bedrooms.

Apgar Village, P.O. Box 410, West Glacier, MT 59936. www.westglacier.com. phone 406/888-5484. 28 cabins, 20 motel rooms. TV. $95–$135 double; $120–$300 cabin. Some units have a 2-night minimum. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-May.

Glacier Park Lodge Just outside the southeast entrance at East Glacier, this is the park’s flagship inn, an imposing timbered lodge that stands as a stately tribute to the Great Northern Railroad and its early attempts to lure tourists to Glacier. The immaculate lawn and ever-blooming wildflowers frame the grounds in colors that rival the mountain backdrop. The interior features massive Douglas fir pillars, some 40 inches in diameter and 40 feet tall. In fact, stand in the middle of the lobby and look up—beams carved from massive trees are the structural supports for the entire building. Skylights, wrought-iron chandeliers, and a desk hewn from a 36-inch-diameter log add to the Old West flavor. Rooms are nicely furnished, but showers are elbow-banging small, and sinks are significantly smaller than those found in today’s modern hotels and motels. There’s an immaculately groomed executive-style 9-hole golf course, and some evenings, members of the Blackfeet tribe recount their history and culture around the fireplace.

East Glacier, MT 59434. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 154 units. TEL. $140–$224 double; $359–$449 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to late May.

Lake McDonald Lodge, Cabins & Inn This place feels like a genuine mountain lodge. Although the two-story building doesn’t have the same towering ceilings and open spaces as other park hotels, its wood construction lends it a warm, cozy feel. Lodge rooms, located on the second and third floor (there’s no elevator), are pleasantly decorated and have a historic feel. Motel units are simply well-maintained motel rooms. The well-preserved cottages are in multiunit buildings in a wooded area. Situated on the shore of the park’s largest lake, the lodge provides a marvelous central base for exploring the western part of the park. The lodge is a center for boating activity; scenic cruises depart daily, and canoe rentals are popular. Common lounging areas are furnished with heavy couches, sofas, and chairs that surround a stone fireplace. The lodge houses a dining room, gift shop, and lounge; a coffee shop, post office, and sundries store are also on the grounds. The entire lodge is smoke-free.

Glacier National Park, MT 59936. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 62 lodge and motel units, 38 cottage units. TEL. $173–$182 lodge room; $134–$141 motel unit; $122–$182 cottage. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to late May.

Many Glacier Hotel Built in 1915 by the Great Northern Railway, this is the largest hotel in the park and my top choice for a place to stay. The alpine-style hotel may be the most-photographed building in the park. When you arrive at Many Glacier after driving along the park’s interior road from Babb, it comes slowly into view, as picturesque as a Swiss chalet and almost as inviting as the turquoise blue waters of Swiftcurrent Lake. In August, after the huckleberries ripen, you can almost count on seeing grizzly bears on the nearby mountains. Rooms, decorated in keeping with the hotel’s historic roots, are in the main lodge overlooking the lobby or in the adjoining annex. I like the lakeside rooms, for their views of Swiftcurrent Lake; the smaller units without a view are less expensive. A dining room, coffee shop, gift shop, and lounge are in the hotel. In the evenings (Mon–Sat) starting in midsummer, David Walburn, a Montana singer/songwriter, entertains with his guitar, harmonica, and stories.

Glacier National Park, MT 59936. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 216 units. TEL. $152–$236 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to early June.

Rising Sun Motor Inn & Cabins Located 6 1/2 miles from St. Mary, just off Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Rising Sun is a complex made up of a restaurant, a motor inn, cottages, stores, and a service station. The basic rooms are just that—uninspiring motel rooms that are adequate for a good night’s rest in an excellent location for exploring the eastern side of the park. The cottage rooms (half of a duplex) are more interesting but a bit on the rustic side. All units here are smoke-free.

Glacier National Park, MT 59936. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 63 units. TEL. $124–$141 double; $128 cottage. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to mid-June.

Swiftcurrent Motor Inn & Cabins The appeal here is for those satisfied with modest prices and decor—primarily active types interested in spending lots of time exploring the backcountry trails. Like Many Glacier, just up the street, the inn sits against a mountain backdrop in what is considered a hiker’s paradise. Motel rooms have standard decor—functional, but nothing special. Built in 1933, the cabins are a bit more interesting, with one or two bedrooms and perhaps a bathroom (communal facilities are nearby). There’s also a coffee shop and restaurant. All units are smoke-free.

Glacier National Park, MT 59936. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 88 units and cabins, some cabins without private bathroom. $124–$141 double in motor inn; $73–$94 double in cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to mid-June.

Village Inn at Apgar Not to be confused with Apgar Village Lodge (see above), the Village Inn at Apgar is the smallest of the properties GPI operates in Glacier. Located lakeside in Apgar Village, the inn is near the general store, cafes, and boat docks. The Village Inn is comfortably outfitted with modest furnishings, making it a cozy and convenient place. Rooms spread over two floors of the inn; 12 of them have kitchenettes. Second-level rooms have the same lake views as those downstairs, but they have less people traffic. Though there’s no in-house dining, the restaurants of Lake McDonald and Apgar are all nearby. Close to the Apgar corral and the docks of Lake McDonald, not to mention a plethora of hiking trails, Apgar Village bustles with activity during the summer. The entire property is smoke-free.

Glacier National Park, MT 59936. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 36 units. $136–$236 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to early June.

Near the Park

If the convenience of staying on Glacier’s back porch is important to you, these are the towns to stay in. For greater variety in lodging, dining, and nightlife, head for Whitefish.

In East Glacier

Backpacker’s Inn Low-cost, low-end sleeping accommodations for those willing to share bathroom facilities are what you get at this dorm-style hostel. (The hostel is located directly behind a Mexican restaurant, so the website below is correct.)

29 Dawson Ave. (P.O. Box 94), East Glacier, MT 59434. www.serranosmexican.com. phone 406/226-9392. 8 beds in 1 cabin, 2 private cabins. $12 per person in single-sex dorms; $30 for 1 person, $40 for 2 people in private cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to Apr.

Brownies Grocery and HI Hostel Reservations are recommended at this popular grocery store/hostel, which offers comfortable rooms at affordable prices. Dorm and family rooms are on the second floor of a rustic, older log building with several common rooms for guests to share, including a porch, kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry. Family rooms sleep two to six. A bakery and deli (with Internet access) are in the grocery, there’s a restaurant next door, and tent sites ($10) are available out back.

1020 Mont. 49 (P.O. Box 229), East Glacier, MT 59434. www.brownieshostel.com. phone 406/226-4426. 10 units, all with shared bathroom, 1 family room, 2 bunk rooms. Hostelling International members $16 bunk, $31 double private room, $43 family room; nonmembers $19 bunk, $34 double private room, $46 family room. DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-May, depending on the weather.

Jacobson’s Cottages In a nicely wooded area, these quaint cottages are small but comfortable. All have cable TV, and one has a kitchen. Entertainment and good food are nearby, and it’s a 12-mile drive to the Two Medicine trail.

1204 Mont. 49 (P.O. Box 454), East Glacier, MT 59434. www.jacobsonscottages.com. phone 406/226-4422. Fax 406/226-4425. 12 cottages. TV. $67–$100 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-May.

Mountain Pine Motel This property is a one-story, 1950s-type remodeled motel that provides well-furnished rooms in a shaded, timbered area just off the main highway. Most standard rooms have two queen-size beds, reading chairs and table, and bathrooms with tub/shower. Considering that rooms here are about a third as expensive as those at the park hotels, this is an excellent alternative.

909 Mont. 49 (P.O. Box 260), East Glacier, MT 59434. www.mtnpine.com. phone 406/226-4403. 25 units. TV, TEL. $73–$93 double; lower rates off season. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed early Oct to Apr.

In Essex

Izaak Walton Inn Built in 1939 by the Great Northern Railway, this historic Tudor lodge once served as living quarters for rail crews who serviced the railroad. Just off U.S. 2 on the southern boundary of Glacier Park, the Izaak Walton is extremely popular with tourists from near and far, many of whom choose to travel by Amtrak train, which stops a mere 100 yards from the front door of the lodge. Both lodge rooms and the converted cabooses offer comfortable and attractive lodging, with wood-paneled walls and various Western touches. And who can pass up the opportunity to sleep in a caboose or the deluxe locomotive? During the winter, this inn is a popular jumping-off spot for cross-country skiers.

290 Izaak Walton Inn Rd., Essex, MT 59916. www.izaakwaltoninn.com. phone 406/888-5700. Fax 406/888-5200. 33 units, 4 caboose cottages, 1 locomotive lodging. $117–$168 double; $235–$255 suite; $230 cabins and caboose cabins; $299 locomotive lodging. 2-night minimum stay in cabins, cabooses, and locomotive. DISC, MC, V.

In Polebridge

North Fork Hostel and Square Peg Ranch Formerly part of the Quarter Circle MC Ranch inside the park, this lodge was moved to its present location near Polebridge in the late 1960s, and it is ideal for the back-to-nature traveler. It sits at the literal end of the road within a stone’s throw of the North Fork of the Flathead River, right across the river from the park. Accommodations are ultrarustic, with a mountain-cabin feel—heat is from an old-fashioned woodstove. There are separate facilities for men and women, as well as couples’ accommodations, washrooms with hot showers, and clean outhouses. There are also several small cabins suitable for families. Hostel guests should bring linens or sleeping bags (sheets are available for rent) and flashlights. The Ranch offers two rustic log homes, with decor similar to the hostel’s, and a few bare-bones, summer-only tepees and campsites for $10 a night. The log homes have solar-heated showers, or guests can use the hostel showers. The hostel and cabins have kitchen facilities, and the former has a relaxing 6-foot-long claw-foot bathtub. Bike and kayak rentals and free Wi-Fi access are also available.

80 Beaver Dr., Polebridge, MT 59928. www.nfhostel.com. phone 406/888-5241 or 406/253-4321. 7 bunks, 2 private rooms, 2 cabins, 2 log homes. $20 bunk; $50 cabin; $80 log home. 3-night minimum stay in log home. MC, V. Reservations required in winter.

Polebridge Mercantile and Cabins If you can make the trek up the gravelly North Fork Road, then give these bare-bones cabins a try. They don’t have running water, let alone bedding—it’s BYO sleeping bag at the Merc, which is also home to a fantastic bakery. Each cabin has a propane cooking stove and lights, and the views out over the west side of Glacier National Park make the price a steal, especially if you bring the kids. Polebridge is a happening spot in the summer, when all the river rats and seasonal residents converge for whopping good times and tall tales about running rapids and climbing peaks.

265 Polebridge Loop, Polebridge, MT 59928. www.polebridgemerc.com. phone 406/888-5105. 4 cabins. $35–$45 cabin. DISC, MC, V.

In St. Mary

St. Mary Lodge and Resort At the St. Mary end of Going-to-the-Sun Road, this longstanding upscale lodge is newly managed by GPI. The main lodge and rooms are standard Montana fare, with tasteful ironwood furnishings. Lodging is in three different areas near the center of the complex; lodge and motel rooms are nicely done motel-style units that may have two single beds or a queen. The nicest units are the cabins; they boast living areas with dining tables and queen beds in a separate sleeping area, and some have kitchenettes. Most rooms have TVs and air-conditioning. The surrounding complex includes a market, several restaurants, and a lounge.

U.S. 89 and Going-to-the-Sun Rd., St. Mary, MT 59417. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 406/892-2525. Fax 406/892-1375. 115 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $209–$309 double; $259–$359 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V.

In West Glacier

Belton Chalets and Lodge A National Historic Landmark, this facility across from the railroad station has been completely restored to the elegance of an early-20th-century hotel. The rooms are small, simple, and old-fashioned. The bathrooms are also small. But the feel of the place is comfortable, and the staff is very friendly. Many of the rooms have private balconies looking out over the rounded timber foothills of Glacier National Park. There is a free shuttle for guests into the park; Wi-Fi is $5 for 2 hours in the lobby only.

12575 U.S. 2 (P.O. Box 6), West Glacier, MT 59936. www.beltonchalet.com. phone 888/235-8665 or 406/888-5000. Fax 406/888-5005. 25 rooms, 2 cottages. Early June to early Sept $155–$325; early Sept to early June $99–$230. DISC, MC, V.

Glacier Outdoor Center Built in three stages since 1996, the cabins at the Glacier Raft Company’s HQ are delightful, functional, and tasteful, sporting trout, moose, and bears on everything from dishes to lampshades. Backing up to the Flathead National Forest just west of the park entrance on U.S. 2, the cabins are well off the road, nestled around a grassy glen with a picnic area, volleyball court, and trout pond where casting clinics are held in the summer. Each cabin has a fully equipped kitchen, one to three bedrooms, and a private deck with a barbecue; the two-bedroom units can sleep up to 14 people. There is free Wi-Fi and a full rental/retail/guide operation in the main center, and in the winter, 15km of cross-country ski trails are groomed daily.

12400 U.S. 2 (P.O. Box 210), West Glacier, MT 59936. www.glacierraftco.com. phone 800/235-6781 or 406/888-5454. 10 cabins. A/C TV. $275–$449 cabin; lower rates in winter. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Great Northern Chalets This small, rafting-oriented resort near West Glacier offers log chalets that have balconies facing flower gardens and a pond, with mountain views in the distance. The largest chalet is a beautifully furnished two-story, two-bedroom unit with a full bathroom upstairs and a half-bathroom downstairs. Smaller chalets have one large bedroom upstairs, and a downstairs level with a full-size sleeper sofa and a kitchen with service for six. The lobby offers free Wi-Fi, and there’s a pond used for fly-fishing instruction.

12127 U.S. 2, West Glacier, MT 59936. www.greatnorthernresort.com. phone 800/735-7897 or 406/387-5340. Fax 406/387-9007. 5 units. TEL. $200–$300 double; lower rates in winter. DISC, MC, V.

Vista Motel Perched atop a hill at the west entrance to Glacier National Park, the Vista boasts tremendous views of the mountains. There’s a small heated pool, free Wi-Fi in the lobby, and family-size rooms. Accommodations are not luxurious, but the modern motel rooms are clean and comfortable, the customer service is among the best in town, and it’s cheaper than the competition.

12340 U.S. 2 E. (P.O. Box 90), West Glacier, MT 59936. www.glaciervistamotel.com. phone 877/888-5311 or 406/888-5311. 25 units, including 5 cabins. $95–$155 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-May.

West Glacier Motel Formerly the River Bend Motel, this property has two locations. Half of the units are in West Glacier on Going-to-the-Sun Road, about 1 mile from the park entrance, and a second set of units is a quarter-mile away on forested grounds on a bluff above the river. This 1950s-style motel has small rooms and smaller bathrooms, but the prices are considerably lower than what you’ll find in the park. The Western-style cabins are better suited for families; they come with two queen beds and fully equipped kitchens.

200 Going-to-the-Sun Rd., West Glacier, MT 59936. www.westglacier.com. phone 406/888-5662. 32 units. Motel $90–$110 double; cabin $170–$270. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to mid-May.

In Whitefish

Garden Wall Inn The Garden Wall Inn is right on the main Whitefish drag but in a world of its own. Owners Rhonda Fitzgerald and Chris Schustrom clearly take pride in providing all of the little luxurious extras. The inn is full of country charm—it was built in 1923, and all of the furnishings are period antiques, including claw-foot tubs and Art Deco dressers, depending on your room. Every detail is just about perfect, right down to the towels, which are large and fluffy enough to dry two adults. Rhonda and Chris are both trained chefs, so breakfast is a gourmet event. They’re also avid outdoorspeople: Ask them for tips before you head out on that excursion to Glacier or Whitefish Mountain Resort.

504 Spokane Ave., Whitefish, MT 59937. www.gardenwallinn.com. phone 888/530-1700 or 406/862-3440. 4 units. $155–$195 double; $275 suite. Rates include full breakfast and afternoon refreshments. AE, MC, V.

Hidden Moose Lodge Striking a nice balance between the service of a B&B with the privacy of a hotel, this small, independent, moose-adorned property is centered on a vaulted, high-ceilinged great room with an impressive river-rock chimney fireplace. The comfortable rooms are nicely done as well, with a mellow Montana vibe and bathroom mirrors appointed with handmade ironwork. Guests can savor their gourmet breakfast (including some seriously tasty huckleberry waffles and huevos rancheros) on their own decks if they wish. The lodge is located about 1 1/2 miles from town on the road to Whitefish Mountain Resort and has a small trail system on its property that connects with trails into the surrounding mountains.

1735 E. Lakeshore Dr. (on the road to Whitefish Mountain Resort), Whitefish, MT 59937. www.hiddenmooselodge.com. phone 888/733-6667 or 406/862-6516. Fax 406/862-6514. 13 units, including 2 suites. TV, TEL. Summer $159 double, $209–$249 suite; lower rates spring to fall. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Food options inside the park are primarily dining rooms operated by GPI. They’re convenient, and you’re almost always assured of friendly service from a staff of 20-something students from around the country. Credit cards accepted at all GPI properties include American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. Breakfasts range from about $5 to $10, lunch entrees are $6 to $15, and most dinner entrees cost $10 to $30.

You’ll find above-average food served at above-average prices in the dining rooms at the major properties. Glacier Park Lodge has the Great Northern Dining Room, which has Western decor and a menu of beef, barbecued ribs, fish, and chicken, plus a full breakfast buffet; and the Empire Bar & Grill, which offers a bar menu of sandwiches and appetizers.

At Lake McDonald Lodge you’ll find Russell’s Fireside Dining Room, which has a hunting-lodge atmosphere with rough-hewn beams and hunting trophies; it specializes in American standards, including beef tenderloin, roast duckling, seared mountain trout, roast turkey, Alaskan salmon, and steaks. There’s also a full breakfast buffet. Also at Lake McDonald Lodge is Lucke’s Lounge, which serves a bar menu, and the family-oriented Jammer Joe’s Grill & Pizzeria.

Many Glacier Hotel has the Swiss Lounge and Interlaken Room, with a bar menu, and Heidi’s, a fast-food counter known for its huckleberry frozen yogurt. The dining rooms open with the park and close sometime in September, depending on the facility.

The alternatives include second-tier restaurants in proximity to the hotels, most of which are comparable to chain restaurants in both quality and price. The Two Dog Flats Grill at the Rising Sun Motor Inn serves “hearty American fare.” The Swiftcurrent Motor Inn Restaurant offers lunch and dinner feature combinations of salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and create-your-own pizzas. At Apgar you’ll find a deli and a family dining arrangement.

Near the Park

The gateway cities have a number of restaurants, and there are even more choices in Whitefish.

East Glacier & Vicinity

Serrano’s MEXICAN Perhaps the area’s best restaurant (although that’s not saying too much), Serrano’s is just off the highway at the center of town. Serrano’s is one of the only eateries in town, so don’t be surprised if you encounter masses of people in the dining room and on the outdoor deck at the height of summer. You can expect hearty portions of Mexican food, an ample selection of imported beers and microbrews, and a full bar featuring margaritas.

29 Dawson Ave., East Glacier. phone 406/226-9392. www.serranosmexican.com. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm (until 9pm in early May and late Sept). Closed Oct–Apr.

Two Sisters Cafe AMERICAN This longstanding favorite serves perhaps the best pie in the area, with a fun atmosphere and a huge license plate collection to boot. Susan and Beth Higgins, the eponymous sisters who run the place, specialize in hearty American fare, with a menu that includes dishes like chili cheeseburgers, hand-battered chicken-fried steak, and big brownie sundaes. As for libations, there are margaritas, microbrews, and a nonalcoholic “lemonade of the day.”

4 miles north of St. Mary on U.S. 89, Babb. phone 406/732-5535. www.twosistersofmontana.com. Most main courses $10–$20. MC, V. Daily June–Sept 11am–10pm. Closed Oct–May.

In West Glacier

Belton Tap Room AMERICAN This restaurant, located in restored buildings that were once the Great Northern Railway Chalet, serves respectable food geared toward American tastes—steaks, buffalo, chicken, ribs, trout, and salmon, as well as some vegetarian selections. A large stone fireplace dominates the tap room, which serves several brands of locally brewed beer.

12575 U.S. 2, West Glacier. phone 406/888-5000. Main courses $13–$34. DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Bar open at 3pm, with a limited menu.

Glacier Highland Restaurant AMERICAN This may be the spot to satisfy your sweet tooth; a baker is on hand, so the pies are worth the stop, and the cinnamon rolls are immense. The Highland Burger is, by any standard, a great hunk of beef, and fresh trout is a dinner specialty.

U.S. 2, West Glacier. phone 406/888-5427. Breakfast items $4–$9; main courses $7–$9 lunch, $8–$20 dinner, $14–$22 pizzas. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–10pm, with some seasonal variations. Closed Nov–Apr.

In Whitefish

Cafe Kandahar FRENCH/NEW AMERICAN Chef Andy Blanton has raised the stakes in the Whitefish culinary scene by reinventing the restaurant at Kandahar Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort since he took it over with his family in 2006. The appealing room, highlighted by bay windows looking down the mountain and historical photos of the area, is an excellent setting for his handiwork in the kitchen. Patrons can choose off two menus, one that changes nightly, another that lasts a season. Inspired by French and Creole traditions but more than willing to experiment, Blanton uses as much local produce and meats as he can in such creations as seared elk roulade with forest mushrooms, grilled buffalo tenderloin, and beef tournedos with oyster mushroom and smoked shallot bordelaise; he also experiments with far-flung influences in a number of creative seafood and pasta dishes. The wine list and the desserts—including a decadently rich molten chocolate soufflé with raspberry-huckleberry coulis—are also excellent.

3824 Big Mountain Rd., at Kandahar Lodge, Whitefish Mountain Resort. phone 406/862-6247. www.cafekandahar.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $20–$60. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–9:30pm. Closed May and Oct–Nov.

Tupelo Grille CAJUN/NEW AMERICAN The Tupelo is the best restaurant in downtown Whitefish, especially if you like New Orleans–style food. Creole chicken and dumplings in mustard-sage cream sauce and a Cajun Creole combo (a platter of shrimp Creole, crawfish étouffée, and chicken and sausage jambalaya) are specialties. The rack of lamb is hard to beat.

17 Central Ave. phone 406/862-6136. Reservations recommended for large parties. Main courses $12–$31. AE, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–10pm; winter Mon–Sat 5:30–9:30pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

In East Glacier, there’s a gas station, a post office, several gift shops, and a small market with a limited supply of fresh meats and produce, as well as beer, wine, and a modest supply of fishing and camping accessories. West Glacier offers a gas station, general store, laundromat, photo shop, rafting companies, post office, and gift shop, as well as a bar and restaurant. In St. Mary, the grocery store (phone 406/732-4431) at St. Mary Lodge and Resort will never be confused with a metropolitan-area supermarket, but it’s the closest thing you will find in any of the gateway towns. There’s fresh produce, canned goods, and beverages, including beer and wine, but at tourist-town prices. There’s also a post office.

Waterton Lakes National Park: A Side Trip to Canada

It’s worth finding the time to explore the upper regions of this area. From St. Mary, head north to visit Waterton Lakes National Park, Glacier’s Canadian counterpart. You’ll be rewarded with different yet equally beautiful scenery and a touch of European culture.

Located in Alberta, Canada, Waterton is the place where the Canadian mountains meet the rolling prairie, which means it has an incredible variety of flowers and animals. As you travel along the high ridge, you’ll see meadows and boggy areas that are ideal habitat for moose; later you’ll find lakes all around and the Canadian Rockies filling the horizon. The area is also a haven for elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep, and both grizzly and black bears are found in the park.

Essentials

Getting There

From the eastern entrance of Glacier National Park at St. Mary, drive north through Babb, which is barely a whistle-stop, until you reach the intersection of Mont. 17—it’s very well marked. Head northwest to the Canadian border, where Mont. 17 becomes Alberta Hwy. 6. Remember: You’ll need a passport to cross the border. Head down into the valley until you reach the park entrance on your left.

Visitor Information

The park’s Visitor Reception Centre (phone 403/859-5133; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/waterton) is just inside the park.

Fees & Permits

Park entrance costs about C$8 (about US$8) per person, with a maximum of about C$20 (US$19) per vehicle. Day hiking does not require a permit, but backcountry overnight trips do; permits cost about C$10 (US$10) per person per day.

A Brief History

Compared with its counterparts in the Lower 48, Waterton is a tiny park; the total size is only 203 square miles. However, the park has great historical significance: Based on more than 200 identified archaeological sites, historians think that Aboriginal people first populated the area 11,000 years ago.

In modern times, Waterton Lakes became a national park about 6 years before oil was discovered here. (Oil and mineral exploration was allowed in Canada’s national parks during the system’s infancy.) It was set aside as a national park in 1895, thanks to the efforts of a local rancher.

In 1932, following an initiative by the Rotary Clubs of Alberta and Montana, Waterton Lakes and Glacier national parks were designated the world’s first International Peace Park. They have since come to represent the need for cooperation between nations where sharing resources and ecosystems is possible. The areas were designated Bio-Sphere Reserves by the UNESCO Man and Bio-Sphere Program, in order to provide information about the relationships between people and the environment. The two parks were jointly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Exploring the Park

Unlike most “park centers”—essentially a smattering of restaurants, souvenir shops, and gas stations clustered around the primary lodging—Waterton Village actually is a village. As you cruise the perimeter of the lake heading for Waterton Village, you’ll pass three large lakes, the habitat of bald eagles that often perch atop the snags of dead trees. The park bears a striking resemblance to Grand Teton, in that its attractions spread out across a narrow valley floor; however, the valley is narrower and peaks surround three-fourths of it, so the overall effect is cozier but equally dramatic.

By most standards, it’s also windier here, though locals say that they don’t acknowledge the wind unless there are whitecaps in the toilets at the Prince of Wales Hotel (see “Where to Stay,” below).

Hiking, cruising the lake, and just doing nothing are all great pastimes around here. Most of the 120 miles of trails are easily accessible from town. They range in difficulty from short strolls to steep treks for overnight backcountry enthusiasts.

Day Hikes

The park is a popular destination for European, Canadian, and American hiking fanatics. For nearly 20 years, the 11-mile Crypt Lake Trail has been rated as one of Canada’s best hikes—except for those prone to seasickness: To reach the trail head, hikers take a 2-mile boat ride across Upper Waterton Lake. Contact the Waterton Shoreline Cruise Company (phone 403/859-2362; www.watertoncruise.com) for details about the boat shuttle. After that, the trail leads past Hellroaring Falls, Twin Falls, and Burnt Rock Falls before reaching Crypt Falls and a passage through a 60-foot rock tunnel. The elevation gain is 2,300 feet, but veterans say the hike is doable in 3 hours, one-way.

A second, extended tour starts at the marina and heads south across the international boundary to Goat Haunt, Montana, an especially popular trip because of the sightings of bald eagles, bears, bighorn sheep, deer, and moose, as well as numerous unusual geologic formations.

The International Peace Park Hike, a free guided trip that follows Upper Waterton Lake, takes place on Wednesday and Saturday from the end of June through the end of August. Participants meet at the Bertha Trailhead in the morning and spend the day on an 8-mile trail with U.S. and Canadian rangers. At the end of the trail, hikers return by boat to the main dock.

Camping

At the west end of the village is Townsite Campground, a Parks Canada–operated facility with 235 sites that’s a popular jumping-off spot for campers headed into the park’s backcountry. Prices range from roughly C$16 (US$15) to C$38 (US$36); half of the sites have electricity and sewage disposal. Also available on the premises are kitchen shelters, washrooms, and shower facilities. The site perches right on the lake, so views are excellent and trails await evening strollers.

There are also a number of designated wilderness campgrounds with dry toilets and surface water, some of which have shelters.

Where to Stay

Although the Prince of Wales Hotel (see below) is clearly the flagship in these woods, a worthwhile alternative is the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort (www.watertonlakeslodge.com; phone 888/985-6343 or 403/859-2150), with a great location in the heart of Waterton Village. The lodge offers lake and mountain views, and some rooms have fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and kitchenettes. Other facilities include a health-center spa and indoor pool. Basic lodge doubles start at C$185 (US$180) in summer.

The Prince of Wales Hotel The Prince of Wales compares with the finest park hostelries in Montana and Wyoming. Built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway, the hotel boasts soaring roofs, gables, and balconies that convey the appearance of a giant alpine chalet. Rooms, though small, have aged well, with dark-stained, high-paneled wainscoting and heavily upholstered chairs. Bathrooms have European-style tubs with wraparound curtains; one look at the washbasins, and you’d surmise that guests were Lilliputian size when the hotel was first constructed.

The lobby, like those in many of the old railroad hotels, is wood, wood, and more wood—in this case, accented by tufted furniture and carpeting. Two-story-high windows overlook the lake and village, minutes away by footpath. If you don’t spend the night at the Prince of Wales, stop in for a traditional British high tea, served daily from 2 to 5pm.

Waterton Lakes National Park, AB T0K 2M0. www.glacierparkinc.com. phone 403/236-3400 or 406/892-2525 in winter. Fax 403/859-2630. 87 units. TEL. C$194–C$299 (US$185–US$287) double; C$599–$799 (US$579–$767) suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to early June.

Where to Eat

All the village’s restaurants and retail outlets are within a 4-block area around Waterton Avenue (which the locals call Main St.). So despite the fact that many buildings aren’t numbered, you’ll have no problem finding places to eat or shop.

The Royal Stewart Dining Room in the lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel (phone 403/859-2231) serves Continental and English fare at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort, the casual Vimy’s Ridge Lounge and Grill (phone 403/859-2150) serves three meals a day in a room with spectacular views.

Chapter 16: Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

by Shane Christensen

The first thing you notice about the Grand Canyon is its size. At 277 river miles long, roughly 4,000 feet deep, and an average of 10 miles across, it’s so big that even the breezes seem to draw a deep breath at the rims. But it’s so much more than an enormous gulch. In the past 6 million years, while the river or rivers that eventually became the Colorado River were carving the main canyon, runoff from the rims cut hundreds of side canyons that funnel like capillaries into the larger one. As the side canyons deepened and spread, they gradually isolated buttes and mesas that tower thousands of feet above the canyon floor. Early cartographers and geologists noticed similarities between these rock pinnacles and some of the greatest works of human hands. They called them temples and shrines, and named them after deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

Grand Canyon National Park

The canyon not only inspires reverence, but also tells the grandest of stories. Half the earth’s history is represented in its rocks. The oldest and deepest rock layer, the Vishnu Formation, began forming 2 billion years ago, before aerobic life forms even existed. The layers of sedimentary rock that piled atop the Vishnu Formation tell of landscapes that changed like dreams. They speak of mountains that really did move, eroding into nothingness; of oceans that poured forth across the land before receding; of deserts, swamps, and rivers the size of the Mississippi—all where the canyon now lies. The fossils in these layers illustrate the very evolution of life.

Many of the latest products of evolution—more than 1,500 plant and 400 animal species—survive at the canyon today. If you include the upper reaches of the Kaibab Plateau (on the canyon’s North Rim), this small area of northern Arizona includes zones of biological life comparable to ones found as far south as Mexico and as far north as Alaska. The species come in every shape, size, and temperament, ranging from tiny ant lions dwelling in the canyon floor to 1,000-pound elk roaming the rims. And for every species, there is a story within a story. Take the Douglas fir, for example. Once part of a forest that covered both rims and much of the canyon, the tree has endured since the last ice age on shady, north-facing slopes beneath the South Rim—long after the sunbaked rim itself became too hot and inhospitable.

A number of American Indian tribes have lived in or around the canyon, and the Navajo, Havasupai, Kaibab Paiute, Hopi, Zuni, and Hualapai tribes still dwell in this area. The Hopi still regard the canyon as their place of emergence and the place to which their dead return. Their predecessors left behind more than 3,000 archaeological sites and artifacts up to 10,000 years old.

In the 1500s, Spanish missionaries and gold-greedy explorers passed through the area, but it wasn’t until the 1800s that Europeans began settling here. Prospectors clambered through the canyon in search of precious minerals, and some of them stayed after their mines, plagued by high overhead costs, shut down. The first tourists followed, and vacationers began flooding the area after the railroad linked Grand Canyon Village to Williams, Arizona, in 1901.

When President Theodore Roosevelt visited in 1903, he was moved to use the Antiquities Act to declare Grand Canyon a national monument in 1908. Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in 1919.

Although designated a “park,” Grand Canyon has a daunting, even ominous side. Visitors, no matter how many times they enter it, must negotiate with it for survival. One look at the clenched jaw of a river guide as he or she rows into Lava Rapids will remind you that the canyon exacts a heavy price for mistakes. The most common mistake is to underestimate it. Try to escape, and it becomes a prison, with walls 4,000 feet high. The canyon’s menace reminds us that we still haven’t completely conquered nature. It even has its own symbols: the rattlesnake’s warning; the elegant symmetry of the black widow; the seductive, lilylike flower of the deadly sacred datura.

Clearly, you can suffer here, but reward is everywhere. It’s in the spectrum of colors: The Colorado River, filled with runoff from a recent rain in the Painted Desert, runs blood red beneath slopes of orange Hakatai shale; cactus flowers explode in pink, yellow, and red; and lichens paint rocks orange, green, and gray, creating art more striking than the works in any gallery. It’s in the shapes, too—the spires, amphitheaters, temples, ramps, and cliffs—and in the shadows that bend across them before lifting like mist. It’s in the myriad organisms and their struggles for survival. Most of all, it’s in the constancy of the river, which reminds us that, in time, all things move forward, wash away, and return to the earth.

Avoiding the Crowds

High season runs from April through October, with visitation peaking in midsummer. Prime season is July and August. Try to visit at another time. If you can’t come during the off season, we recommend that you come before 10am or after 2pm, so that you can avoid both the lines at the entrance gates and the parking problems inside the park. Crowds are seldom an issue on the North Rim.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The nearest cities to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are Flagstaff, Arizona, 78 miles south of Grand Canyon Village on U.S. 180; and Williams, Arizona, 59 miles south on Ariz. 64.

The closest small town to the park is Tusayan, Arizona, 1 mile south of the south entrance gates on Ariz. 64. The closest substantial town to the North Rim is Kanab, Utah, 78 miles northwest of Grand Canyon National Park on U.S. 89A.

The Nearest Airports Many travelers fly to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (phone 602/273-3300; www.skyharbor.com), 220 miles from the South Rim, or to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (phone 702/261-5211; www.mccarran.com), 263 miles from the North Rim. The major airlines and car-rental companies serve both airports. See chapter 38 for website listings of the major airlines, hotels, and car-rental companies.

To land closer to the canyon, US Airways (phone 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com) offers daily jet service ($220 and up for a round-trip) from Phoenix to Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) (phone 928/556-1234), roughly 80 miles from the park. Closer still is Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN; phone 928/638-2446) in Tusayan, 5 miles from the park’s south entrance.

 Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children, your children’s children . . . as the one great sight which every American . . . should see.

—Theodore Roosevelt

Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines (phone 800/634-6801; www.scenic.com) and Grand Canyon Airlines (phone 866/235-9422; www.grandcanyonairlines.com) offer daily service between Grand Canyon National Park Airport and Boulder City (BLD), Nevada (30 min. south of Las Vegas). The cost for these flights, which often include air tours of the canyon, is about $200 one-way. Vision Air (phone 800/256-8767; www.visionholidays.com) serves Canyon National Park Airport from North Las Vegas Airport (phone 702/261-3806).

By Rail Amtrak (phone 800/872-7245 or 928/774-8679; www.amtrak.com) regularly stops in downtown Flagstaff, where lodging, rental cars, and connecting bus service are available, and in Williams, where lodging and connecting rail service (on the historic Grand Canyon Railway) are available.

The Historic Grand Canyon Railway (phone 800/843-8724; www.thetrain.com) offers daily service linking Williams and Grand Canyon Village. Pulled by historic steam engines during the summer, the train leaves Williams in the morning and returns in late afternoon.

By Bus Arizona Shuttle (phone 800/888-2749; www.arizonashuttle.com) provides bus service between both Flagstaff and Williams and Grand Canyon National Park for $35 each way (prices include entry fee and are discounted if booked online).

Renting A Car Most major car-rental companies have offices in Flagstaff. See chapter 38 for their websites.

Heads Up: Backcountry Permit Waiting List

If you show up at the park without a permit and find the backcountry booked, you may be able to obtain a permit by putting your name on the waiting list. If you want to hike the corridor trails during the spring, summer, or fall, you should expect to spend at least 1 day on the waiting list before getting a permit. To place your name on the waiting list, show up in person at the Backcountry Information Center on the South Rim or at the Backcountry Reservation Office on the North Rim. A ranger will give you a number. To stay on the waiting list, you’ll have to show up at the Backcountry Information Center at 8am every morning until there’s an opening. Usually permits are for the following night or the night after that; permits for the same night are rarely issued. Cancellations don’t always come up, but the people in charge sometimes set aside a spot or two at the Bright Angel, Indian Garden, or Cottonwood campground for people on the list (Bright Angel is most likely).

Information

Contact Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 (phone 800/638-7888; www.nps.gov/grca), for a free copy of the Grand Canyon Trip Planner. Those who want more in-depth information can buy books, maps, and videos from the Grand Canyon Association, P.O. Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 (phone 800/858-2808; www.grandcanyon.org). Among the hundreds of books written on the Grand Canyon, several stand out. For a general overview, leaf through Grand Canyon: A Natural History Guide (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1993), by Jeremy Schmidt. For a discussion of the human history of the Grand Canyon, try Living at the Edge: Explorers, Exploiters and Settlers of the Grand Canyon Region (Grand Canyon Association, 1998), by Michael F. Anderson. In An Introduction to Grand Canyon Geology (Grand Canyon Association, 1999), author L. Greer Price explains the geology of the Grand Canyon in terms anyone can understand. Frommer’s Grand Canyon National Park is a comprehensive guide to the park written by the author of this chapter, Shane Christenson. If you’re planning a longer trip to the area, you might also pick up a copy of Frommer’s Arizona or Frommer’s American Southwest.

Fees & Permits

Admission to Grand Canyon National Park costs $25 per private vehicle and $16 for those on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle. The receipt is good for a week and includes both rims.

Permits are required for all overnight camping in the backcountry that falls within the park’s boundaries. This includes all overnight stays below the rims (except in Phantom Ranch’s cabins and dorms) and on park land outside of designated campgrounds. Good for up to 11 people, each permit costs $10, plus an additional $5 per person per night (so the cost for four people, for example, would be $30).

The furthest in advance permit requests are accepted and considered by the Backcountry Information Center is the first of the month, 4 months before the proposed start month. For example, permits for all of May go on sale on January 1; permits for June go on sale February 1, and so on. To obtain a backcountry permit for the dates and use areas/campsites of your choice, ensure your request arrives at the Backcountry Information Center on the first day it will be accepted (but not before). Faxing is strongly recommended. Only written requests are accepted during the fourth month out. Written requests may be submitted by fax, letter, or hand delivered. All requests received by 5pm on the first day of the fourth month out will be placed in random order by computer. Verbal in-person requests are only considered for start dates one to three months out (not four).

You can pick up the Permit Request Form and instructions in person at the Backcountry Information Center (phone 928/638-7875; www.nps.gov/grca) or download them from the website. Select “Backcountry Hiking” and then “Backcountry Permit” (the Permit Request Form is available as a PDF file). Once you fill out your Permit Request Form, take it in person to the Backcountry Information Center on the South Rim or North Rim; fax it to phone 928/638-2125 no earlier than the date the permits become available; or mail it postmarked no earlier than that date to: Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023.

To increase your odds of receiving a permit, be as flexible as possible. It helps to request three alternative hikes, in order of preference, and more than one starting date. Keeping your group small also helps. No requests are taken by phone. Allow 1 to 3 weeks for processing, after the Backcountry Information Center receives your form. Forms must be received at least 2 weeks before the dates requested. Faxing the form will get you a response much faster than mailing it. Tip: In the future, the center may begin to accept permit requests online; check the National Parks website for updates.

The Backcountry Information Center takes calls weekdays between 1 and 5pm Mountain Standard Time at phone 928/638-7875. You can also visit the office in person from 8am to noon and 1 to 5pm daily. Representatives can help if you have questions about a trail or about applying for a permit.

Visitor Centers

Grand Canyon Visitor Center The Grand Canyon Visitor Center, near Mather Point, has become the first stop for many visitors to the South Rim. The whole complex has the streamlined appearance of a modern mass-transit hub and continues to expand. Various kiosks provide basic information about tours, trails, overlooks, cycling, weather, ranger-guided programs, and other topics. The four large parking lots surrounding the visitor center accommodate up to 875 vehicles. Free shuttles connect the Information Plaza with Grand Canyon Village and the Kaibab Trail.

The Grand Canyon Visitor Center sits inside a long, glass-faced building. Here you’ll find displays about the canyon, trip planning tools to help you decide how to spend your time in the park, and a ranger-staffed information desk. At one end of the visitor center is the Science on a Sphere enclosure presenting “The Canyon World,” a short introduction to 1.8 billion years of canyon history projected on the outside of a 6-foot diameter sphere. From the other end of the visitor center you can enter the new theater, which shows the inspiring park film Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder. It’s free and plays every 20 minutes. Adjacent to the visitor center are restrooms and Books and More, the large bookstore run by the Grand Canyon Association. The plaza outside the visitor center is a good place to learn about canyon flora—it’s also a great place for kids to climb and explore. They can read a poem about the Grand Canyon, search the rocks for engravings of Grand Canyon birds, fossils, and animal tracks, and even pet the full-size granite sculpture of a mountain lion. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center is open daily 8am to 6pm in summer, and 8am to 5pm during the rest of the year.

Yavapai Geology Museum Located a half mile west of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on Yavapai Point, this historic station has an observation room from which you can identify many of the central canyon’s monuments. Rangers frequently lead interpretive programs here, and exhibits explain the region’s geology, including how the canyon was formed. It’s open daily from 8am to 8pm in summer, and from 8am to 6pm the rest of the year.

Desert View Visitor Center At this small visitor center 26 miles east of Grand Canyon Village, you can buy books from the Grand Canyon Association and get information about the canyon from park rangers. It’s just inside the park’s East Entrance, 29 miles west of Cameron on Ariz. 64. It’s open daily from 9am to 6pm in summer, and daily from 9am to 5pm the rest of the year.

Tusayan Ruin & Museum This museum, 3 miles west of Desert View, has an information desk staffed by rangers, plus displays about the area’s indigenous people including pottery, arrowheads, jewelry, and figurines. It’s open daily from 9am to 5pm (closed Tues–Wed in winter).

Kolb Studio On the rim at the west end of Grand Canyon Village, Kolb Studio houses a small bookstore and an art gallery with free exhibits. It’s open daily from 8am to 7pm in summer, and daily 8am to 6pm the rest of the year.

Verkamp’s Visitor Center The park’s newest visitor center lies within the century-old Vercamp’s Curios building. It features displays depicting the canyon’s history as well as a bookstore. It’s open daily 8am to 8pm in summer, and 8am to 6pm the rest of the year.

North Rim Visitor Center This visitor center near Grand Canyon Lodge has a ranger desk with maps, trail information including water availability and weather conditions, and schedules for ranger programs, as well as a Grand Canyon Association bookstore. It’s open daily 8am to 6pm from mid-May to mid-October, and after that from 9am to 4pm until the first snow closes the road.

Special Regulations & Warnings

It’s illegal to remove any resources from the park. These can be anything from flowers to pottery fragments. Even seemingly useless articles like bits of metal from the canyon’s old mining operations have historical value and are protected by law.

Fires are strictly prohibited except at North Rim, Desert View, and Mather campgrounds. In the backcountry, use a small camp stove for cooking.

Bicycles are allowed on all paved and unpaved park roads where motorized vehicles are permitted, and on the Greenway Trail. However, they are not allowed on hiking trails, including the Rim Trail. Bicyclists must obey all traffic regulations, and should ride single-file with the flow of traffic. On narrow Hermit Road, they should pull to the right shoulder and dismount when large vehicles are passing.

Leashed pets are permitted on trails throughout the developed areas of the South Rim, but not below the rim. The only exceptions are certified service animals.

Discharging weapons, including guns, bows and arrows, crossbows, slingshots, and air pistols, is prohibited, as are all fireworks. If by chance you have a hang glider and are considering jumping into the canyon, forget it. It’s illegal, and you’ll be fined.

Seasons & Climate

The climate at Grand Canyon varies greatly not only from season to season, but from point to point. At over 8,000 feet in elevation, the North Rim is by far the coldest, dampest part of the park. Its temperatures run about 30° cooler than Phantom Ranch at the canyon bottom, more than 5,000 feet below, and 7° cooler than the South Rim, roughly 1,000 feet below. It averages 25 inches of precipitation per year, compared to just 8 inches at Phantom Ranch and 16 inches on the South Rim.

The North Rim doesn’t open until mid-May, so your only choice in early spring is the South Rim, where daily highs average 60° and 70°F (16° and 21°C) in April and May, respectively. Travelers should be prepared for late-winter storms, which occasionally bring snow to the rim. Spring is an ideal time to hike the inner canyon, with highs in April averaging 82°F (28°C).

In summer, the rims seldom become unbearably hot. Summer highs are usually in the 80s (upper 20s Celsius) on the South Rim and in the 70s (low 20s Celsius) on the North Rim. The canyon bottom, on the other hand, can be torrid, with highs in July averaging 106°F (41°C). Localized thunderstorms frequently drench the park in late July and August, the wettest month of the year, when nearly 2 1/4 inches of rain fall on the South Rim. On the North Rim, nights can be nippy even during July, when low temperatures average a chilly 46°F (8°C).

After the thunderstorms taper off in mid-September, fall is a great time to be anywhere in the park. Highs on the South Rim average 76°F (24°C) in September, 65°F (18°C) in October, and 52°F (11°C) in November. The North Rim has highs of 69°F (21°C) in September and 59°F (15°C) in October. (It closes in mid-Oct.) The Inner Gorge remains hot in September but cools off considerably, to an average high of 84°F (29°C), in October. The first winter storms can hit the North Rim as early as mid-October.

In winter, the North Rim is closed, and drivers to the South Rim should be prepared for icy roads and occasional closures. When the snow isn’t falling, the South Rim warms up nicely, with average highs of 41°F (5°C) in January. Hiking trails remain open but are often snow-packed and icy.

Seasonal Events

For 3 weeks every September, world-renowned musicians gather for the Grand Canyon Music Festival, P.O. Box 1332, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 (phone 800/997-8285 or 928/638-9215; www.grandcanyonmusicfest.org). Most of the offerings are chamber-music concerts, and are at the acoustically superb Shrine of the Ages Auditorium on the canyon’s South Rim. Tickets for the 7:30pm concerts cost $15 for adults and $8 for children (park admission not included) and are available in advance through the festival office. To ensure that you receive the tickets you want, order by early July.

For up-to-date information on other special events, consult the park’s newspaper, The Guide.

If You Have Only 1 day

After stopping at one of the information centers to get your bearings, hike a short distance down the Bright Angel trail in the morning. (If the weather is hot or if your condition is not top-notch, walk the Trail of Time btw. Yavapai Point and Verkamp’s Visitor Center.) Mid-day, attend a ranger presentation; The Guide lists times and locations. Later in the day, go on a scenic drive. On the South Rim, your best choice on the first day is Desert View Drive, which remains open to cars year-round and offers expansive views of the central and eastern canyon. On the North Rim, travel the Cape Royal Road. To complete your scenic drive, watch sunset from Lipan Point on the South Rim or from Cape Royal on the North Rim. The scenic drives and corridor trails are detailed later in this chapter.

Exploring the Park by Car

Grand Canyon Village

Hermit Road

This 8-mile road from Grand Canyon Village to Hermits Rest is open to private cars December to February only, when shuttles aren’t running.

Your first stops are at Trailviews 1 and 2. Looking north from these view points, you can see straight down the side canyons that formed on either side of the Colorado River along the Bright Angel fault. Below, you may spot lush vegetation growing around a spring. This area is Indian Garden, where Havasupai Indians once farmed.

The next stop, Maricopa Point, overlooks the old Orphan Mine, which produced some of the richest uranium ore in the Southwest during the 1950s and 1960s. Below and to the west, you can see the metal framework from the tramway used to move ore to the rim from 1956 to 1969.

Continue to the Powell Memorial, which honors John Wesley Powell, the one-armed Civil War veteran thought to be the first non-native person to float through the canyon. From atop the memorial, you can get an especially fine view 60 miles southeast to the San Francisco peaks, including Humphreys Peak, which, at 12,633 feet, is the highest point in Arizona.

Because the next stop, Hopi Point, projects far into the canyon, its tip is the best place on Hermit Road to watch the sunset. As the sun drops, its light plays across four of the canyon’s loveliest temples. The flat mesa almost due north of the point is Shiva Temple. The temple southwest of it is Osiris; the one southeast is Isis. East of Isis is Buddha Temple.

The next stop, Mohave Point, is a great place to observe some of the Colorado River’s most furious rapids. Farthest downstream (to your left) is Hermit Rapids. Above it, you can make out the top of the dangerous Granite Rapids. Just above Granite Rapids, you can discern the bottom of Salt Creek Rapids. As you look at Hermit Creek Canyon and the rapids below it, you can visualize how floods washed rocks into the Colorado River, forming the natural dam that creates the rapids.

Next you’ll come to The Abyss, where the steep canyon walls drop 2,600 feet to the base of the Redwall Limestone.

Monument Creek Vista is a new shuttle stop on the way to Hermits Rest that lets you access the new greenway trail. Cyclists can bring their bikes on the shuttle to this point and then ride 2.8 miles along the greenway to Hermits Rest.

Three thousand feet below the next stop, Pima Point, you’ll see some of the foundations and walls from the old Hermit Camp, a tourist destination built in 1912 by the Santa Fe Railroad. Before descending to Hermit Camp, tourists took a break at the next stop, Hermits Rest. In this 1914 building, Mary Colter celebrated the “hermit” theme by building what resembled a crude rock shelter, with stones heaped highest around the chimney. Inside, Colter covered the ceiling above the fireplace with soot, so it has the look of a cave warmed by fire. Nearby are restrooms and a snack bar.

Highlights: Closed to cars during high season, the overlooks are quieter than those on the Desert View Drive and afford excellent river views.

Drawbacks: Occasional long waits for buses.

Desert View Drive

The first stop, the Yavapai Geology Museum at Yavapai Point, features some of the most expansive views up and down the canyon. The historic observation station has huge plate-glass windows overlooking the canyon, along with interpretive panels identifying the major landmarks. There are also exhibits explaining the canyon’s geology.

People entering the park from the south generally catch their first glimpse of the canyon from the next stop, Mather Point. It’s a clamorous place with one redeeming feature: a canyon view. (There’s no such thing as a bad canyon view.) You can park here and walk to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.

Yaki Point, the first stop off Ariz. 64, is accessible by car only when the shuttles aren’t running. It’s a great place to see the monuments of the central canyon, including Wotan’s Throne, Vishnu Temple, and Zoroaster Temple. Two trails are also easy to spot from here. To the north, the South Kaibab Trail descends in switchbacks below Skeleton Point. Meanwhile, the Tonto Trail meanders across the broad blue-green terrace known as the Tonto Platform.

The next stop, 7,406-foot-high Grandview Point, is one of the highest spots on the South Rim. In the 1890s, one of the canyon’s early prospectors, Pete Barry, built a trail from Grandview Point to nearby Horseshoe Mesa, where he mined copper. He then built cabins and a dining hall on the mesa, and a hotel a short distance from Grandview Point. Today only a trace of the hotel’s foundation remains, but the trail is still in use, and Horseshoe Mesa bears the remnants of Barry’s mines.

Next you’ll come to Moran Point, named for landscape painter Thomas Moran. This is the best place from which to view the tilting block of rock known as the Sinking Ship. Stand at the end of the point and look southwest at the rocks level with the rim. The “ship” appears to be “submerged” in the horizontal layers of Coronado Butte (in the foreground). It’s part of the Grandview Monocline, a place where rocks have bent in a single fold around a fault line.

Next comes the Tusayan Ruin and Museum, built in the 12th century by the ancestral Puebloan (sometimes known as Anasazi) people. Among the 3,500 documented archaeological sites in and around the Grand Canyon, this may have been the last one abandoned. A self-guided tour takes you around the pueblo. Built in 1932, the adjoining Tusayan Museum celebrates the traditions of the area’s Native American tribes.

Don’t miss the next stop, Lipan Point. With views far down the canyon to the west, it’s a great place to catch the sunset. It also overlooks the Colorado River where the river makes two sweeping curves to form an enormous S. Just downstream from the S, the river begins cutting through the 2-billion-year-old Vishnu Formation, and the steep-walled Inner Gorge begins.

Like Lipan Point, the next stop, Navajo Point, offers fine views of the Grand Canyon Supergroup, a formation of igneous and sedimentary rocks that have eroded altogether in many other parts of the canyon. The long, thin streaks of maroon, gray, and black, which tilt at an angle of about 20 degrees, are layers of this formation.

The last stop on the Desert View Drive is Desert View, where you’ll find the Watchtower, a 70-foot-high historic stone building that was modeled after towers found at ancient pueblos such as Mesa Verde and Hovenweep. Atop the Watchtower is an enclosed observation deck, which, at 7,522 feet, is the highest point on the South Rim. The rim at Desert View offers spectacular views of the northeast end of the canyon. There’s also a visitor center, general store, snack shop, and gas station here.

If you take the Desert View Drive shuttle, be aware that the buses stop only at Mather, Yavapai, and Yaki points.

Highlights: Spectacular views of both the central and northeastern canyon.

Drawbacks: Sometimes closes temporarily in winter because of snow. Allow a half-day for this 25-mile scenic drive on Ariz. 64, which connects South Entrance Rd. with Desert View.

North Rim: Cape Royal Drive

Start your driving tour at Cape Royal, where a gentle, paved .3-mile (each way) trail passes a natural bridge, Angel’s Window, carved into a rock peninsula along the rim. The trail ends at the tip of Cape Royal, with views of the looming butte known as Wotan’s Throne.

Your next stop may be at the Cliff Springs Trail, a .5-mile walk that ends at a small spring (see “Day Hikes,” below).

From the next stop, Walhalla Overlook, you can follow with your eyes the tan line of Unkar Creek as it snakes down toward Unkar Delta. The soil and abundant water at the delta made for excellent farming for the ancestral Puebloan people, who occupied the canyon through about a.d. 1175. Many of these people migrated seasonally to dwellings such as the two small pueblos across the street from this overlook.

The next stop, Roosevelt Point, is one of the best places to see the confluence of the gorge of the Little Colorado River with the Grand Canyon. They meet at nearly a right angle, unusual in that most tributaries enter at close to the same direction as the larger rivers.

By starting your driving tour of the Walhalla Plateau early in the day, you can reach the next stop, Vista Encantada, in time for a late picnic on one of several tables with canyon views.

From there you can finish your driving tour by taking the 3-mile spur from the Cape Royal Road to Point Imperial, at 8,803 feet, the highest point on the North Rim. It’s also the best place on either rim to view the northeastern end of the park.

Highlights: Sparse crowds and lovely views of the eastern canyon.

Drawbacks: The Colorado River is not visible as often on this drive as on the South Rim drives. Also, there’s no shuttle on the north rim, so you must do all the driving yourself. From the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim, it’s best to go the length of the scenic drive 23 miles directly to Cape Royal, on the Walhalla Plateau, then make your stops on the way back. That way, you can do the short hikes near Cape Royal while your legs are fresh, and stop at the picnic areas, closer to the lodge, on your way back. Allow a half-day to a day for this drive.

Exploring the Park by Shuttle

Once at the South Rim, you can ride the park’s free shuttles from March 1 through November 30 (year-round on the loop serving Grand Canyon Village). Three shuttle routes serve all of Grand Canyon Village, Canyon View Information Plaza, Mather Point, Yavapai Point, Yaki Point, and Hermit Road. When the shuttles run, Hermit Road and Yaki Point (including the South Kaibab trail head) are closed to private vehicles.

When the shuttles aren’t running, take advantage of the park’s 24-hour taxi service (phone 928/638-2822). These taxis do not have meters, as their fares vary according to distance and the number of passengers. The trip from Grand Canyon Village to Tusayan costs $10 for one or two adult passengers, plus $5 for each additional adult.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The park offers a host of free ranger programs; the schedule changes seasonally. A typical schedule includes guided hikes and walks, kids’ programs, and discussions of geology, native species, and natural and cultural history. Evening programs are scheduled nightly and run year-round on the South Rim (in winter, the North Rim is closed). For an up-to-date schedule, consult the park newspaper, The Guide.

Guided Hikes & Trips The nonprofit Grand Canyon Field Institute, P.O. Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 (www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute), schedules dozens of multiday classes, backpacking trips, and rafting adventures. Some explore broad subjects such as ecology, cultural or natural history, wilderness studies, and photography and the arts. An expert on the topics guides each excursion. Because the courses vary greatly, the Field Institute assigns a difficulty level to each and tries to help participants find ones suited to their skill levels and interests.

Bus Tours Of the many private companies that offer bus tours, Xanterra presents the largest number of options. Among the tour choices are Desert View Tour (East Rim) and Hermits Rest Tour ($45 and $26, respectively, for adults; free for those 15 and under), sunset tours ($21), sunrise tours ($21) to one of several rim stops, and all-day outings that combine Desert View Drive with any other tour ($58). Unlike the free shuttles, these buses run on natural gas and Xanterra’s drivers narrate the tours. Though they mean well and offer some valuable information, these guides were not hired for their command of natural science and history but rather for their educational entertainment. For advance reservations, call phone 888/297-2757, or visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com. Once at the canyon, visit the transportation desks at Yavapai, Maswik, or Bright Angel lodges, or call phone 928/638-2631, ext. 6015, to make reservations.

Open Road Tours (phone 855/563-8830; www.openroadtoursusa.com) offers 1-day guided tours to the Grand Canyon’s East Rim and Cameron Trading Post departing from Flagstaff at 9:30am and returning by 5:30pm. The cost is $95 for adults, $55 for children 11 and under.

protecting the environment: What You Can Do

Here are a few things you can do during your stay to protect Grand Canyon National Park:

• Respect the animals. When accustomed to handouts, wild animals are nuisances, at best, and dangerous, at worst. Deer will sometimes butt, kick, or gore people who have food; squirrels, which may carry rabies and even bubonic plague, won’t hesitate to bite the hand that feeds them. And human food isn’t good for wildlife. In recent years, park management has been forced to shoot deer that have become sick from eating human food. So don’t feed the critters.

• Report sightings of California condors, and stay at least 300 feet away from the birds. The endangered California condor, the largest land bird in North America, was reintroduced to the wild just north of Grand Canyon in 1996. Unafraid of people, many of the condors eventually began venturing to crowded areas on the South Rim. If the condors become accustomed to people, their survival will be jeopardized. Already, people have killed a few. The park asks that visitors stay at least 300 feet from the birds and report any sightings to a ranger.

• Stay on designated trails. Short-cutting is riskier on the steep trails at Grand Canyon than at other parks. In addition to risking a fall, people who cut trails often kick off rock fall, which is dangerous to those below. Short-cutting also digs paths that channel water during storms, causing unnecessary erosion of desert soils. Throughout the canyon, off-trail hikers frequently trample cryptogamic soils—delicate plants that take as long as 100 years to form.

• Pack it out. Even when day-hiking, remember to carry out anything that you bring in.

• Pick up litter and recycle. Even small bits of litter such as cigarette butts can add up to a big mess in the crowded areas on the rim. Pieces of paper that blow into the canyon can take decades to decay in the dry desert air. So can organic material such as fruit rinds and apple cores.

• Leave plants, rocks, and artifacts in place. Removing any of these things not only detracts from the beauty of the park, but is against the law. While it may seem innocuous to pick a flower, imagine what would happen if each of the park’s five million visitors did so.

• Use the shuttles. From March 1 to November 30, free shuttles serve Grand Canyon Village, Hermits Rest Route, the Canyon View Information Plaza, and Yaki and Yavapai points. By using the shuttles, all of which pass through the Maswik Transportation Center, you can ease congestion, noise, and air pollution.

Park Attractions

Most of the historic buildings on the South Rim cluster in Grand Canyon Village, a National Historic District. Hermits Rest on Hermit Road, and the Watchtower on the Desert View Drive, are also of historical significance (see “Exploring the Park by Car,” above).

More than a half-dozen of these historic buildings were designed by Mary Colter, a Minneapolis schoolteacher who in 1902 began decorating the shops that sold American Indian art along the Santa Fe Railroad line. Both a decorator and a self-trained architect, Colter designed these Grand Canyon landmarks: Hopi House (1905), The Lookout (1914), Hermits Rest (1914), Phantom Ranch (1922), Watchtower (1932), and Bright Angel Lodge (1935). Colter’s work drew heavily on the architectural styles of Native Americans and Spanish settlers in the Southwest. Another historic building, the El Tovar Hotel (1905), was designed by Charles Whittlesey in a style reminiscent of a northern European hunting lodge.

Grand Canyon Lodge (1928), on the North Rim, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Day Hikes

There’s no better way to enjoy the canyon than by walking down into it, watching the vegetation and rock layers change as you descend. The experience is far more rewarding than merely looking down from the rims.

Unfortunately, hiking below the rims can be dangerous, especially at midday during summer. Changes in temperature and elevation can make hiking difficult even in ideal conditions. The jarring descent can strain your knees; the climb back out will test your lungs and heart. If it’s hot out or you aren’t up to climbing, consider walking on one of the rim trails or on the new greenway being constructed on the South Rim. If nothing else, this will help you move away from the crowds at the overlooks. The rim trails are especially peaceful in the forests on the North Rim.

First-time hikers in the canyon should consider one of the corridor trails: North Kaibab, South Kaibab, and Bright Angel. Park rangers regularly patrol the trails, which are well maintained and easy to follow. Each has at least one emergency phone and pit toilet. Drinking water is available at several sources along both the Bright Angel and North Kaibab trails, but not on South Kaibab.

Wherever you hike, carry plenty of water and food, and check with the rangers about the availability of additional water along the trail. Eat and drink regularly. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and protective clothing. If you hike into the canyon, allow yourself twice as much time for the trip out as for the descent, and remember that the mileage indicated represents, in large part, vertical distance.

Rim Trails: South Rim

Rim Trail on the South Rim This walk starts in Grand Canyon Village and goes both east and west along the rim, with the westbound section of the trail spanning 8 miles to Hermits Rest and the eastbound part extending 4.5 miles past Mather Point to the South Kaibab Trailhead. Both sections can be very busy, especially near Grand Canyon Village, and both offer stunning canyon views while passing through less-than-pristine rim-top scenery. The eastbound section is paved (from Maricopa Point to Pipe Creek Vista) and easy to traverse; the westbound part is longer and more rugged, and has lonesome stretches. Much of the westbound section is close to Hermit Road. The new educational Trail of Time extends 1.3 miles from Verkamp’s Visitor Center to Yavapai Point on the eastbound section.

West on the South Rim Trail Walking instead of driving along the rim is a great way to see the canyon while putting some room between yourself and the crowds at the overlooks. The trail travels parallel to Hermit Road and passes through the same scenic overlooks described in the driving tour (see above). It is paved from South Kaibab Trailhead to Powell Point; unpaved between Powell Point and Monument Creek Vista; and paved between Monument Creek Vista and Hermits Rest. The 1.9-mile distance from the village to Powell Point is paved, with one 200-foot climb. Past Maricopa Point, the trail planes off and the pavement ends. For the next 4 miles, there’s a well-defined dirt trail that meanders through pinyon-juniper woodland along the rim (when not passing overlooks). The scenery is lovely, and the crowd thins as you move farther west.

Because 16 miles might be too much for 1 day, I recommend hiking out on this trail from Grand Canyon Village and taking the shuttle back (Mar–Nov). By hiking out, you can avoid revisiting the same overlooks on the shuttle ride back—the shuttles stop at every turnout en route to Hermits Rest, but only at Pima Point, Mohave Point, and Powell Point on their way back to Grand Canyon Village.

East on the South Rim Trail This smooth, paved trail connects Grand Canyon Village and Mather Point. Around the lodges, the path is a flat sidewalk teeming with people. Between Verkamp’s Visitor Center and Yavapai Point lies the Trail of Time, a 1.3-mile walk from the Village to Yavapai Geology Museum in which every meter (think of a long step) equals a million years of history. This interactive walk, representing 2 billion years of Grand Canyon history, allows you to see and touch rock samples from the canyon’s various layers. The crowds dissipate between the village’s east edge and Yavapai Point. Near Yavapai Point, there are many smooth, flat rocks along the rim—great places from which to contemplate the canyon. Located 1.75 miles northeast of the village’s historic district, Yavapai Point has a historic observation station (it was built in 1928), with large windows overlooking the canyon and geology-related exhibitions. From here, you can walk another .7 mile to Mather Point on a portion of the park’s greenway trail, then past Pipe Creek Vista on to South Kaibab Trailhead. This 10-foot-wide, paved walkway is usually within a few feet of the rim, away from crowds and providing ever-changing canyon views. If you grow fatigued, you can catch shuttles at Mather Point, Yavapai Point, or Pipe Creek Vista.

Rim Trails: North Rim

Cape Final Trail This relatively flat, boulder-free trail is a good choice for a first hike in the backcountry. It meanders through ponderosa pine forest on an old jeep trail, ending at Cape Final, where you’ll have partial views of the northern canyon and Juno Temple. 2 miles one-way. Easy. Access: Unmarked dirt parking area off Cape Royal Rd., 5 miles south of Roosevelt Point.

Cliff Springs Trail Both scenic and fairly short, this hike is perfect for active families. The dirt trail seems to head into forest away from the canyon, but it soon descends into a narrow, rocky side canyon that drains into the larger one—a reminder that the Walhalla Plateau is a peninsula in the Grand Canyon. It hugs the north wall of the side canyon, passing under limestone overhangs, in light-colored green by the canopies of box elder trees. The springs drip from one of these overhangs, where mosses carpet fissures in the rock. The spring water is not potable and must be purified before drinking. A waist-high boulder marks the end of the trail. .5 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Small pullout a little more than 1⁄4 mile north of Cape Royal on Cape Royal Rd.

Ken Patrick Trail This steeply rolling trail travels through ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forest between the head of Roaring Springs Canyon and Point Imperial. Starting at the North Kaibab end, the first mile of the trail has been pounded into dust by mules. The path becomes very faint about 4 miles in, after passing the trail head for the old Bright Angel Trail. Past the Cape Royal Road, the trail descends into, then climbs out of, a very steep drainage overgrown with thorn-covered New Mexican locust. Although challenging, the 3-mile section between the Cape Royal Road and Point Imperial is also the prettiest stretch, skirting the rim of the canyon above upper drainages of Nankoweap Creek. You’ll see plenty of scarlet bugler, identifiable by its tubular red flowers with flared lower petals, as well as a number of Douglas firs interspersed among the ponderosa pines. 10 miles one-way. Strenuous. Access: From south side of parking area for Point Imperial, or from parking area for North Kaibab Trail (on North Rim entrance road, 2 miles north of Grand Canyon Lodge).

The Transept Trail & Bright Angel Point Trail To familiarize yourself with the North Rim, start with these trails, which are different sections of the same pathway. At the bottom of the stairs behind Grand Canyon Lodge, the Bright Angel Point Trail goes to the left and the Transept Trail goes right.

The paved Bright Angel Point Trail travels a quarter mile to the tip of a narrow peninsula dividing Roaring Springs and Transept canyons. It passes a number of craggy outcroppings of Kaibab limestone, around which the roots of wind-whipped juniper trees cling like arthritic hands. The trail ends at 8,148-foot-high Bright Angel Point.

The Transept Trail ventures northeast along the rim of Transept Canyon, connecting the lodge and the North Rim Campground. Passing through old-growth ponderosa pine and quaking aspen, it descends into, then climbs out of, three shallow side drainages, with ascents steep enough to take the breath away from people unaccustomed to the altitude. Approximate round-trip hiking time for this trail is 1 1/2 hours. Bright Angel Point Trail .25 mile each way. Transept Trail 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Behind Grand Canyon Lodge.

Widforss Trail Named for landscape painter Gunnar Widforss, this trail skirts the head of Transept Canyon before venturing south to Widforss Point. For the first 2 miles, the trail undulates through ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forest, with spruce fir on the shady side of each drainage. Past the head of Transept Canyon, the trail heads south through a stand of old-growth ponderosa, part of which has been singed by forest fires. The trail reaches the rim again at Widforss Point, where you’ll have a view of five temples. Near the rim are a picnic table and several good campsites. This is a self-guided hike; obtain brochures at the trail head. 5 miles one-way. Moderate. Hiking time approx. 6 hr. round-trip. Access: Dirt road a little more than 1⁄4 mile south of Cape Royal Rd. Follow this road about 3⁄4 mile to well-marked parking area.

Canyon Trails

Because of the huge elevation changes on the canyon trails, none should be called easy. (More people are rescued off the Bright Angel Trail, generally considered the “easiest” trail into the canyon, than off any other trail.) In general, please note that rating a trail easy, moderate, or difficult oversimplifies the situation; for this reason, we’ve avoided doing so below. For example, among the wilderness trails, the Hermit Trail is fine for many day-hikers going to Santa Maria Spring, but it becomes more rugged and harder to follow beyond that point; the trail offers day hikes that vary in distance up to 12 miles. The Tonto Trail is often easy to walk on, but it has little water or shade. It’s always a good idea to discuss your plans and your experience with a ranger before setting out.

South Rim Corridor Trails

Bright Angel Trail Both American Indians and early settlers recognized this as a choice location for a trail. First, there’s an enormous fault line that creates a natural break in the cliffs. Then there’s the water—more of it than anywhere else on the South Rim.

On a day hike, follow the switchbacks below Grand Canyon Village to One-and-a-Half-Mile House or Three-Mile House, each of which has shade, toilets, an emergency phone, and drinking water (seasonally). The Park Service, which responds to hundreds of emergency calls on this trail every year, discourages many day-hikers from going past One-and-a-Half-Mile House.

If you continue on the trail past Three-Mile House, you begin a long descent to the picnic area near the spring at Indian Garden, where lush vegetation surrounds you and large cottonwood trees provide shade. At 4.6 miles and more than 3,000 vertical feet from the rim, Indian Garden is dangerously deep for many people. However, a few well-prepared day-hikers may wish to hike an additional 1.5 miles past Indian Garden on the relatively flat (in this area) Tonto and Plateau Point trails. The Plateau Point Trail eventually dead-ends at an overlook of the Colorado River 1,300 feet below. 4.6 miles to Indian Garden, 7.8 miles to Colorado River, 9.3 miles to Bright Angel Campground. Access: Just west of Kolb Studio, near Grand Canyon Village. 6,860 ft. at trail head,; 3,800 ft. at Indian Garden; 2,450 ft. at Colorado River. Water sources at One-and-a-Half-Mile House (seasonal), Three-Mile House (seasonal), Indian Garden, Colorado River, Bright Angel Campground.

South Kaibab Trail Unlike the Bright Angel Trail, which follows natural routes into the canyon, the South Kaibab was built using dynamite and hard labor. And unlike the Bright Angel Trail, which stays near creek beds for much of the distance to the Colorado River, the South Kaibab Trail travels on ridgelines with expansive views. Because the South Kaibab has no water and little shade, it is best for descending. The Bright Angel Trail is a safer trail for most hikers.

For a good day hike, follow the trail as it makes a series of switchbacks through the upper rock layers, down the west side of Yaki Point. Below the Coconino Sandstone, the trail heads north to Cedar Ridge, a platform that has pit toilets and a hitching post for mules. Shaded by pinyon and juniper trees, it affords expansive views down side canyons to the east and west. This is an excellent place for day-hikers to picnic and rest before hiking the 1.5 miles and 1,500 vertical feet back out. 6.7 miles to Colorado River, 6.8 miles to Bright Angel Campground. Access: Yaki Point (Ariz. 64, East Rim Dr., 5 miles east of Grand Canyon Village). 7,260 ft. at trail head; 2,450 ft. at Colorado River. Water sources at trail head, Colorado River, and Bright Angel Campground.

North Kaibab Trail Less crowded than the South Rim corridor trails, this one begins at a parking area off the North Rim entrance road. It starts with a long series of switchbacks through thickly forested terrain at the head of Roaring Springs Canyon. The first major landmark is Supai Tunnel. At 2 miles from the trail head, with seasonal water, shade, and restrooms available, this is an excellent turnaround point for day-hikers. Beyond the tunnel, the trail descends in relatively gradual switchbacks through the bright red Supai Formation rocks, then crosses a bridge over a creek bed. Past the bridge, the trail travels along the south wall of Roaring Springs Canyon, on ledges atop cliffs of Redwall limestone.

A spire known as The Needle marks the point where the trail begins its descent of the Redwall cliffs. Roaring Springs, the water source for both rims, becomes audible just above the confluence of Bright Angel and Roaring Springs canyons. A .2-mile spur trail descends to the springs. In the lush vegetation around it, you’ll find drinking water (seasonally), shade, and picnic tables. Roughly 5 miles and 3,000 vertical feet below the rim, this is the farthest a day-hiker should go. 2 miles to Supai Tunnel, 4.7 miles to Roaring Springs, 6.8 miles to Cottonwood Campground, 14 miles to the Colorado. Access: North Rim entrance road, 2 miles north of Grand Canyon Lodge. 8,250 ft. at North Kaibab Trailhead; 5,200 ft. at Roaring Springs; 4,080 ft. at Cottonwood Campground; 2,400 ft. at Colorado River. Water sources at Roaring Springs (seasonal), Bright Angel Creek, Cottonwood Campground (seasonal), Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground.

Wilderness Trails

Rangers are seldom encountered on the wilderness trails, which are not maintained by the park. The boulder-strewn trails have all but washed away in some places; in others, they descend steeply through cliffs.

Two South Rim wilderness trails, the Grandview and Hermit trails, work well for day hikes. Day-hikers often descend 2,600 vertical feet on the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa (avoid when wet or icy). This trail does not provide direct access to the Colorado River. Another option is to follow the Hermit Trail to Santa Maria or Dripping Springs (on a spur on the Dripping Springs Trail). Other South Rim wilderness trails include the Tanner, New Hance, Boucher, and South Bass. North Rim wilderness trails include the Bill Hall, Thunder River, Deer Creek, North Bass, and Nankoweap.

You can ask questions about wilderness trails and obtain free trail descriptions at the Backcountry Information Center (phone 928/638-7875), in the Maswik Transportation Center on the South Rim, and in the Backcountry Reservations trailer on the North Rim (no phone), approximately 11 miles south of the North Rim entrance gate, and marked by a sign. More detailed descriptions can be found in guidebooks and individual trail guides sold through the Grand Canyon Association (phone 800/858-2808; www.grandcanyon.org).

Other Sports & Activities

BIKING Inside the park on the South Rim, cyclists are allowed on all paved and unpaved roads where motorized vehicles are allowed as well as on the Greenway Trail. Paved Greenway Trail now connects Grand Canyon Visitor Center with Pipe Creek Vista (1.3 miles) and on to the South Kaibab Trailhead (another .8 mile). New sections of the Greenway Trail were scheduled to open in late 2011 connecting Grand Canyon Visitor Center with the campground and on to the gateway community of Tusayan. Most of the Tusayan Trail will be unpaved. Cyclists are not permitted on hiking trails below the rim or pedestrian paths, including the rim trail between Mather Point and Monument Creek Vista. Hermit Road is open to cyclists year-round and makes for a terrific ride, but you’ll need to yield to tour buses, shuttles, private vehicles, and people on foot.

You can mountain-bike on trails in the Kaibab National Forest, which borders the park on both rims.

Bicycles are now available for rent on the South Rim (except for in winter) at a temporary facility next to Grand Canyon Visitor Center. A permanent bike rental and snack shop building should be open here by summer 2012. On the North Rim, Forever Resorts (phone 928/638-2611, ext. 758) rents mountain bikes at the Sinclair Gas and Outfitter Station located at the entrance to the North Rim Campground.

Condor Viewing In recent years, many Grand Canyon visitors have spotted condors, the largest land birds in North America. Of the 198 California condors in the wild, 67 now live in the canyon country of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Members of the vulture family, California condors will cruise well over 100 miles a day, at speeds approaching 50 mph. When mature, condors are grayish-black except on their heads, which are orange and featherless. Under each wing, a triangular white patch is visible.

Because condors have poor olfactory senses, they sometimes follow turkey vultures and other raptors to carrion. Other than size, the easiest way to tell the species apart is the way they soar: Vultures hold their wings in a V; condors keep theirs in a plane. Unless the condors change their habits, they will probably reappear above the South Rim in the years to come.

North of the canyon, you might spot a condor by driving 14 miles east of Jacob Lake on Hwy. 89A to House Rock Valley Road (the first road to your left after you leave the National Forest). Turn left (north) and go 2 miles to a small ramada. Scientists leave food for the youngest birds on cliffs above the ramada. If the condors are in the area, you’ll probably meet workers who are tracking them. They carry a spotting scope and binoculars and will help you sight the birds.

Wherever you spot them, please don’t approach, feed, or otherwise disturb the condors. If you see one that appears to be hurt or sick, notify the Peregrine Fund Condor Project (phone 928/355-2270; www.peregrinefund.org). Be prepared to identify the time and location of the sighting and, if possible, the bird’s wing-tag number.

Cross-Country Skiing Cross-country skiing is unreliable on the South Rim. When there is sufficient snow, the Kaibab National Forest grooms trails near the Grandview Lookout Tower. For information about which trails are open in winter, call the Kaibab National Forest Tusayan Ranger District Office at phone 928/638-2443.

Fishing There’s great trout fishing in the Colorado River just upstream of the national park, between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry. For advice on fishing this area, contact Lees Ferry Anglers Guides and Fly Shop (phone 800/962-9755 or 928/355-2261), about 2 1/2 hours north of Flagstaff on U.S. 89A. Before you can fish in or near the park, you’ll need an Arizona Fishing Permit, available at Lees Ferry Anglers or at the Canyon Village Marketplace (phone 928/638-2262) in Grand Canyon Village.

The best trout fishing inside the park is at the eastern end of the canyon, upstream of Phantom Ranch. The river is clear and cold (48°F/9°C) year-round directly below the dam, making this a great trout hatchery—and a chilling place for the native species, which evolved to live in muddy water and extreme variations in temperature. Downstream the river gradually warms and gathers sediment from its tributaries, causing the trout population to dwindle and enabling the bottom-feeders to survive. The five most abundant fish species in the park are carp, speckled dace, flannel-mouth sucker, rainbow trout, and blue-head sucker.

Air Tours A handful of companies, based at Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, offer scenic airplane or helicopter rides over the canyon. With hundreds of thousands of people taking air tours over the canyon every year, the flights, which generate a great deal of noise in parts of the park and have raised safety concerns following a few crashes over the years, have become a politically charged issue.

The following companies offer air tours originating from Tusayan: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters (phone 800/528-2418; www.papillon.com); Maverick Helicopters (phone 800/962-3869; www.maverickhelicopter.com); Grand Canyon Airlines (phone 866/235-9422; www.grandcanyonairlines.com); and Scenic Airlines (phone 800/634-6801; www.scenic.com). Some of these companies also offer longer, more expensive tours that combine flights with short river cruises and lunch.

Most airplane tours remain airborne for 40 to 50 minutes and cost about $145 per person; most helicopter tours fly for 25 to 50 minutes and range from $175 to $260. The planes also cover more ground, crossing the canyon near Hermits Rest and returning along the East Rim, near Desert View. The helicopter tours, meanwhile, usually fly out and back in the same corridor near Hermits Rest (though some do go for the full loop.) The helicopters cruise lower—just above the rim.

Horseback Riding For horseback riding near the South Rim, go to Apache Stables (phone 928/638-2891; www.apachestables.com), which operates from April through October; it’s 1 mile north of Tusayan (off Hwy. 64) just outside the park’s south entrance. This is a great, albeit expensive, family activity. Children as young as 8 years are allowed on the 1-hour trail rides, which, like the 2-hour ones, loop through the Kaibab National Forest near the stables. Apache Stables also offers a 4-hour ride east through the forest to a view point at the East Rim. You must be 10 or over to go on the 2-hour ride, 14 to go on the 4-hour ride. Weight limits are 230 pounds, 220 pounds, and 200 pounds for the 1-, 2-, and 4-hour rides, respectively.

Mule Rides The prospect of descending narrow trails above steep cliffs on animals hardly famous for their intelligence might make you nervous. Once on the trail, however, you’ll soon discover that the mules are no more enthralled by the idea of falling than you are. Although the mules walk close to the edges, there has never been a fatal accident.

The rides, while usually safe, can nonetheless be grueling. In fact, the National Park Service has limited the destination and number of mule rides, no longer allowing the 1-day trip to Plateau Point. Instead, there is now a rim ride offered to the Abyss, along with a limited number of mule rides still allowed down to Phantom Ranch. Most people’s legs aren’t used to bending around a mule, and the saddles aren’t soft. In addition to the pounding, the canyon can be scorching, and chances for breaks are few. Because the rides are strenuous for both riders and mules, the wranglers strictly adhere to the following requirements: You must weigh less than 200 pounds (everyone is weighed), be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall, not be pregnant, and understand English. Acrophobes are discouraged from participating.

The least expensive ride—the half-day trip to the Abyss Overlook—stays on the rim. It travels from the Livery Barn in Grand Canyon Village through Pinyon Pine forest to the Abyss Overlook. Riders have about 30 minutes here to take in the magnificent 3,000 foot vertical drop and stunning panorama here. Total trip time is 3 hours and includes a bota for water and snacks.

The other rides are part of 1- or 2-night packages that include lodging and meals at Phantom Ranch. Going down, they follow Bright Angel Trail to the river, then travel east on the River Trail before finally crossing the river via the Kaibab Suspension Bridge. Coming back they use the South Kaibab Trail. The 11-mile descent takes 5 1/2 hours; the 8-mile-long climb out is an hour shorter.

Mule rides on the North Rim are through a small, family-run outfit called Canyon Trail Rides (see “Reserving a Mule Trip,” below). Different types of rides, open to ages 7 and up, are offered; one stays on the rim, following the Ken Patrick and Uncle Jim trails to a canyon viewpoint; another descends 2 miles into the canyon on the North Kaibab Trail, turning back at Supai Tunnel. No one over 200 pounds is allowed on the canyon rides; for the rim rides, the limit is 220. All riders must speak English. Long pants are recommended, and you shouldn’t bring anything more than a camera to carry. Water is provided.

Rafting Day Trips Colorado River Discovery (phone 888/522-6644; www.raftthecanyon.com) offers half-day guided smooth-water float trips from the base of Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry (where most companies begin their trips). The excursions last about 5 hours and cost $85 for adults, $75 for children 12 and under. This trip is offered March 1 through November 30.

Grand Canyon Airlines (phone 866/235-9422; www.grandcanyonairlines.com) has teamed up with Colorado River Discovery to offer full-day guided smooth-water float trips from the base of Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry. Round-trip bus transportation is provided to and from the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, transferring through Grand Canyon National Park and the Navajo Indian Reservation. Cost for this tour is $194 ($174 for ages 11 and under), including lunch. Tours are offered year-round and include a flight over the canyon for an additional charge.

One-day guided motorized raft trips through the Grand Canyon’s westernmost section are available through Hualapai River Runners (phone 888/255-9550; www.hualapaitourism.com). This is the only 1-day white-water rafting trip on the Colorado River. Riders begin at Diamond Creek’s rapids and finish at Grand Canyon West (where a visit to the Skywalk can be added for $54). Time spent on the river is about 5 1/2 hours and includes multiple cluster rapids. At the end of the day (weather permitting), participants are helicoptered off the river. Meeting time is 7:30am at Hualapai Lodge, on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in Peach Springs, and return time is between 6 and 7pm that same day. Lunch is included, and participants should bring a change of clothes, since they will get wet. These guided trips cost $355 per person and run from mid-March through October. The Hualapai Indian Reservation is about a 2-hour drive from Grand Canyon Village.

Rafting Overnight Trips Guided motorized trips are fastest, often covering the 277 miles from Lees Ferry (above the canyon) to South Cove (in Lake Mead) in 6 to 8 days, compared to as many as 18 days for nonmotorized trips. The motorized trips use wide pontoon boats (known colloquially as “bologna boats”) that almost never capsize, making them slightly safer. Also, it’s easier to move about on these solid-framed boats than on oar or paddleboats, a plus for people who lack mobility. Because of the speed, however, there’s less time for hiking or resting in camp. If motorized trips are for you, consider using Moki Mac River Expeditions (phone 800/284-7280; www.mokimac.com) or Wilderness River Adventures (phone 800/992-8022; www.riveradventures.com).

For mobile people who want to bask in the canyon’s beauty, I strongly recommend guided nonmotorized trips, even if it means seeing half the canyon instead of it all. There are two types of nonmotorized boats: paddleboats and oar boats. Sixteen companies are authorized to provide rafting trips in the Grand Canyon. For a comprehensive list, visit www.nps.gov/grca under “River Trips.”

Camping

Inside the Park

You can make reservations for campsites in the Mather and North Rim campgrounds by calling phone 877/444-6777 (928/638-7851 from outside the U.S.) or visiting www.recreation.gov.

Inside the park on the South Rim, 26 miles east of Grand Canyon Village on Ariz. 64, you’ll find Desert View Campground (no phone). At dusk, the yips of coyotes drift over this campground in pinyon-juniper woodland at the eastern edge of the park. Elevated, cool, and breezy, the peaceful surroundings offer no clue that the bustling Desert View Overlook is within walking distance. The floor of the woodland makes for smooth tent sites, the most secluded being on the outside of the loop drive. The only drawback: The nearest showers are 28 miles away at Camper Services. The restrooms here have flush toilets and sinks, but no hot water. During high season, this first-come, first-served campground usually fills up by noon.

Near Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim is Mather Campground (phone 877/444-6777 or 928/638-7851). Despite having 319 sites in a relatively small area, this is an excellent campground. Pinyon and juniper trees shade the sites, spaced just far enough apart to afford some privacy. The general store and post office at Market Plaza lie within easy walking distance. Free shuttle buses connect Mather Campground with the Visitor Center, as well as scenic overlooks and trailheads. Don’t stay too near the showers, in the Camper Services building next to the campground—you’ll have hundreds of campers tramping past your site.

For RV drivers on the South Rim, Trailer Village in Grand Canyon Village (P.O. Box 699), Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 (phone 888/297-2757 for advance reservations, or 928/638-2631 for same-day reservations and campground questions), offers full hookups. The neighbors are close, the showers far (half a mile) away, and the vegetation sparse. However, a few sites at the end of the numbered drives have grass, shade trees, and one neighbor-free side. You can catch a shuttle bus at a stop near the campground.

Inside the park on the North Rim, the North Rim Campground (phone 877/444-6777 for advance reservations) is 44 miles south of Jacob Lake on Ariz. 67. Shaded by old-growth ponderosa pines and situated alongside Transept Canyon (part of Grand Canyon), this is a delightful place to spend a few days. The 1.5-mile Transept Trail links the campground to Grand Canyon Lodge, and the North Rim General Store is within walking distance. The most spectacular sites are the rim sites, which open onto the canyon. These cost an extra $7 but are worth it. Showers are within walking distance.

With only 87 sites, the North Rim Campground fills up for much of the summer. If you show up without a reservation only to find the sorry, campground full sign on the entry booth, don’t be afraid to ask if there have been any cancellations—you might just end up with a campsite. The best time to ask about openings is 8am, when sites made available by the previous night’s cancellations go up for sale. The campground is open May 15 to October 15, with a limited number of sites remaining open until the first snowfall.

Near the Park: South Rim

Just outside the park is Grand Canyon Camper Village in Tusayan, 1 mile south of the park entrance on Ariz. 64 (phone 928/638-2887). This campground’s advantage is its location, within easy walking distance of Tusayan’s stores and restaurants on one side, and of Kaibab National Forest on the other. Its disadvantages are its relatively narrow (average width: 27 ft.) campsites and the noise from the nearby Grand Canyon National Park Airport. At least the restrooms are clean, the showers hot, and the laundry facility up and running. There’s also a playground and a gravel basketball court.

Ten X Campground (phone 928/638-2443) lies 2 miles south of Tusayan on Ariz. 64. Large, wooded campsites make this the most peaceful campground within 20 miles of the South Rim. With plenty of distance between you and your neighbors, you’ll find it a great place to linger over a fire. All sites have fire pits and grills, and the campground host sells wood. Later you’ll find the soft, needle-covered floor perfect for sleeping. Some sites can be reserved a minimum of 3 days in advance, while others are on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re driving from Flagstaff or Williams, consider snagging a site before going to the canyon for the day. Open May to September.

Near the Park: North Rim

Kaibab Camper Village is a half mile west of Ariz. 67, just south of Jacob Lake (phone 928/643-7804; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, or 928/526-0924 when closed; www.kaibabcampervillage.com). Compared to most South Rim RV parks, where sagebrush is often the largest plant in sight, this is like a fairy tale. Ponderosa pines tower above the campsites, making this easily the prettiest RV park in the Grand Canyon area. The use of generators is forbidden so everyone can enjoy the quiet. There’s a convenience store selling firewood and basic camping supplies at the entrance; the campground has two showers.

Just north of Jacob Lake on U.S. 89A, nestled into rolling hills covered with ponderosa pine forest, Jacob Lake Campground (phone 877/444-6777) is a beauty of a Forest Service campground. Towering pines shade sites only a short drive from Jacob Lake Inn (where you’ll find a gas station, store, restaurant, and motel). Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but it seldom fills up.

Forty first-come sites are available at DeMotte Park Campground (phone 928/643-8100), the closest campground to the North Rim outside the Park (5 miles north of the entrance station). This Forest Service campground sits at 8,760 feet (10 ft. higher than Telluride, Colo.), in spruce-fir forest, so it’s sure to be cold, especially at night. The road through the campground curves sharply and some of the spaces are small, so this place may not work for large RVs. Because this campground is relatively small and located just outside the park entrance, it tends to fill up early. Try to get a site on your way into the park instead of on your way out. The campsite host will come around to collect your fee. Drinking water, toilets, and cooking grills are available on the campground.

Where to Stay

When planning a visit to Grand Canyon, try to reserve a place inside the park for at least 1 night. This lets you savor the twilight hours at the canyon without driving far in the dark.

If you’re hoping to spend the night at or near the rim, be sure to reserve well in advance. During busy years, accommodations inside the park and in Tusayan frequently fill up, forcing would-be lodgers to backtrack away from the park.

Inside the Park

Lodging inside the park on the South Rim is handled by Xanterra (www.xanterra.com; phone 888/297-2757 or 303/297-2757), and on the North Rim by Forever Resorts (www.grandcanyonforever.com; phone 877/386-4383 or 480/998-1981). Book well ahead: The most desirable rooms, like those at the Grand Canyon Lodge, El Tovar, or Bright Angel’s rim cabins, can fill up a year in advance. All lodges usually sell out from mid-March to mid-October (in summer you can often find a room more easily for late Aug or early Sept). It is possible to reserve a room up to 13 months in advance (which you would need to do for Phantom Ranch), and the rate is guaranteed for the first night, even if the price increases later. If you’re flexible with dates and travel in fall or winter, you can usually find rooms 1 or 2 months in advance. Because Xanterra and Forever Resorts both allow cancellations without penalty up to 48 hours in advance, you can sometimes grab a room at the last minute, even at the busiest times. A few rooms become available each day, so try walking into the lodge of your choice to ask about vacancies there or nearby. Checkout is 11am, so the staff will know by that time whether a room will be available.

Rates listed are for double occupancy during high season, which lasts March through October and includes holidays. Prices may fall substantially in the off season at off-rim lodges (they remain the same year-round at El Tovar, Bright Angel, Kachina, and Thunderbird Lodges). A 7.74% tax will be added. Xanterra and Forever Resorts accept American Express, Diner’s Club, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. Kids under 16 stay free with their parents. Pets are not allowed in accommodations inside the park (service animals are permitted), and there is no smoking at any of the lodges.

Most of the rooms in the park have relatively new furnishings, as well as telephones and televisions. Only El Tovar, Yavapai East (at Yavapai Lodge) and Maswik North have air-conditioning; Thunderbird and Kachina lodges have evaporative cooling systems. The only conspicuous difference in decor is at upscale El Tovar.

South Rim

Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins Guests of Bright Angel Lodge stay in tightly clustered buildings along the rim west of the main lodge. In the 1930s, the Fred Harvey Co. sought to develop new, affordable lodging for the many visitors who had begun driving to the canyon. The company contracted architect Mary Jane Colter to design the lodge and cabins. She built the cabins around several historic buildings, including the park’s old post office and the Bucky O’Neill Cabin, the rim’s oldest continually standing structure. Since those days, Bright Angel Lodge has become the South Rim’s hub—and most crowded area. Visit the Bright Angel History Room for highlights of the legacies of hospitality-industry pioneer Fred Harvey, Mary Jane Colter, and the Santa Fe Railway at the Grand Canyon.

Low-end accommodations start with clean, spare rooms in two long buildings adjacent to the main lodge. The lodge rooms are the park’s least expensive, and each has a double bed and desk but no television; some also share bathrooms. Rooms in the historic cabins are slightly more expensive but still an excellent value. Most of these popular cabins house two guest rooms; the majority of them have open-frame ceilings and windows with bright-colored frames. The units nearer the rim are quieter than the ones along Village Loop Road, where traffic can get heavy. At the high end of the price range are the 12 rim-side cabins, which offer views of the canyon and probably the neatest overnight experience available at the canyon. Four include fireplaces; the historic Bucky O’Neill Cabin, one of the park’s oldest structures, boasts a fireplace, a wet bar, and canyon views. The rim-side cabins tend to fill up far in advance, so plan ahead.

phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). Fax 303/297-3175. 34 units, 14 with bathroom, 10 with sink only, 10 with sink and toilet; 55 cabin. $69 double with sink only; $79 double with sink and toilet only; $90 double with bathroom; $111 historic cabin; $142–$174 historic rim-side cabin; $333 rim-side Bucky O’Neill Suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; snack bar; lounge; Internet kiosk. In room: Ceiling fan in rim-side and historic cabins; TV in most rooms; fridge in rim cabins.

El Tovar Hotel The grande dame of the South Rim hotels serves as a dark, cool counterpoint to Mary Jane Colter’s warm, pueblo-style buildings. Completed in 1905 to accommodate the influx of well-heeled East Coasters traveling on the Santa Fe Railroad, the hunting-style lodge stands just steps from the rim and casts a long shadow over Grand Canyon Village. A pointed cupola sits like a witch’s cap atop its three stories of Oregon pine and native stone, and spires rise above an upstairs deck. Inside, tourists wander through historic corridors that lead past the dimly lit lobby to the elegant dining room. El Tovar looks much as it did at its inception, when it offered all manner of luxury, including a music room, art classes, and a rooftop garden.

While these amenities have gone the way of the Flagstaff-to-Grand Canyon stagecoach, the hotel remains the canyon’s most upscale, and the only one to offer room service and nightly turndown. During the renovation, rooms were given a significant face-lift; CD radios were added, as were photos of the Grand Canyon. Bathrooms got pedestal sinks, beveled mirrors, and hair dryers. The deluxe rooms now offer more space, and some have balconies. Twelve individually themed suites, including the Zane Grey Suite (which has a porch) and the Charles Whittlesey Suite (named after the hotel’s architect, this one has blueprints of the building’s original design), start at $335. The most stunning accommodations are the three view suites, each of which boasts a sitting room and a private deck overlooking the canyon. These suites, which cost $426, often fill up a year or more in advance. Stay at El Tovar if you can, but remember that you don’t have to be a guest to enjoy spending time here.

phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). Fax 303/297-3175. 78 units. Standard rooms $178–$209; deluxe rooms $273; suites $335–$426. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant (international) in a stunning dining room; lounge w/veranda overlooking the rim; gift shop; concierge; room service. In room: A/C, flatscreen TV, fridge, hair dryer.

Maswik Lodge Built in the 1960s, Maswik Lodge sits in a wooded area that’s a 5-minute walk from the rim. If you’re not up to walking, catch a free shuttle in front of the lodge, which also offers a transportation desk, cafeteria, gift shop, and sports bar with billiards and air hockey. The guest rooms fill 16 two-story wood-and-stone buildings known as Maswik North and South. Most Maswik North rooms feature vaulted ceilings, large bathrooms with vanities, private balconies, and forest views, making them among the park’s loveliest accommodations. Because of their spaciousness and price, they’re an excellent family value—and it’s easy to get a rollaway bed, if needed. Rooms in Maswik South are older and a bit smaller, and have less pristine views. They are the least desirable rooms in the park, but also the least expensive.

Maswik is an especially smart choice for those traveling with children (lodgings here can easily fit a roll-away bed), and all rooms include two queen-size beds or one king. During summer, Maswik also rents out 40 guest rooms in 10 rustic, thin-walled cabins. If you’re staying anywhere at Maswik, bring a flashlight, as the area is dark at night.

phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). Fax 303/297-3175. 278 units. Maswik South $92; Maswik North $173; cabin rooms $92. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Cafeteria; sports lounge; ATM machine; Internet kiosk. In room: TV. In Maswik North only: A/C, fridge, hair dryer.

Thunderbird and Kachina Lodges The ’60s-era dormitory architecture is impossible to miss in these lodges’ flat roofs, decorative concrete panels, and metal staircases. The exteriors notwithstanding, the hotel has since been renovated and has both a friendlier look and an excellent location next to the rim. Inside, rooms are basic but comfortable, with wide windows and upgraded bathrooms. Most upstairs units on the more expensive canyon side offer at least a partial canyon view. Check-in for Thunderbird takes place at Bright Angel Lodge; for Kachina, it’s at El Tovar.

phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). Fax 303/297-3175. 55 units at Thunderbird, 49 at Kachina. Street-side $173; canyon-side $184. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. In room: TV, fridge, hair dryer.

Yavapai Lodge The largest lodge at the canyon, Yavapai lies a mile from the historic district but is close to Canyon Village Marketplace, the post office, and Chase bank. Built between 1970 and 1972, the lodge houses a large cafeteria and gift shop. Its 358 rooms are spread among 10 single-story buildings known as Yavapai West and six two-story wood buildings collectively called Yavapai East. Yavapai West rooms are reminiscent of a Route 66–style motel, offering guests the convenience of parking right in front of their door. Yavapai East’s units are larger, with king-size beds, modern furnishings, and air-conditioning. As many of them offer forest views, they’re worth the extra money. The paths connecting the buildings are dark at night, so bring a flashlight.

phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). Fax 303/297-3175. 358 units. $114 Yavapai West; $163 Yavapai East. Winter rates $90–$110. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Cafeteria; gift shop; Internet kiosk. In room: Flatscreen TV, hair dryer. In Yavapai East only: A/C, fridge.

Canyon Bottom

Phantom Ranch This has got to be one of the world’s most remote accommodations. Accessible only by floating down the Colorado River or by hiking (or riding a mule) to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Phantom Ranch is the only park lodging below the rims, and it often sells out on the first day of availability—13 months in advance. To reserve a spot, call as early as possible. If you arrive at the canyon without a reservation, contact the Bright Angel Transportation Desk (phone 928/638-2631, ext. 6015) to put yourself on the waiting list for either of the following 2 days (you must then be present the next morning if your name is called). Hikers will have an easier time getting lodging here in winter, when fewer mule rides head down.

The reason for the booked slate? Clean sheets never felt better than at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, cold beer never tasted as good (not even close), and a hot shower never felt so, well, miraculous. The ranch’s nine air-conditioned cabins are a simple pleasure. Mary Jane Colter designed four of them—the ones with the most stone in the walls—using rocks from nearby Bright Angel Creek. Connected by dirt footpaths, these cabins sit, natural and elegant, alongside picnic tables, under cottonwood trees’ shade. Inside each cabin, there’s concrete flooring, a desk, and 4 to 10 bunk beds, as well as a toilet and a sink. A shower house for guests sits nearby.

While most of Phantom Ranch was completed in the 1920s and ’30s, four 10-person male and female dorms, each with its own bathing facilities, were added in the early 1980s. Used exclusively by hikers, these are ideal for individuals and small groups looking for a place to bed down; larger groups are better served by reserving cabins, which provide privacy and a lower per-person price than the dorms.

During the day, some guests hike to Ribbon Falls or along the River Trail, while others relax, read, or write postcards that, if sent from here, will bear a unique postmark: “Mailed by mule from the bottom of the Grand Canyon.” In the late afternoon, guests and hikers from Bright Angel Campground gravitate to the canteen, which sells snacks and serves meals. Note that guests must book meals in advance. (For more about dining here, see “Inside the Canyon” under “Where to Eat,” later this chapter.)

At the bottom of the canyon, 1⁄2 mile north of the Colorado River on the North Kaibab Trail. phone 928/638-2631 (main switchboard) or 888/297-2757 (reservations only). 7 4-person cabins, 2 cabins for up to 10 people, 4 10-person dorms. $42 dorm bed; $90 cabin (for 2); $11 each additional person. Most cabins are reserved as part of mule-trip overnight packages. Duffel service (baggage service via mule): $65 (each way). AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: A/C, no phone.

North Rim

Grand Canyon Lodge I love this lodge, a timeless stone and log structure that stands majestically at the edge of the North Rim over one of Earth’s most breathtaking panoramas. The lodge’s architect, Gilbert Stanley Underwood, was best known for designing edifices such as train stations and post offices. After opening in 1928 and burning in 1932, the lodge reopened in 1937 and seems to have grown into the landscape. Its green-shingled roof merges with the needles on nearby trees, its log posts match their trunks, and its Kaibab limestone walls blend with the rim rock. Beyond the grand lobby, with its 50-foot-ceiling and exquisite Native American rugs, the octagonal Sun Room features leather sofas and chairs pointed toward three enormous picture windows overlooking the canyon. Two long decks with faux-wood chairs flank this room, providing a platform from which to view the canyon from outside. Just below lies another romantic lookout, the Moon Room, which is a favorite for marriage proposals. The lodge also houses a deli, saloon, and breathtaking dining room offering panoramic views of the world wonder before it (see “North Rim,” under “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter).

One hundred and forty cabins made of the same materials as the lodge have sprouted like saplings around it (unlike El Tovar, none of the units connect to the main lodge). There are four types of cabins: with rustic wood furnishings, gas fireplaces, fridges, bathtubs, and small vanity rooms, Western Cabins and Rim Cabins are the most luxurious. Rim Cabins generally fill up on their first day of availability, which is 13 months in advance.

The two other types of accommodations here—Pioneer Cabins and Frontier Cabins—feel more rustic inside. Tightly clustered along Transept Canyon’s rim, they feature exposed-log walls and ceilings, electric heaters, and showers instead of bathtubs. Pioneer Cabins were all renovated in 2009 with new handmade furnishings, and each cabin has two guest rooms—one with a queen bed, the other with twin bunks and a futon. For $157 to $167, a family of five can stay in comfort in a Pioneer Cabin. Frontier Cabins each have one guest room with a double bed and a twin bed. Getting the right shower temperature requires delicate balancing.

A few inexpensive motel rooms are also available here. Though comfortable and quiet, their ambience doesn’t compare with the cabins’ historic feel.

At North Rim, 214 miles north of South Rim on Hwy. 67. www.grandcanyonforever.com. phone 877/386-4383 (reservations) or 928/638-2611 (main switchboard) or 877/386-4383. Fax 928/638-2554. 218 units. $121 Frontier Cabin; $116 motel unit; $157–$167 Pioneer Cabin; $177 Western Cabin; $187 Rim Cabin. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; deli; coffee shop and bar; gift shop; porter service; post office; auditorium with nightly ranger programs. In room: Fridge, hair dryer in all rooms except Frontier Cabins.

Outside the Park

Near the North Entrance

Jacob Lake Inn In 1922, Harold and Nina Bowman bought a barrel of gas and opened a gas “stand” near the present-day site of this inn. Seven years later, they built the inn at the junction of highways 67 and 89A, about an hour drive from the closest view point on the North Rim. Today Jacob Lake Inn is the main hub of activity between the North Rim and Kanab, Utah. To serve the growing summer crowds, the Bowmans’ descendants and their friends travel south from their homes in Utah. Together they run the inn’s various businesses: the bakery, which churns out excellent fresh-baked cookies and pies; the soda fountain, which serves milkshakes made from soft-serve ice cream; and the gift shop, which features some high-quality pieces by American Indian artists. There’s also a restaurant, motel, and full-service gas station.

Lodgers can choose between inn rooms, motel units, and cabins. In 2006, a two-story stone and wood “hotel” building was added; it has country-style rooms with a king or two queen beds and small balconies with views of the surrounding ponderosa pines. Though pleasant inside, the motel rooms in the front building are not nearly as peaceful as the rooms and cabins behind the lodge. The bathrooms have showers but no tubs, and many of them drain onto the same tile floor as the bathroom itself—a curious design. Most people prefer the rustic cabins (closed in winter), which cost less than the motel rooms and have private porches.

The Jacob Lake restaurant, with a U-shaped counter and dining room, serves burgers, sandwiches, and steaks, but the most appetizing entree is the fresh trout cooked in the Dutch-style oven. A potent lunch item is the Grand Bull, a thick ground beef sandwich with grilled onions, chiles, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bacon. Even if you don’t need a meal, it’s worth stopping at Jacob Lake Inn to buy a few home-baked cookies, a piece of pie, or a milkshake.

Junction of Hwy. 67 and 89A, Jacob Lake, AZ 86022. www.jacoblake.com. phone 928/643-7232. Fax 928/643-7235. 24 hotel units; 12 motel units; 27 cabins (shower only). May 14–Nov 30 $89–$138 double; Dec 1–May 13 $65–$75 double. Pets accepted for $10 extra. Amenities: Restaurant; bakery; gift shop; playground; Wi-Fi (free) in public areas. In room: No phone in motels and cabins only.

Kaibab Lodge Open from mid-May (the opening date is weather dependent) to November 2, Kaibab Lodge feels as warm and comfortable as a beloved summer camp. It has an open-framed ceiling and enormous pine beams that date from its construction in the 1920s. Guests tend to congregate in front of the 5-foot-wide fireplace (where there are Adirondack-style chairs), in the small television room, or at the tables across from the counter that doubles as the front desk and the beer bar.

Each cabinlike building houses two to four of the guest rooms, each of which sleeps from two to five people. The rooms are sparse but clean, with paneling of rough-hewn pine. Most have showers but not tubs, and there are no in-room phones or TVs. Because the older units’ walls are very thin, it’s best just to share a cabin with friends. Just a short distance from the highway, the rooms open onto the soothing, broad expanse of DeMotte Park, one of the large, naturally occurring meadows on the Kaibab Plateau.

HC 64, Box 30 (26 miles south of Jacob Lake on Hwy. 67, and 5 miles north of North Rim park entrance), Fredonia, AZ 86022. www.kaibablodge.com. phone 928/638-2389. Fax 928/638-9864. 31 units. $95–$180 double. DISC, MC, V. Pets allowed (in some rooms). Amenities: Restaurant; bar; gift shop; Wi-Fi (free) in public areas. In room: No phone.

Northeast of the Park

The Marble Canyon area, at the northeast tip of the park (closer to the north entrance than to the east entrance), is a great place to stop if you’re driving from rim to rim. In addition to Lees Ferry Lodge, you can find pleasant accommodations in the Marble Canyon area at Cliff Dwellers Lodge (www.cliffdwellerslodge.com; phone 800/962-9755), 9 miles west of Navajo Bridge on North Hwy. 89A (HC 67-30), Marble Canyon, AZ 86036. Another reliable option is Marble Canyon Lodge (www.marblecanyoncompany.com; phone 800/726-1789 or 928/355-2225), a quarter mile west of Navajo Bridge on Hwy. 89A, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036. Rates at both lodges are about $60 to $70 double.

Lees Ferry Lodge Some of the world’s best porch-sitting can be enjoyed on the patios outside of this 1929 lodge’s low sandstone buildings (a popular stopping place for trout fishers trying their luck above Lees Ferry). The patios, like those at nearby Cliff Dwellers, afford stunning views south across the highway toward the greenish-pink Marble Platform or north to the Vermilion Cliffs. Though the motel sits close to the road, traffic is slow at night.

The older rooms, which are small and rustic, have been redecorated in themes ranging from cowboy to, yes, fish. Double rooms in newer, prefab-style buildings are available for groups of up to five people.

HC 67-Box 1 (4 miles west of Navajo Bridge on N. Hwy. 89A), Marble Canyon, AZ 86036. www.leesferrylodge.com. phone 928/355-2231. 10 units. $80 double. AE, MC, V. Pets accepted. Amenities: Excellent restaurant; bar; “lodge and learn getaways” (fee). In room: A/C, no phone.

East of the Park

Cameron Trading Post Motel Each room features baby-blue bedding and Southwestern-style furnishings, many of them handmade by the motel’s staff. The motel’s Hopi building borders a terraced garden with stone picnic tables, a fountain, and a large grill. Ask for a room on the second floor of the Hopi or Apache building to get the best view. American Indians still sell and trade crafts, livestock, wool, and other goods for merchandise and groceries in the mercantile section of the trading post. Next to the motel, Cameron Trading Post RV Park offers full hookups for $25 per night, but there are no restrooms or showers.

P.O. Box 339 (54 miles north of Flagstaff on Hwy. 89, and 1 mile north of the east Grand Canon Desert View access road), Cameron, AZ 86020. www.camerontradingpost.com. phone 877/221-0690 or 928/679-2231. Fax 928/679-2350. 66 units. June 1–Oct 19 $99–$109 double, $149–$179 suite; Oct 20–Dec 31 $69–$79 double; Jan 1–Mar 1 $59–$69 double; Mar 2–May 30 $79–$89 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted for $15 extra. Amenities: Restaurant; trading post; post office; service station. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Tusayan

Tusayan is about 1 mile south of the park. The town is neither cheap nor particularly charming, with gas, lodging, and food priced about 20% higher than the same items in other gateway towns. However, Tusayan’s location makes it the best option for folks who don’t have a room inside the park and wish to stay closer than Flagstaff or Williams. A midpriced chain hotel in Tusayan is Red Feather Lodge (www.redfeatherlodge.com; phone 800/538-2345 or 928/638-2414), on Hwy. 64, 1 mile south of the park. Next door is a Holiday Inn Express (phone 888/473-2269 or 928/638-3000). Rates typically range from $90 to $150 for double occupancy.

Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn There’s a lot to do at this hotel, which prides itself on being the Grand Canyon’s only full-service resort. Kids will love the recreation center, which includes a six-lane bowling alley, billiards, and video games. Adults tend to gravitate to the fine-dining Coronado Room restaurant and Saguaro Sports Bar, Tusayan’s popular bar.

Guest rooms feature rustic wood furnishings and Southwestern accents. Standard rooms, in two older buildings, are no larger than the rooms at the other area motels. Costing about $20 more than standard rooms, deluxe rooms are more spacious and have upgraded bathrooms (with Roman tubs).

P.O. Box 130 (1 1/2 miles south of the park on Hwy. 64), Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. www.grandcanyonsquire.com. phone 800/622-6966 or 928/638-2681. Fax 928/638-2782. 250 units. High season $159–$189 double; low season $109–$129 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars (lounge and sports bar); exercise room; Jacuzzi; outdoor pool (seasonal); gift shop; bowling; video arcade. In room: A/C, TV, fridge upon request, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Canyon Plaza Resort In summer, guests here sun themselves around the large outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. In winter, they head for the hotel’s stunning atrium, where tropical plants and palm trees shade an indoor Jacuzzi spa with a waterfall. As the area’s hot tubs go, this one is the most enticing, with jets to massage every aching joint. When guests finally finish soaking, they find themselves occupying some of the town’s nicest accommodations, including a handful of rooms with private decks and refrigerators. A few rooms bordering the atrium have only tiny windows to the outside (and larger ones facing the atrium). Ask for a room with a large exterior window if darkness bothers you.

P.O. Box 520 (on Hwy. 64, 1 mile south of the park entrance, next to the IMAX theater), Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. www.grandcanyonplaza.com. phone 800/995-2521 (reservations only) or 928/638-2673. Fax 928/638-9537. 232 units. Apr 1–Oct 20 $180–$250 double; Oct 21–Mar 31 $100 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; lounge; 2 Jacuzzis; outdoor pool (seasonal); sauna. In room: A/C, TV, fridge (suites only), hair dryer, minibar (60 rooms), Wi-Fi (free).

Grand Hotel Modeled after an Old West lodge, the Grand’s lobby features an enormous fireplace, hand-woven carpets, and hand-oiled, hand-painted goatskin lanterns. Imitation ponderosa pine logs rise from the stone-tile floors to the high ceiling. Inviting rooms include prints of the canyon and simple Southwest furnishings. The choicest ones are the third-story rooms with balconies facing away from the highway.

P.O. Box 3319 (on Hwy. 64, 1 1/2 miles south of the park entrance), Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. www.grandcanyongrandhotel.com. phone 888/634-7263 or 928/638-3333. Fax 928/638-3131. 121 units. High season $189 standard, $209 balcony; low season $99 standard, $119 balcony. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; exercise room; Jacuzzi; indoor pool. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

7-Mile Lodge This is the cheapest motel in town. Instead of taking reservations, the owners of this lodge start selling spaces at around 9am and usually sell out by early afternoon. If you need a reasonably priced place to stay, think about stopping here on your way into the park. Don’t be put off by the motel’s cramped office—surprisingly, the rooms are decent and large enough to hold two queen-size beds. Thick walls and doors muffle the noise of planes from the nearby airport.

P.O. Box 56 (1 1/2 miles south of Hwy. 64 park entrance), Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. phone 928/638-2291. Reservations not accepted. 20 units. High season (spring to early fall, holidays) $89 double; low season (rest of year) $79 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. In room: A/C, TV, no phone, Wi-Fi.

Williams

Williams is 59 miles south of the park. It has one moderate to expensive chain hotel I recommend: Best Western Inn of Williams, 2600 Rte. 66 (phone 928/635-4400). Rates start at $130 double.

Recommended midpriced chain hotels in Williams include Quality Inn (phone 928/635-9888), 1029 N. Grand Canyon Blvd. (off I-40 exit 163); Quality Inn Mountain Ranch Resort (phone 928/635-2693), 6701 E. Mountain Ranch Rd. (6 miles E. of Williams on I-40, exit 171); and Holiday Inn Williams (phone 928/635-4114), 950 N. Grand Canyon Blvd. (off I-40 exit 163). Rates range from $89 to $129 for double occupancy.

Inexpensive chain hotels include Travelodge, 430 E. Rte. 66 (phone 928/635-2651); Motel 6 East, 720 W. Rte. 66 (phone 928/635-4464); and Motel 6 West, 831 W. Rte. 66 (phone 928/635-9000). Rates range from $66 to $79 for double occupancy.

Canyon Motel & RV Park Kevin and Shirley Young have lovingly restored their 18 historic flagstone cottages, as well as the eye-catching guest rooms in two Santa Fe cabooses and one former Grand Canyon Railway coach car. From the outside, the cabooses resemble, well, cabooses, only with private decks. They even sit on segments of train track. They are wonderful for train-loving families of up to six, with a bed for the parents in the larger section, a compact bathroom and shower, and additional beds for the kids in the caboose’s copula. The two largest guest rooms are in the Grand Canyon Railway car. Unlike the cabooses, these rooms have windows that open and enough space to accommodate a queen-size bed and a sleeper sofa. The cottage rooms are a good choice for travelers on a budget. The Youngs have also opened an adjacent RV park with full hookups.

1900 E. Rodeo Rd., Williams, AZ 86046-9527. www.thecanyonmotel.com. phone 800/482-3955 or 928/635-9371. Fax 928/635-4138. 18 cottage units (10 with shower only), 5 train-car units, 47 RV spaces, 8 tent sites. Cottage unit $44–$78 double; train-car unit $78–$105 double; caboose $160 double; RV space with full hookup $32–$35 for up to 4 people; tent site $25–$28. DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Indoor pool (may close seasonally); convenience store. In room: A/C (11 units), TV, fridge (18 units), microwave (18 units), no phone, Wi-Fi (free).

El Rancho Motel It’s sure not much from the outside, but this two-story 1966 motel between the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 66 is one of the best lodging values in Williams. Guests can swim in the outdoor pool, cook on barbecue grills, or recline in the spotless rooms, which come with a host of amenities. The only drawback is the proximity of certain rooms to the noisy traffic. As for decor, one owner aptly describes it as “blue.”

617 E. Rte. 66, Williams, AZ 86046. phone 928/635-2552. Fax 928/635-4173. 25 units. Winter $42–$58 double; summer $58–$88 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. 1 small pet allowed per room for $5 extra. Amenities: Outdoor pool (seasonal); barbecue grills. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, microwave, Wi-Fi (free).

Firelight A short walk from the town center in a residential area adjacent to forest land sits Firelight, a Tudor-style B&B with five individually decorated rooms. Named after English counties, they include real or faux fireplaces, jetted tubs, and flatscreen TVs with DVD players. The Yorkshire suite has a four-poster bed, adjacent sitting area, and regal bathroom with a double sink and two-person Jacuzzi, while Summerset features a balcony with sunset views. Gourmet breakfasts are prepared in the open kitchen next to the dining room, and there are a number of cozy sitting areas around the house, including an elegant study and an upstairs game room with an original English shuffleboard, 1947 Seeburg jukebox, and a Wii system hooked up to a big-screen TV. Numerous walking trails surround the area, and the hosts will gladly help guests with ideas for exploring northern Arizona.

175 W. Mead Ave., Williams, AZ 86046. www.firelightbedandbreakfast.com. phone 888/838-8218 or 928/635-0200. 5 units. $160–$250 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. No children 16 or under. In room: A/C, flatscreen TV w/DVD player, fireplace, hair dryer, whirlpool, Wi-Fi (free).

Grand Canyon Railway Hotel This sprawling train-lovers’ lodge beside the depot replaced the original Fray Marcos Hotel. Today an array of fun amenities, like an indoor pool and outdoor sports courts, make this a great spot for families. Bellhops carry luggage to the spacious (but somewhat spartan) rooms, all of which come with two queen beds. Suites feature a separate bedroom and living room with a sleeper sofa and kitchenette. Spenser’s Lounge, which features a beautiful 100-year-old bar imported from Scotland, offers simple dining and top-shelf liquor. The all-paved Grand Canyon Railway RV Park has opened next door. Special railway packages are available.

235 N. Grand Canyon Blvd., Williams, AZ 86046. www.thetrain.com. phone 800/843-8724 or 928/635-4010. Fax 928/635-2180. 298 units. May 15–Oct 14 $169 and up double, $229 suite; Oct 15–May 14 $109 and up double, $159 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; lounge; exercise room; Jacuzzi; playground; indoor pool; free Wi-Fi in lobby. In room: A/C, TV.

The Red Garter Bed & Bakery In the early 1900s, this Victorian Romanesque building had a brothel upstairs, a saloon downstairs, and an opium den in the back. The innkeeper, John Holst, has worked hard to preserve the building, built in 1897, and its colorful history. Each of the four guest rooms has custom moldings (made by Holst), a 12-foot-high ceiling, a ceiling fan, and antique furnishings. My favorite guest room, the Best Gals’ Room, overlooks Route 66 and is the largest and most luxurious of the four. Its two adjoining rooms were once reserved for the brothel’s “best gals,” who would lean out of the double-hung windows to flag down customers. The first-floor bakery and gift shop sells fresh baked goods and kitschy souvenirs.

137 W. Railroad Ave. (P.O. Box 95), Williams, AZ 86046. www.redgarter.com. phone 800/328-1484 or 928/635-1484. 4 units, all with private bathroom, 3 with shower only. $135–$160. Rates include Continental breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Closed weekdays Dec–Jan. In room: TV, no phone.

Flagstaff

Flagstaff is 78 miles south of Grand Canyon Village. An excellent and relatively new hotel in Flagstaff is Drury (phone 928/773-4900), located next to Northern Arizona University at 300 S. Milton Rd. Another recommended chain hotel here is Radisson Woodlands Hotel Flagstaff (phone 928/773-8888), 1175 W. Route 66. Another recommended B&B is England House (phone 877/214-7350 or 928/214-7350), 614 W. Santa Fe Ave. Rates range from $75 to $200 for double occupancy.

Comfi Cottages In the 1970s, Pat Wiebe, a nurse at the local hospital, began purchasing and renovating small homes in Flagstaff. Today she rents out nine of these quaint cottages, all but one of which were built in the 1920s and 1930s. Wiebe has modernized the cottages somewhat, adding thermostat-controlled fireplaces, televisions, DVD/VCRs, and washer/dryers. She goes out of her way to make accommodations comfortable and treats her guests like they’re part of the family.

1612 N. Aztec St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. www.comficottages.com. phone 888/774-0731 or 928/774-0731. Fax 928/773-7286. 9 units in different locations in Flagstaff. $150–$320 double. Rates include breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Inquire about pets. Amenities: Free bicycle use. In room: A/C, TV, DVD/VCR, gas barbecue, fridge stocked w/breakfast foods, kitchen, picnic baskets, sleds, Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Weatherford Constructed in 1898, this historic three-story hotel in downtown Flagstaff transports you back to the turn of the 20th century. An upstairs sitting room features quirky antiques such as a cider press and an antique sewing machine, as well as panoramic period photos of Flagstaff. The Zane Grey Room, which serves drinks on the hotel’s third floor at night, boasts a hand-carved Brunswick bar next to a fireplace and across from an original painting by the legendary 19th-century landscape artist Thomas Moran. The guest rooms, only some of which have private bathrooms, are varied and eccentric. Come here for the history, location, and nightlife rather than for luxury or quiet accommodations.

23 N. Leroux, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. www.weatherfordhotel.com. phone 928/779-1919. Fax 928/773-8951. 11 units, 3 with shared bathrooms. $49–$79 double with shared bathroom; $89 double with private bathroom; $139 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking behind the hotel. Amenities: Restaurant (Southwestern/American); 2 excellent bars.

The Inn At 410 Bed & Breakfast Gordon Watkins runs the most charming, friendly B&B anywhere in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon. Peering into each of his nine guest rooms here is like flipping through pages in an issue of House & Garden. Each expertly decorated room is daringly different, yet tasteful. The romantic Tea Room sits adjacent to the first-floor living area, elegantly furnished with a king bed, fireplace, mahogany woodwork, porcelain tea sets, and a Jacuzzi bathroom. The stunning Monet’s Garden suite is reminiscent of a French country garden, featuring a two-person Jacuzzi tub and private sitting area that opens to the garden. The refined Conservatory room celebrates classical music. Its elegant sitting room is accented by a fireplace and French sitting chairs; in the corner stands a violin and a music stand, with walls decorated with music-sheet wallpaper and prints of the masters. All the guest rooms here have gas fireplaces; three have jetted tubs.

410 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. www.inn410.com. phone 800/774-2008 or 928/774-0088. Fax 928/774-6354. 9 units. $160–$210 double. MC, V. Amenities: Small gym; movie library; Wi-Fi (free). In room: A/C, TV w/DVD/VCR, fridge, hair dryer, no phone.

Little America Hotel Strangely enough, one of the most highly regarded chain hotels in Flagstaff adjoins a truck stop. Even though it doesn’t look like much from the outside, the interior is a different story. Little America’s rooms are lavishly decorated in French Colonial-style and extremely spacious—they have sitting areas, dressing areas, dining tables, and oversized tubs. Guest rooms facing the forest cost $20 more and are quieter because there’s less train noise. An even better surprise: Five hundred mostly wooded acres, owned by the hotel, provide access to Flagstaff’s urban trail system and, farther out, the Arizona Trail.

2515 E. Butler (off I-40 exit 198), Flagstaff, AZ 86001. www.flagstaff.littleamerica.com. phone 800/352-4386 or 928/779-7900. Fax 928/779-7983. 255 units. High season $149–$189 double; low season $99–$139 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; lounge; free airport, train station transfers; fitness center; Jacuzzi; playground; outdoor pool (seasonal); room service. In room: A/C, TV w/pay movies and video games, fridge, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

A Shooting Star Innkeeper Tom Taylor’s mesmerizing solar-paneled house serves as a B&B, observatory, and photography and music recording studio. Most guests come to this remote location under Arizona’s clear dark skies to witness an amazing astronomy program (presented by Tom and included in the rate) that lets you view the moon, stars, and other planets through the lens of a powerful telescope. Three simple but clean guest rooms—aptly named Galileo, Einstein, and Cassini—sit just off the great room, where guests come together under 25-foot ceilings to discuss the wonder of the stars. The house fronts the San Francisco peaks and sits next to a national forest, offering a breathtaking panorama in all directions.

27948 N. Shooting Star Lane (21 miles north of Flagstaff at milepost 236 on Hwy. 180), Flagstaff, AZ 86001. www.shootingstarinn.com. phone 928/606-8070. 3 units. $195 double. AE, DISC, V. Amenities: Observatory; Wi-Fi (free). In room: No phone.

Kanab, Utah

Kanab, about 78 miles northwest of the park, has one chain hotel that’s very good and slightly more expensive than the others: Holiday Inn Express and Suites, 217 S. 100 E. (phone 877/320-8454 or 435/644-3100). It also has a number of more inexpensive hotels. Consider Shilo Inn Suites Kanab, 296 W. 100 N. (www.shiloinns.com; phone 800/222-2244 or 435/644-2562); or Comfort Inn, 815 E. Hwy. 89 (phone 435/644-8888). For a comfortable, inexpensive campground smack in downtown with tent and RV spaces, as well as a few log cabins, try Hitch N’ Post, 196 E. 300 S. (www.hitchnpostrvpark.com; phone 435/644-2142).

Parry Lodge Many of the older rooms (known as “movie units”) in this 1929 Colonial-style lodge display plaques bearing the names of stars (Dean Martin, Gregory Peck, and Sammy Davis, Jr., among others) who stayed in them while filming Westerns here. One unit (no. 134) was built specially to house Frank Sinatra’s mother-in-law while the crooner starred in Sergeants Three. (Sinatra stayed in an adjoining room.) The movie units are smaller and closer to Center Street than the newer rooms, but they’re far more charming.

89 E. Center St., Kanab, UT 84741. www.parrylodge.com. phone 800/748-4104 or 435/644-2601. Fax 435/644-2605. 89 units. May 1–Oct 31 $70–$120 double; Nov 1–Apr 30 $49–$69 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($10 extra). Amenities: Restaurant (seasonal); heated outdoor pool (seasonal); free Wi-Fi. In room: A/C, TV.

The Victorian Inn Previously a Clarion hotel, this fully refurbished Victorian-style inn offers the city’s most upscale accommodations with 1890s decor and Ethan Allen furniture. There’s also an inviting wraparound porch for afternoon relaxation. A friendly staff tends to the inn, offering a full-menu breakfast. Guest rooms include fireplaces and Jacuzzis; the honeymoon suite has a four-poster bed. The Victorian Inn offers convenient access to the North Rim, and also serves as a romantic getaway on its own.

190 N. Hwy. 89, Kanab, UT 84741. www.victorianinn.com. phone 435/644-8660. Fax 435/644-8659. 28 units. $69–$159 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($20 extra). Amenities: Fitness center; computer and printer for guest use. In room: TV, fireplace (most rooms), Jacuzzi, Wi-Fi (free).

Where to Eat

South Rim

Arizona Room STEAKHOUSE This is the locals’ first choice for dinner and a less time-consuming option than El Tovar. The informal restaurant dishes up the South Rim’s most consistently tasty meals. Entrees include hand-cut New York strip steaks, mustard rosemary prime rib, honey-lime grilled chicken, and blackened wild salmon. My favorite are the baby back ribs with prickly pear or spicy chipotle barbecue sauce. To accompany your meal, choose from a variety of midpriced California wines or flavored margaritas. Arriving before the Arizona Room’s 4:30pm dinner opening isn’t a bad idea, since the wait can be an hour long at sunset (the large windows facing the canyon are a huge draw). The restaurant is open for lunch, too, offering a barbecue-centric menu. Consider the roasted pistachio chicken salad sandwich and a cup of smoked corn chowder.

At Bright Angel Lodge. phone 928/638-2631. Reservations not accepted. Lunch $10–$13; dinner $17–$28. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–3pm and 4:30–10pm. Closed for lunch Nov–Feb, and for lunch and dinner Jan–Feb.

Bright Angel Restaurant AMERICAN This busy restaurant serves decent coffee-shop food. Basic breakfast and lunch fare such as build-your-own omelets, French toast, burgers, and large salads usually pass muster. At dinnertime, the restaurant supplements the lunch menu by adding no-fuss entrees such as grilled tri-tip steak, sour cream chicken, roast pork loin, and three-cheese lasagna. A kids’ menu and activity book are also available. This is a good place for families, who can dine without worrying much about the children’s behavior.

Also in Bright Angel Lodge is Canyon Coffee House, which opens at 5:30am and serves coffee drinks, as well as light breakfast items. At night, the coffeehouse becomes a cocktail lounge.

At Bright Angel Lodge. phone 928/638-2631. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $6–$13; lunch $8–$11; dinner $11–$26. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30am–10pm.

El Tovar Restaurant INTERNATIONAL One hundred years after opening its doors, this restaurant remains a memorable dining experience. Best of all is the stunning dining room, which features banks of windows at the north and south ends, and Oregon pine walls graced with murals depicting American Indian dances.

At dinner, a Southwest influence spices the Continental cuisine. Consider starting with the mozzarella roulades with prosciutto, tomatoes, olives, and a basil pesto. Delicious main courses include the salmon tostada (best prepared medium rare) served with corn salsa and a tequila vinaigrette, the enormous New York strip accompanied by buttermilk-cornmeal onion rings, and roasted half duck with a cherry merlot sauce. The rich French onion soup is an excellent lunch choice. At breakfast, sample the coffee—it’s the park’s best—and order the eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. All entrees are served in large portions, and children can order half-portions at discounted prices. The restaurant’s pastry chef prepares irresistible desserts. Service is friendly and refined, and the waiters are well trained to help match award-winning wines.

In El Tovar Hotel. phone 928/638-2631, ext. 6432. Reservations accepted for dinner only. Breakfast $5–$13; lunch $7–$17; dinner $23–$32. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–10:45am, 11:15am–2pm, and 5–10pm.

Maswik and Yavapai Cafeterias CAFETERIAS For the price of a burger, fries, and a soft drink at the Tusayan McDonald’s, you get a full meal at either Maswik or Yavapai cafeteria. Though the food costs about the same at both places, there are some key differences: Maswik was recently renovated and more closely resembles a food court, where meals come complete with side dishes. One Maswik station serves Mexican fare; another provides home-style entrees such as roast turkey, meatloaf, chicken, or fish; a third offers pastas; and a fourth serves burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken sandwiches. There’s also a new pizza pub here open form 11am to 11pm.

At Yavapai, you can mix and match from different stations, picking up baked chicken from one, pizza from another, potatoes from another—and, when you put it all together, a case of indigestion. The salad bar is priced by weight.

Both cafeterias offer Dreyer’s soft serve ice cream, as well as box lunches to go for under $11.

At Maswik and Yavapai lodges, respectively. phone 928/638-2631. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $3–$8; lunch and dinner $4–$11. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Maswik daily 6am–10pm; Yavapai daily 6am–9pm (closed early Nov to mid-Feb, except on holidays).

Inside the Canyon

Phantom Ranch AMERICAN At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, whether you travel in by foot or by mule, pretty much anything tastes good. Would the food at Phantom Ranch taste as great on the rim as alongside Bright Angel Creek? That’s hard to say.

Every evening, just three options are offered: a steak (drench it in steak sauce and you’re in heaven) or vegetarian dinner at 5pm, and a hearty beef stew at 6:30pm. The vegetarian plate includes a black bean burger and the same side dishes as the steak dinner: vegetables, cornbread, baked potato, and salad. Dessert is chocolate cake.

The family-style, all-you-can-eat breakfasts are excellent, with heaping platters of eggs, bacon, and pancakes laid out on long tables in the canteen. The sack lunch ($13) includes a bagel, cream cheese, summer sausage, juice, an apple, peanuts, raisins, chips, and cookies. Alternatively, you could pack your own lunch and, if necessary, supplement it with snacks from the canteen.

Because the cooks here produce only a certain amount of food, hikers must reserve meals ahead of time through Xanterra (p. 208) or at the Bright Angel Transportation Desk. As a last resort, inquire upon arrival at Phantom Ranch to find out whether any meal reservations remain. Up until 4pm, you can do this at the canteen. After 4pm, ask at the side window behind the canteen. Between 8am (8:30am in winter) to 4pm and from 8 to 10pm, anyone is allowed in the canteen, which sells snacks, soda, beer, wine, first-aid items, souvenirs, and film. The lemonade is fantastic.

Inside the canyon 1⁄2 mile north of the Colorado River on the North Kaibab Trail. To reserve meals more than 1 day in advance, call phone 888/297-2757; to reserve next-day meals, contact the Bright Angel Transportation Desk at phone 928/638-2631, ext. 6015. Steak dinner $43; vegetarian meal $27; stew $27; sack lunch $13; breakfast $22. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V (DC not accepted for advance reservations).

North Rim

Deli in the Pines AMERICAN This snack bar serves simple breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, including cereals, sandwiches, pizza whole or by the slice, pasta dishes, and hot dogs. Grab one of the tables or booths, or take it to go. If all you desire is good coffee, stop by the Roughrider Saloon (straight across from the deli), which doubles as a cafe in the morning, open from 5:30 to 10:30am.

In Grand Canyon Lodge (west wing). phone 928/638-2611. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $3–$7; lunch and dinner $4–$8 (whole pizzas up to $22); AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–9pm.

Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room CONTINENTAL This is without question one of the world’s most scenic restaurants. Long banks of west- and south-facing windows look out on Transept Canyon and help warm this dining room, gently lit by table candles by night. The high, open-framed ceiling absorbs guests’ clamor.

The menu incorporates sustainable agricultural products. At dinner, consider starting with the blue crab and artichoke dip served with house fried tortilla chips, or with the assortment of chargrilled vegetables accompanied by a sunflower dipping sauce. Fresh Utah ruby trout is served nightly as a main course with a different sauce (mine came with a light pear, apple, and raisin butter sauce), the 10-ounce prime rib is a perennial favorite, and the thinly sliced bison will make your mouth water.

A sampling of the lunch menu includes beef stew, Angus hamburgers, veggie burgers, chicken or turkey sandwiches, and Navajo tacos; a lunch buffet with pasta and salad is also offered. Both the breakfast and lunch buffets cost less than $15.

Note there are only nine window-adjacent tables, which cannot be reserved. Though you can opt to wait (likely for an hour or more), you still will not be guaranteed a window seat. However, you can see through the windows from any part of the dining room, and you are always welcome to walk up to them for a closer view. The quality of service varies.

At Grand Canyon Lodge. phone 928/638-2611. Reservations recommended for dinner, not accepted for breakfast or lunch. Breakfast and lunch $6–$15; sack lunch $10–$12; dinner $13–$35. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 4:45–9:45pm.

Northeast of the Park

Vermilion Cliffs Bar & Grill AMERICAN After rigging boats for trips down the Colorado, many river guides come to this remote restaurant (open 6:30am–9pm in summer; reduced hours in low season), and not just for the 85 types of bottled beer. The baby back ribs with homemade barbecue sauce taste fabulous, and the chef also prepares excellent hand-cut steaks, including New York strip. The staff provides low-key service in a dining room whose wood walls, tables, chairs, and bar all seem to have been hewn from the same tree. The restaurant can be very crowded at dinnertime during peak fishing periods (generally fall and spring).

In Lees Ferry Lodge, Hwy. 89A, 4 miles west of Navajo Bridge, Marble Canyon, AZ. phone 928/355-2231. Breakfast $5–$10; lunch $6–$14; dinner $10–$25. Daily 6am–9pm.

Tusayan

Canyon Star Restaurant REGIONAL The entertainment at this festive restaurant seems designed to give tourists exactly what they hope to find in the American West. Most nights, a lonesome cowboy balladeer performs for diners. Specialty items include the barbecue buffalo brisket, slow-roasted baby back ribs, and the 12-oz. New York strip. Salmon and trout are usually served, and there’s a commendable kids’ menu ($9). For something on the lighter side, try the “very berry” balsamic vinaigrette salad with fresh berries. The adjacent Canyon Star Saloon is Tusayan’s leading hangout with six regional beers on tap.

In Grand Hotel on Hwy. 64 (1 1/2 miles from the park’s south entrance), Tusayan. phone 888/634-7263 or 928/638-3333. Breakfast $9–$14; lunch $8–$18; dinner $20–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6–10am, noon–4pm, and 5–10pm.

Coronado Dining Room CONTINENTAL Tasty food and attentive service make this Tusayan’s most upscale restaurant. The lavender-colored tables and chairs, dim lighting, and beautiful prints of the Canyon create a more formal atmosphere than at other Tusayan eateries (even though the dining room looks like the destination point for a time machine to the 1970s). The restaurant puts a heavy emphasis on steaks, including filet mignon, New York strip, rib-eye, and prime rib; a few chicken and seafood dishes are thrown in for good measure. The most delicious entree may be the sumptuous elk tournedos served with sweet red wine demi-glacé. Fresh, dark bread accompanies the meal. The adjoining, family-oriented Canyon Room offers breakfast and a buffet lunch.

In Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn (1 1/2 miles south of the park on Hwy. 64), Tusayan. phone 928/638-2681, ext. 4418. Reservations recommended. Entrees $17–$30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm.

Flagstaff

Brix AMERICAN/WINE BAR Adjacent to the Inn at 410, this casually elegant restaurant and wine bar competes with Cottage Place as Flagstaff’s finest dining room. Closely spaced candlelit tables fill the inside, and there’s a charming outdoor patio with heat lamps for those who prefer fresh air.

The contemporary American menu draws inspiration from local farmers; its selections are mostly organic. The menu changes with the seasons and might include choices like seared fresh fish, steak frites, farm-raised chicken, and homemade pasta with a vegetarian sauce. Delicious side dishes include artisanal macaroni and cheese and grilled eggplant and squash. Patrons are also welcome to come just for wine and cheese. Expect a balanced variety of international wines, with more than 30 selections served by the glass. A casual sister restaurant to Brix, Criollo (phone 928/774-0541), serves impressive Latin-inspired local food at 16 N. San Francisco St.

413 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff. phone 928/213-1021. www.brixflagstaff.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $23–$34. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 5–9pm; Fri–Sat 5–10pm.

Charly’s SOUTHWESTERN/AMERICAN Charly’s is spacious and cool, both inside, where the 12-foot-high ceilings of the Hotel Weatherford (built in 1897) provide breathing room, and on the sidewalk, a favorite place for summertime dining. Try the posole—New Mexican hominy with pork, chili, and spices served in a flour tortilla bowl—or the Navajo tacos served with fry bread. Besides steaks, fish, and burgers, the restaurant also offers a number of vegetarian dishes. The hotel’s bars are among the town’s hottest nightspots and are open well after Charly’s kitchen closes.

In historic Hotel Weatherford, 23 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff. phone 928/779-1919. Reservations accepted. Breakfast $6–$10; lunch $10–$14; dinner $20–$27. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 8am–10pm.

Cottage Place COUNTRY FRENCH The quiet serenity of Flagstaff’s most elegant restaurant is ideal for special occasions, a wonderful spot to peacefully celebrate your vacation to the Southwest. Original artwork decorates three rose-colored rooms, where soft conversations are heard from candlelit tables. Chateaubriand (for two) is chef-owner Frank Branham’s signature dish. It’s carved tableside with Béarnaise and smoked Gouda gratin potatoes. As for other entrees, I find it hard to choose between the rack of lamb—which is seared on an open-flame broiler and accompanied by a port wine demi-glacé and English mint sauce—and the Gorgonzola tournedos: choice medallions of beef tenderloin pan-seared and flavored with Gorgonzola and blue cheese. All entrees are served with soup du jour, green salad, and fresh breads. A six-course tasting menu is offered nightly, with or without matching wines, plus you can order the “Twilight Menu” from 5 to 6pm, which comes with soup or salad and an entree for $19.

126 W. Cottage Ave., Flagstaff. phone 928/774-8431. Reservations recommended. Dinner $19–$37; chateaubriand for 2 $74. AE, MC, V. Wed–Sun 5–9:30pm.

Cuvée 928 AMERICAN/WINE BAR Combination restaurants/wine bars have grown increasingly popular in Flagstaff, and this is the most spirited. Young professionals congregate here for appetizers, specialty cocktails, and delightful California and international wines (with the 3–6pm happy hour a local favorite). Patrons can even choose their wines right out of the impressive cellar. The food is so good the restaurant has continued to expand, with creative entrees written on a board above the bar. Among the original selections is a “crawfish croute,” a corn buttermilk biscuit smothered in a rich New Orleans–inspired Creole sauce with crawfish tail meat and a side of grilled asparagus. The chef uses many organic and local products, and Flagstaff’s only original hot sauce is served here. For lunch, there’s a wonderful array of sandwiches (try the beef brisket), wraps, paninis, salads, and other light teasers. This is one of the few establishments offering a late night menu on weekends. Cuvée 928 opens up on to Heritage Square, which is home to concerts, art walks, and movies on weekend nights.

6 E. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. phone 928/214-9463. www.cuvee928winebar.com. Lunch $8–$12; dinner $15–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–midnight. Closed Sun in winter.

Fratelli Pizza PIZZERIA This is not a place to come for a relaxing, romantic, or even sit-down dinner. There are only a few tables, so most people order takeout. There’s not much more to say about Fratelli, except that its pizza is northern Arizona’s best. The hand-tossed pies come with a selection of traditional, vegetarian, and specialty toppings. Antipasto, salads, and giant calzones also enliven the menu, as do a handful of beer and wine selections.

119 W. Phoenix Ave., Flagstaff. phone 928/774-9200. Reservations not accepted. Pizza $11–$21. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm.

Tinderbox Kitchen AMERICAN Opened in May 2009, Tinderbox Kitchen quickly established itself as Flagstaff’s hottest new table. Co-owners Kevin Heinonen and chef Scott Heinonen have created an inspirational menu centered on American comfort food, although it’s been kicked up several notches above “comfort.” The menu varies daily and is packed with creative entrees such as succulent seared scallops served with creamed corn and wild rice hushpuppies, jalapeño mac-’n’-cheese topped mixed with a duck leg confit, Juniper-cured venison, buffalo meatloaf, and a fresh fish selection prepared any number of ways. Dishes are carefully presented and extremely flavorful, although substitutions are “politely declined.” The decor matches the contemporary simplicity of the cuisine, with a dozen interior tables complemented by a handful on the back patio. An international wine list with a moderate price point accompanies the menu. Call in advance to inquire about possible chef’s tasting menus.

34 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff. phone 928/226-8400. www.tinderboxkitchen.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch $8–$15; dinner $18–$28; 4-course meal $50. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon 5–9pm; Tues–Sat 11am–2pm and 5–9pm. Closed Sun.

Williams

Cruisers Cafe 66 AMERICAN Built in an old Route 66 gas station, this restaurant is jammed with gas-station memorabilia, including stamped glass, filling-station signs, vintage gas pumps, and photos of classic service stations. It’s exactly what you would expect from a family-run cafe along Route 66. Start with the appetizer sampler—wings, chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, and fried mushrooms—served on a real automobile hubcap. The grilled burgers are tasty, but the best choice, if you really want to fill up, is the pork-back ribs. Healthier options include vegetarian fajitas, meatless lasagna, and chicken breast sandwiches. Live music is offered nightly in high season, and you may want to accompany your meal with a beer from the Grand Canyon Brewery (located right behind Cruisers Cafe). Free Wi-Fi is available in the restaurant.

233 W. Rte. 66, Williams. phone 928/635-2445. www.cruisers66.com. Reservations not accepted. Lunch and dinner $9–$21. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–10pm (may vary seasonally).

Pine Country Restaurant AMERICAN Many locals who dine at this recently expanded restaurant in downtown Williams eat their pie first, then order dinner. One taste of any of the almost 50 varieties of fresh-baked pie, including unusual flavors such as banana chocolate peanut butter or cookies ’n’ cream, will convince you that the pie-eaters have their priorities straight. But pie (about $5 a piece) is just a slice of the offerings here. Dinner entrees, like country-fried steak, grilled shrimp skewers, and rotisserie chicken, are moderately priced and taste home cooked. The lunch menu mostly consists of burgers, hot sandwiches, and salads.

107 N. Grand Canyon Blvd., Williams. phone 928/635-9718. www.pinecountryrestaurant.com. Reservations accepted. Breakfast $5–$8; lunch $6–$8; dinner $10–$22. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6am–9pm.

Rod’s Steak House STEAKHOUSE If you’re a steak lover, brake for the cow-shaped sign on Route 66 as if it were real livestock. This landmark Route 66 restaurant, which sprawls across a city block between the highway’s east- and westbound lanes, has hardly changed since Rodney Graves, an early member of the U.S. Geological Survey, opened it in 1946. It’s almost always crowded. Printed on a paper cutout of a cow, the fold-out menu is still only about 6 inches across—more than enough space for its laconic descriptions of the restaurant’s offerings. The best steaks include the 16-ounce T-bone, New York strip, and filet mignon (the prime rib, available in different portions, is also terrific). Non-meat eaters should consider the mesquite-broiled mountain trout. Delicious homemade rolls taste like biscuits, and the perennial winner for dessert is mud pie. Expect generous cocktails from the barman.

301 E. Rte. 66, Williams. phone 928/635-2671. www.rods-steakhouse.com. Reservations accepted. $13–$42. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–9:30pm. Closed Sun and first 2 weeks of Jan.

Kanab, Utah

Escobar’s Mexican Restaurant MEXICAN There’s not much to make you feel like you’re in Mexico here, save for a few shiny sombreros and toy chile peppers dangling from the ceiling. But this ultracasual Kanab favorite (indeed, there are sometimes as many kids as adults in the small dining room) serves Mexican food far more authentic than what you might expect to find here.

373 E. 300 S. phone 435/644-3739. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $6–$7; lunch $3–$7; dinner $8–$16. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Fri 11am–9:30pm. Closed mid-Dec to mid-Jan.

Houston’s Trails’ End Restaurant AMERICAN Generations of ranchers have eaten in this Old West restaurant, as evidenced by the rifles, branding irons, and spurs hanging on the walls. While country music plays over the stereo, waitresses wearing toy weapons serve up meaty dishes, including the house specialty, chicken-fried steak topped with country gravy. For something a bit more exotic, order the honey-jalapeño pork tenderloin off the newspaper-style menu. The soup is made fresh daily, as are the enormous yeast rolls that come with dinner. Breakfast includes a selection of omelets, while for lunch I find the zesty Southwest chicken salad most delicious. Veggie options include wraps and quesadillas. Domestic and imported beers are available (as they’re often not in Utah restaurants), and a small gift shop attaches to the dining room.

32 E. Center St. phone 435/644-2488. Reservations accepted. Breakfast $4–$12; lunch $9–$12; dinner $10–$23. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–10pm. Closed mid-Nov to mid-Mar.

Rocking V Cafe ECLECTIC Vicky and Victor Cooper left stressful jobs in the television industry to open this eclectic cafe, one of Kanab’s best restaurants. The fresh, mostly organic menu might include chicken and mushroom Alfredo, cornmeal-crusted trout, Asian stir-fry, and Thai curry with fresh veggies. My favorite dish is the grilled buffalo tenderloin—free-range buffalo with a burgundy-balsamic reduction served with soup. Finish with the chocolate silk or Key lime pie. The restaurant occupies a glass-fronted 1892 building that has seen duty as a general store, a mortuary, a grocery, and a bank. The wine cellar occupies the old safe, and there’s a gallery with local and regional art upstairs.

97 W. Center St. phone 435/644-8001. www.rockingvcafe.com. Reservations accepted. Dinner $12–$38. MC, V. Wed–Sun 5–10pm (daily in high season). Closed Nov–Feb.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

If possible, stock up on camping items at a grocery store in a large city, such as Flagstaff. In general, prices rise steadily as you near the canyon, peaking at the Canyon Village Marketplace inside the park on the South Rim, in Market Plaza at Grand Canyon Village (phone 928/638-2262). Also on the South Rim is the Desert View Store at Desert View off Ariz. 64 (phone 928/638-2393). On the North Rim is the North Rim General Store (phone 928/638-2611), adjacent to North Rim Campground.

Outside the park, in Tusayan, is Tusayan General Store, 1 mile south of the park entrance on Ariz. 64 (phone 928/638-2854). Williams has a Safeway, 637 W. Route 66 (phone 928/635-0500).

In Kanab you’ll find Glazier’s Market, 264 S. 100 E. (phone 435/644-5029), and Honey’s Marketplace, 260 E. 300 S. (phone 435/644-5877).

Flagstaff has four large supermarkets: Albertson’s, 1416 E. Route 66 (phone 928/773-7955); Basha’s, 2700 Woodlands Village Blvd. (phone 928/774-3882); and another location at 1000 N. Humphreys St. (phone 928/774-2101); and Fry’s, 201 N. Switzer Canyon Dr. (phone 928/774-2719).

Chapter 17: Grand Teton National Park, WY

by Eric Peterson

Every time you focus your camera in Grand Teton, the frame will likely center on one of its many stately peaks. As a whole, the towering mountains of the Teton Range define this park, unlike neighboring Yellowstone, distinguished by its pastiche of thermal features and subtle beauty. You’ll still see wildlife—eagles and osprey along the Snake River; moose and, if you’re lucky, a black bear in the vicinity of the Jackson Lake Junction; and pronghorn on the valley floor—but it is the landscape that makes Grand Teton.

Grand Teton National Park

Compared with the undulations of Yellowstone, Grand Teton presents two vistas: a long, wide valley bordered on all sides by vertical peaks. If possible, once you enter the park, head for the summit of Signal Mountain, near Jackson Lake. There you will have a 360-degree view that will put the park and surrounding areas in perspective. It’s also the view point from which some of the most famous early photos of the park were taken.

From the Jackson Point Overlook on Signal Mountain, you’ll see a valley floor that was once covered with a freshwater sea and, later, thousands of tons of ice; to the west are views of a mountain formation towering more than a mile overhead.

Consider that the tops of the Tetons, which sit on a 40-mile-long fault, were displaced by geological upheaval that caused 30,000 feet of movement of the earth’s crust over the last 13 million years—the valley floor dropped by 24,000 feet as the mountains shot up 6,000 feet. Ice-age glaciers, which also gouged out hundreds of lakes in the park, carved the canyons that punctuate the mountains.

One advantage of Grand Teton over Yellowstone is that it’s significantly easier to navigate, in part because the park is smaller and activity centers are closer to each other. Jackson Lake and the Snake River, prime recreational areas for anglers and boaters, are near the hiking trails and campsites. Though not as stately as Old Faithful Inn, Jackson Lake Lodge is quite appealing and comfortable in its own right.

The first homesteaders began arriving in the area in the 1880s. Many discovered, though, that the frigid winters and short growing season made it difficult—indeed, nearly impossible—to eke out a living, so they abandoned the area. By 1907, cattle ranchers discovered that wealthy Eastern hunters were attracted to the area as a vacation site, and the dude-ranching industry secured its first foothold in Jackson Hole, the great valley that runs the length of the Tetons on the east side.

When cattle interests learned of a movement to convert privately owned grazing land on the valley floor into a national park, a rancorous tug-of-war began. Congress had designated the area south of Yellowstone National Park the Teton Forest Reserve in 1897 and attempted to create a larger sanctuary in 1918; however, local opposition defeated the measure. In 1923, a better-reasoned and successful attempt was made to preserve the area for future generations. Maud Noble, a conservation-minded entrepreneur, and a group of other concerned locals, aided by Yellowstone Superintendent Horace Albright, prepared a plan for setting aside a portion of the Jackson Hole as a national recreation area. Congress first set aside 96,000 acres of mountains and forests (excluding Jackson Lake) as a national park in 1929.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr., got into the act by establishing the Snake River Land Company, which became the vehicle through which he anonymously accumulated more than 35,000 acres of land between 1927 and 1943. His goal was to donate the property for an enlarged park, but opponents in Congress prevented the government from accepting his gift.

Finally, in 1950, the Feds and the locals reached a compromise: The government agreed to reimburse Teton County for revenue that would have been generated by property taxes and to honor existing leaseholds, and present-day Grand Teton National Park was born.

Avoiding the Crowds

Most of the travelers who visit Grand Teton are visiting Yellowstone on the same trip—and this means that when winter closes in on Yellowstone, the crowds abandon both parks. Grand Teton usually holds out against winter a bit longer than the higher plateau to the north, so you may enjoy a wonderful, traffic-free visit in early June and late October at Grand Teton. But I emphasize the word may: Snow can fall as early as September and as late as June.

Another off-season risk, in addition to unpredictable snowfall, is that it’s sometimes harder to get around. In the spring, higher trails are still blocked by snow or the mud that follows it. This soggy season can last well into June. In the fall, temperatures can drop at night, and icy winds sometimes blow.

In spring, however, wildflowers are particularly dynamic, filling the meadows and hillsides with vast arrays of color. In the fall, golden aspens rustle amid the evergreens, and the thinning crowds provide a respite for both visiting humans and resident wildlife. In some streams, this is the best time for angling. It’s cheaper, too: Motels drop their rates during the off season.

If crowds make you claustrophobic, the key months to avoid are July and August. But most of the people who come through the gates in midsummer go only to the developed campgrounds and lodges at Colter Bay, Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and Signal Mountain; to the lakes and views accessible by car; and to the short paths that stay within view of the visitor center. If you have the energy to hike up into Cascade Canyon and beyond, you’ll see an entirely different landscape. And, of course, summer is a beautiful time of year, with wildflowers blooming well into July and wildlife always in evidence.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The park is essentially the east slope of the Tetons and the valley below; if you drive to it, you enter from the south, east, or north. From the north, you can enter Grand Teton from Yellowstone National Park via the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway (U.S. 89/191/287). You will already have paid your fee for entrance to both parks, so there is no entrance station, but you can stop at Flagg Ranch, approximately 5 miles north of the park boundary, and get park information. From December to March, Yellowstone’s south entrance is open only to snowmobiles and snow coaches.

You can also approach the park from the east, on U.S. 26/287. This route comes from Dubois, 55 miles east on the other side of the Absaroka and Wind River mountains, and crosses Togwotee Pass, where you’ll get your first and one of the best views of the Tetons from above the valley. Travelers who come this way can continue south on U.S. 26/89/191 to Jackson without paying an entrance fee, though they are within the park boundaries.

You can also enter Grand Teton from Jackson in the south, driving 12 miles north on U.S. 26/89/191 to the Moose turnoff and the park’s south entrance. You’ll find the park headquarters and visitor center, and a community with dining and shops.

The Nearest Airport Inside the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole Airport (phone 307/733-7682; www.jacksonholeairport.com) is the most convenient airport. It’s served by American, Delta/SkyWest, Frontier, and United. Most major car-rental companies have outlets here. See chapter 38 for websites of the major airlines and car-rental firms.

Information

To receive park maps and information before your arrival, contact Grand Teton National Park, P.O. Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012 (phone 307/739-3300; www.nps.gov/grte).

The Grand Teton Association, P.O. Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012 (phone 307/739-3403; www.grandtetonpark.org), provides information about the park and books of interest to visitors at the park visitor centers. You can also order books online or by mail. The following titles are recommended: Teton Trails, by Katy Duffy and Darwin Wile, available from the Grand Teton Association; A Guide to Exploring Grand Teton National Park, by Linda Olson and Tim Bywater (RNM Press); and An Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, by Lisa Gollin Evans (The Mountaineers).

The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, 112 W. Center St., P.O. Box 550, Jackson, WY 83001 (phone 307/733-3316; www.jacksonholechamber.com), provides information on just about everything in and around Jackson. Along with the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, representatives of the chamber staff the informative Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, 532 N. Cache, about 3 blocks north of the town square, with a view of the National Elk Refuge. For information on lodging, events, and activities, contact the chamber.

Visitor Centers

Grand Teton National Park has three visitor centers. The most extensive is the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center (phone 307/739-3399), a half mile west of Moose Junction at the southern end of the park, featuring exhibits on alpinism, geology, and wildlife; an art gallery; a “video river” and other multimedia installations; and a theater. You can pick up maps and permits for boating and backcountry trips.

The Jenny Lake Visitor Center (phone 307/739-3343), at South Jenny Lake, has maps, publications, and a geology exhibit.

The Colter Bay Visitor Center (phone 307/739-3594), the northernmost center, provides permits, information audiovisual programs, and a bookstore. This is also the home of the Indian Arts Museum.

On the Moose-Wilson Road, you’ll find the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve Center (phone 307/739-3654).

Finally, there is an information station at the Flagg Ranch complex (phone 307/543-2327), which is approximately 5 miles north of the park’s northern boundary.

Fees & Permits

There are no park gates on U.S. 26/89/191, so the views are free as you pass through the park on that route, but if you want to get off the highway and explore, you’ll pay $25 per automobile for a 7-day pass (good for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton). If you expect to visit the parks more than once a year, it’s worth it to purchase a $50 annual permit.

Fees for camping in Grand Teton are $20 to $21 per night at all the park campgrounds($8 for hike- and bike-in sites). You must have a permit to sleep in the backcountry. See “Exploring the Backcountry,” later this chapter, for information.

Special Regulations & Warnings

It is unlawful to approach within 100 yards of a bear or within 25 yards of other wildlife. Feeding any wildlife is illegal.

Seasons & Climate

A popular song once romanticized “Springtime in the Rockies,” but what the rest of the world calls spring is likely to be chilly and spitting snow or rain here. Snow and mud still clog trails. Cold and snow may linger into April and May, though temperatures are generally warming. The average daytime readings are in the 40s and 50s (single digits and 10s Celsius), gradually increasing into the 60s and 70s (upper teens and 20s Celsius) by early June. A warm jacket, rain gear, and water-resistant walking shoes are advised.

Summer is finally under way in mid-June; wildflowers start to bloom in May in the lower valleys and plains, and in July in the higher elevations. Temperatures are typically 75° to 90°F (24°–32°C) in the lower elevations and are especially comfortable because of the lack of humidity. Nights, however, will be cool, even during the warmest months, with temperatures dropping into the low 40s (single digits Celsius), so you’ll want to pack a light jacket. Summer thunderstorms are common.

As fall approaches and temperatures remain mild but begin to cool, you’ll want an additional layer of clothing. The first heavy snows typically fall by November 1 and continue through March or April.

Winter is a glorious season, though it’s not for everyone—it can get very cold. But the air is crystalline, the snow is powdery, and the skiing is fantastic. You’ll need long johns, heavy shirts, vests and coats, warm gloves, and thick socks to combat daytime temperatures hovering in single digits and subzero overnights. If you drive in the park’s vicinity in the winter, always carry sleeping bags, extra food, flashlights, and other safety gear.

If you’re planning on visiting Yellowstone as well as Grand Teton, and are considering making your trip to the parks before the middle of June, think about beginning your exploration in Grand Teton before working north to Yellowstone. Elevations here are slightly lower and snow melts earlier, so less water accumulates on trails, and temperatures are more moderate.

Road Openings

Teton Park Road opens to conventional vehicles and RVs around May 1. The Moose-Wilson Road opens to vehicles at about the same time. Roads close to vehicles on November 1 and open for snowmobiles in mid-December, though they never close for nonmotorized use.

If You Have Only 1 day

A 1-day trip around this park is not unreasonable, given its size. You can complete a loop that encompasses many major attractions without having to retrace your steps. Although this 1-day itinerary assumes you are entering Grand Teton from the north, possibly after visiting Yellowstone, you could also begin your itinerary in Jackson, 13 miles south of the Moose Entrance Station.

Begin at the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park, driving through the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway on U.S. 89/181/287 past the Flagg Ranch Information Station. As you drive south, you’ll find yourself skirting the northern shore of Jackson Lake, with a view of Mount Moran to the west and, farther south, the towering Cathedral Group.

Colter Bay Village on the northeast shore of Jackson Lake is one of the park’s busiest spots. Several popular hiking trails start here. If you turn right at Colter Bay Junction and go another half mile, you’ll be at the Colter Bay Visitor Center; stop here for the interesting Indian Arts Museum.

The Lakeshore Trail begins at the marina entrance and runs along the harbor for an easy 2-mile round-trip. It’s level, paved, shady, and wheelchair accessible, offering you your best opportunity for a hike in this area if you don’t have much time. The Douglas firs and pine trees here are greener and healthier than the lodgepole pines you see at higher elevations in Yellowstone.

A few minutes’ drive south of Colter Bay, you’ll pass Jackson Lake Lodge and then Jackson Lake Junction, where a right turn puts you on Teton Park Road, the beginning of a 43-mile loop tour. You’ll be driving parallel to the mountain range and its 13,770-foot centerpiece, Grand Teton. You’ll see lakes, created by glaciers thousands of years ago, bordering a sagebrush valley inhabited by pronghorn and elk.

Just 5 miles down the road along Jackson Lake, a left (east) turn will take you up Signal Mountain, where you’ll have a 360-degree view of the valley. You may want to grab a quick lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge, a friendly lakeside eatery with a beautiful view. Then continue south on Teton Park Road to South Jenny Lake. If you have time, go to the other side (it’s a 2-mile hike) and make the short climb to Hidden Falls. Otherwise, your best bet for a day hike in this area is the Moose Ponds Trail (see “Day Hikes,” later in this chapter).

When you leave South Jenny Lake, you’ll drive a flat, sagebrush stretch to Moose, the southernmost of the park’s service centers. Half a mile before Moose Junction is the Moose Visitor Center. While you’re in Moose, you might visit the Menor/Noble Historic District and the Chapel of the Transfiguration.

Coming out of Moose, turn left (north) on U.S. 26/89/191, which crosses the flats above the Snake River to Moran Junction. The best views along this road are the Glacier View Turnout and the Snake River Overlook, both of which are right off the road and well marked. At Moran Junction, turn left for a 5-mile drive back to Jackson Lake Junction, past Oxbow Bend, a great spot for wildlife watching.

Exploring the Park

A 1-day whirlwind tour of Grand Teton is far from ideal. Like Yellowstone, this park demands a visit of 2 days or more. An extended stay allows for some relaxed hiking, picnicking, and sightseeing—you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the park and the area’s culture and history.

We begin at the northern end of the park. But you could also start exploring from the southern end, near Jackson. From Jackson, it’s 13 miles to the Moose Entrance Station, another 7 miles to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, another 12 miles to the Jackson Lake Junction, and 5 miles to Colter Bay.

Jackson Lake & the North End of the Park

Many people enter Grand Teton National Park from the north end, emerging from Yellowstone’s south entrance with a 7-day park pass that is good for admission to Grand Teton as well. Yellowstone connects to Grand Teton by a wilderness corridor called the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, through which the highway runs for 8 miles, over the Snake River, past meadows sometimes dotted with elk, along the shores of Jackson Lake, and through forests.

On the parkway, not far from Yellowstone, you’ll pass Flagg Ranch Resort (see “Where to Stay,” later in this chapter), with gas, restaurants, lodging, and other services.

Giant Jackson Lake, a huge expanse of water that fills a deep gouge left 10,000 years ago by retreating glaciers, dominates the north end of the park. Though it empties east into the Snake River, curving around in the languid Oxbow Bend—a favorite wildlife-viewing float for canoeists—the water from Jackson Lake eventually turns south and then west through Snake River Canyon and into Idaho. Stream flow from the dam is regulated both for potato farmers downstream in Idaho and for rafters in the canyon, so, for better or ill, we have an irrigation dam in a national park. Elsewhere on the lake, things look quite natural, except when water gets low in the fall.

As the road follows the east shore of the lake from the north, the first development that travelers encounter is Leeks Marina, where boats can launch, gas up, and moor from mid-May to mid-September. There are numerous scenic pullouts along the lake, some good for picnics.

Just south of Leeks is Colter Bay, a busy outpost of park services—a visitor center, a general store, a laundry, two restaurants, a boat launch, boat rentals, and tours. Colter Bay has lots of overnight options, from cabins to old-fashioned tent camps to a trailer park. You can take pleasant short hikes in this area, including a walk around the bay or out to Hermitage Point (see “Day Hikes,” below).

The Indian Arts Museum at the Colter Bay Visitor Center is worth a visit, though it is not strictly about the Native American cultures of this area. The artifacts are mostly from Plains Indian tribes, but there are also some Navajo items from the Southwest. The collection includes moccasins, pipes, shields, dolls, and war clubs sometimes called “skull crackers.” Visiting American Indian artists work in the museum all summer long and sell their wares on-site. Admission is free.

From Colter Bay, the road swerves east and then south again past Jackson Lake Lodge. Numerous trails emanate from here, both to the lakeshore and east to Emma Matilda Lake. The road then comes to Jackson Lake Junction, where you can either continue west along the lakeshore or go east to the park’s Moran Entrance Station. If you go out through the Moran entrance, you are still in the park and may turn south on U.S. 26/89/191 and drive along the Snake River to Jackson, making the most of your journey within the park’s borders.

If you’re here to enjoy the park, you should turn right (west) on Teton Park Road at Jackson Lake Junction. After 5 miles, you will arrive at Signal Mountain. Like its counterpart at Colter Bay, this developed recreation area, on Jackson Lake’s southeast shore, offers camping sites, accommodations in cabins and multiplex units, two restaurants, and a lounge with one of the few televisions in the park. If you need gas or food, stock up at the convenience store here. Boat rentals and scenic cruises of the lake are also available.

If you turn east instead of west off Teton Park Road at Signal Mountain, you can drive up a narrow, twisty road to the top of the mountain, 700 feet above the valley, where you’ll have a fine view of the ring of mountains—Absarokas, Gros Ventres, Tetons, and Yellowstone Plateau—that create the Jackson “Hole.” Note also the potholes created in the valley’s hilly moraines left by retreating glaciers. Below the summit, about 3 miles from the base of the hill, is Jackson Point Overlook, a paved path 100 yards long leading to the spot where the Hayden Expedition’s photographer William Henry Jackson shot his famous wet-plate photographs of Jackson Lake and the Tetons more than a century ago—proof to the world that such spectacular places really existed.

Looking for a hideaway? On the right (west) side of the road between Signal Mountain and North Jenny Lake Junction, approximately 2 miles south of the Mount Moran Turnout, is an unmarked, unpaved road leading to Spalding Bay. It’s a sheltered little campsite and boat launch area with a primitive restroom. There isn’t much space if others have beaten you there, but it’s a great place to be alone, with fantastic views of the lake and mountains. An automobile or SUV driving slowly will have no problem with this road. You’ll pass through brush and forest and might spot a moose.

Jenny Lake & the South End of the Park

Continuing south along Teton Park Road, you move into the park’s southern half, where the tallest peaks rise abruptly above a string of smaller lakes strung together in the foothills—Leigh Lake, the appropriately named String Lake, and Jenny Lake, many visitors’ favorite. At North Jenny Lake Junction, you can take a turnoff west to Jenny Lake Lodge. The road then continues as a one-way scenic loop along the lakeshore before rejoining Teton Park Road about 4 miles later.

Jenny Lake gets a lot of traffic throughout the summer, both from hikers who circumnavigate the lake on a 6-mile trail and from more sedentary folks who pay for a boat ride across the lake to Hidden Falls and the short, steep climb to Inspiration Point (see “Day Hikes,” below). The parking lot at South Jenny Lake is often jammed, and there can be a long wait for the boat ride, so you might want to get there early. Or you can save your money by taking the 2-mile hike around the lake—it’s level and easy. Also here are a tents-only campground, a visitor center, and a general store. You’ll have to buy a ticket and wait in line for the trip across the lake in a powerboat that holds about 30 people. Hours and prices change from year to year, but generally in peak season, boats leave every 15 minutes from 8am to 6pm. The trip costs $10 round-trip for adults, $5 for children 5 to 12, and free for children under 5. One-way trips cost $7 for adults, $5 for children, free for children under 5. Contact Jenny Lake Boating Company (phone 307/734-9227; www.jennylakeboating.com) for more information; reservations are recommended.

South of the lake, Teton Park Road crosses open sagebrush plains with views of the mountains. You’ll pass the Climbers’ Ranch and some trail heads for hikes to Taggart Lake and elsewhere. Look in the sagebrush for the shy pronghorn, an antelope-like creature. This handsome animal, with tan cheeks and black accent stripes, can spring along at up to 60 mph. If you wander in the sagebrush here, you may encounter a badger, a shy but mean-spirited creature that sometimes comes out of its hole in the morning or at twilight.

The Teton Glacier Turnout presents a view of a glacier that grew for several hundred years until, pressured by hotter summer temperatures in the past century, it reversed direction and began retreating.

The road arrives at the park’s south entrance—again, actually well within the park boundaries—and the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose, also home to park headquarters and a village with shops, restaurants, and lodgings.

Behind the visitor center is Menor’s Ferry. Bill Menor had a store and operated a ferry across the Snake River at Moose in the late 1800s. The ferry and store have been reconstructed, and you can buy items like those once sold here. Also in the area is the Chapel of the Transfiguration. In 1925, this chapel was built in Moose so that settlers wouldn’t have to make the long ride into Jackson. It’s still in use for Episcopal services from spring to fall, and it’s a popular place for weddings, with a view of the Tetons through a window behind the altar.

Dornan’s is a small village area just south of the visitor center on a chunk of private land owned by one of the area’s earliest homesteading families. There are a few shops and a semigourmet grocery store, a collection of nice rental cabins (www.dornans.com; phone 307/733-2522) that sleep four to six ($175–$250 per night in the summer), a post office, restaurants, a bar with occasional live music, and even a first-rate wine shop.

visiting the LSR Preserve

In 2007, the Rockefeller family donated the 1,106-acre JY Ranch, on the shore of Phelps Lake in the southern reaches of the park to the National Park Service. At the Rockefellers’ former private retreat, buildings came down and a 3-mile trail system went in, along with a staffed “reflection center” to allow visitors to make a personal connection with nature.

The East Side of the Park

At Moose Junction, just east of the visitor center, drivers can rejoin the highway and turn south to Jackson and the Gros Ventre turn, or cruise north up U.S. 89/26/191 to Moran Junction. This 18-mile trip is the fastest route through the park and, because of its distance from the mountains, offers views of a broader mountain tableau.

The junction of U.S. 89 with Antelope Flats Road is 1 1/4 miles north of the Moose Junction. The 20-mile route beginning here is an acceptable biking route. It’s all on level terrain, passing by the town of Kelly and the Gros Ventre campground before looping back to U.S. 26/89/191 at the Gros Ventre Junction to the south. If you continue straight on Antelope Flats Road, you’ll reach the Teton Science School (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below) at the road’s end, about a 5-mile trip.

Less than a mile farther along U.S. 26/89/191, on the left, Blacktail Ponds Overlook offers an opportunity to see how beavers build dams and how they affect the flow of the streams. The area is marshy early in summer, but it’s worth the quarter-mile hike down to the streams, where you can view the beaver activity more closely.

Traveling 2 miles farther along U.S. 89 brings you to the Glacier View Turnout, which offers views of an area that 140,000 to 160,000 years ago was filled with a 4,000-foot-thick glacier. The view of the gulch between the peaks offers testimony of the power of the glaciers that carved this landscape. Lower Schwabacher Landing is at the end of a 1-mile, fairly well-maintained dirt road that leads down to the Snake River; you’ll see the turnoff 4 1/2 miles north of Moose Junction. The road winds through an area filled with glacial moraine (the rocks, sand, gravel, and so forth left behind as glaciers passed through the area) remaining from several different ice ages. At the end of the road is a popular launch site for float trips and fly-fishing. It’s also an ideal place to retreat from the crowds. Don’t be surprised to see bald eagles, osprey, moose, river otter, and beaver, which regularly patrol the area.

The Snake River Overlook, 4 miles down the road beyond the Glacier View Turnout, is the most famous view of the Teton Range and the Snake River, immortalized by Ansel Adams. From this overlook, you’ll also see at least three 200-foot-high plateaus that roll from the riverbed to the valley floor, a vivid example of the power of the glaciers and ice floes as they sculpted this area.

A half mile north of the Snake River Overlook is the recently repaved road to Deadman’s Bar, a peaceful clearing on the riverbank. Many float trips launch here, and there is limited fishing access.

Cunningham Cabin, 1 3/4 miles north of Deadman’s Bar, is a historic site at which homesteaders Pierce and Margaret Cunningham built their ranch in 1890. By 1928, they had been defeated by the elements and sold out to Rockefeller’s Snake River Land Co. You can visit it at any time.

If you head down the highway in the other direction (south) from Moose Junction on U.S. 26/89/191, you can turn east on the Gros Ventre River Road 5 miles before you reach Jackson and follow the river east into its steep canyon—a few miles past the little town of Kelly, you leave the park and enter Bridger-Teton National Forest.

In 1925, a huge slab of mountain broke off the north end of the Gros Ventre Range on the east side of Jackson Hole, a reminder of nature’s violent and unpredictable side. The slide left a gaping open gash in the side of Sheep Mountain, sloughing off nearly 50 million cubic yards of rock and forming a natural dam across the Gros Ventre River half a mile wide. Two years later, the dam broke, and a cascade of water rushed down the canyon and through the little town of Kelly, taking several lives. The town of Kelly is a quaint, eccentric community with a large number of yurts. Up in the canyon formed by the Gros Ventre River is a roadside display with photographs of the slide area and a nature walk from the road down to the residue of the slide and Lower Slide Lake. Signs identify the trees and plants that survived or grew in the slide’s aftermath.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The Grand Teton Lodge Company (phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811 for information; www.gtlc.com) runs half-day bus tours of Grand Teton ($45 adults, $20 children 3–11) and full-day tours of Yellowstone ($75 adults, $43 children 3–11) from late May to early October, weather permitting.

The Teton Science Schools, 700 Coyote Canyon Rd., Jackson, WY 83001 (phone 307/733-1313; www.tetonscience.org), has an excellent curriculum for students of all ages, from integrated science programs for junior-high kids to adult seminars covering everything from botany to astronomy. Classes take place at campuses in Jackson and Kelly, and other locations in Jackson Hole. The school’s Wildlife Expeditions (phone 877/404-6626) offers tours that bring visitors closer to the park’s wildlife. These trips range from a half-day to a week, covering everything from bighorn sheep to the wolves of Yellowstone.

Scenic Safaris (phone 888/734-8898; www.scenic-safaris.com) offers tours of Grand Teton and Yellowstone out of Jackson in comfortable luxury vans. Often centering on a hike in the park, the tours are half- and full-day affairs that range from $125 to $205 per adult and $85 to $125 for kids under 13. In the winter, the company offers snow-coach and snowmobile tours of both parks for $189 to $299; additional snowmobile riders cost $99 to $149.

Within the park, there are several interesting ranger programs. These include a ranger-led 3-mile hike from the Colter Bay Visitor Center to Swan Lake, as well as a relaxed evening chatting with a ranger on the deck of the Jackson Lake Lodge while you watch for moose and birds through a spotting scope. There are numerous events during the summer at Colter Bay, South Jenny Lake, and the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Moose. Check the daily schedules in the park’s newspaper, The Teewinot, which is available at any visitor center.

From Moose, rangers lead visitors out to the “lek”—the mating ground of the strutting grouse, whose males’ displays are dramatic, to say the least, during the springtime mating season. In winter, guided snowshoe hikes begin at the visitor center in Moose.

There are guided morning hikes to Phelps Lake at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Inspiration Point from Jenny Lake (you take the boat across the lake), among other activities.

Youngsters 8 to 12 can join the Junior Ranger program at Colter Bay or Jenny Lake and learn about the natural world for 2 hours while hiking with a ranger. Signups are at the visitor centers (the fee is a mere $1), and the kids will need basic hiking gear.

There are also evening campfire gatherings at most of the campground amphitheaters on a variety of park-related topics.

Day Hikes

Colter Bay Area

Lakeshore Trail Originating in the Colter Bay area, this short jaunt starts at the marina and leads out to pebble beaches on the west side of Jackson Lake. The trail is wide and shady, and views of the entire Teton Range leap out at you from across the lake when you arrive at the end of the trail. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Marina entrance.

Trails from the Hermitage Point Trail head

The Hermitage Point trail head near the marina is the starting point for a variety of trips ranging from 1 to 9 miles. With careful planning, it’s possible to start the day with a hike beginning at Colter Bay that leads past Cygnet Lake across Willow Flats to Jackson Lake Lodge (where you can stop for lunch). Then, after a break, take the same path and return to Colter Bay in time for the evening barbecue. All told, that’s 10 miles round-trip.

When choosing your route, keep in mind that the three trails running through this same forested part of the Colter Bay area—Heron Pond Trail, Swan Lake Trail, and Hermitage Point Loop—have virtually identical foliage and terrain. The numerous options can be confusing, so carry a map.

Hermitage Point Loop This trail goes through a thickly forested area to the isolated Hermitage Point, a peninsula jutting into Jackson Lake, from which you can look across the bay to the Signal Mountain Lodge. If you’re seeking solitude, this is an excellent place to find it, though you should check with rangers before leaving—this is bear country. 9.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Swan Lake/Heron Pond trail intersection.

Heron Pond Trail If you take this trail in the early morning, you will improve your chance of seeing the beavers that live in the pond. This is bear territory as well as a home for Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and moose. Wildflowers are part of the show in the early summer—look for lupine, gilia, heartleaf arnicas, and Indian paintbrush. The first 200 yards of the trail are steep, but after reaching the top of a rise, it levels out and has only moderate elevation gains from that point on. 3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Hermitage Point trail head.

Swan Lake Trail Finding swans at Swan Lake requires a trip to the south end, where a small island offers them isolation and shelter for nests. From Swan Lake, it’s only .3 mile through a densely forested area to the intersection with the trail to Heron Pond. Hermitage Point is 3 miles from this junction along a gentle path that winds through a wooded area that is a popular bear hangout. 3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Hermitage Point trail head.

Willow Flats An alternative to mountainous, forested trails, this trip from Colter Bay to Jackson Lake Lodge takes you across marshy flats where you’ll have an excellent view of the Tetons and a chance of seeing moose and other wildlife. You begin by skirting the sewage ponds at Colter Bay (sorry), then pick up a trail east to Cygnet Lake. Instead of looping back to Colter Bay, you take a spur that crosses Pilgrim Creek going east across the flats. You can hike in either direction, but drop a car at each end if you don’t want to double back on foot. 10 miles RT. Easy. Access: Horse corrals at Colter Bay.

Jackson Lake Lodge Area

Christian Pond Trail This trail begins with a half-mile walk through a grassy, wet area to a pond with nesting trumpeter swans and other waterfowl. You can circle the pond, adding another 3 miles to the trip. In May and June, this is a great wildflower walk, but it’s also prime habitat for bears, so check with rangers first. The south end of the pond is covered with little grassy knolls upon which the birds build their nests and roost, and beavers have constructed a lodge here, too. It’s a restful sanctuary but often infested with gnats and mosquitoes. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: 200 yards south of Jackson Lake Lodge entrance (it’s unmarked, so look carefully).

Signal Mountain Summit Trail This up-and-down trail gives you a few fine hours of solitude with views of the mountains, wildflowers, and, at the end, a grand panorama of the glacially carved valley. After negotiating a steep climb at the beginning of the trail, you’ll come upon a broad plateau covered with lodgepole pines, grassy areas, and seasonal wildflowers. Cross a paved road to a lily-covered pond, and just beyond you’ll choose one of two trails—take the right one up (ponds, wildlife, maybe moose and bear) or the left one down (open ridges with views). 8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Near Signal Mountain Lodge entrance, or 1 mile (by car) up Signal Mountain Rd. to a pond on the right.

Two Ocean & Emma Matilda Lake Trails

You can come to these lakes from the east or west: From the west, you’d begin at the Grand View Point trail head, 1 mile north of Jackson Lake Lodge, or at the Christian Pond trail head, just east of Jackson Lake Lodge. From the east, you’d go up Pacific Creek Road, 4 miles east of Jackson Lake Junction on the road to the Moran entrance. There is a pullout for Emma Matilda Lake 2 miles up this road, or you can go a half mile farther, take a left on Two Ocean Lake Road, and go to the Two Ocean Lake trail head parking lot, with trails leading to both lakes.

Emma Matilda Lake Trail Circumnavigating this lake is a pleasant, up-and-down journey with great views of the mountains and a good chance of seeing wildlife. The hike winds uphill for .5 mile from the parking area to a large meadow favored by mule deer. The trail follows the north side of the lake through a pine forest 400 feet above the lake, then descends to an overlook where you’ll have panoramic views of the Tetons, Christian Pond, and Jackson Lake. The trail on the south side of the lake goes through a densely forested area populated by Englemann spruce and subalpine fir. Be watchful and noisy, because this is grizzly bear country. It’s possible to branch off onto the Two Ocean Lake Trail along the north shore of the lake. 12 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Emma Matilda Lake trail head on Pacific Creek Rd., or trail head off Two Ocean Lake Rd. north of Jackson Lake–Moran Rd.

Two Ocean Lake Trail Take your time and take a picnic on this delightful, underused trail around Two Ocean Lake. You can start at either end, the walk around the lake is fairly level, and ducks, swans, grebes, and loons are commonly seen on the water. The variety of habitat—marshes, lakes, woodlands, and meadows—means that you’ll see these birds, as well as wildflowers, butterflies, and possibly bear, beaver, elk, deer, and moose. As usual, awesome views of the Tetons abound; for the best perspective, take the 1.3-mile trip up 600 feet to Grand View Point, a somewhat difficult climb through lodgepole and fir en route to a hilltop covered with orange arrowleaf balsamroot. You’ll look down on lakes, meadows, and volcanic outcrops, and in the distance, you’ll gaze at the Tetons, the Mount Leidy Highlands, and Jackson Lake. It’s possible to branch off onto the Emma Matilda Lake Trail at the east end of Two Ocean Lake. 5.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Two Ocean Lake trail head on Two Ocean Lake Rd., or Grand View Point trail head.

Jenny Lake Area

Amphitheater Lake Trail Here’s a trail that can get you up into the high mountains and out in a day, if you’re in good shape and acclimated to the altitude (you’ll climb 3,000 ft.). You’ll cross glacial moraines and meadows quilted with flowers, and enter forests of fir and lodgepole and whitebark pine (a bear food—be alert!). Finally, you clear the trees and come into an amphitheater of monstrous rock walls topped by Disappointment Peak, with the Grand and Teewinot in view. Surprise Lake and Amphitheater Lake sit in this dramatic setting, with a few gnarled trees struggling to survive on the slopes. 9.6 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Lupine Meadows trail head. From Moose Entrance Station on Teton Park Rd., drive a little over 6 3/4 miles to Lupine Meadows Junction and follow signs to trail head; from Jenny Lake, trail head is at the end of a road less than 1 mile south of South Jenny Lake.

Cascade Canyon Trail For those who have time to go a little farther, Cascade Canyon Trail is the most popular in the park. You can begin the hike from South Jenny Lake, but you can shave 2 miles off each way by riding the boat across the lake and beginning your hike at the dock (see “Jenny Lake & the South End of the Park,” earlier in this chapter). At this point, you’re only a steep 1-mile hike from Inspiration Point (see “Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point Trail,” below), which is as far as many visitors go. From here, you make a brief steep climb to the glacially rounded canyon, where the trail levels out and you’re in a wonderland of wildflowers, waterfowl, and busy pikas. On a nice day, the warblers will be singing and you may see moose and bear. If you want to go farther once you reach forks of North and South Cascade Canyon, follow either the South Fork to Hurricane Pass or the North Fork to Lake Solitude. These are overnight trips.

A less taxing alternative to the Cascade Canyon trip mentioned above is a detour to Moose Ponds, which begins on the Inspiration Point trail. The ponds, 2 miles from either the west or east boat dock, are near the south end of the lake and are alive with birds. The area near the base of Teewinot Mountain, which towers over the area, is populated with elk, mule deer, black bears, and moose. The trail is flat (at lake level), short, and easy to negotiate in 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The best times to venture forth are in early morning and evening. 9.1 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Inspiration Point.

Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point Trail Many people cross Jenny Lake, either by boat or on foot around the south end, and then make the short, forest-shaded uphill slog to Hidden Falls (less than 1 mile of hiking if you take the boat, 5 miles round-trip if you walk around), which tumbles down a broad cascade. Some think that’s enough and don’t go another steep half mile to Inspiration Point. Up there you get a great view of Jenny Lake below, and you can see the glacial moraine that formed it. If you’re going only to these two overlooks, I recommend a relaxed and easy hike around the south end of the lake. 1.8–5.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: East or west shore boat dock.

Jenny Lake Loop Trail Another lake to circumnavigate, following the shore. You can cut the trip in half by taking the Jenny Lake boat shuttle from the east shore boat dock to the west shore boat dock. The lake occupies a pastoral setting at the foot of the mountain range, providing excellent views throughout the summer. Warning: This is one of the most popular spots in the park; to avoid crowds, travel early or late in the day. The trails to Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, and the Moose Ponds branch off this trail on the southwest shore of the lake. The trails to String and Leigh lakes branch off this trail on the northern shore of Jenny Lake. 6.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Trail head at east shore boat dock.

Exploring the Backcountry

Grand Teton may seem small compared with Yellowstone, but it has more than 250 miles of backcountry trails that provide good opportunities for solitude and adventure. You must have a permit from the Park Service to sleep in the backcountry—the permits are free, but reservations are not. The permit is valid only on the dates for which it is issued. There are two methods of securing permits: They may be picked up at park visitor centers the day before you start your trip, or you can make a reservation for a permit in advance of your arrival, for a $25 fee. To avoid the fee, you may pick up a permit the day before you commence your trip. Reservations are accepted only from January 1 to May 15; it’s wise to reserve a camp area if you’re going in July or August. Reservations may be made by writing the Permits Office, Grand Teton National Park, P.O. Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012, or faxing 307/739-3438. Reservations can also be made online at www.nps.gov/grte.

Remember that this region has a short summer and practically no spring. Although the lower-elevation areas of the park are open in May, some of the high-country trails may not be clear of snow or high water before late June or early July. Look in the “Backcountry Camping” brochure available at the visitor center for approximate dates when specific campsites will be habitable.

Perhaps the most popular backcountry trail in Grand Teton is the 19-mile Cascade Canyon Loop, which starts on the west side of Jenny Lake, winds northwest 7.2 miles on the Cascade Canyon Trail to Lake Solitude and the Paintbrush Divide, then returns on the 10-mile-long Paintbrush Trail past Holly Lake. It is one of the most rigorous hikes in either Grand Teton or Yellowstone because of gains in elevation—more than 2,600 feet—rocky trails, and switchbacks through loose rock and gravel that can become slippery, especially in years when snow remains until the middle of summer on the north-facing side of Paintbrush Divide.

Rangers recommend the hike for several reasons, the most noteworthy of which is unsurpassed scenery. Moose and black bears inhabit this part of the park, so hikers are cautioned to be diligent about making noise. There’s also the possibility of sighting harlequin ducks, which nest near the trail in Cascade Creek. You’ll see many types of wildflowers, large stands of whitebark pine trees, and an almost unimaginable array of bird life.

Though it adds 5.1 miles to the trip (one-way), a detour west from the Cascade Canyon Trail to Hurricane Pass will reward you with a view from the foot of Schoolroom Glacier. If you’re after an extended trip, head west into the Jedediah Smith Wilderness on a trail that eventually crosses into Idaho. This trail doesn’t stop anytime soon—you can continue trekking all the way to Alaska.

If you’re unable to complete the hike in 1 day, you can trek 7.2 miles on the Cascade Canyon Trail to Solitude Lake and return on the same trail. If you can afford a 2-day trip, camping zones are 6 miles west of the trail head on the Cascade Canyon Trail and 8.7 miles northwest on the Paintbrush Canyon Trail at Holly Lake. Be sure to get a reservation.

Perhaps the quickest way to get up high in these mountains for a backcountry foray is to hitch a ride up Rendezvous Mountain on the Jackson Hole Ski Resort Tram. This puts you at 10,450 feet in Bridger-Teton National Forest, just south of the park, and ready to embark north toward the park’s Middle Fork Cutoff. From here you can head down into Granite Canyon to Phelps Lake, or go north along the Teton Crest Trail to Fox Creek Pass (over 8 difficult miles from the tram) and Death Canyon and beyond. If you are hardy enough to make it to Death Canyon Shelf, a wildflower-strewn limestone ledge that runs above Death Canyon toward Alaska Basin, you’ll have an extraordinary high-altitude view of the west side of the Tetons’ biggest peaks. If you are on an extended backcountry trip, you can continue north to Hurricane Pass, where you can come back down to the valley floor by way of Cascade Canyon.

This kind of backcountry trip is really an expedition, and it requires skill and experience. Go over your plans with park rangers, who can help you evaluate your ability to take on the challenge.

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Biking Bikes are banned from hiking trails in the park. On the paved roads, the problem is safety—huge RVs career about, and some roads have only narrow shoulders. Teton Park Road has been widened somewhat, but traffic is heavy here. Debuting in 2009, a popular new 8-mile multiuse trail was opened between Jenny and Moose lakes.

Road bikers should also try Antelope Flats, beginning at a trail head 1 mile north of Moose Junction and going east. Sometimes called Mormon Row, this paved route crosses the flats below the Gros Ventre Mountains, past old ranch homesteads and the small town of Kelly. It connects to the unpaved Shadow Mountain Road, which actually goes outside the park into national forest, climbing through the trees to the summit. Total distance is 7 miles, and the elevation gain is 1,370 feet; you’ll be looking at Mount Moran and the Tetons across the valley.

Mountain bikers have a few more options: Try Two Ocean Lake Road (reached from the Pacific Creek Rd. just north of Moran Junction) or the River Road, a 15-mile dirt path along the Snake River’s western bank. (Bison use it, too, and you’d be smart to yield.) Ambitious mountain bikers may want to load their overnight gear and take the Grassy Lake Road, once used by American Indians, west from Flagg Ranch on a 50-mile journey to Ashton, Idaho.

A map that shows bicycle routes is available from the Park Service at visitor centers, or from Adventure Sports at Dornan’s in the town of Moose (phone 307/733-3307; www.dornans.com/adventures), which is inside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. You can also rent various bikes here.

Boating If you bring your own boat, you must register it: For human-powered craft, it’s $10 for 7 days, or $20 for a 1-year permit; motorized skippers pay $20 for 7 days and $40 for an annual permit, which you can buy at the Colter Bay and Moose visitor centers. Boat and canoe rentals, tackle, and fishing licenses are available at Colter Bay and Signal Mountain (rental fees of $30–$60 per hour for motorboats include permits; kayaks, canoes, and deck cruisers are also available). Sailboat tours are also available at Signal Mountain. The Jenny Lake Boating Company (phone 307/733-9227) runs shuttles to the west side of Jenny Lake and offers scenic cruises for $15 adults, $7 kids.

Motorized boats are allowed on Phelps, Jackson, and Jenny lakes, but on Jenny Lake the motor can’t be over 8 horsepower. Only human-powered vessels are permitted on Emma Matilda, Two Ocean, Taggart, Bradley, Bearpaw, Leigh, and String lakes. Rafts, canoes, dories, and kayaks are allowed on the Snake River within the park. No boats are allowed on Pacific Creek or the Gros Ventre River.

Scenic cruises of Jackson Lake are conducted daily by the Grand Teton Lodge Company (phone 307/543-2811; www.gtlc.com). Breakfast cruises run Saturday through Thursday, and dinner cruises run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Both depart from the Colter Bay Marina from May through September. You’ll travel to Elk Island, where they cook up a good meal: trout and steak for dinner, and pancakes and eggs for breakfast. The scenic trips are 1 1/2 hours long, and cost $28 for adults and $13 for kids 3 to 11; the meal cruises are twice that length and run $37 (breakfast) or $57 (dinner) for adults, and $22 or $37, respectively, for kids 3 to 11.

Additionally, you can rent kayaks and canoes at Adventure Sports at Dornan’s in the town of Moose (phone 307/733-3307; www.dornans.com/adventures), which is within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park.

Climbing The Tetons have a strong allure for climbers, even inexperienced ones, perhaps because you can reach the tops of even the highest peaks in a single day. The terrain is mixed, with snow and ice year-round—knowing how to self-arrest with an ice axe is a must—and the weather can change suddenly. The key is to get good advice, know your limitations, and, if you’re not already skilled, take some lessons and hire a guide at a local climbing school. Two long-standing operations offer classes and guided climbs of Grand Teton: Jackson Hole Mountain Guides in Jackson (phone 800/239-7642 or 307/733-4979; www.jhmg.com) and Exum Mountain Guides in Moose (phone 307/733-2297; www.exumguides.com). Expect to pay around $700 to $1,000 for a guided 2-day climb of Grand Teton, or $150 to $200 for a class. The Jenny Lake Ranger Station (phone 307/739-3392; open only in summer) is the center for climbing information; climbers are encouraged to stop in and obtain information on routes, conditions, and regulations.

Fishing The lakes and streams of Grand Teton are popular fishing destinations. Jackson, Jenny, and Phelps lakes are loaded with lively cutthroat trout, whitefish, and mackinaw (lake) trout. Jackson has produced monsters weighing as much as 50 pounds, but you’re more likely to catch fish under 20 inches, fishing deep with trolling gear from a boat during hot summer months.

The Snake River runs for about 27 miles in the park, and it has cutthroat and whitefish up to about 18 inches. It’s a popular drift-boat river for fly-fishers. If you’d like a guide who knows the holes, try Jack Dennis Sports (phone 800/570-3270 or 307/733-3270; www.jackdennisfishingtrips.com), Triangle X Float Trips (phone 307/733-5500; www.trianglex.com), or Westbank Anglers (phone 800/922-3474 or 307/733-6483; www.westbank.com). The going rate is $425 to $475 for a full day for two people. Signal Mountain Lodge (phone 307/543-2831) offers guided half-day trips on motorized craft in Jackson Lake for one or two people for $280. As an alternative, stake out a position on the banks below the dam at Jackson Lake, where you’ll have plenty of company and just might snag something. You need a Wyoming state fishing license and must check creel limits, which vary from year to year and place to place.

Float Trips One of the most effective and environmentally sound (not to mention relaxing) methods of viewing wildlife in Grand Teton is aboard a floating watercraft that silently moves downstream without disturbing the animals. The park’s 27-mile stretch of river is wonderful for viewing wildlife, with moose, eagles, and other animals coming, like you, to the water’s edge. Most of the commercial float operators in the park operate from mid-May to mid-September (depending on weather and river flow conditions). These companies offer 5- to 10-mile scenic floats, some with early morning and evening wildlife trips. Try Solitude Float Trips (phone 888/704-2800 or 307/733-2871; www.grand-teton-scenic-floats.com), Barker-Ewing Float Trips (phone 800/365-1800 or 307/733-1800; www.barkerewing.com), Grand Teton Lodge Company (phone 307/543-2811; www.gtlc.com), or Signal Mountain Lodge (phone 307/543-2831; www.signalmtnlodge.com). Scenic float trips cost about $50 to $60 for adults, with discounts for children under 12.

Horseback Riding The Grand Teton Lodge Company offers tours from stables next to popular visitor centers at Colter Bay and Jackson Lake Lodge. Choices are 1- and 2-hour guided trail rides daily aboard well-broken, tame animals. An experienced rider may find these tours too tame; wranglers refer to them as “nose-and-tail” tours. In Jackson, try Jackson Hole Outfitters (phone 307/654-7008; www.jacksonholetrailrides.com), Spring Creek Ranch Riding Stables (phone 800/443-6139; www.springcreekranch.com), or the Mill Iron Ranch (phone 307/733-6390; www.millironranch.net). Rates usually run about $50 for 2 hours.

Winter Sports & Activities

Park facilities pretty much shut down during the winter, except for a skeleton staff at the Moose Visitor Center, and the park shows no signs of becoming the winter magnet for snowmobilers or backcountry skiers that Yellowstone is. That may be just as well—you can enjoy some quiet, fun times in the park without the crowds.

Skiing You can ski flat or you can ski steep in Grand Teton. The two things to watch out for are hypothermia and avalanches. As with climbing, know your limitations, and make sure you’re properly equipped. Check with local rangers and guides for trails that match your ability. Among your options is the relatively easy Jenny Lake Trail, starting at the Taggart Lake Parking Area, about 8 miles round-trip of flat and scenic trail that follows Cottonwood Creek. A more difficult ski is the Taggart Lake–Beaver Creek Loop, about a 3-mile route that has some steep and icy pitches coming back. About 4 miles of the Moose-Wilson Road—the back way to Teton Village from Moose—is unplowed in the winter, and it is an easy trip through the woods. You can climb the windy, unplowed road to the top of Signal Mountain and have some fun skiing down. An easy ski trail runs from the Colter Bay Ranger Station area to Heron Pond; it’s about 2.6 miles, with a great view of the Tetons and Jackson Lake. Get a ski trail map from a visitor center.

Skiers who come to Jackson Hole are usually after the hard, steep stuff at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, but a growing contingent of backcountry telemark skiers ski off Teton Pass and out of the ski resort boundaries.

Snowmobiling Snowmobiling is a popular winter option. Snowmobiling is allowed on the frozen surface of Jackson Lake and in the nearby Bridger-Teton National Forest, the area to the immediate east of Grand Teton National Park. The operators who rent snowmobiles (including the necessary clothing and helmets) also have guides to take you on 1-day and multiday tours of Jackson Hole and the surrounding area. High Country Snowmobile Tours, Wyoming Adventures, and Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Tours share a website and reservation service (phone 800/647-2561; www.snowmobiletours.net), offering guided trips in Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, and the surrounding wildlands. Jackson Hole Snowmobile Tours, 515 N. Cache St. (phone 800/633-1733 or 307/733-6850; www.jacksonholesnowmobile.com), offers 1-day trips in Yellowstone and multiday trips along the Continental Divide. A typical guided, full-day outing costs from $250 to $300 for a single rider, with pickup and drop-off service, equipment, fuel, a continental breakfast, and lunch at Old Faithful included. Also in Jackson, snowmobiles and relevant gear can be rented at Leisure Sports, 1075 S. U.S. Hwy. 89 (phone 307/733-3040; www.leisuresportsadventure.com).

Camping

* Tents only.

* Tents only.

* Tents only.

Inside the Park

The campground chart below lists amenities for each campground in the park. All the campgrounds except Jenny Lake can accommodate tents, RVs, and trailers, but none has utility hookups. Jenny Lake Campground, a tents-only area with 51 sites, is in a quiet, wooded area near the lake. You have to be here first thing in the morning to get a site. For recorded information on campgrounds, call phone 307/739-3603.

The largest campground, Gros Ventre, is the last to fill, if it fills up at all—probably because it’s on the east side of the park, a few miles from Kelly on the Gros Ventre River Road. It has 350 sites, a trailer dump station, a tents-only section, and no showers. If you arrive late in the day and you have no place to stay, go here first.

Signal Mountain Campground, with views of the lake and access to the beach, is another popular spot that fills first thing in the morning. It has 81 sites overlooking Jackson Lake and Mount Moran, as well as a pleasant picnic area and boat launch. There are no showers or laundry, but a store and service station are nearby.

Colter Bay Campground and Trailer Village has 350 sites, some with RV hookups, showers, and a launderette. The area has access to the lake but is far enough from the village to offer a modicum of solitude; spaces are usually gone by noon.

Lizard Creek Campground, at the north end of Grand Teton National Park near Jackson Lake, occupies an aesthetically pleasing wooded area near the lake with views of the Tetons, bird-watching, and fishing (and mosquitoes; bring your repellent). It’s only 8 miles from facilities at Colter Bay and has 60 sites that fill by 2pm.

Near the Park

There are several places to park the RV or pitch a tent around Jackson Hole, and a few of them are reasonably priced and not too far from the park. Some of your best bets are either out of Jackson or way out of Jackson. Most campgrounds are open from late spring to early fall.

A concessionaire-operated campground is at the Flagg Ranch Resort (phone 866/875-8456; www.nationalparkreservations.com) on the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway. The campground, in a wooded area next to the parkway, has 171 sites for RVs and campers, showers, and a launderette.

Away from the crowds, the Snake River Park KOA Campground is on U.S. 89, 10 miles south of Jackson (phone 800/562-1878 or 307/733-7078; www.srpkoa.com), and has 83 sites.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Grand Teton’s lodging options are few but varied. You can get information about or make reservations for Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, and Colter Bay Village through the Grand Teton Lodge Company, P.O. Box 250, Moran, WY 83013 (phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811; www.gtlc.com). For Signal Mountain Lodge, contact Signal Mountain Lodge, P.O. Box 50, Moran, WY 83013 (phone 307/543-2831; www.signalmountainlodge.com).

In Moose, Dornan’s Spur Ranch Cabins (phone 307/733-2522; www.dornans.com) sleep four to six for $175 to $250 in the summer. Nearby, Moulton Ranch Cabins (phone 307/733-3749; www.moultonranchcabins.com) charges $95 to $249 for a cabin.

Grand Teton National Park properties have in-room telephones, but none have in-room televisions or air-conditioning. You’ll find televisions in the lounge areas at the Jackson Lodge, Signal Mountain Resort, and Flagg Ranch.

Colter Bay Village Area

Colter Bay Village You might call this the people’s resort of Grand Teton, with simpler lodgings, lower prices, and a lively, friendlier atmosphere that seems particularly suited to families. Situated on the eastern shore of Jackson Lake, Colter Bay Village is a full-fledged recreation center. Guest accommodations are in rough log cabins perched on a wooded hillside; they are clean and simply furnished with area rugs on tile floors and reproductions of pioneer furnishings—chests, oval mirrors, and extralong bedsteads with painted headboards. If you want to take a trip back to the early days of American auto travel, when car camping involved unwieldy canvas tents on slabs by the roadside, you can spend an inexpensive night in tent cabins. The shower and bathroom are communal. Overall, the village provides an excellent base of operations for visitors because it has the most facilities of any area in the park.

P.O. Box 250, Moran, WY 83013. www.gtlc.com. phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811. 166 units. $65 log cabin with shared bathroom; $165–$219 log cabin with private bathroom; $52 tent cabin. MC, V. Closed late Sept to late May.

Jackson Lake Lodge Much the way that Old Faithful Inn or the Lake Yellowstone Hotel captures historic eras of Yellowstone tourism, Jackson Lake Lodge epitomizes the architectural milieu of the period when Grand Teton became a park. That era was the 1950s, an age of right angles, flat roofs, and big windows. While not as distinctive as Yellowstone’s standouts, the lodge is more functional and comfortable than its northern counterparts. The setting is sublime, overlooking Willow Flats with the lake in the distance, and, towering over it without so much as a stick in the way, the Tetons and Mount Moran. You don’t even have to go outside to see this impressive view—the lobby has 60-foot-wide windows showcasing the panorama. A few guest rooms are in the three-story main lodge, but most are in cottages scattered about the property, some of which have balconies and mountain views. Newly remodeled in 2009, rooms are spacious and cheery, and most offer double beds, electric heat, and newly tiled bathrooms. For a premium, the view rooms provide guests with a private picture window facing the Tetons.

P.O. Box 250, Moran, WY 83013. www.gtlc.com. phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811. 385 units. $229–$319 double; $625–$750 suite. MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.

Signal Mountain Lodge Signal Mountain has a different feel—and different owners—from the other lodgings in Grand Teton, adding to the sense that any place you choose to stay in this park is going to give you a fairly unique atmosphere. What they all have in common is the Teton view, and this lodge, located right on the banks of Jackson Lake, might have the best. To top it off, it’s got lakefront retreats, which you can really inhabit, with stoves and refrigerators and foldout sofa beds for the kids. Other accommodations, mostly rustic log cabins, come in a variety of flavors, from motel-style rooms in four-unit buildings set amid the trees to beachfront family bungalows. These carpeted units feature handmade pine furniture, electric heat, covered porches, and tiled bathrooms; some have fireplaces, and all are nonsmoking. Recreational options include rafting and fishing, and sailboat tours on the lake. A convenience store and gas station are on the property.

P.O. Box 50, Moran, WY 83013. www.signalmountainlodge.com. phone 307/543-2831. 80 units. $131–$300 double. Pets accepted ($15 per night). AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to early May.

Jenny Lake Area

Jenny Lake Lodge My favorite property in any national park, this lodge justifiably prides itself on seclusion, award-winning food, and the individual attention that comes with a cabin resort kept intentionally small. Catering to an older, affluent, and exceedingly loyal clientele, the style here is a throwback: a blend of peaceful rusticity and occasional reminders of class and formality. The property is a hybrid of mountain-lake resort and dude ranch, with various extras included in its prices, such as horseback rides, meals, walking sticks, umbrellas, and cool cruiser bicycles. The cabins, each named for a resident flower, are rustic on the outside and luxurious within—decorated with bright braided rugs, dark wood floors, beamed ceilings, cushy plaid armchairs, and tiled bathrooms. Rooms have one queen-size, one king-size, or two double beds. Some were old dude-ranch cabins from the 1920s, and some were built on the property in the 1990s; the latter have larger bathrooms and more modernity, but less character.

P.O. Box 250, Moran, WY 83013. www.gtlc.com. phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811. 37 units. $620 double; $800–$885 suite. Extra person $150 a night. Rates include MAP (modified American plan), horseback riding, and use of bicycles. AE, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to May.

Near the Park

Flagg Ranch Village Area

Like Grant Village in Yellowstone, Flagg Ranch offers travelers the full gamut of services: cabins, tent and RV sites, an above-average restaurant (at the Flagg Ranch Resort), and a gas station. Until a ban on snowmobiling was recently reinstated, it was a popular jumping-off spot for snowmobilers during winter months. However, it’s in a stand of pines in the middle of nowhere, and there’s not much to do in the vicinity except watch the Snake River.

Flagg Ranch Resort At this resort on the Snake River with log-and-luxury ambience, accommodations are duplex and four-plex log cabins that were constructed in the 1990s. The rooms feature patios with rocking chairs, king- and queen-size beds, spacious sitting areas with writing desks and chests of drawers, and bathrooms with tub/shower combinations and separate vanities. There are float trips, horseback rides, and excellent fishing in Polecat Creek or the Snake River. The lodge is a locus of activity, with its double-sided fireplace, fancy dining room, gift shop, espresso bar and pub with large-screen television, convenience store, and gas station. A campground is situated on the grounds amid a stand of pine trees.

P.O. Box 187, Moran, WY 83013. www.flaggranch.com. phone 800/443-2311 or 307/543-2861. Fax 307/543-2356. 92 cabins, 171 campsites. $179–$189 cabin double; $64 RV site; $35 tent site. AE, DISC, MC, V.

In Jackson

Clustered together near the junction west of downtown where Wyo. 22 leaves U.S. Hwy. 26/89 and heads north to Teton Village is a colony of chain franchises: a surprisingly chic Motel 6, 600 S. U.S. Hwy. 89 (phone 307/733-1620); Super 8, 750 S. U.S. Hwy. 89 (www.super8.com; phone 307/733-6833); and a more upscale and expensive Days Inn, 350 S. U.S. Hwy. 89 (www.daysinn.com; phone 307/733-0033), with private hot tubs and fireplaces in suites. High-season prices for these chain motels range from $150 to $200 double. North of Town Square, the Lexington at Jackson Hole (formerly the Trapper Inn), 285 N. Cache St. (www.lexjh.com; phone 888/771-2648 or 307/733-2648) is a solid pick, with doubles for $229 and suites for $299 in summer.

On the inexpensive end of the scale, the Anvil Motel, 215 N. Cache St. (www.anvilmotel.com; phone 800/234-4507 or 307/733-3668) offers double rooms for $110 to $148 in summer. I also like the summer-only Buckrail Lodge, at the base of Snow King Mountain at 110 E. Karns Ave. (www.buckraillodge.com; phone 307/733-2079), a comfortable independent that’s been nicely maintained since it opened in the 1960s. Doubles are $91 to $143. Find website listings for the major chains in chapter 38.

Alpine House Stylish, environmentally conscious, and melding the best of the B&B and hotel worlds, Alpine House began as a six-room operation in 1996 and expanded nearly fourfold in 2000 when it opened a spa. Modeled after Scandinavian lodging, the rooms are woodsy and Western but modern and functional, with one king, one queen, or two queens and nice views. Some have lofts with additional beds; all have a shared or private balcony, a fireplace, and a soaking tub. The public areas, indoors and out, are quiet and serene. New in 2009 are five spacious creekside cottages a block away from the main building. Owners Hans and Nancy Johnstone are former Olympians and great resources for planning outdoor adventures in Jackson Hole.

285 N. Glenwood St. (P.O. Box 1126), Jackson, WY 83001. www.alpinehouse.com. phone 800/753-1421 or 307/739-1570. Fax 307/734-2850. 27 units, including 5 cottages. A/C, TV, TEL. $185–$275 double; $295 suite; $325–$400 cottage. Lower rates Oct–May. Rates include full breakfast (inn, not cottages). AE, MC, V.

Inn on the Creek Tucked into a quiet corner of Jackson, this bed-and-breakfast has an enviable location away from the bustle but within easy walking distance of it. The rooms, many of which feature a great view of Cache Creek lolling along behind the inn, are adorned with nature and wildlife art and nicely balance charm and comfort. The suite features a working gas fireplace and full kitchen; many rooms have jetted tubs. This is a perfect spot for couples looking for both privacy and access to the town’s dining an nightlife.

295 N. Millward St. (P.O. Box 445), Jackson, WY 83001. www.innonthecreek.com. phone 800/669-9534 or 307/739-1565. Fax 307/734-9116. 9 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $179–$425 double; $599 suite. Lower rates spring to fall. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Rustic Inn New in 2008 on the creekside former home of the Wagon Wheel Motel, the Rustic Inn is a standout property with something for everybody, especially families. The rooms come in a wide variety of layouts and sizes, from nicely redone historic motel rooms dating from the Wagon Wheel days to shiny new stand-alone cabins and four-plexes on Cache Creek. All the units are decorated in a tasteful “New West” style, featuring antler chandeliers and dual-head showers in the bathroom. There is plenty of space here—7 acres in all—and one of the few swimming pools at a lodging in Jackson proper.

475 N. Cache St. (P.O. Box 14250), Jackson, WY 83002. www.rusticinnatjh.com. phone 800/323-9279 or 307/733-2357. Fax 307/733-0568. 152 units. $229–$529 double. Lower rates spring to fall. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa The name sounds like an out-of-tune jungle bird, but the Rusty Parrot demonstrates excellent pitch, cultivating a country lodge and spa right in the heart of busy Jackson. Located across from Miller Park, the Parrot is decorated in the nouveau Western style of peeled log, with an interior appointed with elegant furnishings and river-rock fireplaces. One very attractive lure is the Body Sage Spa, where you can get yourself treated to all sorts of scrubs, wraps, massages, and facials. Another is the excellent restaurant, the Wild Sage. Rooms are large, and several have private balconies.

175 N. Jackson St. (P.O. Box 1657), Jackson, WY 83001. www.rustyparrot.com. phone 800/458-2004 or 307/733-2000. 30 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $360–$425 double; $625–$750 suite. Lower rates spring and fall. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Woods Hotel Originally opened in 1950, the Woods Hotel was collecting cobwebs from 1998 to 2006 until new ownership reinvented the place as a boutique lodging in 2007. The brick exterior (and vintage sign) belies the innlike rooms, featuring spare Western-chic style: leather headboards, warm earth tones, and a few rugged touches. The standard rooms are small and lack air-conditioning, but the brick structure stays surprisingly cool and the suites and one family room (with bunk beds) give guests more space to stretch out, plus microwaves and minifridges.

120 N. Glenwood St. (P.O. Box 266), Jackson, WY 83001. www.thewoodshotel.com. phone 800/963-2200 or 307/733-2200. 11 units. TV. $129–149 double; $159–$189 suite. AE, MC, V. Closed Oct–May.

The Wort Hotel On Broadway just off the Town Square, the Wort stands like a charming old tree. Opened in the early 1940s by the sons of Charles Wort, an early-20th-century homesteader, the Tudor-style two-story building was largely rebuilt after a 1980 fire. Nowadays, it has an old-fashioned style, both in the relaxed Silver Dollar Bar (distinctively graced with 2,032 silver dollars) and in the quiet, formal dining room. In the manner of an old cattle-baron hotel, the lobby is adorned by a warm, romantic fireplace; another fireplace and a huge, hand-carved mural accent a mezzanine sitting area, providing a second hideaway. The rooms aren’t Tudor at all—the Wort labels them “New West.” Brass number plates and doorknobs welcome you into comfortable, air-conditioned guest rooms with modern decor, thick carpeting, and armoires. The Silver Dollar Suite features a wet bar inlaid with silver dollars as in the bar below.

50 N. Glenwood St. (at Broadway), Jackson, WY 83001. www.worthotel.com. phone 800/322-2727 or 307/733-2190. 59 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $359 double; $659–$799 suite. Lower rates fall–spring. Valet parking $10 daily. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Near Jackson

Amangani Cut into the side of East Gros Ventre Butte, Amangani’s rough rock exterior blends incredibly well so that the lights from its windows and pool appear at night to glow from within the mountain. Understated and rustic, all details are done with high contemporary style. From the high-ceilinged corridors to the idyllic outdoor pool, this place is all about class and privacy, not to mention superlative views. Hotelier Adrian Zecha has resorts like this around the world, from Bali to Bhutan, and while the designs are tailored to the landscape, the approach is the same: personal service, luxury, and all the little touches. To name a few of the latter, there are iPod cradles in every bedroom, plush throws on the daybeds, and stunning slate and redwood interiors.

1535 NE Butte Rd., Jackson, WY 83002 (on top of East Gros Ventre Butte). www.amanresorts.com. phone 877/734-7333 or 307/734-7333. 44 units, including 4 private houses. A/C, TV, TEL. $725–$1,700 double; $3,400–$7,500 private house. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Spring Creek Ranch Perched atop East Gros Ventre Butte, 1,000 feet above the Snake River and minutes from both the airport and downtown Jackson, this resort commands a panoramic view of the Grand Tetons and 1,000 acres of land populated by deer, moose, and the horses at its riding facility in the valley below. Views aside, Spring Creek has much going for it: The rooms, divided among nine buildings with cabinlike exteriors, all have wood-burning fireplaces, Native American floor and wall coverings, and private decks and balconies. Most rooms have a king- or two queen-size beds, and the studio units boast kitchenettes. In addition to its own rooms, the resort arranges accommodations in the privately owned condominiums and vacation homes that dot the butte—large, lavishly furnished, and featuring full kitchens. The resort also staffs in-house naturalists who lead guests on “Wildlife Safaris” into the parks.

1800 Spirit Dance Rd. (on top of the East Gros Ventre Butte; P.O. Box 4780), Jackson, WY 83001. www.springcreekranch.com. phone 800/443-6139 or 307/733-8833. 126 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $340–$500 double; $375–$2,200 condo or home. Lower rates in spring and fall. AE, MC, V.

A Teton Tree House This B&B is an architectural marvel “and a quiet port in the storm” of bustling Jackson Hole, says innkeeper, builder, and longtime Jackson adventurer Denny Becker. Under construction for 40-some years on a forested hillside above Wilson where flying squirrels glide amidst the sunset canopy, the labyrinthine inn is located 95 steps up from the parking lot and full of books, staircases, and all sorts of funky nooks and crannies. Most every room has a private deck with a splendid view of the valley; the Downy Woodpecker room has a king bed and an outdoor swing and adjoins with the Clark’s Nuthatch room with two queens for larger parties. Denny and his wife, Sally, eat heart-healthy breakfasts (meaning no eggs or meat) with their guests; Denny is known for his breakfast banana splits (with light yogurt), Sally for her baking, and both have plenty of good advice.

6175 Heck of a Hill Rd. (P.O. Box 550), Wilson, WY 83014. www.atetontreehouse-jacksonhole.com. phone 307/733-3233. 6 units. $225–$285 double; 3-night minimum. Rates include complimentary full breakfast. No children 4 or under. DISC, MC, V. 8 miles west of Jackson. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May. Located 8 miles west of Jackson.

Wildflower Inn A terrific B&B on 3 lush and secluded acres near Teton Village, the Wildflower Inn is the brainchild of jack-of-all-trades Ken Jern, a log-home builder and climbing guide, and his wife, Sherrie, a former ski instructor who now runs the inn full-time. Besides being founts of local information, the Jerns are remarkable hosts who pride themselves on both the big picture and the little details. Rooms, named after local wildflowers, are comfortable and luxurious, with private decks, exposed logs, and a remarkable sense of privacy for an inn. Guests also get access to house bikes, rain gear, and trekking poles—not to mention hammocks. Breakfasts are excellent, including veggie frittatas, sour cream coffeecake, and yeast-raised waffles.

3725 Teton Village Rd. (P.O. Box 11000), Jackson, WY 83002. www.jacksonholewildflower.com. phone 307/733-4710. Fax 307/739-0914. 5 units. TV. $320–$350 double; $400 suite. MC, V.

In Teton Village

Although lodging in the town of Jackson tends to be a little cheaper in the winter than in the summer, at Teton Village the pattern is reversed—rooms by the ski hill get more expensive after the snow falls.

The Alpenhof No other spot in the village has quite the Swiss-chalet flavor of this long-standing hostelry, which has a prize location only 50 yards from the ski-resort tram. Four stories tall, with a pitched roof and flower boxes on the balconies, it offers a little old-world atmosphere, as well as excellent comforts and service. The rooms feature brightly colored alpine fabrics, handcrafted Bavarian furnishings, and tiled bathrooms with big, soft towels. You can choose from two junior suites with wet bars and five rooms with fireplaces, and many rooms have balconies or decks. Economy rooms offer two doubles or one queen-size bed, while deluxe units are larger. The resident Alpenrose restaurant specializes in fondue.

3255 W. Village Dr. (P.O. Box 288), Teton Village, WY 83025. www.alpenhoflodge.com. phone 800/732-3244 or 307/733-3242. Fax 307/739-1516. 42 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $189–$379 double; $479–$539 suite. Lower rates in spring and fall. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov.

Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole The most deluxe lodging option in Teton Village, the ultrastylish Four Seasons sets a high bar for ski-in, ski-out luxury. From a year-round pool landscaped to resemble a mountain creek to the cowboy-hatted doorman to the rooms—stately, luxurious, and definitively Western—this is one of the top slope-side properties in the country. The range of rooms starts at the high end and goes up from there, but even the standard kings are large and plush, and most units have a balcony or a fireplace. One especially notable perk: the hotel’s “Base Camp,” a full-service outdoor-activity concierge who can arrange mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and ballooning excursions, and who will outfit you in style. In winter, the service transforms into a first-rate ski concierge, and s’mores and hot chocolate are served poolside. The eating and drinking facilities are also a cut above, and range from casually hip to elegant.

7680 Granite Loop (P.O. Box 544), Teton Village, WY 83025. www.fourseasons.com/jacksonhole. phone 307/732-5000. Fax 307/732-5001. 156 units, including 32 condos. A/C, TV, TEL. $400–$750 double; $700–$4,000 condo or suite. Lower rates spring and fall. Valet parking $24 daily. AE, DISC, MC, V.

The Hostel If you came to Wyoming to ski, not to lie in the lap of luxury, get yourself a room at the Hostel and hit the slopes. Open since 1967 and fortuitously spared the wrecking ball—and known as Hostel X until 2008—it’s a great bargain for those who don’t need the trimmings. And it’s not just dormitory bunks, either—the comfortable but simple private rooms (slickly renovated in 2011) hold up to four people; they have either one king bed or four twins. There’s also a good place to prep your skis, a library, and a common room with chessboards, a Ping-Pong table, a fireplace, Internet access, and a pair of TVs. You can walk to the Mangy Moose and other fun spots, and nobody will be able to tell you apart from the skiers staying at the Four Seasons.

3315 W. Village Dr. (P.O. Box 583), Teton Village, WY 83025. www.thehostel.us. phone 307/733-3415. 55 rooms, 20 dormitory-style bunks. $79–$89 double; $18–$32 bunk. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Hotel Terra The newest—and greenest—property in Teton Village, Hotel Terra combines sustainable design and contemporary Western style, with satisfying results. The LEED-certified hotel incorporates granite stonework and understated decor into inviting and sleek spaces. The rooms, which range from studios to three-bedroom suites with full kitchens, demonstrate superior attention to detail; there are organic cotton sheets and towels, rain shower heads, fair trade coffee, and touch-screen telephones. The hotel’s facilities are uniformly excellent, including the terrific CHILL Spa and an excellent restaurant, Il Villaggio Osteria (see “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter).

3355 W. Village Dr. (P.O. Box 558), Teton Village, WY 83025. www.hotelterrajacksonhole.com. phone 800/631-6281 or 307/739-4000. 132 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $359–$499 double; $499–$1,700 suite; lower rates spring and fall. Underground valet parking $15 per day. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Snake River Lodge & Spa Under the management of RockResorts, this is one of the slickest spots to hang your hat in Teton Village. Lodgepole beams, wooden floors, and stone fireplaces accent the main reception area. The main lodge provides accommodations where classy overshadows rustic, with exposed wooden-beam ceilings, billowy comforters, and luxurious furnishings. There are three levels of suites, from oversize versions of the standard rooms to three-bedroom versions with top-of-the-line kitchens. The 17,000-square-foot spa is Wyoming’s largest, featuring everything from massage to hydrotherapy to free weights. Winter visitors can ski directly to a ski valet and drop their skis off for an overnight tune-up.

7710 Granite Loop Rd. (P.O. Box 348), Teton Village, WY 83025. www.snakeriverlodge.rockresorts.com. phone 307/732-6000. 130 units. TV, TEL. $250–$499 double; $699–$2,000 suite. Lower rates in spring and fall. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Colter Bay

Colter Bay Village AMERICAN Here you’ll find two sit-down restaurants (although there’s also a snack shop in the grocery store). Three meals are served daily during the summer months. John Colter Café Court serves sandwiches, burgers, and pretty good Mexican fare. Breakfasts at the new Ranch House are hearty; lunch is a soup-and-salad bar and hot sandwiches; dinner is more of an event but nonetheless family-friendly. Among the dinner entrees are trout, pasta, and beef and buffalo steaks. The bar is worth a look, emblazoned with the brands of a number of Jackson Hole-area ranches.

Across from the visitor center and marina in Colter Bay Village. phone 307/543-2811. Reservations accepted for parties of 8 or more only at Ranch House only. Breakfast and lunch $5–$13; dinner $6–$25. MC, V. John Colter Café Court: Daily 11am–10pm. Ranch House: Daily 6:30–10:30am, 11:30am–1:30pm, and 5:30–9pm. Closed early Sept–May.

Jackson Lake Junction

The casual dining choice at the Jackson Lake Lodge is the Pioneer Grill; entrees are light and less expensive than those at the Mural Room (see below). The Blue Heron lounge at Jackson Lake Lodge is one of the nicest spots in either park to enjoy a cocktail.

The Mural Room STEAKS/WILD GAME Jackson Lake’s main dining room is quiet and fairly formal, catering to a more sedate crowd as well as corporate groups; it’s also more expensive than other park restaurants. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide stellar views across a meadow that is moose habitat to the lake and the Cathedral Group. (The staff applauds sunset every night.) Walls inside are adorned with hand-painted Western murals created by Carl Roters. The food is the perfect complement to the view, and markedly superior to most of what you’ll find in Yellowstone. Three meals are served daily in summer. Breakfast items include a “healthy start” breakfast, organic granola, and fruit smoothie, as well as a breakfast buffet. Dinner might be a grand five-course event that includes buffalo Carpaccio, lobster and brie bisque, and house salad, followed by an entree of Idaho trout, slow-roasted prime rib, vegetable Wellington, or molasses-spiced elk loin. Dessert includes delicious homemade ice cream and a rich fudge cake. Aside from the dining room at Jenny Lake Lodge and Lake Yellowstone Hotel, this is the most romantic and upscale eatery in either park.

At Jackson Lake Lodge. phone 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811. Reservations recommended. Breakfast $6–$15; lunch $9–$17; dinner $18–$38. MC, V. Summer daily 7–9:30am, 11:30am–1:30pm, and 5:30–9pm.

Signal Mountain Lodge AMERICAN/MEXICAN There are actually two restaurants here, serving delicious food in the friendliest style in the park. The fine dining room and lounge are called Peaks and Deadman’s Bar, respectively, and the Trapper Grill supplements the continental fare with Mexican entrees, pizzas, and plump sandwiches. You eat up the scenery, too, with a view of Jackson Lake and Mount Moran.

Bargain hunters flock to the bar for the decadent nachos supreme: a foot-tall mountain of chips, cheese, chicken, beef, beans, and peppers that runs a mere $15. You’ll easily fill four people for that price, leaving you plenty of change for the bar’s signature blackberry margaritas. Because the bar has one of three televisions in the park and is equipped with cable for sports nuts, the crowd tends to be young and noisy. Full meals are served in the proper dining room, with an emphasis on sustainable cuisine. Entrees include free-range chicken with organic black beans and rice, vegetarian lasagna, and filet mignon served on a potato cake with sautéed spinach, the most expensive entree.

At Signal Mountain Resort. phone 307/543-2831. Reservations required for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast $7–$10; lunch $8–$16; dinner $19–$35. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 7–10am and 11:30am–10pm.

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room CONTINENTAL The finest meals in either park (or, for that matter, in any park) are served here, where a talented chef creates culinary delights for guests and, occasionally, a president of the United States. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served here, and all are spectacular. (Nonguests should have lunch here if they can.) The five-course dinner is the bell-ringer, though. Guests choose from appetizers that might include elk Carpaccio; salads with organic greens, pecans, and dried cherries; and entrees such as buffalo short ribs, braised rabbit leg, or a venison strip loin. Desserts are equally creative and tantalizing. Price is no object, at least for guests, because meals are included in the room charge; nonguests should expect a hefty bill. Casual dress is discouraged, with jackets requested for men for dinner.

At Jenny Lake Lodge. phone 307/733-4647. Reservations required. Prix-fixe breakfast $23; lunch main courses $9–$14; prix-fixe dinner $78, not including alcoholic beverages. AE, MC, V. Summer daily 7:30–9am, noon–1:30pm, and 6–8:45pm.

Near the Park

The Bear’s Den AMERICAN Served at the main lodge at Flagg Ranch, the food at this oasis is better than what’s typically found in what most refer to as a “family restaurant,” and servings are generous. The dinner menu includes fish, chicken, and beef dishes, as well as home-style entrees such as ranch beef stew and chicken potpie; lunch and dinner are unadventurous but hearty. The ambience is also pleasant during both winter and summer months; wooden chairs and tables with colorful upholstery liven up this newly constructed log building.

At Flagg Ranch, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Pkwy. phone 800/443-2311. www.flaggranch.com. Reservations accepted. Breakfast $5–$12; lunch $8–$13; dinner $12–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer 7–10:30am, 11:30am–1pm, and 5–9:30pm. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.

Il Villaggio Osteria ITALIAN The best restaurant in Teton Village, Il Villaggio Osteria features tables as well as a 12-seat wine bar and 8-seat salami bar where imported meats and cheeses are sliced to order. The menu includes gourmet wood-fired pizzas with such exotic toppings as figs, arugula, and hummus, as well as creative dishes with Mediterranean influences: wild mushroom risotto, braised pork with polenta, and house-made wild boar ragout. The tantalizing dessert list includes a delectable tiramisu. The lunch menu (offered Dec–Apr) focuses on salads, pizzas, paninis, and lighter versions of the dinner entrees.

In the Hotel Terra, 3335 W. Village Dr., Teton Village. phone 307/739-4100. Reservations recommended. Lunch $10–$19; dinner $15–$27. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–10pm; winter daily 11am–10pm.

Mangy Moose AMERICAN Coming off the slopes at the end of a hard day of skiing or snowboarding, you can slide right to the porch of this Teton Village institution. Good luck getting a seat inside, but if you like a lot of noise and laughter, a beer or a glass of wine, and tasty food, you’ll be patient—it beats getting into your car and driving into town. The decor matches the pandemonium: It looks like an upscale junk shop, with bicycles, old signs, and, naturally, a moose head or two hanging from the walls and rafters. The food is customary Wyoming fare (steak, seafood, and pasta)—I’m a big fan of the buffalo meatloaf and the fresh Idaho trout. There is often live music in the saloon, which serves both lunch and dinner. An affiliated cafe, the RMO Cafe, serves breakfast, lunch, and pizza in a separate room downstairs.

1 W. Village Dr., Teton Village. phone 307/733-4913. www.mangymoose.net. Reservations recommended for larger parties. Main courses $12–$29 in the dining room; $4–$13 in the bar and cafe. AE, MC, V. Daily 5:30–10pm (dining room), 7am–10pm (cafe), and 11:30am–10pm (bar). Saloon open later.

Nora’s Fish Creek Inn AMERICAN If you like to eat among locals, and if you like to eat a lot, Nora’s is the place to hang out in Wilson, 6 miles northwest of Jackson—just look for the 15-foot trout on the roof. At once rough and cozy, it’s an institution, and if you come here often, you’ll start to recognize the regulars, who grumble over their coffee and gossip about doings in the valley. Breakfast is especially good, when there are pancakes and huevos rancheros that barely fit on the huge plates. Trout and eggs is another specialty. Prices are inexpensive compared to those at any of the other restaurants in town. Dinner is burgers, barbecue, and smoked trout.

5600 W. Wyo. 22, Wilson. phone 307/733-8288. Reservations accepted for dinner. Breakfast and lunch $5–$13; dinner $10–$37. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 6:30am–2pm; Sat–Sun 6:30am–1:30pm; daily 5:30–9pm. Call for winter hours.

North Grille NEW AMERICAN The resident eatery at the Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club, the North Grille is located at the LEED-certified clubhouse, a slick and stylish building with incredible views of the Tetons. For sunset watching, I recommend the outdoor patio, but the dining room, clad in dark wood and bookcases, is a cozy setting for the winter months. The menu is neatly organized into categories by price point: $14 nets you a garlic-roasted chicken breast or steamed clams; $20 brings halibut medallions on biscuits with lobster gravy or a spicy pork filet; and $28 allows for rack of lamb or chargrilled king salmon. Lunch brings similar, but lighter fare.

5000 Spring Gulch Rd. phone 307/733-7788. www.jhgtc.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch $8–$12; dinner $14–$28. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–2:30pm and Wed–Sat 5:30–9pm.

Stiegler’s AUSTRIAN Austrian cuisine isn’t exactly lurking on every street corner, waiting to be summoned with a Julie Andrews’s yodel, but the discerning Austrian will certainly appreciate Stiegler’s. Since 1983, Stiegler’s has been confusing, astonishing, and delighting customers with such favorites as elk Försterin, bratwurst, and schnitzel, as well as less recognizable (and not as heavy as Austrian food’s reputation might suggest) delicacies. Each plate is served with at least three veggies for a terrific presentation and variety of tastes. The desserts are more familiar: apple strudel and crepes. Peter Stiegler, the Austrian chef, invites you to “find a little Gemütlichkeit”—the feeling you get when you’re surrounded by good friends, good food, and, of course, good beer. The inviting copper bar has its own menu ($10–$19, with great burgers) and there are intimate tables and booths inside and a poolside patio outside.

Teton Village Rd. at the Aspens. phone 307/733-1071. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16–$37. AE, MC, V. Tues–Sun 5:30–9:30pm. Closed Mon.

Q Roadhouse AMERICAN This bustling joint on the road to Teton Village offers a casual eatery on one side and a bar favored by locals on the other. There are brick walls, complimentary peanuts (toss your shells on the floor), and a laid-back vibe. The Southern-accented menu ranges from barbecued baby back ribs to veggie enchiladas to blackened catfish. Burgers and sandwiches are also available.

2550 Moose-Wilson Rd. phone 307/739-0700. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$27. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Bar open later.

In Jackson

The Blue Lion CONTINENTAL In the fast-moving, high-rent world of Jackson dining, the Blue Lion stays in the forefront by staying the same. Owned and operated by Ned Brown since 1978, the restaurant is located in a two-story blue clapboard building across from a park that looks like a comfy family home. Inside, in intimate rooms accented with soft lighting, or outside on a picture-perfect patio, diners enjoy slow-paced and elegant meals. The menu features rack of lamb and wild-game specialties, such as grilled elk loin in a peppercorn sauce. Fresh fish is flown in daily for dishes such as the nori-crusted ahi.

160 N. Millward St. phone 307/733-3912. www.bluelionrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15–$45. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–10pm; winter daily 6–9pm.

The Cadillac Grille CALIFORNIA ECLECTIC Neon and a hip menu give this restaurant a trendy air that attracts see-and-be-seen visitors more than locals. The chefs work hard on presentation, but they also know how to cook a wide-ranging variety of dishes, from fire-roasted elk tenderloin to pancetta-crusted Alaskan halibut. The wine list is equally long and varied. The upscale dining room is one of three options at this address; you can also eat at the posh bar or in the ’50s-themed confines of Billy’s Giant Hamburgers, where a great burger runs about $6. For the best of both worlds, order a burger at the bar.

55 N. Cache St. phone 307/733-3279. Reservations recommended. Lunch $5–$18; dinner $12–$35. AE, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–3pm and 5:30–9:30pm.

The Kitchen NEW AMERICAN With a picture-perfect outdoor deck and plenty of creative flair, the Kitchen is the latest eatery from Gavin Fine, proprietor of Rendezvous Bistro, Q Roadhouse, and Il Villaggio Osteria (see separate listings). As usual, Fine doesn’t disappoint: Featuring fresh seafood from its crudo bar, starters like braised pork nachos and truffle fries, and a constantly changing main courses from superlative burgers (with provolone, bacon, and chipotle aioli) to cornmeal-dusted trout and seared red deer, the Kitchen showcases a wide range of culinary influences and inclinations. The restaurant also makes inspired cocktails and has a terrific wine list.

155 N. Glenwood St. phone 307/734-1633. www.thekitchenjacksonhole.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16–$28. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–10pm.

Koshu Wine Bar ASIAN FUSION Housed in the back half of the Jackson Hole Wine Company, this small, sleek dining room serves ingenious, addictive, Asian-inspired creations. The Far East is just a starting point, with offerings that meld dozens of influences into dishes such as buttermilk-battered soft-shell crab and pork ribs; the menu changes on a regular basis. Thanks to its location in a wine store, patrons can choose from 800 varieties of wine at retail price (plus a nominal corking fee).

200 W. Broadway in the back of the Jackson Hole Wine Company. phone 307/733-5283. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15–$30. AE, MC, V. Daily 5:30–10:30pm. Bar open till 2am, depending on crowd.

Nani’s Genuine Pasta House ITALIAN In a warmly appointed dining room with a slick wine bar, the food is extraordinary at Nani’s. The menu features pasta favorites such as amitriciana (tomato, onion, guanciale, and freshly ground black pepper) and fresh mussels in wine broth, as well as a list of specialties from a different featured region of Italy. Depending on when you visit, it might be Sicily, where Executive Chef Camille Parker’s family has its roots, or Emilia-Romagna, where prosciutto, Parmesan, and balsamic vinegar are culinary staples. Parker ventures to Italy annually for research, and you can literally taste her passion. Your only problem with her restaurant might be finding it—it’s tucked away behind a little relic of a motel, but it is definitely worth seeking out.

242 N. Glenwood St. phone 307/733-3888. www.nanis.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $13–$34. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–10pm. Bar open most nights till 11pm.

Nearby Attractions: National Elk Refuge

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service makes sure that the elk at the National Elk Refuge, just north of Jackson on U.S. Hwy. 26/89 (phone 307/733-9212; http://nationalelkrefuge.fws.gov), eat well during the winter by feeding them alfalfa pellets. It keeps them out of the haystacks of area ranchers and creates a beautiful tableau on the flats along the Gros Ventre River: Thousands of elk, some with huge antler racks, dot the snow for miles. Though the elk are absent in the summer, there is still plenty of life on the refuge, including, most recently, a quite visible mountain lion and cubs. Each winter (mid-Dec to Mar), the Fish and Wildlife Service offers horse-drawn sleigh rides that weave among the elk. Rides early in the winter will find young bulls playing and banging heads, while later visits wander through a more placid scene. Riders embark at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, 532 N. Cache St., between 10am and 4pm on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the 45-minute rides cost $18 for adults, $14 for children 5 to 12.

Rendezvous Bistro AMERICAN/SEAFOOD The Rendezvous has garnered a fast local following since opening in 2001. It’s easy to see why: The place is contemporary yet casual, the food is affordable but very good, and the service is excellent. Climb into one of the intimate booths and order a dozen oysters on the half shell and slurp away, but save some room for a main course, ranging from steak frites to spicy chipotle trout to grilled chile-rubbed pork chops. It might sound formal, but it’s really not—the beauty is that the food is the best upscale value in town, while the atmosphere is very laid-back.

380 S. Broadway. phone 307/739-1100. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15–$25. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–10pm.

Snake River Brewing Co. MICROBREWERY One of the West’s best (and busiest) microbreweries, the industrial-meets-contemporary-looking establishment offers a menu of pasta, applewood-fired pizzas and panini, and salads, plus a few entrees like “Slash and Burn Trout,” served with fennel relish. The real standouts are the beers, especially Custer’s Last Ale and Zonker Stout, regular winners at the Great American Beer Fest and other competitions. This place is a local favorite and a great lunch spot, with daily $7 specials like turkey-and-brie wraps and chipotle barbecue sandwiches.

265 S. Millward St. phone 307/739-2337. www.snakeriverbrewing.com. Most dishes $8–$14. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–11pm. Bar open till midnight.

Snake River Grill NEW AMERICAN This is a popular drop-in spot for locals, including some of the glitterati who spend time in the valley. The front-room dining area overlooks the busy Town Square, and there’s also a more private, romantic room in the back. It’s an award-winning restaurant for both its wine list and its menu, which features regular fresh-fish dishes (ahi tuna is a favorite), crispy pork shank, and some game-meat entrees such as venison chops and buffalo sirloin. The pizzas—cooked in a wood-burning oven—are topped with exotic ingredients such as venison pepperoni or steak tartare.

84 E. Broadway, on the Town Square. phone 307/733-0557. www.snakerivergrill.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $19–$52. AE, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–10pm; winter daily 6–10pm. Closed Nov and Apr.

Sweetwater Restaurant AMERICAN Although this little log restaurant serves American fare, it does so in a decidedly offbeat way. The eclectic menu includes, for example, a Greek salad, a Baja chicken salad, and a cowboy-grilled, roast-beef sandwich. During the summer, there’s outside dining. The dinner menu is just as quirky and livened by nightly specials; try the blue cheese fondue or fried green tomatoes before diving into a blackened catfish filet topped with crab, or a delectable chipotle-tomato buffalo skirt steak with Boursin cheese. Vegetarians will want to sample the spinach and feta soufflé.

85 King St. phone 307/733-3553. www.sweetwaterjackson.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch $10–$13; dinner $22–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 11:30am–3pm and 5:30–10pm; winter daily 11:30am–2:30pm and 5:30–9:30pm.

Trio NEW AMERICAN Opened in 2005 by a trio (thus the name) of owner/chefs who formerly worked at the Snake River Grill, this local favorite offers a combination of inviting atmosphere and remarkable food. Served in a dimly lit, social room with a fossil-rock bar and semi-open kitchen, the seasonal menu might include appetizers such as heirloom tomato and ricotta bruschetta and house-cured salmon and entrees like Dungeness crab pasta or a killer Idaho rainbow trout on a bed of blackened corn and avocado. Everything is uniformly mouthwatering, and the portions are perfectly sized and impeccably presented and served. The restaurant is perhaps best known for its killer fries—served with scallions, black pepper, and an addictive blue cheese fondue.

45 S. Glenwood St. phone 307/734-8038. www.bistrotrio.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $15–$44 dinner. AE, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11am–2pm; daily 5:30–close, usually 9–10pm.

Chapter 18: Great Basin National Park, NV

by Don & Barbara Laine

Great Basin National Park, along the Utah–Nevada border, provides an intimate glimpse of a vast, rugged section of America, with opportunities for outdoor (and underground) adventures. A region of desert, valleys, mountains, lakes, and streams, North America’s Great Basin includes Nevada, Utah, and parts of California, Oregon, and Idaho. It got its name because the rainwater that falls here has no outlet to the sea.

Great Basin National Park

Founded in 1986, this park not only looks out at the Great Basin’s expanse of desert and mountains from the summit of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, but also descends beneath the earth’s surface for a subterranean tour of the intricate and delicate stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations in the surreal world of Lehman Caves.

Hiking trails abound, through pine and aspen forests, or above the tree line to a world of barren, windswept rocks. Camping in the park is a delight, with quiet campgrounds, plenty of trees, and splendid scenery. The park contains forests of bristlecone pine—a species scientists believe is the oldest living tree on Earth—as well as pinyon, juniper, spruce, fir, pine, and aspen. You’ll see wildflowers like yellow aster and Parry’s primrose during the summer; also watch for mule deer, bighorn sheep, squirrels, and golden eagles.

Like most of the American West’s other national parks, Great Basin offers ample activities to keep you busy for at least a week, and we strongly suggest you plan to spend at least 1 full day in the park. For the best experience, try to allow at least 3 full days, to provide enough time to tour Lehman Cave and explore the scenic drive, and to hike to the bristlecone pine forest and perhaps to one of the park’s high-mountain lakes.

Because of its remoteness—Great Basin isn’t near any other popular tourist destinations or even along a route to one—you’ll find it relatively quiet and uncrowded, similar to what you would have found 30 or 40 years ago in America’s loved-to-death parks such as Yosemite and Grand Canyon. Although Great Basin National Park is in Nevada, many visitors are Utah residents on long-weekend excursions from Salt Lake City. Visitors to the national parks of Arizona and Utah who start their trips in Las Vegas, Nevada, can easily add Great Basin to the beginning or end of their driving loops.

tips from a Park Insider

Anne Hopkins Pfaff, who worked as a park ranger at Great Basin National Park for a number of years, says that during her time at Great Basin she enjoyed both the park and the surrounding desert. “It’s a gorgeous area,” she says. “I like the remoteness.”

Asked what she especially likes about the 77,100-acre park, Pfaff replies, “The variety of vegetation and habitats, and the views—especially the views that include both Wheeler Peak and out across the Great Basin, such as you get from Mather Overlook.” This park, she says, “is one of America’s real treasures, where you can get out on the trails and not see another human being.” Pfaff says that as far as national parks go, Great Basin’s campgrounds offer minimal services, and although many visitors enjoy this aspect, others miss their creature comforts, such as hot showers and RV hookups.

Pfaff says she’s impressed by the age and beauty of the bristlecone pines and considers a hike to the bristlecone pine forest among the park’s top experiences. Also on her list of things all visitors should do are touring Lehman Caves and taking the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. She recommends visiting the park in September, “when the crowds are gone and the weather is usually beautiful—not too hot at the lower elevations, but not yet snow-covered in the upper elevations.”

Avoiding the Crowds

Because Great Basin National Park is seemingly in the middle of nowhere, it receives far fewer visitors than most other national parks, about 90,000 per year. However, it isn’t deserted. During the relatively busy summer season, you’ll need to arrive at the visitor center early for your cave tour tickets (or purchase them in advance), and don’t count on finding a campsite if you arrive late in the day, especially on weekends. The busiest times are Memorial Day weekend and from July through Labor Day. Although the park is quieter in spring, weather can be a problem, with snow in the higher elevations. The park has its lowest visitation in January and February, but that is also when it is coldest and snowiest. The best time to visit is from just after Labor Day through the end of September, when there are fewer people and the weather is beautiful—warm days and crisp, cool nights. Early October is also usually nice, but you may find yourself in an early snowstorm.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Great Basin National Park is 5 miles west of Baker, Nevada; 70 miles southeast of Ely, Nevada; 385 miles east of Reno, Nevada; 286 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada; 200 miles north of St. George, Utah; and 234 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah.

From west-central Utah, take U.S. 50 west across the state line into Nevada, go south on Nev. 487 to Baker, and then west on Nev. 488 into the park. From St. George, take I-15 north to Cedar City; continue north on Utah 130 to Minersville; take Utah 21 west through Milford to the Nevada state line, where it becomes Nev. 487, which you follow to Baker; and then take Nev. 488 west to the park.

From Las Vegas, follow U.S. 93 north to U.S. 50, go east to Nev. 487, where you turn south to Baker, and then follow Nev. 488 into the park.

From Ely and Reno, Nevada, follow U.S. 50 east to Nev. 487, and follow directions above.

The Nearest Airports The closest major airports are McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada (phone 702/261-5211; www.mccarran.com), and Salt Lake City International Airport (phone 800/595-2442 or 801/575-2400; www.slcairport.com) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both are served by most major airlines and national car-rental agencies, whose website listings can be found in chapter 38.

Information

Contact Great Basin National Park, 100 Great Basin National Park, Baker, NV 89311 (phone 775/234-7331; www.nps.gov/grba). Be sure to ask for a copy of the park’s excellent newspaper-style guide, Bristlecone, which includes a map, current activities and costs, and nearby services. Those who want to buy maps and books can contact the nonprofit Western National Parks Association, which operates two bookstores in the park, through a link on the park’s website. For information on businesses in the nearby community of Baker, see the Great Basin Business & Tourism Council’s website, www.greatbasinpark.com.

Visitor Center

The visitor center, on Nev. 488 at the northeast corner of the park, sells tickets for cave tours. It contains the Great Basin Association’s bookstore, distributes brochures and other free information, and shows exhibits on the park’s geology, history, flora, and fauna. In addition, a short film provides an introduction to the park.

The park is open daily, but the visitor center and cave are closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Fees

Park entry is free. The 90-minute cave tour costs $10 for adults, $5 for children 5 to 15 (kids under 5 not permitted); the 60-minute tour costs $8 for adults, $4 for children 5 to 15, and free for kids under 5. Cave tour tickets can be purchased by phone (phone 775/234-7331, ext. 242) from 24 hours to 30 days in advance. Camping costs $12 per night in the developed campgrounds, free at backcountry campsites.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Although backcountry permits are not required, those planning to go into the backcountry are encouraged to register at the visitor center, where they will also receive information on the latest backcountry conditions and regulations. Hikers going to the top of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak may develop symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, nausea), in which case they should turn back immediately. Vehicles are also sometimes affected by the elevation and steep roads. The 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which leads to several trail heads, is steep and winding, and trailers and motor homes over 24 feet long are prohibited after the first 3 miles (to Upper Lehman Creek Campground).

At this writing, cellphone service in the park was not reliable. For regulations and advice concerning Lehman Caves, see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below.

Seasons & Climate

Although the park is open year-round, deep snow and bitter cold limit aboveground activities during the winter. The cave, which has a year-round temperature of 50°F (10°C) and humidity of 90%, can be visited at any time. Outdoors, conditions are tied to elevation, which ranges from 6,825 feet at the visitor center to 13,063 feet at Wheeler Peak. Hiking trails at lower elevations are usually free of snow from late spring through early fall, but above 10,000 feet, snow is possible at any time. Summer thunderstorms are common during the afternoon but can occur at any time.

If You Have Only 1 day

In some ways, Great Basin is actually two parks: the caverns and the mountains. Because of the frequency of afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, it is usually best to do outdoor activities early in the day. Those with only 1 day at the park should spend the morning on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, possibly allowing time to hike at least part of one of the trails. Then, after a picnic lunch or sandwich from the cafe, take a cave tour (it’s best to purchase tickets in advance; see “Fees,” above), see the exhibits and programs in the visitor center, and walk along the Mountain View Nature Trail.

Exploring the Park by Car

The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive runs 12 miles one-way. The road is paved but steep (about an 8% grade) and winding. It ascends over 3,000 feet from the visitor center, at 6,825 feet elevation, to the base of Wheeler Peak, at almost 10,000 feet. Along the way, there are pullouts where you can stop to take in views of the Great Basin and Wheeler Peak. At the first pullout, a short walk brings you to the remnants of an 18-mile aqueduct built in 1890 to carry water from Lehman Creek to a gold-mining operation. The road ends at Wheeler Peak Campground, where several hiking trails begin. Motor homes and trailers over 24 feet long may go the first 3 miles to Upper Lehman Creek Campground, but not beyond. The road is usually closed by snow (except for the first 3 miles) from fall through spring.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The only way to see Lehman Caves is on a guided tour led by a park ranger, who points out the intricately formed stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, and shields that have been created by the oozing and dripping of water. Although Lehman lacks the vastness of the caves at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico (see chapter 10, “Carlsbad Caverns National Park”), it makes up for that in the number of beautiful formations in this small space, and the fact that Lehman can be seen easily and fairly quickly. In addition, Lehman Caves possess formations called shields, rarely seen in other caves. These consist of two roughly circular halves that look like flattened clamshells. Scientists have yet to agree on how the shields are formed.

Cave tours begin near the visitor center and run daily year-round (call for schedules; see “Fees,” above, for prices), except on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A part of the tour is accessible to those in wheelchairs, with assistance. Adults must accompany all children under 16, and children under 5 are not permitted on the 90-minute cave tour. The temperature in Lehman Caves is 50°F (10°C) year-round, so a jacket or sweater is advised. Because the path is often wet, good traction shoes with rubber soles are strongly recommended. Some passageways are narrow, so items such as fanny packs, purses, and backpacks are prohibited. Hand-held cameras are permitted.

Although the park’s main ranger-led activity is the Lehman Caves tour, during the summer rangers also guide nature walks and hikes and present other programs. These change each year, but recent programs have included a 1.4-mile hike (one-way) to the bristlecone pine grove. Rangers usually present short talks several times daily at the visitor center, as well as evening campfire programs at Wheeler Peak and Upper Lehman campgrounds, with subjects such as the night sky, gold prospecting, and the area’s bat population. One-hour programs for children, who must be accompanied by adults, have also been scheduled in recent years.

Park Attractions

Throughout the park are reminders of the region’s mining days, and along several trails you will see the ruins of miners’ cabins, mining equipment, and mine shafts and tunnels (which are dangerous and should not be entered). Just outside the visitor center is the historic Rhodes Cabin, which dates from between 1920 and 1932, when Clarence Rhodes and his wife, Beatrice, were custodians of the property for the U.S. Forest Service. The cabin, constructed of Englemann spruce and white fir, was one of nine tourist cabins built in the 1920s, along with a log lodge, a dining room, a dance hall, and a swimming tank. This particular cabin was rented to tourists until 1933, and from then until 1936, it was the home of the national monument custodian and his family. It was then used for storage before the Park Service restored it.

Day Hikes

There are a wide variety of trails, ranging from easy walks to challenging, high-altitude hikes. Higher-elevation areas may be closed by snow from late October until mid-June, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Avoid exposed ridges during lightning storms. Hikers should be aware that they may be sharing trails with rattlesnakes, which have the right of way.

Because of loose rock and steep grades on some trails, sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support are recommended. Hikers also need to carry plenty of water—usually 1 gallon per person per day. Park rangers emphasize that although the rocky alpine sections of the park at its highest elevations may appear rugged, they are quite fragile. Plants grow slowly, and even under the best of conditions, their survival rate is low. Therefore, hikers should be diligent about staying on trails and having the least possible impact on the land.

Shorter Trails

Alpine Lakes Loop With an elevation gain of only about 600 feet, this is a relatively easy and accessible trail, popular with families. However, keep in mind that those not accustomed to the 10,000-foot elevation may find any activity tiring. The loop can be hiked in either direction, passing through forests of spruce and pine trees, as well as meadows dotted with wildflowers. Teresa and Stella lakes are shallow and clear, and the reflections of snowcapped peaks often appear in their smooth surfaces. 2.7 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Just north of Wheeler Peak Campground.

Bristlecone and Glacier Trail Those who want a relatively easy hike through a unique forest will enjoy this trail. It goes through a grove of bristlecone pines and then on to a view of an ice field and a rock glacier—a rock-covered permanent mass of ice moving very slowly downhill—which rangers say is the only glacier in Nevada. Distance to the bristlecone pine grove is 1.4 miles one-way, and the ice field is another .9 mile. During summer, rangers sometimes lead hikes to the bristlecone grove. Elevation is about 10,000 feet. 4.6 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Near Wheeler Peak parking area.

Lexington Arch This six-story arch is a bit out of the way, but the splendidly framed views through its 75-by-120-foot opening prove an ample reward. After driving into Utah and then following a dirt road, you will find yourself hiking a sunny path that takes you past wildflowers, mountain mahogany, fir, and pinyon. The easy-to-follow trail ends at the arch, which is unique because it has been carved from limestone, not sandstone, as is usually the case in the American West. Some geologists believe it is not really an arch, but a natural bridge (arches are formed by wind, rain, and ice, while bridges are created by the eroding force of streams and rivers). Leashed pets are permitted on the trail. 3.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: About 25 miles south of Baker via paved and dirt roads; ask park rangers for specific directions and current road conditions.

Mountain View Nature Trail This is a self-guided loop through a pleasant forest, with a brochure available at the visitor center that provides information on plants, animals, and geology. The short trail is popular among those with 20 to 30 minutes to wait before their guided cave tour. .3 mile RT. Easy. Access: At the Rhodes Cabin outside the visitor center.

Longer Trails

Baker Lake Trail Following Baker Creek, this trail leads to Baker Lake, climbing about 2,600 feet from its start at 8,000 feet elevation. It passes through meadows and forests, past pinyon, juniper, aspen, and pine, changing with the elevation. It’s a good choice for wildlife viewing; you are likely to see mule deer, rock squirrels, and a variety of birds. Anglers often stop to catch a trout in the creek (see “Fishing,” below), and the trail provides excellent views of the surrounding peaks. Along the way, you pass the remains of a miner’s log cabin. 12 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: End of Baker Creek Rd.

Johnson Lake Trail This rugged trail follows an old mining road, with an elevation gain of about 2,400 feet, before arriving at Johnson Lake. The lake bears the name of Alfred Johnson, who mined and processed tungsten here in the early part of the 20th century. Rangers warn hikers to stay out of mine structures, which are dangerous. This trail can be combined with the Baker Creek Trail to produce a 13-mile loop, starting with the Baker Creek Trail and descending along Snake Creek. Parts of this loop are difficult to follow, and topographical maps and good mountaineering skills are needed. 7.4 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: End of Snake Creek Rd.

Lehman Creek Trail Although there is a 2,050-foot elevation change along this trail, it’s an easy downhill walk for those who start at Wheeler Peak Campground and have a vehicle waiting at Lehman Creek Campground. The trail mostly follows a bluff above Lehman Creek, crossing through several separate life zones and offering views of a wide variety of plant life, from sagebrush and cactus to forests of aspen, spruce, pinyon, and tall Douglas fir. Along the way, you will also see mountain mahogany and, if your timing’s right, an abundance of wildflowers. 3.4 miles one-way. Easy. Access: Upper Lehman Creek Campground or Wheeler Peak Campground.

Wheeler Peak Summit Trail Those looking for stupendous panoramic vistas should consider this strenuous trail, which begins as a relatively gentle walk through a forest of pine and becomes considerably steeper as it reaches the tree line. Eventually, you find yourself on the summit, at an elevation of 13,063 feet, the second-highest point in Nevada. During its 2,900-foot ascent, the trail passes through several plant communities, including forests of Englemann spruce and pine, before climbing above the tree line. This is generally an all-day hike, and rangers advise starting early so you’re off the summit by the time afternoon thunderstorms appear. Hikers are also advised to carry plenty of drinking water, extra clothing, and rain gear. 8.6 miles RT (from campground). Strenuous. Access: Summit Trailhead, about .5 mile from Wheeler Peak Campground, or from the campground on Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, which intersects with Summit Trail.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park has numerous opportunities for backcountry hiking, but few maintained trails. The most commonly used routes follow river valleys or ridgelines. Topographical maps, available at the visitor center, are essential; although backcountry permits are not required, rangers strongly recommend that those planning to go into the backcountry register and discuss their plans with park staff before setting out.

Backcountry camping is permitted in most areas, but not within a quarter-mile of most trails, in bristlecone pine forests, in Wheeler Peak and Lexington day-use areas, or within 100 feet of a water source. Backcountry campers must camp in groups of 15 or less and are encouraged to use backpacking stoves; campfires are permitted below 10,000 feet elevation only, and you are not allowed to burn any wood from the bristlecone pine tree. Trash, including toilet paper, should be packed out, and human waste should be buried at least a half-foot deep and no less than 100 feet from water sources.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Although biking is permitted only on designated motor vehicle roads, the park has miles of dirt roads, many of which handle little traffic. Bikers should check with rangers about which roads are open and their current conditions.

Fishing The park’s small, clear mountain streams provide good but somewhat challenging fishing for rainbow, brook, and brown trout. Anglers over 11 will need a Nevada fishing license, available at T&D’s Country Store, Restaurant & Lounge in Baker (see “Where to Eat,” below).

Horseback Riding Horses and other pack animals, including mules, burros and llamas, are welcome in the backcountry and on all trails except the Wheeler Peak Day Use Area trails, Osceola Ditch trail, Lexington Arch trail, and Baker to Johnson Lake Cutoff trail. Portions of other trails may close temporarily due to safety or environmental concerns so check at the visitor center before heading out. Horses and pack animals are not allowed on paved roads, in the campgrounds, or other developed areas. Any manure dropped at trail heads or in backcountry campsites should be scattered.

Wildlife Viewing Almost every visitor will see wildlife, whether some of the mule deer that frequent the campgrounds, meadows, and creek sides; or birds such as pinyon jays, western tanagers, and Clark’s nutcrackers. Park visitors should also watch for golden eagles, bighorn sheep, bobcats, and small mammals, including rock squirrels, wood rats, and marmots.

Especially for Kids

The park’s Junior Ranger Program offers a book at the visitor center for kids under 12. After they complete several activities, attend a ranger program, and do a service project such as picking up trash at a campsite, they receive a certificate and a Junior Ranger badge. Families can check out a Family Adventure Pack at the visitor center, which contains a journal and materials to help children and their parents learn about the park.

Winter sports Although there are no designated cross-country ski trails, once snow falls—sometimes as early as October—the park becomes a winter playground, especially at higher elevations. You can use cross-country skis or snowshoes on many of the trails and several roads, although it’s best to talk with rangers about your plans before setting out so you can avoid trails that might be too steep for your ability. In lean snow years, you may have to hike a bit from parking areas to snow that’s right for skiing, but there’s almost always plenty of snow at the higher elevations.

One favorite cross-country ski trip is up Baker Creek Road, which leads to Baker Creek Campground, and then on up the Baker Creek Trail for a while before heading back. Those particularly skilled and in good physical condition might ski the 4-mile trail from Upper Lehman Creek Campground up to Wheeler Peak Campground. The trail climbs about 2,500 feet. Although Wheeler Peak Campground is technically closed from about mid-October through mid-June, skiers are welcome to spend the night.

Trails and roads in the park that are suitable for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are not groomed, although the most popular ones are flagged with tape. For equipment rentals, check with Silver Jack Inn (see “Where to Stay,” below).

Camping

Inside the Park

The park has four developed campgrounds—Lower Lehman Creek, Upper Lehman Creek, Baker Creek, and Wheeler Peak—with just over 100 sites. They have lots of trees, pit toilets, and picnic tables. Those with large RVs will want to arrive as early in the day as possible, because only a limited number of sites can easily accommodate rigs over 25 feet.

One campground is open year-round; the others are open from spring through fall, weather permitting. There are also some primitive campsites along Strawberry Creek, in the far northern reaches of the park, and along Snake Creek, in the southern half of the park. These sites have tables and fire grates but no drinking water. There are a few pit toilets along Snake Creek, but no toilets along Strawberry Creek.

Backcountry camping is also permitted; see the section “Exploring the Backcountry,” above. The park has an RV dump station near the visitor center ($5), usually open from late May through October, but no hookups or showers. All campsites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Near the Park

The Border Inn RV Park, on U.S. 50/6 at the Nevada–Utah border (P.O. Box 30), Baker, NV 89311 (phone 775/234-7300; www.greatbasinpark.com/borderinn.htm), is about 13 miles northeast of the national park. It has 22 gravel pull-through RV sites with full hookups, plus shower and coin-op laundry facilities. Showers are free for registered campers, $5 for others. There are also a motel, restaurant, casino and bar, and 24-hour store (see below).

Where to Stay

There are no lodging facilities in the park, but the tiny community of Baker, 5 miles east of the park entrance, has several places to stay. You can get additional information on the Baker businesses, as well as other facilities, from the Great Basin Business & Tourism Council’s website (www.greatbasinpark.com). Otherwise, park visitors will find services in Ely, Nevada, 70 miles west, and Delta, Utah, about 100 miles east. Both Ely and Delta also have a variety of restaurants, plus fuel, groceries, and camping supplies.

Near the Park

The Border Inn This comfortable motel has basic rooms and 12 kitchenette units in Utah, and a restaurant and casino with a bar a few feet away in Nevada. The wood-paneled rooms are simply but attractively furnished, and satellite TV offers a good choice of channels. The inn offers a coin-operated laundry as well as movie rentals. Gasoline and diesel fuel are available, and there is a 24-hour convenience store. Also see “Where to Eat,” below.

U.S. 50/6, at the Nevada–Utah border, 13 miles northeast of the national park (P.O. Box 30), Baker, NV 89311. www.greatbasinpark.com/borderinn.htm. phone 775/234-7300. 29 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $49–$59 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($10 one-time fee).

Silver Jack Inn This well-maintained motel is the closest lodging to the national park. Basic motel rooms have either one or two double beds, and one unit has two double beds plus a twin bed in a separate room. Some units have a tub/shower, while others have showers only. There is an attractive patio with a fountain where guests sit, chat, and watch the hummingbirds. The separate efficiency units are several blocks away; each has a queen-size bed, refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker. Pets are permitted at the inn but not in the efficiencies. All units have Wi-Fi and are smoke-free. There’s an on-site restaurant and bakery (See “Where to Eat,” below), and a liquor and grocery store.

Downtown Baker, 5 miles east of the national park (P.O. Box 69), Baker, NV 89311. www.silverjackinn.com. phone 775/234-7323. 7 motel units, 3 efficiency units. A/C, TV. $49–$69 double; lower rates Dec–Mar. DISC, MC, V. Closed Mon–Wed Dec–Mar.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

The only food services in the park are the visitor center’s cafe and gift shop (phone 775/234-7221), serving breakfast and lunch with varying hours daily from April through October. Your choices here include light breakfasts, soup and sandwich lunches, and snack items, including excellent homemade ice-cream sandwiches.

Near the Park

The Border Inn AMERICAN Especially good burgers and chicken-fried steak are on the menu at this roadside restaurant, which also specializes in homemade soups and baked items, and has a daily special. The dining room is large and open, and there is a casino with a bar in a separate room. There is also a convenience store (open daily 24 hr.), an ATM, and a gas station with diesel fuel.

U.S. 50/6 at the Nevada–Utah border, 13 miles northeast of the national park. phone 775/234-7300. www.greatbasinpark.com/borderinn.htm. Lunch $6–$9, dinner $8–$20, with most items about $10. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6am–10pm; bar open later. Closed Christmas.

LectroLux Cafe AMERICAN/MEDITERRANEAN In the Silver Jack Inn, this down-home restaurant and bakery serves breakfast and dinner, and makes great lunches to take into the park. Hearty breakfasts get you off to a great start, such as the Bum Omlete, made with three eggs and including chili, bacon, salsa, guacamole, cheese, toast, and fruit. Too much? Try the protein packed smoothie or the baked granola. Dinners range from a half-pound Swiss cheeseburger to the house special Pasta Bolognese—ground beef, tomato sauce, and sauteed veggies with a Baci roll and Mediterranean side salad. The U-Build-It Pizza brings raves from national park staff and guests alike.

Downtown Baker, 5 miles east of the national park. phone 775/234-7323. www.silverjackinn.com. Breakfast $4.75–$8.50, lunch to go $8.50–$13, dinner $6–$12, pizza $15–$20. DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 6:30–9:30am, 4:30–8pm, order lunch morning or night before. Closed Mon–Wed Dec–Mar.

T&D’s Country Store, Restaurant & Lounge AMERICAN/MEXICAN The restaurant is in a bright and cheery sunroom attached to a small grocery store. It’s known for its pizzas, deli sandwiches, homemade salsa and chips, and big burritos and other Mexican specialties. The restaurant also serves burgers, steak sandwiches, pita sandwiches, a good selection of vegetarian items, and several more elaborate meals, including barbecued ribs and Asian chicken salad. You can also get your food to go. There is a full bar, with several beers on tap, and a surprisingly good stock of wines available by the glass. There is patio dining plus a separate lounge, and the complex has a full liquor store and sells camping and fishing gear.

1 Main St. (corner of Elko and Main, downtown Baker). phone 775/234-7264. www.greatbasinpark.com/td.htm. Sandwiches $4–$8; meals $6–$11; large pizzas $12–$23. DISC, MC, V. Summer restaurant daily 11am–8pm; store daily 8am–7pm. Call for winter hours.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

In addition to the snacks available at the cafe and gift shop in the park, you can find takeout food, ice, packaged liquor, and other supplies in Baker at T&D’s Country Store, Restaurant & Lounge (see below), and the Silver Jack Inn (see “Where to Stay,” above). The Border Inn, along U.S. 50/6 at the Nevada–Utah border (see “Where to Stay,” above), has a 24-hour convenience store plus gasoline and diesel fuel.

Chapter 19: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, CO

by Don & Barbara Laine

Here in southern Colorado, far from any sea or even a major desert, is a startling sight—a huge expanse of sand, piled nearly 750 feet high. The towering dunes, the tallest on the continent, seem incongruous, out of place in a land best known for the Rocky Mountains. But here they are, some 30 square miles of light brown sand dunes, restlessly grasping at the western edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. (Sangre de Cristo is Spanish for “Blood of Christ”; the name comes from the deep red reflected onto the snowcapped mountains by the setting sun.)

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

The dunes were created over thousands of years by southwesterly winds blowing across the San Luis Valley. Streams of water from melting glaciers carried rocks, gravel, and silt down the mountains to the valley floor, where it accumulated and eventually became sand. That sand was then picked up by the wind and carried toward the mountains.

Even today the winds are changing the face of the dunes. So-called “reversing winds” from the mountains pile the dunes back upon themselves, building them higher and higher. Though it’s physically impossible for sand to be piled steeper than 34 degrees, the dunes often appear that steep or more because of deceptive shadows and colors that change with the light: gold, pink, tan, sometimes even bluish.

Great Sand Dunes became a national monument in 1932, but in recent years concerns over the possible effects on the dunes and their ecosystem from water usage in the surrounding area have increased. In 2000, Congress passed a law approving park status pending the acquisition of “sufficient land having a sufficient diversity of resources.” The necessary property was acquired with the help of the nonprofit Nature Conservancy, and on September 13, 2004, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior arrived at Great Sand Dunes to publicly announce the designation of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Avoiding the Crowds

Overcrowding has not been a major problem at Great Sand Dunes. In recent years, the park has received fewer than 300,000 visitors annually, compared to almost 3 million at Rocky Mountain National Park, just a half-day’s drive north. But national park status and the additional acreage and attractions have been producing an increase in visitation. Therefore, we suggest that you try to visit at times other than school vacations and holiday weekends. Early fall can be especially pleasant here. Memorial Day weekend is particularly busy, with limited parking and traffic congestion. If you do happen to visit on a busy day, a hike along Sand Ramp Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below) usually gets you away from the crowds.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

From Alamosa, two main routes lead to Great Sand Dunes. Go east 14 miles on U.S. 160, then north on Colo. 150; or drive north 14 miles on Colo. 17 to Mosca, then east on Six Mile Lane to the junction of Colo. 150.

The Nearest Airports The San Luis Valley Regional Airport, 2500 State Ave. (phone 719/589-4848; www.alamosacounty.org), 3 miles off U.S. 285 South, has service to and from Denver on Great Lakes Airlines (www.greatlakesav.com). Car rentals are available at the airport from Budget and Hertz. See chapter 38 for website listings of major airlines and car-rental companies.

Information

Contact Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, 11999 Colo. 150, Mosca, CO 81146 (phone 719/378-6300; www.nps.gov/grsa).

For information on other area attractions, lodging, and dining, contact the Alamosa Convention & Visitors Bureau, 601 State Ave., Alamosa, CO 81101, at the corner of State Avenue and U.S. 160 (phone 800/258-7597 or 719/589-4840; www.alamosa.org). Note: For some reason, the folks in Alamosa use the names State Avenue and State Street interchangeably, but it’s the same road.

This building, a restored historic train depot, also houses a Colorado Welcome Center, open daily 8am to 6pm in summer, 8am to 5pm the rest of the year. Closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Also in the depot is the ticket booth for the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad (see “Nearby Attractions,” at the end of this chapter).

Visitor Center

The park visitor center (phone 719/378-6399) has exhibits on dune formation and life in the dunes, a bookstore, and a short video that shows throughout the day. It’s open daily year-round, except for federal holidays. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, hours are 8:30am to 6:30pm; the rest of the year hours are 9am to 4:30pm.

Fees & Permits

Admission to the park for up to 7 days costs $3 per person, free for children under 16. Camping costs $20 per night.

If you are planning to explore the backcountry, you’ll need a free backcountry permit, which is available at the visitor center.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Although summer air temperatures are pleasant, sand temperatures can soar to 140°F (60°C), so park officials strongly advise that shoes be worn when hiking in the dunes. Also, summer thunderstorms are fairly common. Hikers are advised to leave the dunes quickly when lightning threatens, to avoid the chance of being struck.

Elevations range from 7,515 feet to 13,604 feet, so those from low elevations are warned that they should take it easy until they have adapted and drink plenty of water to avoid altitude sickness, which causes shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea.

Pets are permitted throughout the park and preserve but must be leashed, and officials ask that owners clean up after their pets. They also warn that the sand in the dunes can be hot and will burn the pads on dogs’ feet, so they suggest dune hiking with pets early or late in the day, when the sand is cooler.

Seasons & Climate

Pleasant summers and cool to cold winters are the rule here. Daytime summer temperatures average 70° to 80°F (21°–27°C), with nighttime lows often dropping into the 40s and low 50s (single digits and 10s Celsius). Thunderstorms are common in July and August. High winds can be expected at any time and are often especially ferocious from April through early June, when northeast winds have been clocked at over 90 mph. From fall through spring, expect moderate daytime temperatures; winter days can see daytime temperatures in the 40s (single digits Celsius), but winter nights are usually below freezing and often below zero. Snowfall averages a bit over 3 feet annually, with March being the snowiest month.

If You Have Only 1 day

Great Sand Dunes is fairly easy to see in a day or less. First stop at the visitor center for a look at the exhibits (and an explanation of how these dunes were and are being formed), then drive to a parking area and walk into the dunes. If time permits, also walk one of the shorter trails, such as the Montville Nature Trail or Visitor Center Trail.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

From spring through fall, rangers offer guided nature walks, short talks at the visitor center patio, and evening amphitheater programs. Great Sand Dunes also offers a Junior Ranger program, in which children complete various activities to earn badges.

Day Hikes

You can hike anywhere you want in the sand dunes, although there are no designated trails. If you make it all the way to the top, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the dunes and the nearby mountains. It usually takes about 1 1/2 hours to get to the crest of a 750-foot dune and back to the base. Hiking in the dunes is especially pleasant on a moonlit night.

In the past, wheelchair users were pretty much limited to seeing the dunes from their motor vehicles and parking areas, because the loose sand made access to the dunes nearly impossible. But two wheelchairs specially designed for over-sand travel, with large, inflatable tires, are available for loan at the visitor center. A helper is needed to push the chair, and the chairs are not suitable for very large adults. There is also an accessible viewing deck at the north end of the dunes parking lot.

The park also has miles of conventional trails.

Campground Trail This convenient trail runs through a grassy area, connecting the campground with the dunes parking area. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Campground (near site 32) or dunes parking area.

Medano Creek to Castle Creek This route, which leads north along the face of the dunes from the dunes parking area, follows Medano Creek upstream to a spot where the dunes are so steep that they avalanche into the creek. 5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Dunes parking area.

Montville Nature Trail This pleasant loop—especially nice on hot days—runs along shady Mosca Creek, through the lower part of Mosca Canyon, offering dramatic views of the dunes from several high points. A guide for the nature trail is available at the visitor center. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Parking area on east side of main park road, just north of the visitor center.

Mosca Pass Trail This challenging hike, which climbs 1,463 feet into the mountains, passes through forests of pinyon, juniper, aspen, spruce, and fir to grasslands near the top of the pass. It offers good chances of seeing quite a bit of wildlife. Note: Rangers say that each year, hikers report seeing bears and mountain lions along this trail. 7 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Montville Parking Lot.

Exploring the Park by Car

Although you will use your vehicle to get to the visitor center, the dunes, and a few spots where you’ll get good views, the Great Sand Dunes environment is best explored on foot or in a special wheelchair (see “Day Hikes,” below).

Sand Ramp Trail Those looking for a longer hike than most of those at Great Sand Dunes can escape any crowds that happen to be in the park by following this trail along the northern edge of the dunes, crossing Little Medano Creek and Cold Creek. For a pleasant half-day jaunt, hike the first 3 miles, then turn around and head back. 11 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Campground, near site 62.

Sand Sheet Loop Trail This fairly level loop through a grassland features exhibits on the area’s natural history. Watch for miniature short-horned lizards in the grass along the trail during the summer. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Visitor center.

Wellington Ditch Trail This level trail offers good views of the dune field. Part of the trail follows an irrigation ditch that was hand dug by a 1920s homesteader named Wellington. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Montville Parking Lot or Loop 3 in campground.

Other Sports & Activities

Fishing Although this area is not a prime fishing destination, anglers with a Colorado fishing license can fish Sand Creek and Medano Creek. You may catch some Rio Grande cutthroat trout, which are catch-and-release only.

Four-Wheeling Driving in the dunes or off-road in any section of the park is specifically prohibited, but those with high clearance 4WDs can get wonderful views of the dunes and gain access to the national preserve on the Medano Pass Primitive Road, which takes off from the main park road near the amphitheater and heads north out of the park. This rugged road, which has a lot of deep sand, is closed by snow from November through April.

Horseback Riding Horseback riding is permitted in most areas of the park and all of the national preserve; those bringing their own horses should contact the visitor center or see the park website for information.

Guided horseback trips are offered at nearby Zapata Ranch for guests staying there (see “Nearby Attractions,” below). Other outfitters licenses to lead trail rides in the park are Atalanta Association, which operates the Baca Grande Stables (phone 719/256-6200 or 719/256-4656; www.bacagrandestables.com) in Crestone, Colorado; and Rocky Mountain Horseback Adventures (phone 719/298-9009) in Alamosa.

SANDBOARDING, SKIING & SLEDDING Who needs snow when there is all this sand? All unvegetated areas of the dunes are open to sliding, sledding, and skiing. Rangers advise that cardboard doesn’t work at all, so come prepared with a flat-bottomed plastic sled, snowboard, or skis. Also be prepared to hike. Even the medium-size slopes are over a half mile from the parking area. Among the steepest slopes is by the Castle Creek Picnic Area, accessible only with a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle via the Medano Pass Primitive Road, but be careful—this 300-foot slope ends abruptly and may dump you into Medano Creek.

Wildlife Viewing Among the animals that survive in this unusual environment are the Ord’s kangaroo rat, a creature that never drinks water, plus several insects found nowhere else on Earth, including the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle. Among more common wildlife you’re apt to see are Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, coyotes, black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits, desert cottontail rabbits, golden-mantled ground squirrels, and Colorado chipmunks. Just outside the park, look for bison. More than 150 species of birds have been sighted in the park, including both golden and bald eagles, ravens, white-throated swifts, broad-tailed hummingbirds, Lewis’s woodpeckers, Say’s phoebes, violet-green swallows, yellow-rumped warblers, black-headed grosbeaks, and chipping sparrows. Prime bird-watching areas include the Montville and Wellington Ditch trails. You’re also likely to see all kinds of wildlife along Medano Creek, which runs along the base of the dunes and usually flows in spring and early summer.

Also see the sections on Zapata Ranch and the Alamosa/Monte Vista/Baca National Wildlife Refuge Complex under “Nearby Attractions,” below.

Exploring the Backcountry

Backpacking is permitted throughout the park, and there are backcountry campsites along the Sand Ramp Trail. The required free backcountry permits are available at the visitor center.

Camping

The shady Pinyon Flats Campground, with an abundance of pinyon and juniper trees, offers great views of the dunes and nearby mountains. It has 88 sites on two loops and is open year-round. Cost is $20 per night. There are picnic tables, fire grates, flush toilets, and drinking water, but no showers or RV hookups. Campsites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis on loop 1, but can be reserved for loop 2 through the National Recreation Reservation System (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov). Backcountry camping is permitted at seven designated sites along the Sand Ramp Trail and in the national preserve, with a free backcountry permit available at the visitor center. Backcountry vehicular camping along the Medano Pass Primitive Road is also permitted at designated sites, on a first come, first-served basis. This road can be driven only with high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. There are also commercial campgrounds with showers and RV hookups in Alamosa; get details from the Alamosa Convention & Visitors Bureau (see “Information,” above).

Where to Stay

There are no lodging or dining facilities in the park, so, except for Great Sand Dunes Lodge (discussed below), your base for exploring Great Sand Dunes will likely be Alamosa, which has motels and a variety of restaurants. Reliable chains in Alamosa include the Best Western Alamosa Inn, 2005 Main St. (phone 719/589-2567), with double rates of $73 to $95; Comfort Inn, 6301 U.S. 160 (phone 719/587-9000), charging $80 to $125 double; Days Inn, 223 Santa Fe Ave. (phone 719/589-9037), with rates for two of $63 to $86; Holiday Inn Express, 3418 Mariposa St. (phone 719/589-4026), with double rates of $119 to $141; and Super 8, 2505 W. Main St. (phone 719/589-6447), charging $69 to $104 double. Highest rates are in summer. See chapter 38 for website listings of the national hotel/motel chains.

Great Sand Dunes Lodge At the edge of the national park, this small motel offers clean, well-maintained basic lodging at reasonable rates, and it’s the best location for those who want to explore the park early or late in the day, when the lighting is perfect. The average-size standard rooms have two queen beds, the usual amenities, and private patios with views out over Great Sand Dunes. The more spacious deluxe rooms have one king-size bed plus a refrigerator, microwave, and outdoor private gas barbecue. There is Wi-Fi, an indoor heated pool, and a grocery store/restaurant, the Oasis (May–Sept only). All rooms are smoke-free.

7900 Colo. 150 N, Mosca, CO 81146. www.gsdlodge.com. phone 719/378-2900. 10 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $89–$105 double standard room; $110–$135 double deluxe room. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to mid-Mar.

Where to Eat

There are no dining facilities in the park, but just outside the park entrance, next to Great Sand Dunes Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” above,” the Oasis Store and Restaurant (phone 719/378-2222) has basic groceries and a gas station (open daily Apr–Oct), plus a restaurant, open May through September, with hours of 8am to 7:30pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day and shorter hours at the beginning and end of its season.

You’ll find a number of restaurants in downtown Alamosa. We like the Mexican food at Oscar’s Restaurant, 520 Main St. (phone 719/589-9230), open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner; and Mrs. Rivera’s Kitchen, 1019 Sixth St. (phone 719/589-0277), open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Most items at both restaurants are under $12. For American food—especially beef—try True Grits Steakhouse, 100 Santa Fe Ave. (phone 719/589-4540), which is open for dinner nightly and for lunch Saturday and Sunday. The decor pays homage to John Wayne, and most prices are in the $8 to $20 range. Fans of real beer will want to make sure they get to the San Luis Valley Brewing Company, 631 Main St. (phone 719/587-2337; www.slvbrewco.com), which produces an excellent, well-hopped IPA. Its restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily in summer and Monday through Saturday the rest of the year. The menu is a step above the usual brewpub offering, with items such as bacon-wrapped filet mignon, grilled filet of salmon, green chile pasta Alfredo, locally made sausages, and a Greek Cobb salad. Of course there are also the usual burgers, sandwiches, and fish and chips. Most prices are in the $8 to $22 range.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

For groceries and other necessities, there is a surprisingly good selection at the Oasis Store and Restaurant (phone 719/378-2222), just outside the park entrance at Great Sand Dunes Lodge (see below). For more grocery choices, head to Alamosa and stop at City Market, 131 Market St. (phone 719/589-2492; www.citymarket.com). You’ll find a variety of camping supplies, plus groceries and just about everything else you might want, at the Walmart SuperCenter, 3333 Clark Ave. (phone 719/589-9071; www.walmart.com).

Nearby Attractions

Bordering great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is Zapata Ranch, 5305 Colo. 150, Mosca, CO 81146 (phone 888/592-7282 or 719/378-2356; www.zranch.org), owned by The Nature Conservancy. It is a working cattle, bison, and guest ranch where visitors can take ranch vacations, City Slicker style, and enjoy other activities. All-inclusive rates for 7 nights (lodging, food, and all activities) are about $2,000 per adult and $1,600 for children under 9. The ranch also rents rooms by the night, starting at $250 double, which includes all meals. All rooms have private bathrooms and Wi-Fi, and there is a hot tub. Day visitors are invited to take Bison Tours to see the ranch’s herd of some 2,000 head of bison, as well as other wildlife such as elk, deer, pronghorn, porcupines, and large numbers of birds, the historic ranch headquarters. Bison tours are by reservation only and cost $50 for adults (13 and older), $25 for children 6 to 12, and free for kids under 6 with four paying customers.

The Alamosa/Monte Vista/Baca National Wildlife Refuge Complex (phone 719/589-4021; www.fws.gov/alamosa) together have preserved nearly 118,000 acres of vital land for a variety of marsh birds and waterfowl, including many migrating and wintering species. Sandhill cranes visit in early to mid-October and early March; at other times of the year, there may be egrets, herons, avocets, bitterns, and other avian species. A wide variety of ducks are year-round residents, and waterfowl numbers are at their peak March through May. There is also a herd of several hundred elk that often winter in the Monte Vista refuge.

The Baca National Wildlife Refuge is currently closed to the public, but the Alamosa and Monte Vista refuges have self-guided driving tours with a number of view points, and several hiking trails. Bring binoculars, since they’ll be useful. To get to the Alamosa refuge, which contains the visitor center (phone 719/589-4021) and refuge headquarters, go 4 miles east of Alamosa on U.S. 160 and then south 2 miles on El Rancho Lane. Monte Vista refuge is located 6 miles south of the community of Monte Vista on Colo. 15. Admission to the refuges is free, and they are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is open sporadically (based on volunteer availability) from March through November, and closed the rest of the year.

Visitors staying in Alamosa might want to check out the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, with its depot at 601 State Ave. (phone 877/726-7245 or 719/587-0520; www.riograndescenicrailroad.com). Steam or diesel locomotives haul classic Pullman passenger railroad cars through the mountains and valleys of southern Colorado, with several trips available, over routes more than 100 years old. Typical is the half-day round-trip excursion between Alamosa and the mountain community of La Veta. The passenger cars are climate controlled with comfortable seating, and the trains have snack bars and open-air observation cars. Allow at least a half-day. Round-trip coach fares are from $48 adult (13–59), $38 senior (60 and older) or child (12 and under), and infants under 2 who do not occupy a seat ride free. Rates for the open air car are $58 and $48, respectively; and for the very upscale club car, $149 and $139, respectively. The season generally runs from spring through fall, and there’s a “North Pole Express” train that runs weekends in November and December ($15–$20), where kids get to meet Santa.

Chapter 20: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX

by Eric Peterson

Once it was a long reef just below the ocean’s surface, then it inched skyward and ultimately became a forested area surrounded by wooded canyons and desert lowlands. Today Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a rugged wilderness of tall Douglas firs and sometimes lush vegetation rising out of a vast desert. Here you will find numerous hiking trails, panoramic vistas, the highest peak in the state, plant and animal life unique in the Southwest, and a canyon that many believe is the prettiest spot in all of Texas.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

As you approach from the northeast, the mountains seem to rise from the landscape, but seen from the south they stand tall and dignified. El Capitan, the southern tip of the escarpment, watches over the landscape like a sentinel. In the south-central section of the 86,416-acre park, Guadalupe Peak, at 8,749 feet the highest mountain in Texas, provides hikers with views of the surrounding mountains and desert.

Park headquarters and the visitor center are at Pine Springs, along the park’s southeast edge. There you’ll also find a campground and several trail heads, including one with access to the Guadalupe Peak Trail, the park’s premier mountain hike. Nearby, a short dirt road leads to historic Frijole Ranch, with a museum and more trail heads. A horse corral is nearby for those with their own mounts. The McKittrick Canyon area of the park, near its northeast corner, may be the most beautiful spot in Texas, especially in fall, when its oaks, maples, and other trees produce a spectacular show of color. A day-use area only, McKittrick Canyon has a delightful (though intermittent) stream, a variety of plant and animal life, several trail heads, and historic buildings. Along the park’s northern boundary, almost in New Mexico, is secluded, forested Dog Canyon.

Checking Out Carlsbad

Many visitors to Guadalupe Mountains also spend time at nearby Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. See chapter 10.

Particularly impressive is Guadalupe Mountains National Park’s vast variety of flora and fauna. You’ll find species here that don’t seem to belong in west Texas, such as the maple, ash, and walnut trees that produce the fall colors in McKittrick Canyon, and even black bears, which are usually found only farther north. Scientists say these seemingly out-of-place plants and animals are leftovers from a time when this region was cooler and wetter. As the climate changed and the desert spread, some species were able to survive in these mountains, where conditions remained somewhat cooler and moister. At the base of the mountains, at lower elevations, you’ll find desert plants such as sotol, agave, and prickly pear cactus; as you start to climb, especially in stream-nurtured canyons, expect to encounter ponderosa pine, ash, walnut, oak, and ferns. Wildlife abounds, including mule deer, elk, and all sorts of birds and snakes.

tips from a Park Ranger

“This is a hiking park,” says Michael Haynie, an interpretive ranger at the park. He says the park’s two main attractions, which he recommends to all visitors, are the hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak and the colors in McKittrick Canyon, either the trees in fall or the wildflowers in spring.

Haynie says his two favorite hikes in the park are the Bowl Trail and the hike to the Notch in McKittrick Canyon, noting that you can visit any time of year. “Both offer nice variety and great views,” he says. “The Bowl offers panoramic, 100-mile views of the desert.”

There are five species of rattlesnakes in the park, but visitors probably won’t see any, says Haynie. In the history of the park, there have been no reported rattlesnake bites. The biggest threat here is the sun, he says. “The biggest thing to stress is the water. Hikers unfamiliar with desert environments tend to underestimate how much water they need.” Haynie says hikers should carry a gallon of water per day, and drink it.

He also warns that because many trails have a lot of loose rock, good hiking boots are essential. The other thing he wants park visitors to keep in mind is that there is no gasoline or other services close to the park, so you should arrive with plenty of fuel and anything else you might need.

Avoiding the Crowds

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of America’s less visited national parks, with attendance of only about 200,000 each year. This is partly because it is primarily a wilderness park, where you’ll have to tackle rugged hiking trails to get to the best vistas. But it’s also out of the way and somewhat inconvenient—the closest lodging is 35 miles away from the park’s main section. In fact, about the only time the park might be considered even slightly crowded is during spring break at Texas and New Mexico colleges, usually in March, when students bring their backpacks and hit the trails. Quite a few families visit during summer, although the park is not usually crowded even then. Visitation drops a lot once schools open in late August.

An exception is McKittrick Canyon, renowned throughout the Southwest for its beautiful fall colors, which are at their best in late October and early November. The one road into McKittrick Canyon will be busy then, but once you get out on the trails, you can distance yourself from others.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Located on the border of New Mexico and Texas, the park is 55 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, along U.S. 62/180. From Albuquerque, drive east on I-40 for 59 miles to Clines Corners, turn south and take U.S. 285 for 216 miles to the city of Carlsbad, then head southwest 55 miles on U.S. 62/180 to the park entrance at Pine Springs. From El Paso, drive northeast 110 miles on U.S. 62/180 to Pine Springs.

The Nearest Airport Air travelers can fly to Cavern City Air Terminal (phone 575/887-3060), at the south edge of the city of Carlsbad, which has commercial service from Albuquerque on New Mexico Airlines (phone 888/564-6119; www.flynma.com), plus Enterprise car rentals.

The nearest major airport is El Paso International (phone 915/780-4749; www.elpasointernationalairport.com), in El Paso, just north of I-10, with service from most major airlines and car-rental companies. See chapter 38 for websites for the airlines and major car-rental firms.

Information

Contact Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 400 Pine Canyon Rd., Salt Flat, TX 79847-9400 (phone 915/828-3251; www.nps.gov/gumo). Books and maps can be ordered from the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association, 727 Carlsbad Caverns Hwy. (P.O. Box 1417), Carlsbad, NM 88220 (phone 575/785-2486; www.ccgma.org).

Because the park’s backcountry trails often crisscross each other and can be confusing, rangers strongly recommend that those planning any serious hiking carry topographical maps. An excellent book for hikers is Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, 2nd edition (Falcon Press, 2005), by Bill Schneider, which was published in partnership with the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association and is keyed to the Trails Illustrated topographical map of the park. Also very useful is a shorter and less expensive guide, the tried-and-true Trails of the Guadalupes (Environmental Associates, 1992), by Don Kurtz and William D. Goran. These are often available at the visitor center bookstore or from the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association.

A small seasonal park newspaper contains pertinent up-to-the-minute information for visitors. It is available free at the visitor center.

Visitor Centers

Park headquarters and the main visitor center are at Pine Springs just off U.S. 62/180. There are three other access points on this side of the park: Frijole Ranch, about 1 1/2 miles east of Pine Springs and a mile north of the highway; McKittrick Canyon (day use only), about 7 miles east and 4 miles north of the highway; and Williams Ranch, about 8 miles south of Pine Springs and 8 miles north of the highway on a four-wheel-drive road.

The Pine Springs Visitor Center, open daily year-round (closed Dec 25), has natural history exhibits, a bookstore, and an introductory slide program. McKittrick Canyon has a visitor contact station with outdoor exhibits and a slide program on the history, geology, and natural history of the canyon.

On the north side of the park is Dog Canyon Ranger Station (phone 574/981-2418) at the end of N. Mex. 137, about 70 miles from Carlsbad and 110 miles from park headquarters. Information, restrooms, and drinking water are available.

Fees & Permits

The entrance fee (collected at trail heads) is $5 per person, free for children under 16, and good for 7 days. Camping at developed campgrounds costs $8 per night. Backcountry camping is free, but a permit is required. Corrals are available for those who bring their horses to ride in the park (call the park for reservations); permits are required for horseback riding. All permits are available at the Pine Springs Visitor Center and Dog Canyon Ranger Station, and must be requested in person, either the day before or the day of use.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Visitors to McKittrick Canyon, a day-use area, must stay on the trail; entering the stream is not permitted. The McKittrick Canyon entrance gate opens at 8am daily and closes at 4:30pm during standard time and at 6pm when daylight saving time is in effect.

Neither wood nor charcoal fires are allowed anywhere in the park. Horses are prohibited in the backcountry overnight.

Seasons & Climate

In general, summers in the Guadalupe Mountains are hot, with highs in the 80s and 90s (mid-20s and lower 30s Celsius) and lows in the 60s (teens Celsius). Winters are mild, with highs in the 50s and 60s (lower teens Celsius) and lows in the upper 20s and 30s (just below zero Celsius). October tends to have the best weather, but sudden and extreme changes in the weather can occur at any time. In winter and spring, high winds can whip down the mountain slopes in gusts reading 100 mph, and on hot summer days, thunderstorms can blow up quickly. The sun is warm even in winter, and summer nights are generally cool, no matter how hot the afternoon. Clothing that can be layered is best, comfortable and sturdy walking and hiking shoes are a must, a hat and sunscreen are highly recommended, and plenty of drinking water is essential for hikers.

Seasonal Events

McKittrick Canyon’s beautiful display of fall colors usually takes place between late October and early November. It varies, however, so call before going. On weekend evenings in the summer, rangers offer programs at the campground amphitheater.

If You Have Only 1 day

This park is best explored over a period of 2 or 3 days, with at least 1 day devoted to the visitor center, historic attractions, and trails in the Pine Springs section, and another full day allotted to McKittrick Canyon. Those with additional time could then head over to the park’s third section, Dog Canyon.

Those who have only 1 day can see quite a bit, but will need to decide on either Pine Springs or McKittrick Canyon. If it’s fall and the colors are right, drive to the McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station, look at the exhibits, and hike the McKittrick Canyon Trail to the historic Pratt Lodge. If it’s not fall or if you don’t care about fall colors, go directly to the Pine Springs Visitor Center, see the exhibits, and hike one of the trails—the Guadalupe Peak Trail for the ambitious, or the Devil’s Hall Trail for those who prefer less physical exertion.

Park Attractions

The Pinery was one of 200 stations along the 2,800-mile Butterfield Overland Mail Coach Route. The stations provided fresh mules every 20 miles and a new coach every 300 miles, allowing drivers to maintain the grueling speed of 5 mph for 24 hours a day. John Butterfield had seen the need for overland mail delivery between the eastern states and the West Coast, so he designed a route and the coaches, then secured a federal contract to deliver the St. Louis mail to San Francisco in 25 days. In March 1857, this was a real feat. The Pinery commemorates his achievement.

Named for nearby stands of pine, the Pinery had abundant water and good grazing. It was a high-walled rock enclosure with a wagon repair shop, a blacksmith shop, and three mud-roofed rooms where passengers could get a warm meal, if they had time. The first mail coach came through on September 28, 1858. It continued until August 1859, when the route was abandoned for a new road that better served the West’s military forts.

Located in McKittrick Canyon, Pratt Lodge was built by Wallace E. Pratt in 1931–32 from stone quarried at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains, using heart of pine from east Texas for rafters, collar beams, and roof supports. Pratt, a geologist for the Humble Oil Co. (now ExxonMobil), and his family came for summer vacations when the heat in Houston became unbearable. He retired here in 1945. Soon after, he and his family built a second house, Ship on the Desert, outside the canyon. In 1957, the Pratts donated 5,632 acres of their 16,000-acre ranch to the federal government to begin the national park. In addition to the grand stone lodge, there are several outbuildings, stone picnic tables, and a wonderful stone wall.

Williams Ranch house rests at the base of a 3,000-foot rock cliff on the west face of the Guadalupe Mountains. The just over 7 1/4-mile access road, navigable only by high-clearance 4WDs, follows part of the old Butterfield Overland Mail Route for about 2 miles. The road crosses private land and has two locked metal gates for which you must sign out keys at the visitor center.

It’s not clear exactly who built the house and when, but it’s believed to have been constructed around 1908. The first inhabitants for any significant period of time were almost certainly Henry and Rena Belcher. For almost 10 years, they maintained a substantial ranch here, running up to 3,000 head of longhorn cattle. Water was piped from Bone Spring down the canyon to holding tanks in the lowlands. James Adolphus Williams acquired the property around 1917 and, with the help of an American Indian friend, ranched and farmed the land until he moved to New Mexico in 1941. After Williams’s death in 1942, Judge J. C. Hunter bought the property, adding it to his already large holdings in the Guadalupes.

Another historic site is Frijole Ranch, which was a working ranch from the 1870s until 1972. Inside the ranch house is a museum with exhibits on the cultural history of the Guadalupe Mountains, including information on the prehistoric American Indians, the Mescalero Apaches who came later, the Spanish conquistadors, and ranchers of the 19th and 20th centuries. On the grounds are several historic buildings, including a schoolhouse.

Day Hikes

This is a prime hiking park, with more than 80 miles of trails that range from easy walks to steep, strenuous, and sometimes precarious adventures.

Shorter Trails

Indian Meadow Nature Trail This exceptionally easy stroll follows a series of numbered stops keyed to a free brochure, available at the trail head. You’ll learn about the native vegetation and cultural history of the area as you ramble along a nearly level dirt path in a lovely meadow. .6 mile RT. Easy. Access: Dog Canyon Campground; walk south from the water fountain.

McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail An ideal way to discover the variety of plants and animals that inhabit the canyon, this trail has some steep climbs. Read the numerous interpretive signs along the path, telling you all you wanted to know about, for example, why rattlesnakes are underappreciated and how cacti supply food and water for wildlife. .9 mile RT. Easy to moderate. Access: McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center.

Pinery Trail Paved and accessible by wheelchair, the Pinery Trail gives visitors an introduction to the low-elevation environment. The interpretive signs discuss both the plants along the trail and the history of the area. About a quarter of a mile from the visitor center, the trail leads to the ruins of an old station left over from the Butterfield Stage Route (see “Park Attractions,” above). .75 mile RT. Easy. Access: Trail head by the Pine Springs Visitor Center, or from parking area on U.S. 62/180, 1⁄2 mile north of visitor center entrance road.

Smith Spring Loop The Smith Spring Loop begins in the dry desert and climbs 440 feet to the lush oasis of Smith Spring. The first part of the trail, which takes you to Manzanita Spring, is easy and navigable by people with mobility impairments. If you take this walk in the evening, you might catch a glimpse of an elk, deer, or other animal coming to the spring for water. After Manzanita Spring, the trail begins the climb to Smith Spring, following a good example of a desert riparian zone along Smith Canyon. Look for the still-visible damage caused by a lightning fire in 1990, and note how the desert environment has recovered and even improved. Smith Spring itself is a magnificent oasis, with enough water seeping out to form a small waterfall and stream. Here you’ll find maidenhair fern, bigtooth maple, chinquapin oak, and Texas madrone—all in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert. Although it’s lush, the area is fragile, so please remain in the designated area to preserve the ecosystem. 2.3 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: North edge of Frijole Ranch and Museum.

(Not) Exploring the Park by Car

The Guadalupe Mountains are not the place for the vehicle bound. No paved scenic drives traverse the park; roads here are simply a means of getting to historical sites and trail heads.

Longer Trails

El Capitan Trail This trail climbs over 1,500 feet and takes a long day to complete, including the drive to Williams Ranch (see “Park Attractions,” above), which requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. This is the only trail into the remote western part of the Guadalupe Mountains, and it offers little shade. The incredible scenery along the first 2 miles more than makes up for the long, slow, and usually hot climb up Shumard Canyon, where the trail has an elevation gain of over 1,300 feet. Stop occasionally to look back down the canyon to the west, and ahead toward Shumard Peak and the impressive escarpment of the Guadalupes. After Shumard Canyon, the hike takes you 3 miles around El Capitan, keeping in the shadow of the escarpment and climbing another 200 feet. After about 5 miles, the Salt Basin Overlook loop takes off to the right and you stay to the left, gradually dropping down into Guadalupe Canyon, where you meet the other end of the lower Salt Basin Overlook loop. From here the last 3.4 miles of the trail are fairly easy, level walking to Pine Springs. The trail can also be hiked out and back from Pine Springs, an arduous 19-mile overnight hike, which is why many hikers get lifts from friends to the ranch and hike back to Pine Springs. An alternative you may consider is to hike from Pine Springs to the Salt Basin Overlook Trail, hike around it, and then head back to Pine Springs, a trip of 11 miles. 9.4 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Williams Ranch.

Guadalupe Peak Trail This trail is strenuous, climbing almost 3,000 feet, but the views from the 8,749-foot-high Guadalupe Peak are magnificent. The peak is the highest in Texas. If you are an average or better hiker and have only 1 day to explore the park, this is the hike you should choose. Start early, take plenty of water, and be prepared to work. When you’ve gone about halfway, you’ll see what seems to be the top not too far ahead, but beware: This is a false summit. Study the changing life zones as you climb from the desert into the higher-elevation pine forests—this will take your mind off your straining muscles and aching lungs. A mile short of the summit, a campground lies in one of the rare level spots on the mountain. If you plan to spend the night, anchor your tent strongly—the winds can be ferocious, especially in spring.

From the summit, the views are stupendous. To the north are Bush Mountain and Shumard Peak, the next two highest points in Texas, with respective elevations of 8,631 and 8,615 feet. The Chihuahuan Desert stretches to the south, interrupted only by the Delaware and Sierra Diablo mountains. This is one of those “on a clear day you can see forever” spots—sometimes all the way to 12,003-foot-high Sierra Blanca, near Ruidoso, New Mexico, 100 miles north. 8.4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Pine Springs Campground.

Lost Peak A moderate hike you can probably complete in a half-day, Lost Peak is especially good near dawn or dusk, when you may see wild turkey, deer, and other wildlife. A fire caused by lightning scorched the area in 1994, and although many plants have been recovering, the loss of the tall trees will be felt for a long time. After leaving the trail head, follow the Tejas Trail up Dog Canyon on a gradual climb for about 1.5 miles. Just before reaching Dog Canyon Springs, the trail starts to switchback up the west side of the canyon to a ridgeline, offering great views back to the campground. If you continue all the way to the peak, the next 1.5 miles climb about 1,100 feet, the steepest section of the trail. There’s no sign for the peak, and it’s easy to hike on by, so watch your topographical map carefully—the peak is just a bit to the right of the trail. After scrambling up to the summit for a panoramic view, head back down the trail. The elevation change is 1,420 feet. 6.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Dog Canyon Trailhead.

McKittrick Canyon McKittrick Canyon is one of the most famous scenic areas in Texas, and this trail explores the length of it. The first 2.4 miles to the Pratt Lodge are relatively easy, the following mile to the Grotto gains 340 feet in elevation and is considered moderate, and the strenuous climb to the Notch rises 1,300 feet in 1.6 miles. This is one of the most popular hikes in the park, though not everyone makes it to the Notch.

The canyon is forested with conifers and deciduous trees. In fall the maples, oaks, and other hardwoods burst into color, painting the world in bright hues set off by the variety of the evergreens. The stream in the canyon, which appears and disappears several times in the first 3 miles of the trail, is a unique, permanent desert stream, with reproducing trout. Hikers may not drink from, wade in, fish, or disturb the stream in any way.

The first part of the trail is wide and seems flat, crossing the stream twice on its way to Pratt Lodge, which is wonderfully situated at the convergence of North and South McKittrick canyons. About a mile from the lodge, a short spur veers off to the left to the Grotto, a recess with odd formations that look as if they belong in a cave. This is a great spot for lunch at one of the stone picnic tables. Continuing down the spur trail to its end, you reach the Hunter Line Cabin, which served as temporary quarters for ranch hands of the Hunter family. Beyond the cabin, South McKittrick Canyon has been preserved as a Research Natural Area with no entry.

To return, continue on the main trail, or head back down the canyon to your vehicle. In another half mile, the trail begins to switchback up the side of South McKittrick Canyon for the steepest ascent in the park, until it slips through the Notch, a distinctive narrow spot in the cliff. Sit down and rest while you absorb the beautiful scenery. The view down the canyon is magnificent, and dazzling in autumn. You can see both Hunter Line Cabin and Pratt Lodge in the distance. Remember to start down in time to reach your vehicle well before the gate is locked. 10 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: McKittrick Canyon Trailhead.

Exploring the Backcountry

A variety of backpacking possibilities exist. It’s always best to discuss your plans with rangers before heading out, to find out about current trail conditions and to decide on the trail or trails you want to take. The required free backcountry campsite permit can be obtained no more than 24 hours in advance at the Pine Springs Visitor Center or Dog Canyon Ranger Station. Also, see “Camping,” below.

The Bowl This hike climbs 2,546 feet in elevation if you go to the top of Hunter Peak. It is primarily an overnight hike; you’ll camp either at Pine Top, about 3.9 miles down the trail and a bit off to the left, or at Tejas Campsite, about 5.5 miles along. The trail crosses a dry wash, follows the Tejas Trail up a hill, has a fairly level stretch, and then starts the climb up to Pine Top, rising 2,000 feet over 3 miles of switchbacks. The view from the top of the escarpment is breathtaking. The trail then continues through a magnificent pine forest—watch for elk along the way. There are some old water tanks and a pipe running along the trail in spots, left over from a water system used by ranchers years ago. You can take a side trip to the top of Hunter Peak for another incredible view before heading back down. 13-mile loop. Strenuous. Access: Pine Springs Campground.

Other Sports & Activities

Horseback Riding About 60% of the park’s trails are open to horses for day trips, although horses are not permitted in the backcountry overnight. There are corrals at Frijole Ranch (near Pine Springs) and Dog Canyon (see “Fees & Permits,” above). Each set of corrals contains four pens that can accommodate up to 10 horses. No horses or other pack animals are available for hire in or near the park. Park rangers warn that horses brought into the park should be accustomed to steep, rocky trails.

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching Because of the variety of habitats, and because these canyons offer some of the few water sources in western Texas, Guadalupe Mountains National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and bird-watching. McKittrick Canyon and Frijole Ranch are among the best wildlife viewing spots, but a variety of species can be seen throughout the park. Those spending more than a few hours will likely see mule deer; the park is also home to a herd of some 50 to 70 elk, which are sometimes observed in the higher elevations or along the highway in winter. Other mammals include raccoons, striped and hog-nosed skunks, gray foxes, coyotes, gray-footed chipmunks, Texas antelope squirrels, black-tailed jackrabbits, and desert cottontails. Black bears and mountain lions also live in the park but are seldom seen.

About two dozen varieties of snakes make their home in the park, including five species of rattlesnakes. There are also numerous lizards, usually seen in the mornings and early evenings. These include the collared, crevice spiny, tree, side-blotched, Texas horned, mountain short-horned, and Chihuahuan spotted whiptail. The most commonly seen is the southwestern fence lizard, which is identified by two light-colored stripes down its back.

More than 200 species of birds spend time in the park, including peregrine falcons, golden eagles, turkey vultures, and wild turkeys. You are also likely to encounter rock wrens, canyon wrens, black-throated sparrows, common nighthawks, mourning doves, rufous-crowned sparrows, mountain chickadees, ladder-backed woodpeckers, solitary vireos, and western scrub jays.

Camping

Inside the Park

Two developed, vehicle-accessible campgrounds are in the park. Pine Springs Campground is near the visitor center and park headquarters just off U.S. 62/180. There are 19 spaces for RVs, 20 very attractive tent sites, and two group campsites. There is usually a campground host on duty. About half a mile inside the north boundary of the park is Dog Canyon Campground, accessible from N. Mex. 137. Here, there are nine tent sites and four RV sites. Although reservations are not accepted, you can call ahead to check on availability of sites (phone 915/828-3251). Camp stoves are allowed, but wood and charcoal fires are prohibited.

The park also has 10 designated backcountry campgrounds, with five to eight sites each. Be sure to pick up free permits at the Pine Springs Visitor Center or Dog Canyon Ranger Station the day of or the day before your backpacking trip. No drinking water is available in the backcountry, and all trash, including toilet paper, must be packed out. Fires are strictly prohibited; use cookstoves only. You may camp only in designated campgrounds.

Near the Park

The closest commercial campgrounds are across the state line in New Mexico. We recommend the facilities in the Carlsbad area, at Carlsbad RV Park & Campground, Carlsbad KOA, or Brantley Lake State Park in Carlsbad. For information on these campgrounds, see “Camping” in chapter 10, “Carlsbad Caverns National Park.”

Lodging, Dining & Picnic Supplies

There are no accommodations within the park. The nearest recommended lodgings are 55 miles northeast in Carlsbad, New Mexico. For information, see “Where to Stay” in chapter 10. About 65 miles south, Van Horn, Texas, is also a good base. Recently restored to its 1930s grandeur, Hotel El Capitan, 100 E. Broadway (www.hotelinvanhorn.net; phone 877/283-1220 or 432/283-1220), is easily the most distinctive lodging near the park. Rates range from $85 to $169 for two people.

There are also no restaurants within the park. Aside from the Salt Flat Cafe, 23 miles west of the park visitor center on U.S. 62/180 (phone 915/964-2838; open for breakfast and lunch only), the closest dining possibilities we recommend are in Carlsbad. See “Where to Eat” in chapter 10.

For picnics, you’ll find a variety of stores in the city of Carlsbad, including an Albertson’s grocery store, 808 N. Canal St., at West Church Street (phone 575/885-2161), which has a well-stocked deli and bakery.

Chapter 21: Joshua Tree National Park, CA

by Eric Peterson

At Joshua Tree National Park, the trees are merely the starting point for exploring the seemingly barren desert. Viewed from the roadside, the dry land only hints at hidden vitality, but closer examination reveals a giant mosaic of an ecosystem, intensely beautiful and complex. From lush oases teeming with life to rusted-out relics of man’s attempts to tame this wilderness, from low plains of tufted cacti to mountains of exposed, gnarled rock, the park is much more than a tableau of the curious tree for which it’s named.

Joshua Tree National Park

The Joshua tree is said to have been given its name by early Mormon settlers (ca. 1850). Its upraised limbs and bearded appearance reminded them of the prophet Joshua leading them to the promised land. It’s actually a treelike variety of yucca, a member of the agave family.

At Joshua Tree National Park, the peculiar tree reaches the southernmost boundary of its range. The park straddles two desert environments: The mountainous, Joshua tree–studded Mojave Desert forms the northwestern part of the park, while the hotter, drier, and lower Colorado Desert, characterized by a wide variety of desert flora such as cacti, ocotillo, and native California fan palms, comprises the park’s southern and eastern sections. Between them runs the “transition zone,” displaying characteristics of each.

The area’s geological timeline stretches back almost 2 billion years. Eight million years ago, the Mojave landscape was one of rolling hills and flourishing grasslands; horses, camels, and mastodons abounded, with saber-toothed tigers and wild dogs filling the role of predator. Displays at the Oasis Visitor Center show how climactic, volcanic, and tectonic activity created the park’s signature cliffs and boulders and turned Joshua Tree into the arid desert you see today. Human presence has been traced back nearly 10,000 years with the discovery of the Pinto culture, and you can see evidence of more recent habitation throughout the park in the form of American Indian rock art. Miners and ranchers began coming in the 1860s, but the boom went bust by the turn of the 20th century. Then Pasadena doctor James Luckie, treating World War I veterans suffering from respiratory and heart ailments caused by mustard gas, prescribed the desert’s clean, dry air as a curative—and modern interest in the area was born.

During the 1920s, a worldwide fascination with the desert emerged, and cactus gardens were much in vogue. Entrepreneurs hauled truckloads of desert plants into Los Angeles for quick sale or export, and souvenir hunters removed archaeological treasures. Incensed that the beautiful Mojave was in danger of being picked clean, Pasadena socialite Minerva Hoyt organized the desert conservation movement and successfully lobbied for the establishment of Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936.

In 1994, under provisions of the federal California Desert Protection Act, Joshua Tree was “upgraded” to national park status and expanded to nearly 800,000 acres.

Flora

The eastern half of the park is typical of the lower Colorado Desert, dominated by the abundant and fragrant creosote bush, a drought-resistant survivor that releases secretions into the surrounding soil to inhibit competing seedlings. Adding interest to the arid land are small stands of spidery, tenacious ocotillo, a split personality that drops its leaves in times of drought, making it appear dry and spindly. When the rains come, the ocotillo can sprout bushy leaves in a few days, and its flaming blooms atop leafy green branches bear little resemblance to its dormant alter ego.

Most people associate desert plants with cacti, which are indeed here in abundance. One of the more unusual members of the cactus family is the Bigelow cholla cactus (“teddy bear” or “jumping” cactus). Cholla’s fine spines appear soft and fluffy from afar, but the folks who have accidentally gotten a clump stuck to their skin or clothing know the truth about these deceptively barbed spines. Most of the park’s points of interest lie in the higher, slightly cooler and wetter Mojave Desert, the special habitat of the burly Joshua tree, which displays huge white flowers following a good rainy season. Early pioneers tried to chop down the trees for firewood, only to discover that they were actually full of water and fireproof. Five fan palm oases (in both climate zones) flourish in areas where water is forced to the surface along fault lines.

Wildflower lovers, take note: The Joshua Tree area has traditionally been an excellent place to view nature’s springtime bonanza, and the lower elevations of the park are hot spots. In addition to the flowering plants discussed above, the desert is home to sand verbena, desert dandelion, evening primrose, and dozens more varieties, some so tiny that you must crouch down to make out their brightly colored petals—veteran viewers call these “belly flowers.”

Fauna

One of the more wonderful aspects of the Joshua Tree desert is the way this seemingly harsh and barren landscape slowly reveals itself to be richly inhabited. From the black-tailed jackrabbits abundant at the Oasis of Mara and throughout the park to bobcats and the occasional cougar prowling around less-traveled areas, the desert teems with life.

Some other frequently spotted residents: the roadrunner, a member of the cuckoo family with long, spindly legs and that telltale gait; the coyote, a fearless scavenger that’ll openly trot along the road in search of food (beware: They’ll eat tennis shoes or picnic trash as eagerly as they eat rabbits, but it is illegal to feed them anything); and bighorn sheep, most often seen atop the rocky hills they ascend with sharp cloven hooves. Perhaps the most unusual animal is the desert tortoise, a slow-moving burrow dweller not often seen by casual visitors. The tortoises, which can live more than 50 years, are a protected threatened species, and you’re prohibited from touching or interfering with them in any way. A poignant exception to this is if you encounter a tortoise on the road in danger of being hit—you’re permitted to pick it up gently with two hands and carry it off the road, placing it facing in the same direction in which it was traveling.

Avoiding the Crowds

Joshua Tree chief of interpretation Joe Zarki knows all about the park’s natural flora and fauna. He offers the following tips for maximizing your enjoyment even during the most crowded months:

• Joshua Tree’s greatest visitation occurs in spring, when temperatures are moderate and wildflowers are blooming. From March to May, the number of monthly visitors is 150,000 and up. Compared to summer, which sees about 60,000 to 70,000 people each month, these figures are staggering. The fall months are also popular, with numbers around 100,000. If you can, time your visit outside of these crowded periods, and stay away during spring break. If you can’t, try to visit during the week to avoid the crush of weekenders from nearby Los Angeles.

• Choose to enjoy the more popular activities (such as designated nature trails and easy hiking routes) before 9 or 10am. Most people see the park between 10am and 4pm, so the evening hours can also offer some respite from crowds. Remember that the sun sets after 7pm from May to September. In addition, you’ll enjoy cooler temperatures during the morning and evening hours.

• Campers eager to stake their claim in the campground of their choice need to be diligent in the spring, because all but two of the park’s campgrounds are first-come, first-served. (Black Rock Canyon and Indian Cove take reservations.) Generally, it’s best to arrive between 9am and noon to snatch an available space. The campsites near popular rock-climbing areas (Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Indian Cove) fill first. If you’re staying over a weekend in peak season, try to claim your site Friday morning, before weekenders arrive.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

There are three roads into the park. The most commonly used is the West Entrance Station, on Park Boulevard in the town of Joshua Tree along Calif. 62. The North Entrance Station, at the end of Utah Trail in the town of Twentynine Palms, on Calif. 62, 40 miles north of its junction with I-10, is also a popular gateway to the park. On the southern side of the park is the Cottonwood Visitor Center, about 40 miles east of Palm Springs along I-10.

The Nearest Airport The closest airport is the Palm Springs International Airport, 3400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way (phone 760/318-3800; www.palmspringsca.gov). Alaska, Allegiant, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Horizon, Sun Country, United, US Airways, and WestJet fly here, and Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty rent cars, as does Go Rentals (phone 800/464-8267; www.gorentals.com). See chapter 38 for website listings for airlines and national car-rental firms.

Information

Contact Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (phone 760/367-5500; www.nps.gov/jotr).

In addition to the free newspaper offered by the park, the Joshua Tree Guide, the following publications might prove helpful: Robert Cates’s Joshua Tree National Park: A Visitors Guide (Chatsworth, Calif.: Live Oak Press, 1984), and Bill Cunningham’s Best Easy Day Hikes Joshua Tree (Falcon Guides, 2000). Order them from the Joshua Tree National Park Association, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (phone 760/367-5525; www.joshuatree.org).

Visitor Centers

Your best sources of information in the park are the Park Service’s three visitor centers. The park headquarters and Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Dr. in Twentynine Palms, is on the road to the North Entrance Station. The Cottonwood Visitor Center, at the south end of the park, houses a gift shop and bookstore, as well as an interpretive exhibit on the area’s wildlife.

The Joshua Tree Visitor Center, 6554 Park Blvd. in Joshua Tree, is on the road to the West Entrance Station. In addition to providing visitor materials and information, this center has a bookstore and gift shop, a cafe, and an exhibit gallery. Oasis and Joshua Tree are open daily from 8am to 5pm, and Cottonwood 9am to 3pm.

Fees

Admission to the park is $15 per car (valid for 7 days). The nine developed campgrounds charge fees of $10 to $15 for individual sites, more for group sites. Backcountry camping is free, but self-registration is required.

Special Regulations & Warnings

In addition to the standard national park regulations designed to protect fragile ecosystems, keep these in mind while enjoying Joshua Tree:

• Dehydration is a constant threat in the desert; even in winter, carry plenty of drinking water and drink regularly even if you don’t feel thirsty. Recommended minimum supplies are 1 gallon per person per day, or twice that if planning strenuous activity. Water is available at five park locations: Cottonwood Springs, the Black Rock Canyon Campground, the Indian Cove Ranger Station, West Entrance, and the Oasis Visitor Center. The water for RVs at the Oasis Visitor Center comes from a coin-operated fountain—bring plenty of quarters.

• Sections of the park (identified on the official map) contain abandoned mines and associated structures. Use extreme caution in the vicinity, watching for open shafts and prospect holes. Supervise children closely, and never enter abandoned mines.

• Flash flooding is a potential hazard following even brief rain showers, so avoid drainage areas and be especially observant of road conditions at those times.

Seasons & Climate

Joshua Tree National Park’s 794,000 acres—585,000 of them designated as wilderness—straddle two distinct desert climates. The eastern half of the park is hot, dry, Colorado Desert, and most points of interest lie in the higher, slightly cooler and wetter Mojave Desert. The Mojave will occasionally get a dusting of snow in winter, but neither section sees more than 3 to 6 inches of annual rainfall. Winter temperatures are in the comfortable 50s or 60s (lower teens Celsius) during the day and often approach freezing overnight; summer days can blaze past 100°F (38°C) at noon, and even nighttime offers little relief in August and September, when lows are still in the 80s (upper 20s Celsius). At the park’s higher elevations, however, the summer climate is much more bearable. Overall, the fall tends to be the best season for hiking.

Seasonal Events

Best between February and May, the springtime wildflower viewing is dependent on rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures, but you can see brilliant blooms somewhere in the park most years. Rangers lead interpretive walks to the best displays, and 24-hour recorded information on prime viewing sites (updated at least weekly during the Mar–May wildflower season) is available from the park at phone 760/367-5500. Information is also available online at www.nps/gov/jotr.

If You Have Only 1 day

An excellent first stop is the main Oasis Visitor Center, located alongside the Oasis of Mara, also known as the Twentynine Palms Oasis. For many generations, the native Serrano and Chemehuevi tribes lived at this “place of little springs and much grass.” Get maps, books, and the latest in road, trail, and weather conditions before beginning your tour, and stroll the short, paved nature trail through the oasis behind the center—it provides an introduction to the park’s flora, wildlife, and geology.

From the Oasis Center, drive south to Jumbo Rocks, which captures the essence of the park: you’ll find a vast array of rock formations, a Joshua tree forest, and the yucca-dotted desert, open and wide. Check out the many boulders that appear to resemble humans, dinosaurs, monsters, cathedrals, and castles; if you’re visiting with kids, it’s a great way to put their imaginations to work. Stroll among the giant rock piles and observe the rock climbers who travel from around the world to practice their craft here—they’re one of the park’s most distinctive features.

At Cap Rock Junction, the main park road swings north toward the Wonderland of Rocks, 12 square miles of massive jumbled granite. This maze of stone hides groves of Joshua trees, trackless washes, and several small pools. To the south is the road that dead-ends at mile-high Keys View. You get a view of the park from this wind-whipped overlook; several plaques explain the topography you’re seeing and provide some insight into the delicate desert ecosystems found in the park.

Don’t miss the contrasting Colorado Desert terrain along Pinto Basin Road—to conserve time, simply plan to exit the park on this route, which ends up at I-10. You’ll pass both the Cholla Cactus Garden and spindly Ocotillo Patch on your way to vast Pinto Basin, a barren lowland surrounded by austere mountains and a small ridge of sand dunes. Then continue to Cottonwood Springs, which has a cool, palm-shaded oasis and groves of mature cottonwood trees.

Try to participate in a ranger-led tour or hike (see below). You’ll learn to appreciate the park in a short time, for the rangers are as exuberant about their patch of wilderness as they are well informed.

Exploring the Park by Car

There are two main roads through the park, and by driving them both you’ll be able to see virtually every feature that distinguishes Joshua Tree; there are even a couple of easy opportunities to stop and stretch your legs.

Park Boulevard loops through the high northern section between the North Entrance Station in Twentynine Palms and the West Entrance Station in Joshua Tree. Along the drive, which takes about 1 hour one-way, you’ll get an eyeful of the rock formations and oddly shaped Joshua trees. Stop at one of the well-marked interpretive trails along the way (see “Day Hikes,” below), but don’t miss the detour to Keys View, one of the most popular spots in the park. A paved road leads to this mile-high mountain crest, where a series of plaques describe the land below. You’ll also have a panoramic view that encompasses both the highest (Mt. San Gorgonio) and the lowest (Salton Sea) points in Southern California.

Pinto Basin Road crosses the park from top to bottom, forking away from Park Boulevard near the North Entrance Station and winding down to the Cottonwood Entrance off I-10. Driving it, you’ll pass from the higher Mojave Desert into the lower Colorado Desert, across the “transition zone” snaking through the middle of the park, a fascinating melting pot where the two climates are both represented. Stop to marvel at the Cholla Cactus Garden (see “Day Hikes,” below) or the Ocotillo Patch, where the spidery, tenacious desert shrub sports flaming red blooms following spring rains. At the park’s southern end, you can explore the lush Cottonwood Spring or see relics of World War II training maneuvers (see “Park Attractions,” below). Driving from end to end takes about an hour.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A multitude of ranger-led seminars and guided hikes are available. They change annually but might include topics such as “Meet the Joshua Tree,” “Clever Desert Plants,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Oasis Walk,” as well as guided hikes on many of the park’s popular trails and evening campfire talks on weekends. Throughout the wildflower blooming season, and especially during Easter week, special walks visit the most abundantly flowering areas.

The Park Service also conducts guided tours of the historic Keys Ranch (see below). From October to May, tours run twice and thrice daily ($5 adults, $2.50 kids 6–11 and seniors). Daily tours are offered at 10am and 1pm, and sometimes in the evening at 7pm. You can make advance reservations by calling phone 760/367-5555.

Visitors can go more in-depth by enrolling in a workshop offered by the Desert Institute, 74485 National Park Dr., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 (phone 760/367-5535; www.desertinstitute.homestead.com). The institute’s course catalog covers subjects ranging from desert survival and orienteering to poetry and sculpture; workshops typically run one to three daily sessions and cost $60 to $210.

Park Attractions

Miners and ranchers began coming in the 1860s, including the McHaney brothers, who established the Desert Queen Ranch. Later on, Bill Keys acquired it, and he lived with his family on the property, now known as the Keys Ranch, until his death in 1969. Many of the ranch structures have been restored to their Keys-era condition, painting a compelling picture of how one hardy family made a home in the unforgiving desert. Admittance is limited to official Park Service tours (see above).

You can find petroglyphs near Barker Dam, where an easy 1.1-mile loop hiking trail leads to a small artificial lake framed by the Wonderland of Rocks. After scrambling a bit to get to the dam, you’ll find a sandy path leading to the “Disney Petroglyph” site. Its wry name stems from the fact that a 1950s movie crew retraced the ancient rock carvings to make them more visible to the camera, defacing them forever. If you investigate the cliffs along the remainder of the trail, you’re likely to find some untouched drawings depicting animals, humans, and other aspects of desert life as interpreted by long-ago dwellers. You’ll see more petroglyphs along the 18-mile Geology Tour Road, a sandy, lumpy dirt road accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles or hardy mountain bikers.

During World War II, George S. Patton trained over a million soldiers in desert combat at several sites throughout the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Tank tracks are still visible in the desert around the former Camp Young, near Cottonwood Springs. The Camp Young Memorial marker is 1 mile east of Cottonwood Springs Road, just before the park entrance; an informational kiosk there gives details of the training maneuvers and daily camp life. To learn more, you can visit the General Patton Memorial Museum (phone 760/227-3483; www.generalpattonmuseum.com) in Chiriaco Summit, on I-10 about 4 miles east of the Cottonwood Entrance. The museum contains an assortment of memorabilia from World War II and other military glory days, as well as displays of tanks and artillery; it’s open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm (except Thanksgiving and Dec 25). Admission is $5 for adults, $4.50 for seniors 62 and older, $1 for children 7 to 12, and free for children under 7.

Day Hikes

Joshua Tree’s natural wonders are accessible to everyone, not just the extreme outdoor adventurer. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the diversity of hiking and nature trails, which range from a half-mile paved nature trail (ideal for even strollers and wheelchairs) to trails of 15-plus miles requiring strenuous hiking and backcountry camping.

Shorter Trails

Barker Dam Nature Trail This sandy path leads to a small lake formed in a natural rock basin by an artificial dam. It’s a relic of the ranchers who used such “tanks” to water their stock. Signs along the way describe some of the plant and animal life found here, including migratory wildfowl that use the lake as a watering hole on their journeys. After scrambling up the dam, you’ll come to some petroglyph sites (see “Park Attractions,” above). 1.1 miles RT. Easy. Access: Barker Dam parking area.

Cap Rock Nature Trail Climbers gather here, and they’re as interesting as the short, informative trail leading from the parking lot. In between identifying different desert plants along the paved path, test your footing on some of the rocks to get a feel for the climbing experience. .4 mile RT. Easy. Access: Cap Rock parking area.

Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail This trail winds through an unusually dense concentration of Bigelow cholla, one of the desert’s more fascinating residents. Often called “teddy bear cactus” for its deceptively fluffy appearance, cholla is also nicknamed “jumping cactus” for the ease with which its barbed spines stick to the clothing and skin of anyone who passes too close. Any ranger can tell you horror stories of people who’ve tripped into a cholla bush and emerged looking like porcupines and in pain—but please don’t let that stop you from enjoying this pretty roadside diversion. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Middle of the park, about halfway btw. the north and south entrances.

Cottonwood Springs Nature Trail The trail leads through rolling desert hills long inhabited by Cahuilla Indians. Signs along the way relate how they used native plants in their everyday lives; the trail culminates at lush Cottonwood Springs. The prolific underground water source supports thick groves of cottonwood and palm trees, plus the birds and animals that make them home. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Cottonwood Campground.

Desert Queen Mine The “trail” meanders and forks through the ruins of a gold mine that yielded several million dollars’ worth of ore between 1895 and 1961. Building ruins, steel machinery parts, and sealed mine shafts dot the hillsides and ravine; just up the trail, there’s a signboard at the overlook with information about mine operations, and it’s 1.6 miles to the mine itself. 1.4–32 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Dirt road leading north from Park Blvd., opposite the Geology Tour Rd.

Fortynine Palms Oasis This hike begins with a steep, harsh ascent 300 feet up to a ridge fringed with red-spined barrel cacti. Down the other side, a rocky canyon contains the spectacular oasis whose fan palm and cottonwood tree canopy shades clear pools of green water. Plants (especially spring wildflowers), birds, lizards, and other wildlife are abundant in this miniature ecosystem, and the scorched trunks of trees bear witness to past fires that have nourished rather than destroyed the life here. Beware of rattlesnakes in the shaded brush around the oasis. 3 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: End of Canyon Rd. in Twentynine Palms (outside the park, down Canyon Rd.).

Hidden Valley Nature Trail This trail is fun for kids and adults who like rock climbing and intrigue. You can see sport climbers surrounding the small valley, which is reputed to have been a hideout for 19th-century cattle rustlers. Signs posted along the trail talk about the area’s geology and history. The trail is relatively level, though there’s some scrambling through rocky areas along the route. 1-mile loop RT. Easy. Access: Paved spur near Hidden Valley picnic area.

Hi-View Nature Trail This well-maintained and popular trail involves a steady, moderately steep climb to one of Joshua Tree’s many spectacular vistas. Alternately rocky and sandy, the trail matches up with numbered signposts keyed to a leaflet that is available at the Black Rock Ranger Station from October through May. Benches dot the trail at intervals and at the summit. 1.3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Dirt-road turnoff immediately before entrance to Black Rock Campground at park’s northwest edge.

Mastodon Peak Trail Well worn and scenic, this is the longest loop trail in the park, offering great views of the Eagle Mountains and the nearby Salton Sea. For history buffs, it also passes a long-abandoned gold mine. There is a small amount of elevation gain, about 400 feet on the way to the 3,371-foot summit of Mastodon Peak. 3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Cottonwood Spring or Cottonwood Campground.

Oasis of Mara Nature Trail Leading into a miniature ecosystem of palm trees, small ponds, and abundant animal life (especially birds), this easy paved path is lined with interpretive signs. It’s a great place to start your first visit to Joshua Tree and an excellent introduction to the centuries of human inhabitants who used the oasis to sustain life. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Behind the Oasis Visitor Center.

Pine City This path takes you to a cluster of boulder formations and sandy washes. Pinyon trees thrive in the moisture provided by these natural drainage courses; their pine nuts were a food source for early inhabitants. Birds now gather in the trees, and bighorn sheep occasionally appear among the rocks. 3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Dirt road leading from Park Blvd., opposite the Geology Tour Rd.

Ryan Mountain A steep climb (almost 1,000 ft.) leads to the best panoramic views in the park, encompassing snowcapped mountain peaks, tree-dotted valleys, and volcanic mounds. Ascending through a juniper and pinyon pine woodland, the trail is mostly rocky, well maintained, and easy to follow—you’ll likely spot rock climbers to the west of the mountain. 3 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Marked parking area along Park Blvd.

Skull Rock Nature Trail Leading to an unusually anthropomorphic rock formation, the trail meanders through boulders, desert washes, and a rocky alleyway. Watch for the “ducks” (small stacks of rocks) that mark the pathway. The official trail ends at the main road, but a primitive trail continues on a mile-long loop across the street. 1.7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Jumbo Rocks Campground (Loop E).

Longer Trails

Boy Scout Trail From the trail head, you progress downhill, through picturesque, sandy washes lined with oak and pine trees. Traveling through a variety of terrain, this trail can also be taken one-way in either direction. The latter portion skirts a rocky mountainside, then finishes through open desert, ending up at the Indian Cove Ranger Station and backcountry board. 16 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Keys West backcountry board, 6 1/2 miles east of the West Entrance Station.

California Riding and Hiking Trail Marked by distinctive brown posts stenciled with “CRH,” the many miles of this trail pass through distinct areas of the park, from pinyon and juniper forests to flat, lower desert terrain. In general, traveling from west to east is easier than the reverse, because the western sections are at higher elevations. Hiking the entire trail takes 2 to 4 days, but you can break it into sections ranging from 4.4 to 11 miles. In deciding which of the six access points to use, your best bet is to consult with park rangers and obtain a topographical map to help you stay on track. Up to 35 miles one way. Easy to strenuous. Access: 6 points along the trail.

Lost Horse Mine This trail leads to the ruins of the area’s most successful mining operation. Well-preserved remnants include the steam engine that powered the machinery, a winch for lowering equipment into the mine, settling tanks, and stone building foundations. The trail, actually an old wagon road, winds gradually up through rolling hills; once there, you can take an additional short, steep hike to the hilltop behind the ruins for a fine view into the heart of the park. Hikers with children should keep a watchful eye around the mine ruins. Hikers can head back the way they came or continue on a loop trail that is 6.2 miles. 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of a dirt road leading from Keys View Rd., 2 1/2 miles south of its junction with Park Blvd.

Lost Palms Oasis This long trail leads through sandy washes and rolling hills to the oasis overlook. A steep, rugged, and strenuous trail then continues to the canyon bottom. Whether or not you’re up to the entire challenge, the beauty of birdsong and rustling palms echoing through the canyon makes this a special hike. Lost Palms is the park’s largest oasis; look closely for elusive bighorn sheep in the remote canyon bottom. 7.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Park at Cottonwood Spring, accessible by paved road just beyond the Cottonwood Campground.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Because most of Joshua Tree National Park is designated wilderness, visitors must take care not to damage the fragile ecosystem. That means bicycles are restricted from hiking trails and allowed only on roads, none of which have bike lanes. This effectively puts biking out of reach for most casual pedalers. If you’re into mountain biking and up to a challenge, however, miles of unpaved roads are open to bikers. Distraction from cars is rare, particularly on four-wheel-drive roads such as the 18-mile dirt Geology Tour Road, which begins 2 miles west of Jumbo Rocks. Dry lake beds contrast with boulders along this sandy, lumpy downhill road; you can stop to see a Joshua tree woodland, abandoned mines, and petroglyphs. Note: The park has devised a plan to open 29 miles of trails to bikes, but at press time was still awaiting congressional approval.

A short but rewarding ride starts at Covington Flats, accessible only by unpaved (two-wheel-drive okay) La Contentata Road in the town of Joshua Tree. From the picnic area, ride west to Eureka Peak, about 4 miles away through lush high desert vegetation such as mammoth Joshua trees, junipers, and pinyons. The road is steep near the end, but your reward is a panoramic view of Palm Springs to the south, the Morongo Basin to the north, and the jagged mountain ranges of the park in between. For other bike-accessible unpaved and four-wheel-drive roads, consult the park map available at all visitor centers. There are no bike rentals available in the park, so you’ll have to bring your own. Rentals are widely available in Palm Springs.

Rock Climbing During most of the year, visitors to the park can observe rock climbers scurrying up, down, and across the many geological formations in the northwestern quadrant. Joshua Tree is one of the sport’s premier destinations, with more than 4,000 individually rated climbs.

Spectacular geological formations have irresistible names such as Wonderland of Rocks and Jumbo Rocks. Lovers of Stonehenge and Easter Island will delight in bizarre stacks with names such as Cap Rock (for the single flat rock perched atop a haphazard pile) and Skull Rock (where the elements have worn an almost-human countenance into a boulder arrangement). But human hands had nothing to do with nature’s sculptural artistry here; these fantastic formations are made of monzogranite, once a molten liquid forced upward that cooled before reaching the surface. Tectonic stresses fractured the rocks, and as floods eventually washed away the ground cover and exposed the monzonite, natural erosion wore away the weakened sections, creating the bizarre shapes and piles you see today. Climbers of every skill level travel here from around the world, drawn by the otherworldly splendor of rock piles worn smooth by the elements.

Hidden Valley is another good place to watch enthusiasts from as far away as Europe and Japan scaling sheer rock faces with impossible grace. Climbers sometimes practice bouldering—working on strength and agility on smaller boulders within jumping distance of the ground. You can try some bouldering to sample the high-friction quartz monzogranite; even tennis shoes seem to grip the rock surface.

If you’d like to learn the sport of rock climbing, it’s easier than you think—there are 30 climbing guides with permits for the park. The folks at (aptly named) Uprising (phone 888/254-6266 or 760/366-3799; www.uprising.com) in Joshua Tree have accredited, experienced guides who’ll orchestrate your excursion, starting with detailed instruction on rock-climbing basics. Later the guide will lead each climb, setting up ropes for belay and rappelling, then guiding students every step of the way. All-day excursions are about $150 per person in groups of three or more, $175 each for two people, or $315 for one person. The company operates year-round, and prices include all necessary gear.

Joshua Tree Park especially for kids

Joshua Tree National Park is a great place for the kids. They’ll see unusual plants and animals, learning just enough to stimulate their imaginations but not so much that they zone out. From identifying familiar shapes in rock formations to investigating the mysterious “teddy bear” cactus, the possibilities are endless. Parents must exercise caution with regard to the weather and other dangers. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and protective clothing for children, and keep a close eye (if not a grip) on them at all times to prevent their straying into perilous desert terrain with prickly cacti, steep rocks, and abandoned mine shafts.

Start by taking the kids on a designated nature trail (listed in the free Joshua Tree Guide and indicated by roadside signs). The park’s 11 nature trails have numerous plaques along the way to help your family interpret the rocks, plants, and other characteristics you’ll see in the context of their geological history and significance to animal and human desert dwellers. They’re all short (.25- to 1.3-mile loops) and relatively flat, making them ideal for most visitors. Four of these (Keys View, Oasis of Mara, Bajada Trail, and Cap Rock) are paved and wheelchair accessible.

The Park Service is eager for younger visitors to learn nature appreciation and conservation. Available at the park’s visitor centers, the free Junior Ranger publication offers several educational activities for kids, ranging from sketching rock formations and plants to taking quizzes on the park’s facilities. If your youngster is interested enough to complete five of the activities, rangers at the Oasis and Cottonwood visitor centers will reward him or her with an official Junior Ranger badge.

Camping

The park has nine developed drive-in campgrounds. At this writing, you can make reservations for individual sites only at Black Rock Canyon and Indian Cove (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov). You can make group camping reservations (sites accommodate 10–70 people) at the same number and website. Belle Campground is on Pinto Basin Road 9 miles south of Twentynine Palms. Black Rock Campground is in the northwest corner, at the head of the 35-mile California Riding and Hiking Trail (to reach it, you have to leave the park boundaries), and is the most developed campground. There is also a visitor center here. Cottonwood Campground is in the southern portion of the park, near the Cottonwood Visitor Center. Hidden Valley Campground, 14 miles south of Joshua Tree, California, is on the main park road. Indian Cove is just inside park boundaries west of Twentynine Palms; as at Black Rock, there are hiking trails leading farther into Joshua Tree, but no roads. Jumbo Rocks Campground, named for its—surprise!—jumbo rocks, is 11 miles south of Twentynine Palms. Take Park Boulevard to reach Ryan Campground, 16 miles southeast of Joshua Tree, California. Sheep Pass group camp, a few miles east of Ryan Campground, has group sites only. White Tank Campground is 2 miles beyond the Belle Campground. There are no showers or laundry facilities at any of the campgrounds, and you can make fires only in the fire pits provided at each campsite (bring your own wood).

The park also allows backcountry camping in the wilderness areas; regulations include mandatory registration on boards at the trail heads (see the Park Service map for locations). Park staffers recommend backcountry enthusiasts buy the Trails Illustrated topographic map of the park (available through the park association) before embarking on a backpacking trip.

Outside of the park boundaries, there are a few commercial campgrounds. One of the best is the Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground, 5 miles north of Calif. 62 on Sunfair Road near the town of Joshua Tree (phone 760/366-1213; www.jtlake.com). It has a fishing lake (with bass, bluegill, and catfish), a dump station, a small convenience store, laundry machines, and 44 RV hookups ($28 per night). Tent sites are $16 for two people. Showers cost $5 for walk-ins but are free for guests.

* Reservations can be made for group sites; call phone 877/444-6777.

** Schedule based on demand; call for current information.

* Reservations can be made for group sites; call phone 877/444-6777.

** Schedule based on demand; call for current information.

* Reservations can be made for group sites; call phone 877/444-6777.

** Schedule based on demand; call for current information.

Where to Stay

Aside from camping, there are no overnight accommodations within the park.

Near the Park

Joshua Tree Highlands Houses Starting as a single private getaway, this collection of renovated homes off dirt roads near the park boundary is now one of the slickest spots to stay in the area. All four homes feature full kitchens as well as hot tubs, outdoor fireplaces, incredible views, and plenty of midcentury-inspired style. Proprietors Jim Berg and Fred Fulmer have dialed in all sorts of cool little details, including yoga and Pilates classes, libraries, and apt xeriscaping. The two-bedroom Sky House is the highest with a commanding view; Villa Rocosa is a remodeled homestead literally built into the rocks.

Btw. Joshua Tree and the park entrance, 8215 Sunset Rd. (P.O. Box 1107), Joshua Tree, CA 92252. www.joshuatreehighlandshouse.com. phone 760/366-3636 or 310/562-0511. 4 private houses. A/C, TV. $200–$300 double with 2-night minimum. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($35 one-time fee).

Joshua Tree Inn Not all local lore has to do with pioneering miners and ranchers. If fact, one vintage motel boasts of a more recent rock-’n’-roll history. Built in the 1950s, the Joshua Tree Inn has been the choice of the Rolling Stones, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the cast of Saturday Night Live. The lobby is decorated with posters of folk singer–songwriter Gram Parsons, who died of an overdose here in 1973, and room 8 is dedicated to his memory, decorated with a gilded door (per one of his lyrics), rock posters, and psychedelic art. Legends aside, the low-slung adobe-style rooms are basic but more than functional as a base to explore the park, surrounding a large pool near the west entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, set back far enough from the highway to escape most traffic noise. There is free Wi-Fi.

61259 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree, CA 92252. www.joshuatreeinn.com. phone 760/366-1188. 10 units. A/C, TV. $85–$115 double; $155–$165 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Pioneertown Motel Built as a “living movie set” in 1946, Pioneertown saw numerous movie shoots in its day, including vehicles for such stars as Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Sons of the Pioneers—for whom the town was named. When the scenes were shot, this well-kept motel is where the cast and crew hung their hats and played poker. The small, rustic, but comfortable rooms have kitchenettes, unique furnishings, and vintage movie posters; perks include free Wi-Fi and proximity to walk to Pappy & Harriet’s (see “Where to Eat,” below) for dinner.

5040 Curtis Rd., Pioneertown, CA 92277. www.pioneertown-motel.com. phone 760/365-7001. 18 units. A/C. $60–$120 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Spin and Margie’s Desert Hide-a-Way Words like funky and eclectic come to mind when describing Spin and Margie’s, but they don’t really do the place justice. Proprietors Mindy Kaufman and Drew Reese have seamlessly blended kitsch and high-desert style into one of the best properties in the area. Featuring Our Lady of Guadalupe iconography, Navajo blankets, and Reese’s photography, the rooms are both artful and functional. They have sleeper sofas, foldout futons, flatscreen TVs, free Wi-Fi, CD and DVD players with excellent in-room libraries, and—except for the stand-alone cabin—full kitchens. (The cabin, however, has a private yard populated with ceramic deer.) Outside there’s a great courtyard, a barbecue area, and plenty of shady nooks, off-kilter sculptures, and found art. Just 3 miles from the park boundary and the center of the town of Joshua Tree, the Hide-a-Way is well removed from the bustle, but not ridiculously so.

Sunkist Rd. and Twentynine Palms Hwy. (P.O. Box 1092), Joshua Tree, CA 92252. www.deserthideaway.com. phone 760/366-9124 or 760/774-0850. 5 units. A/C, TV. $135–$175 double; $145 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V.

29 Palms Inn In town, but a world apart, this rustic, family-run inn dates from the 1920s. It consists of adobe cottages and cabins scattered among 70 acres of the Oasis of Mara, the other side of which holds the main visitor center for the park. It has been discovered by Hollywood celebrities in need of a low-key resort dedicated to the art of relaxation. The breathtaking grounds feature an artesian pond shaded by the namesake 29 original palms, and sublime views of the desert mountains. The cozy cottages have distinct personalities; most have a fireplace or wood stove and patio or deck, but all have evaporative coolers or air-conditioning for the sweltering summer. My favorite: Irene’s Historic Adobe, a one-bedroom, one-bunkroom house with a top-notch kitchen and an enclosed courtyard that’s been used in music videos. Next to the outdoor pool—a perfect antidote to the desert heat—is a poolside bar. Other perks: weekend naturalist walks, free Wi-Fi, art classes, and a 2-acre garden that provides veggies for the inn’s restaurant, one of the best in town (see “Where to Eat,” below).

73950 Inn Ave., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. www.29palmsinn.com. phone 760/367-3505. Fax 760/367-4425. 24 units. A/C, TV. Mid-Sept to June $132–$190 double, $230–$340 guesthouse; July to mid-Sept $85–$150 double, $155–$280 guesthouse. Lower midweek rates. Rates include morning coffee and sweet breads. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Desert bizarro

The Joshua Tree area has long attracted outcasts, misfits, and eccentrics looking for a place where they can let it all hang out. And they’ve definitely left a mark. Check out the landmarks left by two late desert notables, George Van Tassel and Noah Purifoy, in the respective forms of the Integratron near Landers (phone 760/364-3126; www.integratron.com), and the Noah Purifoy Sculpture Park Museum in the town of Joshua Tree (phone 213/382-756 for an appointment to visit; www.noahpurifoy.com). The former is an amazing wooden dome with unbelievable acoustics and public sound baths on two Saturdays and Sundays a month at noon and on other days by appointment, and the latter is an outdoor museum of contemporary art made mostly from media that other artists would have thrown away.

Where to Eat

There are no restaurants in the park.

Near the Park

Beyond the choices listed below, in Joshua Tree is Royal Siam Thai, 61599 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 760/366-2923), a very good Thai restaurant. For tasty smoothies, wraps, and other vegetarian specialties, head down the street to Natural Sisters Cafe, 61695B Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 760/366-3600). For coffee, gourmet takeout fare, including calzones, wraps, and a number of vegan dishes, and an eclectic store with everything from newspapers, to wine, to fashion, stop at Ricochet Gourmet, 61705 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 760/366-1898; www.ricochetjoshuatree.com). After undergoing a major face-lift, and getting new owners in 2011, Crossroads Cafe, 61715 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 760/366-5414; www.crossroadscafejtree.com), is a beloved local institution, with creative and healthy breakfasts and lunches and plenty to look at on the walls.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace BARBECUE The Pappy and Harriet’s motto, “Retire now, work later,” is fitting for this low-key outpost, a culinary and musical mecca in the California desert. You can definitely make a case for the succulent, mesquite-grilled chicken and steaks as the best in the Joshua Tree area. There are also some seafood and vegetarian options. Drinks are served in mason jars, the decor is eclectic (to say the least), and the atmosphere of the grand, old-fashioned Western bar would best be described as rough around the edges. But truth be told, the joint has long been a favorite of Southern California musicians, including the late, great Gram Parsons and Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant. More recently, rockers have used the stage as a recording studio. There’s live music every night Pappy and Harriet’s is open, from 7pm until “y’all stop drinking”—usually well after midnight.

Pioneertown Rd., Pioneertown. phone 760/365-5956. www.pappyandharriets.com. Reservations recommended on weekends. Main courses $7–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon 5–9:30pm; Thurs–Sun 11am–9:30pm. Bar open later. Take Pioneertown Rd. 4 miles north of Yucca Valley.

29 Palms Inn NEW AMERICAN A favorite spot for local artists to display their work, this restaurant is tucked away behind its namesake hotel’s postage stamp–size pool. It consists of a paneled dining room whose large, hospitable bar sports a nautical/Polynesian theme. The reasonably priced meals enjoy their own fame, separate from the hotel’s, and deservedly so. Starting with fresh vegetables from the inn’s garden (which flourishes in this fertile oasis) and quality meat, poultry, and fresh fish, the kitchen sends out simple meals accented with zesty condiment inventions (such as citrus-tinged mustard-herb salad dressing). Lunch choices include fluffy quiche du jour, creamy soups, crunchy salads, and tostadas, plus a variety of hot and cold sandwiches—call ahead if you’d like a sack lunch prepared. Dinner is more robust, featuring grilled meats and fish, seafood sautéed in butter and garlic, and specials every day of the week. There is live music nightly.

73950 Inn Ave., Twentynine Palms. phone 760/367-3505. www.29palmsinn.com. Reservations recommended for dinner. Brunch and lunch entrees $6–$14; full dinners $15–$27. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–2pm (from 9am Sun); Sun–Thurs 5–9pm; Fri–Sat 5–9:30pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Serious Gear

Experienced climbers in need of backpacking or climbing equipment should step into Nomad Ventures, 61795 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 760/366-4684; www.nomadventures.com), an outfitter located next to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center. Open daily, it rents and sells climbing shoes and sells packs, harnesses, and other necessities. Joshua Tree Outfitters, 61707 Twentynine Palms Hwy. (phone 888/366-1848 or 760/366-1848; www.joshuatreeoutfitters.com), rents camping gear and bouldering pads.

Picnic Supplies

You can stock up for picnicking or camping on the way into Yucca Valley, where Wal-Mart, Von’s, and Stater Brothers loom large on Hwy. 62, along with every fast-food joint you can imagine. Both Crossroads Cafe and Ricochet (see “Where to Eat,” above) are good places to pick up sandwiches, salads, and other takeout dishes.

Chapter 22: Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

by Eric Peterson

Stashed in the northeastern corner of California, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a remarkable reminder that North America is still evolving and that the ground below is alive with the forces of creation—and sometimes destruction. Lassen Peak is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range, a chain that also includes Mount St. Helens and stretches all the way north to British Columbia.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Though the 10,457-foot Lassen Peak is quiet, the surrounding landscape is very much alive. The peak last awakened in May 1914, beginning a cycle of eruptions that spit lava, steam, and ash until 1921. The eruption climaxed in 1915 when Lassen blasted forth a 6-mile-high mushroom cloud of ash that was seen from hundreds of miles away. Though the peak has not erupted for more than three-quarters of a century, the park’s hydrothermal features continue to boil with ferocious intensity; boiling springs, fumaroles (vents for volcanic steam and gases), and mud pots are all very active. Volcanologists cannot predict when any of the volcanoes in the area will erupt again, but they are fairly sure such an event will eventually take place.

Until then, the park gives you an interesting chance to watch a landscape recover from the destruction brought on by an eruption. To the north of Lassen Peak is the aptly named Devastated Area, a swath of volcanic scars steadily repopulating with conifers. Forest botanists have revised their earlier theories that forests must be preceded by herbaceous growth after watching the Devastated Area immediately revegetate with a diverse mix of eight conifer species, four more than were present before the blast.

The 106,000-acre park is a place of great beauty. The flora and fauna are an interesting mix of species from the Cascade Range, which stretches north from Lassen; species from the Sierra Nevada, extending south; and species from the Basin Range, to the east. The resulting blend accounts for an enormous diversity of plants, with 745 distinct species identified in the park. Though it’s snowbound in winter, Lassen is an important summer feeding ground for black bears and transient herds of mule deer.

In addition to the dozens of volcanoes and geothermal features, Lassen Volcanic National Park includes 150 miles of hiking trails, more than 50 beautiful lakes, large meadows, cinder cones, lush forests, cross-country skiing, and great backcountry camping. In fact, three-quarters of the park is designated wilderness.

Four groups of American Indians inhabited the Lassen area before the arrival of Europeans. The Atsugewi, Maidu, Yana, and Yahi all used portions of the park as their summer hunting grounds. The white man’s diseases and encroachment into their territory quickly decimated their population. By the turn of the 20th century, they were thought to be gone from the wilds of the Lassen area. In 1911, however, butchers discovered a nearly naked American Indian man at a slaughterhouse in Oroville. When they couldn’t communicate with him, the sheriff locked the man in a cell.

News of the “Wild Man” found a receptive audience among anthropologists at the University of California at Berkeley, who quickly rescued the man. Ishi, as he came to be known, turned out to be the last of the Yahi tribe. He lived at the university’s Museum of Anthropology for 5 years before succumbing to tuberculosis. Ishi, who shared his knowledge with anthropologist Alfred Kroeber and others, is responsible for much of what’s known about Yahi culture in California.

Avoiding the Crowds

Crowds? Forget it. Lassen is one of the least visited national parks in the Lower 48. Unless you’re here on July 4 or Labor Day weekend, you won’t encounter anything that could rightly be called a crowd. Even then, you can escape simply by skipping the popular sites, such as Bumpass Hell, Lassen Peak, and the Sulphur Works, and heading a few miles down any of the backcountry trails.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Part of the reason Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the least visited national parks is its remoteness, which is partly perception. The most foolproof route to get there is to take Calif. 44 east from Redding (on I-5), which leads to the park’s northwest entrance. If you’re coming from the south along I-5, take Calif. 36 east from Red Bluff, which leads to the park’s southwest entrance.

If you’re arriving from the east on I-80, take the U.S. 395 turnoff at Reno, Nevada, and head to Susanville. Depending on which end of the park you’re shooting for, take either Calif. 44 (to the northwest entrance) or Calif. 36 (to the southwest entrance) from Susanville.

Calif. 89 leads to the main park road, which crosses the park in a 30-mile half-circle, with entrances and visitor contact stations at either end.

Most visitors enter the park at the Southwest Entrance Station, drive through the park, and leave through the north entrance, or vice versa. Three other entrances lead to remote portions of the park. Warner Valley and Juniper Lake are accessible from the south on the road from Chester. The Butte Lake entrance is on a dirt road from Calif. 44 between Old Station and Susanville.

The Nearest Airport The closest airport is Redding Municipal Airport, 6751 Woodrum Circle (phone 530/224-4320; www.ci.redding.ca.us). It’s served by United Express, with car rentals from Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. See chapter 38 for airline/car-rental websites. The closest major airports are in Sacramento and Reno.

Information

Contact Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063 (phone 530/595-4480; www.nps.gov/lavo). Peak Experiences is a free, handy little newspaper listing activities, hikes, and points of interest. Also useful is Larry Eifert’s Lassen Volcanic National Park: Auto Tours, Trips & Trails (Estuary Press, 2007), which gives a tour of the park from a motorist’s view point. These and other books, plus maps and videos, are available from the Lassen Association (phone 530/529-3450; www.lassenassociation.org).

Visitor Centers

There is a visitor center just inside the northwest entrance at the Loomis Museum. The Loomis Museum (daily late June to late Sept) has interpretive exhibits, videos, and leaflets. Ranger-led walks are offered late June to early September.

Just inside the southwest entrance, the terrific new Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center features interpretive exhibits, a bookstore, and a cafe. Named for the Mountain Maidu people’s moniker for “Snow Mountain,” Kohm Yah-mah-nee is open daily year-round.

The park headquarters, on Calif. 36 in Mineral, southwest of the park, offers information and publications Monday to Friday (except holidays) year-round. There are ranger stations at Summit Lake and in the more isolated reaches of the park at Warner Valley, Juniper Lake, and Butte Lake.

Fees & Permits

Entry to the park for up to a week costs $10 per vehicle or $5 per person on foot, horse, or bicycle. Camping fees range from $10 to $18. Anyone spending the night in the backcountry must obtain a free wilderness permit.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Because of the dangers posed by the park’s thermal features (specifically the boiling, acidic water), always remain on trails in active areas and heed warning signs. Fires are allowed in campgrounds only. Warm clothing is needed year-round.

Seasons & Climate

The park is in one of the colder areas of California, and temperatures at night can drop below freezing at any time. With snow blanketing the area with an average of 500 inches a year, winter in Lassen can begin in late October, and the main park road can be closed until mid-June. Even in summer, you should be prepared for the possibility of rain and snow. In some years, you might see snowbanks lining the main park road into July. Winter, however, shows a different and beautiful side of Lassen that people are starting to appreciate. Since most of the park is over a mile high and the highest point is 10,457 feet, snow accumulates in incredible quantities. Altitude is also a consideration if you intend to stay in the area—the high elevation can affect some medical conditions.

If You Have Only 1 day

The highlights of Lassen are the volcanoes and their offshoots: boiling springs, fumaroles, mud pots, and so on. You can see many of the most interesting sites in a day, making it possible to visit Lassen as a short detour from I-5 or U.S. 395 on the way to or from Oregon.

Bumpass Hell, a 1.5-mile walk off the main road in the southern part of the park, is the largest hydrothermal site in the park—16 acres of bubbling mud pots cloaked in a stench of rotten egg–smelling sulfur. The colorful name comes from an early Lassen area homesteader guide, K. V. Bumpass, who suffered a severe burn on his leg after falling though thin earth into boiling mud during one of his tours. Don’t make the same error.

Sulphur Works is another stinky, steamy example of Lassen’s residual heat. Two miles from the southwest park entrance, the ground hisses with seething gases escaping from the ground.

Boiling Springs Lake and Devils Kitchen are two of the more remote hydrothermal sites; they’re in the Warner Valley section of the park, usually reached from the Feather River Drive/Warner Valley Road near the small town of Chester.

Exploring the Park by Car

The main park road crosses the park in a half-circle with entrance stations at either end. It is usually open from mid-June through late November. Most visitors enter the park at the Southwest Entrance Station, drive through, and leave through the northwest entrance, or vice versa.

The 30-mile tour through this rugged yet captivating region should take no more than a couple of hours, though it’s a good idea to factor in a few more hours to hike up Lassen Peak or explore the Devastated Area and Bumpass Hell. If there’s time, make an effort to stop at Sulphur Works near Mineral (about 2 miles from the southwest entrance), an acrid, noisy cauldron of steam vents that let off a mighty pungent odor.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Free interpretive programs take place daily in summer, highlighting everything from flora and fauna to cultural history and volcanic processes. Junior Ranger programs are offered to kids aged 7 to 12; check park bulletin boards or the park’s website or newspaper for a current schedule.

From January to early April, a park ranger leads free 1 1/2- to 2-hour snowshoe hikes across Lassen’s snow-packed hills. Bring your own snowshoes; the park does not rent or loan them out. For details, call park headquarters (phone 530/595-4480) or check the website for the current schedule.

Day Hikes

Most visitors drive through in a day or two, see the hydrothermal hot spots, and move on. That leaves 150 miles of trails and expanses of backcountry to the few who take the time to get off-road.

Bumpass Hell Trail This walk leads you to the middle of the largest geothermal site west of Yellowstone—16 acres of bubbling mud pots cloaked in a stench of sulfur. Stay on the wooden boardwalks that guide you past the pyrite pools, steam vents, and noisy fumaroles. 3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Well-marked trail head just off the main park road in the southern part of the park.

Cinder Cone Trail Black and charred, Cinder Cone is almost barren, but surrounded by picturesque dunes of multihued volcanic ash. If 4 miles seems too short, you can extend the hike by heading in about 8 miles from Summit Lake on the Park Road or by diverting to the east side of Butte Lake. 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Butte Lake Campground.

Lassen Peak Trail This climb to the top of Lassen Peak is among the most popular hikes in the park. The distance may seem short, but the trail is steep and partially covered with snow until late summer. At 10,457 feet in elevation, you’ll get a view of the surrounding wilderness that’s worth every step. On clear days you can see the Sacramento Valley to the south and Mount Shasta and the Trinity Alps to the north. Every 5 to 7 years, millions of California tortoiseshell butterflies ascend Lassen to escape the summer heat, making for quite a spectacle. With a steep 2,000-foot elevation gain, the round-trip takes about 4 to 5 hours, and often longer for those unaccustomed to high elevation. Keep an eye out for lightning storms on and near the summit. Note: A trail restoration project is ongoing through 2014, and the trail will be closed to hikers on certain days. Check the website for current information. 5 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: 7 miles from the southwest entrance on the main park road.

Manzanita Lake Trail This trek runs along the shoreline of pretty Manzanita Lake, which is 2 miles inside the northwest entrance to the park. It’s easy to get to by car, and an easy hike for almost anyone. (If you want a bit more distance, you can hike around Reflection Lake as well.) 1.8 miles RT. Easy. Access: Loomis Museum.

Nobles Emigrant Trail One of the park’s easiest longer hikes is this scenic trail that passes through an old-growth forest, past Chaos Jumbles (pink-hued rocks shaken from volcanoes 300 years ago), and into Lassen’s Dwarf Forest, a bizarre region of stunted trees. The trail continues into the northeastern edge of the park for overnight trips. Trail length varies. Easy. Access: Northwest entrance.

Pacific Crest Trail This is a small section of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs some 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada. The most scenic section of the trail in the park is the 5-mile segment south of Drakesbad that leads toward the park’s boundary past Boiling Springs Lake. For information on the Pacific Crest Trail, contact the Pacific Crest Trail Association, 1331 Garden Hwy., Sacramento, CA 95833 (phone 916/285-1846; www.pcta.org). 18 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Warner Valley Rd., or long hike from Hat Lake.

Paradise Meadow This hike rises at a steady grade along a creek, eventually coming to a series of small waterfalls and a picture-perfect meadow with outstanding wildflower displays during midsummer. 2.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Hat Lake parking area, off Calif. 89 btw. Emigrant Pass and Summit Lake campgrounds.

Summit Lake Trail This is a walk around a pristine alpine lake that’s often frequented by deer in the evening. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Either Summit Lake campground.

Summit Lake to Echo and Twin Lakes A popular day or overnight hike, this trek passes several lakes and wildflower-filled meadows on the way to Lower Twin Lake. After you pass the first moderately steep crest, the rest of the hike is less strenuous. Backcountry camping is allowed at Twin Lakes but not at Echo Lake; a wilderness permit is required. 8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: From midpoint of the Summit Lake Trail (see above).

Other Sports & Activities

Canoeing & Kayaking Paddlers can take canoes, rowboats, and kayaks on any of the park lakes except Reflection, Emerald, Helen, and Boiling Springs. Motors, including electric motors, are prohibited on all park waters. Lakes accessible from the main park road include Manzanita and Summit. You can get to Butte Lake, in the northeast section of the park, on a gravel road from Calif. 44. Juniper Lake is accessible from a gravel road in the southeast section of the park. Kayak rentals ($10 an hour) are available at the camper store at Manzanita Lake.

Winter Sports & Activities

The main park road usually closes to cars in late October due to snow, and most years it doesn’t open until June, so winter recreationists have their run of the area. Snowmobiles are forbidden.

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing Trails of all skill levels leave from the northwest and southwest entrances. Heated bathrooms and running water are available at Loomis Plaza at Manzanita Lake and in the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. Popular trips are the trails to Sulphur Works. More advanced skiers and snowshoers can make the trek to Lake Helen.

You can also ski the popular 30-mile course of the main park road, but doing this overnight trek involves a long car shuttle. For safety reasons, the park requires all skiers to register at the southwest entrance or Loomis Ranger Station before heading into the backcountry, even for a day trip. A free wilderness permit is required for overnight camping.

Sledding During winter, heavy snows close the main road through the park, but roads going into both the southwest and northwest entrances are kept open for a mile or two. On weekends, you can bring the family, snow toys, and picnic baskets to enjoy the slopes.

Camping

Car campers have their choice of eight park campgrounds with over 400 sites. Reservations for Manzanita Lake, Summit Lake, and Butte Lake campgrounds are available through the National Recreation Reservation Service (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov). Sites do fill up on weekends, so if you don’t have a reservation, your best bet is to get to the park early Friday to secure a first-come, first-served spot. There are no RV hookups at the park, but you’ll find them at nearby private campgrounds, as well as Lassen Mineral Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” below).

By far the most “civilized” campground in the park is at Manzanita Lake, where you’ll find flush toilets and a camper store. There is also the Crags Campground, about 5 miles away, which is much more basic, with vault toilets. Farther into the park along the main park road is the Summit Lake Campgrounds, on the north and south ends of Summit Lake, where you’ll find flush toilets in the north campground and vault toilets in the south campground. It’s a pretty spot, often frequented by deer, and is a launching point for some excellent day hikes. In the southern end of the park is Southwest Campground, a walk-in camp directly adjacent to the southwest entrance parking lot and the park’s only year-round campground.

The remote entrances to Lassen have their own campgrounds: Warner Valley, Butte Lake, and Juniper Lake campgrounds. All are reached on dirt roads, and Warner Valley and Juniper Lake are not recommended for trailers. All campgrounds except Juniper Lake have potable water in the summer.

Backcountry camping is allowed in much of the park, and traffic is light. Ask about closed areas when you get your free wilderness permit, which is issued at the visitor stations and required for anyone spending the night in the backcountry. Fires and dogs are prohibited in the backcountry.

If park campgrounds are full, myriad campgrounds are available in surrounding Lassen National Forest, so you’ll find a site somewhere. For information, contact the Forest Supervisor’s Office, 2550 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130 (phone 530/257-2151; www.fs.fed.us/r5/lassen).

Note: Campgrounds usually open in May or June and close in Sept or Oct, but weather can affect dates; call the park for current information.

Note: Campgrounds usually open in May or June and close in Sept or Oct, but weather can affect dates; call the park for current information.

Note: Campgrounds usually open in May or June and close in Sept or Oct, but weather can affect dates; call the park for current information.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Drakesbad Guest Ranch The flagship lodging in Lassen Volcanic National Park is Drakesbad, hidden in a high mountain valley and surrounded by meadows, lakes, and streams. The 100-year-old guest ranch is famous for its rustic cabins, lodge, and steaming thermal swimming pool, fed by a natural hot spring. Horseback riding and hikes to geothermal wonders are also big draws. The ranch is as deluxe as a facility with very little electricity and no phones can be, with quilts on every bed, propane heaters for warmth, and kerosene lamps for light. Food is hearty American fare, with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, and often creative variations on standard dishes. Breakfast and lunch are buffets (sack lunches are also available), and dinners are served at the table. Drakesbad is often sold out months in advance, with most vacancies occurring in late summer and fall.

Warner Valley Rd. (Mailing address: California Guest Services, 2150 Main St., Ste. 5, Red Bluff, CA 96080.) www.drakesbad.com. phone 866/999-0914. 19 units. $140–$179 per person double. Rates include all meals. Discounts available in fall. MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to early June. From Chester, enter southern part of the park on Warner Valley Rd., which ends at the ranch.

Manzanita Lake Camping Cabins It’s BYOB (bring your own bedding) at these new cabins adjacent to the campground at Manzanita Lake. Coming in three varieties—one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and bunkhouse (sleeping up to six)—the cabins are basic and clean, new in 2011. For an additional charge, the cabins come stocked with sleeping bags and pillows as well as ice, firewood, lanterns, cooking gear, and s’more kits.

At Manzanita Lake (Mailing address: California Guest Services, 2150 Main St., Ste. 5, Red Bluff, CA 96080.) www.lassenrecreation.com. phone 530/335-7557 or 530/200-4578. 20 units. $57–$81 double. MC, V. Closed early Oct to late May.

Near the Park

The Bidwell House In 1901, Gen. John Bidwell, a California senator who made three unsuccessful bids for the presidency, built a country retreat and summer home for his beloved young wife, Annie. After her death, when Chester had developed into a prosperous logging hamlet, the building, with its farmhouse-style design and spacious veranda, was converted into the headquarters for a local ranch.

The house sits at the eastern end of Chester, adjacent to a rolling meadow. The lake is visible across the road, and inside, Eva and Filip Laboda maintain one of the most charming B&B inns in the region. Seven of the rooms have whirlpool tubs, and three offer wood-burning stoves. The cottage (which sleeps up to six) has a full kitchen. The gourmet omelets are a breakfast favorite.

1 Main St. (P.O. Box l790), Chester, CA 96020. www.bidwellhouse.com. phone 530/258-3338. 14 units, 12 with private bathroom; 1 cottage. TEL. $85–$175 double. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V.

Lassen Mineral Lodge A mere 9 miles south of the park’s southern entrance, this family-owned and -operated lodge (established in 1896) offers a homey atmosphere in a delightful forest setting. The motel-style rooms, constructed in the 1940s, are comfortable. Most have king or queen beds; several larger rooms also have two twin beds and kitchenettes, making them a good choice for families. In summer, the lodge is almost always bustling with guests and customers who venture into the gift shop, general store, and full-service restaurant and bar (see “Where to Eat,” below). There’s good fishing within walking distance. Also on the property is a full-service RV park and campground ($18–$25).

38348 Calif. 36 East (P.O. Box 160), Mineral, CA 96063. www.minerallodge.com. phone 530/595-4422. Fax 530/595-4452. 20 units. $75–$95 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Mill Creek Resort Set deep in the forest, the Mill Creek is a rustic mountain retreat that is well off the beaten path. A homey country general store and diner serve as the resort’s center, a good place to stock up on food while exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park. The housekeeping cabins, available on a daily or weekly basis, are basic but cute, furnished with rustic wooden lodgepole beds. All the cabins have kitchens, but no TVs, Wi-Fi, or phones—ideal, in my opinion, for a park getaway. The campground here is open May through October; RV sites are $25 nightly, tent sites $16.

Calif. 172 (3 miles south of Calif. 36), Mill Creek, CA 96061. www.millcreekresort.net. phone 888/595-4449 or 530/595-4449. 9 cabins. $80–$110 cabin. No credit cards. Pets accepted.

The Weston House Located 20 miles west of Lassen’s northwest entrance, the Weston House is a modern, Big Sur–style B&B in a spectacular forested location above a wild horse sanctuary. Sumptuous views of the upper Sacramento Valley abound, from each room and from the massive redwood deck, which has a lap pool and whirlpool tub. The rooms are decorated with antiques and art. I like Jennifer’s Room, spacious with a full private bathroom, queen-size and twin beds, sofa, love seat, TV/DVD player, and woodstove. Vanessa’s Room has a private deck, and Helen’s features a kitchenette. The gourmet breakfast might include frittatas or croissant French toast, accompanied by fresh fruit and beverages; gluten-free and other dietary requests are accommodated. The inn is smoke-free and family-friendly.

6741 Red Rock Rd. (P.O. Box 276), Shingletown, CA 96088. www.westonhouse.com. phone 530/474-3738. 4 units. $195–$275 double. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V. Located 1 1/2 miles south of Calif. 44 via Shingletown Ridge Rd.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

There is a cafe at the new Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. Hours are 9am to 5pm fall to spring and 9am to 6pm in the summer. There’s also a snack bar, with sandwiches, hot dogs, and the like, at the Manzanita Lake Camper Store (phone 530/335-7557), at the park’s north entrance. It’s open late May to early October, daily from 8am to 8pm in midsummer, 9am to 5pm at the beginning and end of the season.

Near the Park

Restaurant choices in the area are limited. The best approach may be to stay at a B&B or lodge that offers meals or to book a room (or stay at a campsite) where you can prepare your own. See “Where to Stay” and “Camping,” above.

A few eateries are fairly close to the park, primarily in Chester and on the shores of Lake Almanor. From the south entrance, the closest restaurant is the Lassen Mineral Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” above), which serves three meals of basic American fare a day, plus a few Italian and vegetarian items. You can also head southeast on Calif. 36 to Chester and dine at the Kopper Kettle Café, 243 Main St. (phone 530/258-2698), for a hearty breakfast, or the Knotbumper, 274 Main St. (phone 530/258-2301), for lunch or dinner. Another solid option in Chester is the Red Onion Grill, 384 Main St. (phone 530/258-1800), which has an eclectic menu that includes Cajun salmon, steaks, and Italian fare for lunch and dinner. Kids will like the 1950s-themed Cotton Candy Diner, also in Chester at 300 Main St. (phone 530/258-1950), featuring burgers, pizza, banana splits, and free cotton candy for kids.

On the Lake Almanor Peninsula, Tantardino’s, 401 Ponderosa Dr. (phone 530/596-3902), is a time-tested pizzeria and Italian restaurant. For a fancy dinner, locals head to Gamboni’s Peninsula Grill, 401 Peninsula Dr. (phone 530/596-3538), for steaks, seafood, and pasta dishes.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

The Manzanita Lake Camper Store (phone 530/335-7557), at the park’s north entrance, is a good place to stock up on groceries, ice, firewood, and basic outdoor gear. It also sells gasoline.

At the southern end of the park, you’ll find just about everything you need for your outdoor adventure in the old-fashioned general store at Lassen Mineral Lodge, on Calif. 36 in Mineral (see “Where to Stay,” above).

North of the park, just south of Old Station, try the store at Hat Creek Resort, on Calif. 89 (phone 530/335-7121; www.hatcreekresortrv.com), where you’ll also find a restaurant, an RV park, and an assortment of cabins and motel rooms.

Chapter 23: Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Chaco & Other Archaeological Sites of the Four Corners Region

by Don & Barbara Laine

With more than 5,000 archaeological sites, Mesa Verde National Park is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. Among the sites are some of the largest cliff dwellings in the world, as well as mesa-top pueblos, pit houses, and kivas (subterranean rooms used for meetings and religious ceremonies)—all of which were built by the ancestral Puebloans (also called the Anasazi). The sites here tell the story of a 750-year period (a.d. 550–1300) during which these people shifted from a seminomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a largely agrarian way of life centered on large communities in cliff dwellings.

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde must have looked inviting to the ancestral Puebloans, whose descendants are such modern Pueblo tribes as the Hopi, Zuni, and Acoma. On the mesa’s north side, 2,000-foot-high cliffs form a natural barrier to invaders. The mesa slopes gently to the south, and erosion has carved numerous canyons, most of which receive abundant sunlight and have natural overhangs for shelter.

The ancestral Puebloans became adept at surviving here. The mesa tops were covered with loess, a red, windblown soil good for farming. And although water was scarce, it could seep into the sandstone overhangs where the people eventually made their homes. For food, they farmed beans, corn, and squash; raised turkeys; foraged in the pinyon-juniper woodland; and hunted for game such as cottontail rabbits and deer. They wove sandals and clothing from yucca fibers and traded for precious stones and shells, which they used to make jewelry.

To the visitor today, their most impressive accomplishments are the multistory cliff dwellings, which were largely unknown until ranchers Charlie Mason and Richard Wetherill chanced upon them in 1888. Looting of artifacts followed their discovery until a Denver newspaper reporter’s stories aroused national interest in protecting them. In 1906, the 52,000-acre site was declared a national park, the only U.S. national park devoted entirely to the works of humans.

The Cliff Palace, the park’s largest and best-known site, is a four-story apartment complex with stepped-back roofs forming courtyards for the dwellings above. Accessible by guided tour only, it is approached by a quarter-mile downhill path. Its towers, walls, and kivas are all set back beneath the rim of a cliff. Another ranger-led tour takes visitors up a 32-foot ladder to explore the interior of Balcony House. Each of these tours runs only in summer and early fall (see the park website for exact dates and times).

Two other important sites—Step House and Long House, both on Wetherill Mesa—are open to visitors in summer only. Rangers lead tours to Spruce Tree House, a major cliff-dwelling complex, only in winter, when other park facilities are closed; during the summer, you can see Spruce Tree House on your own.

For reasons not yet understood, although possibly related to climate change, these cliff homes were fully occupied for only about a century; their residents left around 1300.

Although Mesa Verde is the largest and probably the most impressive archaeological site in the Four Corners region, it is not the only one. In fact, archaeologists say that from about 700 to 1,000 years ago, this area teemed with busy communities. Following the discussion of Mesa Verde is a quick look at a few of the other important archaeological attractions in the region.

Avoiding the Crowds

With close to 600,000 visitors annually, Mesa Verde can seem packed at times. But park officials point out that the numbers are much lower just before and after the summer rush. June 15 to August 15 is the high summer visitation period. Visit during the first 2 weeks of June or the last 2 weeks of August, and you’ll encounter fewer crowds.

Another way to beat the crowds is to make the 12-mile drive to Wetherill Mesa. In one recent year, only 5% of the park’s visitors—just over 30,000 people—ventured to the mesa, which has some of the park’s most interesting archaeological sites. The third, and perhaps best way to beat the crowds, is to hike one of the backcountry trails. As one former park ranger told us, “With our backcountry closed to camping, our hiking trails aren’t used very much, and these are great ways for people to get away.”

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Mesa Verde National Park is in southwestern Colorado, just under 400 miles southwest of Denver and 252 miles northwest of Albuquerque. The park entrance is on U.S. 160, 10 miles east of the town of Cortez and 6 miles west of Mancos.

From Cortez, U.S. 491 (formerly U.S. 666) runs north to Monticello, Utah (and on to Salt Lake City), and south to Gallup, New Mexico (on I-40). U.S. 160 runs east through Durango to Walsenburg and I-25, and west through the Four Corners area into Arizona. At the east end of town, Colo. 145, which runs north to Telluride and Grand Junction, intersects U.S. 160.

The Nearest Airport Cortez Municipal Airport (phone 970/565-7458; www.cityofcortez.com/government/airport), about 3 miles southwest of town off U.S. 491 and U.S. 160, is served by Great Lakes Airlines, which offers daily service between Cortez and Denver and has rental cars from Hertz and Budget. See chapter 38 for websites of the major airlines and rental-car firms.

Information

Contact Mesa Verde National Park, P.O. Box 8, Mesa Verde N.P., CO 81330 (phone 970/529-4465; www.nps.gov/meve). Books on the park are available from the Mesa Verde Museum Association, P.O. Box 38, Mesa Verde, CO 81330 (phone 800/305-6053 or 970/529-4445; www.mesaverde.org).

For area information, stop at the Colorado Welcome Center at Cortez, Cortez City Park, 928 E. Main St. (phone 970/565-3414), open daily from 8am to 6pm in summer, with shorter hours the rest of the year and closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter. You can also contact the Mesa Verde Country Visitor Information Bureau, P.O. Box HH, Cortez, CO 81321 (phone 800/253-1616 or 970/565-8227; www.mesaverdecountry.com), or the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 968, Cortez, CO 81321 (phone 970/565-3414; www.cortezchamber.org).

what’s in a Name?

The prehistoric inhabitants of the ancient villages of the Four Corners region have long been known as the Anasazi. That word is being phased out, however, in favor of the term “ancestral Puebloans,” because modern American Indians who trace their roots to the ancestral Puebloans consider the word Anasazi demeaning. Anasazi is a Navajo word that means, at least according to some sources, “enemy of my people” (the Navajos considered the ancestral Puebloans their enemies). Some are also using the term “ancient Pueblo people.”

Visitor Centers

The Far View Visitor Center, 14 miles southwest of the park entrance, is the only place that sells tickets for ranger-guided hikes. It has an information desk, a display of American Indian art, and a small bookstore. It’s open from early April to mid-October only, from 8am to 7pm daily at the height of summer, and closes at 5pm at the beginning and end of the season.

The staff at the small Morefield Ranger Station in Morefield Village also provides park information. It’s open in summer only—late May through early August—from 5:30–8:30pm.

The Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum, open daily year-round (8am–6:30pm from early Apr to mid-Oct, until 5pm the rest of the year), has dioramas and interpretive displays on Pueblo culture, a ranger-staffed information desk, and a bookstore.

Fees

Admission to the park for up to 1 week for private vehicles is $15 from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and $10 the rest of the year; rates for motorcyclists are $8 and $5, respectively. There are also fees for guided tours (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below).

Getting Around

Mostly you will be driving your personal motor vehicle at Mesa Verde, though not if you want to see the archaeological sites on Wetherill Mesa. The Park Service operates trams—52-passenger biodiesel busses—in the Wetherill Mesa area during the summer season. They run from the Kiosk to the main archaeological sites and are real timesavers, because your only other choice is to hike; cars aren’t permitted beyond the Kiosk. Check at the visitor center for the current schedule.

Special Regulations & Warnings

To protect the park’s many archaeological sites, the Park Service has outlawed backcountry camping and off-trail hiking. It’s also illegal to enter cliff dwellings without a ranger present. All artifacts and archaeological sites are protected by federal law.

The Wetherill Mesa Road cannot accommodate vehicles over 25 feet. Cyclists must have lights to pedal through the tunnel on the entrance road.

Although rare, occasionally squirrels in the park have been found to have the bubonic plague, which is transmitted by fleas. Visitors are advised to keep their distance from squirrels, to use insect repellent on their shoes, socks, and the lower sections of their pants, and to treat pets with flea repellent. Diagnosed early, the plague can be treated successfully.

Seasons & Climate

With an average annual precipitation of just 18 inches, Mesa Verde remains dry despite being between 6,000 and 8,572 feet high. June is the driest month, with just over 1⁄2 inch of rain, and August is the wettest, with 2 inches. The park typically receives 80 inches of snow in a season. Summer temperatures tend to be about 10° cooler than in the nearby Montezuma Valley. Even during July, the hottest month, highs average a bearable 87°F (30°C), and nighttime lows dip into the mid-50s (lower teens Celsius). In winter, temperatures on the mesa can sometimes be 10° warmer than in the valley. This happens during calm, clear periods when cold air is trapped in the lowlands. Daytime highs on the mesa average in the low 40s (single digits Celsius) in December, January, and February.

Because winter storms often continue well into March, spring tends to come late. Warm autumns, however, are not uncommon. In April, average temperatures are 5° cooler than in October, with 60s (teens Celsius) for highs and 30s (single digits Celsius) for lows.

Exploring the Park by Car

The main scenic drive in the park is the Mesa Top Loop Road. Each of the 12 stops along this 6-mile loop either overlooks cliff dwellings or is a short walk from mesa-top dwellings. The sites date from a.d. 675 to 1275 and include structures from the three Pueblo periods. By reading the information posted at each site, you can learn about the developments in architecture and the changes in Pueblo culture during those periods. Highlights include the Square Tower House Viewpoint, where binoculars are handy for spotting the myriad cliff dwellings in the canyon; Sun Point Pueblo, where a tunnel links a kiva—a subterranean room used in ceremonies—to a lookout tower; and the mysterious Sun Temple, a D-shaped structure that may have been a shrine or community gathering area.

On your way back to the Far View Visitor Center, consider stopping at the Far View Sites Complex, 1 mile south of the visitor center; six sites are within walking distance, including what seem to be the remains of an ancient reservoir.

Note: If you want to see the archaeological sites on Wetherill Mesa, you’ll be parking at the ranger kiosk and hopping on the tram. See “Getting Around,” above.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Three of the park’s spectacular cliff dwellings—Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Long House—can be visited only during ranger-guided tours. Tickets ($3) can be purchased at the Far View Visitor Center. Visitors may tour Long House and either Cliff Palace or Balcony House on the same day, but may not tour both Cliff Palace and Balcony House in a day. First-time visitors with only 1 day to spend here should tour Cliff Palace, the largest site in the park.

Keeping fido Safe & Happy

Human visitors to Mesa Verde National Park have plenty to do, but the U.S. Park Service is not very welcoming to our canine friends and prohibits them on all trails (the only exceptions are for service dogs). If you want to explore the park, you’ll need to leave your dogs behind. Fortunately, the area has several kennels, including the Dog Hotel, 33350 Colo. 184, Mancos (phone 970/882-5416; tomoverington@gmail.com), which is a well-run facility that also offers accommodations for cats. Appointments are necessary, and pet owners must have proof of current vaccinations. For those based in Cortez, pet boarding is available at Cortez Adobe Animal Hospital, 11314 Colo. 145, Cortez (phone 970/565-4458; www.cortezadobe.vetsuite.com).

Departing every half-hour between 9am and 6pm in summer (shorter hours in spring and fall, and hourly until early May and after mid-Oct), the 1⁄4-mile, 1-hour Cliff Palace tour involves a 100-vertical-foot descent to the dwelling and a climb to the same height to exit. In between, you’ll have to scale four 10-foot-high ladders. The effort is well worth it. With 151 rooms and 23 kivas, Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in the Southwest and one of the largest in the world. Especially striking is the original red-and-white wall painting that remains inside a four-story tower.

Merely reaching the 45-room Balcony House, the most fortresslike of the Mesa Verde dwellings, will make you appreciate the agility of the ancestral Puebloans, who used hand- and footholds and log ladders to scale the cliffs. During the 1-hour tour, you’ll descend 90 vertical feet of stairs, climb 32- and 20-foot-long ladders, and slip through a narrow 12-foot-long crawl space. When you do reach the dwelling, you’ll be standing on a level stone floor 700 feet above the floor of Soda Canyon. The Puebloans dumped tons of fill inside 15-foot-high stone retaining walls below this floor, creating a level surface on which to build. The tours of this site run every half-hour from 9am to 5pm in summer, every hour at the beginning and end of the season.

Some people remember the Long House tour for its 3⁄4-mile walk, the flight of 52 stairs, and the two 15-foot-high ladders they have to negotiate. Others recall the dwelling itself, with its 21 kivas and 150 rooms stretching across a long alcove in Rock Canyon. At its center is a large plaza where the community gathered and danced. Granaries are tucked like mud dauber nests into two smaller alcoves (one above the other) to the rear of the large one. The 90-minute tours meet at the Wetherill Mesa Kiosk and run regularly from 10am to 4pm.

Cliff Palace tours run from early April to early November, a few weeks longer than the season for Balcony House. Wetherill Mesa, site of Long House, is open only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. To replace these attractions during the off season, the park offers free ranger-guided tours of Spruce Tree House, a self-guided area in summer. Call the park to find out the exact dates of the tour season.

In summer, rangers also lead 90-minute twilight tours of Cliff Palace. The 7pm tours are limited to 20 people and cost $10 per person. Tickets are available at the Far View Visitor Center.

From late spring through early fall, rangers lead bus tours that include a few short hikes to archaeological sites along Mesa Top Loop Road and a hiking tour of Cliff Palace. The 4-hour 700 Years Tour is a morning trip that costs $45 for adults and $34 for children under 12. The Classic Pueblo Tour is a 3 1/2-hour afternoon tour that costs $35 for adults and $17.50 for children under 12. Tour tickets are available at Far View Lodge, Far View Terrace, Morefield Campground Store, and online at www.visitmesaverde.com.

Also in summer, rangers lead free walks daily (sometimes including birding hikes), and present evening programs at Morefield Campground and Far View lodge (bring a flashlight). Schedules are available at the Far View Visitor Center and Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum.

Modern pueblo people, from Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, Taos, and other New Mexico pueblos, are descendents of the ancestral Puebloans who built Mesa Verde, and pueblo artists and dancers periodically have events in the park. Recent events have included an Indian Art Market in late May, Hopi dancers in early July, and arts and crafts demonstrations on several dates in September. Check with the visitor center for the current schedule.

If You Have Only 1 day

If you have only a day to spend at the park, stop first at the Far View Visitor Center to buy tickets for a late-afternoon tour of Cliff Palace or Balcony House—visitors are not allowed to tour both on the same day. Then travel to the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum for a look at the history behind the sites you’re about to see. From there, walk down the trail behind the museum to Spruce Tree House. Lunch at Spruce Tree Terrace, and then take the Mesa Top Loop Road. Cap your day with the guided tour. If time permits, you may wish to stop at Far View Sites on your way out of the park.

Day Hikes

Although none of the trails to the Mesa Verde sites are strenuous, the 7,000-foot elevation can be tiring for visitors who aren’t used to the altitude.

Shorter Trails on Chapin Mesa

Far View Sites Trail This gravel trail takes hikers to Far View House and four other small mesa-top villages, plus a dry reservoir, in what was one of the most densely populated areas of the mesa between a.d. 900 and 1300. The trail is open from 7:30am to sunset daily during summer. .75 mile one-way. Easy. Access: 4 miles north of Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum.

Spruce Tree House Trail Open from 8:30am to 6:30pm daily during summer, this paved trail descends from behind the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum to Spruce Tree House, a dwelling with 130 rooms and eight kivas. Because Spruce Tree House sits in an 89-foot-deep alcove, this is the best-preserved dwelling at Mesa Verde. Rangers are here to answer questions during high season. Off season, there are guided tours offered here. The trail is accessible to the mobility impaired, although they may require assistance on some of its grades. .25 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum.

Longer Trails on Chapin Mesa

Three backcountry trails on Chapin Mesa are open to day hikers. Before hiking the Petroglyph Point and Spruce Canyon trails, register at the trail head or museum where you can borrow or buy a booklet for the self-guided tour on the Petroglyph Point Trail. No registration is required for the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail.

Petroglyph Point Loop Trail This trail travels just below the rim of a side canyon of Spruce Canyon. It eventually reaches Petroglyph Point, one of the park’s most impressive panels of rock art. Just past the petroglyphs, the trail climbs to the rim. It stays on the relatively flat rimrock for its return to the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. 2.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Short paved trail to Spruce Tree House site, just below Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum and Chief Ranger Station.

Soda Canyon Overlook Trail This trail crosses the rim from a kiosk on the Cliff Palace Loop Road to overlooks of Soda Canyon and Balcony House (binoculars are a good idea). To view Balcony House, go right when the trail forks. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Pullout on Cliff Palace Loop Rd.

Spruce Canyon Trail This loop descends 500 feet into a tributary of Spruce Canyon. Turning to the north, it travels up the bed of Spruce Canyon before climbing in steep switchbacks to the rim. It reaches the rim near the park’s picnic area, a short walk from the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. The vegetation along the bottom of the canyon includes Douglas firs and ponderosa pines, which flourish in the moist canyon bottom soil. Damaged by fire in 2002, the exit area of the trail has little shade in the afternoon. 2.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Short paved trail to Spruce Tree House site, just below Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum and Chief Ranger Station.

Trails on Wetherill Mesa

Badger House Community Trail This trail visits mesa-top sites on Wetherill Mesa. Usually uncrowded, the gravel and paved trail is accessible from one of three tram stops or by making a longer walk from the parking area. The 12-stop self-guided tour details 600 years of history. The trail is open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm in summer. 2.4 mile RT. Easy. Access: Wetherill Mesa Kiosk.

Nordenskiold Site No. 16 Trail Begin this quiet hike by taking the tram to its trail head or walking from the parking area. Mostly flat, the dirt trail descends over rocks for the last few yards before it reaches an overlook of Site No. 16, a 50-room cliff dwelling that was occupied for most of the 13th century. It’s open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm in summer. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Wetherill Mesa Kiosk.

Step House Trail This loop descends roughly 75 feet of stairs and switchbacks to Step House, a cliff dwelling that dates from a.d. 1226. Three modified pit houses dating from 626 sit to the left of Step House (as you look toward it). A set of prehistoric stone stairs climbs from these dwellings toward a break in the cliffs. The trail is open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm in summer. .8 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Wetherill Mesa Kiosk.

Trails near Morefield Campground

Knife Edge Trail This trail follows the old Knife Edge Road, the only automobile route into the park until a tunnel was blasted between Prater and Morefield canyons in 1957. Now, during wet years, wildflowers brighten the old roadbed, which hugs the side of Prater Ridge on one side and drops off all the way to the Montezuma Valley on the other. A self-guided tour identifies many of the plant species along the trail. From the end of this trail, you can watch the sun set behind Sleeping Ute Mountain. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Near Morefield Village.

Point Lookout Trail This trail rises in tight switchbacks from the northeast corner of the campground to the top of Point Lookout, a monument conspicuous from near the park’s entrance. It then traverses the top of this butte to a stunning overlook of the Montezuma Valley. Sheer drops in several places make the trail unsuitable for small children. 2.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Near Morefield Village.

Prater Ridge Trail This loop rises 700 feet from the campground’s west side to the top of Prater Ridge. Once atop the ridge, the trail forks, looping around the top of the mesa and opening onto views of the Montezuma and Mancos valleys and the La Plata Mountains. A cutoff trail halves the mesa-top loop, which zigzags around a number of side canyons. Because the trail is faint in places where it crosses the sandstone, some route-finding skills may be necessary. Fire in the summer of 2000 damaged the area, leaving almost no shade along the trail. 7.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Near Morefield Village.

Camping

The Morefield Campground, c/o Aramark, P.O. Box 277, Mancos, CO 81328 (www.visitmesaverde.com; phone 800/449-2288 or 970/533-1944), 4 miles past the entrance station on the park’s entrance road, is among the largest in the national park system with 365 sites, including 15 with full RV hookups. Open from mid-May to mid-October, the campground sits on rolling hills in a grassy area with scrub oak and brush. The attractive sites line four loop roads on the gently sloping floor of Morefield Canyon. For tent campers, the sites on Navajo Loop afford extra privacy. Though lower than the others, this loop is free of RVs and cuts into dense clusters of Gambel oak. If you prefer panoramic vistas, head for Hopi Loop, where the campsites are higher and less wooded than the others, affording views down the canyon. At dusk on most nights, mule deer browse in the bushes around many campsites.

Showers are available just outside the campground entrance at Morefield Village, which also has a coin-operated laundry (not within easy walking distance of most campsites). The campground has toilets, drinking water, public phones, picnic tables, grills, and an RV dump station. Programs on the area’s human and natural history and other subjects take place at the campground amphitheater nightly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Campsites cost $23, $33 with hookups. Reservations are accepted.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Far View Lodge Right in the heart of Mesa Verde National Park, Far View Lodge offers not only the most convenient location for visiting the park, but also the best views of any accommodations in the area. The facility lodges guests in 17 buildings spread across a hilltop. Rooms aren’t fancy, and some are a bit on the small side, but all are well maintained and more than adequate, with Southwestern decor. The upscale “Kiva” rooms have air-conditioning (standard rooms do not), plus handcrafted furniture, one king-size or two double beds, CD players, and other amenities. Most standard rooms have one queen-size bed or two doubles, although a variety of bed combinations are available. Couples and singles may prefer the rooms with one bed—they seem less cramped than rooms with two beds. There are no TVs and no cellphone service, but each unit has a private balcony and the views are magnificent in all directions. All rooms are smoke-free.

The lodge restaurants serve three meals daily (try the homemade fudge), and there is Wi-Fi in the lobby only. From mid-May through late September guided tours of the park are scheduled ($25 adults, $13 children under 12).

Mesa Verde National Park (P.O. Box 277), Mancos, CO 81328. www.visitmesaverde.com. phone 800/449-2288. Fax 970/564-4311. 150 units. TEL. $120–$152 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to mid-Apr. Pets accepted only in standard rooms with 2 double beds, with $50 deposit and $10 nonrefundable fee per pet per night.

Near the Park

Lodging in Cortez is adequate but not very exciting, although since you probably are just using Cortez as a base for exploring the area, this may not matter. Therefore, we recommend that you stay in your favorite chain. Summer is the busy season here, and that’s when you’ll usually pay the highest rates. Among those offering clean, comfortable, and relatively reasonably priced rooms in Cortez are Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites, 535 E. Main St. (www.bestwesternmesaverde.com; phone 800/547-3376 or 970/565-3778), charging $90 to $120 double; Econo Lodge, 2020 E. Main St. (phone 970/565-3474), with double rates of $60 to $89; Holiday Inn Express, 2121 E. Main St. (www.coloradoholiday.com; phone 800/626-5652 or 970/565-6000), charging $130 to $160 for two; Rodeway Inn, 1120 E. Main St. (phone 970/565-3761), charging $60 to $79 double; and Super 8, 505 E. Main St. (phone 970/565-8888), with rates for two of $60 to $73. Websites for the national chains are listed in chapter 38.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Reservations are not accepted at restaurants in the park, which are all operated by Aramark (phone 800/449-2288; www.visitmesaverde.com). In addition to the restaurants below, a cafe at the Morefield Campground serves an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast when the campground is open.

Far View Terrace AMERICAN/REGIONAL This food court offers a variety of foods, buffet style, including build-your-own breakfast burrito and sandwich bars, plus regional specialties such as the Navajo taco. There is also an espresso bar. While dining, you can see as far as New Mexico through a long bank of windows.

Across from the Far View Visitor Center. Buffets $10–$13. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am, 11am–3pm, 5–8pm. Closed mid-Oct to early Apr.

Metate Room SOUTHWESTERN The best restaurant in the park, the Metate Room specializes in Southwestern and American Indian–inspired dishes. Especially good is the mixed grill, which varies but might include elk or wild turkey, and is prepared with a red chile cilantro demi-glacé and served with green chili mashed potatoes. Also well worth a try is blue corn and pine nut–dusted boneless trout and the beef tender medallions. There are also vegetarian items such as Three Sisters Harvest—summer squash, Yukon gold potatoes, roasted corn, black beans, Asadero cheese, and green chili in puff pastry. The restaurant displays high-quality American Indian rugs and pottery, which you might not notice, given the breathtaking views from the windows.

Far View Lodge, across from Far View Visitor Center, 17 miles down the park entrance road. Main courses $15–$28. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5–9:30pm. Closed late Oct to mid-Apr.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Inside the park, a general store in Morefield Village sells camping supplies and groceries from late April through late October. In Cortez, City Market, 508 E. Main (phone 970/565-6504; www.citymarket.com), is open daily from 5am to 11pm, and has a deli, bakery, and excellent salad bar, offering everything you might want for a picnic or family outing.

Spruce Tree Terrace AMERICAN Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and specialties such as the Navajo taco dominate the menu at this fast-food cafeteria, which also serves sandwiches, salads, yogurt, and ice cream. Sit in the Southwestern-style dining area, or take your food out onto the deck.

Across from Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum. Most items $4.95–$9.95. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mid-Apr to Oct daily 10am–7pm; shorter hours Nov to mid-Apr.

Near the Park

Main St. Brewery AMERICAN Fans slice the air under a stamped-tin ceiling, and fanciful murals splash color above subdued wood paneling. The pleasant contrasts found in the decor carry over to the menu at this popular lunch and dinner spot. In addition to brewpub staples such as fish and chips, pizza, and bratwurst, this restaurant serves steaks and prime rib—dry aged Angus beef from its own herd of Angus cattle, raised with no artificial growth stimulants or antibiotics—plus a vegetarian stir-fry plate and Rocky Mountain trout. The beers brewed here go well with everything. Especially recommended are the hoppy, slightly bitter Pale Export and the Munich-style Pale Bock.

21 E. Main St., Cortez. phone 970/564-9112. Main courses $6.95–$24. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am–close.

Nero’s ITALIAN/AMERICAN The best choice in Cortez for an upscale, innovative dining experience. Entrees include the Colorado lamb shank, served with olive mashed potatoes; the excellent mushroom ravioli with Alfredo sauce, sautéed spinach, dried tomatoes, and toasted pecans; and Italian stroganoff—meatballs, fettuccine, Gorgonzola cream, spinach, mushrooms, and dried tomatoes. There’s a good selection of beef, plus seafood, fowl, pork, and lots of homemade pasta. Inside, it’s a small, homey restaurant with a Southwestern art-gallery decor; it also offers pleasant outdoor seating in warm weather.

303 W. Main St. phone 970/565-7366. www.neroscortez.com. Reservations recommended in summer. Entrees $5.95–$27. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–9:30pm. Closed Sun in winter.

Pippo’s Café AMERICAN This friendly, down-home cafe is an easy place to like, especially if you appreciate a casual atmosphere, good basic American cooking, friendly and speedy service, and reasonable prices. On busy Main Street, Pippo’s serves breakfast and lunch, and the specialty is breakfast, served during all day. You won’t go wrong with the Pippo’s Omelet—three eggs, green chilies, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, and cheese—served with homemade hash browns. The lunch menu (served from 11am) includes half-pound burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, homemade soups, and hot plates including chicken fried steak with gravy.

100 W. Main St. phone 970/565-6039. Main courses $3.95–$9.95. DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6:30am–3pm; Sun 6:30am–2pm.

kokopelli: Casanova or Traveling Salesman?

Of the many subjects of rock art found in the West, one claims both a name and a gender: He’s Kokopelli, and he’s been found in ruins dating as early as a.d. 200 and as late as the 16th century. The consistency of the depictions over a wide geographic area indicates that Kokopelli was a well-traveled and universally recognized deity. The figure is generally seen as hunchbacked and playing a flute. His image is still used by potters, weavers, and painters, as well as for decoration on jewelry and clothing. Kokopelli has never been an evil character, although he’s frequently been a comic one.

Until quite recent times, legends of Kokopelli were still current among the Pueblo peoples of the Four Corners area. Although the many stories differ in detail, almost all connect Kokopelli to a fertility theme. Sometimes he’s a wandering minstrel with a sack of songs on his back; other times he is greeted as a god of the harvest.

The Hopi of First Mesa seem to identify him with an unethical guide of Spanish friars searching for the Seven Cities of Cibola in 1539. This guide was more interested in making passes at Hopi maidens than in searching for the fabled cities, according to legend, and Hopi men consequently shot him with arrows and buried him under a pile of rocks. Another Hopi village holds Kokopelli to be a sort of traveling salesman who traded deerskin shirts and moccasins for brides. Yet another Hopi legend has him seducing the daughters of a household, and sewing shirts while his wife chased the men.

The Hopi make kachina dolls of Kokopelli and of his wife, Kokopelli-mana, both of which are sold to tourists. As is the case with most kachina dolls, the figure was represented by a real-life kachina dancer, who used to make explicit gestures to female tourists and missionaries—until the visitors found out what the gestures meant. Many early peoples welcomed Kokopelli around corn-planting time, and married women who hoped to conceive sought his blessing. Single maidens, however, fled in panic.

Nearby National Monuments & Archaeological Sites

Archaeological Sites of the Four Corners Area

The major archaeological center of the United States, the Four Corners area—where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet—is surrounded by a vast complex of ancient villages that dominated this region a thousand years ago. Here among the reddish-brown rocks, abandoned canyons, and flat mesas, you’ll discover another world, once ruled by the ancestral Puebloans and today largely the domain of the Navajo.

In addition to the archaeological sites discussed below, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, 23390 Rd. K, Cortez, CO 81321-9408 (phone 800/422-8975 or 970/565-8975; www.crowcanyon.org), offers tours of its current excavation sites. The full-day tours are offered Wednesday and Thursday from May through September, and cost $55 for adults and $30 for youths from 10 to 17 (children under 10 are not permitted). Lunch is included. Call ahead for reservations.

For those who want to dig in the dirt or help in the lab, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center offers week-long archaeology research and lab programs, open to adults only, for about $1,400. Participants work side by side with professional archaeologists, either in the field or the lab. There is also a Family Archaeology Week in July, with hands-on activities. Cost is about $1,400 for adults and $1,125 for youths 10 to 17 (children under 10 are not permitted). See the center’s website for details.

Hovenweep National Monument, CO/UT

Preserving some of the most striking and isolated archaeological sites in the Four Corners area, this national monument straddles the Colorado-Utah border, 40 miles west of Cortez.

Hovenweep is the Ute word for “deserted valley,” appropriate because its inhabitants apparently left around 1300. The monument contains six separate sites and is noted for mysterious, 20-foot-high sandstone towers, some square, others oval, circular, or D-shaped. Archaeologists have suggested their possible function as everything from guard or signal towers, celestial observatories, and ceremonial structures to water towers or granaries.

A ranger station, with exhibits, restrooms, and drinking water, is at the Square Tower Group, in the Utah section of the monument, the most impressive and best preserved of the sites. The Hovenweep Campground, with 30 sites, is open year-round. Sites are fairly small—most appropriate for tents or small pickup-truck campers—but a few sites can accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long. The campground has flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire pits, but no showers or RV hookups. Cost is $10 per night; reservations are not accepted, but the campground rarely fills.

From Cortez, take U.S. 160 south to County Road G (McElmo Canyon Rd.), and follow signs into Utah and the monument. The other five sites are difficult to find, and you’ll need to obtain detailed directions and check on current road conditions before setting out. Summer temperatures can reach over 100°F (38°C), and water supplies are limited, so take your own and carry a canteen, even on short walks. Bug repellent is advised; gnats can be a nuisance in late spring.

The visitor center/ranger station is open daily from 8am to 6pm from May through September and 8am to 5pm the rest of the year; it’s closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission for up to a week costs $6 per vehicle or $3 per person on bike, motorcycle, or foot. For advance information, contact Hovenweep National Monument, McElmo Route, Cortez, CO 81321 (phone 970/562-4282, ext. 10; www.nps.gov/hove). Allow a half-day for the Square Tower Group and at least 1 full day to visit Square Tower plus a few other sites.

Ute Mountain Tribal Park, CO

If you liked Mesa Verde but would have enjoyed it more without the company of so many fellow tourists, you’ll love the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, P.O. Box 109, Towaoc, CO 81334 (phone 800/847-5485 or 970/565-3751 ext. 330; www.utemountainute.com/tribalpark.htm).

Set aside by the Ute Mountain tribe to preserve its heritage, the 125,000-acre park—which abuts Mesa Verde National Park—includes wall paintings and ancient petroglyphs, as well as hundreds of surface sites and cliff dwellings that are similar in size and complexity to those in Mesa Verde.

Access to the park is limited to guided tours. Full- and half-day tours begin at the Ute Mountain Visitor Center & Museum (phone 970/749-1452) at the junction of U.S. 491 and U.S. 160, 20 miles south of Cortez. Mountain-biking and backpacking trips are also offered. No food, water, lodging, gasoline, or other services are available within the park. Some climbing of ladders and a 3-mile walk are necessary on the full-day tour; the half-day tour involves only short walks from the road. The tours are on gravel roads.

Charges for tours in your vehicle start at $28 per person for a half-day, $48 for a full day; it’s $10 per person extra to go in the tour guide’s vehicle, and reservations are required. Special tours to remote sections of the park are also offered, with a minimum of four persons, at $60 per person per day. These include 5.6 miles of hiking and some climbing. Cost for private tours is $100 per person. Credit cards are not accepted (cash or checks only), dogs are not permitted on the property, and professional photography is not allowed.

There’s a primitive campground ($12 per vehicle; reservations required), and primitive cabins ($10 per person; reservations required).

Cortez Cultural Center, CO

Housed in a historic 1909 building, the cultural center, 25 N. Market St., Cortez (phone 970/565-1151; www.cortezculturalcenter.org), includes a museum with exhibits on both prehistoric and modern American Indians, an art gallery with displays of regional art, and a good gift shop offering crafts by local tribal members. A variety of programs are offered year-round, ranging from guided kids’ hikes to photo exhibits, and from late May through early September there are American Indian dances and cultural programs Monday through Saturday evenings starting at 7:30pm, and following the dances, at 8:30pm, talks are given by historians, artists, and sometimes storytellers. The center is open daily from 10am to 10pm from June through August, with shorter hours the rest of the year. Admission is free, and you should plan to spend at least an hour in the museum (more if there are dances or other programs).

Nearby, the Hawkins Preserve covers 122 acres, offers hiking trails and rock-climbing opportunities, and includes several prehistoric archaeological sites. Check with the Cortez Cultural Center about current tours and other activities.

Anasazi Heritage Center, CO

When the Dolores River was dammed and McPhee Reservoir created in 1985, some 1,600 ancient archaeological sites were threatened. Four percent of the project cost was set aside for archaeological work, and several million artifacts and other prehistoric items were rescued. Many are on display here. Located 10 miles north of Cortez, the center is set in a hillside near the remains of 12th-century sites.

Operated by the Bureau of Land Management, the center emphasizes visitor involvement. Children and adults are invited to examine corn-grinding implements, a loom and other weaving materials, and a re-created pit house. You can touch artifacts 1,000 to 2,000 years old, examine samples through microscopes, use computer programs, and engage in video lessons in archaeological techniques.

A half-mile-long, wheelchair-accessible trail leads from the museum to the small Dominguez Pueblo Ruins, atop a low hill, with a beautiful view across the Montezuma Valley. It was probably home to a family of four to six people and has low walls marking four rooms. Nearby are ruins of the much larger Escalante Pueblo, with about 28 rooms surrounding a kiva. Archaeologists say that Escalante Pueblo was one of the northernmost settlements influenced by the Chaco culture.

The center also serves as the visitor center for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (see below). It is at 27501 Colo. 184, Dolores, about 10 miles north of Cortez (phone 970/882-5600; www.co.blm.gov/ahc). It’s open March through October daily from 9am to 5pm, November through February daily from 10am to 4pm, and closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. An admission fee of $3 for adults is charged March through October only; admission is free for those 17 and under. Allow 2 hours.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, CO

The 164,000-acre Canyons of the Ancients contain over 6,000 archaeological sites—what some claim is the highest density of archaeological sites in the United States—including the remains of villages, cliff dwellings, sweat lodges, and petroglyphs at from 700 to perhaps as much as 10,000 years old.

The primary excavated site is Lowry Pueblo, a prehistoric village about 27 miles west of Cortez via U.S. 491, on C.R. CC, 9 miles west of Pleasant View. This pueblo, which was built about 1060 and likely abandoned by 1200, is believed to have housed about 100 people. It has standing walls from 40 rooms plus nine kivas (circular underground ceremonial chambers). A short, self-guided interpretive trail leads past a kiva and continues to the remains of a great kiva, which, at 54 feet in diameter, is among the largest ever found. Hiking is permitted throughout the monument, but hikers are asked to stay on developed trails. The area offers a picnic area, drinking water, and toilets. There is primitive, dispersed camping but no developed campsites.

Canyons of the Ancients is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and, as yet, has no on-site visitor center or even a contact station. Those wishing to explore the monument are strongly advised to contact or, preferably, stop first at the visitor center at Anasazi Heritage Center (see above) for information, especially on current road conditions and for directions. Information is also available online at www.co.blm.gov/canm and from the welcome center in Cortez (see the Information section in “Essentials,” at the beginning of this chapter). Allow at least 2 hours.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM

A stunning setting and well-preserved ruins make the long drive to Chaco Canyon worthwhile. The stark desert seems strange as a center of culture, but the ancient ancestral Puebloan people (the group here are also called Chacoans) successfully farmed and built elaborate public buildings, which connected with other Chacoan sites over a wide-ranging network of roads.

From about a.d. 850 to 1250, Chaco was the religious and economic center of the San Juan Basin, with some 2,000 to 5,000 residents living in about 400 settlements in the immediate area. Stone walls rose more than four stories high, and some are still in place today.

Chaco’s decline after centuries of success coincided with a drought in the San Juan Basin between 1130 and 1180, but anthropologists still argue over why the site was abandoned. Many believe that an influx of outsiders may have brought new and troubling influences. One controversial theory maintains that cannibalism was practiced at Chaco by the ancestral Puebloans or by invaders, such as the Toltecs of Mexico. Most, however, contend that, for some reason, the Chacoan people left gradually, and today their descendants live among the region’s Pueblo people.

The 9-mile Canyon Loop Drive provides easy access to six major archaeological sites—Una Vida, Hungo Pavi, Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl, Pueblo del Arroyo, and Casa Rinconada—and self-guided trail guides are available at the trail heads and the visitor center. Once you arrive at the trail heads, a bit of walking and some hiking are required.

The key ruin is Pueblo Bonito, one of the largest prehistoric dwellings excavated in the American Southwest. It has some 800 rooms covering more than 3 acres, and you’ll get good views from above along the Pueblo Alto Trail.

The park is open daily year-round. A visitor center, with a bookstore and a museum showing films on ancestral Puebloan culture, is open daily year-round 8am to 5pm, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Gallo Campground, 1 mile east of the visitor center, has 49 sites, including 15 that are for tents only. Other sites can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long. The campground has toilets, nonpotable water, but no TV hookups. It also has no shade. Drinking water is available only at the visitor center. Cost is $10 per night, first come, first served. It rarely fills, but if it does, the park service will provide information about other campgrounds in the general area.

The primary entrance is off U.S. 550 and San Juan County roads 7900 and 7950. The park service warns visitors driving regular passenger cars to not trust driving directions from some map publishers or their GPS, as they may end up lost or broken down due to the severity of the terrain.

Following are our suggestions for getting to Chaco. You will find more detailed directions at the park website. To get to Chaco from Santa Fe, take I-25 south to Bernalillo (exit 242), then U.S. 550 northwest through Cuba to mile marker 112. Turn left onto San Juan County Road 7900 for 5 miles, and turn right. Go 16 miles on San Juan County Road 7950 to the park entrance. Farmington is the nearest population center, and it’s a 75-mile, 1 1/2-hour drive to the park. From Farmington, head east on U.S. 64 to Bloomfield and turn right onto U.S. 550. Three miles south of the Nageezi Trading Post (the last stop for food, gas, or lodging), turn onto San Juan County Road 7900 and proceed as above.

For information, contact Chaco Culture National Historical Park, P.O. Box 220, Nageezi, NM 87037 (phone 505/786-7014; www.nps.gov/chcu).

Admission for up to 7 days costs $8 per vehicle or $4 per person on foot, bike, or motorcycle.

Aztec Ruins National Monument, NM

Misnamed by Anglo settlers who thought these ruins were built by the Aztec people of Mexico, this 500-room pueblo with a huge central kiva was actually the home of the ancestral Puebloans about 7 centuries ago, long before the time of the Aztecs.

You’ll see the Chaco culture here, plus signs of Mesa Verde influence from a later occupation. Aztec’s Great Kiva is the only completely reconstructed great kiva in existence. The circular ceremonial chamber, which was the central social and religious site for the people who lived here, is more than 40 feet in diameter, with a main floor sunken 8 feet below the surface of the surrounding ground.

Allow at least an hour to see the ruins on the self-guided trail, which is just under a half mile, and also stop in the visitor center to see the exhibits and watch the 25-minute film on the history of the prehistoric people of the area. There is no camping at the monument.

Aztec Ruins is approximately a half mile north of N.M. 516 (off U.S. 550) on Ruins Road (C.R. 2900), on the north edge of the city of Aztec, about 14 miles northeast of Farmington, New Mexico. The monument is open daily year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Hours from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend are 8am to 6pm; the rest of the year, it’s open daily 8am to 5pm.

For information, contact Aztec Ruins National Monument, 84 C.R. 2900, Aztec, NM 87410 (phone 505/334-6174, ext. 230; www.nps.gov/azru). Admission for up to 7 days is $5 per person, free for children under 16.

Navajo National Monument, AZ

This national monument, deep inside the Navajo Nation, contains three of the best-preserved ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in the region—Betatakin, Keet Seel, and Inscription House. You can visit both Betatakin and Keet Seel, but fragile Inscription House is closed to the public. There are also exhibits on the Navajo culture.

Stop first at the visitor center (daily year-round 8am–5:30pm from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and 9am–5pm the rest of the year) to see the displays on the ancestral Puebloan and Navajo cultures, including artifacts from Tsegi Canyon. Several short films are shown, and a shop sells Navajo and Pueblo arts and crafts. Note: The national monument, located in the Navajo Nation, observes Daylight Saving Time, as does all of the Navajo Nation, but the rest of Arizona does not.

Betatakin, which means “ledge house” in Navajo, is the only one of the three ruins that can be seen easily, and that is from a distance on the easy 1-mile round-trip Sandal Trail. Built in a huge amphitheater-like alcove in the canyon wall, Betatakin was occupied only from 1250 to 1300, and at its peak may have housed 125 people. During the summer, a strenuous 5-mile round-trip and a very strenuous 3-mile hike to the ruin are led by rangers daily, and involve descending more than 700 feet to the floor of Tsegi Canyon and later hiking back up to the rim. The rest of the year, hikes to Betatakin are offered weekends depending on staff availability.

Keet Seel, which means “broken pieces of pottery” in Navajo, was occupied from as early as a.d. 950 until 1300, and at its peak may have housed 150 people. Twenty people a day receive permits to make the strenuous 17-mile round-trip hike to Keet Seel. The trail is open only in summer.

Other trails in the park, open year-round, are the .8-mile round-trip Aspen Trail, which branches off the Sandal Trail to drop some 300 feet into an aspen forest; and the Canyon View Trail, a .6-mile round-trip walk that offers views of Betatakin Canyon.

The free, shady Sunset View Campground has 31 small sites (RVs 28 ft. long or less), paved roads, toilets, and drinking water, and is open year-round. Another free campground, Canyon View, is open April through September and has 16 sites, dirt roads, pit toilets, but no water.

From Cortez, follow U.S. 160 south and west 137 miles into New Mexico and Arizona, to Ariz. 564, which leads north 9 miles to the monument. For information, contact Navajo National Monument, HC 71 Box 3, Tonalea, AZ 86044 (phone 928/672-2700; www.nps.gov/nava). The park is open daily year-round. Admission is free.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ

People have lived in these deep canyons for more than 2,000 years, and there are more than 100 prehistoric dwelling sites in the area. The monument includes two major canyons—Canyon de Chelly (which comes from the Navajo word tségi, meaning “rock canyon”) and Canyon del Muerto (Spanish for “Canyon of the Dead”). The smooth sandstone walls of rich reds and yellows contrast sharply with the deep greens of corn, pasture, and cottonwood on the canyon floor.

Stop first at the visitor center (daily 8am–5pm year-round except Christmas) to see exhibits on both the present-day Navajo residents and the ancient peoples who inhabited the canyons. There’s often a silversmith at the visitor center demonstrating Navajo jewelry making. Note: The national monument, located in the Navajo Nation, observes Daylight Saving Time, as does all of the Navajo Nation, but the rest of Arizona does not.

The two rim drives cover about 20 miles each and, with stops, can easily take 2 hours apiece.

The North Rim Drive overlooks Canyon del Muerto. From view points, you’ll see Ledge Ruin, occupied between a.d. 1050 and 1275, and, nearby, a kiva (circular ceremonial building). Farther along, Mummy Cave—named for two mummies found in burial urns—is a large amphitheater with two caves, believed to have been occupied from 300 to 1300. There’s a three-story structure similar to dwellings at Mesa Verde; altogether there are 80 rooms.

The South Rim Drive climbs the South Rim of Canyon de Chelly, providing views of canyons, the junction of Canyon del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly, and several ruins, including First Ruin, with 22 rooms and two kivas. Farther along is the White House Overlook. The final stop offers a spectacular view of Spider Rock, twin towers that rise 800 feet from the canyon floor.

The White House Trail, the only trail into the canyon you can take without a guide, descends 600 feet to the canyon floor, crosses Chinle Wash, and approaches the White House Ruins. Among the largest ruins in the canyon, it contains 80 rooms and was inhabited between 1040 and 1275. You’re not allowed to wander off this trail, and are asked to respect the privacy of those Navajo living here. It’s a 2.5-mile round-trip hike and takes about 2 hours.

Access to the floor of Canyon de Chelly is restricted. To enter the canyon, you must be accompanied by a park ranger or an authorized guide (unless you’re on the White House Trail). Navajo guides will lead you into the canyon on foot or in your own or their four-wheel-drive vehicle, and there are also guided horseback tours. Check at the visitor center for fees and other details.

The shady Cottonwood Campground has 96 sites (RVs up to 40 ft. long only), a dump station, and toilets. There is water in summer only. At this writing the campground is free, but park service officials say that negotiations are under way for management of the campground to be taken over by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department, which would charge a camping fee.

To get to Canyon de Chelly from Cortez, follow U.S. 160 south and west 76 miles into Arizona to U.S. 191, which you take south 62 miles to Chinle, where you turn east to enter the park, which is open daily year-round. Admission is free.

For information, contact Canyon de Chelly National Monument, P.O. Box 588, Chinle, AZ 86503 (phone 928/674-5500; www.nps.gov/cach).

Chapter 24: Mount Rainier National Park, WA

by Eric Peterson

On summer weekends, when “the mountain is out,” as the locals say, busloads of noisy tourists descend on Mount Rainier, cameras at hand. But for anyone willing to expend a little bit of energy to get away from the crowds, this mountain, which dominates the Puget Sound and western Washington skyline for miles, has many secrets to share: mountain goats and marmots, streaming waterfalls, ominous walls of ice deep in the rainforest, and thousand-year-old trees set against subalpine meadows teeming with summer wildflowers.

Mount Rainier National Park

Should you visit on a wet, dreary October day, you may theorize that Mount Rainier was named for the weather. In fact, Capt. George Vancouver named it in 1792 for his friend Rear Adm. Peter Rainier (who never saw it). The region’s native people had been calling it Tahoma, or other variations, for centuries, however, and the name remained contentious until the early 19th century (and it still remains a touchy issue for some). Nevertheless, the mountain is known as Rainier to most people, and a sprawling city to the northwest, Tacoma, wound up with the American Indian name. Rainier was finalized as the name when the park was established in 1899.

Native peoples hunted deer, elk, and mountain goat and gathered huckleberries on its lower slopes for thousands of years. Today Mount Rainier is a symbol of the wild Northwest, providing constant reassurance of the beauty that lies beyond the sprawl of suburbia.

Although the early pioneers saw most of the mountains in the West as obstacles, 14,411-foot Mount Rainier so captivated the settlers that as early as the 1850s, less than a decade after Seattle was founded, mountaineers were heading for its snowcapped slopes. In 1857, an army lieutenant, August Valentine Kautz, climbed to within 400 feet of the summit. In 1870, Gen. Hazard Stevens and Philemon Van Trump made the first recorded complete ascent. (Trapped near the summit at dark, they survived the night huddled in ice caves formed by sulfurous steam vents, with the steam providing enough heat to keep them from freezing.) In 1884, James and Virinda Longmire opened the mountain’s first hotel, at a spot that now bears their name. In 1899, Mount Rainier became the nation’s fifth national park, and by 1916, the system now known as the Wonderland Trail was completed, forming a loop nearly 100 miles long around the mountain.

Because of its massive network of glaciers and unpredictable weather, Mount Rainier is an unforgiving peak. Dozens of climbers have died on its slopes, yet each year about 10,000 people set out for the summit of the dozing volcano. Only about half reach the top, however. The rest are turned back by bad weather, altitude sickness, exhaustion, and hazardous glacial crossings. This is not a mountain to be treated lightly.

Although the mountain is a magnet for climbers, the adventurers make up only a fraction of the 2 million visitors who arrive each year. This mountain is really all about hiking through subalpine meadows, the main activity pursued by the vast majority of park visitors, most of whom visit during the short summer season (July–Sept in the higher elevations).

Scenic idylls through flower-strewn meadows aside, the Cascades are not dead—they’re just sleeping. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 drove that fact home. But what of Mount Rainier? Snow and glaciers notwithstanding, Rainier has a heart of fire. Steam vents at the mountain’s summit are evidence of that. Though the volcanic peak has not erupted for more than 150 years, it could erupt again at any time. Some scientists believe that Rainier’s volcanic activity occurs in 3,000-year cycles; if this holds true, it’ll be another 500 years (give or take) before another big eruption. So go ahead and plan that trip. In all likelihood, only the scenery will blow you away.

Terrain

According to local legend, Martha Longmire, who helped found the first hotel in the area, was supposed to have exclaimed, “This must be what paradise is like,” upon her first visit to the subalpine meadows that now bear that name. These meadows, now the site of the Paradise Inn and the Jackson Visitor Center, are the most popular spots in the park. Wildflowers cover the slopes, and the vast bulk of the mountain rises so steeply overhead that it is necessary to strain one’s neck to gaze up at the summit.

Mount Rainier lies toward the southern end of the Washington Cascades. Here the crags of the North Cascades give way to a volcanic landscape of rolling hills punctuated by Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and, to the east, Mount Adams and Goat Rocks: the latter but a remnant of an ancient volcano, the former, a snow cone as impressive as Mount Rainier.

It is said that Rainier makes its own weather, and more often than not, it isn’t what people consider good weather. Rising more than 2 miles above the surrounding landscape, Mount Rainier interrupts the eastward flow of moisture-laden air that comes in off the Pacific Ocean. Forced upward into the colder altitudes, this moist air drops its load of water on the mountain. At lower elevations on the west side, the moisture falls as rain, which creates a rainforest in the Carbon River Valley. However, at higher elevations, the precipitation falls as snow. On average, about 680 inches of snow falls each winter at Paradise on Mount Rainier, but in the winter of 1971–72, 1,122 inches (94 ft.) of snow were recorded at Paradise, setting a world annual snowfall record. And in November 2006, 17 inches of rain drenched the mountain in 48 hours, causing significant damage to the trails and roads (see “The 2006 & 2009 Floods” sidebar, below).

Mount Rainier is the single most glaciated mountain in the Lower 48. So much snow falls here each winter that it can’t melt over the short summer. Each year the snow accumulates, eventually compressing into ice that adds to the mountain’s glaciers. There are 26 named glaciers on Mount Rainier and another 50 unnamed ones. Among these are the largest (Emmons) and the lowest (Carbon) in the Lower 48.

These glaciers, in turn, feed a half-dozen rivers. The Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River and the White River takes its name from the color that the glacial flour (silt) imparts to it. Fortunately, the Carbon River is not as black as its name implies. The river instead takes its name from the coal deposits found in the area. The Nisqually, the Puyallup, and the Cowlitz all retain names given to them centuries ago by the region’s American Indian tribes. All these rivers eventually flow westward to the Puget Sound, with the exception of the Cowlitz, which flows into the Columbia River.

Surrounding the park are four national forests: Mount Baker, Snoqualmie, Wenatchee, and Gifford Pinchot. Within these forests are seven wilderness areas and thousands of miles of logging roads and trails.

Flora & Fauna

In a national park, where animals need not fear hunters, you often get unexpected chances to encounter wildlife up close and personal, sometimes whether you want to or not. Yes, cougars live in this park, as do black bears, but neither is seen very often. Much more common large mammals are the park’s deer, elk, and mountain goats. Deer, mostly black-tailed, are the most frequently spotted. Elk, much larger and more majestic in stature, are less in evidence but sometimes appear in the Sunrise area in the summer and throughout the eastern regions of the park during the autumn. Mountain goats, which are actually not goats but rather longhaired relatives of the antelope, keep to the rocky cliffs above alpine and subalpine meadows during the summer.

Perhaps the most entertaining and enviable of the park’s wild residents are its marmots. These largest members of the squirrel family spend their days nibbling wildflowers in subalpine meadows and stretching out on rocks to bask in the sun. In meadows throughout the park, these chubby creatures seem oblivious to the presence of humans, contentedly grazing only steps away from hikers.

Marmots share these subalpine zones with pikas, tiny relatives of rabbits that are more often heard than seen. Living among the jumbled rocks of talus slopes, pikas skitter about their rocky domains calling out warnings with a high-pitched beep that is surprisingly electronic in tone.

Monkeyflowers, elephant’s heads, parrot’s beaks, bear grass: They represent just a small fraction of the variety of wildflowers on the slopes of Mount Rainier. This mountain’s subalpine meadows are among the most celebrated in the Northwest and the world. Although not as colorfully named as the flowers mentioned above, lupines, asters, gentians, avalanche lilies, phlox, heather, and Indian paintbrush all add distinctive splashes of color to the slopes in summer.

The meadows at Paradise are much wetter than those at Sunrise, which lie in a rain-shadow zone and, consequently, are relatively dry. In the northwest corner of the park, the Carbon River Valley opens out to the Puget Sound and channels moisture-laden air into its valleys. As a result, this valley is a rainforest where tree limbs are draped with moss and lichen, and where Douglas fir and western red cedar grow to enormous proportions. In the southeast corner of the park, in the Grove of the Patriarchs near the Stevens Canyon Entrance, stand some of the oldest trees—Douglas firs more than 1,000 years old and western red cedars more than 25 feet in circumference.

Avoiding the Crowds

On a sunny summer weekend, it is sometimes necessary to park more than a mile from Paradise and walk on forest trails and the road to the meadows. You can avoid the crowds by visiting in the spring or fall. Keep in mind that, in May, Paradise and Sunrise will still be snow-covered and most park roads will be closed; weather may still be unsettled. Even in June, Paradise may remain snow-covered and some park roads may be closed. Also, the rainy season starts in mid- to late October and continues until early summer.

Perhaps the best tip, if you’re traveling in busy months, is to visit on weekdays rather than weekends. You might also consider avoiding the Sunrise and Paradise areas altogether, heading instead to the more remote sections of the park, such as the Carbon River area in the northwest section, or the Denman Falls/Gobblers Knob area in the southwest. Both are accessible, at least part of the way, by car, and they provide the same sorts of stunning vistas you get at Sunrise and Paradise. The Carbon River Road is subject to flood closures; check with park staff. The Westside Road, which leads to the Denman Falls area (open summer only), is closed due to flood damage 3 miles up, so you will have to do some hiking. Be sure to check at the ranger station for the latest info.

Otherwise, a good plan is to arrive at either Sunrise or Paradise early in the day—before 10am—spend an hour checking out the visitor center, and then high-tail it out to a trail. Likewise, people generally leave the park between 4 and 6pm, so if you can arrange to arrive at a visitor center around 5pm (with the idea of staying put for an hour or so), you can avoid a lot of the traffic.

Finally, you might try reversing this advice, hitting Sunrise at sundown. Most park visitors are leaving through the Nisqually Entrance in the park’s southwest corner late in the day; you’ll be heading in the opposite direction.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Unlike its cousin across the Puget Sound, Olympic National Park, Rainier does not lie within a circle of roads; the northwest corner of the park, for example, is accessible only through one entrance.

The Nisqually Entrance (also known as the Nisqually-Longmire Rd.), in the southwest corner of the park, is the park’s main access point. Just to the west on Wash. 706 is Ashford, where most of the area’s accommodations and services are. A few miles farther west is Elbe, with a few more choices.

At the park’s northeast corner, the White River Entrance, off Wash. 410, provides easier access from Seattle and points north if your goal is the Sunrise area. The town closest to this entrance is Greenwater, which has some overnight options.

In the northwest corner, the Carbon River Entrance is off Wash. 165 but is closed to vehicular traffic inside the park because of flooding; a reconstruction will soon allow vehicles 1 1/4 miles into the park and convert the remainder of the road into an improved trail. Enumclaw offers motels, restaurants, and fuel.

At the southeast corner, the Stevens Canyon Entrance, off Wash. 123 from U.S. 12, provides access from Yakima. Packwood and Randle, both south of the park on U.S. 12, are two of the larger towns in the nearby area. You’ll find some accommodations in Packwood.

During the summer, it is also possible to enter the park from the east on Wash. 410, which also leads to Yakima by way of Chinook Pass. Entering this way gives you the option of heading north to the White River Entrance and Sunrise, or south to Stevens Canyon.

In winter, only the Nisqually Entrance is open. Severe winter road damage often closes roads during summer; contact the park for current information.

THE NEAREST AIRPORT The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (phone 206/787-5388; www.portseattle.org/seatac) is 70 miles northwest of the park. Allow about 2 hours for the drive on I-5, Wash. 7, and Wash. 706 to the Nisqually Entrance. The airport is served by practically all major airlines and car-rental companies; see chapter 38 for website listings.

Information

Contact Mount Rainier National Park, 55210 238th Ave. E., Ashford, WA 98304 (phone 360/569-2211; www.nps.gov/mora). The park publishes a free newspaper, The Tahoma News, available at visitor centers with information about park activities.

The 2006 & 2009 floods

A massive rainstorm on November 2006 dumped nearly 18 inches of rain in 36 hours on Mount Rainier National Park, turning every river into a raging torrent and burying trails and roads under landslides all over the park. Afterward, a violent windstorm uprooted trees, causing further damage. Much of Wash. 123 on the east side of the park and Carbon River Road in the northwest corner were damaged, as were numerous trails and backcountry bridges. Another flood in January 2009 destroyed sections of Stevens Canyon and Nisqually roads. Contact the park for current information.

Visitor Centers

When you arrive, stop at one of the park’s four visitor centers. The year-round Longmire Museum (phone 360/569-6575) is inside the park beyond the Nisqually Entrance and is the welcoming center for the park. The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center (phone 360/569-6571), near Paradise Meadows, is the park’s main visitor center, open year-round. The Ohanapecosh Visitor Center (phone 360/569-6581), off Wash. 123 in the southeast corner of the park, is near the Stevens Canyon Entrance. It’s open in summer only. The Sunrise Visitor Center, off Wash. 410, past the White River Entrance (phone 360/663-2425), is in the northeast section of the park. It’s also open in summer only.

Fees

Entry to the park for up to 7 days costs $15 per vehicle, $5 for individuals on foot, bike, or motorcycle. Camping costs $12 to $15 per night, depending on the campground and season.

Special Regulations & Warnings

The main thing to remember in the heavily visited spots in the subalpine portions of the park is to stay on the trails and stay off the wildflowers. Off-trail trampling erodes the thin loam topsoil that supports the fragile vegetation.

Be sure to boil any water taken from the park’s rivers, as it has been known to carry Giardia, the little bug that causes mighty intestinal disorder.

Don’t even think about heading for a day climb anywhere near the upper altitudes of Rainier without checking in at a ranger station or employing a guide. Steep snowfields can become slippery in the sun or contain unstable ice bridges. Remember, people die in the high altitudes every year.

Additionally, the National Park Service wants visitors to be aware of some other risks: Mud flows, glacial outburst floods, and falling rocks are hazards that may be encountered here.

Seasons & Climate

Summer is the warmest and driest time of the year, with frequent fog banks rolling in late and early in the day, and temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to the low 80s (10s to mid-20s Celsius). The spring and fall are cool and drizzly, with occasional days of warm weather late in the spring and early in the fall. The greatest rainfall comes in January and December, with daytime temperatures in the 40s (10s Celsius). Weather generally gets colder and nastier the higher up you go, and there is lots of snow in the higher elevations. This snow can linger well into the summer, even at popular Paradise.

It’s important that you dress in layers for a day visit, when you may encounter any type of weather. It can go from warm to cool very quickly as you climb in altitude. Rain can come in suddenly, so rain gear is a good precaution.

Exploring the Park

Longmire, just inside the Nisqually Entrance, is the park’s oldest developed area and the site of the historic hotel, which opened in 1899. Here you’ll find the old Mount Rainier National Park Headquarters, now the National Park Inn, a year-round lodge and restaurant. There’s also a museum, a general store, a wilderness information center, and a post office. Although it sounds as if this must be a small city, it is actually quite compact and rarely very crowded. Other important features of the area are the Trail of the Shadows, Historic District Walking Trail, and a Transportation Exhibit.

Paradise, in the south-central portion of the park, is a subalpine meadow and one of the most popular areas for visitors. Nearby you’ll find the Jackson Visitor Center, the park’s main visitor center, a gracefully curving stone and concrete structure that houses a snack bar and the only public showers in the park. Interesting exhibits on geology, glaciers, and the local flora and fauna are here. Paradise is also the site of the Paradise Inn, a historic mountain lodge. On busy days in the summer, there is a free shuttle from Ashford to Paradise; check the website for the current schedule.

Ohanapecosh, off Wash. 123 in the park’s southeast corner, offers scenic views of the Ohanapecosh River near a visitor center. Inside, look for exhibits focused primarily on the old-growth forest ecosystem that surrounds this area. The 188-site Ohanapecosh Campground is here, as are several good, short hikes.

At 6,400 feet, Sunrise, in the northeast part, is the highest point to which you can drive in the park. This is the second most popular spot in the park. You’ll find displays and naturalist-led walks, a snack bar and restaurant, and interpretive programs on the subalpine and alpine ecosystems. You can look at the glaciers up close with free telescopes. The visitor center is open daily from July through mid-September, when the roadway is open.

The Carbon River area, in the northwest corner, provides access to the most heavily forested area in the park. The jury is still out as to whether the terrain is actually lowland forest or temperate rainforest. The road here is currently closed to vehicle traffic until a reconstruction opens a small segment (most of it will become a hiking route), but trails lead into the backcountry and connect with the Wonderland Trail. A separate road (Wash. 165) reaches the Mowich Lake area, open to the lake in summer only.

If You Have Only 1 day

Most folks who make Mount Rainier a day trip are coming from the Seattle area, and they work their way around from the southwest corner of the park, driving first through Longmire to Paradise, then Ohanapecosh, and on to Sunrise. But, Sunrise being named what it is, you might want to go the other way around to get the best daylight, in which case you’ll want to enter on Wash. 410 at the park’s northeast corner. If you’re coming from the south or from Yakima, adjust your entry point and itinerary accordingly. The day-tripper will probably not be able to visit the Carbon River area in the northwest and fit in Paradise and Sunrise. But Carbon River also makes a great 1-day visit, but the flood-caused road closure makes it a hike or a bike instead of a drive.

It might be a bit pedestrian, but if you want to get the whole flavor of what Mount Rainier is about, you will probably want to do the normal route and head into the park through the Longmire Entrance in late summer. You get old-growth forests, subalpine meadows blooming with flowers, and a look at the rocky scree underneath the Emmons and Winthrop glaciers. If you’d rather avoid lines of cars later in the day, start early in the morning. By noon, Rainier is packed, especially on weekends.

For an 80-mile trip, start out at the Nisqually Entrance on Wash. 706, and check out the Longmire Museum and its exhibits on American Indian culture, European exploration, and the area’s natural history, as well as the local flora and fauna. If you’ve already been driving a bit, take a walk on the excellent .7-mile Trail of the Shadows across from the National Park Inn. The trail passes by the mineral springs that once were home to the early hotel, as well as a cabin (reconstructed) built by one of the Longmires in 1888. Don’t drink the mineral water; it will make you very sick.

Next is an up-close-and-personal look at the fantastic burst of colors in Paradise’s fields of brilliant paintbrush, anemones, and gentians. But first visit the Jackson Visitor Center and figure out what you’re looking at. It might be the Nisqually or Wilson glacier hanging over your head. For a more up-close view of the Nisqually Glacier, take the 1.2-mile (1-hr. round-trip) Nisqually Vista Trail from the visitor center. Otherwise, numerous trails leading from the parking lot will allow you to create your own wildflower stroll. Please stay on the trails to protect the wildflowers.

From Paradise, head east toward the Stevens Canyon Entrance. Your next goal is a short hike along the Grove of the Patriarchs at Ohanapecosh. This 1.3-mile walk, one of the most popular in the park, is famous for its absolutely huge Douglas fir and western red cedar, located on a small island accessible by a bridge across the beautiful Ohanapecosh River. If you have time, take the Hot Springs Nature Trail, which begins at the visitor center, a quick .4-mile jaunt where you will see a shallow hot spring alongside the trail as you gaze down at a meadow of lush grass. Other worthy stops are at Reflection Lakes and Box Canyon along Stevens Canyon Road.

Finally, wind your way through forests of fir, cedar, and hemlock on the way to Sunrise. The big snowcapped mountain in your rearview mirror to the south is Mount Adams, equal in beauty to Mount Rainier but more remote. This side of the mountain is glacier-packed. Check out Emmons Vista for views of Little Tahoma and the Emmons Glacier, or take the 1.5-mile Sunrise Rim Trail, which also leads away from the day lodge. For a close-up view, use the telescopes at the visitor center.

IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME The best way to explore the park is on foot, and if you have more than 1 day, you’ll be able to get out on the trails. The mother of all park trails is the Wonderland Trail, which, as it winds its labyrinthine route around the entire mountain, takes you through any section of the park you might be interested in. Although most folks plan 10 days to 2 weeks to do this one, there’s no law that says you can’t do a small portion of the Wonderland Trail. Since it’s accessible from all the major park centers, you can do a piece as a day hike (see “Day Hikes,” below).

The least visited sections of the park, including the beautiful Carbon River area northwest of the mountain, are really some of the best. If you have the time, go there. The Carbon River basin contains a temperate rainforest. The only other temperate rainforest in the United States is on the Olympic Peninsula, making the Carbon River area a unique jewel of an ecosystem. You’ll need to allow time to hike around, though, as the road was closed to cars by flooding; bikes and pedestrians are welcome.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Gray Line of Seattle (phone 800/426-7532 or 206/626-5200; www.graylineofseattle.com) offers bus tours into the park from May through September. Cost for a 1-day tour is $85 for adults, $65 for children.

Ranger-led tours, discussions, and seminars take place or begin at Longmire, Ohanapecosh, Paradise, and Sunrise visitor centers.

At Longmire, short talks take place daily in summer. There are evening programs at Cougar Rock Campground.

At Ohanapecosh, there are ranger-led hikes and walks along popular trails weekend afternoons, as well as evening programs during June and July devoted to natural and cultural history and resources.

From Paradise, there are daily walks to view wildflowers and glaciers. Park naturalists also roam the area answering questions.

From the Sunrise area, there are daily ranger-led walks. During July and August, evening campfire programs take place at White River Campground on Thursday through Saturday night.

Programs change each year and season. Check at a visitor center or the free park newspaper for specific programs and times during your visit.

Day Hikes

Some trails, especially those near Sunrise and Paradise, are packed throughout the summer. However, many forest trails offer solitude. Trails in the northwest corner, near the Carbon River Entrance, are relatively quiet but now require a 4-mile hike along the destroyed roadway to get to the former trail head. Mowich Lake sees more weekend foot traffic, since the road is open in the summer. There is a free shuttle between Longmire and Paradise that stops at numerous trail heads running from about 10am to 8pm Friday through Sunday.

For current information on trail availability or closures, call the Longmire Wilderness Information Center (phone 360/569-6650) in summer, or the Longmire Museum (phone 360/569-6575) year-round.

In addition to the trails discussed below, a section of the famed Pacific Crest Trail skirts the park’s eastern edge. This trail runs some 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada. For information on the entire route, contact the Pacific Crest Trail Association, 1331 Garden Hwy., Sacramento, CA 95833 (phone 916/285-1846; www.pcta.org).

All the Way Around Mount Rainier

Wonderland Trail With varying degrees of difficulty, this 93-mile loop is the mother of all trails in the park. It circles Mount Rainier, with numerous connecting trail heads. To some, making this loop through some of the most stunning vistas in the continental United States is a Northwest rite of passage. Think hard and plan ahead before you try to take it all at once. You’ll want to leave yourself about 2 weeks’ time to make the whole loop; campsite reservations are required and hard to get in midsummer.

There are more things to see on this trail than you can name. But expect to find yourself traveling through subalpine meadows, glacial streams, mountain passes, valley forests, and an ultimate summit point of 6,500 feet at Panhandle Gap. Many backcountry camping spots along the way provide water in the summer, but be sure to purify every drop. In the interest of planning shorter trips, keep in mind that you can connect with this trail from any of the spokelike trails that crisscross and touch the trail throughout the park, allowing you to set up a hiking mileage and time schedule all your own. It’s possible for 1 day’s elevation gain to be as much as 7,000 feet. 93 miles RT. Allow 10–14 days. Strenuous. Access: Start from Longmire, Paradise, Sunrise, Mowich Lake, or Carbon River.

Longmire Area

Although flood damage has closed Westside Road 3 miles up, the Lake George and Gobblers Knob Lookout Trail is open.

Carter Falls Trail This trail passes a wooden pipeline that once carried water, which generated electricity for Longmire. Go past Carter Falls about 50 yards for a look at the second waterfall, the zany Madcap Falls. This trail is part of the Wonderland Trail, between Paradise to the east and Indian Henry’s to the west. 2.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: 100 yards downhill from Cougar Park Campground, on the road to Paradise.

Rampart Ridge Trail This is a somewhat steep trail at first (the elev. gain is 1,339 ft.), before you arrive at the top of an ancient lava flow called the Ramparts, which offers panoramic views of the Nisqually Valley to the south, Mount Rainier to the north, and, to the west, the site of the massive Kautz Creek Mudflow of 1947. It’s also your connection with many of the other trails in the area, including the Van Trump, Comet, and Christine Falls trails. 4.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Across road from Longmire Museum.

Trail of Shadows Nature Trail This short, level loop trail is an enjoyable walk through the forest around Longmire Meadow. It takes you past the former site of the Longmire Springs Hotel, as well as a log cabin that’s the oldest man-made structure in the park. Don’t drink from the springs. .7 mile RT. Easy. Access: Across road from Longmire Museum.

Van Trump Park & Comet Falls Trail This steep trail (total elev. gain of 2,200 ft.) leads 1.9 miles through old-growth forest to Comet Falls, the second-highest falls in the park at 320 feet. Hiking another mile uphill takes you to beautiful views of the Nisqually, Van Trump, and Kautz glaciers. This is a popular trail in the summer, but it can be dangerous in early summer due to trail damage and steep, icy slopes; stop at the ranger station and ask for information on trail conditions before going. Up to 5.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Below Christine Falls Bridge on road to Paradise.

Paradise Area

Alta Vista This popular day hike meanders through subalpine meadows along a trail that leads to the top of an overlook with views of Paradise Meadows, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens to the south. There’s a 600-foot elevation gain. 1.75 miles RT. Easy. Access: Jackson Visitor Center parking lot.

Bench & Snow Lakes Trail You can catch both lakes on this trail of gradual ups and downs over low ridges before reaching Bench Lake after .75 mile, then continuing another .5 mile to Snow Lake, with beautiful views of beargrass and meadow flowers. The round-trip takes about an hour, with a 700-foot elevation gain. 2.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Stevens Canyon Rd., 1 1/2 miles east of Reflection Lakes.

Dead Horse Creek Trail The Dead Horse Trail serves as a conduit to the Moraine and Glacier Vista trails, as well as providing views of the Nisqually Glacier to your left as you head up the ridge. You will be rewarded with dramatic views if you take the Moraine Trail spur to the left, .75 mile up the path. 2.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Northern end of Jackson Visitor Center parking lot.

Nisqually Vista Trail This interpretive trail leads across rolling terrain, with a 200-foot elevation gain, to explore the high-country flowers, with views of the Nisqually Glacier. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Jackson Visitor Center.

Skyline Trail This trail is a good choice for high-elevation hiking, without going all the way to the top of Mount Rainier. They’re sort of extended versions of all the trails that surround Paradise, offering lots of beautiful subalpine meadows and close-up views of the Nisqually Glacier, one of the most visible and beautiful glaciers in the park. At Panorama Point, there is a pit toilet for a quick stop before the trail begins to loop back around to the southeast. At the top of this loop, you may have to traverse some snow. There’s a 1,700-foot elevation gain. On the way back, check out the views of Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. 5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Left of Paradise Ranger Station, next to restrooms.

Sunrise & Northeastern Areas

Berkeley Park/Grand Park Trail Head for the high tableland meadows and the wildflower and green field bonanza at Grand Park. Stay on the trails to protect fragile vegetation. Bring plenty of water—there’s none up here. Head out of the Sunrise parking lot to the Sourdough Ridge Trail, where the view is the most scenic and the road the easiest. At 6,700-foot Frozen Lake, descend toward Berkeley Park, keeping right with the trail to Mystic Lake. Berkeley Camp is 4 miles from Sunrise, and it’s another 2.5 miles, mostly uphill, to the Plateau of Grand Park. 13 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Branches off Sourdough Ridge/Dege Peak Trail (described below).

Burroughs Mountain Trail If you can’t handle the snow, you might not want to take this trail. This is ice-ax territory, sometimes until early August, so come prepared. Follow the Sunrise Rim Trail, which begins on the south side of the Sunrise Visitor Center parking lot, to Shadow Lake and Sunrise Campground, and to a sharp upturn toward the First Burroughs Peak at 7,000 feet. Beyond this point, you’re in a delicate tundra climate, one of the few in the Lower 48. It’s possible to take the Frozen Lake Trail at First Burroughs and make a loop back to Sunrise if you don’t feel like climbing anymore. However, should you decide to head up the remaining 400 vertical feet, you’ll be treated to fantastic views of Mount Rainier and the Emmons and Winthrop glaciers. Total elevation gain is 900 feet. 7 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Branches off Sunrise Rim Trail (described below).

Glacier Basin Trail Watch for rusting machinery on this journey through a part of the park that wasn’t always so protected. You’ll see remnants of a mining operation from the late 1800s in this glacial valley. Follow an old road up past the headwaters of the White River. After 1 mile, veer to the left for beautiful views of the Emmons Glacier. Beyond the junction of the trail with the Burroughs Mountain Trail, you’ll arrive at Glacier Basin Camp. Look for climbers making the ascent to the summit here, along a secondary route. Elevation gain is about 1,300 feet. 7 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Past White River Entrance, in upper area of White River Campground.

Mt. Fremont Lookout Trail From the trail head, you climb for about .3 mile along this popular trail through the surrounding meadows, then follow Sourdough Ridge to the left toward Frozen Lake. At the end of the lake, take the fork to the right for the easy 1.3-mile hike to the Mt. Fremont Lookout, where you can get excellent glimpses of the surrounding Cascades. On a clear day, you might even be able to see Seattle. Elevation gain is about 1,200 feet. 5.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North end of Sunrise Visitor Center parking lot.

Naches Peak Loop Trail This is a popular hike, with stunning views from the top of Naches Peak of the meadows and lakes stretching toward Rainier’s icy summit. From the Pacific Crest trail head (see the intro to the “Day Hikes” section, above), head south, traversing the east side of the Naches Peak. There’s the junction with the loop that can be taken back to Tipsoo Lake, or continue ahead .5 mile to Dewey Lake, where there are campsites. Elevation gain is 500 feet. A wheelchair-accessible path is at Tipsoo Lake, near the Pacific Crest trail head junction. 3.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Pacific Crest trail head, near Tipsoo Lake. Follow trail to junction with Naches Peak Loop Trail.

Palisades Lake Trail This is a popular trail, so don’t expect to get away from other hikers. However, if you’re out for a fairly invigorating stroll through forest and meadowlands, this is a good one. It includes small rises and falls in elevation as you wander past small alpine lakes toward a rock outcropping called, appropriately enough, the Palisades. There are also good wilderness campsites a little farther on, at Dick’s Lake and Upper Palisades Lake, though they tend to be crowded in the summertime. 7 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Sunrise Visitor Center.

Sourdough Ridge/Dege Peak Trail From the trail head, climb to a ridge top and turn east beneath the gaze of Antler Peak, after which you’ll cruise along the ridge for wonderful views of Rainier to the south and the brilliant greens of the Yakima parklands below. At the top of Dege Peak, look south for close-up views of the Cowlitz Chimneys and farther-off views of snowcapped Mount Adams. 4.2 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Sunrise Visitor Center.

Sourdough Ridge Nature Trail This loop provides you with a brief glimpse of what’s on the longer Sourdough Ridge/Dege Peak Trail (described above). This self-guided tour of the summer wildflowers and subalpine meadows is quite popular, and it’s good for kids. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Sunrise Visitor Center parking lot.

Summerland Trail If you want to see some mountain goats, take this trail to Panhandle Gap, about 1.5 miles past the end of the 4-mile, one-way entrance to the Frying Pan Glacier area. Hundreds of hikers can flock to this trail on a peak summer day, so beware. And please stay on the trails to avoid trampling the wildflowers. It’s a 3.5-mile graded walk through mature forests before entering the Frying Pan Creek area, where the scenery opens up into the brushy upper Frying Pan Valley. From there it’s a steep .5-mile climb to the spectacular Summerland Meadows. The total elevation gain is 1,500 feet. 8.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Past White River Entrance, on the way to Sunrise or White River area.

Sunrise Rim Trail This is a nature trail with many interpretive signs to tell you what to look for as you gaze up at Mount Rainier, to the north. About 1.5 miles into the trail, you’ll arrive at Shadow Lake and, just beyond, the walk-in Sunrise Campground. With a little more effort, you can hike south to the glacier overlook and be awed by the blue-white overhangs of Emmons Glacier and on to the first Burroughs Mountain. Total elevation gain is 900 feet. 4.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Sunrise Visitor Center.

Ohanapecosh Area

Grove of the Patriarchs Trail This short, level, and popular trail follows the Ohanapecosh River before crossing over a bridge to an island of incredibly huge, thousand-year-old Douglas firs and western red cedars. Even though it’s well traveled, it’s still a pretty awe-inspiring place—if you can manage to find a little silence in which to meditate on the grandeur of the trees. 1.3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Just west of Stevens Canyon Entrance on Stevens Canyon Rd.

Silver Falls Trail This trail, a fairly level one, is popular with families. It winds its way through old-growth forests and over a bridge above the pristine waters of the Ohanapecosh River facing the falls that give the area its name. The misty falls themselves drop 75 feet. Across the bridge below the falls is the return trail to the Ohanapecosh Campground. 2.4 miles RT. Easy. Access: Ohanapecosh Visitor Center; start at far end of “B” Loop of Ohanapecosh Campground.

Northwestern Rainier

In 1999, the Carbon River Road reopened after years of storm damage. This is a very flood-prone area, and the road closed again after floods washed it out again in 2006. Reconstruction is underway to reopen the first 1.2 miles to cars, but bicyclists and hikers are welcome during the project. Until it’s complete, visitors bike or walk 4.5 miles from the ranger station at the park entrance to the Ipsut Creek Campground and the trail heads. Be sure to call the Park Information Line (phone 360/569-2211) for information before taking any of the northwest Rainier trips.

Storm damage notwithstanding, the best way to reach trails from the Carbon River Road is connecting with the Wonderland Trail or driving in on the Mowich River Road (Wash. 165). Access to the Wonderland Trail along this corner of the park by car, unlike those on the southern and northeastern sides, is limited. The Carbon Glacier, Rainforest, Mystic Lake, Moraine Park, Mowich Lake, and Tolmie Peak trails are accessible from the Carbon River Entrance by foot and the Mowich Lake Road by car, or from the Wonderland Trail on an extended hike.

Carbon Glacier & Moraine Park Trails After hiking in the first 4.5 miles on the Carbon River Road, you begin this hike toward Moraine Park on the Wonderland Trail, the first 3 miles of which are a gentle uphill grade as they parallel the beautiful glacial waters of the Carbon River. Subsequently, the trail crosses the river on a suspension bridge just below the lower edge of the Carbon Glacier. Take a right turn on the Wonderland Trail at its junction with the Northern Loop, and the trail will lead you to the edge of this, the lowest and seemingly most monstrous glacier in the Lower 48. The trail then becomes a series of steep switchbacks that lead you through the neighboring forest to Moraine Park. Along the way, you’ll pass several campsites (Carbon River, Dick Creek, and, farther along, Mystic Lake). The elevation gain is 1,200 to 3,300 feet, depending on the route you take. 17–21 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Carbon River Entrance Station.

Mystic Lake Trail To reach Mystic Lake, you must first hike to the narrow, subalpine valley of Moraine Park, a moderate to strenuous trip. When the hike includes Mystic Lake, the round-trip distance becomes 21 miles, with elevation gains of 3,900 feet. Beyond the park, the trail goes over two small, wooded ridges, then descends a short distance to Mystic Lake. The trail was named by two early naturalists who claimed to have seen a mysterious whirlpool near the lake’s outlet. Many people use the campsites around Mystic Lake as base camps for exploring the Curtis Ridge area; they have spectacular views of the Winthrop and Carbon glaciers. 21 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Carbon River Entrance Station.

Spray Park Trail Go to Spray Falls at sunset if you want to see the light hit the spray action. Set amid subalpine meadows, Spray Falls is a spectacular sight in the summer when the flowers are blooming, although most of the hike proceeds through forested terrain. The trail head intersects the Wonderland Trail after a .25-mile descent. Follow the Spray Park Trail east for 2 miles, through the woods, across Lee Creek, and eventually to a junction with a spur trail to overlook the falls. The next .5 mile to the Spray Park Meadows is a steep climb up a series of switchbacks. Even more extensive meadows come into view in another .5 mile. The whole trip has an elevation gain of 1,300 feet. 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Southeast side of Mowich Lake Walk-in Campground, at the end of Mowich Lake Rd.

Tolmie Peak This is a hugely popular day hike, with lots of traffic from weekenders and kids, but you can’t really go that wrong anywhere around here. The trail proceeds gently through 1.25 miles of forested woodland to the junction at Ipsut Pass (elev. 5,100 ft.). Stay left and proceed uphill another 1.75 miles to the subalpine meadows at Eunice Lake for a look at how far you’re going to have to climb to Tolmie Peak. Note: Tolmie Peak is closed to overnight backpackers. The entire hike has a 1,010-foot elevation gain. 6.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of Mowich Lake Rd. on left side of lake.

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Biking No trails are open to mountain bikes in Mount Rainier National Park. However, there are plenty of trails to ride at nearby Crystal Mountain and White Pass ski areas during the summer. Crystal Mountain is by far the most popular and is known for its grueling climbs and brake-turning downhills. Luckily, you can avoid much of the climbing by riding the lifts up. The lifts generally operate only on weekends. A good gravel road for great biking is Westside Road, which you can reach through the Nisqually Entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. It is completely closed to motorized vehicles after 3 miles. One of the best reasons to ride this road is the chance to get on some of the little-used west-side hiking trails (closed to bikes). Try strapping some hiking boots on your bike; this is a great way to get away from the crowds and see some of the rare, less crowded areas of the park. However, you might want to call ahead for information on the usage of Westside Road. Another option is Carbon River Road, closed to vehicles since the 2006, with 4.5 miles open to only bikes and pedestrians en route to the Ipsut Creek Campground and myriad trail heads.

Boating & Canoeing Located in the northwest corner of the park, Mowich Lake is a pristine little lake with a peekaboo view of the mountain from its west side. The water is incredibly clear, and it’s fun to paddle around gazing down into the deep at the large logs and boulders lying on the bottom. Early morning and late afternoon are particularly good times. You might catch a glimpse of an otter, and in the evening, deer often feed in the meadows by the lake’s edge. A walk-in campground beside the lake makes this a great spot for a weekend camping and paddling trip. Yes, there are even a few fish in the lake, if you want to try your luck (see “Fishing,” below).

Fishing The good news about fishing in Mount Rainier National Park is that no fishing license is required. The bad news is that the fishing isn’t very good. However, there are some fish out there, and you’re welcome to try to catch a few. Lots of people do. Remember that only artificial lures and flies can be used in the park, and some posted waters are closed to fishing. Ask for details.

For the most part, glacial silt keeps Mount Rainier’s rivers too cloudy for fishing in the summer. The Ohanapecosh River is one exception. This river, in the southeast corner of the park, flows clear throughout the summer and is designated for fly-fishing only. Anglers are encouraged to release the trout they catch. Most of the park’s many lakes are home to one or another species of trout. In most cases, you have to hike in to fish. Some shorter hikes include Sunrise Lake (below Sunrise Point) and Louise, Bench, and Snow lakes, east of Paradise off the road to the Stevens Canyon Entrance.

Horseback Riding If you’d like to do some horseback riding, you have a few options in the area. In Elbe, you’ll find EZ Times Outfitters, 18703 Wash. 706 (phone 866/675-7700 or 253/350-1141; www.eztimeshorserides.com), which leads rides into the Elbe Hills State Forest. On the east side of the park, 19 miles east of Chinook Pass on Wash. 410, you’ll find Chinook Pass Outfitter & Guides (phone 800/726-3631 or 509/653-2633; www.chinookpass.com). East of White Pass on U.S. 12, you’ll find Indian Creek Corral (phone 509/672-2400; www.indiancreekcorral.com), near the shore of Rimrock Lake. Horse rides cost about $25 to $45 an hour.

Mountaineering Each year, more than 10,000 people set out to climb the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier. That only slightly more than half make it to the top is a testament to how difficult the climb is. Although the ascent does not require rock-climbing skills, the glacier crossings require basic mountaineering knowledge, and the 9,000-foot climb from Paradise is physically demanding. Also, the elevation often causes altitude sickness. This is not a mountain to be attempted by the unprepared or the untrained; over the years, dozens of people have died attempting the summit. Because of the many difficulties presented by summit ascents at Mount Rainier, this mountain often serves as a training ground for expeditions headed to peaks all over the world.

The easiest and most popular route starts at Paradise, at 5,400 feet, and climbs to the stone climbers’ shelter at 10,188-foot Camp Muir. From here, climbers, roped together for safety, set out in the middle of the night to reach Columbia Crest, the mountain’s highest point at 14,411 feet. From the summit on a clear day, seemingly all of Washington and much of Oregon stretches below.

The best way for most of us to climb Mount Rainier is with somebody who knows what he or she is doing, and that means Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., P.O. Box Q, Ashford, WA 98304 (phone 888/892-5462 or 360/569-2227; www.rmiguides.com); International Mountain Guides, P.O. Box 246, Ashford, WA 98304 (phone 360/569-2609; www.mountainguides.com); and Alpine Ascents, 109 W. Mercer St., Seattle, WA 98119 (phone 206/378-1927; www.alpineascents.com). Each offers a variety of mountaineering classes, as well as guided summer climbs. A class combined with the 2- or 3-day summit climb runs about $1,000 to $1,700.

Wildlife Viewing Hunting is prohibited in Mount Rainier National Park; consequently, deer, elk, and mountain goats within the park have lost their fear of humans. Anyone hiking the park’s trails in the summer can expect to encounter some of these large mammals. Deer are the most common, although the park’s mountain goats seem to command the greatest interest. Look for goats on Goat Island Mountain across the White River valley from Sunrise (use binoculars) on the Summerland Trail, on Mount Fremont (5.5-mile round-trip hike from Sunrise), and at Skyscraper Pass (7-mile round-trip hike from Sunrise).

Undoubtedly, the most seen mammals in the park are marmots, which resemble beavers but have round tails and live in the subalpine meadows. These big, shaggy members of the squirrel family are frequently seen lying on rocks soaking up the sun. They often allow people to get fairly close, but when alarmed, they let loose with a shrill whistle.

Wild animals are fun to see, but they are wild. For both their safety and yours, keep your distance.

Winter Sports & Activities

Cross-Country Skiing There are several ungroomed cross-country trails around the Paradise and Longmire areas. Perhaps equally satisfying in winter is the absence of crowds and cars that haunt these regions during the summer months. Peace and quiet abound when snow covers the landscape, although there is often a threat of avalanches (check at the Jackson Visitor Center or Paradise Ranger Station). The slopes above the Paradise Inn usually stay covered with snow well into June. You can rent cross-country skis at Longmire at the National Park Inn (phone 360/569-2411; www.mtrainierguestservices.com). Skis, poles, and shoes will cost you about $20 per day.

West of the park, the Mount Tahoma Trails Association trail system maintains 50 miles of easy to difficult trails and a large network of backcountry huts, which are accessible from Ashford (follow signs to the snow parks). For information, maps, or hut reservations, contact the Mount Tahoma Trails Association, P.O. Box 206, Ashford, WA 98304 (phone 360/569-2451; www.skimtta.com), or stop by headquarters in Ashford, which is usually open on winter weekends. There are about 10 miles of trails at White Pass (phone 509/672-3101; www.skiwhitepass.com), about 20 miles southeast of the park. There are also 45 downhill runs served by eight lifts here.

Outside the northeast entrance of the park, downhill resort Crystal Mountain ski area (phone 360/663-2265; www.skicrystal.com) offers 50 runs on 2,600 acres served by 12 lifts (including the Mt. Rainier Gondola), and good backcountry skiing. Only experienced skiers should attempt backcountry skiing here due to the difficult conditions and danger of avalanches.

Snowmobiling Snowmobiles are permitted on designated roadways, and only when snow closes the roadways to normal traffic. Do not attempt to travel cross-country on trails or on undesignated roads. Obtain a copy of the park’s snowmobile regulations.

Snowshoeing If you’ve never tried snowshoeing and want to, visit Mount Rainier National Park when free, ranger-led snowshoe walks lasting about 90 minutes are offered, on winter weekends and holidays from late December to early April. You can rent snowshoes at Longmire at the National Park Inn (phone 360/569-2411; www.mtrainierguestservices.com) for about $15 a day.

One of the better snowshoeing options in the park is the marked route from the Paradise parking lot behind the Jackson Visitor Center to the Nisqually Glacier Overlook. The Nisqually Vista Trail is only 1.25 miles long and twists and turns as it meanders up and down hills. At the turnaround, you have a great view of the glacier and the rest of the mountain, but don’t get too close to the edge!

Lower down on the mountain, at Longmire, snowshoers can make a 4.6-mile loop up Rampart Ridge. This steep trail requires some route finding and the snow level is not always reliable, but if conditions are right, it makes for an enjoyable and rigorous hike. Another good snowshoeing trail in this same area is the trail to Carter Falls, which starts above Longmire just before the Cougar Rock Campground. This 2.2-mile round-trip trail follows a section of the Wonderland Trail. It’s all uphill to Carter Falls, and it crosses several avalanche chutes.

Camping

Mount Rainier has more than 400 campsites in three drive-in campgrounds. None of the campgrounds in the park have RV utility hookups, nor are there laundry or shower facilities.

You should definitely make reservations at Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh campgrounds between the last Friday in June and Labor Day; call phone 877/444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov. Other campgrounds are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cougar Rock Campground, a little more than 2 1/4 miles northwest of Longmire, has an amphitheater for ranger programs. Ohanapecosh Campground, 11 miles north of Packwood, Washington, on Wash. 123, also has an amphitheater. White River Campground is 5 miles west of the White River Entrance. Sunshine Point Campground was closed in 2006 due to flood damage.

There are two walk-in campgrounds that often have spaces available, even on weekends. Mowich Lake Campground is in the northwest corner of the park, at the end of unpaved S.R. 165, and the sites are only 100 yards from a parking lot. A walk-in campground since the 2006 flooding, Ipsut Creek Camp Campground is about 5 miles east of the park’s Carbon River Entrance. A backcountry permit is required. If you’re prepared for a longer walk, consider the Sunrise Campground, about a mile from the Sunrise parking lot. A backcountry permit is required.

A permit is required for all overnight stays in the wilderness. Backcountry camping is free with a permit obtained at any of the ranger stations, although the first-come, first-served permits are grabbed up quickly. Reservations ($20 per permit) can be made by mail or fax beginning in mid-March for the period from May through September. For information, call phone 360/569-6550.

Other camping options are in the nearby Gifford Pinchot National Forest. La Wis Wis Campground, in the national forest’s Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, 10024 U.S. 12 (P.O. Box 670), Randle, WA (phone 360/497-1100; www.fs.fed.us/r6), is along U.S. 12 and the Cowlitz River, near the southeast entrance to the park. The campground has numerous tall trees and offers some sites that can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet long. Reservations (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov) are available.

Numerous other National Forest Service campgrounds lie along U.S. 12 east of White Pass and along Wash. 310 east of the park. These campgrounds represent your best chance of finding a campsite on a Friday or Saturday night in summer. The campgrounds along Wash. 410 tend to be less crowded, since they are harder to reach and are not near any fishing lakes. National Forest campgrounds are also within a few miles of the southwest and northeast entrances, and dispersed camping is permitted in some areas. Check the forest service website (www.fs.fed.us/r6) for more information.

* Camping requires a Mount Rainier National Park backcountry permit.

** National Forest site on reservation program.

* Camping requires a Mount Rainier National Park backcountry permit.

** National Forest site on reservation program.

* Camping requires a Mount Rainier National Park backcountry permit.

** National Forest site on reservation program.

Where to Stay

For information about or reservations at the lodgings inside the park, contact Mount Rainier Guest Services, 55106 Kernahan Rd., E. Ashford, WA 98304 (phone 360/569-2275; fax 360/569-2770; www.mtrainierguestservices.com).

There are a number of places to stay in the surrounding communities in addition to those reviewed here. For a list, contact Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (phone 866/732-2695 or 206/461-5800; www.visitseattle.org) or the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce (phone 360/825-7666; www.enumclawchamber.com).

Inside the Park

National Park Inn In Longmire in the southwest corner of the park, this small rustic lodge opened in 1920 and was fully renovated in 1990. Relatively small and open year-round, the National Park Inn makes a great little getaway or base for exploring the mountain. The inn’s front veranda has a view of Mount Rainier, and inside there’s a guest lounge with a river-rock fireplace that’s perfect for relaxing on a winter night. The guest rooms vary in size but come with rustic furniture, new carpeting, and coffeemakers. In winter this lodge is popular with cross-country skiers; skis and snowshoes can be rented here. The inn has a restaurant, plus full bar service, and all rooms are nonsmoking. You’ll need to book reservations well in advance for the summer months. If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying, because there are often cancellations.

At the Longmire Entrance, off Wash. 706 (mailing address: P.O. Box 108, Ashford, WA 98304). www.mtrainierguestservices.com. phone 360/569-2275. 25 units, 18 with bathroom. $112–$148 double without bathroom; $155–$229 double with bathroom. B&B package Nov–Apr from $106. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Paradise Inn First opening in 1917, the grand Paradise Inn recently had a multimillion-dollar overhaul, reopening in May 2008. The renovation included replacing the foundation and installing blizzard- and earthquake-resistant technologies, but it retained its historic look, with stone fireplaces and massive wood timbers. Rooms—which were not renovated—are similar to the rustic appointed rooms in the National Park Inn. There is a restaurant and snack bar on-site.

At Paradise, off Wash. 706 (mailing address: P.O. Box 108, Ashford, WA 98304). www.mtrainierguestservices.com. phone 360/569-2275. 121 units, 92 with bathroom. $109–$145 double without bathroom; $159–$266 double with bathroom. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Outside the Southwest (Nisqually) Entrance

Budget travelers might want to look into the hostel-style accommodations at Whittaker’s Bunkhouse, 30205 Wash. 706 E., Ashford, WA 98304 (www.whittakersbunkhouse.com; phone 360/569-2439), with bunks for $35 and private rooms for $85 to $115 double, as well as an espresso bar. The rates are lower in winter, but bunks are not available.

Alexander’s Country Inn Just outside the park’s Nisqually Entrance, this appealing bed-and-breakfast opened as an inn in 1912. Today, as then, it is one of the preferred places to stay in the area, offering not only comfortable rooms but also some of the best food around (see “Where to Eat,” below). Much care went into the restoration, with antique European stained-glass windows and antique furnishings. The dining room takes up the first floor; on the second floor, you’ll find a big lounge where you can sit by the fire on a cold night. By far the best room is the tower suite, which is in a turret and has plenty of windows looking out on the woods. After a hard day of playing on the mountain, there’s no better place to relax than in the hot tub overlooking the inn’s trout pond—or in the day spa enjoying a massage. The inn also rents two guesthouses.

37515 Wash. 706 E., Ashford, WA 98304. www.alexanderscountryinn.com. phone 800/654-7615 or 360/569-2300. 12 units, 2 houses. May–Sept $125–$155 double, $165–$179 suite, $225–$235 house; Oct–Apr $99–$110 double, $135 suite, $185 house. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V.

Deep Forest Cabins Tucked into two forested fairyland locations off the road to the park, Deep Forest Cabins dates back to the 1930s, but each has been renovated since the turn of the millennium. Featuring blonde woods and attractive hardwoods, the cabins are romantic retreats with two-person jetted tubs inside and hot tubs on the decks outside, as well as full kitchens, TVs with VCRs and DVD players (but no reception), MP3 player docks, and gas fireplaces. The most elaborate is the midcentury modern Salal, the cover shot of a 1953 issue of Sunset, perched high above the road next to the dinky guesthouse, a dinky retreat perfect for a hiking couple.

33823 Wash. 706, Ashford, WA 98330. www.deepforestcabins.com. phone 866/553-9373 or 360/569-2954. 7 cabins. TV. July–Aug $120–$295 double; Sept–May $100–$250 double. MC, V.

The Hobo Inn If you’re a railroad buff, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity to spend the night in a remodeled boxcar. Each of the railroad cars is a little different (one even has a kitchenette), but all have comfortable beds and bathrooms. Some have bay windows, while others have cupolas. For the total railroad experience, dine in the adjacent Mount Rainier Railroad Dining Co. restaurant and go for a ride on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad (phone 888/STEAM-11 [783-2611] or 360/569-2351; www.mrsr.com).

54106 Wash. 7 (P.O. Box 20), Elbe, WA 98330. www.rrdiner.com. phone 888/569-2500 or 360/569-2505. 6 units. $115 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Mountain Meadows Inn Bed & Breakfast Set beneath tall trees beside a small creek, this B&B was built in 1910 as the home of the superintendent for the lumber mill in the town of National, which was the site of the largest sawmill west of the Mississippi. Today this old home is filled with unique collections, including an outstanding display of memorabilia of John Muir and the national parks, Northwest coast American Indian basketry, and a 1,000-volume nature library. There are three rooms in the main house, a bit dated but attractively decorated with antiques and American Indian art, plus three rooms in a separate guesthouse, which are more modern. Some have shower only, some have tub only, and some have both. I especially like the Mountain Berry Room in the main house because of its claw-foot tub and handsome early American furnishings. The main house’s big front porch overlooks the creek, and there is room to roam on the nature trail that meanders a mile through the inn’s 11 acres of woodland. An outdoor whirlpool tub and free Wi-Fi are also on the property.

28912 Wash. 706 E. (P.O. Box 291), Ashford, WA 98304. www.mountainmeadowsinn.com. phone 360/569-2788. 6 units. $139–$165 double. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V.

Nisqually Lodge This modern lodge is well located near the Nisqually Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, and it is next door to a popular restaurant, the Rainier Overland. Rooms are of the modern motel style, average size, with wood-toned furnishings, upholstered chairs, and a few homey touches, such as flowers. The Nisqually offers a coin-op laundry, wireless Internet access, and satellite TV. You can read or relax by the fireplace in the Great Room. All units are smoke-free; pets are not allowed.

31609 Wash. 706, Ashford, WA 98304. www.escapetothemountains.com. phone 888/674-3554 or 360/569-8804. Fax 360/569-2435. 24 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $105–$125 double; lower rates in winter. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V.

Stone Creek Lodge Located only 200 yards from the park’s Nisqually Entrance, these cabins sit on green lawns with plenty of room for the kids to roam. These are not the most elaborate of the cabins right outside the park entrance, but they’re clean, functional, and nicely maintained. Big picture windows let in plenty of light. Larger cabins have kitchens and fireplaces and sleep up to four people (these are good for families). Smaller ones sleep two adults, and all have gas-log fireplaces and hot tubs. Some cabins have one queen bed, and some have one queen plus two singles. All cabins are smoke-free; there is free Wi-Fi.

38624 Wash. 706, Ashford, WA 98304. www.stonecreeklodge.net. phone 800/819-3942 or 360/569-2355. 10 cabins. $105–$150 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Stormking Cabins and Day Spa Especially appealing for active, outdoorsy adult couples, Stormking started out as a popular hot tub and massage facility. But people enjoyed the setting and experience so much that they kept telling co-owner Deborah Sample that she should build secluded, romantic cabins and take overnight guests. That’s just what she and co-owner Steven Brown did, starting in 1999. All of the gorgeous cabins—best described as “luxurious yurts”—have outdoor private hot tubs, two-person showers, TV and DVD players, and gas fireplaces. Spa treatments are offered, and hammocks dot the common areas outdoors here, which melt right into the adjacent forest.

37311 Wash. 706 E. (P.O. Box 126), Ashford, WA 98304. www.stormkingspa.com. phone 360/569-2964. 45 cabins. Cabin $160–$205 double (2-night minimum). MC, V.

Outside the Northeast (White River) Entrance

Alta Crystal Resort at Mount Rainier This is the closest lodging to the northeast (White River) park entrance and the Sunrise area. The resort has wooded grounds and makes a good base in winter, when skiers flock to the slopes of Crystal Mountain, just minutes away, but it is just as good for a summertime visit. The resort features recently renovated suites in chalets and a log honeymoon cabin, all with a mountain-lodge atmosphere and lots of homey touches, such as dried flowers. Chalets can sleep up to four adults and two children under 12. No matter what size suite you choose, you’ll find a full kitchen, fireplace or wood stove, and TV with DVD player. The honeymoon cabin, set apart from the other buildings, is for two adults only; no children. Also available are a rustic recreation lodge, an outdoor pool and hot tub, and horseback riding, hiking, and mountain-bike trails from your door (bike rentals are $30/day). There is free Wi-Fi and satellite TV, and a full slate of activities year-round, including scavenger hunts in summer and snowshoe rentals ($20/day) in winter.

68317 Wash. 410 E., Greenwater, WA 98022. www.altacrystalresort.com. phone 800/277-6475 or 360/663-2500. Fax 360/663-0728. 24 units. TV, TEL. $160–$280 unit for 1–6 people. AE, MC, V.

Outside the Southeast (Stevens Canyon) Entrance

Cowlitz River Lodge With easy access to Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and White Pass skiing, this lodge offers comfortable accommodations with many amenities. Owned by the same company as the Nisqually Lodge (see above), rooms here are typical of modern American motel style—average size, with wood-toned furnishings, upholstered chairs, and a few homey touches. There’s coin-op laundry, and waxing room for cross-country skiers. You may see deer or elk on the lawn, and you can laze by the lobby fireplace. There is free Wi-Fi and satellite TV.

13069 U.S. 12 (P.O. Box 488), Packwood, WA 98361. www.escapetothemountains.com. phone 888/305-2185 or 360/494-4444. 31 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $75–$95 double; lower rates in winter. Rates include complimentary continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($50 one-time fee).

Hotel Packwood Two stories tall, with a wraparound porch and weathered siding, this funky, cozy 1912 hotel looks like a classic mountain lodge even though it’s right in the middle of a small town. The tiny rooms aren’t for the finicky, but they are comfortable and most welcome after a day spent traipsing around on park trails. There are iron bed frames in some rooms and a fireplace in the lobby. Packwood is about 10 miles from the southeast entrance to the park. All units are smoke-free.

104 Main St., Packwood, WA 98361. www.packwoodwa.com. phone 360/494-5431. 9 units, 2 with bathroom, 7 with shared bathroom. TV. $35–$49 double. DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

The dining rooms at the Paradise Inn and the National Park Inn (see “Where to Stay,” above) serve American and regional dishes, including salmon, chicken, steak, and pasta at dinner, with interesting sandwiches and burgers at lunch. Lunch prices are mostly in the $10 to $15 range; dinners run $14 to $23. Specialties include a venison sloppy joe sandwich for lunch and bourbon buffalo meatloaf at dinner. The restaurants do not accept reservations, and because they are the only formal dining options within the park, you may have to wait a bit for a table. But I think the wait is worth it. For quick meals, there is fast food at the Jackson Visitor Center, Paradise Inn, and Sunrise Lodge.

In Ashford you’ll find a place that bakes great blackberry pie, the Copper Creek Inn, 35707 Wash. 706 E. (phone 360/569-2326; www.coppercreekinn.com), which is one of the closest restaurants to the park’s southwest (Nisqually) entrance. It’s open daily year-round, serving three meals in summer, and lunch and dinner the rest of the year. Cuisine is American Northwest, with burgers, sandwiches, and lots of salads on the lunch menu ($6–$14). The dinner menu ($13–$23) includes steak, chicken, pasta, and fish—such as grilled salmon filet with blackberry vinaigrette. The inn also offers lodging in cabins and historic suites.

Also in Ashford, the BaseCamp Grill at Whittaker Mountaineering (phone 360/569-2727; www.basecampgrill.com) serves burgers and sandwiches ($4–$9) as well as pizzas (about $20) and draft beer. It’s open 10am to 8pm.

In Elbe, the Mount Rainier Railroad Dining Company (phone 360/569-2505), in an old dining car at the Hobo Inn (see “Where to Stay,” above), is your best bet, serving steaks, seafood, and alder-smoked chicken and ribs; prices range from $5 to $15 at breakfast and lunch, and $9 to $28 at dinner.

Alexander’s AMERICAN Alexander’s, which is also a popular B&B (see “Where to Stay,” earlier in this chapter), is the best place to dine outside the Nisqually Entrance to the park. Dining outside beside the pond and waterfall is an option in the summer. Fresh pan-fried trout from the inn’s pond is the dinner of choice, but you might also find chicken, steaks, fresh salmon, stuffed pork chops, and homemade lasagna. Whatever you order, just be sure to save room for wild blackberry pie.

37515 Wash. 706 E., Ashford. phone 360/569-2300. www.alexanderscountryinn.com. Dinner reservations recommended. Main courses $6–$12 breakfast and lunch, $10–$25 dinner. DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 8:30–10:30am and 11:30am–8pm. No lunch and weekends only in winter.

Chapter 25: North Cascades National Park, WA

by Eric Peterson

The Cascade Range, in many stretches of its span, receives significant visitation, but here in the northern reaches lies the largest wilderness in the state of Washington. Here gray wolves and grizzly bears still roam, and human encroachment is limited.

The North Cascades National Park Service Complex is at the heart of this region. Note the name; this is not just a park, but a complex, which includes the national park as well as Ross Lake and Lake Chelan national recreation areas. A 1988 act of Congress designated about 93% of the acreage of the entire complex the Stephen Mather Wilderness. Unlike many national recreation areas, both Ross Lake and Lake Chelan are wild and remote, with minimal development.

North Cascades National Park

A trip beyond the highway corridor is a true wilderness experience. Hiking here takes time and preparation. Although there are several shorter trails, many attract the most rugged outdoorspeople to spend a few days or weeks to get reacquainted with the natural state of things. If you’re prepared, there’s nothing else like it in the continental United States.

Geologically speaking, the North Cascades are some of the most complex and least understood mountains in North America. These peaks were formed over millions of years as a tectonic plate drifting northward from the South Pacific slammed into the North American coast, causing the area’s sedimentary rocks to buckle, fold, and transform. In some areas, the rock in the North Cascades is obviously the result of this collision and subsequent metamorphosis. In other areas, there is rock that predates the tectonic collision—one upthrust mountain is believed to be 10 million years old.

Glaciation both past and present has further augmented geologic complexity in the North Cascades. In past ice ages, both alpine glaciers and the continental ice sheet covered this region. The visual legacy of this activity endures today in the wide U-shaped valleys carved out by the ice sheet. The single most fascinating legacy of this glaciation is Lake Chelan, which lies in the heart of the North Cascades southern section.

Avoiding the Crowds

It’s not hard to avoid the crowds in the North Cascades. The lack of roads, the weather, and the ruggedness of the terrain all work in concert to keep this one of the best-kept secrets in the national park system.

If it’s true isolation you seek, hike in the northern unit of the national park. Nonetheless, Stehekin (the developed unit of the southern park section) also offers plenty of solitude, especially in the fall and winter. Lake Chelan, Ross Lake, and Diablo Lake are relatively tourist-heavy spots.

In high season, this park can be like many others. You’re more likely to run into folks on the Big Beaver Trail or on your way to Hozomeen in the summer than in the fall, which is about the last part of the year during which you can easily get anywhere in the park. Ross Lake is thicker with boaters on summer holiday weekends, and the heaviest load of visitors all year is in Stehekin and the Cascade Pass area during July and August. The deeper into the backcountry you go, the fewer people you are likely to encounter. Winter is not to be underestimated in this park, and Wash. State Rte. 20 will almost certainly be closed.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Only one paved road, Wash. State Rte. 20, goes through the park complex. There are a few unpaved side trips, though. The Cascade River Road, which leaves Wash. 20 at Marblemount, enters the national park proper as an unpaved road. The gravel Stehekin Valley Road above High Bridge also enters the national park. This road does not connect with the outside world, however; rather, the park concessionaire provides a shuttle service along this road from mid-May to mid-October.

From Seattle on the west side, take the Wash. State Rte. 20 exit 230 off I-5 and head east, toward Rockport and Marblemount, into the park. From Spokane, the major metropolitan area on the east side, it’s U.S. 2 West, linking up with U.S. 97 North, to Wash. State Rte. 153 and, finally, Wash. State Rte. 20. And remember, in the winter, these roads may close at any time from late October to early May. Be sure to call ahead.

The Nearest Airport Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (phone 206/787-5388; www.portseattle.org/seatac) is 15 miles south of Seattle on I-5. The airport is served by practically all major airlines and car-rental companies. See chapter 38 for their website listings.

Information

Contact North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 Wash. State Rte. 20, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 (phone 360/854-7200; www.nps.gov/noca). The park publishes an annual newspaper, the North Cascades and Mt. Baker Visitor Information Guide, in conjunction with the Forest Service full of useful information. For current information, such as road closures, call or check the park’s website.

10 essential items for Hikers in the North Cascades

The Park Service considers the following 10 items absolute essentials for hikers—even day hikers—in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Hikers should carry them and know how to use them.

• Navigation (a topographical map and compass)

• Food and water (boiling water can kill Giardia, but some treatment pills can’t)

• Clothing (including rain gear, wool socks, sweater, gloves, and hat)

• Light (a flashlight with spare bulb and batteries)

• Fire (waterproof matches and a fire starter, such as a candle)

• Sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen)

• First aid (a kit, including any special medications you might need)

• Knife (a folding pocket knife is best)

• Signals (both audible and visual: whistle and metal mirror)

• Emergency shelter (a plastic tube shelter or waterproof bivouac sack)

Visitor Centers

The North Cascades Visitor Center, mile marker 120, Wash. State Rte. 20, Newhalem (phone 206/386-4495), open daily in the summer, offers exhibits, audiovisual programs, a bookstore, and assistance from rangers. A wheelchair-accessible trail (Sterling Munro Viewpoint) leads from the back of the building and affords excellent views of the surrounding mountains. Several other universally accessible trails, including the Rock Shelter Trail, are nearby.

The Golden West Visitor Center, P.O. Box 7, Stehekin, WA 98852 (phone 360/854-7365, ext. 14), is on the banks of the northern tip of Lake Chelan. It provides information on camping, hiking, backcountry permits, and the local environs, and has interpretive exhibits and a bookstore. It’s open daily in the summer and keeps shorter hours in winter. You can also rent bicycles from a concessionaire.

Getting Around Inside the Park

By Air If you want to get to Stehekin in a hurry, you can make the trip by floatplane on Chelan Seaplanes (phone 509/682-5555; www.chelanseaplanes.com), which leaves from the dock next to the ferries at Chelan. The fare is $158 round-trip adults, $98 for kids under 12 (plus fuel surcharge).

By Boat On Lake Chelan in the spring and summer, the Lady Express and the Lady of the Lake II run between the Lake Chelan boat landing and Stehekin, at the north end of the lake. In the fall and winter, only the Lady Express operates. Rides cost $39 to $59 round-trip, depending on the boat. Contact Lady of the Lake (phone 509/682-4584; www.ladyofthelake.com). The Ross Lake Resort (phone 206/386-4437) operates water taxis to trail heads and campgrounds on Ross Lake and offers portage service.

By Shuttle Bus A shuttle bus provides transportation up the Stehekin Valley Road.

No reservations are required, and the cost is $5 one-way. If you want to ride as far as the Stehekin Pastry Company, the fare is only $2 each way.

Taxi service is also available from the North Cascades Stehekin Lodge at the boat landing.

Fees & Permits

There are currently no entrance fees for the park complex, though there are fees for camping (see the campground chart, later). The Northwest Forest Pass ($5 per day, $30 per year) is required for Forest Service trail heads. A dock fee pass ($5 per day, $40 per year) is required on Lake Chelan from May 1 until October 31. Backcountry permits are required but free.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Wash. State Rte. 20 is usually closed from mid-November through mid-April. Call the park complex headquarters in Sedro-Woolley (phone 360/854-7200), or check the park’s website, www.nps.gov/noca, for current information.

Check in at a visitor center for full details on trails before you head into the backcountry. This is bear and mountain lion (cougar) country; pick up the free handout on hiking and camping safety.

Other than the general precautions that anyone would take when camping in a wilderness area, keep in mind that the North Cascades National Park Service Complex can be extremely remote for both the backcountry hiker and the park driver. Even when day hiking, remember to carry enough water (and all of the 10 essential items; see box). Don’t forget bug spray—the area has a lot of water (not necessarily to drink) and, consequently, lots of insects during some seasons at some locations.

Seasons & Climate

As can usually be expected in the Northwest, rains arrive westerly from the Pacific in the spring and fall, with summer being the most pleasant all around. At any time, though, expect rain and bring rain gear. The eastern side of the mountains is less wet than the western. Few visit the North Cascades area in the winter, which begins creeping up in October in the upper elevations and mid-November in the lower elevations. It lasts until mid- to late April and necessitates the regular closure of Wash. State Rte. 20. Closure depends on snow and avalanche conditions.

From April to September, daytime temperatures range from 50° to 80°F (10°–27°C), depending on the elevation. However, this is a land of extremes: Trails at higher elevations are usually snow-covered into early July (though this varies considerably from year to year), and summer temperatures of 100°F (38°C) are not unusual at Ross Lake and Lake Chelan. With the extremes in altitude here, it’s always good to bring some warm clothing, even in the summer months.

Seasonal Events

The Golden West Visitor Center mounts several art exhibits in the summer. Contact the park for dates.

North Cascades is also one of the national parks that offers an artist-in-residence program, which gives artists a chance to “discover and interpret this landscape through their own projects.” The residencies are for 4 to 6 weeks and take place in the spring and fall. For information and an application, visit www.nps.gov/noca/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence.htm.

If You Have Only 1 day

Since this is one of the most rugged wilderness areas in the United States, any attempt to see the park in a day must be made with the understanding that you’re not going to see it all. For most folks with limited time, the choice is a summer drive across the park on Wash. State Rte. 20 (North Cascades Hwy., described below), and perhaps a hike to Pyramid Lake or on another of the more accessible trails.

Exploring the Park

The road into the park is a beautiful drive along the banks of the Skagit River, past the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. Your last connection with civilization, and the last chance to stock up on groceries, is Marblemount, the oldest town in the region. From here, you can head south or east. South is the Cascade River Road, and east is Wash. State Rte. 20.

The Cascade River Road is a 23-mile stretch of mostly gravel road that leads to Cascade Pass. The road, at the very beginning, crosses the Skagit River and then passes near a fish hatchery before terminating at the Cascade Pass trail head, where you can see a majestic tableaux of glaciers and waterfalls. Many folks hike the 3.7-mile one-way trip to the top of Cascade Pass, which leads the hiker up a relatively modest set of switchbacks to beautiful views of glaciers and subalpine meadows.

If you’re not up to the unpaved twisting of the Cascade River Road, continue on Wash. State Rte. 20 to Newhalem, where the North Cascades Visitor Center has exhibits and regularly scheduled ranger-led walks and talks. This is a good place to get information about the many short walks and hikes in the immediate vicinity. A short boardwalk trail (Sterling Munro Viewpoint) begins behind the visitor center and affords beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. In addition, if you’re there late enough in the day, check out the trail to Ladder Creek Falls (which is not on National Park Service property but is owned by Seattle City Light), which is fun in a most decidedly touristy manner.

The National Park Service recommends the short, accessible Newhalem Rockshelter Trail to an archaeological site near the visitor center, as well as the River Loop Trail from the visitor center.

Next up is the little town of Diablo, at the foot of 389-foot-high Diablo Dam, which holds back the blue-green waters of Diablo Lake. A tour operated by Seattle City Light’s Skagit Tours (phone 206/684-3030; www.seattle.gov/light/tours/skagit) takes you out on Diablo Lake. Tours last 2 1/2 hours and cost $25 for adults, $20 for seniors over 62, $12 for youths 6 to 12, free for children under 6. Reservations are recommended. A 4-hour dinner tour is also available.

As the road loops south from Diablo, look for fantastic views of Neve Glacier. In fact, beautiful views spread out from a plethora of turnouts along the road. Between Newhalem and Diablo is the new, universally accessible Gorge Overlook Trail, with great views and interpretive signs.

At the Ross Lake Dam, the lake begins its 24-mile dogleg up the eastern side of the park complex to the Canadian border. For views of the lake from the dam, stop the car and take the steep, 1-mile walk down the Ross Dam Trail. This trail leads over the top of the dam, eventually winding its way to the Ross Lake Resort and the North Cascades backcountry. Several longer hikes lead along Ross Lake, including the West Bank and the Happy-Panther trails. Another good choice is the accessible Happy Creek Forest Walk, a quarter-mile past the Ross Dam trail head, a .3-mile boardwalk stroll through old-growth forest, with interpretive signs. Farther along Wash. State Rte. 20, take the turnout at the Ross Lake Overlook, where you can see the Ruby Arm (leading to Ruby Creek), as well as Ross Lake proper, heading north toward Canada (with Hozomeen Mountain in the distance).

The Stehekin Area, at the head of Lake Chelan, is not accessible by car. To get there, you have to hike in and take a passenger ferry or floatplane from the southern resort town of Chelan. A ferry ride up the lake from Chelan is the only quick and relatively affordable way to the Stehekin Area. (A floatplane is the quickest, most expensive option.)

Once you make it to Stehekin, you can rent a bike to ride the roads in the area, but bikes are not permitted on trails. Give yourself enough time and strength for the hike out.

If you wish to visit the northern sections of the park, you have a couple of options. From the Ross Dam area, park the car and hike the trail into the Ross Lake Resort. You can hike around the general area or, better yet, catch a water taxi up the shores of the lake. Call the Ross Lake Resort to arrange for water taxi service (phone 206/386-4437). The taxis will drop you off at any of the trail heads that intersect both sides of the shores of this lake all the way to Hozomeen, the northernmost part of the lake in U.S. territory. Ross Lake Resort also rents small outboards, canoes, and kayaks for those who want to fish or explore the lake on their own.

The only practical way to get near the northwest section of the park by vehicle is to head east from the Mount Baker Wilderness Area, which is popular and easily accessible because of the Mount Baker Ski Area. Beyond the Mount Baker area, take Hannegan Road (Forest Service Rd. 32), which is accessible by two-wheel drive. As usual, it’s a good idea to call ahead for road conditions. Beyond the end of the road lie the Hannegan Pass, Copper Ridge, and Chilliwack trails. These are popular trails in the summer, but they are multiday hikes and require a permit for camping overnight. Backcountry permits are available at the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier. Permits are issued in person only, on the day of your trip or up to a day in advance. Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The trails offer views of glaciers spreading southward through the park, especially the Nooksack Glacier along the ridges overhanging the Nooksack River. The Northwest Forest Pass is required for all trail head parking on U.S. Forest Service lands in Washington and Oregon.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

For tours of Diablo Lake and Ross Dam, call Seattle City Light’s Skagit Tours (phone 206/684-3030).

Want to track radio-collared mountain caribou? Stalk newts, frogs, and salamanders in Heather Meadows? Learn about Lummi Indian basketry? Delve into the mysteries of mycology? Hang with some bats? You can do any of these things if you sign up for the right class through the North Cascades Institute. Offering more than 60 field seminars each year, North Cascades Institute, 810 Wash. State Rte. 20, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284-1239 (phone 360/854-2599; www.ncascades.org), is a nonprofit educational organization that offers a wide range of courses each year. Many of the seminars are now held at the North Cascades National Park.

A variety of day trips operate in conjunction with the three passenger ferries of Lady of the Lake (phone 509/682-4584; www.ladyofthelake.com). Tours include a popular bus ride to 312-foot Rainbow Falls ($7 adults, $4 children 6–11, free for children under 6).

Day Hikes

Day hikes do not require a hiking permit; however, a Northwest Forest Pass for vehicle parking may be required. Those going into the backcountry overnight must obtain a free permit at one of the visitor centers, the National Park Service Complex headquarters in Sedro-Woolley, or the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount. In addition to the hikes discussed below, a small section of the famed Pacific Crest Trail, which runs some 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, goes through the park (see “Bridge Creek Trail,” below). For information on the entire Pacific Crest Trail, contact the Pacific Crest Trail Association, 1331 Garden Hwy., Sacramento, CA 95833 (phone 916/285-1846; www.pcta.org).

Ross Lake National Recreation Area

Desolation Peak This is the peak that inspired Jack Kerouac’s Desolation Angels, and it’s no wonder that people (and in the middle of summer, there are often quite a few) would be inspired to meditate on desolation after hiking up this steep hillside through alpine meadows. On the way to the top—4,400 feet up—there are spectacular views of Hozomeen Mountain, Jack Mountain, and below, beautiful Ross Lake. This can be a very hot and dry hike in the summer, and the full round-trip takes several days. Carry plenty of water. Desolation Lookout is closed to the public. 14 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Desolation Landing on Ross Lake (take the Ross Lake Resort water taxi), or hike north along East Bank Ross Lake Trail. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Diablo Lake Trail This is the “Grand Central” of the Diablo Lake area. You get views of Ross Dam and of the power lines, which the trail intersects, but you’ll also see some old-growth trees and varied forests. The trail starts at Seattle City Light’s power project dock, where you can pick up the summer boat for a ride to the base of upstream Ross Dam (call for schedules). Better to follow the trail as it winds along what was once the Skagit River but is now Diablo Lake. In front of Ross Dam, you get a good idea of how well the dams work. Check out the view as you cross the suspension bridge, which once traversed the Skagit River Gorge which now is part of the system of dams that makes the Ross and Diablo lake areas. 7.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: At end of road, across Diablo Dam.

East Bank Trail During the summer, this is one of the most popular trails in the park because of its plentiful and well-maintained campsites, the easy grade of its path, and its proximity to Wash. State Rte. 20. To avoid crowds, you might want to wait until late in the season or hike midweek. The path, near the eastern perimeter of the park, borders the Pasayten Wilderness and the Okanogan National Forest, from which several trails intersect the East Bank Trail. The highest point along the trail is the Desolation Peak Trail, to the north. Along the way, be prepared for black bears, fall foliage, and, on the northern section of the trail, the remote possibility of sighting a member of one of the few remaining wolf packs in the Lower 48. 5–31 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Several points along the shore of Ross Lake (take the Ross Lake Resort water taxi), or from trail head on Wash. State Rte. 20 to terminus of trail at Hozomeen Campground. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Fourth of July Pass/Panther Creek For a day hike through some of the most astonishing country in the Lower 48, this section of trail isn’t too shabby. It’s a popular summer hike to the top of Fourth of July Pass, which offers views of the majestic Neve Glacier and Colonial Peak to the west. It isn’t easy, though—this is a switchback-cursed climb from Thunder Creek up to the 3,500-foot top of the pass. But that’s the hardest part. You return downhill through the beautiful Panther Creek Valley for 5 miles to the junction with Wash. State Rte. 20 at the Panther Creek Bridge and the East Bank trail head. 10 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Hike 1.8 miles up Thunder Creek Trail to junction with trail head. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking at Panther Creek Trailhead on Wash. State Rte. 20.

Pyramid Lake This trail is like many in the park—steep. The hike is a beautiful but relatively sharp climb—it gains 1,500 feet in just over 2 miles—passing through pine and fir forests. It ends at a pond, fed by the Colonial Glaciers looming above along the southeast side of Pyramid Peak. You’re liable to see climbers descending from the peaks at the end of the day, looking tired but happy after having ascended the 7,000 feet to the top of Pyramid. 4.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: 1 mile east of Diablo, on south side of highway near creek, close to mile marker 127. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Sourdough Mountain From the west, the trail is easily accessible by car. But rest assured, either way, you’re going to be doing some serious climbing: Try a 3,000-foot climb from the Diablo direction, and in just 2 miles, too. And then there’s the remaining 2,000 feet along the next 4 miles. It’s a densely forested walk over the first couple of miles. Be sure to take the right fork at the 3-mile mark to get to the summit for spectacular views of the lake and the glaciers that dot the horizon to the north. This area is hot and dry in the summer, so take extra water. Sourdough Lookout is closed to the public. 10 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: In Diablo, or water taxi on the West Bank Trail to the Pierce Mountain Trailhead.

Stetattle Creek This is a pleasant summer hike down a gentle, scenic path along a creek. The trail meanders north for some 2.5 miles before hitting a stretch of giant, moss-hung trees and finally petering out in the middle of the forest. The waters of Stetattle Creek often flow milky blue-white from the glacial silt that comes down from McMillan Spire and Mount Terror. The total elevation gain is 1,100 feet. 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Exit before the green bridge on Wash. State Rte. 20, just before Diablo, along Gorge Lake.

Thornton Lake Trail Although the first part of the trail is basically an old logging road that might remind you of resource-stripping, this trip is not to be missed. It’s a moderately steep walk to the lakes, with a scramble route to Trapper Peak, for sublime views of the Picket Range. Even if you don’t take the side route, the sight of Mount Triumph’s glaciers to the north, from the nestled valleys in which the lakes sit, is worth the hike. The trail gains 2,400 feet in elevation in just over 5 miles. 10 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Wash. State Rte. 20 to Thornton Lakes Rd., 3 miles west of Newhalem. Gravel road climbs steeply to trail head. Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Thunder Creek Trail There are plenty of options if you decide to take the Thunder Creek Trail. You can amble past the Thunder Creek Arm of Diablo Lake to the intersection with the Fourth of July Pass Trail (also called the Panther Creek Trail), then head to the left and make a loop around the hub of ever-looming (and, it goes without saying, snowcapped and gorgeous) Ruby Peak. Or you can make an overnight trek through the rugged wilderness that lines the trail north to south on its way to its terminus in the Park Creek Area along the Stehekin River. Along the way, you can intersect with the Fisher Creek Trail, sloping left along the creek toward an intersection with a possible terminus over Easy Pass at Wash. State Rte. 20.

From Diablo Lake, the trail is a broad and easy path for the first couple of miles. It then begins to slope upward for the next several miles, through the Panther Creek junction on the way to McAlester Creek Camp. This is the 6-mile mark, and a lot of day hikers head back the way they came at this point. Otherwise, it’s off for several days in some of the most gorgeous country in the continental United States, through the rugged and lush valleys in the southern part of the park. Distance and difficulty vary; up to 39 miles RT. Access: Trail head south of Diablo Lake, at Colonial Creek Campground parking lot.

Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

Agnes Gorge Trail This is an easy hike along the west-side cliffs of Agnes Gorge, with beautiful views of looming Agnes Mountain above you. This is a good walk for a day visitor to the Stehekin area. 5 miles RT. Easy. Access: High Bridge (accessible by shuttle bus).

Coon Lake Trail This hike, the beginning of the McGregor Mountain Trail, leads to a pretty lake created by beavers. Wildlife, especially waterfowl, is plentiful on and around the 15-acre lake. On the far side is a waterfall on Coon Creek. Though forests surround the lake, there are views to the southwest toward Agnes Mountain. 2.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: High Bridge (accessible by shuttle bus).

Rainbow Falls At 312 feet high, Rainbow Falls is among the most impressive falls in Washington and a popular destination for day-trippers who visit Stehekin by boat (see “Getting Around Inside the Park,” above). The falls were created when a glacier scraped out the walls of the Stehekin Valley, leaving Rainbow Creek hanging high above the valley floor. The falls are 3.5 miles from Stehekin Landing by road and make a good day-hike destination if you are staying at the North Cascades Stehekin Lodge; you get there by walking along the road. The lodge also offers a bus tour of the falls (it’s open to anyone and timed for the convenience of the day-tripper). Or, if the shuttle bus is running, you can take it to and from the falls or just one-way. 7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Stehekin Landing.

Rainbow Loop Trail Trails in the Stehekin area tend to be flat valley-bottom hikes or grueling climbs straight up steep walls. This hike makes a good in-between choice. Views of the Stehekin Valley and Lake Chelan are the payoff. Start the hike from the Rainbow Creek trail head, which is accessible from the shuttle bus. From here, climb 1,000 feet in 2.5 miles—along the way passing a bluff with a view of the valley—to a bridge over Rainbow Creek. Just before the creek is a trail junction. If you turn left here and hike up this trail .5 mile, you’ll have views even more stunning than the ones along the main trail. The creek marks the midpoint of the trail. The lower trail head is 2.5 miles down a steep trail with more great views. 9.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Rainbow Creek Upper Trailhead, 5 miles from Stehekin.

North Cascades National Park—Southern Unit

The interior of the southern unit of the North Cascades National Park is remote. Most of the trails concentrate on the northern or southern end. The northern trails are accessible from Wash. State Rte. 20. The access route to the southern trails is the Cascade River Road, a winding, sometimes rugged stretch of mostly gravel road, which will get you to the Cascade Pass Trail. Call ahead to the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount (phone 360/854-7245) for road conditions; sometimes the route is not easily accessible to the average vehicle. Backpackers can take Thunder Creek Trail, an artery through the interior, for access to the Chelan/Stehekin area, but it’s not a day hike.

Bridge Creek Trail This backcountry hike ascends steadily (though never too steeply) to Wash. State Rte. 20 through some beautiful valleys, after a short hike along a section of the Pacific Crest Trail (see the introduction to this section, above). The trail affords beautiful views of Goode Mountain and Mount Logan, as well as the massive ice-hangs below Memaloose Ridge. 26 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head at Bridge Creek Bridge on Stehekin Valley Rd.; other end of trail is at Bridge Creek trail head, east of Rainy Pass on Wash. State Rte. 20. Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking at the Wash. State Rte. 20 end.

Cascade Pass/Sahale Arm Trail This is one of the most popular hikes in the park. Starting high above the valley of the North Fork Cascade River, the trail follows an ancient American Indian trading route over the Cascades to Lake Chelan. Today the trail is popular as a day trip, an overnight trip, a climber’s route to some challenging North Cascades rock, and a through trail to Stehekin (23 miles one-way). For a spectacular day hike, climb to the top of Cascade Pass (3.7 miles), then continue to ascend on a trail to the left until you cross a ridge. Soon you will be traversing Sahale Arm, far above jewel-like Doubtful Lake. From here, there are sweeping views of the North Cascades. The elevation gain is 1,700 feet to the top of the pass and 2,200 feet up to Sahale Arm. 12 miles RT. Moderate. Access: From Marblemount on Wash. State Rte. 20, cross bridge and drive east 23 miles on Cascade River Rd. to trail head. Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking along Cascade River Rd. and at Cascade Pass trail head.

Park Creek Pass Though this hike is often crowded in the summer with people passing through Stehekin, it’s still worth it. Make your way up the steep, forested slopes toward the alpine meadows beyond Five Mile Camp. From here on up, it’s glacier lilies and the cracking of calving glacier ice on the slopes of Goode Mountain. Huge chunks of ice have been known to crash into the valley below the slopes. Look for slabs as big as your average house. Beyond the 6,000-foot Park Creek Pass, you can connect with the Thunder Creek Trail (see above) for a much longer hike to the Ross Lake Area and State Rte. 20. 8 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Park Creek Campground, Stehekin Valley Rd.

North Cascades National Park—Northern Unit

The backcountry trails in this region, such as Hannegan Trail and Big Beaver Trail, aren’t easy to get to, but they’re worth the effort. Here you’ll find some of the most stupendous mountain views in the park complex. This is the most remote wilderness area in the state, home to abundant wildlife. From virgin forests in glacial valleys to high meadows with head-on views of the park’s jagged Picket Range, these hikes have everything.

Start at the Mount Baker Wilderness trail head in the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, near the north section of the North Cascades National Park Northern Unit. From the town of Glacier, drive 13 miles to F.S. 32 (Hannegan Rd.), and continue to the trail head at Hannegan Camp at the road’s end. You can also take a water taxi, which must be arranged in advance, up Ross Lake and start your hike from the Big Beaver Landing. Check with the Ross Lake Resort (phone 206/386-4437) for information and fares.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Riding off the road is not allowed in the park, but there are several good biking routes. Keep in mind that biking is usually best in late July and August, but even then, bad weather can descend suddenly, ruining views and soaking riders.

The trip along Wash. State Rte. 20 through the park and west of the park between Rockport and Marblemount is strenuous but beautiful. The road has a wide shoulder in many (though not all) places, and developed campgrounds. There are some extremely steep stretches.

Mountain bikers will want to try the Stehekin Valley Road route, a 21-mile stretch from the community of Stehekin to Flat Creek, on Lake Chelan. The road parallels the glacier-fed Stehekin River and provides plenty of great views of the North Cascades peaks. The 312-foot-high Rainbow Falls is a wonderful stop along the way.

Cross-Country & DOWNHILL Skiing West of the park complex, the Mount Baker Ski Area (phone 360/671-0211; www.mtbaker.us) is where most downhill skiers end up. Another good source of information is www.nooksacknordicskiclub.org for cross-country skiing in the North Cascades area. If you want to do some cross-country skiing away from the crowds, consider Stehekin. The chance to ski past 312-foot-tall Rainbow Falls should not be missed.

FISHING Anglers must have Washington State fishing licenses, which are available at sporting goods stores. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (phone 360/902-2200 or 360/902-2500 for the fishing regulation hotline; www.wdfw.wa.gov) publishes a pamphlet that lists regulations and seasons.

Ross Lake contains populations of both native rainbow and cutthroat trout, as well as eastern brook trout and a few bull trout (which must be released). The Ross Lake Resort (phone 206/386-4437) rents fishing boats. Fishing season on Ross Lake is July 1 to October 31.

Lake Chelan, although it looks like an awesome fishing hole, is so large, so deep, and so cold that it doesn’t support a large fish population. However, it does have quite a variety, including kokanee; landlocked Chinook salmon; cutthroat, rainbow, and Mackinaw trout; and freshwater ling cod (burbot). The Stehekin River and its tributary streams offer excellent fly-fishing. Check fishing regulations for seasons.

Hang Gliding & Paragliding In recent years, Lake Chelan has become one of the nation’s hang gliding and paragliding meccas. However, neither activity is allowed in the national park or the adjacent national recreation area. Strong winds and thermals allow flyers to sail for 100 miles or more from the Chelan Sky Park atop Chelan Butte, on the outskirts of town. Paragliding lessons (starting at $350 for 2 days) are available here through Aerial Paragliding School (phone 509/782-5543; www.paragliding.us). The website for the local Chelan Flyers club, www.chelanflyers.com, is another good resource.

Kayaking & Canoeing Diablo Lake and Ross Lake both offer excellent flat-water paddling. They are among the few inland waters in the Northwest with extensive boat-in campsites. However, there is no road access to Ross Lake in the U.S. (the unpaved Silver Skagit Rd. enters the park from Hope, British Columbia, and leads 40 miles to the north end of the lake). Ross Lake Resort (phone 206/386-4437) offers a canoe and kayak shuttle service from Diablo Lake (which is accessible by car) around Ross Dam to Ross Lake. Check with the resort for charges per canoe or kayak. You can also rent outboard motorboats, kayaks, and canoes at the resort.

You’ll need a backcountry permit, available at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount, to overnight on Ross Lake. A permit allows you to stay at the many campsites along the shores of Ross Lake. Backcountry permits are also available at the Hozomeen Ranger Station. Here you can explore the Narrow Ruby Arm using Green Point Campground (1 mile above the dam) as a base camp. Farther north are the Cougar Island (2 miles above the dam), Roland Point (4 miles above the dam), McMillan (5 1/2 miles above the dam), and Spencer’s (6 miles above the dam) campgrounds.

Because of the 24-mile length of the lake and the strong winds that often blow in the afternoon, many paddlers stick to the lower end (unless they enter at Hozomeen at the lake’s north end).

If you aren’t inclined to spend the money for the shuttle, you can have a similar experience paddling on Diablo Lake, which is an amazing turquoise color due to the amounts of glacial flour suspended in the water. Diablo also has three boat-in campsites (Thunder Point, Hidden Cove, and Buster Brown), as well as a couple of small islands. Backcountry permits are needed for boat-in campgrounds on Diablo Lake. Alternatively, you can explore the lake from the drive-in Colonial Creek Campground on the Thunder Arm of the lake.

Snowshoeing The Stehekin Valley makes an ideal snowshoeing destination, with trails that offer opportunities for exploring the mountain slopes surrounding the valley. The road is plowed to a point 9 miles north of Stehekin Landing.

Camping

Reservations for Newhalem Creek Campground and several group campgrounds are available through the National Recreation Reservation Service (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov); other campgrounds are first-come, first-served. Camping in the backcountry requires a free backcountry permit, available at visitor centers or the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount. The only drive-in campsites are along Wash. State Rte. 20 through the Ross Lake area, except Hozomeen, which is accessible by car only through the Silver Skagit Road, 40 miles south of Hope, in British Columbia, Canada.

Backcountry permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, in person only, on the day of your trip into the backcountry or up to a day in advance. There are no advance reservations by phone.

In Ross Lake National Recreation Area

For information, contact the national park offices (phone 360/854-7200). The following campgrounds assign sites on a first-come, first-served basis.

Goodell Creek Campground, just west of Newhalem, is popular with paddlers and anglers. It has a good view of the Picket Range from just across the highway. Drinking water is not available from late fall through winter. A raft and kayak launch adjacent to the campground is available for white-water runs down the Skagit River. This campground is open year-round.

Newhalem Creek Campground, one of the area’s busiest, is at the center of the action near the North Cascades Visitor Center. It’s wheelchair accessible and has many short hiking trails nearby. Park rangers present weekend campfire programs in the summer.

Colonial Creek Campground, on the banks of the Thunder Arm part of Diablo Lake, is the largest campground on the highway, and the busiest. It has pleasant sites on the water and access to boat ramps. Park rangers present nightly interpretive programs during the summer.

Hozomeen Campground is a more primitive campground, with no garbage facilities, at the northern tip of Ross Lake. Drinking water is provided. Gorge Lake is a small campground alongside Gorge Lake and Stetattle Creek without water or garbage.

In Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

At the north end of the lake, near Stehekin, are 11 campgrounds, most of which are served by the shuttle bus from Stehekin. Purple Point Campground is right in Stehekin and is the most convenient to the boat landing.

For information on campgrounds in the Stehekin Valley, contact the Golden West Visitor Center, P.O. Box 7, Stehekin, WA 98852 (phone 360/854-7365). A free backcountry permit is needed for these campgrounds. Permits are available in person only at the Golden West Visitor Center, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Along the North Cascades Highway

Right in Rockport, there are campsites in a large open field at the Skagit County–run Howard Miller Steelhead Park (phone 360/853-8808). If you make a reservation, there is a $7 fee for the first night.

East of Marblemount are a couple of small National Forest Service campgrounds on the Cascade River Road, which leads to the trail head for the popular hike to Cascade Pass. Among them, Marble Creek is 8 miles east of Marblemount, and Mineral Park is 18 miles east.

For U.S. Forest Service campground reservations, call phone 800/444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov.

Where to Stay

There aren’t a lot of choices for lodging in the park. To the west, along Wash. 20, you can find places in and near Marblemount and Rockport; to the east there’s Mazama and Winthrop, also on Wash. 20.

Inside the Park

Ross Lake Resort There may not be another lodging of this type in the United States. All 15 of the resort’s cabins are built on logs that float on Ross Lake. If you’re looking to get away from it all, this place comes pretty close. No roads run to the resort. To reach it, you drive to the Diablo Dam on Wash. 20, then take a tugboat to the end of Diablo Lake, where a truck carries you around the Ross Dam to the lodge. Or you can hike in on a 2-mile trail from mile marker 134 on Wash. 20. There is no restaurant or grocery store, so bring enough supplies for your stay. All cabins have some cooking facilities, ranging from stovetops to full kitchens. Most cabins have private bathrooms; some share with one other cabin. What do you do once you get here? Rent a boat and go fishing, rent a kayak or canoe, do some hiking, or simply sit and relax.

Rockport, WA 98283. www.rosslakeresort.com. phone 206/386-4437 or 206/708-3980 (off season). 15 cabins. $145–$295 double. Most cabins 20% discount in Oct. Closed Nov to mid-June. MC, V.

Stehekin Landing Resort Located at Stehekin Landing, the Stehekin Landing Resort sits in the shade of tall trees and overlooks the lake. It has a variety of rooms, ranging from basic units with no lake view to spacious apartments. The studio apartments, which have kitchens and lake views, are the best deal. Fishing boat and bike rentals are available.

P.O. Box 3, Stehekin, WA 98852. www.stehekinlanding.com. phone 800/536-0745 or 509/682-4494. Fax 360/856-2579. 27 units, 1 guesthouse. $112–$185 double; $398 guesthouse. Discounts available in Oct. Closed early Oct–May. MC, V.

Stehekin Valley Ranch If you’re a camper at heart, then the tent cabins at the Stehekin Valley Ranch should be just fine. With canvas roofs, screen windows, and no electricity or plumbing, these “cabins” are little more than permanent tents. Bathroom facilities are in the nearby main building. For slightly more comfortable accommodations, opt for one of the permanent cabins. Activities (available at additional cost) include horseback riding, river rafting, mountain biking, and kayak tours and instruction.

P.O. Box 36, Stehekin, WA 98852. www.stehekinvalleyranch.com. phone 800/536-0745 or 509/682-4677. 7 cabins, 7 tent cabins. Cabins $100–$120 per adult, $80–$90 per child 4–12, $30–$40 per child 3 and under; tent cabins $90–$100 per adult, $60–$70 per child 4–12, $15–$25 per child 3 and under. Rates include all meals and transportation in lower valley. 2 kitchenettes $135–$175. MC, V for advance phone payment only. No credit cards or checks accepted at ranch. Closed early Oct to mid-June.

In Rockport & Marblemount

Buffalo Run Inn This old 1889 roadhouse has been slowly renovated into a solid lodging option across the street from the dirt road to Cascade Pass. With decor alternately inspired by Europe and local wildlife, the ground-level rooms have private bathrooms, air-conditioning, and TV. Upstairs, five “hostel rooms” share two bathrooms and a TV room.

60084 Wash. 20 (P.O. Box 133), Marblemount, WA 98267. www.buffalorunrestaurant.com. phone 360/873-2461 or 360/873-2103. Fax 360/873-4078. 15 units. $79–$109 double with private bathroom; $54–$59 double with shared bathroom. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Clark’s Skagit River Resort Of a number of different lodging options, the theme cabins keep people coming back to this riverside resort: Western, Nautical, Victorian, American Indian, Adirondack, Hacienda, and Mill are the current decor choices. There are also five new chalets named for local wildlife. Other cabins on the property are equally comfortable, but the theme cabins are what make Clark’s just a bit different. The cabins are popular in winter, when folks flock to the area to watch bald eagles congregate on the Skagit River. The resort also has a B&B lodge with a conference room and patio for groups. Also on the property are two RV parks ($30–$35) and tent camping ($20–$25), as well as a restaurant, The Eatery (phone 360/873-4013). There is a massage therapist on-site.

58468 Clark Cabin Rd., Rockport, WA 98283. www.northcascades.com. phone 800/273-2606 or 360/873-2250. Fax 360/873-4077. 40 units. TV. Cabins $79–$169; Brookhaven Lodge $99–$109; call for seasonal rates. AE, DISC, MC, V.

In Mazama

Freestone Inn At the upper end of the Methow Valley outside the community of Mazama, the Freestone Inn is one of the most luxurious lodgings in the North Cascades. The inn’s main building is a huge new log structure with a massive stone fireplace in a cathedral-ceilinged great room that serves as lobby and dining room. The lodge sits on the shore of Freestone Lake and has a superb view of the mountains rising beyond the far shore. Guest rooms are thoughtfully designed, with gas fireplaces and sunken tubs that open to the bedroom. All in all, these are some of the most memorable rooms in the state. For more privacy, you can opt to stay in a cabin. Families may want to go all the way and rent one of the large lakeside lodges. Meals here are every bit as nice as the rooms. Northwest cuisine is the focus, with prices in the $18-to-$30 range.

The inn also offers tour arrangements, a heli-ski operation, cross-country ski lessons, mountain-bike rentals, and an extensive equestrian program. Nearby, there are ski trails in winter and a lake for swimming in summer.

31 Early Winters Dr., Mazama, WA 98833. www.freestoneinn.com. phone 800/639-3809 or 509/996-3906. 36 units. Summer $185–$235 double, $159–$305 cabin or condo, $435–$735 lodge; winter $150–$245 double, $129–$345 cabin or condo, $375–$695 lodge. Lower rates in spring and fall. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in cabins ($30 one-time fee).

The Mazama Country Inn Set on the flat valley floor but surrounded by rugged towering peaks and tall pine trees, this modern mountain lodge is secluded and peaceful, offering an escape from the crowds in Winthrop. If you’re out here to hike, mountain bike, cross-country ski, or horseback ride, the Mazama Country Inn makes an excellent base of operations. It also has a private outdoor tennis court, a swimming pool, and an athletic facility with a squash court and workout room. After a hard day of outdoor fun, you can soak in the hot tub and eat in the rustic dining room, with its massive freestanding fireplace and high ceiling. The medium-size guest rooms are simply furnished and modern. Four deluxe rooms have king beds, gas fireplaces, and jetted tubs. The 13 cabins range in size from one to five bedrooms. This is a smoke-free facility. No pets are allowed in the inn, but some cabins permit pets.

15 Country Rd., Mazama, WA 98833. www.mazamacountryinn.com. phone 800/843-7951 or 509/996-2681. Fax 509/996-2646. 22 units. Summer $95–$150 double; winter $190–$250 double. Off-season discounts available. Winter rates include all meals. DISC, MC, V.

In Winthrop

Hotel Rio Vista The Hotel Rio Vista, ravaged by a 2002 fire, arose from the ashes with all brand-new units that include more king suites, minisuites, and rooms with single and doubles. The suites offer kitchenettes, DVDs, and VCRs. Step onto your private balcony for a view of the confluence of the Chewuch and Methow rivers; guests often see deer, bald eagles, and many other species of birds. A hot tub overlooks the river, and there’s a riverside picnic area and free Wi-Fi. The hotel is in downtown Winthrop, so it’s an easy walk to shops and restaurants. The Aspen Loft Cabin is 10 miles from Winthrop and sleeps six.

285 Riverside Ave. (P.O. Box 815), Winthrop, WA 98862. www.hotelriovista.com. phone 800/398-0911 or 509/996-3535. 29 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $120–$170 double; $120–$160 Aspen Loft Cabin. Lower rates in winter. MC, V.

River Run Inn & Cabins Secluded from the bustle of downtown Winthrop but only a short stroll away, the River Run Inn is right on the banks of the Methow River and a great spot for families and couples alike. There are lodge rooms, cabins, a suite, and a guesthouse that sleeps up to 13. The rooms are fittingly rustic but quite comfortable, and hammocks and porch swings abound. Guests can tube the river and get a ride back for $25, guided kayak trips depart from here, and bikes are provided free of charge. There is an indoor pool and hot tub and free Wi-Fi.

27 Rader Ave., Winthrop, WA 98862. www.riverrun-inn.com. phone 800/757-2709 or 509/996-2173. 20 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $105–$160 double; $145–$195 suite; $165–$230 cabin; $350–$500 house. Lower rates in spring and fall. MC, V.

Sun Mountain Lodge If you’re looking for luxury and proximity to the trails, the Sun Mountain Lodge should be your first choice in the region. Perched on a mountaintop with grand views of the Methow Valley and the North Cascades, this luxurious lodge captures the spirit of the West in both its breathtaking setting and its rustic design. Most guest rooms feature rustic, locally made furnishings and views of the surrounding mountains. The newest (and priciest) rooms are in the Mount Robinson wing. If seclusion is what you’re after, opt for one of the cabins on Patterson Lake. The dining room is excellent, as are the views. Prices for Northwest-inspired main courses range from about $20 to $40. The lodge offers a full slate of summer and winter recreational activities and rentals. Guests can also use the outdoor heated pools, two whirlpools, tennis courts, exercise room, children’s playground, and spa, and take wintertime sleigh rides.

P.O. Box 1000, Winthrop, WA 98862. www.sunmountainlodge.com. phone 800/572-0493 or 509/996-2211. Fax 509/996-3133. 98 units, 16 cabins. Summer $235–$435 double, $375–$875 cabin; fall–spring $175–$325 double, $280–$675 cabin. AE, DC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Stock up on chow in Marblemount or Winthrop before you head into the park. In most places, including Ross Lake Resort, there’s no food to be had.

In Stehekin

There are several dining options in Stehekin, but if you plan to stay in a cabin or camp out, be sure to bring all the food you’ll need. Otherwise, simple meals are available at Stehekin Landing Resort (phone 509/682-4494), at the boat dock in Stehekin. If you just have to have something sweet, you’re in luck—the Stehekin Pastry Company (phone 509/682-7742), 2 miles up valley from the boat landing, serves pastries and ice cream, as well as pizza and espresso.

In Marblemount

Buffalo Run Restaurant AMERICAN From the outside, this looks like any other roadside diner, but once you see the menu, it’s obvious this place is something more. The owners have a buffalo ranch, and the menu includes buffalo burgers, buffalo chili, and buffalo T-bones. They also serve venison, elk, and ostrich, as well as salmon and mussels, plus a full menu page of vegetarian items. After a day of hiking, the garden patio is a pleasant setting for a meal. The restaurant offers beer, wine, and cocktails. Of course there’s a buffalo head (and hide) on the wall. Rooms are also available (see “Where to Stay,” above).

60084 Wash. 20 (mile marker 106), Marblemount. phone 360/873-2461. www.buffalorunrestaurant.com. Main courses $6–$15 lunch, $17–$40 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Late May–Sept daily 11am–9pm; shorter hours rest of year.

In the Winthrop Area

The best meals in the Winthrop area are at the dining room at Sun Mountain Lodge, where you’ll also enjoy one of the most spectacular views in the state. See “Where to Stay,” above.

The Duck Brand MEXICAN/AMERICAN Named for Winthrop’s original watering hole, the Duck Brand is a casual restaurant with a big, multilevel deck that’s a great spot for a meal on a warm summer day. In cold or rainy weather, you can grab a table in the small dining room, its walls clad in historic photos, antlers, and pinecones, and order a plate of enchiladas, a local steak, or a burger and a microbrew. The Duck Brand’s muffins and cinnamon rolls make great trail-side snacks. There are also five basic rooms for rent here for $69 to $79 a night.

248 Riverside Ave. phone 509/996-2192. www.methownet.com/duck. Main courses $6–$29. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–9pm.

Old Schoolhouse Brewery AMERICAN In a tiny, wedge-shaped storefront that looks like a school but in actuality was a clothing store, this local brewpub is the liveliest joint in town. There’s a deck out back overlooking the river with a beer garden in summer, and on weekends the place usually books some kind of live music. The house specialties are the award-winning beers, namely the Hooligan Stout and the Ruud Awakening IPA.

155 Riverside Ave. phone 509/996-3183. www.oldschoolhousebrewery.com. Main courses $7–$16. DISC, MC, V. Summer daily noon–9pm; shorter hours in winter. Bar open later.

Chapter 26: Olympic National Park, WA

by Eric Peterson

Get ready for sensory overload. Olympic National Park is an area of such variety in climate and terrain that it’s hard to believe it’s just one park. Here you can view white, chilled alpine glaciers; wander through a green, sopping-wet rainforest; or soothe your muscles with a soak in a hot springs pool. Or perhaps you’d prefer to ponder the setting sun from the sandy Pacific coastline, or disappear from the outside world altogether in the deep green forests of largely untouched mountains.

Olympic National Park

In the Olympic Mountains, remnants survive of 20,000-year-old glaciers that continue to grind and sculpt the mountains now as they did then, albeit on a smaller scale—the glaciers have been shrinking rapidly in the past half-century. Farther down in some of the peninsula’s west-facing valleys are some of the best remaining examples of temperate rainforests in the contiguous United States. In addition, Olympic National Park contains one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted coastal wilderness in the country, 73 miles in all.

Water is serious business here. Precipitation in the peninsula’s rainforests is measured in feet, not inches, with some areas receiving over 12 feet each year. Contrast this with some parts of the drier northeastern section of the peninsula, which receive a comparatively paltry 15 to 20 inches on average. Again, variety is the rule. If the crystalline, jade waters of the glacier-fed lakes feel a little too cold for comfort, you have the opportunity to warm your bones in hot springs in the northern section of the park.

Despite its inherent ruggedness, rainy, and mysterious nature, the interior of the park has long been known to native peoples, as well as white settlers since the mid- to late 1800s. Unbridled curiosity and the inevitable desire for timber, mineral, and tourism dollars played a part in its recent exploration. Homesteads had been established by westward-moving pioneers on the periphery of the peninsula as early as the mid-1800s. However, the first documented exploration of the interior by white settlers didn’t occur until 1885, and it was no easy feat. One group of explorers spent a grueling month hacking through dense brush to get from Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge. (Today the trip takes approx. 45 min. by car.)

On the advice of some of these adventuresome explorers, Congress declared most of the peninsula a national forest. Then, in 1909, just before leaving office, President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid hunter, established Mount Olympus National Monument. It was set aside to preserve the summer range and breeding grounds of dwindling herds of Roosevelt elk (flatteringly named for the president himself in a brilliant piece of prelegislative public relations). In 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the bill that turned the national monument into a national park, and in 1953 the coastal strip was added. In 1981, the park was declared a World Heritage Park, and in 1988, 95% of the park was designated a wilderness area.

Today Olympic National Park encompasses more than 900,000 acres of mountains and rainforests, crystalline lakes, and Pacific shoreline. By a fortunate stroke of planning or a fortunate lack of money, no roads divide the interior of the park. Consequently, large sanctuaries exist here for elk, deer, eagles, bear, cougars, and other inhabitants and visitors to its interior.

Avoiding the Crowds

Avoiding the crowds in Olympic National Park is not as simple as you may think. With easy access from both Seattle and Victoria, BC, the park is a magnet for visitors from around the world. However, a few options are within your control.

The easiest solution is to go in the off season, especially in the fall. September is a great time to visit for the fall colors and visible wildlife. However, starting in mid-October, the west side of Olympic is often deluged with rain.

You might also try driving to the park from the southwest via Aberdeen. If you choose this route, you can see everything the peninsula offers in a nutshell. Instead of going to the Hoh, try the Queets. Although less traveled, this area affords the same rainforest views as the more popular Hoh.

Finally, if you absolutely have to come in the summer and don’t want to miss the most popular views, such as those on Hurricane Ridge, try heading up in the late afternoon when everyone else is on his or her way down. You’re liable to get spectacular views of the sunset as the fog rolls in and the deer make their evening pilgrimage to the parking lot at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The main travel artery for all visitors to Olympic National Park is U.S. 101. This northernmost point of the famous coastal highway encircles and only briefly enters the park. Most of the traffic into and out of the park is on the northeastern side, from Vancouver and Seattle.

If you’re departing from Seattle, you can take either of the ferries that run regularly every day from the same downtown Seattle dock. No reservations are available for most of the ferries, which cost about $15 one-way for a standard passenger vehicle. The Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry takes you for a half-hour ride across the Puget Sound before arriving in Bainbridge Island. From there, take Wash. 305 north through Poulsbo to the Hood Canal floating bridge, and then Wash. 104 across to U.S. 101. The Seattle–Bremerton Ferry arrives in Bremerton after a 60-minute ride. From Bremerton, take Wash. 3 north to the Hood Canal floating bridge. The Edmonds–Kingston Ferry is a 30-minute ride to Kingston, where you take Wash. 104 24 miles to U.S. 101. In addition, the Coupeville Ferry shuttles between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend, but it’s smaller and runs less frequently; reservations, available for this ferry only, are recommended.

For all ferry schedules and rates, contact Washington State Ferries, 2901 Third Ave., Ste. 500, Seattle, WA 98121 (phone 888/808-7977 or 511 statewide, or 206/464-6400 local and out of state; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries).

If you’d rather drive your car over dry land only, head west from Tacoma on Wash. 16 over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which connects with the eastern shore of the Kitsap Peninsula just south of Gig Harbor. Drive north on Wash. 16 to Port Orchard and Bremerton. From Bremerton, take Wash. 3 to the Hood Canal floating bridge and across to U.S. 101.

To reach the park from the south, take I-5 to Olympia, where you can connect with U.S. 101 North, or with Wash. 8 West to the other side of the U.S. 101 loop, to enter the Pacific Ocean section of the park.

The Nearest Airport Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (phone 206/787-5388; www.portseattle.org/seatac) is 15 miles south of Seattle on I-5. It’s served by most major airlines and car-rental companies. William R. Fairchild International Airport (phone 360/417-3433; www.portofpa.com/airports) is in Port Angeles, site of the park’s main visitor center, and is served by Kenmore Air (phone 866/435-9524; www.kenmoreair.com), which offers service between Port Angeles and Seattle. Budget provides car rentals. See chapter 38 for websites of the airlines and car-rental companies.

Information

Contact Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362-6798 (phone 360/565-3130, TTY 800/833-6388, or 360/565-3131 for a recording; www.nps.gov/olym). The park’s newspaper, The Bugler, offers a good look at the area.

Visitor Centers

There are three visitor centers in the park, offering exhibits, maps, guides, and information. Smaller ranger and information stations at popular trail heads are open only in summer.

The Olympic National Park Visitor Center (phone 360/565-3130), on the northern end of the park near Port Angeles, is a good jumping-off station before heading into the northwest part of the park. It’s a 45-minute drive from there to one of the most popular spots in the park, the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, where you’ll find beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains and alpine meadows blooming with wildflowers each summer. It also has a snack bar, interpretive exhibits, and trails. If you want to avoid the crowds, drive up in the late afternoon, as everyone else is leaving. Wait for sunset, and you might get a view of the mists coming in, and perhaps a visit from deer—but do not approach or feed any animals. Those who arrive before 10am will also find more elbow room.

The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, on the west side of the main part of the park, is some 15 miles off a turnoff from U.S. 101. This is an excellent spot for those who want to experience a temperate rainforest without spending a couple of days hiking in the elements. The information center is, like Hurricane Ridge, a favorite spot for tourists in the summer season. There are several interpretive trails and the beautiful Hall of Mosses nearby, as well as longer trails into the heart of the rainforest.

Smaller centers include the Storm King Information Station, on Lake Crescent in the northern section of the park, and the Kalaloch Information Station, on the south end of the beach section of the park. You can get food and some supplies near the Sol Duc Ranger Station at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.

Fees & Permits

Entrance to the park for up to a week costs $15 per vehicle, or $5 per individual hiking, biking, or on a motorcycle. Camping in the wilderness (for groups up to 12 people) costs $5 for a backcountry permit, plus $2 per person per night. Camping in the park campgrounds costs $10 to $18 a night. Dump station use costs $5.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Wilderness use permits, available at the Wilderness Information Center (just behind the main visitor center in Port Angeles) and at all ranger stations, are required for overnight stays in the backcountry. During the summer, you may also need reservations for certain areas. Call the Wilderness Information Center (phone 360/565-3100) for details.

When hiking, be prepared for sudden and extreme weather. Also, in October 2010, a hiker was killed by a mountain goat near Klahane Ridge—be sure to maintain a safe distance if you encounter any wildlife.

Seasons & Climate

The climate of the entire peninsula is best described as varied, of the marine type. In the winter, the temperatures stay in the 30s and 40s (single digits Celsius) during the day, and 20s and 30s (negative single digits Celsius) at night. The lower elevations, near the water, rarely receive more than 6 inches of accumulated snow per season, and it melts quickly. However, on the upper slopes, the snowfall can become quite heavy.

Spring is the late half of the rainy season, mostly wet, mild, and windy. Temperatures range from 35° to 60°F (2°–16°C), with lingering snow flurries in the mountains.

Summer temperatures range from a low of 45°F (7°C) in the evening to 75°F (24°C) and up to 80°F (27°C) or higher during the afternoons. In the latter half of the summer and early fall, fog and cloud banks often drift into the valleys and remain until midday, burn off, and sometimes return in the evening. Thunderstorms may occur in the evening in the upper elevations.

The fall is moderately cold and blustery; it ushers in the rainy season, which usually begins in mid- to late October. Snow begins to fall in the mountains as soon as early autumn. Temperatures range from 30° to 65°F (–1° to 18°C).

Rainfall varies throughout the Olympic Peninsula, but about three-quarters of the precipitation falls during the 6-month period from October through March, primarily on the Pacific side of the peninsula.

Seasonal Events

Seasonal events take place across the Olympic Peninsula, if not within the park itself. They include salmon cook-offs; classical, jazz, and bluegrass festivals; boat races; light opera; and arts and crafts festivals. For a full list, as well as other information about the area, contact the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (which operates a visitor center at 121 E. Railroad Ave. in Port Angeles; phone 360/452-2363; www.portangeles.org), or the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (phone 800/942-4042 or 360/452-8552; www.olympicpeninsula.org).

If You Have Only 1 day

Decide in advance what you would like to see. This is a big park, and no roads go completely through it. The roads that do venture inside (and they’re major tourist attractions) are generally short and pleasant. It’s 19 miles from U.S. 101 to the Hoh Visitor Center, and 17 miles to Hurricane Ridge.

If you want to see the rainforests and the coastal strip, drive north from Aberdeen on U.S. 101 (which circumnavigates the peninsula) through the coastal region, perhaps stopping at the Kalaloch Information Station and Ruby Beach, and then head to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, from where you can explore further. To see the glaciers and the alpine meadows of the east side of the park, start by driving to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles, and from there head up to Hurricane Ridge, where you set out on a hike or drive even farther into the park. From Seattle, the eastern option is closer.

Exploring the Park by Car

The Rainforests & the Coast

If the rainforests are your destination, your best bet is to drive west and north from Olympia (or, if you’re coming from Seattle on a ferry, west and south from Port Angeles or Port Townsend) along the western side of the peninsula. The first opportunity to see a bit of the rainforest is near the north shore of Lake Quinault, at the southern end of the main part of the park. If you plan to stay the night, this area has a number of lodges, motels, and campgrounds. From the ranger station on the south shore, there are several interpretive hikes along the lake; those who want to delve into the rainforest should start on the north side of the lake. The view of the mountains from Lake Quinault is quite spectacular on a sunny day, but the area serves as a good hors d’oeuvre more than anything else.

Drive north on U.S. 101. You should be able to get to the Queets River Valley if the road is open (it washes out frequently); the valley is home to some of the most beautiful (and remote) rainforests on the peninsula. Or you can keep driving northwest on U.S. 101 to the Kalaloch Information Station, where you can enjoy views of the Pacific from Kalaloch to Ruby Beach. Of the two options, it’s a tough call. You might get to see elk in some of the former homestead meadows in the early morning or late afternoon on the 3-mile Sams River Loop Trail in the Queets, but understand that it’s the least accessible of the rainforests. Watch for seasonal closures during the winter and late fall.

After leaving the coastal area at Ruby Beach, continue your northward drive on U.S. 101 to the turnoff for the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. It’s a 19-mile drive from U.S. 101 to the center, with excellent views of the Hoh River along the way. You could also spend a long day hiking the 9 miles (one-way) from the Hoh Visitor Center parking lot up to the Olympus Guard Station. In just a few hours, this hike goes from temperate rainforest to alpine meadows with stunning views of Mount Olympus. If you’re not feeling so ambitious, take the short Hall of Mosses or Spruce Nature trail, and get ready to head north again, to Sol Duc.

The last leg of our excursion takes you to one of the most commercially developed areas in the park, Sol Duc and the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. It might be a nice idea, before you head back down the coast to Olympia, or to sleep in your campsite or hotel room, to have a dip in these famous hot springs (open from late spring to early fall). The hot springs experience costs $12 to enter ($9.25 for kids); packages, including a sauna and a massage, are available. You also have your choice of comfort levels, anywhere from 70° to 158°F (21°–70°C). But be forewarned: There’s a resort here, and the springs can be crowded. Still, if you’re into a relaxing soak after a long day of hiking, it may be just the thing.

The area has more than hot springs. Try taking the 1.5-mile round-trip hike from the springs through some wonderfully dense forest to Sol Duc Falls. Or take the Mink Lake Trail through 2.5 miles of uphill grade and forest to get a look at one of the many higher-altitude lakes that dot the Sol Duc region.

The East Side of the Park

Seen the rainforests? You could do a lot worse than spending a day seeing the glaciers and the alpine meadows of the east side of the park. This time, the jumping-off point is probably Port Angeles. First, visit the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, to get acquainted with what you’re about to see.

As in the rainforest tour, this trip starts with a choice: Head back through Port Angeles for the Elwha/Altair area, or from the visitor center to Hurricane Ridge. Either way, you’re in for a variety of Olympic experiences.

The Elwha area has a small ranger station and, farther up the road, the site of Lake Mills, which is undergoing dam removal (the largest in U.S. history) until at least 2013, likely interfering with travel until the project is completed. Several trails will be closed for the duration of the project.

Along the way to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles, pass the Heart O’ the Hills Campground. At Hurricane Ridge, one of the most popular spots in the park, there are a number of short interpretive trails, very good for seeing wildflowers during times of big blooms. Many larger trails intersect here as well. The visitor center has numerous interpretive exhibits and a snack bar.

Leaving Hurricane Ridge, Port Angeles, or the Elwha area, drive a little farther southeast. Off a turnoff from U.S. 101 is the less crowded Deer Park Ranger Station, where you get the same sort of views as at Hurricane Ridge without jostling for position. The road to Deer Park is steep and graveled. It’s not suitable for RVs and trailers, and be prepared to deal with steep inclines, turns, and potholes. The road is closed in winter.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Olympic National Park offers a variety of programs, including campfire talks and beach walks. You’ll find rainforest tours originating from the Hoh and Quinault ranger stations, alpine wildflower walks from the Hurricane Ridge area, and waterfall walks from the Storm King Ranger Station. Check the park newspaper, The Bugler, for a current schedule.

Outside Olympic National Park, consider visiting other locations along U.S. 101, such as the community of Dungeness and Sequim Bay State Park on the northeastern tip of the peninsula, with their beautiful shorelines and views of the strait. As you travel farther south, the Hood Canal will appear on your left. There are numerous places here to see seals on the rocks, especially at Seal Point.

Day Hikes

The park has a vast number of trails, and they all seem to connect somewhere. Consequently, it’s possible to tie several trails together to create your own route. It’s also easy to get lost—make sure to carry a map (and tide tables for coastal hikes), a compass, and water at all times. For a complete listing, visit the park’s website or write ahead for a free Olympic National Park map from the Wilderness Information Center, Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362.

The following is a partial, though representative, list of some of the many wonderful trails in the park. Backcountry permits are required for overnight trips. They’re available at the Wilderness Information Center, behind the main visitor center in Port Angeles (phone 360/565-3100), and at all ranger stations. During the summer, you may also need reservations for certain areas. You’ll pay a $5 fee for wilderness camping for groups of up to 12 people, plus $2 per person per night. Call the Wilderness Information Center for information.

Coastal Area

Cape Alava/Sand Point Loop This loop begins with a stroll over a cedar-plank boardwalk through teeming coastal marsh and grasslands. (Careful! Boards are slippery when wet, which is most of the time.) The trail connects to its second leg on a wilderness beach strip of the Pacific shoreline, the westernmost point in the Lower 48. Camping is permitted on the beach, but it’s a popular spot in the summer and reservations are required. Continue south 1 mile past the petroglyphs that can be seen from the rocks along the shore next to the high-tide line. Two miles south of this area, the trail connects to the Sand Point leg, which is an easy stroll back to the Ozette Ranger Station. A permit and reservation are required here. Call the Wilderness Information Center. 9 miles RT. Easy. Access: Ozette Ranger Station.

Hoh River to Queets River The beaches here are wide and flat, and the surf fishing is good. With this trail’s proximity to U.S. 101, you can expect to see a lot of people here in the summer, but camping is not allowed. This section, compared to the more northern trails, is fairly tame. Destruction Island Overlook is famous for its whale-watching from March to April and November to December.

Warning: Coastal hiking can be treacherous. Tides can trap you. Never round headlands without knowledge of the tide heights and times. Carry a tide chart. Obtain additional information from the Wilderness Information Center. Up to 15 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Ruby Beach parking lot.

Sand Point to Rialto Beach This is a coastline famous for its shipwrecks, the memorials of which dot the beach at many points, along with an abandoned mine. Other than that, there are few signs of human activity. Enjoy the sand and the mist, take in the forests that come down to land’s end, and get ready for the storms that visit here regularly. Up to 20 miles one-way. Easy to strenuous. Access: Ozette Ranger Station from the north or Rialto Beach from the south.

Second Beach Trail Wander through a lovely forest to a sandy beach, with tide pools and sea stacks. A long set of stair steps awaits at the end. For a short walk, this is hard to beat. .7 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Second Beach parking area on La Push Rd., 14 miles west of U.S. 101.

Third Beach to Hoh River This trail is not a leisurely stroll. You’ll do a bit of inland skirting along old oil company roads to avoid some of the more wicked headlands, and there are some sand ladders (contraptions constructed of cables and wooden slats) just beyond Taylor Point. In addition, a slightly treacherous crossing is farther south at Goodman Creek. So what’s the reward for the intrepid hiker? Toleak Point is 5 miles down the beach, where there is a sheltered campsite that’s famous for its wildlife. The entire area is well known for its shipwrecks, wildlife, coastal headlands, and sea stacks. The trail ends at Oil City, north of the Hoh Indian Reservation. 17 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Third Beach parking area, 3 miles beyond La Push Rd. left fork.

Western Parklands & Rainforests

Bogachiel River This hike, an equally beautiful cousin to the often-crowded Hoh River Trail, is as long or short as you want to make it. The beginning, outside of the national park boundary, has been harvested, but once you enter Olympic proper, you’ll enter a rainforest extravaganza—huge Douglas firs, spruce, cedar, and big-leaf maples, including the world’s largest silver fir, some 8 miles from the trail head. Approximately 6 miles into the trail is the Bogachiel Shelter, and 8 miles in is Flapjack Camp, both good backcountry campsites. This is pretty much the end of the flatland; farther up, the trail begins to get steep. Length varies. Easy to moderate in the lowlands, more strenuous farther inland. Access: 5 miles south of Forks, turn left across from Bogachiel State Park onto Undie Rd., and continue 5 miles to the trail head.

Hoh River Valley This is one of the most heavily traveled trails in the park, at least in the lower elevations, and it won’t take you long to figure out why. Huge Sitka spruces hung with moss shelter the Roosevelt elk that wander among its lowlands. The first 13 miles, through the massive rainforests and tall grass meadows along the Hoh River Valley bottomlands, are relatively flat. The number of fellow walkers drops off after the first few miles. Happy Four Camp (6 miles in) and Olympus Guard Station (9 miles in) provide excellent camp or turnaround sites. The trail continues climbing east for the remaining 4 or 5 miles. You can eventually find yourself at the edge of the famous Blue Glacier on Mount Olympus, elevation 7,965 feet. Be careful. After July, hiking near the park’s glaciers can be dangerous because of snowmelt. Up to 17 miles one-way. Easy to moderate in the lowlands, more strenuous farther inland. Access: Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.

Lake Quinault Loop Inside the Olympic National Forest, not the park, this trail is easily accessible, is well maintained, and offers beautiful views. Consequently, it’s quite crowded in the summer. Elevation changes are gentle, making this an excellent walk for kids.

The trail wanders about the shore of Lake Quinault, past historic Lake Quinault Lodge as well as the adjacent campgrounds and other lakeside attractions, before heading into its most popular section, the Big Tree Grove. Here you can wander among the huge trunks of 500-year-old Douglas firs. Watch for the interpretive signs. In addition, the Big Tree Grove is accessible on a 1-mile loop trail that originates from the Rain Forest Nature Trail parking lot. 4 miles RT. Easy. Access: Trail heads at various spots along the loop, including South Shore Rd., Quinault Lodge, Willaby Campground, Quinault Ranger Station, and Falls Creek Campground. All access originates from south shore of Lake Quinault.

Maple Glade Rain Forest Trail This is a beautiful, peaceful trail with lots of exhibits. Take the kids, or enjoy it yourself. As you meander, you’ll pass through trees, open meadows, and an abandoned beaver pond. Keep your eyes peeled for the ever-possible elk sighting. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Quinault Rain Forest Ranger Station.

North Fork of the Quinault The North Fork Trail could conceivably take you 47 miles, all the way through the park to the Elwha Valley on the north side—if you make the right connections and are maniacal enough. The trail is relatively benign for the first dozen miles as it winds inward along the river toward its source near Mount Seattle. Wilderness camping areas are available at Wolf Bar (2.5 miles in), at Halfway House (5.3 miles in), and in a gorge in Elip Creek (6.5 miles in). Next, the trail climbs steeply toward Low Divide, Lake Mary, and Lake Margaret, where you can get beautiful views of Mount Seattle, at an elevation of 6,246 feet. Snow can remain at this elevation until midsummer, so be ready. There’s a summer ranger station at Low Divide, and many high-elevation campsites here as well. Up to 17 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: End of North Fork Rd.

Queets River Trail This is the trail for the serious rainforest and wilderness lover. Part of its appeal is that the average hiker must exert a bit of an effort to reach the trail’s solitude and quietly majestic scenery. Within 50 yards of your car, you’ll be crossing the Queets River—without a bridge. Even on this first of several trips across the river, the water can be treacherous. It’s best to visit during the dry season in late summer. An option is to cross the Sams River to the right of the Queets, connecting and crossing the Queets River farther up. At 2.5 miles, gape at one of the largest Douglas firs in the park. After 5 miles of hiking through elk and giant fern territory, you’ll arrive at Spruce Bottom, which is a common haunt for steelhead anglers and has several good campsites. The trail ends at Pelton Creek, where more campsites are available. Up to 16 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Queets River Campground.

Sam’s River Loop Trail This short loop parallels both the Sams River and the Queets River, providing a view of some old homestead meadows, beautiful spruce trees, and perhaps an elk or two in the meadows in the evening. 2.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Queets River Ranger Station.

Northern Park Regions

Deer Lake This trail is a steady climb through beautiful woods to a tree-lined lake. Canada jays wait to eat your food, but don’t feed them. There are some switchbacks on this trail, and it can get pretty bumpy in spots. 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Junction of Sol Duc Falls.

Elwha River Trails The serious backpacker arranges a pickup car at the Dosewallips or North Fork trail heads and heads for a week or so along the trail that was blazed by the famed 1889 Press Expedition, the first Anglo excursion across the Olympic Mountains. For a good distance, the trail follows the blue-green of the Elwha River to its source on the sometimes snow-slushy peak at Low Divide (elev. 3,600 ft.), which is also the head of the Quinault River. You can follow the trail downhill to the North Fork of the Quinault.

What can you expect on such a monumental trip? Old-growth forests, moist valley flatlands, and gently sloping hills appear around you as you explore the Elwha Valley before you begin your ascent toward the sometimes calf-busting Low Divide. Roosevelt elk, black bears, mountain lions, marmots, or a grouse or two might show up. At Low Divide, you’re treated to spectacular views of Mount Seattle to the north and Mount Christie to the south. From here, you begin your descent from alpine heights to the rainforests along the Quinault.

As with any overnight wilderness trip, be sure to check in at the park’s Wilderness Information Center (phone 360/565-3100) beforehand. Also, the Elwha River restoration will entail some road closures through completion no earlier than 2013. Up to 50 miles one-way. Difficulty varies. Access: Drive just beyond Elwha Ranger Station to Whiskey Bend Rd. Go past Glines Canyon Dam, 1 1/2 miles up the road. At road’s end is Whiskey Bend trail head, just beyond Upper Lake Mills trail head.

Geyser Valley Loop From the Whiskey Bend trail head, hike down the trail to the Eagles Nest Overlook for a view of the meadows that stretch from valley to valley. You may see an elk or black bear if you’re lucky. Head back to the trail and proceed a half mile to the Rica Canyon Trail for a view of Goblin’s Gate, a rock formation in the Canyon Gorge that might look like a bunch of goblins’ heads staring at you, if you stare back hard enough. The trail to Goblin’s Gate drops 325 feet on the half-mile walk to the viewing area. At this point, you can follow a riverside trail for another half mile to some prime fishing spots, or continue to the Krause Bottom and Humes Ranch area; you can get a glimpse into the park’s homesteading history. At any one of these points, you can return to the Whiskey Bend Trail or continue northeast past Michael’s Cabin, another old homestead. 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Whiskey Bend Rd.

High Divide Loop Like many trails in the park, this one gives you a chance to design your own hike—be sure to bring a map. From the Sol Duc trail head, climb a relatively easy wooded route of less than a mile to Sol Duc Falls and keep going. You can take a leg out to the Seven Lakes Basin Area. On clear summer days, you can enjoy the wildflowers along the slopes of Bogachiel, the view to the south of the glaciers of Mount Olympus, or the brilliant sunsets on the western Pacific horizon. As with any park trails, permits are required for all overnight stays. Up to 20 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Sol Duc Ranger Station.

Lover’s Lane Loop This trail creates a loop that links the campground, resort, and Sol Duc Falls. Cross the bridge at the falls and continue around on the trail, which will return you to the resort and campground area after taking you through beautiful Douglas-fir groves and fern glades. Portions of the trail are narrow and rocky and can get muddy until things dry out in midsummer. You may spot grouse along the trail. 5.8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Sol Duc trail head or Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.

Marymere Falls This is one of the most popular hikes in the park. It’s well maintained, sits close to U.S. 101, and has a definite goal: beautiful Marymere Falls. It’s a popular trail for kids, but the littlest ones will have trouble with the steep ascent to the viewing platform. Start out on the Barnes Creek Trail, which leads .7 mile through beautiful maples and conifers to the Marymere Trail turnoff. Continue up to the falls, where silvery water drops from a moss-covered outcropping some 100 feet to the basin below. 1.8 miles RT. Easy. Access: Storm King Ranger Station.

Mink Lake Trail This is a long climb up to Mink Lake, where herons are known to pursue an elusive trout or two. In late summer, brilliant buckbean flowers fill the marshy edges of the lake, and huckleberries are abundant. 5.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Opposite end of Sol Duc Resort parking lot from the pools.

North Fork of the Sol Duc On this trail, you climb the ridge between the main and north forks of the river before descending into the North Fork Valley. The trail passes through old-growth forests before arriving at the deep-green pools of the river. The curious can venture upriver for several more miles. 2.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North Fork trail head, 3 3/4 miles down Sol Duc Rd. away from the resort.

Sol Duc Falls One of the more popular spots on the peninsula, Sol Duc Falls is viewed from a bridge that spans the canyon just below the falls. On the way, check out the huge hemlocks and Douglas firs, some of which are 300 years old. This trail is wide, graveled, and level, making it great for kids. 1.7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Sol Duc Ranger Station.

Spruce Railroad This is the trail you want to take for a leisurely stroll on a hot summer afternoon. The flat, wide trail wanders around the unbelievably blue-green waters of Lake Crescent, along an old stretch of abandoned railroad, with excellent views of Mount Storm King. There are two abandoned railroad tunnels (don’t go in!) and a much-photographed arch bridge at Devil’s Punchbowl. 8 miles RT. Easy. Access: End of North Shore Rd. along Lake Crescent, or from east end near Log Cabin Resort.

Hurricane Ridge Area

Cirque Rim Trail & Big Meadow Loops These trails provide a wonderful little taste of subalpine meadows, deer, and the summer displays of wildflowers, along with excellent views of Port Angeles, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Olympic Mountains. .5 mile and .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center parking lot.

Grand Ridge (Obstruction Point to Green Mountain) This is the highest section of trail in the park, a fact you might notice as you gaze out to Victoria, BC, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the north, or to the south, toward the Grand Valley with its string of lakes and the numerous snow-clad peaks of the Olympic interior. There is a shortage of both trees and water on this hike.

From the parking lot, follow the trail to the left. (The right goes to Grand Valley.) In 2 miles you’ll find yourself at the breathtaking top of Elk Mountain. Over the next 5.5 miles, you will pass through Roaring Winds Camp (not misnamed) on your way up to Maiden Peak. This is a good turnaround point, unless you want to descend to Deer Park. 11 miles RT. Moderate. Access: From Hurricane Ridge, turn right onto dirt road to Obstruction Point, and continue 8 1/2 miles to end of road.

High Ridge, Alpine Hill to Klahhane Ridge You can take the short, paved 1-mile High Ridge Route (which is chock-full of interpretive exhibits) and then return to the parking lot. Or you can proceed along the unpaved portion to Sunrise Ridge, a rocky little backbone of a view point off the High Ridge Trail, providing excellent panoramas of the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Angeles, and numerous beautiful alpine glaciers and wildflowers. The rest of the 3.3-mile, somewhat strenuous walk climbs to the top of Klahhane Ridge. As numerous signs warn, do not feed or approach the deer and marmots here. 1–8 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

Hurricane Hill This is a popular trail in the summertime. The broad, paved trail climbs along an abandoned work road up to brilliant alpine meadows, with fantastic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Port Angeles to the north and glacier-crowned Mount Olympus to the south. 3.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: 1 1/2 miles from Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

Eastern & Southeastern Section

Note: At press time, Dosewallips Road was washed out and no timeline was set for repair (the U.S. Forest Service has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to address the future of this road, but it doesn’t look like the road will be rebuilt or reopened any time soon). Hikers and stock can still explore the area, but the new trek to the trail head adds about 5.5 miles (one-way) to the hikes below.

Main Fork Dosewallips/Constance Pass Take the Main Fork Dosewallips to the north, and you’ll find yourself on a moderate climb through old-growth forest for 7.5 miles before the trail flattens out at Constance Pass. Fields of wildflowers skirt the edge of Mount Constance. The trail ends in another 3.4 miles at Boulder Shelter in Olympic National Forest. You can also catch the Upper Big Quilcene Trail or the Upper Dungeness Trail here. 11 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Dosewallips trail head.

Main Fork of the Dosewallips This is a versatile trail. You can catch a lot more of the inland trails from here, including Constance Pass Trail, the Gray Wolf Trail, and the Elwha River Trail. The Dosewallips side of the park sometimes seems like the neglected side—it’s not as flashy as a glacial meadow or a rainforest. But the Dosewallips is one of the most beautiful rivers in the country, its jade-green water crashing down among narrow cliffs. And you might skirt some of the crowds. 31 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Dosewallips trail head.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Almost all trails in the park are closed to mountain bikes. The only exception is the Spruce Railroad Trail, which was once a railroad grade that ran along the shore of the lake. It is quite flat and easy for its 4-mile length; an additional 1 1/2-mile stretch of road extends past the North Shore Picnic Area. The highlight of the trail is a much-photographed arched bridge across a rocky cove. A few dirt roads for mountain bikers extend from paved roads; they include the section from Hurricane Ridge to Obstruction Peak.

For road bikers, U.S. 101 can be treacherous, with eager motorists rubbernecking and all. But if you get through that, you can find some pleasant rides on any of the roads that poke into the park.

Kayaking & Canoeing Although large and often windy, glacier-carved Lake Crescent is a beautiful place to do a little paddling. Lush, green forests rise straight up from the shores of the 624-foot-deep lake, giving the waters a fjordlike quality unmatched on the peninsula. Boat ramps are on U.S. 101 at Storm King (near the middle of the lake) and at Fairholme (at the west end of the lake). On East Beach Road, on the lake’s northeast shore, there is a private boat ramp at the Log Cabin Resort.

If you launch at Storm King, you can explore around Barnes Point, away from U.S. 101 traffic noise (but in view of the Lake Crescent Lodge). From Fairholme, you can paddle along the north shore. From the Log Cabin Resort, you can explore the bay that feeds the Lyre River, the lake’s outlet stream. When winds blow down this lake, as they often do, the waters can be dangerous for small boats.

Fairholm Store & Marina, at the west end of the lake (phone 360/928-3020; www.fairholmstore.com), rents canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. Boats are also available for rent at the Log Cabin Resort, 3183 E. Beach Rd., Port Angeles (phone 360/928-3325; www.logcabinresort.net), on the lake’s northeast shore.

Lake Ozette, surprisingly deep and nearly 10 miles long, is the third-largest natural lake in Washington and a fascinating place to explore by sea kayak or canoe. Only a mile from the Pacific Ocean, the lake is indented by numerous coves and bays, and surrounds three small islands. Campsites along the shore include the boat-in sites at Erickson’s Bay.

The Swan Bay boat launch, one of two on the large lake, is probably the best choice for paddlers. For a leisurely half-day paddle, just explore the shores of the convoluted bay, in the middle of which is Garden Island. For a daylong trip, try paddling down the lake to Tivoli Island. For an overnighter, head to the lake’s western shore and the campsites at Erickson’s Bay. From here, you can explore up and down the west shore.

Both Lake Crescent and Lake Ozette are big lakes subject to quick changes of weather and wind. Whitecaps can come up suddenly, and cold waters can cause hypothermia. Check the weather forecast before leaving, and keep an eye on the sky. Also see “White-Water Kayaking & Rafting,” below.

Llama Trips The park and surrounding areas have become a favorite for llama pack trips. Kit’s Llamas (phone 253/857-5274; www.northolympic.com/llamas) offers day trips and overnights starting at $75 per person.

Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing Any of the roads leading into the mountains will offer a satisfying winter trek; check with park rangers about avalanche hazards before you go. If you seek views, head to Hurricane Ridge with the rest of the winter crowd and set out on any of the area’s trails. One place to rent snowshoes is Olympic Outdoor Center, 18971 Front St. in Poulsbo (phone 800/592-5983 or 360/697-6095; www.olympicoutdoorcenter.com), which charges $15 a day.

White-Water Kayaking & Rafting White-water rafting, scenic floats, and sea kayaking are options in and around Olympic National Park. Guided trips last approximately half a day. Canoe and kayak rentals are available from Olympic Raft & Kayak, 123 Lake Aldwell Rd., Port Angeles (phone 888/452-1443 or 360/452-1443; www.raftandkayak.com); prices start at $50 per day. Rates for guided trips start at $54 for adults and $44 for kids 5 to 11. The company also offers classes (call for details).

Another respected company that provides guided white-water trips outside the park, classes, and rentals is Olympic Outdoor Center (see “Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing,” above).

Camping

Many campgrounds here are open seasonally, and their exact schedules are subject to change. Campgrounds at higher elevations may be snow-covered (and closed) from early November to late June; seasonal campgrounds at lower elevations may open earlier.

There are no showers or laundry facilities inside the park; the Log Cabin Resort, on the north shore of Lake Crescent at the northern edge of the park, has both.

The park has no RV hookups aside from those at Sol Duc ($33 nightly; reserve via www.olympicnationalparks.com; phone 866/574-2708), and many sites can accommodate RVs of only 21 feet or less. Use of the park’s RV dump stations costs $5. The Log Cabin Resort offers RV sites with hookups (see below).

* Trailers/RVs prohibited.

** Walk-in sites.

* Trailers/RVs prohibited.

** Walk-in sites.

* Trailers/RVs prohibited.

** Walk-in sites.

North- & East-Side Campgrounds

The six campgrounds on the northern edge of the park are some of the busiest in the park, due to their proximity to U.S. 101.

Deer Park is the easternmost of these campgrounds (to get there, take Deer Park Rd. from U.S. 101 east of Port Angeles); at 5,400 feet, it’s also the only high-elevation campground in the park. The winding one-way gravel road to the campground will have you wondering how you’re ever going to get back down the mountain. (RVs and trailers are prohibited.) Deer frequent the campground, and hiking trails head out across the ridges and valleys.

Because of its proximity to Hurricane Ridge, Heart O’ the Hills is especially popular. It’s on Hurricane Ridge Road, 5 miles south of the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Several trails start at or near the campground.

Two campgrounds are on Olympic Hot Springs Road, up the Elwha River, which is popular with kayakers and anglers. Elwha is the trail head for a trail leading up to Hurricane Ridge. Altair has a boat ramp often used by rafters and kayakers. And, yes, there are undeveloped hot springs pools, just a 2.5-mile hike away.

The only national park campground on Lake Crescent is Fairholme, at the west end of the lake. This campground is popular with power boaters and can be rather noisy. South of this area, nearby Sol Duc sits amid impressive stands of old-growth trees near the Sol Duc Hot Springs (and the resort there). Not surprisingly, it is often crowded.

You’ll find RV sites with full hookups at the Log Cabin Resort, 3183 E. Beach Rd., on the north shore of Lake Crescent (www.logcabinresort.net; phone 360/928-3325). Because there are no hookups at any of the national park campgrounds, this is a good choice for RVers. The resort accepts credit cards (DISC, MC, V) and is open year-round.

Southeast-Side Campgrounds

Along the Dosewallips River, you’ll find the walk-in-only Dosewallips Campground in a forested setting. The campground is a 5.5-mile hike from the road; a landslide closed the road for cars.

The remote Staircase Campground is inland from the Hood Canal and is a good base for day hikes or as a starting point for a longer backpacking trip. It’s up the Skokomish River from Lake Cushman on F.S. 24 and is the trail head for the Six Ridge, Flapjack Lakes, and Anderson Pass trails.

South- & Southwest-Side Campgrounds

If you want to say you’ve camped in the wettest rainforest in the Lower 48, head for Hoh, a busy campground near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.

East of Lake Quinault, North Fork and Graves Creek, reached only by unpaved roads that are prone to washouts and not recommended for RVs, provide access to several long-distance hiking trails.

Queets was closed due to flooding in 2005, but the park rerouted the road and reopened it in 2008. The road often washes out; call for the latest information.

Coastal Campgrounds

Along the peninsula’s west side are several beach campgrounds. Busy Kalaloch, at the southernmost portion of the park’s coastal strip, is the only Olympic National Park campground that accepts reservations, and only for the period from mid-June through early September (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777).

Up the coast is Mora, along the Quillayute River about 2 miles from beautiful Rialto Beach. About 3 miles in from the coast is the remote Ozette, on the north shore of Lake Ozette. It’s a good choice for kayakers and canoeists, as well as people wanting to day-hike to the beaches on either side of Cape Alava. This campground may be closed during periods of heavy rain because of flooding.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Kalaloch Lodge This rustic, cedar-shingled lodge and its cluster of cabins perch on a grassy bluff. Below, the Pacific Ocean thunders against a sandy beach where huge driftwood logs are scattered like so many twigs. The breathtaking setting makes this one of the most popular lodges on the coast, and it’s advisable to book rooms at least 4 months in advance (13 months in advance for July–Aug and major holidays). The rooms in the old lodge are the least expensive and usually sell out day-of, but the ocean-view bluff cabins are the most popular. The log cabins across the road from the bluff cabins don’t have the knockout views. Amenities in the cabins vary—some have cooktops, refrigerators, microwaves, and Franklin stoves. For comfort, you can’t beat the motel-like rooms in the Sea Crest House. All units have coffeemakers, two walking sticks, and tide tables. The dining room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there is a casual coffee shop. The lodge also has a general store and gas station.

157151 U.S. 101, Forks, WA 98331. www.olympicnationalparks.com. phone 866/525-2562. Fax 360/962-3391. 64 units. Late May to mid-Oct $134–$201 lodge or motel room double; $311 suite; $199–$335 cabin. Lower rates rest of year. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in cabins ($25 one-time fee).

Lake Crescent Lodge This historic lodge, built in 1915, lies 20 miles west of Port Angeles on the south shore of Lake Crescent. It is the lodging of choice for those wishing to stay on the north side of the park. The five guest rooms in the main building are the oldest and have shared bathrooms. If you’d like more modern accommodations, there are also standard motel-style rooms. If you have family or friends along, I recommend reserving a cottage. Those with fireplaces are the most comfortable and the most popular, and the rocker-equipped porches aren’t too shabby, either. All rooms have views of the lake or the mountains. Wood paneling, hardwood floors, a stone fireplace, and a sunroom make the lobby a popular spot for just sitting and relaxing. The Lodge Dining Room serves three meals daily. A lobby lounge provides a quiet place for an evening drink in a classic lodge atmosphere. Rowboat rentals are available. All units are smoke-free.

416 Lake Crescent Rd., Port Angeles, WA 98363. www.olympicnationalparks.com. phone 888/723-7127 or 360/928-3211. Fax 360/928-3253. 52 units. $105 double with shared bathroom; $165–$189 double with private bathroom; $199–$239 cottage. $15 per additional person. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to early May, except Dec–Apr cottages only on weekends, no services. Children 17 and under not accepted in main building. Pets accepted in cottages ($25 one-time fee).

Log Cabin Resort This resort on the north shore of Lake Crescent first opened in 1895 and still has buildings that date from the 1920s. The least expensive accommodations are rustic one-room log cabins in which you provide the bedding and share a bathroom a short walk away. More comfortable are the 1928 cabins with private bathrooms (shower or tub), some of which also have kitchenettes. (You provide the cooking and eating utensils.) The lodge rooms (with showers, microwaves, and coffeemakers) and a chalet (with a shower, kitchen sink, and refrigerator) offer the greatest comfort and best views. The lodge dining room, which offers organic and natural foods, overlooks the lake. The resort also has a general store and RV sites (see “Camping,” earlier in this chapter). Note: The contract with the concessionaire was up after the 2011 season, meaning the rates and services could change with a new operator in 2012.

3183 E. Beach Rd., Port Angeles, WA 98363. www.logcabinresort.net. phone 360/928-3325. 24 cabins, 8 with bathroom; 4 motel units; 2 chalet units. $66 cabin for 2 without bathroom; $94–$116 cabin for 2 with bathroom; $121 double lodge unit; $161 chalet. DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov–Mar. Pets accepted in cabins ($12 per pet).

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort At the end of Sol Duc Road, the Sol Duc Hot Springs area has been a popular family vacation spot for years. Campers, day-trippers, and resort guests all spend the day soaking and playing in the hot spring–fed sitting pools. The grounds of the resort are grassy and open, but the forest is within arm’s reach. The cabins, done in modern motel style, are comfortable, if not spacious. Cabins are available with or without kitchenettes. The excellent restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, and the poolside deli serves lunch. The resort also has a gift shop and a convenience store. The focal point is the three soaking pools, which are open to the public ($12 adults, $9.25 children 4–12, free for kids under 4; room rates include pool access for guests). Massages are also available, as are RV sites ($33).

Sol Duc Rd., U.S. 101 (P.O. Box 2169), Port Angeles, WA 98362. www.olympicnationalparks.com. phone 866/476-5382. Fax 360/327-3593. 32 cabins. $163–$196 double; $382 suite. Rates include full breakfast and pool access. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to early Mar. Pets accepted ($25 one-time fee).

Near the Park in Port Angeles

Domaine Madeleine Looking for a romantic getaway? You won’t find a better spot than Domaine Madeleine. Set on beautifully gardened grounds overlooking the water, this B&B has a secluded and relaxing atmosphere. The guest rooms are in several different buildings surrounded by colorful gardens on about 10 acres. All rooms have views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the mountains beyond, fireplaces, and hair dryers, plus romantic touches such as French perfumes and his-and-hers designer robes. Four units have whirlpool tubs for two, and three have kitchenettes. The elaborate breakfasts, offering items such as Dungeness crab cakes, smoked salmon, and apple crepes, are superb. There is a DVD library and Wi-Fi. All rooms are smoke-free.

146 Wildflower Lane, Port Angeles, WA 98362. www.domainemadeleine.com. phone 888/811-8376 or 360/457-4174. 5 units. TV, TEL. Summer $195–$310 double; winter $160–$225 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, MC, V. Children 12 and under not accepted.

Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles If you’re on your way to or from Victoria, there’s no more convenient hotel than the Red Lion. Located on the waterfront, it’s steps from the ferry terminal (ferries go to British Columbia) and Hollywood Beach. Most rooms have balconies and large bathrooms, and the more expensive rooms overlook the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A seafood restaurant is adjacent to the hotel. Laundry machines and valet service are available, and there’s a heated outdoor pool and hot tub as well as free Wi-Fi.

221 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles, WA 98362. www.redlion.com/portangeles. phone 360/452-9215. Fax 360/452-4734. 186 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $149–$209 double; $179–$229 suite. Lower rates off season. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

In the Forks Area

Manitou Lodge Bed & Breakfast My pick for the entire area, this terrific B&B is secluded on 10 forested acres only minutes from some of the most beautiful and remote beaches in the Northwest. The rooms are decorated in an eclectic, Native American-meets-nautical style and a touch of class that combines handmade furniture, quilts, and other crafts with antiques. All units have microwaves and Wi-Fi. The largest guest room, Sacagawea, has a wood-burning fireplace, king bed, handmade tables, and an old oak freezer chest as a dresser. There are five rooms in the main lodge, two more in a separate cottage, and two primitive, summer-only cabins with access to a bathroom in the main lodge. There is also a “luxury campsite” with everything set up; guests need bring only cooking gear. Guests tend to gravitate to the comfortable great room, where a stone fireplace is the center of attention.

813 Kilmer Rd. (P.O. Box 600), Forks, WA 98331. www.manitoulodge.com. phone 360/374-6295. Fax 360/374-7495. 9 units. $99–$179 double; primitive cabins (May–Oct only) $69–$99 double; luxury campsite $50 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, MC, V. Take Wash. 110 west from 1 mile north of Forks; after 8 miles, turn right on Mora Rd. and then right on Kilmer Rd. Pets accepted in several units ($10 fee).

Miller Tree Inn This charming and comfortable old 1916 farmhouse, a few blocks east of downtown Forks, is surrounded by large trees and pastures. There’s nothing fussy or pretentious—it’s just a friendly inn that caters primarily to outdoors enthusiasts and fans of the Twilight books and movies (set right here in Forks, though filmed in Columbia River Gorge, WA). Two rooms have two-person whirlpool tubs, two more have one-person tubs, and three have gas fireplaces. A hot tub is on the back deck. The breakfasts are worth getting up for—specialties include gingerbread pancakes with lemon sauce, and caramel-peach French toast. All rooms are smoke-free.

654 E. Division St. (P.O. Box 1565), Forks, WA 98331. www.millertreeinn.com. phone 800/943-6563 or 360/374-6806. Fax 360/374-6807. 8 units. June to mid-Sept $130–$225 double; mid-Sept to May $115–$175 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in 1 unit ($10 per night).

Quillayute River Resort A gem of a resort that opened in the 1950s as a fishing destination—it fronts the Quillayute River—was reborn in 2005 as a park-oriented lodging. Conveniently located on 7 acres near several park beaches, the comfortable rooms here offer nice river views and some original cabinetry as well as new furnishings, kitchens, and gas fireplaces. There is a great front porch and lawn area facing the river.

473 Mora Rd., Forks, WA 98331. www.qriverresort.com. phone 360/374-7447. 5 units. Mid-May to Sept $180 double; Oct to mid-May $110–$145 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

South of the Park

Lake Quinault Lodge On the shore of Lake Quinault at the southwest corner of the park, this imposing grande dame of the Olympic Peninsula exudes ageless tranquillity. Huge old firs and cedars shade the rustic lodge, and Adirondack chairs on the deck command a view of the lawn. In the main lodge are small rooms, modern rooms with TVs and little balconies, and rooms with fireplaces. Many rooms have been recently renovated. The Boathouse or annex rooms are more rustic, but they allow pets. There’s an indoor heated pool and a sauna. Canoe, rowboat, and kayak rentals are available, as are rainforest tours, led by the Forest Service in the summer. Hiking trails abound. The Roosevelt Dining Room is a large, dark place befitting such a lodge, with beautiful lake views. The menu reflects the bounties of the Olympic Peninsula, especially seafood.

345 S. Shore Rd. (P.O. Box 7), Quinault, WA 98575. www.olympicnationalparks.com. phone 800/562-6672 or 360/288-2900. Fax 360/288-2901. 91 units. Mid-June to late Sept and winter holidays $160–$259 double, $300 suite; late Sept to mid-June $100–$130 double, $165 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($15 per night).

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Restaurant choices inside the park are slim. On the north side, on the shore of Lake Crescent, the dining room at Lake Crescent Lodge (open early May to mid-Oct) serves Continental and Northwestern cuisine with an emphasis on local seafood. Also along the lakeshore, the Log Cabin Resort (open Memorial Day to Labor Day), offers a Northwestern menu, specializing in organic and natural fare. On Lake Quinault, try the dining room at Lake Quinault Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” above). The restaurant at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is open from early May through mid-October. It offers traditional American breakfasts and Northwest cuisine at dinner. On the premises is a deli that serves lunch.

To pick up packaged sandwiches, beverages, and snacks at Lake Crescent, stop at the Fairholm Store & Marina, 221121 U.S. 101 (phone 360/928-3020; www.fairholmstore.com), at the west end of the lake. It’s open from May through September.

In Port Angeles

Bella Italia ITALIAN This lively, colorfully decorated restaurant in Port Angeles offers a fun atmosphere. Meals begin with a basket of fresh-baked bread accompanied by a dipping sauce of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and herbs. The menu includes all the favorite Italian dishes. Daily specials include fresh local seafood. Also on the menu are local mussels, steamed clams, and smoked salmon fettuccine. If you’ve had your fill of seafood, try vegetarian lasagna, manicotti, one of the specialty pizzas, or Tuscan steak—sliced marinated flank steak grilled with garlic whipped potatoes. The Italian desserts are excellent. This is a good choice for families, as well as fans of Twilight—this is the site of Edward and Bella’s first date.

118 E. 1st St. phone 360/457-5442. www.bellaitaliapa.com. Main courses $9–$32. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4–10pm (until 9pm fall–spring). Closed major holidays.

C’est Si Bon FRENCH Open since the early 1980s on the east side of Port Angeles, C’est Si Bon is an attractive restaurant with reproductions of European works of art, crystal chandeliers, and old musical instruments used as wall decorations. Most tables have a view of the restaurant’s pretty garden, and there is a large sunroom on the garden side. The menu is primarily French with some Northwestern influences; sauces are mostly lighter than those at many other French restaurants. Selections include Cornish game hen with mushroom stuffing, scampi in whiskey sauce, beef tenderloin in red currant sauce, roast duck, and Dungeness crab souffle. Desserts are limited but rich and creamy, and the wine selection is very good. The cozy bar is decorated with signed photos of stars; chef-owner Michelle Juhasz formerly worked as a Hollywood caterer.

23 Cedar Park Rd. (north side of U.S. 101, just off Buchanan Rd.). phone 360/452-8888. www.cestsibon-frenchcuisine.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $28–$32. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Sun 5–10pm. Closed Jan 1.

Downriggers SEAFOOD/STEAK At the back of a mall, convenient to the ferry landing, you’ll find this large, casual restaurant. Walls of glass provide great views of the harbor and take in some stunning sunsets. A long menu nearly guarantees that you’ll find something you like. I especially recommend the king salmon and top sirloin combo, but the salmon crab cakes are also very popular, and everyone raves about the clam chowder. The bar features two dozen beers on tap.

At the Landing Mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave., 2nd level. phone 360/452-2700. Reservations recommended for dinner. Main courses $10–$25 lunch, $11–$40 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily noon–10pm.

Drake’s Pizza & Subs SANDWICHES/PIZZERIA This basic restaurant is not much to look at—four tables and somewhat random decor—but it serves good food at a good price. The menu is split between subs, wraps, salads, and pizza, with something for everybody, from vegetarians to carnivores. I liked the Caesar chicken wrap. This is a great place to pick up a to-go lunch before heading into the park.

819 S. Lincoln St. phone 360/452-4955. Menu items $4–$9; pizzas $7–$15. MC, V. Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat 10am–7pm; Sun 11am–4pm.

SoHo Asian Bistro CHINESE/THAI Housed in a brick- and glass-laden room with a view of the waterfront, this is a solid pick in Port Angeles for lunch or dinner. Eat hearty plates of Thai and Chinese standards like Pad Thai and Kung Pao chicken with an emphasis on fresh seafood and spicy preparations at a table in one of two rooms or the bar. Regionally slanted specialties include salmon with black bean sauce and wok-tossed mussels.

134 W. Front St. phone 360/417-8966. Main courses $9–$13 lunch, $10–$27 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–9pm.

In Forks

A good budget option for lunch or dinner is Taqueria Santa Ana, 80 Calawah Way (phone 360/374-2210), a Mexican hole-in-the-wall with superlative enchiladas.

Forks Coffee Shop AMERICAN An extensive menu of well-prepared American food and a casual atmosphere make the Forks Coffee Shop a good bet. It features all the usual breakfast items, including gigantic hotcakes and create-your-own omelets. A limited number of breakfast basics are available all day. Lunch consists of a variety of sandwiches, burgers, and baskets such as fish and chips and fried chicken. Dinners are primarily steak and seafood, with local fresh fish whenever possible, and include the soup and salad bar. There is a good selection of homemade pies for dessert.

241 S. Forks Ave. (U.S. 101). phone 360/374-6769. www.forkscoffeeshop.com. Main courses $5–$16 breakfast and lunch, $11–$20 dinner. DISC, MC, V. Daily 6am–9pm.

Chapter 27: Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

by Don & Barbara Laine

The first things you’ll notice at Petrified Forest National Park are the dozens of logs lying atop hills as if on display, many of them pointing in the same direction. Closer up, you can see the colors in the wood—reds, greens, yellows, blues, and purples, all of them rich and moist looking, like wet paint. The colors might tempt you to touch the wood, and if you do, you’ll find that it isn’t wood at all, but cold, hard stone.

Petrified Forest National Park

More than 200 million years ago, these petrified trees were enormous conifers growing in a tropical forest. Floods swept them into large rivers, tearing off their branches in the process. Eventually, the trees bottomed out in the shallow waters of the flood plain, where silt, mud, and volcanic ash buried them. Because almost no oxygen could reach the entombed trunks, they were slow to decay. Silica from the ash permeated the trunks, replacing or filling the wood’s cells before leaving quartz in its place. Minerals such as iron and manganese streaked the quartz with colors. The result: The wood became beautiful rock.

Recognizing the value of this rock, early settlers began shipping it out on East Coast–bound trains. When the residents of the Territory of Arizona realized that the “wood” might soon be gone, they petitioned Congress to protect the “forests.” Using the Antiquities Act, President Theodore Roosevelt created Petrified Forest National Monument in 1906. Congress designated it a national park in 1962.

The same sediments that entombed the trees buried other plants and animals, preserving them as fossils as well. Erosion has exposed these clays and sandstones, collectively known as the Chinle Formation. With little or no vegetation to hold them in place, the sediments erode quickly and unevenly, forming mesas, buttes, and furrowed, conical badlands, unearthing thousands of fossils, including bones from some of the most remarkable creatures ever to inhabit the earth. In addition to the 200-million-year-old fossils, there is evidence that the ancestral Puebloans (also known as Anasazi), ancestors of the modern Pueblo people, once occupied this area. Evidence of other human occupation dates from 10,000 years ago.

Even without these wonders, it would be worth coming here to see the rich reds, grays, and maroons of the Painted Desert. Shaped like a tusk (with the wider end near Cameron, AZ), the desert spreads from near Holbrook in the south to the Hopi mesas in the northeast, to near the Grand Canyon in the west—far beyond the boundaries of the park. Its seemingly barren landscape is home to a rich diversity of plant and animal life: desert grasses; wildflowers, including Indian paintbrush and globemallow; juniper and other trees; mammals, including pronghorns, cottontails, and porcupines; reptiles, including collared lizards and western rattlesnakes; and birds, the most prominent being the raven.

Avoiding the Crowds

Between 600,000 and 700,000 people visit the park each year, in part because it is so convenient for cross-country travelers, just a few hundred yards off I-40. Nearly everyone heads down the same 28-mile scenic drive, and the drive’s 20 pullouts can get crowded.

There are three good ways to avoid the crowds. One: Arrive early in the day, because there aren’t many visitors in the first few hours, it’s also before the heat peaks, and the lighting on the rocks is great. Two: Stroll away from the parking areas. The pullouts attract far more people than the trails. Three: The most effective place to get away from it all here is a day hike into the Painted Desert Wilderness.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Petrified Forest National Park is 117 miles east of Flagstaff and 180 miles north of Phoenix. The north entrance is 25 miles east of Holbrook on I-40; the south entrance is 20 miles east of Holbrook on U.S. 180. From Flagstaff, simply take I-40 east.

The Nearest Airport Flagstaff’s Pulliam Airport (phone 928/556-1234; www.flagstaff.az.gov, link under “Services”) has daily air service between Flagstaff and Phoenix from US Airways, and has rental cars from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. See chapter 38 for airline/car-rental websites.

Information

Contact Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028 (phone 928/524-6228; www.nps.gov/pefo). The Petrified Forest Museum Association, Park Road 1 (P.O. Box 2277), Petrified Forest, AZ 86028 (phone 928/524-6228, ext. 239), has several excellent books on the park. Written by retired geology professor Sidney Ash, Petrified Forest: A Story in Stone provides a good overview of the human and natural history of the park. Stephen Trimble’s book Earth Journey: A Road Guide to Petrified Forest is almost as good as a guided tour of the park’s scenic drive.

For information about area lodging and dining, contact the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, 100 E. Arizona St., Holbrook, AZ 86025 (phone 800/524-2459 or 928/524-6558; www.gotourholbrook.com).

Visitor Centers

The park has a visitor center at each end. Both sell books, videos, and area maps, and offer free brochures on the park’s geology, flora, and fauna. The park and both visitor centers are open daily year-round, from 7am to 7pm in summer, with shorter hours at other times, and closed Christmas.

The Painted Desert Visitor Center, outside the park’s north entrance gate, has general information on the park and shows a 20-minute film about the park. Two miles north of the park’s south entrance station, the Rainbow Forest Museum shows the same film, plus it has displays on the formation of petrified wood, fossilized bones and teeth of ancient animals, and a display of letters from people who stole wood from the park and later regretted it. The latter is particularly compelling and often quite funny.

Also see the section on the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark under “Park Attractions,” below.

Fees & Permits

Entrance to the park costs $10 per vehicle, $5 per visitor on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle. The required but free backcountry camping permits are issued at visitor centers.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Because an estimated 25,000 pounds of petrified wood are stolen from the park every year, the National Park Service has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for visitors who remove even the smallest pieces. Violators are subject to fines starting at $325. If rangers suspect you of removing any wood or other resources, they may detain you and search your car.

There are long stretches between water sources at the park, so fill containers at either visitor center before starting on the scenic drive.

While pets must be leashed, dogs are permitted on most trails in the park.

Seasons & Climate

With an average of just over 9 1/2 inches of precipitation annually, the park couldn’t get much drier. Because it averages a lofty 5,800 feet in elevation, however, it’s not as hot as many other areas in Arizona. Even in July, daily highs average in the mid-80s (30s Celsius), with nightly lows in the low 50s (10s Celsius). Of course, the park occasionally heats up—temperatures sometimes top 100°F (38°C) in midsummer. The hottest months, July and August, are also the wettest, with afternoon storms cutting the morning heat and depositing nearly a third of the yearly precipitation. Storms continue into early fall, but the weather dries out as it cools. By winter it can get very cold, and snowstorms occasionally close the park. In January, daily highs average 42°F (6°C) and lows 19°F (–7°C). Spring tends to be blustery and dry, with daily highs increasing from the mid-50s (lower teens Celsius) in March to about 80°F (27°C) in June—the driest month of all, with just over 1⁄4 inch of rainfall.

Seasonal Events

During March, special events mark Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. Call the park office for details.

For about a week both before and after the June 21 summer solstice, rangers meet with visitors from 8 to 10am daily at Puerco Pueblo. The sun shines through a natural crack, directing a beam of light onto a smaller boulder beside it. The beam gradually moves down the edge of the rock to a small, circular petroglyph; it touches the center of the petroglyph on the summer solstice. Archaeologists believe the ancestral Puebloans used this petroglyph to monitor the summer solstice.

On most Saturdays during the summer there are Cultural Demonstrations in the park, which might include silversmithing, weaving, or performing.

If You Have Only 1 day

The most obvious and easiest way to see the park is to first stop at one of the visitor centers and then take the 28-mile scenic drive, stopping at the pullouts and taking some of the short trails to get close-up views of the petrified wood. With a bit of extra time, you might consider a hike into the Painted Desert Wilderness. Combine this with a pre- or post-hike picnic at the Chinde Point Picnic Area.

Exploring the Park by Car

The direction you choose for the scenic drive depends on which way you’re traveling on I-40. If you’re coming from the west, take U.S. 180 east from Holbrook to the park’s south entrance, drive through the park, then rejoin I-40 at the park’s north entrance. Coming from the east, do the opposite, driving through the park from the north and exiting onto U.S. 180 at the south end. Trails mentioned here are discussed in “Day Hikes,” below.

1. If you enter the park from the south entrance, you’ll start at the Rainbow Forest Museum. Behind the museum is the Giant Logs Self-Guided Trail, the first of several easy trails through the forests of petrified wood.

2. Leave your vehicle at the museum parking area. Just past the museum, you’ll see an access trail to the Long Logs and the Agate House trail heads. The Agate House Trail ends at a prehistoric pueblo made of petrified wood. Forking to the left, the Long Logs Trail winds among some of the longest and most spectacular petrified trees in the area.

3. Continuing, you’ll come to the Crystal Forest, where visitors in the late 1800s discovered ground covered with sparkling bits of petrified wood. At that time, the petrified logs in this area were flecked with quartz and purple amethyst crystals. The crystals attracted gem hunters, some of who went so far as to dynamite the trees. Although many crystals and the smaller pieces are gone, some colorful logs remain.

4. Next comes Jasper Forest, an overlook from atop a 150-foot-high bluff. This is a great place to observe the various effects of erosion. Looking downhill, you’ll notice that large chunks of sandstone and petrified wood have tumbled from the bluff to the desert floor. Soft clay eroded out from under the harder wood and sandstone, undermining it and sending it downhill. Because erosion continues, someday the rocks underfoot will tumble down as well.

5. The first thing you’ll notice at Agate Bridge is the remarkable bridge itself. With each end firmly embedded in sandstone, a petrified log forms a natural bridge across an arroyo that cuts through the ground underneath its midsection. The next thing you’ll probably notice is the concrete span that “supports” it. In 1917, workers who wanted to preserve the bridge as a tourist attraction buttressed it with concrete.

6. Next, a short loop trail takes you to Blue Mesa. Like all the badlands in the park, Blue Mesa consists of soft rocks that can erode at the rate of 3 inches a decade—fast enough to change appreciably in the span of a human lifetime. The Blue Mesa Trail, one of the prettiest walkways in the park, descends from the fourth and last overlook on the spur road.

7. Next comes the turnoff for conical badlands known as the Tepees. The flat rocky surface you see is called desert pavement, created when strong winds sweep away the fine sands of the desert floor, exposing small stones and petrified-wood fragments.

8. From an overlook 2 miles past the Tepees, you can look down on Newspaper Rock. Early inhabitants pecked dozens of petroglyphs into the dark surface of the stone. Among them is an image of the famous humpbacked flute player, Kokopelli. The petroglyphs in this area aren’t limited to Newspaper Rock, so be sure to scan the surrounding rocks with your binoculars.

9. With so many petroglyphs around Newspaper Rock, it seems inevitable that a prehistoric dwelling is nearby. Sure enough, a mile down the road is Puerco Pueblo, the remains of a 100-room pueblo occupied by the ancestral Puebloans from 1250 to about 1400. To see this dwelling, walk the easy .3-mile loop trail.

10. The newest pullout in the park focuses on a more recent era: the heyday of Route 66. Here you can pose with an old Studebaker and read an interpretive plaque about the Mother Road before moving on.

11. The remaining stops between Puerco Pueblo and the Painted Desert Visitor Center are overlooks of the Painted Desert. Each one affords a unique view, but the panorama from the hilltop at Pintado Point may be the most spectacular. Just past Pintado Point is Chinde Point, where you’ll find sheltered picnic tables, restrooms (open seasonally), and another overlook.

12. A quarter of a mile past Chinde Point is the turnoff for Kachina Point and the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. Here you can descend into the desert on the Painted Desert Wilderness Trail or, if the drop seems a bit imposing, hike to Tawa Point on the Painted Desert Rim Trail. After hiking, be sure to visit the landmark itself (see “Park Attractions,” below).

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A changing program of guided hikes and talks runs at locations throughout the park, with the greatest number during the summer. These often include a program that starts in the Rainbow Forest Museum sunroom and is either an easy walk or talk about the Late Triassic Epoch. Another popular program is a ranger-guided walk through Puerco Pueblo, and a third is a ranger-guided tour of the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. Check at either visitor center to see what’s on tap each day.

Park Attractions

The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, which overlooks the desert from Kachina Point, is a historic inn that once served as a lunch counter and trading post for early travelers on Route 66. After the Park Service purchased it from private owners in 1936, Civilian Conservation Corps workers rebuilt it in the Southwestern style, not so cleverly covering some of the building’s original petrified-wood walls with stucco. Upon completion in 1940, the 28-room inn became an immediate hit with travelers. It closed, however, during the last years of World War II. After the war, the Fred Harvey Company managed the building, using it as a visitor center and restaurant until 1963, when the new Painted Desert Visitor Center opened.

In 1947, Fred Kabotie, the renowned Hopi artist whose work also graces the Desert Watchtower at the Grand Canyon, painted several murals inside, including one that depicted the coming-of-age journey of the Hopi to the sacred Zuni salt lake. Kabotie’s murals may have helped save the building, which had structural problems caused by expansion and contraction of the clay underneath it. When it was threatened with demolition in the 1960s, preservationists cited the value of Kabotie’s art as they called for protecting the building. The Painted Desert Inn was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and a year-long restoration project was completed in the spring of 2006. The landmark, which contains a museum and bookstore, is open daily from 9am to 5pm year-round, except Christmas. For more information, see www.nps.gov/pefo/historyculture/pdi.htm.

Day Hikes

Agate House An enjoyable walk takes you to Agate House, a pueblo that archaeologists believe was briefly occupied around a.d. 1100. (Archaeologists suspect a brief occupation because little trash was found in the area.) Colorful bits of petrified wood dot the ground on the way to the eight-room pueblo, which sits atop a knoll overlooking a vast expanse of arid badlands. Made from petrified wood and mortar, Agate House must have been one of the prettiest dwellings anywhere in its time—a house of jewels, on a hill. Workers reconstructed the pueblo’s largest room in the 1930s. Note: Combine this loop with the Long Logs Trail (below) for a 2.6-mile hike. 1 mile RT. Easy to moderate. Access: .5-mile one-way walk down access trail from Rainbow Forest Museum.

Blue Mesa Trail This paved loop trail descends steeply to the floor beneath the blue-, gray-, and white-striped badlands at Blue Mesa—some of the prettiest land in the park. You may notice that it’s hard to determine the size of the hills: Because they lack vegetation, there is little to provide a sense of scale. At the bottom, you can observe how the different colors of these hillsides streak and blend where the clay has washed into drainages. Look for small fossils, abundant in the area (and please leave them where you find them!). The trail has numerous interpretive panels, spaced to give you a chance to catch your breath as you walk. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Blue Mesa sun shelter.

Crystal Forest Trail This paved trail, which includes a few steep grades, reminds us of why it’s important to leave petrified wood in place. As in other parts of the park, there is evidence of where visitors have broken off, and continue to break off, pieces of petrified wood. What’s left is still lovely. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what this area looked like before the scavengers arrived. .75 mile RT. Moderate. Access: Crystal Forest parking lot.

Giant Logs Trail This paved trail loops past some of the park’s largest petrified logs, including “Old Faithful,” which spans nearly 10 feet at its base. The trail has 11 stops, each corresponding to a page in a guide (free to borrow, small fee to keep) available in the museum. At each stop, you’ll find out about the trees or the area’s geology. Constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the trail has some steps, making access difficult for people in wheelchairs. .4 mile RT. Easy. Access: Behind Rainbow Forest Museum.

Long Logs Trail This relatively flat, paved loop will give you an idea of the immensity of the Araucarioxylon trees that grew in this area during the Triassic period. Many of the longest, including one that measures 116 feet, lie alongside the trail on the north end of the loop. You’ll see places where petrified logs protected the softer clay underneath them and prevented it from eroding. The trail also takes you within a few feet of the rugged badlands. The different-colored layers are caused by mineral deposits in the clay. .6 mile RT. Easy. Access: .5-mile one-way walk down access trail from Rainbow Forest Museum.

Painted Desert Rim Trail As this cinder trail meanders along the Painted Desert rim between Kachina and Tawa points, it affords stunning views of the gray, pink, and red badlands that stand out against the green grasses at their bases. The trail is atop the basalt of the Bidahochi formation, which, at 8 million years old, is much younger than most other rocks in the park. This layer has disappeared in many areas of the park but is widespread in other parts of northern Arizona. Here it provides fertile soil for a diversity of vegetation, including juniper, Mormon tea, sagebrush, and cliffrose. The trail also features wayside exhibits and plant identification signs. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Kachina Point stop on scenic drive.

Painted Desert Wilderness Route This cross-country hike—we can’t really say there is a trail here—descends in switchbacks down the face of the badlands below Kachina Point, then follows a wash for a short distance before heading out into the grasslands on the floor of the Painted Desert. You won’t find water or shade, but you will have a chance to experience the desert’s colors and landforms. Before wandering far, be sure to identify landmarks to retrace your steps. (The Painted Desert Inn makes an especially good landmark.) If you carry a topographical map and plenty of water and sunscreen, you should have few problems in this desert, which has excellent sight lines and few insurmountable obstacles. Walk on the dry streambeds when possible. Besides being easier, this minimizes the damage to the fragile plant life.

It’s worth spending the night just to watch the sun dip below the red sands of the desert. Before bedding down, you must obtain a backcountry permit at one of the visitor centers, then walk at least a mile into the 43,000-acre Painted Desert Wilderness, which starts on the other side of Lithodendron Wash. The direction you take from the bottom of the wash will depend on which “use area” you sign up for. You’ll find spots smooth enough for camping near many of the mesas and badlands. (Keep in mind, however, that runoff can create problems during storms.) Don’t forget to pack insect repellent; in spite of its dry climate, the park has been known to host a large population of no-see-ums, a gnat-like insect with a painful bite. About .5 mile minimum one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Kachina Point.

Puerco Pueblo Trail This relatively flat loop travels through the 100-room Puerco Pueblo, believed to have been occupied by the ancestral Puebloans between a.d. 1250 and 1400. The 30 excavated rooms hint at the floor plan of the buildings—a trapezoid around an outdoor plaza where most of the activity in the community took place. As you walk, you’ll observe places where the rooms were one, two, or three deep around the plaza. Where they were two deep, the rooms on the outside may have been used to store crops harvested from the flood plains below. The inside rooms, which opened onto the plaza, were probably used for sleeping or shelter from inclement weather. Three kivas—ceremonial rooms dug into the ground—were inside the plaza, and one is obvious alongside the trail. Partway around the loop, a short trail leads down to an overlook from which you can see numerous petroglyphs. .3 mile RT. Easy. Access: Puerco Pueblo parking lot.

Camping

There are no campgrounds in the park. Backpackers with backcountry permits can stay in the park after it closes for the evening, but they must hike at least 1 mile into the wilderness before setting up camp. For drive-in camping, head to Holbrook, 25 miles west of the park on I-40, where several commercial campgrounds offer all the usual amenities.

The Holbrook/Petrified Forest KOA, 102 Hermosa Dr., Holbrook, AZ 86025 (www.koa.com; phone 800/562-3389 for reservations, or 928/524-6689), has a large, inviting outdoor pool that shimmers like a mirage on sunny days (open in summer). There are 22 grassy tent sites and 100 RV sites. The cost is $22 to $24 for tents and $29 to $36 for RV hookups. Major credit cards are accepted. The campground has a playground, game room, snack bar, public phones, coin-op laundry, propane, dump station, and Wi-Fi (for a fee). It’s open year-round. During the high season, campers feast at relatively inexpensive evening cookouts. Several camping cabins (from $44 double; pet fee $5) share the bathhouse and other facilities.

The OK RV Park, 1576 Roadrunner Rd., Holbrook, AZ 86025-2143 (www.okrvpark-llc.com; phone 866/403-1392 or 928/524-3226), is an exceptionally well-maintained campground with everything you might want except a pool. There are 120 gravel RV sites with full hookups, plus an RV dry parking area (no hookups) and tent area. There are some trees, a coin-op laundry, and a convenience store. RV sites, at $29 to $34 for two people, include electric, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, and cable TV. Tent sites and dry parking sites are $14 for two people. Major credit cards are accepted. The management requests that tenters and dry RV campers arrive before the office closes at 8pm. The campground is open year-round.

Where to Stay

There is no lodging inside the park.

Near the Park

The place to get a bed for the night is Holbrook, 25 miles west of the park. Those looking for something to talk about when they get back home will certainly want to stay in the fascinating Wigwam Motel, discussed below, but those just looking for a place to sleep will find practically every chain motel here. These include: the Best Western Adobe Inn, 615 W. Hopi Dr. (phone 928/524-3948), with rates for two of $88 to $103; Best Western Arizonian, 2508 Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-2611), with double rates of $98; Comfort Inn, 2602 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-6131), $60 to $70 double; Days Inn, 2601 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-6949), $70 to $80 double; Econo Lodge, 2596 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-1448), $45 to $55 double; Holiday Inn Express, 1308 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-1466), $120 double; Motel 6, 2514 Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-6101), $45 double; Ramada Limited, 2608 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-2566), $59 to $65 double; Super 8, 1989 Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-2871), $49 to $59 double; and Travelodge, 2418 E. Navajo Blvd. (phone 928/524-6815), $72 to $81 double. See chapter 38 for the national chains’ websites.

Wigwam Motel Tired of the same boring chain motel rooms? Then it’s time for a night at the Wigwam! Each of the motel’s 15 rooms is inside its own 32-foot-high wood-and-concrete wigwam, built during Route 66’s glory days in the 1940s by the same family that’s running it today. The wigwams are clean and well maintained, and each is furnished with the motel’s original hand-carved hickory furniture. The only drawbacks—which we consider a small price to pay for the experience of this unique motel—are that both the bathrooms (with shower, toilet, and sink) and windows are somewhat small by today’s standards. The motel’s owners have done a good job of preserving this bit of Americana. A small museum on the property contains family items, including giant petrified-wood slabs, Civil War artifacts, Route 66 artifacts, and American Indian items. Also on the property are more than a dozen classic cars. All rooms are nonsmoking.

811 W. Hopi Dr. (P.O. Box 788), Holbrook, AZ 86025. phone www.sleepinawigwam.com. phone 928/524-3048. Fax 928/524-3668. 15 units. A/C, TV. $52–$58 double. MC, V. Office opens at 3pm in summer, 4pm in winter. Pets accepted ($10 per night fee).

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Harvey’s Diner AMERICAN/REGIONAL This is a convenient and quick family-oriented cafeteria. It serves hot breakfasts, including eggs and pancakes, and fast food such as home-style chili, burgers, Navajo tacos, and sandwiches for lunch.

Next to the Painted Desert Visitor Center, off I-40 exit 311. phone 928/524-3756. Most items $3–$9. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 8am–3pm. Closed Christmas.

Near the Park

In addition to the choices discussed below, there’s a 24-hour Denny’s at 101 E. Hopi Dr. (phone 928/524-3680).

Joe and Aggie’s Cafe AMERICAN/MEXICAN In 1943, Joe and Aggie Montaño opened this restaurant, and today a third generation of the family continues to operate their popular eatery, known for its homemade red and green chile, at the same Route 66 location. It’s a friendly, down-home place, with plenty of historic Route 66 charm. Recommended at breakfast are the huevos rancheros and the breakfast burro (scrambled eggs with hash browns and cheese rolled in a flour tortilla and served with red or green chile). At lunch and dinner you can select from Mexican platters, traditional American dishes, and combinations of both, such as a Mexican hamburger steak with red or green chile. For a sort of Mexican pizza, try the cheese crisp—a deep-fried flour tortilla with melted cheese and toppings such as green chile and taco meat.

120 W. Hopi Dr., Holbrook. phone 866/486-0021 or 928/524-6540. www.joeandaggiescafe.com. Main courses $3.75–$15. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6am–8pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Just inside the north entrance to the park, you’ll find a gas station with a convenience store. In Holbrook, picnic supplies and general foodstuffs are available at Safeway, 702 W. Hopi Dr. (phone 928/524-3313; www.safeway.com), open daily 6am to 10pm.

Mesa Italiana Restaurant ITALIAN/STEAKS Generally regarded as the best restaurant in Holbrook, this simply decorated restaurant serves traditional Italian dishes, including spaghetti and meatballs, stuffed shells, fettuccini Alfredo, veal Parmesan, linguine (with or without clams), and pizza. The scampi—five sautéed tiger shrimp over linguine—is especially good. Also recommended is chicken Jerusalem—a chicken breast sautéed with butter, garlic, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and shrimp, all swimming in white-wine and lemon sauce. For desert, try Bananas Foster—bananas flambéed in rum, with butter, cinnamon, and caramelized sugar, served over frozen cream.

2318 Navajo Blvd., Holbrook. phone 928/524-6696. Main courses $11–$18. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4–9pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Chapter 28: Point Reyes National Seashore, CA

by Eric Peterson

Point Reyes is a 100-square-mile peninsula of dark forests, wind-sculpted dunes, endless beaches, and plunging sea cliffs. Aside from its beautiful scenery, it boasts man-made historical treasures that offer a window into California’s coastal past, including lighthouses, turn-of-the-20th-century dairies and ranches, and the site of Sir Francis Drake’s 1579 landing, plus a complete replica of a Coast Miwok Indian village.

Point Reyes National Seashore

The national seashore system was created to protect rural and undeveloped stretches of America’s coast from the pressures of soaring real estate values and increasing population; nowhere is the success of the system more evident than at Point Reyes. Layers of human history coexist here with one of the world’s most dramatic natural settings. Residents of the surrounding communities—Inverness, Point Reyes Station, and Olema—have resisted runaway development. You won’t find any strip malls or fast-food joints here, just laid-back coastal towns with cafes and country inns where gentle living prevails. The park, a 71,000-acre hammer-shaped peninsula jutting 10 miles into the Pacific and backed by Tomales Bay, abounds with wildlife, ranging from tule elk, birds, and bobcats to gray whales, sea lions, and great white sharks.

The often idyllic scene on the surface is a sharp contrast to the seismic turmoil below. The infamous San Andreas Fault separates Point Reyes, the northernmost landmass on the Pacific Plate, from the rest of California, which rests on the North American Plate. Point Reyes is making its way toward Alaska at a rate of about 2 inches per year, but at times it has moved much faster. In 1906, Point Reyes jumped north almost 20 feet in an instant, leveling San Francisco and jolting the rest of the state. The .6-mile Earthquake Trail, near the Bear Valley Visitor Center, illustrates this geological drama with a loop through an area torn by the fault. Shattered fences, rifts in the ground, and a barn knocked off its foundation by the quake illustrate that the earth is alive here. If that doesn’t convince you, a look at a seismograph in the visitor center will.

Avoiding the Crowds

Though the park is heavily visited, crowds are a problem only at a few places and during certain times. If you visit the lighthouse on a weekend or holiday during whale season (Dec–Mar), be prepared for crowds and a wait for the shuttle that operates from Drakes Beach to the lighthouse area. Trails leaving from Bear Valley tend to be more crowded on weekends. Try the Five Brooks or Palomarin trail heads to avoid hordes of hikers. As a rule, a weekday visitor will encounter far fewer people than the weekender.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Point Reyes is 30 miles northwest of San Francisco, but it takes at least 90 minutes to reach by car. (It’s all the small towns, not the topography, that slow you down.) The easiest route is Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from U.S. 101 south of San Rafael; it takes its time getting to Point Reyes but does so without any detours. For a much longer but more scenic route, take the Stinson Beach/Hwy. 1 exit off U.S. 101 just south of Sausalito and follow Hwy. 1 north.

The Nearest Airport San Francisco International Airport (phone 800/435-9736 or 650/821-8211; www.sfoairport.com), 14 miles south of downtown San Francisco on U.S. 101, is served by all major airlines and car-rental companies. See chapter 38 for information on airline and car-rental websites.

Information

Contact Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-9799 (phone 415/464-5100, ext. 2; www.nps.gov/pore). Kathleen Goodwin and Richard Blair’s Point Reyes Visions Guidebook (Color & Light Editions, 2004) is a handsome, photographically enhanced tome covering Point Reyes and vicinity.

Visitor Centers

As soon as you arrive at Point Reyes, stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center on Bear Valley Road (look for the small sign posted just north of Olema on Hwy. 1). Pick up a free trail map, talk with the rangers about your plans, and check out the natural history and cultural displays. It’s open daily year-round from 8 or 9am to 5 or 6pm (closed Dec 25). The Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center at Drakes Beach houses a 250-gallon saltwater aquarium and a 16-foot minke whale skeleton, among other exhibits. It’s open only weekends and holidays (except Dec 25) from 10am to 5pm, as well as Monday in summer. The Lighthouse Visitor Center, at the westernmost point of the Point Reyes Peninsula, offers information on the lighthouse and life-saving services performed over the 125 years of its use, as well as natural history exhibits on whales, seals, and wildflowers. It’s open Thursday through Monday from 10am to 4:30pm (closed Dec 25).

Fees

Entrance to the park is free. Hike-in camping is $15 per night (and more for groups of seven or more).

Special Regulations & Warnings

• Dogs and other pets are not permitted on trails, in campgrounds, or on beaches that are seal habitats or bird nesting areas. On other beaches they must be leashed. Check at park visitor centers to avoid seasonal closures.

• Wood fires are prohibited in campgrounds. Use only charcoal or gas stoves. Driftwood fires are permitted only on sandy beaches below the high-tide line; you must obtain a free permit at a visitor center.

• Check the tide tables before walking on the beaches. Rising water can trap you against a cliff with no possibility of escape.

• Sleeping on the beach is prohibited; it can be dangerous. High tide frequently comes to the base of the cliffs and can trap the unwary.

• Do not climb cliffs—they can crumble easily. Walking or sitting below cliffs is also dangerous due to falling rock.

• In wooded areas, keep an eye out for poison oak’s waxy three-leaf clusters. Also be sure to check for ticks—the Lyme disease–carrying black-legged tick is common here.

• The pounding surf and rip currents are treacherous, especially at McClures Beach and Point Reyes beaches, north and south. Stay away from the water.

• Don’t disturb any baby seals or sea lions you may encounter on the beach. The mother may be preoccupied with finding lunch, and she won’t come back until you leave. In fact, you could be fined up to $10,000 for your good intentions. However, if a pup looks injured or appears to be in danger, call the Marine Mammal Center (phone 415/289-7325).

Seasons & Climate

Weather at Point Reyes is fickle. The seasons here generally reverse expectations: Summer tends to be cold and foggy until the afternoon (the point is the foggiest place on the West Coast), while winter is clear and often more tolerable. But these are generalizations at best—winter storms can rage for weeks, and sometimes the summer fog holds off for days. Spring and fall usually see the best weather (that is, little fog, warm temperatures).

To make matters more frustrating, the clearing of fog often signals the onset of strong winds. So if you plan to explore the park on foot, prepare yourself for cool weather, dampness, and wind (lots of wind—gusts have reached up to 133 mph, the highest wind speed recorded on the Pacific Coast). The best plan is to take advantage of variations in local weather by being flexible with your itinerary: Save indoor sightseeing for rainy or foggy days, and hit the beach or go hiking when the sun comes out.

Seasonal Events

Point Reyes National Seashore plays host to an annual Native American celebration (aka the Big Time Festival) on the third Saturday of July. American Indian basket-makers, flint-knappers, singers, and dancers convene at Point Reyes for an annual public celebration at Kule Loklo, a reconstruction of a village of the indigenous Coast Miwok Indian tribe. The Miwok Archaeological Preserve of Marin (phone 415/491-0401; www.mapom.org) offers classes in traditional California Indian skills in the spring and fall.

If You Have Only 1 day

First, stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center and pick up the free Point Reyes map, which lists all the trails and roads open to cars, bikes, horses, and hikers. While you’re here, spend some time at the nearby Kule Loklo, an authentic reconstruction of a village of the indigenous Coast Miwok Indian tribe, and at Morgan Horse Ranch, a good place to see park patrol horses. Afterward, take a short stroll on the Earthquake Trail, an informative .5-mile walk along the San Andreas Fault, and, time permitting, the .7-mile self-guided Woodpecker Nature Trail.

The most popular (and crowded) attraction at Point Reyes National Seashore is the Point Reyes Lighthouse, at the westernmost tip of Point Reyes. The drive alone is worth the trip—a 45-minute, 20-mile scenic excursion on the Sir Francis Drake Highway through windswept meadows and dairy ranches (watch out for cows on the road). When the fog burns off, the lighthouse and the headlands provide a fantastic lookout for common murres, basking sea lions, and gray whales as they migrate along the coast from December through March. The road closes at Drakes Beach on weekends from January through mid-April, when buses take visitors from the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center to the lighthouse and back from 9am to 5:15 pm. Adult tickets are $5; children under 17 ride free.

If you still have some time, the Point Reyes Bird Observatory—an ornithological research organization at the southeast end of the park—is a must for bird-watchers.

Exploring the Park by Car

The main scenic road in the park is the Sir Francis Drake Highway. An excellent turnoff on this road is Mount Vision Road, which winds its way up to the Mount Vision Overlook for a panoramic view of the entire peninsula.

There are two other major roads within the park. Pierce Point Road forks north from the Sir Francis Drake Highway toward Tomales Point, passing Tomales Bay State Park (a popular picnicking area that offers relatively warm and safe waters) and Abbotts Lagoon (a bird-watchers’ paradise) before ending at McClures Beach. The other major road is Limantour Road, which crosses the park before ending at Limantour Beach, a popular spot for beachcombing, picnicking, and bird-watching at nearby Estero de Limantour. Both roads are primarily used to reach trail heads and beaches, but they can double as scenic alternatives to touring the Sir Francis Drake Highway.

The Sir Francis Drake Highway closes at South Beach on weekends from January through mid-April, when buses take visitors to the lighthouse and back from 9am to 5:15 pm. Tickets ($5 adults, free for children under 17) are available at the Ken Patrick Visitor Center.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Rangers lead free programs within Point Reyes National Seashore year-round. Offerings include wildlife hikes, local history lessons, and habitat-restoration demonstrations. Call the Bear Valley Visitor Center (phone 415/464-5100) for schedules.

Point Reyes Field Seminars (phone 415/663-1200; www.ptreyes.org) offers classes year-round, on topics ranging from kayaking to visual arts. Half- and full-day seminars cost about $50 to $150.

Park Attractions

Kule Loklo is a re-creation of a Coast Miwok Indian village that often schedules displays of dancing, basket-making, cooking, and indigenous art. Until recently, Morgan Horse Ranch was the only working horse-breeding farm in the National Park System. Although breeding is defunct, the ranch remains a good place to see park patrol horses. Also, exhibits here offer an interpretive glimpse into the area’s horse ranching past. Both are near the Bear Valley Visitor Center on Bear Valley Road and are open year-round.

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at shellfish aquaculture, head to Drakes Bay Oyster Company, 17171 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., about 6 miles west of Inverness (phone 415/669-1149; www.drakesbayoyster.com). Located in the park, on the edge of Drakes Estero (a large saltwater estuary on the Point Reyes Peninsula that produces about 10% of California’s commercial oyster yield), the farm may not be much to look at, with its cluster of trailer homes, shacks, and oyster tanks surrounded by piles of oyster shells, but these tasty bivalves are raised in an organic and sustainable manner, and they don’t come any fresher (you can even barbecue them at Drakes Beach). The Park Service has threatened to shut the farm down come 2012, so this may be a limited-time opportunity; call or check the website for up-to-date information.

Day Hikes

There’s a little of everything for hikers here—32,000 acres, crisscrossed by 70 miles of trails, set aside as wilderness where no motor vehicles or bicycles are allowed. The principal trail heads are Bear Valley, Palomarin, Five Brooks, and Estero. Pick up a free trail map at a visitor center.

Abbotts Lagoon Trail If you’re looking for a short, easy trail well away from the masses, this is the one. After climbing a small ridge, you continue down to Abbotts Lagoon, a popular watering hole for migratory birds. You can add 1 mile to the round-trip if you continue to Great Beach. 2–3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Abbotts Lagoon trail head parking area on Pierce Point Rd.

Bear Valley Trail This is your best bet for a beautiful walk through the woods to the rocky coast. The well-worn trail leads through wooded hillsides until it reaches the shore at Arch Rock, where Coast Creek splashes into the sea through a “sea tunnel” (actually the arch of Arch Rock). 8.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Bear Valley trail head, south of visitor center parking area.

Coast Trail Recommended by locals, this trek is one of Point Reyes’s prettiest. This section of the trail skirts a cliff offering stunning views and then passes several small lakes and meadows before it reaches Alamere Falls, a freshwater stream that cascades down a 40-foot bluff onto Wildcat Beach. The longest trail at the national seashore, the Coast Trail continues for a 15-mile one-way hike along the coast that is usually done in 2 days, camping a third of the way through at Wildcat Beach. (There’s another campground at Santa Maria Beach.) You’ll need a second car to shuttle you back to the trail head where you began, or else make a 5-mile loop with the Coast, Fire Lane, and Laguna trails. 7 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Palomarin Trailhead, just off Mesa Rd. at southern tip of park.

Estero Trail A favorite with birders, this mellow trail meanders along the edge of Drakes Estero and Limantour Estero. (Estero is the Spanish word for “estuary.”) The brackish waters draw flocks of waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as many raptors and smaller species. 5 miles one-way. Easy to moderate. Access: Estero Parking Area.

Mount Wittenberg Trail For the Rambo in your group, this huffer-puffer weeds out the weenies with its elevation, peaking at 1,407 feet rather abruptly. From the Bear Valley trail head, turn right onto the Mount Wittenberg Trail after .2 mile. The trail up the ridge is steep but rewards hikers with great views back east across the Olema Valley. Instead of turning around directly, if you still have the energy, you can loop back along Baldy Trail and take a path such as the Meadow Trail back to Bear Valley Trail, the main route home. 5 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Bear Valley trail head, south of visitor center parking area.

Stewart Trail This trek to Wildcat Beach, one of the few trails in the park open to mountain bikes, is also popular with horseback riders. It’s quite steep and not as scenic as most other trails. 13 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Five Brooks parking area.

Tomales Point Trail This trail gives hikers a tour of the park’s rugged shoreline and passes through an elk reserve, home to the park’s 400-strong herd of tule elk. Watch for their V-shaped tracks on the trail. About halfway through, you come to the highest spot on Pierce Point, where on a clear day you can see over the bay to the Sonoma coast and to Mount St. Helena to the northeast. 9.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Parking lot at end of Pierce Point Rd.

Beaches

The Great Beach is one of California’s longest. It is also one of the windiest, and home to large and dangerous waves. You can’t swim here, but the beachcombing is some of the best in the world. Tide-poolers should go to McClures Beach at the end of Pierce Point Road during low tide or hike out to Chimney Rock, east of the lighthouse. Swimmers and dog owners will want to stick to Limantour Beach, in the protected lee of Point Reyes. Kehoe Beach, in the northwest part of the park, is known for its spring wildflower blooms. Hearts Desire Beach, at Tomales Bay State Park (phone 415/669-1140; www.parks.ca.gov), has the warmest, safest swimming, as well as an $8-per-vehicle fee.

Sir Francis Drake reputedly landed the Pelican (later rechristened the Golden Hind) on the sandy shore of Drakes Bay in June 1579, to replenish supplies and make repairs before sailing home to England. Drakes Beach is now home to the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and Drakes Beach Cafe (phone 415/669-1297; www.drakescafe.com; Thurs–Fri and Mon 11am–3pm; Sat–Sun 11am–5pm), the only food concession in the park and famous for its Sunday oyster cookouts. Prix-fixe dinners are also seasonally available on Friday and Saturday nights; reservations are required. This beach is good for swimming, and beach fires are permitted.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking As most ardent Bay Area mountain bikers know, Point Reyes National Seashore has some of the finest mountain-bike trails in the region—narrow dirt paths winding through densely forested knolls ending with spectacular ocean views. A trail map (available free at the Bear Valley Visitor Center) is a must, because many trails are off-limits to bikes.

Bird-Watching Point Reyes National Seashore boasts one of the most diverse bird populations in the country, with over 490 different species sighted. Popular bird-watching spots are Abbotts Lagoon and Estero de Limantour. You can hang out with the pros at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory–Palomarin Field Station (phone 415/868-0655; www.prbo.org), one of the few full-time ornithological research stations in the United States, at the southeast end of the park on Mesa Road. This is where ornithologists keep an eye on the myriad feathered species that call the seashore home. Admission to the visitor center and nature trail is free, and visitors are welcome to observe the tricky process of catching and banding the birds. The observatory is open Tuesday to Sunday sunrise to sunset spring to fall, with more limited hours in the winter (banding hours vary; call for times).

Horseback Riding Equestrian activities are very popular at Point Reyes, where all of the trails (save Bear Valley Trail on weekends and holidays) are horse-friendly. A good resource is Five Brooks Ranch (phone 415/663-1570; www.fivebrooks.com), located at the Five Brooks Trailhead, 3 1/2 miles south of Olema on Highway 1. The ranch offers guided trail rides at prices ranging from $40 for an hour-long ride to about $240 for a 6-hour beach ride.

Kayaking Blue Waters Kayaking (phone 415/669-2600; www.bwkayak.com) offers kayak trips, including 3-hour sunset outings, 3 1/2-hour full-moon paddles, yoga tours, day trips, and longer excursions. Instruction and clinics are available, and all ages and skill levels are welcome. Prices start at $68 for tours. Four-hour rentals begin at $460 for one person, $90 for two; stand-up paddleboards are also available. Basic skill classes last a full day and run $110. There are no waves to contend with in placid Tomales Bay, a haven for migrating birds and marine mammals. The launching point is on Calif. 1 at the Marshall Boatworks in Marshall, 8 miles north of Point Reyes Station.

Whale-Watching Each year, gray whales (the barnacles make them appear gray) migrate from their winter breeding grounds in the warm waters off Baja California to their summer feeding grounds in Alaska. You can observe them as they undertake their 10,000-mile journey from numerous points in the seashore. The most popular vantage point is the Point Reyes Lighthouse.

During peak season (Dec–Mar), you might see dozens of whales from the lighthouse, and the Lighthouse Visitor Center offers great displays on whale migration and maritime history. During this period, the Park Service runs a shuttle from Drakes Beach to the Point Reyes Lighthouse ($5 adults, free for children under 17), where watchers have been known to see as many as 100 whales in a single afternoon. Even if the whales don’t materialize, the lighthouse itself, a fabulous old structure teetering high above the sea at the tip of a promontory, is worth a visit. Two other spots, Chimney Rock, east of the lighthouse, and Tomales Point, at the northern end of the park, offer just as many whales without the crowds.

Camping

Camping within the park is limited to four hike-in camps. Wildcat Camp, near Alamere Falls, is a 6.7-mile hike from Bear Valley trail head. Coast Camp is on an open bluff, 2.3 beach miles west of the Limantour Beach parking lot. These camps near the sea are often foggy and damp, so bring a good tent and sleeping bag. Sky Camp (1.2 miles from Sky trail head on Limantour Rd.) and Glen Camp (4.6 miles from the Bear Valley trail head) are in the woods away from the sea, more protected from the coastal elements.

In all camps, individual sites hold up to six people and have picnic tables and food lockers. Pit toilets are available. Stays are limited to 4 nights. Sites can be reserved up to 3 months in advance by calling phone 415/663-8054 Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm.

Just outside the park is the Olema RV Resort & Campground (www.olemarvresort.com; phone 415/663-8106), which accommodates tents and RVs and is close to restaurants and a grocery store. It’s about a half mile north of downtown Olema on Highway 1. Reservations are recommended. Credit cards are not accepted in person, but they are on the website.

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Point Reyes Hostel Deep inside Point Reyes National Seashore, this beautiful old ranch-style complex can accommodate 40 guests in dormitory-style bunk rooms. The hostel has a pair of common areas, each warmed by stoves during chilly nights, as well as a fully equipped kitchen, a computer kiosk with web access ($2 for 25 min.), a barbecue, and patio. If you don’t mind sharing your sleeping quarters with strangers, this is a deal that can’t be beat. Reservations (and earplugs) are strongly recommended. The maximum stay is 5 nights.

Off Limantour Rd. (P.O. Box 247), Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. www.norcalhostels.org. phone 415/663-8811. 40 bunks, 1 private room. $24 bunk; $68 private room double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Reception daily 7:30–10am and 4:30–9:30pm.

Near the Park

The four towns in and around the Point Reyes National Seashore boundary—Olema, Point Reyes Station, Inverness Park, and Inverness—are so close together that it really doesn’t matter where you stay, because you’ll be within a stone’s throw of the park. Although the accommodations in Point Reyes are excellent, they’re also expensive, with most rooms averaging $200 per night. Make reservations far in advance during the summer and holidays, and dress warmly: Point Reyes gets darn chilly at night.

Besides the option listed below, I like Point Ryes Seashore Lodge and Restaurant, 10021 Hwy. 1, Olema (www.pointreyesseashore.com; phone 800/404-5634 or 415/663-9000), with double rooms for $135 to $245 and cottages for $295; and the family-friendly Inverness Valley Inn, 13275 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness (www.invernessvalleyinn.com; phone 800/416-0405 or 415/669-7250), tucked away with its own farm and double rooms with kitchenettes from $159 to $209.

Note: If you’re having trouble finding a vacancy in Point Reyes, check the website of the Point Reyes Lodging Association (www.ptreyes.com) for information on available lodgings or look into a rental home with the West Marin Network (www.westmarinnetwork.com; phone 415/663-9543).

Black Heron Inn Built in the 1970s and evolving ever since, the stately redwood Black Heron Inn is hidden away near the southern tip of Tomales Bay bordering the National Seashore. A self-service B&B, the Black Heron prides itself on privacy: There is an apt hands-off approach and breakfast is provided in the fridge. Rooms feature one queen or king bed and cozy but contemporary style, as well as all sorts of details (binoculars, decks with grills, and lanterns). The upstairs Grandview Suite has a private deck and commanding views. The public areas feature a lily pond, a hammock, and great wildlife-watching.

51 Cypress Rd. (P.O. Box 687), Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. www.blackheroninn.com. phone 415/663-8846. 3 units. A/C, TV. $155–$195 double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Motel Inverness Inside, this reinvented 1950s motel has the feel of a country inn, with a lobby that overlooks Tomales Bay and features a pool table, a fireplace, and a boardwalk that leads into the adjacent wetlands. There are comfortable small rooms and suites with kitchens; the motel rooms are a good deal, with rates on the low end of the spectrum for the Point Reyes area, and the two-bedroom suite is a good bet for families. There’s also free Wi-Fi and an intricate meditation garden out front. Ask about the rental house in Inverness Park with a wraparound deck and great bay views (it sleeps six).

12718 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. (P.O. Box 958), Inverness, CA 94937. www.motelinverness.com. phone 866/453-3839 or 415/236-1967. 7 units. $99–$190 double; $190–$290 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Olema Druids Hall Formerly the lodge for a chapter of the United Ancient Order of Druids, an Elks-like organization of men in funny hats holding secret meetings, this 1885 structure has been transformed into a terrific inn. Inside the lodge are two deluxe rooms with a European feel. The suite and the cottage are quite lavish: The suite, once the Druids’ secret throne room, has a stainless-steel kitchen that is sometimes used for culinary classes, a private deck, and an antique mantle above the wood-burning fireplace; the cottage (which once served as a woodshed) features Asian-meets-Arts-and-Crafts decor.

9870 Hwy. 1 (P.O. Box 96), Olema, CA 94950. www.olemadruidshall.com. phone 866/554-4255 or 415/663-8727. Fax 415/663-1830. 5 units, including 1 cottage. TV, TEL. $165–$235 double; $275–$385 suite or cottage. Rates include expanded continental breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Point Reyes Country Inn & Stables This five-bedroom, ranch-style home on 4 acres offers pastoral accommodations for two- and four-legged guests (humans and horses, that is) and easy access to plenty of hiking and riding trails. Each room has a private bathroom and either a balcony or a garden. Above the stables are two studios with kitchens, and two cottages on Tomales Bay in Inverness are equipped with decks, kitchens stocked with breakfast supplies, fireplaces, and a shared dock.

12050 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. www.ptreyescountryinn.com. phone 415/663-9696. Fax 415/663-8888. 9 units, including 2 studios and 2 cottages. $115–$185 double; $95–$345 studio; $185–$225 cottage. $10–$15 per horse. Rates include breakfast (studios excepted). AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Cafe Reyes PIZZA This bustling and casual eatery is a local favorite, operating as a coffeehouse, beer (and wine) joint, and grill. With counter service and a colorful and social atmosphere, Cafe Reyes is the best deal in the area. The menu focuses on tasty Neapolitan-style pizzas made with dough cultures from Italy in an imported Italian oven (with toppings like local blue cheese and fennel sausage), as well as local oysters.

11101 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station. phone 415/663-9493. Menu items $10–$15. MC, V. Daily noon–9pm.

Station House Cafe AMERICAN A local favorite, the Station House Cafe is known for its good food and animated atmosphere, particularly when live music plays on weekends. The menu changes every week but always features vegetarian selections (with veggies from the cafe’s garden), sustainably raised beef, and a good selection of fresh fish. Go native and try the famous Hangtown Fry: local oysters, bacon, and three eggs, which always seems to taste better at a table outside on the shaded garden patio. Lunch includes burgers, an oyster po’ boy sandwich, and fish tacos. For dinner, start with a platter of local oysters and mussels or local cheeses, then move on to one of the old standbys such as meatloaf with mashed potatoes or homemade turkey chili. The full bar pours from an extensive list of fine California wines, plus local and imported beers.

11180 Main St., Point Reyes Station. phone 415/663-1515. www.stationhousecafe.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $8–$12 breakfast, $7–$17 lunch, $9–$23 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Thurs–Tues 8am–9pm. Closed Wed.

Stellina ITALIAN Chef-owner Christian Caiazzo dubs Stellina’s cuisine “Point Reyes Italian,” but that doesn’t quite capture the creativity exuded by the fare at this small, sleek, and bustling spot. Terrific salads and starters might include fresh local produce; the ever-changing menu might sport a shaved summer squash salad with pine nuts, mint, water cress, chili oil, and chive flowers. Main dishes showcase the same sort of local, delectable flavors and stunning presentations, such as line-caught halibut and tuna and housemade pasta dishes and pizzas. Lunch includes gourmet sandwiches and pizzas and a few pasta and seafood dishes as well.

11285 Main St., Point Reyes Station. phone 415/663-9988. www.osteriastellina.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$20 lunch, $15–$25 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–2:30pm and 5–9pm.

Vladimir’s Czechoslovakian Restaurant CZECHOSLOVAKIAN An Inverness institution, Vladimir’s has been dishing out fantastic dishes since 1960 and is still going strong. The menu is dynamic, changing depending on the availability of ingredients; one night, goose or pheasant might be featured; on others, cabbage rolls, kielbasa, or Wiener schnitzel could be among your choices. You can sit inside in the quaint but elegant dining room or outside on the patio. There is a full bar with its own menu (about $7–$12). Note: Call ahead—the restaurant’s hours are subject to the unpredictable Point Reyes weather and owner-chef’s annual ski trips.

12785 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness. phone 415/669-1021. Main courses $17 lunch, $27 dinner. No credit cards. Tues 3–8:30pm; Wed–Sun noon–8:30pm. Closed Mon.

Chapter 29: Redwood National & State Parks, CA

by Eric Peterson

It’s impossible to explain the feeling you get in the old-growth forests of Redwood National and State Parks without resorting to Alice in Wonderland comparisons. Like a tropical rainforest, the redwood forest is a multistoried affair, the tall trees being only the top layer. Everything is big, misty, and primeval; flowering bushes cover the ground, 10-foot-tall ferns line the creeks, and the smells are rich and musty. Out on the parks’ crowd-free trails, it’s impossible not to feel as if you’ve shrunk, or the rest of the world has grown, or else that you’ve gone back in time to the Jurassic epoch—dinosaurs would fit in here nicely.

Redwood National Park

When Archibald Menzies noted the existence of the coast redwood in 1794, more than 2 million acres of redwood forest carpeted California and Oregon. By 1965, logging had reduced that to 300,000 acres, and it was obvious something had to be done. The state created several parks around individual groves in the 1920s, and in 1968 the federal government created Redwood National Park. In 1994, the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation signed an agreement to manage the four contiguous redwood parks cooperatively—hence the name Redwood National and State Parks.

The modern 131,983-acre park complex offers a lesson in ecology. When the park was created to protect the biggest coast redwoods, logging companies continued to cut much of the surrounding area, sometimes right up to the park boundary. Redwoods in the park began to suffer as the quality of the Redwood Creek drainage declined from upstream logging, so in 1978 the government purchased a major section of the watershed, having learned that you can’t preserve individual trees without preserving the ecosystem.

Although the logging of old-growth redwoods is still a major bone of contention for the government, private landowners, and environmentalists, the trees thrive. They are living links to the age of dinosaurs and reminders that the era of mankind is but a hiccup in time to the venerable Sequoia sempervirens.

Avoiding the Crowds

The parks include three major features—the ocean setting, the old-growth forests, and the prairies. Not many people discover the bald hills (called “prairies” here) that offer excellent views over the tops of the redwoods and down to the ocean. And while the coastal environment and the shade of the redwoods can chill a hiker’s bones year-round, these treeless spots are warm and sunny sanctuaries in the summertime. The prairie region also offers many opportunities to explore the park by hiking to the historic barns used during the ranching days before the park’s establishment, visiting the School House Peak Firelook to check out the view, or hiking to the valley bottom along the Dolason Prairie Trail.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The parks lie on a narrow strip near the coast in Northern California, about 350 miles north of San Francisco. There are three major routes to the Redwood Coast. U.S. 101 links San Francisco and Brookings, Oregon, traversing much of the length of the parks. U.S. 199 takes off from U.S. 101 just north of the parks and heads northeast to Grants Pass, Oregon. The main route to the east is Calif. 299, which goes from Redding, California, to meet up with U.S. 101 south of the park.

If you’re heading from the south, you’ll want to stop just before you get to Orick. If you’re heading from the north (Oregon), you’ll want to stop in Crescent City. Both have excellent information centers crammed with useful (and important) information about the parks, including free maps.

The Nearest Airports Arcata-Eureka Airport (phone 707/839-5401) is in McKinleyville, 28 miles south of the Redwood Information Center near Orick. McNamara Field (phone 707/464-7288; www.fly-cec.com) is in Crescent City, at the north end of the park. Both are served by United; Arcata-Eureka is also served by Horizon. Much farther south, San Francisco International Airport (phone 650/821-8211; www.sfoairport.com) is 14 miles south of downtown San Francisco on U.S. 101. All major car-rental chains have offices at San Francisco International Airport; some rentals are available at the Arcata-Eureka and Crescent City airports. Airline and car-rental websites are listed in chapter 38.

Information

Contact Redwood National and State Parks, 1111 2nd St., Crescent City, CA 95531 (phone 707/464-7335; www.nps.gov/redw). The park’s Visitor Guide newspaper describes activities in the parks, plus the wildlife you’re likely to see. Books and other resources are available from the Redwood Parks Association (phone 707/464-9150; www.redwoodparksassociation.org).

Visitor Centers

The southern gateway to the Redwood National and State Parks is the town of Orick, on U.S. 101. You can’t miss it: Just look for the dozens of burl stands alongside the road. Just south of town you’ll find the sleek Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center, P.O. Box 7, Orick, CA 95555 (phone 707/465-7765), where you can get a free map and see a variety of exhibits. It’s open daily year-round from 9am to 5 or 6pm (4pm in winter). If you missed the Kuchel Visitor Center, don’t worry: About 7 miles farther north on U.S. 101 is the Prairie Creek Visitor Center (phone 707/488-2171), which carries the same maps and information. It’s open daily from 9am to 5pm year-round.

The northern gateway to the National and State Parks is Crescent City. The town has its charms, but the face it presents along U.S. 101 isn’t exactly alluring. (To combat this, a beautification project is ongoing.) Still, it’s your best bet for a motel, gas, fast food, and outdoor supplies. Before touring the park, pick up a free guidebook at the Crescent City Information Center, 1111 2nd St. (at K St.), Crescent City, CA 95531 (phone 707/465-7335). It’s open daily 9am to 5 or 6pm (until 4pm in winter).

If you happen to be arriving on U.S. 199 from Oregon, the rangers at the Hiouchi Information Center (phone 702/4558-3294) and Jedediah Smith Visitor Center (phone 707/458-3496) can supply maps and advice. Both are open daily in the summer; Hiouchi is open fall through spring as staffing allows, closed spring to fall, and Jedediah Smith is closed from mid-September to mid-May.

Fees & Permits

Admission to the national park is free, but to enter any of the three state parks (which contain some of the best redwood groves), you’ll have to pay a $8 day-use fee, good at all three.

The camping fee is $35 for drive-in sites. Walk-in sites are free or $5, and a few are $20. Most do not require permits, but free permits, available in person at visitor centers, are required for backcountry camping along the Redwood Creek Trail.

To travel the Tall Trees Trail (see “If You Have Only 1 Day,” below), you’ll have to get a free permit from the Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick (see “Visitor Centers,” above).

Special Regulations & Warnings

Many of the best scenic drives in these parks are on roads not suitable for motor homes or trailers. If possible, those with RVs should consider towing a car, traveling with a friend who is driving a car, or maybe even renting a car near the parks.

• Don’t disturb abandoned baby seals or sea lions you may encounter on the beach. The mother may be nearby, but she will not return until you leave. In fact, you may be fined up to $10,000 for your good intentions. If a pup looks injured or appears to be in danger, call the North Coast Marine Mammal Center (phone 707/465-6265).

• On the beach, be aware of tidal fluctuations. Swimming is hazardous because of cold water, strong rip currents, and sneaker waves.

• Watch for poison oak, particularly in coastal areas.

• Follow park regulations regarding bears and food storage; all food and scented personal-care items should be secured and hidden from view in vehicles, placed in bear-proof lockers (located at each drive-in campsite), or hung from trees. Roosevelt elk are wild and unpredictable; do not approach them on foot.

• Treat water from natural sources before drinking.

• Tree limbs can fall during high winds, especially in old-growth forests.

Seasons & Climate

All those huge trees and ferns wouldn’t have survived for 1,000 years if it didn’t rain a lot here. Count on rain or at least a heavy drizzle during your visit, then get ecstatic when the sun comes out—it can happen anytime. Spring is the best season for wildflowers. Summer is generally foggy along the coast. (It’s called “the June gloom,” but it can continue into July and Aug.) Fall is the warmest and (relatively) sunniest time of all, and winter isn’t bad, though it can be cold and wet, and some park facilities are closed. A storm can provide the most introspective time to see the park, since you’ll probably be alone. And after a storm passes through, sunny days often follow. On an even brighter note, chances are, you won’t freeze to death in winter or wither and melt in summer, because the average annual temperature along the Redwood Coast varies only 16°, ranging from an average low of 45°F to an average high of 61°F (7°–16°C).

Seasonal Events

Annual events include the Discovery Ride through the Ancient Forest in October. Contact the park for exact dates and times. Also, Crescent City holds a surf contest in October, and the park holds a candlelight celebration through the old growth in December.

If You Have Only 1 day

Stop at one of the information centers for a free map, which will detail the parks’ main attractions.

Next, take the detour along U.S. 101 called the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, which passes through groves of redwoods and elk-filled meadows before leading back onto the highway 8 miles later. Or try one of two other spectacular routes: the Coastal Drive, which winds through stands of redwoods and offers grand views of the Pacific, or Howland Hill Road, an unforgettable journey through an unbelievably beautiful old-growth redwood forest (see “Exploring the Park by Car,” below).

The best way to experience the redwoods is on foot, so be sure to fit in time for a brief hike or two. The short Fern Canyon Trail leads through a fantastically lush grotto of ferns clinging to 50-foot-high vertical canyon walls. Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop is an easy self-guided tour that winds around a glorious lush grove of mature redwoods. And the best trail of all is Boy Scout Tree Trail, through a lush, cool, damp forest brimming with giant ferns and majestic redwoods.

If you prefer to see the area from the water, take a Klamath River Jet Boat Tour (phone 800/887-5387 or 707/482-7775; www.jetboattours.com) up the Klamath River Estuary to view bear, deer, elk, and more along the riverbanks, or a kayak tour around the Klamath River Estuary or other waters.

If you’re determined to see some of the world’s tallest trees, make your first stop the Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick. Here you can get a permit to travel the Tall Trees Trail. This 4-hour drive-and-hike expedition is limited to 50 permits each day, so get yours early. It’s an experience you’ll never forget.

Exploring the Park by Car

A number of scenic drives cut through the park. Steep, windy Bald Hills Road (a few miles north of Orick on U.S. 101) will take you back into the Redwood Creek watershed and up to the shoulder of 3,097-foot Schoolhouse Peak. Don’t even think of driving a motor home up here or pulling a trailer. A few miles farther north is the Lost Man Creek Trail, a short, unpaved scenic drive through the redwood forest. The 1 1/2-mile trip leads past the World Heritage Site dedication area and on to a cascade on Lost Man Creek. Again, anyone with a motor home or pulling a trailer can forget this one.

A don’t-miss detour along U.S. 101 is the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, which passes through redwood groves and elk-filled meadows before returning to the highway 8 miles later. While you’re cruising along, take the Cal-Barrel Road turnoff, a narrow, packed-gravel road (no trailers or motor homes) just north of the Prairie Creek Visitor Center off the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It offers a spectacular 3-mile tour through an old-growth redwood forest.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The parks run interpretive programs on subjects ranging from trees to tide pools, legends to landforms, at the Hiouchi and Kuchel information centers and in the Crescent Beach area during summer months, and year-round at the park headquarters in Crescent City. Park rangers lead campfire programs and numerous other activities throughout the year. Check the free park newspaper or call the Kuchel Visitor Center (phone 707/465-7765) for current schedules.

One of the premier coastal drives on the Redwood Coast starts at the mouth of the Klamath River and runs 8 miles south toward Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The narrow, partially paved Coastal Drive winds through stands of redwoods, with spectacular views of the Pacific and numerous pullouts for picture taking (sea lions and pelicans abound) and short hikes. Keep an eye out for the World War II radar station, disguised as a farmhouse and barn. If you’re heading south on U.S. 101, take the Alder Camp Road exit just south of the Klamath River Bridge and follow the signs to the Mouth of Klamath. Northbound travelers should take the Redwood National and State Parks Coastal Drive exit off the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Motor homes and vehicles with trailers should not take this road.

The most amazing car-friendly trail in all of the Redwood National and State Parks is the hidden, well-maintained gravel Howland Hill Road. It winds for about 10 miles through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, an unforgettable journey through a spectacular old-growth redwood forest. To get there from the northbound lanes of U.S. 101, keep an eye out for the southernmost traffic light coming into Crescent City, at Elk Valley Road, and turn right. Follow Elk Valley to Howland Hill Road, which will be on your right. After driving through the park, you’ll end up at U.S. 199 near Hiouchi, and from there it’s a short jaunt west to get back to U.S. 101. Plan at least 2 to 3 hours for the 30-mile round-trip, or all day if you want to do some hiking or mountain biking in the park. Driving a motor home or towing a trailer is not recommended.

Day Hikes

Regardless of the length of your hike, dress warmly and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. The website of Redwood Hikes Press, www.redwoodhikes.com, is a great resource, and they also sell printed maps. Redwood Adventures, north of Orick (phone 866/733-9637; www.redwoodadventures.com), offers guided hikes; a half-day runs $85 per person.

Big Tree Trail For the nonhikers in your group (including those in wheelchairs), this is a short paved trail leading to an impressively large tree. You can return the way you came or make a 2- or 3-mile loop if you continue on the Foothill, Cathedral Tree, and Prairie Creek trails. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Big Tree turnoff along Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy.

Boy Scout Tree Trail After taking this trail through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, you might understand why an activist such as Woody Harrelson would chain himself to the Golden Gate Bridge to protest logging old-growth forests. This is nature primeval, a lush, cool, damp forest brimming with giant ferns and redwoods. Just being here is truly an emotional experience. 5.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Off Howland Hill Rd.; ask for directions and map at Jedediah Smith Information Center.

Enderts Beach Trail This short trail leads down to Enderts Beach. In the summer, free 2 1/2-hour ranger-guided tide pool and seashore walks are offered when the tides are right. You start at the beach parking lot, descend to the beach, and explore rocky tide pools at its southern end. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: End of Enderts Rd. at south end of Crescent City (about 3 miles south on U.S. 101 from downtown).

Fern Canyon Trail This short, heavily traveled trail leads to an unbelievably lush grotto of lady, deer, chain, sword, five-finger, and maidenhair ferns clinging to 50-foot-high vertical walls divided by a babbling brook. It’s only about a 1.5-mile walk from Gold Bluffs Beach, but be prepared to scramble across the creek several times on small footbridges. This short loop connects with a number of trails, allowing the adventurous hiker to get in a 10-mile hike if he or she desires. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: From U.S. 101, take Davison Rd. exit, which follows Gold Bluffs Beach to Fern Canyon parking lot. Day-use fee $6. No trailers or motor homes over 24 ft. long.

Friendship Ridge, Coastal Loop Trail This is possibly the most varied and beautiful hike in Redwood National Park. Beginning at the Fern Canyon Trailhead, you’ll follow the Coastal Loop Trail north, then veer right and follow the Friendship Ridge Trail. For the next 3 miles, you’ll walk through a fern and redwood forest, then join the West Ridge Trail through old-growth forest to Ossagon Creek Camp and back south along the Coastal Loop Trail. 8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Fern Canyon Trailhead on Davison Rd.

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop Here’s a self-guided tour that loops around a lush grove of mature redwoods. It’s the site at which Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the national park in 1968. The following year, it was named for her. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Lady Bird Johnson Grove. Take Bald Hills Rd. exit off U.S. 101, 1⁄2 mile north of Orick.

Tall Trees Trail To see the some of the world’s tallest trees—about 360 feet tall and more than 600 years old—you’ll have to go to the Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick (see “Visitor Centers,” earlier in this chapter) to obtain a free map and vehicle permit to drive to the Tall Trees Grove Trailhead. Once thought to be the world’s tallest, these trees lost their title when 378-foot Hyperion was discovered elsewhere in the park in 2006. Hyperion’s location is kept secret to protect the surrounding soil. Only 50 permits are issued per day, on a first-come, first-served basis. After driving to the trail head—a slow, 15-mile one-way drive on a rough gravel road (trailers and motor homes not permitted)—you have to walk a steep trail down into the grove, but it’s a small price to pay to see some of the tallest trees in the world. Once you figure in the drive and hike to get to the tree, the whole expedition takes at least 4 hours. 3.5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of Tall Trees Access Rd., off Bald Hills Rd. Permit required.

Exploring the Backcountry

The long, beautiful Coastal Trail, which runs the entire 37-mile length of the parks’ coastal section and as near the ocean as possible, can be hiked by the day in small segments. It also makes a great 3- or 4-day trip using backcountry camps on the route. One of the nicest runs is from Crescent Beach south into the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. A free permit is required if you stay overnight at Ossagon Creek or along Redwood Creek.

Redwood Creek Trail This hike is a beauty, passing through Tall Trees Grove (where some of the tallest trees in the world grow on the banks of Redwood Creek), periodic meadows, new-growth forests, and awesome vantage points overlooking the grove. You’ll camp along the sandbars of Redwood Creek. The bridges on Redwood Creek are installed from May 15 to September 15 only, and from the end of October to the beginning of April, heavy rains make creek crossings dangerous. 15 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: End of Redwood Creek access road, off Bald Hills Rd.

Other Sports & Activities

Beaches The park’s beaches vary from long white-sand strands to cobblestone pocket coves. The water temperature is in the high 40s to low 50s (single digits to 10s Celsius) year-round, and it’s often rough out there. Swimmers and surfers should be prepared for adverse conditions.

Crescent Beach is a long, sandy beach just 2 miles south of Crescent City that’s a popular destination for beachcombing, surf fishing, and surfing. Just south of Crescent Beach is Enderts Beach, a protected spot with a hike-in campground and tide pools at its southern end.

The Crescent Beach Overlook, along Enderts Road (off U.S. 101 about 4 miles south of Crescent City), is one of the prettiest picnic sites on the coast. Pack a picnic lunch from Good Harvest Cafe (see “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter), park at the overlook, lay your blanket on the grass, and admire the ocean view from atop your personal 500-foot bluff.

Bicycling Most of the hiking trails throughout the national and state parks are off limits to mountain bikers. However, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park has a 19-mile mountain-bike trail through dense forest, elk-filled meadows, and glorious mud holes. Parts of it are difficult, though, so beginners should sit this one out. Pick up a trail map at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center. Mountain bike rentals are available from Redwood Adventures north of Orick (phone 866/733-9637; www.redwoodadventures.com) for $50 a day.

A few other mountain-bike loops are about 20 miles long, but they are serious thigh burners and make the one above look easy. These loops are the Holter Ridge Trail and Little Bald Hills. Also, mountain biking is permitted on the old U.S. 101, now the Coastal Trail within Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park.

The park recently completed the Davison Trail, which connects the Prairie Creek bike trails and the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway with U.S. 101 and the Holter Ridge Trail.

Fishing The Redwood Coast’s streams are some of the best steelhead trout– and salmon-breeding habitat in California. Park beaches are good for surfcasting, but you should be prepared for heavy wave action. A California fishing license (available at local sporting goods stores) is required. Be sure to check with rangers about closures or other restrictions, which seem to change frequently. Rivers West Outfitters (phone 707/482-5822 or 707/482-7775; www.riverswestoutfitters.com) offers guide service for about $150 per person per day. Redwood Adventures, north of Orick (phone 866/733-9637; www.redwoodadventures.com), also offers deep-sea and jet-boat fishing trips on the Klamath River for $250 to $300 per person with a 2-person minimum.

Horseback Trail Rides Equestrians can go on a variety of guided trail rides, including lunch and dinner trips, with Redwood Trails Horseback Riding (phone 707/498-4837; www.redwoodhorserides.com) and Redwood Adventures (phone 866/733-9637; www.redwoodadventures.com). Rates range from about $50 for a 1-hour ride to $250 for a full day.

Jet-Boat Tours Tours aboard a jet boat take visitors 22 miles upriver from the Klamath River Estuary to view bear, deer, elk, osprey hawks, otters, and more along the riverbanks. It’s about $40 for a 45-mile scenic trip. Kids pay half-price, and children under 4 ride free. Tours run May through September. Contact Klamath River Jet Boat Tours, Klamath (phone 800/887-JETS [887-5387] or 707/482-5822; www.jetboattours.com).

Whale-Watching & Bird-Watching High coastal overlooks such as Klamath Overlook and Crescent Beach Overlook make great whale-watching outposts during the December–January southern migration and the March–April return migration. The northern sea cliffs also provide valuable nesting sites for marine birds such as auklets, puffins, murres, and cormorants. Birders will also love the park’s coastal freshwater lagoons, which are some of the most pristine shorebird and waterfowl habitats left and are chock-full of hundreds of different species.

Wildlife Viewing One of the most striking aspects of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is its herd of Roosevelt elk, usually found in the appropriately named Elk Prairie in the southern end of the park and other spots in the Orick area. These gigantic beasts can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and are most definitely not tame. The bulls carry huge antlers from spring to fall. Elk are also sometimes found at Gold Bluffs Beach—it’s an incredible rush to suddenly come upon them out of the fog or after a turn in the trail. Nearly 100 black bears also call the park home but are seldom seen. Unlike those in Yosemite, these bears avoid people.

Camping

Most drive-in camping is in the state parks. In the southern part of the complex, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (phone 707/465-7354), known for its old-growth redwoods and herds of elk, has two drive-in campgrounds. Elk Prairie Campground, 5 miles north of Orick on U.S. 101, is near hiking trails, has a nature center, and offers evening campfire talks. Make reservations through ReserveAmerica (phone 800/444-7275; www.reserveamerica.com). Gold Bluffs Beach Campground is 3 miles north of Orick on U.S. 101, then 5 miles west on Davison Road. It’s somewhat more primitive and offers trail access.

In the northern part of the complex, the campground at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, along U.S. 199 at Hiouchi, provides easy access to some of the area’s biggest and most spectacular redwoods, as well as campsites along the scenic Smith River. Also in the northern section is Mill Creek Campground, in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, 7 miles south of Crescent City on U.S. 101. It has sites for both RVs and tents, and the walk-in tent sites nestle among the redwoods. Both Jedediah Smith and Mill Creek take reservations through ReserveAmerica (see above).

Those seeking RV hookups and the usual commercial campground amenities will find several choices in Crescent City, including the quiet, well-maintained Crescent City Redwoods KOA, 4241 U.S. 101 N., Crescent City, CA 95531 (www.crescentcitykoa.com; phone 800/562-5754 or 707/464-5744). Tent sites are among the redwoods, and some RV sites are also shaded. The KOA has farm animals, a recreation room, a laundromat, a convenience store with RV supplies, propane, free wireless Internet, and cable TV hookups. Also here are several cabins ($55–$80 double) and one modernized cottage that sleeps six ($95–$145), situated among the redwoods.

In addition to the developed drive-in campgrounds discussed above, eight small, primitive hike-in campgrounds are in the national park; they require a walk of .25 to .5 mile. Some are free, others are $5 per person per night, and all have fire rings and toilets. Contact the park office (phone 707/464-6101) for information.

Four campgrounds are in the mountains above the park, along U.S. 199, in the Smith River National Recreation Area (phone 707/457-3131). I like the Panther Flat campground, with coin-op showers, where sites run $15 per night. The other, more primitive campgrounds charge $8 to $14 per night. To reserve any of the four sites, contact www.recreation.gov or call phone 800/444-6777.

Where to Stay

There are a number of bed-and-breakfasts and roadside motels in Crescent City, Orick, and Klamath. The Crescent City/Del Norte Chamber of Commerce (phone 800/343-8300; www.exploredelnorte.net) is a good resource.

Inside the Park

Elk Meadow Cabins Built in the 1950s and 1960s as employee housing for a lumber company, these three-bedroom units completely surrounded by park land have been converted to stylish guesthouses. Featuring full kitchens, Wi-Fi, and queen beds in two of the three bedrooms, the cabins are perfect for families, with a lawn perfect for kids with lots of energy (not to mention grazing elk). This is also the base camp for Redwood Adventures, offering bike rentals, horseback rides, guided hikes, and other recreation.

U.S. 101 (P.O. Box 66), Orick, CA 95555. www.redwoodadventures.com. phone 866/733-9637. 6 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $199–$310 double. AE, MC, V. Located just north of Orick.

Near the Park

Crescent Beach Motel Crescent City has an armada of inexpensive motels, the best of which is the Crescent Beach. The single-story structure near the highway is the only local motel set directly on the beach. The well-maintained rooms are simple and functional; most have queen-size beds. Four units face the highway; they’re less expensive, but try to get one of the others, all of which have sliding glass doors opening onto decks and a small lawn area overlooking the bay.

1455 U.S. 101 S. (2 miles south of downtown), Crescent City, CA 95531. www.crescentbeachmotel.com. phone 707/464-5436. 27 units. TV. Summer $80–$125 double; winter $70–$110 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Curly Redwood Lodge This is a blast from the past, the kind of place where you might have stayed as a kid during one of those cross-country vacations in the family station wagon. It was built in 1957 on grasslands across from the town’s harbor, and completely trimmed with rare curly grained lumber from a single ancient redwood. Although they’re not full of the latest high-tech gadgets, the guest rooms are among the largest and most soundproof in town, and certainly the most evocative of a bygone, more innocent age. Overall, the retro aura is more akin to Oregon than anything you might imagine in 21st-century California.

701 U.S. 101 S., Crescent City, CA 95531. www.curlyredwoodlodge.com. phone 707/464-2137. Fax 707/464-1655. 36 units. TV, TEL. Summer $68–$73 double; winter $56–$60 double. AE, MC, V.

Historic Requa Inn Established in 1914 as a fishing lodge, this two-story charmer on the banks of the lower Klamath River offers guest rooms modestly decorated with antique furnishings. Bathrooms have showers, a tub/showers, or claw-foot tubs. Six units offer views of the lower Klamath River. The inn’s main attraction is its stunning river view. Also noteworthy is the cozy parlor downstairs, where guests bury themselves in the plump armchairs to read beside the fireplace or just relax and watch the river run. Breakfasts are terrific—egg dishes, homemade yogurt, and cereals—and dinner is available to guests and nonguests alike ($13–$20 for main courses). There are plenty of enticements just outside, including a hot tub, river access, numerous hiking trails, and, of course, fishing.

451 Requa Rd., Klamath, CA 95548. www.requainn.com. phone 707/482-1425. 12 units. $99–$179 double; lower rates in off season. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. From U.S. 101, take Requa Rd. (2 1/2 miles north of Klamath River Bridge).

Where to Eat

The best restaurant in the Orick area is the Historic Requa Inn (see “Where to Stay,” above), serving steaks, seafood, and creative fare from Tuesday to Sunday from 6 to 7:30pm; reservations are required.

Beachcomber SEAFOOD The decor is as nautical as its name implies: rough-cut planking and a scattering of driftwood, fishnets, and buoys, dangling above a dimly lit space. The restaurant lies beside the beach, 2 miles south of Crescent City’s center. The chef grills many dishes over madrone-wood barbecue pits, a technique perfected here since the restaurant opened in 1975. The house specialty is a sumptuous Parmesan halibut, but the marinated New York strip is a close second. Nightly specials include such tantalizing options as vanilla-champagne-hazelnut halibut and ginger mahimahi.

1400 U.S. 101 S., Crescent City. phone 707/464-2205. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4–9pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Groceries are available in Crescent City at Safeway, 475 M St. (phone 707/465-3353), and Ray’s Food Place, 625 M St. (phone 707/465-4045). Wal-Mart, 900 E. Washington St., Crescent City (phone 707/464-1198), sells camping supplies and sporting goods.

Cazadores Family Mexican Restaurant MEXICAN Nondescript from the parking lot, and fairly typical from the Formica-topped tables, Cazadores nonetheless serves excellent Mexican dishes, including the standards such as tacos, burritos, and enchiladas, plus a solid column of Mexican seafood dishes. I favor the rellenos, spicy chile wrapped in thin layers of egg and cheese. Service is remarkably efficient: It will probably take you longer to eat your order than you wait for it.

1461 Northcrest Dr., Crescent City. phone 707/464-2388. Main courses $7–$14. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 11am–8:30pm. Shorter hours in winter.

Good Harvest Café AMERICAN A Crescent City stalwart moving to swank new quarters in 2009, Good Harvest is a comfortable woodsy eatery with big fireplace and a social atmosphere and local loyalty. Breakfast includes fluffy frittatas, spinach-and-artichoke-heart omelets, and baked goods, while lunch tends toward sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Dinner tends toward fresh seafood and grain-fed beef, but there are also plenty of vegetarian options here. This is a great place to pick up a sack lunch to eat on the trail.

575 U.S. 101 S., Crescent City. phone 707/465-6028. Main courses $5–$10 breakfast and lunch; $8–$24 dinner. DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 7:30am–9pm; Sun 8am–8pm.

Chapter 30: Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

by Eric Peterson

Snow-covered peaks stand watch over lush valleys and alpine lakes, creating the perfect image of America’s most dramatic and beautiful landscape: the majestic Rocky Mountains. Here the pine- and fir-scented forests are deep, the air is crisp and pure, and the mountain peaks reach up to grasp the deep-blue sky.

Rocky Mountain National Park

What makes Rocky Mountain National Park unique is not only its breathtaking scenery, but also its variety. In relatively low areas, up to 9,000 feet, ponderosa pine and juniper cloak the sunny southern slopes, with Douglas fir on the cooler northern slopes. The thirstier blue spruce cling to the banks of streams, along with occasional groves of aspen. Elk and mule deer thrive. Lodgepole pine are often here, too, a population that’s been devastated by Rocky Mountain pine beetles in recent years. On higher slopes, forests of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir dominate, interspersed with wide meadows vibrant with wildflowers in spring and summer. This is also home to bighorn sheep, which have become a symbol of the park. Above 11,500 feet, the trees become increasingly gnarled and stunted, until they disappear altogether and alpine tundra takes over. Fully one-third of the park is in this bleak, rocky world, where many of the plants are identical to those found in the Arctic.

Within the park’s 415 square miles are 17 mountains above 13,000 feet. Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet, is the highest.

Trail Ridge Road, which cuts west through the middle of the park from Estes Park, then south down its western boundary to Grand Lake, is one of America’s most scenic highways. Climbing to 12,183 feet, it’s the highest continuously paved highway in the United States. The road is usually open from Memorial Day into October, depending on snowfall. The 48-mile drive from Estes Park to Grand Lake takes about 3 hours, allowing for stops at numerous view points. Exhibits at the Alpine Visitor Center at Fall River Pass, 11,796 feet above sea level, explain life on the alpine tundra.

Fall River Road, the original park road, leads from Estes Park to Fall River Pass via Horseshoe Park. As you negotiate its graveled switchbacks, you get a clear idea of what early auto travel was like in the West. This road, too, is closed in winter. Among the few paved roads in the Rockies that lead into a high mountain basin is Bear Lake Road, which stays open year-round, with occasional half-day closings to clear snow.

Avoiding the Crowds

The park is fully accessible for only half the year, so few of the park’s almost three million visitors come in the off season. The busiest time is from mid-June through mid-August—essentially during school vacation—so just before or just after that period is best. But winter is gaining in popularity, too, because it is the quietest time. You won’t be able to drive the entire Trail Ridge Road, and the park can be bitterly cold, but it is also beautiful. Regardless of when you visit, the best way to avoid crowds is to head out on a trail.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Entry to the park is from either the east (through the town of Estes Park) or the west (through the town of Grand Lake). Connecting the east and west sides of the park is Trail Ridge Road, open during summer and early fall, but closed to all motor vehicle traffic by snow the rest of the year. Most visitors enter the park from the Estes Park side. The Beaver Meadows Entrance, west of Estes Park on U.S. 36, leads to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and park headquarters; it is the most direct route to Trail Ridge Road. U.S. 34 west from Estes Park takes you to the Fall River Visitor Center, just outside the park, and into the park through the Fall River Entrance, which is north of the Beaver Meadows Entrance. From there you have access to Old Fall River Road or Trail Ridge Road.

Estes Park is about 71 miles northwest of Denver, 44 miles northwest of Boulder, and 42 miles southwest of Fort Collins.

The most direct route from Denver is U.S. 36 through Boulder. At Estes Park, that highway joins U.S. 34, which runs up the Big Thompson Canyon from I-25 and Loveland, and continues through Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Lake. An alternative scenic route to Estes Park is Colo. 7, the “Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway” that transits Central City (Colo. 119), Nederland (Colo. 72), and Allenspark (Colo. 7).

Heading south from Estes Park on Colo. 7, you can reach two trail heads in the southeast corner of the national park, but there are no connecting roads to the main part of the park from those points. These are Longs Peak Trailhead (the turnoff is 9 miles south of Estes Park and the trail head about another mile) and Wild Basin Trailhead (another 3 1/2 miles south to the turnoff and then 2 1/4 miles to the trail head).

Every day from late spring to early fall, free national park shuttle buses take hikers to some of the more popular spots and trail heads on the park’s east side. There is a Park and Ride parking area west of Glacier Basin Campground; one route goes to Bear Lake, and the other goes to Moraine Park and several nearby trail heads. Contact park offices or visit the website for the current schedule.

From late June to Labor Day, the town of Estes Park also operates a free summer shuttle service (www.estesparkcvb.com) that connects the Estes Park Visitor Center with downtown, the surrounding campgrounds, and the Rocky Mountain National Park’s hiker shuttles.

Those who want to enter the national park from the west can take U.S. 40 north from I-70 through Winter Park and Tabernash to Granby, and then follow U.S. 34 north to the village of Grand Lake and on into the park.

The Nearest Airport Visitors usually fly into Denver International Airport (phone 800/247-2336 or 303/342-2000; www.flydenver.com), 90 miles southeast of the park’s east entrances. It’s served by most major airlines and car-rental companies. See chapter 38 for their website listings. From the airport, travelers can also get to Estes Park on Estes Park Shuttle (phone 970/586-5151; www.estesparkshuttle.com). The 2-hour trip costs $45 per person one-way or $85 per person round-trip.

Information

Contact Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 U.S. 36, Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 970/586-1206; www.nps.gov/romo). There’s also great information on the Internet. Start at the park’s main website, but check out the Environmental Education Department’s site, www.heartoftherockies.net. Park visitor centers sell U.S. Geological Survey topographical maps. Also available is Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park, by Kent and Donna Dannen, which gives detailed trail descriptions.

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association, P.O. Box 3100, Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 800/816-7662 or 970/586-0108; www.rmna.org), offers a variety of trip-planning tools. The association sells a number of park maps, guides, books, and videos.

tips from a Park Insider

The ease with which visitors can experience the many faces of Rocky Mountain National Park helps make it a special place, according to former park spokesman Dick Putney.

There are other alpine tundra areas in the United States, but you usually have to do a lot of hard hiking, Putney says. “What makes Rocky Mountain National Park unique is that Trail Ridge Road takes you up to the tundra—above tree line—in the comfort of your car; you can see plant and animal communities that, if not for this park, you would have to go to the Arctic Circle to see.”

Those willing and able to hike can see plenty of tundra country. Putney suggests having a friend drop you off at the Ute Trail turnout on Trail Ridge Road, where you can hike the 6 miles down through Forest Canyon to Upper Beaver Meadows. He says this canyon is among the wildest in the park, adding that the hike along its steep side provides spectacular views of the canyon and Longs Peak, the park’s tallest mountain.

Another hike that Putney recommends is the 2-mile (one-way) Gem Lake Trail, on the park’s east side. “When you’re going up that trail, there are several places to look across the Estes Valley to Longs Peak, and the lake is a wonderful spot for a picnic,” he says. Those who want to work a bit harder will be well rewarded on another of Putney’s favorites, the East Inlet Trail on the west side of the park. “Once you get up there a couple of miles and gain some elevation, you look back toward Grand Lake and think you’re in Switzerland.”

Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet elevation, is the northernmost of Colorado’s famed “fourteeners” (mountains that exceed 14,000 ft. elev.), and it’s a popular hike. “You don’t need technical climbing gear once the ice is gone, usually by mid-July,” Putney says, adding that hikers may have some physical problems with the altitude at first. “It’s wise to give yourself at least a couple of days to acclimate before tackling Longs Peak.” He also recommends that high-elevation hikers drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids, eat regularly, carry energy bars, take it slow, and listen to their bodies. Another tip for hikers is to spend time discussing their plans with rangers in the park’s Backcountry Office before setting out. “We’d much rather spend time with them beforehand to try to get to know their abilities and expectations, and advise them where to go, than be called out on a search-and-rescue mission.”

One activity that many visitors miss out on is viewing the night sky, says Putney. He suggests taking a picnic supper and stopping at one of the Trail Ridge Road view points after dark, when most park visitors are in their motel rooms or campsites. “We don’t have any light pollution here,” he says. “You think you can just reach up and touch the Milky Way. You can see satellites, and the Perseid meteor shower in August is something you won’t soon forget.”

Putney says the easiest method to avoid crowds, even during the park’s busiest season, is to take off down a hiking trail, since most visitors remain close to the roads. “The farther you go up the trail, the fewer people you’ll encounter,” he says. He adds that another sure way to escape humanity is to visit in winter and explore the park on snowshoes or cross-country skis.

And when would he visit? “Fall—from September through mid-October—is the best time,” he says. “Days are warm and comfortable, nights are cool and crisp, there are fewer people than in summer, and the aspens are changing. You can see hundreds of elk and watch the bulls bugle as they protect their harems from the other bulls. But it might snow!”

Visitor Centers

When entering the park, it’s wise to make your first stop one of the visitor centers. Except as noted, all can be contacted through the main park phone number (phone 970/586-1206). Visitor center hours vary seasonally and are based on available staff; the following hours are subject to change. Visitor centers are closed on December 25.

The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, on U.S. 36 on the east side of the park, has a good interpretive exhibit that includes a relief model of the park, a free film on the park, a wide choice of books and maps for sale, and knowledgeable people to give advice. A self-guided nature trail just outside the visitor center identifies many of the park’s plants. It’s open daily year-round from 8am to 5pm.

Just outside the park on U.S. 34, just east of the Fall River entrance on the east side of the national park, is the Fall River Visitor Center. In a beautiful mountain lodge–style building, it contains exhibits on park wildlife, including some spectacular full-size bronzes of elk and other animals, plus an activity/discovery room for children, an information desk, and a bookstore. It is open daily 9am to 5pm from late spring through early fall, with slightly shorter hours on weekends only the rest of the year. Next door is a souvenir and clothing shop, a grocery store, a laundromat, and a cafeteria-style restaurant that serves snacks and sandwiches.

The Kawuneeche Visitor Center is at the Grand Lake end of Trail Ridge Road. In addition to exhibits on the geology, plants, animals, and human history of the park’s west side, there is a small theater where a film on the park is shown, and a short self-guided nature trail. The center is open daily year-round, with varying hours; hours are 8am to 5pm in the heart of summer. Kawuneeche (Kah-wuh-nee-chee) is an Arapaho word that translates as “Valley of the Coyote.”

The Alpine Visitor Center, at Fall River Pass, has exhibits that explain life on the alpine tundra and a viewing platform from which you are almost certain to see elk. Next door is the Fall River Store, open in summer, with a snack bar and gift shop that has a good selection of souvenirs, gifts, arts and crafts, and clothing, at surprisingly reasonable prices. The center is usually open late May through early October, weather permitting, and closed the rest of the year. Hours vary; the center is open 10:30am to 4:30pm from mid-June to early September.

The Moraine Park Visitor Center and Museum is a great spot for families. It is on Bear Lake Road, about 1 1/2 miles from the Beaver Meadows entrance station, in a log building that dates from 1923. It has full visitor-center facilities, in addition to excellent natural-history exhibits that describe the creation of the park’s landscape, as well as the plants and animals of the park. There’s also a half-mile nature trail outside. The museum is open daily from late spring to early fall, with hours of 9am to 4:30pm from mid-June to early September.

The Holzwarth Trout Lodge Historic Site is off Trail Ridge Road—it’s a half-mile walk—about 7 miles north of the Grand Lake entrance station. It consists of several historic buildings you can view (but not enter). The site is open in summer only. A trail guide is available.

Fees & Permits

Park admission costs $20 per vehicle for up to 1 week and $10 for solo bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. Camping in developed campgrounds costs $20 per night during the summer and $14 in the off season when the water is turned off, usually from late September to May. Required overnight backcountry permits cost $20 from May through October and are free the rest of the year (see “Exploring the Backcountry,” below).

Special Regulations & Warnings

Rocky Mountain National Park’s high elevation and extremes of climate and terrain are among its most appealing features, but also its greatest hazards. Hikers should try to give themselves several days to acclimate to the altitude before hitting the trails that climb above timberline, and hikers with respiratory or heart problems would do well to discuss their plans with their physicians before leaving home. Hikers need to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions, including sudden afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. If lightning threatens, stay clear of ridges and other high points.

Seasons & Climate

Even though the park is open year-round, Trail Ridge Road, the main east-west thoroughfare, is always closed in winter. Assume that you will not be able to drive clear across the park from mid-October until Memorial Day—even into June and again in September, snow can close the road for hours or even a day or more. That’s not to say that travelers can’t enjoy the park in winter. All park entrances are open, trails accommodate snowshoers and cross-country skiers, and roads to a number of good view points and trail heads are plowed. Those with the proper skills and equipment can cross-country ski into the high country, although they need to be aware of storm and avalanche dangers. Always check with rangers before setting out.

Weather is a key factor that will affect your trip to the park in any season. In summer, temperatures typically climb into the 70s (20s Celsius) during the day and drop into the 40s (single digits Celsius) at night, but because of the park’s high elevation and range of elevations, temperatures vary greatly. The higher into the mountains you go, the cooler it gets. Rangers say that for every 1,000 feet in elevation gain, the climate changes the equivalent of traveling 600 miles north. The tree line in the park—the elevation at which trees can no longer grow—varies but is at about 11,500 feet.

Winters usually see high temperatures in the 20s and 30s (below 0 Celsius) and lows from –10°F (–23°C) to 20°F (–7°C). Spring and fall temperatures can vary greatly, from pleasantly warm to bitterly cold and snowy. For this reason, spring and fall are when you need to be flexible and ready to adjust your itinerary to suit current conditions. Particularly at higher elevations, wind-chill factors can be extreme. Hypothermia can be a problem at any time, even in summer, when afternoon thunderstorms sometimes cause temperatures to drop dramatically and suddenly.

Seasonal Events

The elk rutting season in September and October brings hundreds of elk to the lower elevations, where you can often hear the bulls bugle and watch them trying to keep other bulls away from their females.

If You Have Only 1 day

This park simply begs for an extended visit—4 to 7 days would be ideal—but it offers wonderful experiences for visitors who have only a short amount of time or who are not able or willing to hike.

Those arriving in summer or early fall with only 1 day to see the park will want to stop at one of the visitor centers and then drive the fantastically scenic Trail Ridge Road, described below. Stop at the view points and take the half-hour walk along the Tundra World Nature Trail to get a close-up view of the plants, animals, and terrain of the tundra. Those returning to the east or west side will have time for little else—the 48-mile drive takes about 2 hours each way—but those passing through the park on their way to somewhere else might want to take another short hike.

Exploring the Park by Car

Although Rocky Mountain National Park is generally considered the domain of hikers and climbers, it’s easy to enjoy this park without working up a sweat. For that we can thank Trail Ridge Road, built in 1932 and undoubtedly one of America’s most scenic highways. This remarkable 48-mile road rises to over 12,000 feet in elevation and crosses the Continental Divide. Along the way it offers spectacular vistas of snowcapped peaks, deep forests, and meadows of wildflowers full of browsing bighorn sheep, elk, and deer. Allow at least 3 hours for the drive, and consider a short walk or hike from one of the many vista points.

To get a close-up look at the tundra, pull off Trail Ridge Road into the Rock Cut Parking Area (elev. 12,110 ft.), about halfway along the scenic drive. You’ll have splendid views of glacially carved peaks along the Continental Divide, and on the .5-mile Tundra Nature Trail you’ll find signs identifying and discussing the hardy plants and animals that inhabit this region.

Trail Ridge Road is left unplowed and closed by winter snows. In recent years, it has usually been clear by late May and closed sometime in October, depending how fast winter comes. But even well into June and again in September and through early October, the road can be closed for snow for hours or even days at a time.

There are two other roads within the park. Old Fall River Road, 9 miles long and unpaved, is one-way uphill only (you’ll return on Trail Ridge Rd.). It’s usually open from July 4 through mid-October. Bear Lake Road, the access road to Bear Lake, is open year-round.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Campfire talks and other programs occur between June and September. Activities vary from talks on the park’s wildlife and geology to photo walks, fly-fishing, and orienteering programs. At night, rangers lead night-sky programs using the park’s computerized telescopes. They also give nightly talks during the elk rutting season. Winter visitors will find a variety of activities, including moonlight hikes and snowshoe and cross-country ski trips. Check at visitor centers for current schedules.

Park Attractions

Remnants from the area’s mining and ranching days of the late 1800s and early 1900s persist in the park. Hikers will encounter the ruins of several historic cabins on the Lulu City and Eugenia Mine trails (see “Day Hikes,” below). Exhibits in the Moraine Park Visitor Center and Museum on Bear Lake Road are mainly on natural history, but the building itself—a log structure built as a social center in 1923—is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Holzwarth Trout Lodge Historic Site, a dude ranch dating back to the 1920s, is an easy half-mile walk from Trail Ridge Road on the west side of the park. Denver saloon owner John Holzwarth started it as a cattle ranch after Prohibition forced him to find a new line of work. But Holzwarth discovered that it was easier, and more profitable, to take in paying guests (at $2 per day or $11 per week, including room, meals, and a horse) than to do the hard work of actual ranching. Visitors can visit the site, but do not have access to the interiors.

Day Hikes

The park contains over 350 miles of hiking trails, ranging from short, easy walks to extremely strenuous hikes that require climbing skills. Trail difficulty can also vary by time of year—the higher elevations usually have snow until at least mid-July. Many of the park’s trails, such as Longs Peak, can be either day hikes or overnight backpacking trips. Hikers are strongly advised to discuss their plans with park rangers before setting out. The following are some favorites; there are many more.

Shorter Trails

Alberta Falls Trail With an elevation change of only 210 feet, this is an easy, scenic walk along Glacier Creek to Alberta Falls. Along the sunny trail, you’ll see beaver dams and an abundance of golden-mantled ground squirrels. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Glacier Gorge parking area.

Bear Lake Nature Trail Head out early in the day if you want some quiet time on this very popular walk. From the beginning of the trail, on the eastern side, 12,713-foot Hallett Peak dominates the view; along the lake’s north side, you’ll be looking at the national park’s highest mountain, 14,259-foot Longs Peak. Expect to see ground squirrels, chipmunks, and snowshoe hares; in the clear waters of the lake, you may catch a glimpse of a greenback cutthroat trout. (No fishing is allowed.) The Rocky Mountain Nature Association’s booklet Bear Lake Nature Trail, available at park visitor centers, makes a handy companion. This is an easy stroll, most of which is wheelchair accessible—one section has stairs. .5-mile loop. Easy. Access: Bear Lake trail head, at the end of Bear Lake Rd.

Bierstadt Lake Trail This trail climbs 566 feet through an open forest of aspen to Bierstadt Lake. From the northwest side of the lake, you’ll have good views of Longs Peak. This trail connects with several other trails, including one that leads to Bear Lake. 2.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: North side of Bear Lake Rd., 6 1/2 miles from Beaver Meadows.

Emerald Lake Trail This trail offers spectacular scenery on its route past Nymph and Dream lakes to its destination, Emerald Lake. The .5-mile hike to Nymph Lake is easy, climbing 225 feet. The trail is then rated moderate to Dream Lake (another .6 mile) and Emerald Lake (another .7 mile), which is 605 feet higher than the starting point at Bear Lake. In addition to the mountain lakes, you’ll see the surrounding mountains, which are especially pretty reflected in the surface of Nymph Lake or towering over Dream Lake. In summer, an abundance of wildflowers borders the path between Nymph and Dream lakes. 3.6 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Bear Lake.

Eugenia Mine Trail This walk to an abandoned mine follows the Longs Peak Trail for about .5 mile and then forks off to the right, heading through groves of aspens and then evergreens before arriving at the site of the mine. There you’ll see hillside tailings, the remnants of a cabin, and abandoned mine equipment. The trail has an elevation gain of 508 feet. 3.3 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Longs Peak Ranger Station.

Gem Lake Trail A relatively low-elevation trail, starting at only 7,740 feet, this route has an elevation change of 1,090 feet. It offers good views of Estes Park and Longs Peak; the destination is a pretty lake. 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Lumpy Ridge trail head on Devil’s Gulch Rd., north of Estes Park.

Mills Lake Trail This trail leads to a mountain lake nestled in a valley among towering mountain peaks. Among the best spots in the park for photographing Longs Peak (the best lighting is usually in late afternoon or early evening), this is also the perfect place for a picnic. The trail has an elevation change of about 750 feet. 5 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Glacier Gorge Junction.

Ouzel Falls Trail This hike climbs about 950 feet and crosses Cony Creek on two bridges before delivering you to a picture-perfect waterfall, among the park’s prettiest. The trail passes through areas that were burned in 1978—good spots to see wildlife—and also offers fine views of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker. 5.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Wild Basin Ranger Station.

Roger Toll Memorial Trail Named for one of the park’s first superintendents, this wheelchair-accessible nature trail has exhibits identifying various tundra plants and animals, and describing how they have adapted to the harsh tundra environment. .5-mile loop. Easy. Access: Near Rock Cut parking area on Trail Ridge Rd.

Longer Trails

East Inlet Trail This trail is an easy walk for the first .3 mile, to scenic Adams Falls. It then wanders along some marshy areas, crosses several streams, and, becoming more strenuous, climbs sharply in elevation to Lone Pine Lake, about 5.5 miles from the trail head. It is another 1.5 miles, partly through a subalpine forest, to Lake Verna. The trail continues, unmaintained, after the lake. Total elevation gain to Lake Verna is 1,809 feet. 14 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: West portal of Adam’s Tunnel, southeast of the town of Grand Lake.

East Longs Peak Trail Recommended only for experienced mountain hikers and climbers in top physical condition, this trail climbs 4,855 feet along steep ledges and through a narrows to the top of 14,259-foot Longs Peak, the highest point in the park. The trek takes most hikers about 15 hours to complete and can be done in 1 or 2 days. Those planning a 1-day hike should consider starting extremely early, so they will be well off the peak before the summer afternoon thunderstorms arrive. For a 2-day hike, go 5 or 6 miles the first day, stay at a designated backcountry campsite (a permit is required), and complete the trip the following day. Those making the hike in early summer (usually until mid-July) should be prepared for icy conditions. 16 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Longs Peak Ranger Station.

Lawn Lake Trail This hike, with an elevation gain of 2,249 feet, follows the Roaring River through terrain dotted with ponderosa pine. Along the way you can see all too plainly the damage done by a massive flood that occurred when the Lawn Lake Dam broke in 1982, killing three campers. At higher elevations, there are scenic views of Mummy Mountain. 12 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Trail head on Fall River Rd.

Lulu City Trail This trail gains just 300 feet in elevation as it winds along the river floodplain, through lush vegetation, past an 1880s mine and several mining cabins, and then along an old stage route into a subalpine forest before arriving at Lulu City. Founded in 1879 by prospectors hoping to strike gold and silver, it was abandoned within 10 years. Little remains except the ruins of a few cabins. An interpretative brochure is available. 7.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Colorado River trail head, near the western park boundary.

Timber Lake Trail You’ll work hard on this hike but be amply rewarded with views of timberline lakes and alpine tundra. With an elevation change of 2,060 feet, this hike takes you through a forest of lodgepole pines, follows a creek lined with subalpine wildflowers, and then arrives at the lake, surrounded by rocks, tundra, snow, and a few trees. 9.6 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: East side of Trail Ridge Rd., a little more than 9 1/2 miles north of the Grand Lake Entrance.

Ute Trail An excellent way to see the tundra, this moderate hike can become fairly easy if you can get a ride to the top and walk down the 3,300-foot descent to Beaver Meadows. The hike down the side of a canyon provides great views. 6 miles one-way. Moderate. Access: Ute Trail turnout on Trail Ridge Rd.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park allows numerous opportunities for backpacking and technical climbing, and hikers and climbers will generally find that the farther they go into the backcountry, the fewer humans they see. Some of the day hikes discussed above can also be done as overnight hikes; for example, the East Longs Peak Trail, which takes most people about 15 hours round-trip, is often completed over 2 days. Hikers can also combine various shorter trails to produce loops that can keep them in the park’s backcountry for up to a week.

The park has well over 100 small backcountry campsites, which may be reserved. Backpackers should carry portable stoves, because wood fires are permitted at only a few sites with metal fire rings. In addition to the designated backcountry campsites, there are two dozen cross-country zones, in some of the least accessible sections of the park, which are recommended only for those with good map and compass skills.

The park’s Backcountry Office should be the first stop for those planning backpacking trips. Rangers there know the trails and camping areas well and are happy to advise hikers on the best choices for their abilities and expectations. Backcountry permits are required for all overnight hikes. Technical climbers who expect to be out overnight usually set up a bivouac—a temporary open-air encampment that is normally at or near the base of a route or on the face of a climb. Designated bivouac zones have been established; permits are required.

Backcountry and bivouac permits are available at park headquarters and ranger stations. They cost $20 from May through October and are free from November through April. For information, call phone 970/586-1242.

Other Sports & Activities

In addition to the businesses discussed below, Estes Park Mountain Shop, 2050 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park (phone 866/303-6548 or 970/586-6548; www.estesparkmountainshop.com), sells and rents equipment and has an indoor climbing gym. The company offers fly-fishing and climbing instruction and guided trips in and around the national park. It also offers a kids’ outdoor adventure program in half- and full-day sessions.

Biking As in most national parks, bikes are not permitted on the trails, only established roads. Bicyclists here will, in most cases, share space with motor vehicles along narrow roads with 5% to 7% grades. However, bikers still enjoy the challenge and scenery. A free park brochure provides information on safety, regulations, and suggested routes. One popular 16-mile ride, with plenty of beautiful mountain views, is the Horseshoe Park/Estes Park Loop. It goes from Estes Park west on U.S. 34 past Aspenglen Campground and the park’s Fall River Entrance, and then back east at the Deer Ridge Junction, following U.S. 36 through the Beaver Meadows Entrance.

Rentals are available from Estes Park Mountain Shop, 2050 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park (phone 866/303-6548), for about $40 to $60 a day. Tours are available at Colorado Bicycling Adventures, 184 E. Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park (phone 888/586-4129 or 970/586-4241; www.coloradobicycling.com). The company offers guided downhill trips in the park for $55 to $155 per person (ages 10 and over only).

Climbing & Mountaineering The Colorado Mountain School, 341 Moraine Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 800/836-4008; www.totalclimbing.com), is an AMGA-accredited year-round guide service and the sole concessionaire for technical climbing and instruction in Rocky Mountain National Park. The school offers a wide range of programs. Among those I recommend are the 2-day mountaineering class for $425 and the guided group hike up Longs Peak for $450. The school also offers lodging in a hostel-type setting (see “Where to Stay,” later in this chapter).

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing A growing number of people have discovered the joys of exploring the park on cross-country skis and snowshoes, which are conveniently available for rent at area stores (see below) outside the park.

If you’re headed into the backcountry for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, stop by park headquarters for maps, information on where the snow is best, and a free backcountry permit if you plan to stay out overnight. Keep in mind that trails are not groomed. On winter weekends starting in February, rangers often lead guided snowshoe walks on the east side of the park and guided cross-country ski trips on the west side. Participants must supply their own equipment.

Popular winter recreation areas include Bear Lake, south of the Beaver Meadows Entrance. A lesser-known part of the park is Wild Basin, which is south of the park’s east entrances, off Colo. 7 about a mile north of the community of Allenspark. A 2-mile road, closed to motor vehicles for the last mile in winter, winds through a subalpine forest to the Wild Basin trail head, which follows a creek to a waterfall, a rustic bridge, and eventually another waterfall. Total distance to the second falls is 2.7 miles. Along the trail, visitors have a good chance of spotting birds such as Clark’s nutcrackers, Steller’s jays, and the American dipper. On winter weekends, the Colorado Mountain Club often opens a warming hut at the Wild Basin Ranger Station.

Among shops that rent winter gear is Estes Park Mountain Shop, 2050 Big Thompson Ave. (phone 866/303-6548 or 970/586-6548; www.estesparkmountainshop.com), which charges $12 per day for a cross-country ski package and $5 per day for snowshoes.

Educational Programs The Rocky Mountain Nature Association (see “Information,” earlier in this chapter) offers a wide variety of seminars and workshops, lasting from a half-day to 1 full day, to several days. Subjects vary but might include songbirds, flower identification, edible and medicinal herbs, painting, wildlife photography, park animal tracking, and edible mushrooms. Rates are $70 to $100 for full-day programs and $160 and up for multiday programs. There are also kids’ programs, including guided children’s hikes and other special kids’ programs starting at $10.

Fishing Four species of trout are fished in the park: brown, rainbow, brook, and cutthroat. Anglers must get a state fishing license and are permitted to use only artificial lures or flies. About a half-dozen lakes and streams, including Bear Lake, are closed to fishing; a free park brochure lists open and closed waters, and gives regulations and other information.

Horseback Riding Many of the national park’s trails are open to horseback riders. Several outfitters provide guided rides inside and outside the park, including a 1-hour ride ($35) and the very popular 2-hour rides ($50). There are also all-day rides ($120, including lunch), plus breakfast and dinner rides and multiday pack trips. Recommended companies include SK Horses (www.cowpokecornercorral.com), which operates National Park Gateway Stables, at the Fall River entrance of the national park on U.S. 34 (phone 970/586-5269), and the Cowpoke Corner Corral, at Glacier Lodge, 3 miles west of town, 2166 Colo. 66 (phone 970/586-5890). Hi Country Stables (www.colorado-horses.com) operates two stables inside the park: Glacier Creek Stables (phone 970/586-3244) and Moraine Park Stables (phone 970/586-2327).

Snowmobiling On the park’s west side, a 2-mile section of the North Supply Access Trail is open to snowmobiles. It leads from the park into the adjacent Arapaho National Forest. This trail leaves U.S. 34 just north of the Kawuneeche Visitor Center and follows County Roads 491 and 492 west into the forest. Contact park visitor centers for current information.

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching Rocky Mountain National Park is a premier wildlife-viewing area, especially in fall, winter, and spring. Look for large herds of elk in meadows and on mountainsides. During the fall rutting season, park volunteers called the Rocky Mountain National Park Elk Bugle Corps are stationed at elk-viewing areas in the evenings to help people get the best views while not disturbing the animals—elk are often just 30 or 40 feet away.

Park visitors also often see mule deer, beavers, coyotes, and river otters. Watch for moose among the willows on the west side of the park. The forests are home to an abundance of songbirds and small mammals; particularly plentiful are gray and Steller’s jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, chipmunks, and golden-mantled ground squirrels. You also have a chance of seeing bighorn sheep, marmots, pikas, and ptarmigan along Trail Ridge Road. For detailed and current wildlife-viewing information, stop by one of the park’s visitor centers and check on the many interpretive programs, such as bird walks.

Especially for kids

The park offers a variety of special hikes and programs for children, including an especially popular trip to the park’s beaver ponds. There are numerous ranger-led programs for kids from 6 to 12 years old covering the park’s geology and wildlife through hands-on activities; see the park newspaper for a full schedule. The park’s Junior Ranger Program lets kids earn badges by completing activities that teach them about the park’s plants and animals and environmental concerns. Most of the activities are scheduled during the summer; check on schedules at any park visitor center.

Camping

Inside the Park

The park has five campgrounds with a total of almost 600 sites, nearly half of them at Moraine Park. Moraine Park and Glacier Basin accept reservations from Memorial Day through early September, and they are strongly recommended, especially on holiday weekends (www.recreation.gov; phone 800/444-6777 or 518/885-3639). In summer, arrive early if you hope to snare one of the first-come, first-served campsites. Campsites cost $20 per night during the summer or $14 in the off season, when water is turned off. No showers or RV hookups are available. Camping is limited to 7 nights per summer.

Near the Park

The East Side

Choices on the east side include the Estes Park KOA, 2051 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (www.estesparkkoa.com; phone 800/562-1887 for reservations, or 970/586-2888), 1 mile east of Estes Park on U.S. 34. Scenically located across the street from Lake Estes and within walking distance of the Big Thompson River, this KOA lacks a pool but has cable-TV hookups, a basketball court, and a game room. In addition to the campsites, there are camping cabins ($56–$81 double) and cottages with kitchens and bathrooms ($107–$140 double). There are fire pits in the tent and cabin areas, but not at RV sites.

The most luxurious camping is at Spruce Lake R.V. Park, 1050 Mary’s Lake Rd., Estes Park, CO 80517 (www.sprucelakerv.com; phone 800/536-1050 or 970/586-2889), about a mile west of the intersection of U.S. 34 and Business U.S. 36. Here you’ll be pampered with miniature golf, a heated swimming pool, a playground, a stocked private fishing lake (fee), large sites, cable TV hookups, and scheduled activities such as ice-cream socials. Fully equipped cabins that sleep up to eight are available ($130–$155). Ground tents are not permitted.

Two Roosevelt National Forest campgrounds lie within easy driving distance of the park’s east entrances: Olive Ridge, 15 miles south of Estes Park along Colo. 7, has pleasant, shady, well-spaced sites and an amphitheater. A less developed campground, for those who carry their own drinking water, is Meeker Park Overflow, about 12 miles south of Estes Park on Colo. 7. Both campgrounds have vault toilets.

In Estes Park, a U.S. Forest Service Information Center is at 161 Second St. (phone 970/586-3440); it’s usually open daily in summer. For year-round information, contact the Forest Service Information Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119 (phone 970/295-6700; www.fs.fed.us/r2).

For reservations at Olive Ridge Campground only, contact the National Recreation Reservation Service (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov).

The West Side

Covering more than 36,000 acres along the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park in Arapaho National Forest, the Arapaho National Recreation Area (www.fs.fed/r2/arnf) contains excellent fishing lakes (several with boat ramps) and opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hunting, and camping. The recreation area has an entrance fee, in addition to camping fees, of $5 for 1 day, $10 for 3 days, and $15 for 1 week.

The recreation area’s campgrounds offer shaded campsites plus picnic tables and fire pits. The most developed site, Stillwater Campground, is off U.S. 34 on the west bank of Lake Granby, about 7 miles south of Grand Lake. Stillwater has showers plus water and electric hookups, available only in summer; a limited number of sites are open in winter, when water is turned off.

Also in the Arapaho National Recreation Area, south of Grand Lake, are Green Ridge Campground (about 4 miles south on U.S. 34, then 1 mile south on C.R. 66), which lost most of its surrounding forest to pine beetles; and Willow Creek (about 10 miles south on U.S. 34, then about 4 miles west on C.R. 40). All three are on lakes with fishing and boat ramps. For information on both the forest and the recreation area, contact the Sulphur Ranger District Office, 9 Ten Mile Dr. (P.O. Box 10), Granby, CO 80446 (phone 970/887-4100). You can also obtain information from the Forest Service Information Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. E, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119 (phone 970/295-6700; www.fs.fed.us/r2). Campsite reservations (Stillwater and Green Ridge only) are available from the National Recreation Reservation Service (phone 887/444-6777; www.recreation.gov).

Several commercial campgrounds in the community of Grand Lake, just outside the park’s west entrance, combine modern conveniences with a forest-camping atmosphere. Elk Creek Campground, Box 549, Grand Lake, CO 80447 (www.elkcreekcamp.com; phone 800/355-2733 or 970/627-8502), is on Golf Course Road, off U.S. 34 on the north side of the village. It has tent and RV sites in a wooded setting, a pond with license-free trout fishing (there is a per-fish charge), a playground, a game room, and a convenience store. There are also 10 log cabins ($65 double). Winding River Resort, P.O. Box 629, Grand Lake, CO 80447 (www.windingriverresort.com; phone 970/627-3215 or 303/623-1121), also offers forest camping, with hot showers, full RV hookups, and all the other amenities of a commercial campground. In addition, Winding River has wireless Internet access, plus an abundance of activities, ranging from horseshoes to horseback riding, plus hayrides, ice-cream socials, and chuck wagon breakfasts. There’s also a petting zoo. In addition to campsites, you can rent a camping cabin, which shares the campground’s bathhouse ($55), plus there are full cabins, with their own bathrooms and all the amenities ($150–$235), and lodge units ($95–$120). From Grand Lake, head north on U.S. 34 about 1 1/2 miles, turn left onto County Road 491 (across from the Kawuneeche Visitor Center), and continue 1 1/2 miles to the resort.

Where to Stay

There is no lodging inside the park.

Estes Park Area (East Side of the National Park)

For help in finding accommodations in and around Estes Park, contact the Estes Park Convention and Visitors Bureau (phone 800/443-7837; www.estesparkcvb.com). Among the independent motels, I especially like the Saddle and Surrey Motel, 1341 S. St. Vrain Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (www.saddleandsurrey.com; phone 800/204-6626 or 970/586-3326), which has a pleasant indoor heated pool and rates of $90 to $145 double in summer and $60 to $95 at other times.

Chains in Estes Park include the Best Western Plus Silver Saddle, 1260 Big Thompson Ave. (U.S. 34), Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 970/586-4476), with rates of $109 to $299 double from June to mid-September, $79 to $199 double during of the rest of year; Comfort Inn, 1450 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 970/586-2358), charging $109 to $299 double in summer, $76 to $199 double during the rest of the year; and Travelodge, 1220 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (phone 970/586-4421), charging $119 to $149 double in summer, $75 to $110 double during the rest of the year. Many campgrounds in Estes Park also offer cabin rentals (see “Camping,” above).

Allenspark Lodge Bed & Breakfast I enjoy the historic ambience of this three-story lodge, built in 1933 of native stone and hand-hewn ponderosa pine logs. The lodge is 16 miles south of Estes Park at the southeast corner of the national park, not far from the Wild Basin Unit, and all rooms offer mountain views and original handmade 1930s pine furniture. Guests share the Great Room and its stone fireplace, games, puzzles, and videos in the recreation room, and books in the library. Rates include afternoon and evening coffee, tea, and cookies. Also available is The Apartment, with sleeping space for four at $155. The lodge has a hot tub, conference rooms, an espresso coffee shop, and a wine and beer bar. There are no in-room phones.

184 Main St., Colo. 7 Business Loop (P.O. Box 247), Allenspark, CO 80510. www.allensparklodge.com. phone 303/747-2552. 13 units, 7 with bathroom. $98–$130 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Children 13 and under not accepted.

Alpine Trail Ridge Inn This top-notch independent motel, next to the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, offers nicely maintained rooms, many with private balconies, with basic Western decor and plenty of functionality. There are rooms with kings and queens, two doubles, as well as a few two-room family units. Longtime managers Jay and Fran Grooters are also great sources for hiking advice—Fran helped create Trail Tracks (www.trailtracks.com), excellent 3-D hiking maps of Rocky Mountain National Park and other hiking meccas; many are for sale in the lobby. All units have refrigerators, coffeemakers, and hair dryers, and some have microwaves. The property also has free Wi-Fi; a restaurant, The Sundeck (American), serving three meals daily; and an outdoor heated pool. All units are smoke-free.

927 Moraine Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517. www.alpinetrailridgeinn.com. phone 800/223-5023 or 970/586-4585. Fax 970/586-6249. 48 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $88–$145 double; $144–$233 family unit. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct through Apr.

Baldpate Inn This is a good choice for those who seek an old-fashioned, historic lodge experience. Located 7 miles south of Estes Park, the Baldpate was built in 1917 and named for the novel Seven Keys to Baldpate, a murder mystery in which seven visitors believe each possesses the only key to the hotel. Guests can watch several movie versions of the story, read the book, and contribute to the hotel’s collection of some 25,000 keys. Guests can also enjoy complimentary refreshments or use the free Wi-Fi network by the stone fireplace in the lobby, relax on the large sun deck, or view free videos on the library VCR or DVD player. But it might be difficult to stay inside once you experience the spectacular views from the inn’s porch and see the nature trails beckoning. Each of the early-20th-century-style rooms is unique, with handmade quilts on the beds. Several of the rooms are a bit small, and although most of the lodge rooms share bathrooms (five bathrooms for nine units), each room does have its own sink. Among my favorites are the Mae West Room (yes, she was a guest here), with a red claw-foot tub and wonderful views of the valley; and the Pinetop Cabin, which has a whirlpool tub, canopy bed, and gas fireplace. In summer, an excellent soup-and-salad buffet is served for lunch and dinner daily (see “Where to Eat,” below). Smoking is not permitted.

4900 S. Colo. 7 (P.O. Box 700), Estes Park, CO 80517. www.baldpateinn.com. phone 866/577-5397 or 970/586-6151. 16 units, 6 with bathroom; 4 cabins. $115 double with shared bathroom; $135 double with private bathroom; $200–$260 cabin. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to Memorial Day weekend.

Boulder Brook on Fall River It would be hard to find a more beautiful setting for a lodging than this. Surrounded by tall pines, all suites face the Fall River, and all feature private riverfront decks and full or partial kitchens, Wi-Fi, hair dryers, and irons. The spa suites have two-person spas, fireplaces, sitting rooms with cathedral ceilings, and king-size beds. One-bedroom suites offer king-size beds, window seats, two TVs, and bathrooms with a whirlpool tub/showers. There’s also a year-round outdoor hot tub. DVD players and a large free DVD library are available, and special-occasion packages can be arranged year-round.

1900 Fall River Rd., Estes Park, CO 80517. www.boulderbrook.com. phone 800/238-0910 or 970/586-0910. Fax 970/586-8067. 19 units. TV, TEL. Summer $199–$269 double; lower rates spring to fall. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Estes Park Center/YMCA of the Rockies This popular family resort is an ideal place to get away from it all. It makes a great home base while exploring the Estes Park area. Lodge units are simply decorated and perfectly adequate, but I prefer the spacious mountain cabins. They have two to four bedrooms (accommodating up to 10) and complete kitchens, and some have fireplaces. The center, which occupies 860 wooded acres, offers hiking, horseback riding, miniature golf, an indoor heated pool and children’s pool, fishing, bicycle rentals, three tennis courts, and cross-country skiing. Other facilities include a self-serve laundry.

2515 Tunnel Rd., Estes Park, CO 80511-2550. www.ymcarockies.org. phone 800/777-9622 or 970/586-3341. 510 lodge rooms, 450 with bathroom; 205 cabins. Lodge rooms $79–$169; cabins $99–$389 cabins. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets are permitted in the cabins, but not the lodge rooms ($10/night).

The Lodge at Colorado Mountain School This is lodging at its simplest: coed dormitory-style rooms furnished in light woods, clean and well maintained, with bunk beds, showers, and lockable private storage. Total Climbing also offers a year-round guide service and rock-climbing and mountaineering school (see “Climbing & Mountaineering,” above).

341 Moraine Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517. www.totalclimbing.com. phone 800/836-4008, ext. 3. 16 dormitory beds. $25 per bed. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-Dec. Office 8am–5pm (until 6pm on weekends).

McGregor Mountain Lodge A top midpriced choice on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park, this smallish, spread-out property is a stone’s throw from the park boundary at the foot of McGregor Mountain, a favorite hangout for bighorn sheep. With efficiencies, cottages, and one- and two-bedroom suites, the 19 rooms here are diverse and uniformly well maintained, and the place has a homey, faraway feel, despite its location off one of the area’s main thoroughfares. There’s an indoor hot tub and outdoor playground, and all units have kitchens and Wi-Fi. Many of the rooms have jetted tubs and balconies—all of them are great spots to unwind. The entire lodge is smoke-free.

2815 Fall River Rd., Estes Park, CO 80517. www.mcgregormountainlodge.com. phone 800/835-8439 or 970/586-3457. Fax 970/586-4040. 19 units, 15 cottages. Early June to mid-Aug $149 double, $189–$359 cottage or suite; rest of year $99–$139 double, $129–$289 cottage or suite. DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($25 per night).

Romantic RiverSong Inn Couples looking for some quiet romance while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park will enjoy this 1920 Craftsman mansion on the Big Thompson River. Owned and operated since 1986 by Gary and Sue Mansfield, the secluded and elegant bed-and-breakfast has 27 forested acres with hiking trails and a trout pond, as well as prolific wildlife and beautiful wildflowers. The comfortable rooms are decorated with a blend of antique and modern country furniture. All have tubs with separate showers and fireplaces, some have refrigerators, and many have jetted tubs for two. Gourmet candlelight dinners ($145 per couple) are available by advance arrangement, but you must supply your own alcoholic beverages. Breakfasts are thoroughly Western, with items like the John Wayne Casserole and Giddy-up Grits.

1765 Lower Broadview Rd. (P.O. Box 1910), Estes Park, CO 80517. www.romanticriversong.com. phone 970/586-4666. Fax 970/577-1336. 10 units. $165–$350 double. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Not suitable for small children; pet allowed in 1 room.

Stanley Hotel Fans of the automotive, the historic, and the horrific should check out this hotel. F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steam Car (the Stanley Steamer), built the elegant hotel in 1909, and it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining 6 decades later. The equal of European resorts the day it opened, the Stanley was constructed in solid rock at an elevation of 7,800 feet on the eastern slope of the Colorado Rockies. Today the hotel and its grounds are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Stanley Historic District. Each room differs in size and shape, offering a variety of views of Longs Peak and Lake Estes, and the most expensive rooms are allegedly haunted. All have free Wi-Fi access. There are several new lavish one- to three-bedroom condo units, but I prefer the deluxe rooms in the front of the building, with views of the park. There is a spa, a restaurant, an outdoor heated pool, a tennis court, and an exercise room.

333 Wonderview Ave. (P.O. Box 1767), Estes Park, CO 80517. www.stanleyhotel.com. phone 800/976-1377 or 970/586-3371. Fax 970/586-4964. 140 units. TV, TEL. $159–$469 double; $289–$700 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Taharaa Mountain Lodge A luxurious mountain lodge, Taharaa is named for the French Polynesian word for “beautiful view,” and it’s a fitting moniker: There are jaw-dropping views of the Mummy Range from just about every room in the house. Built in 1997 and expanded in 2005 by Diane and Ken Harlan, Taharaa melds upscale hotel amenities and service with the intimacy of a B&B. With a contemporary “New West” feel, the sumptuous interiors are a good match with the sublime panoramas, with individually decorated rooms like the Big Thompson, outfitted with trout art of all kinds, and the two-room Cattle Baron Suite, with an imposing antique headboard and a wet bar. All rooms have gas fireplaces and private balconies. Best of all is the phenomenal Great Room, with a 30-foot ceiling and fireplace, a wrought-iron chandelier, and picture windows framing the stunning view.

3110 Colo. 7 (P.O. Box 2586), Longs Peak Route, Estes Park, CO 80517. www.taharaa.com. phone 800/597-0098 or 970/577-0098. Fax 970/577-0819. 18 units. A/C, TV, TEL. May to mid-Oct $189–$259 double, $309–$349 suite; mid-Oct to Apr $159–$229 double, $249–$289 suite. Rates include full breakfast and happy hour. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Grand Lake Area (West Side of the National Park)

For a complete listing of lodging and dining choices in the Grand Lake Area, contact the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 429, Grand Lake, CO 80447 (phone 800/531-1019 or 970/627-3402; www.grandlakechamber.com).

Daven Haven Lodge Set among pine trees about 1 block from the lake, this group of cabins is a good choice for those seeking seclusion. There’s a welcoming stone fireplace in the lobby plus several antique jukeboxes, and often a friendly dog named Buddie. The cabins vary in size, some sleeping as many as eight people; each has a kitchen and its own picnic table, and several have stone fireplaces. Decor and furnishings vary, but most have attractive light-wood walls and both solid-wood and upholstered furniture. You’ll also find a lovely patio, volleyball court, horseshoes, and bonfire pit. The Backstreet Steakhouse (see “Where to Eat,” below) serves dinner nightly in summer. All cabins are nonsmoking; most have free Wi-Fi. Under the same ownership and with similar rates are Wildwood Cabins (www.wildwoodcabins.com), nestled in a cluster near the lake just off the main drag.

604 Marina Dr. (P.O. Box 1528), Grand Lake, CO 80447. www.davenhavenlodge.com. phone 970/627-8144. Fax 970/627-5098. 12 cabins. TV. Mid-June to Sept and Christmas holiday season $127–$226; other times $94–$182. DISC, MC, V. 3-night minimum required on reservations during holidays. Pets accepted in two cabins ($15 per night).

Grand Lake Lodge This 1919 gem reopened in 2011 after a 5-year shutdown, with new ownership. Perched above Grand Lake, the remodeled and modernized cabins are mostly duplexes, offering several bed combinations in one room with a small bathroom, and there are also a couple of larger units that sleep more than 10 people. The lodge itself, fronted by the swings of “Colorado’s Favorite Front Porch,” is a classic, with a restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below), gift shop, taxidermy galore, and plenty of places to sit and play antique pin-games or just while away the time around the colossal fireplace.

Off U.S. 34 (P.O. Box 2239), Grand Lake, CO 80447. www.grandlakelodge.com. phone 866/585-0004 or 970/627-3967. 70 units, including a 3-bedroom cabin and an 8-bedroom cabin. TV, TEL. $130–$150 double; $495–$850 large cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($10 per night). Closed Oct–May.

The Inn at Grand Lake For modern lodging with an Old West feel, stay at this restored historic building, originally constructed in 1881 as Grand Lake’s courthouse and jail. Rooms have a variety of bed combinations, and several sleep up to six. They’re equipped with Western-style furniture, ceiling fans, white stucco walls, and aptly Western draperies and bedspreads, as well as coffeemakers, refrigerators, and microwaves. The best views are on the street side of the building. The inn is located in the center of town, about a half-block from the lake. The Sagebrush BBQ & Grill (see “Where to Eat,” below) serves three meals daily. All units are smoke-free.

1103 Grand Ave. (P.O. Box 2087), Grand Lake, CO 80447. www.grandlakerez.com. phone 800/722-2585 or 970/627-9234. Fax 970/627-2483. 10 units. TV, TEL. $79–$179 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

There are no dining facilities inside the park.

Estes Park Area (East Side of the National Park)

In addition to the restaurants described here, I like Bob & Tony’s Pizza, 124 W. Elkhorn Ave. (phone 970/586-2044), a busy pizza joint with redbrick walls covered with chalk signatures.

Baldpate Inn AMERICAN Don’t be misled by the simple cuisine—the buffet is delicious and plentiful. Everything is freshly prepared on the premises, with the cooks barely staying one muffin ahead of the guests. Soups—a choice of two is offered each day—include hearty stews, chili, chicken rice, garden vegetable, and classic French onion. The salad bar provides fresh greens and an array of toppings, chunks of cheese, and fruit and vegetable salads. Honey-wheat bread is a staple, plus rolls, muffins, and corn bread. Topping off the meal are fresh homemade pies and hot coffee.

4900 S. Colo. 7. phone 970/586-6151. www.baldpateinn.com. Reservations recommended. Buffet $15 adults, $7 children 10 and under. DISC, MC, V. Memorial Day to Aug daily 11:30am–8pm. Shorter hours Sept to mid-Oct; closed the rest of the year.

The Dunraven Inn ITALIAN This is a great spot to celebrate a special occasion in an intimate setting, but not so fancy that you wouldn’t want to take the (well-behaved) kids. The decor is eclectic, to say the least: Images of the Mona Lisa are scattered about, ranging from a mustachioed lady to opera posters, and autographed dollar bills are posted in the lounge area. House specialties include shrimp scampi, lasagna, and, my favorite, the Dunraven Italiano (a 10-oz. charbroiled sirloin steak in a sauce of peppers, onions, and tomatoes). There’s a wide choice of pastas, fresh seafood, vegetarian plates, and desserts, plus a children’s menu. The full bar is well stocked and the wine list reasonably priced.

2470 Colo. 66. phone 970/586-6409. www.dunraveninn.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$40. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 4–9pm; closes slightly earlier in winter.

Ed’s Cantina & Grill MEXICAN A bustling bar and grill with solid Mexican fare, Ed’s is a fun spot with affordable eats that won’t leave you hungry. The colorful, kitschy decor (full of neon chili peppers and funky art) is a nice match for the menu, with such dishes as pozole (traditional pork soup), fish tacos, spinach enchiladas, and all sorts of combination platters. There’s a nice selection of microbrew on tap (as well as a long margarita list that runs the gamut from grapefruit to anejo) for parents and a bowl of Dum-Dums for the kids.

390 E. Elkhorn Ave. phone 970/586-2919. www.edscantina.com. Main courses $7–$17 lunch and dinner, $4–$10 breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–10pm; Fri–Sun 7am–10pm (slightly shorter hours in off season). Bar open later with a limited menu.

The Egg & I AMERICAN A bright and cheery place to start your day, the Egg & I is decorated in warm earth tones, with magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains. Breakfast is available at any time, ranging from fried eggs to several variations of eggs Benedict, omelets, frittatas, crepes, skillet meals—and I do mean meals—plus pancakes and French toast. Those not opting for breakfast can choose among a variety of sandwiches, such as the Veggie Greek Wrap, with sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, spinach, and other veggies in a tomato tortilla. Soups and a number of salads are also available, and there is takeout.

393 E. Elkhorn at the corner of U.S. Hwys. 34 and 36. phone 970/586-1173. Main courses $5–$9. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer Mon–Sat 6am–2pm, Sun 7am–2pm; winter daily 7am–2pm.

Poppy’s ITALIAN/AMERICAN This bright, pleasant, and casual eatery right on the Big Thompson River serves up a menu of gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, and entree salads, and also has a good soup and salad bar. I’m partial to some of the Mexican-accented dishes, like the enchilada pizza or the green-chile cheeseburger, not to mention the sweet and fizzy Italian sodas in flavors like vanilla, raspberry, and peach. You can dine in the family friendly room or the great riverfront patio.

342 E. Elkhorn Ave. (on the Riverwalk in Barlow Plaza). phone 970/586-8282. www.mypoppys.com. Main courses $7–$23. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 11am–9pm; rest of year daily 11am–8pm.

Rock Inn AMERICAN A picture-perfect mountain bar and grill up to the exposed log beams and over to the huge mounted moose head lording over the room, the Rock Inn is a fun and sociable gathering place just outside the park, with some pretty good food to boot. The menu includes steaks, sandwiches, pasta, and trout, with such creative spins as a buffalo chicken sandwich and a green chile penne pasta. The crowd is an ideal mix of grizzled locals and happy tourists, the patio has great views, and the bar serves plenty of cold Colorado microbrew. There is live music most nights, and weekend shows often go until the wee hours.

1675 Colo. 66. phone 970/586-4116. www.rockinnestes.com. Main courses $9–$30. DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 4–10pm; shorter hours in winter. Bar open later. Just south of the intersection of U.S. 36 and Colo. 66.

The View STEAK/SEAFOOD While the restaurant at Historic Crags Lodge is named for the picture-perfect panorama of the town and surrounding mountains, the food is also terrific. The kitchen shows an inventive eye for detail with such dishes as the walnut-crusted rainbow trout, served with garlic mashers and a grapefruit beurre blanc sauce, a portobello napoleon, and a pan-seared rib-eye with garlic–blue cheese crust and merlot sauce. The atmosphere is woodsy but refined, with hardwood floors and red-and-white checkered tablecloths, and there is often jazz or a Celtic guitarist.

At Historic Crags Lodge, 300 Riverside Dr. phone 970/586-6066. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$33. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–9pm. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.

Grand Lake Area (West Side of the National Park)

Grand Lake Lodge (see “Where to Stay,” earlier in this chapter) also has an excellent restaurant with the best view on this side of the park. Open for three meals a day in peak season, the menu offers sandwiches and entrees like buffalo burgers, rainbow trout, and honey pepper salmon ($10–$24). In town, the Backstreet Steakhouse (also see “Where to Stay,” earlier in this chapter) serves dinner nightly in summer and around Christmas and Thursday through Sunday in other seasons. The house specialty, Jack Daniel’s pork chops (breaded, baked, and served with a creamy Jack Daniel’s mushroom sauce), has been featured in Bon Appétit magazine. Also on the menu (main courses are $9–$31) are steaks, burgers, pasta, chicken, and fish dishes, plus slow-roasted prime rib and children’s items.

Sagebrush BBQ & Grill AMERICAN Come here to enjoy excellent barbecue, plus steaks, sandwiches, and seafood, in a historic building that also houses The Inn at Grand Lake. The atmosphere here is definitely Wild West, complete with Grand Lake’s original jail doors, and so casual that you’re encouraged to munch on peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. The specialty here is barbecue—try the supertender fall-off-the-bone pork ribs—but I also suggest the New York strip steak, pan-fried rainbow trout, and elk medallions served with roasted raspberry chipotle sauce. Another good choice is the burrito—pork, chicken, or vegetarian—served with refried beans, green chiles, cheese, tomato, and lettuce.

1101 Grand Ave. phone 970/627-1404. www.sagebrushbbq.com. Main courses lunch and dinner $6–$22. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 7am–9pm; Fri–Sat 7am–10pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

The Country Supermarket, 900 Moraine Ave., Estes Park (phone 970/586-2702), is less than a mile from the Beaver Meadows entrance to the park in a small shopping center. Outside the Fall River Entrance Station, adjacent to the Fall River Visitor Center, Rocky Mountain Gateway, 3450 Fall River Rd. (phone 970/577-0043; www.rockymountaingateway.net), has a large gift shop and a convenience store with groceries, camping supplies, and clothing. Below the Stanley Hotel, Safeway, 451 E. Wonderview (phone 970/586-4447), has the largest selection and best prices.

Those looking for top-quality camping and outdoor sports equipment should stop at Outdoor World, downtown at 156 E. Elkhorn Ave. (phone 800/679-3600 or 970/586-2114; www.rmconnection.com), or Estes Park Mountain Shop, 2050 Big Thompson Ave. (phone 866/303-6548 or 970/586-6548; www.estesparkmountainshop.com), which also has a rental department.

In Grand Lake, on the park’s west side, the Mountain Food Market, 400 Grand Ave. (phone 970/627-3470), and the Circle D, 701 Grand Ave. (phone 970/627-3210), have good selections of groceries and picnic supplies.

Chapter 31: Saguaro National Park, AZ

by Eric Peterson

The stately saguaro cactus, symbol of the American Southwest, is the king here, dominating the entire landscape. Although Saguaro National Park preserves a sizable chunk of the Sonoran Desert, it is one of America’s few national parks dedicated to protecting one plant. Saguaros are plants with personalities. They often look human, standing tall and proud, their arms reaching toward the sky or pointing the way. Though some achieve heights of 50 feet and weigh up to 8 tons, saguaros grow slowly. It usually takes 15 years for them to reach 1 foot in height, and they don’t flower or produce fruit until they’re about 30. They take about 100 years to reach a height of 25 feet. Their maximum life span is about 200 years.

Saguaro National Park

One of the hottest and driest parts of North America, the Sonoran Desert has an amazing variety of life, more than any other desert on the continent. Although the saguaro forests dominate the horizon—and are consequently the first thing we notice here—this desert is home to dozens of other cacti, grasses, shrubs, flowers, and trees, as well as several hundred species of birds, mammals, and reptiles. Many of them are uniquely adapted to the demanding environment of this dry land. For instance, javelinas, those odd-looking piglike animals, have mouths so tough they can bite through prickly pear cactus pads in search of moisture, and kangaroo rats never need to drink—they extract all the water they need from seeds.

The park consists of two separate sections. The Tucson Mountain District, also called Saguaro West, covers 32 square miles of Sonoran Desert west of Tucson; the Rincon Mountain District, also called Saguaro East, covers 104 square miles of saguaro forest, desert, foothills, and mountain terrain on the east side of Tucson. The two sections are about 30 miles apart.

Both districts have scenic drives and trails, with good wildlife viewing and bird-watching. When the spring rain cooperates, there are also spectacular shows of wildflowers and cactus blooms.

Avoiding the Crowds

Besides the two million commuters passing through the park every year, annual recreational visitation is about 750,000 people, with Saguaro West receiving the greater number. The park’s busiest time is from Christmas through Easter. Those wanting to avoid crowds should visit at other times, although visitors who plan on hiking will want to avoid summer’s extreme heat. Fall through mid-December can offer the best of both worlds: fewer crowds and lower temperatures.

Another way to avoid crowds, even at the busiest times, is to hike. Although the park gets a lot of visitors at busy times, many confine their activities to scenic drives and short walks. Within 15 minutes, you can easily leave the crowds behind.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Saguaro National Park is in southern Arizona on the fringes of Tucson, about 116 miles southeast of Phoenix. There are two parts to the park: the Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East) and the Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West), each about 15 miles from downtown Tucson. To get to Saguaro East from Tucson, head east on Broadway Boulevard and turn right on Old Spanish Trail, which meanders southeast to the park. Watch for signs for the park as you go.

To get to Saguaro West from Tucson, go west on Speedway Boulevard, which first becomes Gates Pass Road and then ends at Kinney Road, where you turn right and continue to the park entrance.

From Phoenix, follow I-10 toward Tucson and watch for signs directing you to the park.

The Nearest Airport Tucson International Airport (phone 520/573-8100; www.tucsonairport.org) is served by most major airlines and all major car-rental agencies. See chapter 38 for website listings.

Information

Contact Saguaro National Park, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730-5601 (phone 520/733-5100; www.nps.gov/sagu). Information is also available at the website of the Friends of Saguaro National Park, 2700 N. Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ 85743 (phone 520/733-8610; www.friendsofsaguaro.org). For information on other area attractions and services, contact the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau, 100 S. Church Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701 (phone 800/638-8350 or 520/624-1817; www.visittucson.org).

Those particularly interested in the plants, animals, and geology of the park can get additional information from books sold at park bookstores. If you’re spending more time in the Tucson area, or looking to explore other parks in Arizona, we also recommend Frommer’s Arizona, by Karl Samson, which includes chapters on Tucson, Phoenix, and all the major national and state parks, from the Four Corners area to the Grand Canyon.

Insider tips

For those who have not experienced the Southwest’s deserts, and particularly the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, Saguaro National Park can be an unusual experience, according to Tom Danton, the park’s former chief of interpretation.

“Many visitors are petrified,” he says. “It’s essential they stop at the visitor center to learn about the park before going out into it.” The park environment, with its extreme heat and forests of saguaro, is alien to most people’s experiences. Visitors can be more frightened when they learn there are rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, and other poisonous creatures.

Among his suggestions for enjoying Saguaro West are hiking the 5.5-mile Hugh Norris Trail. “Within 30 minutes you feel like you’re on the top of the world,” he says. “You get a tremendous sense of accomplishment.” For those with less ambition or time, he suggests the short Valley View Overlook Trail and the Desert Discovery Nature Trail, both also in the western district.

On the east side, he suggests the easy Freeman Homestead Trail, which passes by the site of a historic homestead, and the challenging Tanque Verde Ridge Trail, which, he says, is “steep and rugged, but gives you great views of Tucson and the mountains.” To really be alone, he recommends trying some of the backcountry trails, where you’ll be hiking from desert up into forests of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine.

The prettiest time at the park is spring, when the wildflowers and cacti are in bloom, but Danton says he would visit in midwinter, when the weather is best for hiking. In winter there are also many interpretive programs, such as moonlight walks, and you seldom see any poisonous reptiles.

Danton says that one problem for visitors going to Saguaro East is the lack of parking, even at the visitor center. He suggests that those with recreational vehicles use a smaller vehicle in the park, if they have one, or check with rangers about where to park their big rigs. At the pullouts just inside the Cactus Forest Drive, RVs can be parked when there’s no room in the parking lot.

Visitor Centers

The park has two visitor centers, one in each district. Both visitor centers are open daily from 9am to 5pm (closed Dec 25). The park is open daily 7am until sunset.

On the west side of the park, in the Tucson Mountain District, the Red Hills Visitor Center (phone 520/733-5158) has a museum, an information desk, and a bookstore. The museum offers exhibits on desert life and a 15-minute program on the uniqueness and importance of deserts.

On the park’s east side, in the Rincon Mountain District, the visitor center (phone 520/733-5153) has similar facilities on a smaller scale. There’s an excellent 15-minute video on the flora and fauna of the park, and exhibits on saguaro and deserts.

Fees & Permits

Entry to the park (either side or both) costs $10 per private vehicle, or $5 per person on foot or bike. Permits for backcountry camping cost $6 per campsite per night and can be obtained in advance by writing the park, or at the Rincon Mountain District Visitor Center after arrival.

Special Regulations & Warnings

Extreme heat, cactus spines, and poisonous reptiles are the main safety hazards here. Temperatures that soar to 115°F (46°C) in summer make hiking not only uncomfortable, but also often dangerous. Those who insist on hiking in the hot months can minimize the dangers by starting very early in the day, perhaps by 4am, and getting off the trails by noon. Hikers should carry plenty of water and drink it even if they do not feel thirsty.

Cactus spines can be very painful, as anyone who’s backed into one while trying to line up a photo can tell you. The bites of rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, and scorpions are poisonous. Park rangers recommend that you always look before putting your hands or feet under rocks or in other hidden spots, and that you use a flashlight at night to help avoid unwanted encounters. Weather-related dangers include lightning (stay off exposed ridges during thunderstorms) and flash floods (avoid drainages during rain).

Seasons & Climate

Summers are hot and winters comfortable, so the best time to visit, especially for hikers, is between October and April. Summer high temperatures are routinely between 100° and 115°F (38°C and 46°C), with lows generally in the 70s (20s Celsius). Visitors should also beware of occasional torrential thunderstorms in July, August, and September, which bring danger from lightning and flash floods.

During winter, high temperatures are usually in the 60s and low 70s (upper teens Celsius), with lows dropping into the upper 30s and 40s (single digits Celsius). Snow falls occasionally, is almost always light, and melts quickly. Winters are also known for periodic gentle rains, but most of the time it’s sunny.

Seasonal Events

The best wildflower displays are from mid-March through mid-April. Cacti bloom a bit later—some kinds flower from mid-April through September, although the saguaro usually bloom from late April through June.

If You Have Only 1 day

Saguaro National Park consists of two sections. Visitors should spend at least a day or two at each district, starting with the visitor centers, then the short interpretive walks, and finally a serious hike or two. Those with only a day can either see a bit of each district or explore one of them more thoroughly.

To see both sections of the park in 1 day, start in the Tucson Mountain District at the Red Hills Visitor Center, where you can examine the exhibits and try to get a handle on life in the Sonoran Desert. Check the bulletin board for the schedule of ranger-led activities; if your timing is right, you can join a short guided walk on the Cactus Garden Trail, just outside the visitor center, which serves as an excellent introduction to the park. You can also take this short walk on your own. Then drive the 9-mile Bajada Loop Drive through a thick stand of saguaro, taking time for a short hike along the Valley View Overlook Trail. Those interested in early American Indians will want to take a slight detour off the Bajada Loop Drive to ponder the rock art on the Signal Hill Petroglyph Trail.

By now it should be lunchtime. Stop in one of the picnic areas if you happened to bring food, or at a restaurant in Tucson as you drive through on your way to the Rincon Mountain District. Stop at the visitor center as you enter—by now you may have a few questions for the rangers, such as, “What were those two big eyes staring out at me from a hole in that old saguaro?” (Probably an elf owl.) Then head out onto the 8-mile Cactus Forest Drive for an easy close-up look at a forest of saguaro. About a third of the way into the drive, the road crosses the Cactus Forest hiking trail, where you can get out of your vehicle, stretch your legs, and walk a short way into the saguaro forest. If time remains, pull off at the Javelina Picnic Area access road and walk along the Freeman Homestead Trail, which offers good scenic views and a look at the remains of an old homestead.

Exploring the Park by Car

Each section of the park has its own scenic drive. Before you set out on one, consider buying one of the inexpensive booklets about the park’s terrain and vegetation at the visitor centers. The 9-mile Bajada Loop Drive in the western section begins at the Red Hills Visitor Center and proceeds through a dense forest of saguaro cacti, offering scenic views. There are pullouts where you can get out of your vehicle for a close-up view of the saguaro, and a trail head for the very worthwhile Valley View Overlook Trail (see “Day Hikes,” below). Because 6 miles of the loop are gravel, those driving low-clearance vehicles or towing trailers should check on current conditions before starting. On your way in or out, you might stop at the excellent Sonoran Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Rd. (phone 520/883-2702; www.desertmuseum.org), a hybrid zoo/garden/natural history museum open 7:30 or 8:30am to 4:30 or 5pm (until 10pm on summer Saturdays).

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

Rangers guide hikes and give talks daily from mid-October through April. Activities vary, but they might include an easy cactus or bird identification walk, a 4-mile hike through the desert, a video program on desert life, or slide shows on wildflowers or bats. Check at the visitor centers for schedules.

In the eastern section of the park, the Cactus Forest Drive is a somewhat hilly and twisting 8-mile loop that wanders through a forest of saguaro. This paved one-way road provides access to picnic areas, several hiking trails, and short walks.

Park Attractions

Both sections of the park contain impressive rock art believed to have been created by the Hohokam people, who lived here from about a.d. 700 to 1500. The best and easiest place to see rock art is on the Signal Hill Petroglyph Trail in the Tucson Mountain District. These petroglyphs (a type of rock carving) usually depict figures of humans and animals, plus many abstract designs, such as wavy lines and combinations of circles and spirals.

The park also contains reminders of the miners and settlers who arrived in the late 1800s. You can see the remains of the Gould Mine, active in the early 1900s, along the Sendero Esperanza Trail, in the Tucson Mountain District. In the Rincon Mountain District are what’s left of an adobe house built in 1929 on the Freeman Homestead Trail, and several limekilns, built in about 1880, along the Cactus Forest Trail. See “Day Hikes,” below.

Day Hikes

Desert hiking can be a killer, literally. Those planning to do any serious hiking at Saguaro National Park are strongly advised to talk with rangers about their plans before setting out, and then to carry at least a gallon of water per day per person. Rangers do not recommend hiking at all in the summer, when temperatures frequently reach a scorching 115°F (46°C). Because some of the longer trails are difficult to follow, hikers are advised to carry good topographical maps, available at the visitor centers.

Tucson Mountain District (Saguaro West)

Shorter Trails

Cactus Garden Trail A level nature walk just outside the visitor center, this wheelchair-accessible trail is a good introduction to the park and the Sonoran Desert environment. Interpretive signs identify a variety of desert plants. .15 mile RT. Easy. Access: Red Hills Visitor Center.

Desert Discovery Nature Trail This mostly level wheelchair-accessible trail has signs describing the plants, animals, and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. It also affords panoramic views of the Tucson Mountains. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Kinney Rd., 1 mile northwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

Signal Hill Petroglyphs Trail This trail zigzags up the side of a hill to an area containing examples of American Indian rock art, believed to have been left by the Hohokam people between 500 and 1,300 years ago (see “Park Attractions,” above). .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: North of Signal Hill picnic area, off Golden Gate Rd., 5 miles northwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

Valley View Overlook Trail Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, this trail passes through cactus forests and two washes before climbing to a ridge for splendid views of the surrounding desert and mountains. .8 mile RT. Easy. Access: Bajada Loop Dr., 3 1/2 miles north of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

Longer Trails

Hugh Norris Trail The longest and most difficult in the park’s Tucson Mountain District, this trail begins with a series of switchbacks that lead to a ridge overlooking a huge forest of saguaro cactus. From there it offers panoramic views and passes old mines and intriguing rock formations. The trail climbs another series of switchbacks before finally making its way to the top of Wasson Peak, at 4,687 feet, from which you generally have spectacular views of Tucson and the surrounding mountains. The trail has a total elevation gain of 2,087 feet. 9.8 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Bajada Loop Dr., 2 1/2 miles north of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

King Canyon Trail This trail combines with the last .3 mile of the Hugh Norris Trail to take you from 2,800 feet in elevation to the top of 4,687-foot Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains. Along the trail are petroglyphs believed to have been created by the Hohokam people, some open mine shafts that you’ll want to avoid, and panoramic views once you get to the higher elevations. The trail is rocky in spots, so good hiking boots are recommended. 7 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: On Kinney Rd., directly across from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, about 2 miles southwest of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

Sendero Esperanza Trail The trail leaves an old mining road and climbs through several steep switchbacks to a ridge, with spectacular views in all directions. It finally drops to the Mam-A-Gah Picnic Area and a junction with the King Canyon Trail. Along the way, it passes the remains of the Gould Mine, which was enthusiastically but unproductively worked in the early 1900s. 6.4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Golden Gate Rd., about 6 miles northeast of the Red Hills Visitor Center.

Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East)

Shorter Trails

Desert Ecology Trail Interpretive signs along this paved wheelchair-accessible walkway explain how plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert make the most of the limited amount of water available. .25 mile RT. Easy. Access: Cactus Forest Dr., east of the Mica View Picnic Area.

Freeman Homestead Trail This walk through gently rolling desert terrain offers good panoramic views, as well as close-up views of saguaro (including a 30-armed giant), ocotillo, and other desert plants. Along the way, you’ll find several interpretive signs describing desert life, as well as the remains of the Freeman Homestead, a three-room adobe house built by Safford Freeman in 1929. All that’s left is a mound of dirt from the adobe bricks. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Off Cactus Forest Dr., on the Javelina Picnic Area access road.

Longer Trails

Cactus Forest Trail This sandy, level trail, which is also accessible from two points on the Cactus Forest Drive, is simply a very pleasant walk. It passes through though a forest of cactus, primarily saguaro; a variety of other desert plants, such as paloverde and mesquite; and large beehive-shaped limekilns dating from about 1880. Bicycles are permitted on a 2.5-mile section of the trail inside the loop made by Cactus Forest Drive. 5 miles one-way. Easy. Access: Near the east end of Broadway Blvd., just east of Freeman Rd.

Douglas Spring Trail This trail through the foothills of the Rincon Mountains starts off fairly level but gradually becomes steeper. It then alternates between steep and flat sections all the way to Douglas Spring Campground. Along the way, you’ll find lots of cactus, especially prickly pear, and some interesting rock formations. Signs of damage from a devastating 1989 fire can still be seen here, as well as the results of revegetation. The trail continues beyond the campground, providing access to other backcountry trails. You need a backcountry permit to stay overnight at the campground (see “Camping,” below). 6 miles one-way (to Douglas Spring Campground). Strenuous. Access: East end of Speedway Blvd.

Tanque Verde Ridge Trail This trail offers splendid panoramic views as it follows a ridgeline northeast into the wilderness area. You’ll see saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, and other cactus for a while, and then pinyon, juniper, and some oak as you climb higher into the foothills. The Juniper Basin Campground, at 6,000 feet, is 2,900 feet higher than the trail head. Although the trail continues, this is a good spot for day hikers to turn around. See “Exploring the Backcountry,” below, for information on forging ahead. 6.9 miles one-way (to Juniper Basin Campground). Strenuous. Access: Javelina Picnic Area off Cactus Forest Dr.

Exploring the Backcountry

All the park’s backcountry hiking and camping opportunities are in the Rincon Mountain District (the eastern section), which includes the 59,930-acre Rincon Mountain Wilderness. Varying considerably in elevation, this area contains both hot desert sprinkled with saguaro and other cacti, and relatively cool forests of pine and mixed conifer. The main routes into the backcountry are the Douglas Spring Trailhead and Tanque Verde Ridge trail head, which are discussed above. From these two trails, you have access to more than 100 miles of trails, as well as the park’s six backcountry campgrounds (see “Camping,” below). Dirt roads lead to several other trail heads; check with park rangers for directions and current conditions. Rangers strongly suggest that those going into the backcountry carry topographical maps, which can be purchased at either visitor center. Backcountry camping requires a permit (see “Fees & Permits,” above).

Other Sports & Activities

Biking Bikes are permitted on the scenic drives in both districts; the Rincon loop was repaved in 2006 and features a bike-only lane, and bikes are allowed on a 2.5-mile stretch of the Cactus Forest Trail inside the loop. Roadrunner Bicycles, 6177 E. Broadway Dr. (phone 520/790-9394; www.roadrunnerbicycles.com), rents road and mountain bikes as well as cruisers for $25 to $40 per day.

Horseback Riding Horseback riding is permitted on most trails in both districts of the park, although horses are not allowed off-trail. Horses may be kept overnight in the backcountry campgrounds in the Rincon Mountain District. Manning Camp has a corral; at the other backcountry campgrounds, riders should secure horses with a picket rope slung between two trees. Get details from park rangers.

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching Both sections of the park offer abundant opportunities for wildlife observation and bird-watching. Because Saguaro East has a greater range of elevations, and therefore climates, you’ll see a larger variety of animals there.

In both sections of the park, look for holes punched in saguaro cacti by Gila woodpeckers and gilded flickers. These finicky birds sometimes make several cavities before settling on one as home for the year. They always punch out a new home when they return the following year. The extra holes are taken over by other desert inhabitants, including cactus wrens, Lucy’s warblers, and little elf owls.

Among other birds you’re likely to see in both sections of the park are black-throated sparrows, brown towhees, verdin, brown-crested flycatchers, Costa’s hummingbirds, roadrunners, mourning doves, white-winged doves, Gambel’s quail, American kestrels, and red-tailed hawks. In the eastern part of the park, you’ll also see rufous-crowned sparrows, olive warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, solitary vireos, American robins, pygmy nuthatches, Steller’s jays, mountain chickadees, violet-green swallows, broad-tailed hummingbirds, and Cooper’s hawks.

Mammals commonly seen include desert cottontails, Harris ground squirrels, round-tailed ground squirrels, striped skunks, javelina, mule deer, and southern long-nose bats, which pollinate saguaro flowers while feeding on their nectar. You may also spot white-tailed deer in the higher elevations of Saguaro East. Reptiles commonly seen include zebra-tailed and western whiptail lizards, gopher snakes, and king snakes. In the desert and foothill areas, watch out for the many western diamondback rattlesnakes, which are poisonous.

Camping

Inside the Park

There are no drive-in campgrounds in the national park, but backpackers will find six backcountry campgrounds in the Rincon Mountain Wilderness. All the campgrounds have three sites, each except Manning Camp, which has six. Water is available at Manning year-round, but water availability at the other campgrounds is spotty—ask a ranger. To avoid illness, you must treat backcountry water before drinking. Backcountry camping is permitted only in designated campsites. Pick up the $6 permit at the Rincon Mountain District Visitor Center or by writing to the park.

Near the Park

Four miles south of the park’s Tucson Mountain District is Gilbert Ray Campground, off Kinney Road on McCain Loop Road, operated by the Pima County Parks and Recreation Department (www.pima.gov/nrpr/camping; phone 520/883-4200). It offers an attractive desert mountain environment of saguaro, prickly pear, cholla, mesquite, and paloverde, with well-maintained gravel sites. The sites are first come, first served. No wood fires are permitted, and RV hookups offer electricity only.

Convenient for visitors to the national park’s Tucson Mountain District, the campground at Catalina State Park, 9 miles north of Tucson on Ariz. 77 (www.pr.state.az.us; phone 520/628-5798), has nicely spaced and well-shaded sites, an abundance of rock squirrels, and splendid views of the Santa Catalina Mountains to the southeast.

There are also campgrounds in the Santa Catalina District of the Coronado National Forest (phone 520/749-8700; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado), north of the national park’s Rincon Mountain District. Located along the Catalina Highway, they include Molino Basin, about 18 miles northeast of Tucson, which has limited facilities and can accommodate trailers up to 22 feet only; Rose Canyon, about 33 miles northeast of Tucson, which offers fishing at Rose Canyon Lake; and Spencer Canyon, near the top of Mount Lemmon about 39 miles northeast of Tucson, which can accommodate trailers up to 18 feet only. Of these, only a few sites at Rose Canyon can be reserved; call phone 877/444-6777.

Among commercial campgrounds in the area are Cactus Country RV Resort, 10195 S. Houghton Rd. (www.abtucson.com; phone 800/777-8799 or 520/574-3000), at I-10 exit 275, which has large spaces, some shade trees, and attractive desert landscaping. All RV sites have full hookups, including cable TV. There are only a few tent sites. Campers have access to free Wi-Fi and an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub, modem hookups, a game room, a playground, shuffleboard, and horseshoes.

Where to Stay

There are no accommodations inside the park.

Near the Park

In addition to the lodgings listed below, you’ll find dozens of chain motels along I-10, including the Motel 6–Tucson/Congress Street, 960 S. Freeway, Tucson, AZ 85745 (exit 258; phone 520/628-1339), which charges $40 to $50 for a double; and Hotel Tucson City Center, 475 N. Granada Ave. (www.hoteltucsoncitycenter.com; phone 888/784-8324 or 520/622-3000), charging $54 to $74 for a double. Among hotels near the airport are the Four Points by Sheraton–Tucson Airport, 7060 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85706 (phone 866/217-2140 or 520/746-0271), with rates of $79 to $99 double; and Clarion Hotel, 6801 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85756 (exit 263A or B off I-10; phone 520/746-3932), with rates of $59 to $79 double. See chapter 38 for the national chains’ websites.

Casa Tierra If you’ve come to Tucson to really be a part of the desert, this is an excellent choice. A modern adobe home surrounded by 5 acres of cacti and paloverde, Casa Tierra is on the west side of Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain District, and it has fabulous views of a saguaro landscape and the surrounding mountains. Around a central courtyard with a desert garden and a fountain is a candlelit, covered portal—a seating area where guests congregate. The rooms have queen beds, brick floors, refrigerators, microwaves, hair dryers, and private patios; the family suite holds two bedrooms, a bathroom, a dining area, and a sitting area. The gourmet breakfasts range from stuffed French toast with prickly pear syrup to green-chile polenta. There’s an exercise room, a Wi-Fi network, and a common area with TV, stereo, and games. Another perk: an outdoor whirlpool spa that makes a perfect stargazing spot at night (a telescope is provided)!

11155 W. Calle Pima, Tucson, AZ 85743. www.casatierratucson.com. phone 866/254-0006 or 520/578-3058. Fax 520/578-8445. 4 units. A/C, TEL. $135–$195 double; $165–$285 suite. 2-night minimum stay. Rates include full vegetarian breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Hacienda del Desierto On the east side of Tucson, within 5 minutes of the entrance to the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park, this stylish, sunny B&B is set amid 16 picturesque acres, with its own wildlife-filled nature trail and desert ponds. The inn, centered on an interior courtyard, features eclectic and colorful rooms (two of which have kitchenettes), and the stand-alone Casita (with a full kitchen). Full of personality, the inn can arrange massages and also offers guest use of an outdoor hydrotherapy spa to soothe muscles after a desert hike.

11770 E. Rambling Trail, Tucson, AZ 85747. www.tucson-bed-breakfast.com. phone 800/982-1795 or 520/298-1764. 4 units. A/C, TV. $129–$289 double, with a 2-night minimum stay in winter. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Hotel Congress In the heart of Tucson’s downtown arts district, the Hotel Congress once counted John Dillinger’s gang among its guests. Today it operates as a hipster hangout and economical historic hotel. Conveniently located near the Greyhound and Amtrak stations, the hotel is especially popular with students and European backpackers. The lobby has been restored to its original Southwestern elegance, and the guest rooms have been renovated. The property has free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, and five bars, including a popular and noisy club that also hosts live music.

311 E. Congress St., Tucson, AZ 85701. www.hotelcongress.com. phone 800/722-8848 or 520/622-8848. Fax 520/792-6366. 40 units. TEL. $75–$129 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Opened in 2005, this dazzling, sprawling golf resort is one of the toniest places to hang your hat near the western district of Saguaro. It’s nestled amid the cactus-speckled foothills, with commanding views of not only the scenery, but also the surrounding golf course and picture-perfect outdoor pool. Little details—like a nightly tequila toast at 5:30pm—evoke a desert vibe. In addition to the plush and comfortable rooms—equally good for business and leisure travelers—the hotel provides a lengthy list of amenities and facilities, including a lap pool (besides the one mentioned above), a spa, shops, three restaurants, a lounge, bike rentals ($65 per day), and valet parking.

3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85745. www.jwmarriottstarrpass.com. phone 888/527-8989 or 520/792-3500. Fax 520/792-3351. 575 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Mid-Sept to mid-May $279–$319 double, $479–$719 suite; mid-May to mid-Sept $99–$209 double, $299–$499 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Radisson Suites Tucson This all-suite hotel is a good choice for those who want plenty of space and aren’t overly concerned about proximity to the park. The five-story brick building is arranged around two lushly landscaped garden courtyards, one of which has a large heated pool and a hydra-spa (a fixed-jet whirlpool). The two-room suites feature contemporary furnishings, and all have refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, hair dryers, and irons and ironing boards. The hotel has a restaurant (American) serving three meals a day, limited room service, an exercise room, laundry service, and a coin-operated laundry.

6555 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85710. www.radisson.com. phone 800/333-3333 or 520/721-7100. 299 suites. A/C, TV, TEL. Mid-Sept to mid-Jan $139–$199 double; mid-Jan to mid-May $149–$249 double; mid-May to mid-Sept $129–$169 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted; $25 refundable fee.

Where to Eat

There are no restaurants inside the park.

Near the Park

Cafe Poca Cosa MEXICAN Mexican cuisine doesn’t come much more refined or creative than chef-owner’s Suzana Davila’s unforgettable creations at Cafe Poca Cosa. The menu changes twice daily at this downtown eatery and is read by the waitstaff from handheld chalkboards, where it is listed in both Spanish and English. The flavors and presentations are remarkable, with seafood, poultry, beef, and vegetarian dishes concocted with contemporary twists on Mexican standbys. Rice, beans, and tortillas are served family style, and each plate comes with a heap of fresh fruit and salad.

110 E. Pennington Ave. phone 520/622-6400. www.cafepocacosatucson.com. Reservations recommended for dinner. Main courses $13–$15 lunch, $19–$25 dinner. AE, MC, V. Tues–Thurs 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm. Closed mid-July to mid-Aug.

El Charro Café MEXICAN In an old stone building in El Presidio Historic District, El Charro claims to be the nation’s oldest continuously open family-operated Mexican restaurant—it’s been serving authentic Tucson-style Mexican food since 1922. A glassed-in porch makes for a greenhouselike dining area overlooking the street, and there’s also dining in the more formal interior rooms, the courtyard, and the adjacent bar. Look at the roof of El Charro as you approach, and you might see a large metal cage containing beef drying in the sun. This is the main ingredient in carne seca, El Charro’s well-known specialty, rarely found outside the Tucson area. The chimichangas, rellenos, and enchiladas are hard to beat, as is the volcanic El Topopo Salad—a conical heap of shredded lettuce, black olives, and your choice of meat or veggies on a tostada shell. And the salsa—green and red, served in syrup dispensers—is some of the best in the West. Besides the downtown original, there are four other El Charro locations in Tucson.

311 N. Court Ave. phone 520/622-1922. www.elcharrocafe.com. Reservations recommended for dinner. Main courses $8–$18. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 10am–9pm; Fri–Sat 10am–10pm.

Little Anthony’s Diner AMERICAN This is a great place for kids, although kids at heart will also enjoy the 1950s music and decor. The staff is good with children, and there’s a video-game room and a rocket-ship ride outside. How about a Jailhouse Rock Burger or Hound Dog Hot Dog with a tower of onion rings? Or an old-fashioned banana split or a hand-dipped shake? Daily specials and bottomless soft drinks make feeding the family fairly inexpensive. Beer and wine are also served. There are classic car shows here on two Saturdays a month.

7010 E. Broadway Blvd. phone 520/296-0456. www.littleanthonysdiner.com. Main courses $4–$9. MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–10pm; Fri 11am–11pm; Sat 7:30am–11pm; Sun 7:30–11am and noon–10pm.

Nimbus American Bistro & Brewery MICROBREWERY Longtime chimpanzee-loving Tucson brewery Nimbus opened this east side outpost in 2009, and it fits the bill as a place to eat pub grub and drink good beer after a day on the trails. The menu isn’t all that adventurous, but it is diverse, with beer can chicken, bologna sandwiches, vegetarian wraps, and steaks. The beers are great: Especially recommended are the Dirty Güera Blonde Ale and Old Monkeyshine Ale. The interior is open and clad in wood and chimp art; there is also outdoor seating and a patio with a pool table.

6464 E. Tanque Verde Rd. phone 520/733-1111. www.nimbusbeer.com. Main courses $6–$12. AE, DISC, MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11am–10pm; Fri–Sat 11am–midnight. Bar open later.

Tucson McGraw’s AMERICAN Owned by Lex McGraw since the early 1980s, this eatery is a southeast Tucson institution and a favorite of the Saguaro National Park staff. A friendly vibe complements the roadhouse atmosphere. The menu revolves around meat—ribs, burgers, steaks—and beer, although the menu also includes some good salads and what might be considered more healthy fare. The margaritas are some of Tucson’s best.

4110 S. Houghton Rd. phone 520/885-3088. www.tucsonmcgraws.com. Reservations accepted for large parties only. Main courses $5–$24. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 11am–9pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Although there are no stores within the park’s boundaries, you’ll find plenty of places to stock up on supplies in Tucson, where there are numerous supermarkets, including Basha’s, 6900 E. Sunrise Dr. (phone 520/299-0633; www.bashas.com). For camping, hiking, backpacking, and mountain-biking gear, as well as tips on outdoor recreation locations, stop at Summit Hut, 5045 E. Speedway Blvd. (phone 800/499-8696; www.summithut.com), which is open daily.

Chapter 32: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, CA

by Eric Peterson

In the heart of the Sierra Nevada, just south of Yosemite, are Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, home to the largest giant sequoia trees in the world, vast wilderness areas, and a deep, beautiful canyon. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are separate adjacent parks that are managed jointly. Their peaks stretch across 1,350 square miles and include 14,505-foot Mount Whitney, the tallest point in the continental United States. The parks are also home to the Kaweah Range, a string of dark, beautiful mountains nestled amid the Sierra, and three powerful rivers: the Kings, Kern, and Kaweah. Despite their size and scenic beauty, these two parks attract less than half the number of Yosemite’s annual visitors, making them a welcome alternative for those looking to avoid huge crowds.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

The parks owe their existence to a small band of determined 19th-century conservationists. Alarmed by the wholesale destruction of the region’s sequoia forests, these farsighted people pushed to make the area a protected park. Sequoia National Park was created in 1890, along with the tiny General Grant National Park, which was established to protect Grant Grove. In 1926, the park was expanded eastward to include the Kern Canyon and Mount Whitney, and in the 1960s Kings Canyon was finally protected. In 1978, Mineral King was added to Sequoia’s half of the park.

Avoiding the Crowds

Though Sequoia and Kings Canyon receive far fewer visitors than nearby Yosemite, they still get crowded, especially in summer. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to find solitude. To get the most from the parks while avoiding traffic, try to visit before Memorial Day or after Labor Day, keeping in mind that snow can limit access in the high elevations. Fall provides some scenic color.

You can also try taking a dead-end road into the parks. Mineral King, South Fork, and, to a lesser extent, Cedar Grove all lack the through traffic prevalent on the larger highways.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

There are two main entrances to the parks. Calif. 198 through Visalia and the town of Three Rivers leads to the Ash Mountain Entrance in Sequoia National Park. Calif. 180 from Fresno leads straight to the Big Stump Entrance near Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Three dead-end entrance roads are open only in the summer: the Kings Canyon Highway (a continuation of Calif. 180) to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park, and two smaller roads to Mineral King and to South Fork, both in the south part of Sequoia National Park.

The parks are roughly equidistant (5 hr. by car) from San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Ash Mountain Entrance is 36 miles, or about an hour, from Visalia. The Big Stump Entrance is 53 miles from Fresno, also about an hour’s drive.

The Nearest Airports The closest major airport is Fresno-Yosemite International Airport (phone 559/621-4500), 53 miles from the Big Stump Entrance in Kings Canyon. Airlines include Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and US Airways. You’ll find most major car-rental companies here. Visalia Municipal Airport (phone 559/713-4201; www.flyvisalia.com), 36 miles from the Ash Mountain Entrance, handles daily direct service to Los Angeles on Great Lakes Airlines.

See chapter 38 for website listings of airlines, car rental firms, and major motel/hotel chains.

Information

Contact Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals Hwy., Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700 (phone 559/565-3341; www.nps.gov/seki).

Visitor Centers

There are three year-round visitor centers in the parks, where you can talk with rangers, see exhibits, and buy books and maps. The biggest is in Sequoia National Park at Lodgepole (phone 559/565-4436), 4 1/2 miles north of Giant Forest Village. It has exhibits on geology, wildlife, air quality, and park history. The Foothills Visitor Center (phone 559/565-3135), just inside the Ash Mountain Entrance to Sequoia National Park on Calif. 198, includes exhibits on the chaparral region’s ecosystem. The visitor center in Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park (phone 559/565-4307) shows exhibits on logging and the role of fire in the forests. Also, the Giant Forest Museum (phone 559/565-4480) has exhibits on giant sequoias. The small visitor center at Cedar Grove and ranger station at Mineral King are open only during the summer.

Fees & Permits

It costs $20 per motor vehicle ($10 for individuals on foot, bike, or motorcycle) to enter the parks for up to a week. Park campgrounds charge $12 to $20 a night.

All overnight backpacking trips require a $15 wilderness permit per party (free in winter), available by mail, by fax, or in person at the ranger station closest to the hike you want to take.

Special Regulations & Warnings

The roads are steep and winding, and those in RVs will find it easiest to travel on Calif. 180 from Fresno. All groundwater should be boiled, filtered, or otherwise purified before drinking. Rattlesnakes are common; look where you step and touch. In the foothills, check your clothes for ticks. Beware also of black bears. When camping, store all food in lockers and put all garbage in bear-proof containers.

Seasons & Climate

Sequoia and Kings Canyon, for the most part, share a climate that varies considerably depending on the region of the park. A good rule of thumb is that the higher you go, the cooler it gets. During the summer, temperatures at lower elevations can climb into the 90s (30s Celsius) or higher, and drop into the 50s (10s Celsius) at night. Afternoon temperatures average in the 60s and 70s (upper teens and 20s Celsius) in spring and fall, and evenings are usually cool. Afternoon showers are fairly common year-round. Winter days average in the 40s and 50s (single digits and 10s Celsius) and seldom drop below zero, although much of the land is beneath several feet of snow. A particularly wet winter often leads to stunning wildflowers and spectacular waterfalls (and dangerous rivers and creeks) in spring and early summer.

If You Have Only 1 day

Eighty percent of park visitors come here on day trips—an amazing statistic, considering the geography of this place. Three to 4 days will do the park justice, but it is possible to drive through the park and take a short walk through a grove of big trees in one afternoon. Day-trippers should stick to Grant Grove, if possible—it’s the most accessible area. Coming from the south, Giant Forest is a good alternative, although the trip on the steep and narrow Generals Highway takes some time. Cedar Grove and Mineral King are a bit farther afield and require an early start or an overnight stay.

Consider driving from Giant Forest to Grant Grove, or vice versa. It’s about 2 hours through the park. Get your bearings by starting at a park visitor center—either the Foothills Visitor Center near the Ash Mountain Entrance or the Kings Canyon Visitor Center. You’ll see the varied climate within the park as you pass through dense forest to exposed meadows and then through scrubby foothills covered in oaks and underbrush. In spring and summer, wildflowers dot much of the route. The southern portion of the drive runs along the Kaweah River. This route also passes near two large stands of giant sequoias, one at Grant Grove and the other at Giant Forest. Both have easy trails looping through the majestic stands. At Grant Grove, a footpath passes through a fallen sequoia.

Exploring the Park

Sequoia National Park

The best-known stand of sequoias in the world is in Giant Forest, part of Sequoia National Park. Named in 1875 by explorer and environmentalist John Muir, this park consists mostly of huge meadows and a large grove of giant trees. At the northern edge of the grove, you can’t miss the General Sherman Tree, considered the largest living tree on the planet (although it is neither the tallest nor the widest). It is believed to be about 2,100 years old, and it’s still growing. Every year it adds enough new wood to make another 60-foot-tall tree. The tree is part of the 2-mile Congress Trail, a foot trail that includes groups of trees with names such as the Senate and the House.

Another interesting stop in Giant Forest is Tharp’s Log, a cabin named after the first non–American Indian settler in the area, Hale Tharp, who grazed cattle among the giant sequoias and built a summer cabin in the 1860s from a fallen sequoia hollowed by fire. It is the oldest cabin remaining in the park. You’ll also encounter Tunnel Log, a toppled tree that you can drive under.

Nearby Crescent Meadow is a pristine clearing dotted with wildflowers and tall grasses. A trail wraps around the meadow. This is also the trail head for several backcountry hikes.

Also in the area is Moro Rock, a large granite dome that offers one of the most spectacular views in the Sierra. From atop the rock, the high-elevation, barren mountains in the Kaweah Range appear dark and ominous. Snow caps the ridgeline throughout the year. Although the cliffs appear towering and steep, they are smaller than the summit of the Sierra, which is obscured from view. The walk to the top takes visitors up hundreds of stairs and requires about a half-hour to complete. At the top is a narrow, fenced plateau with endless views. During a full moon, the mountain peaks shimmer like silver.

South of the Giant Forest is the turnoff for Crystal Cave, one of more than 200 caves in the park and one of just two in the area that offer guided tours. (Boyden Cavern in the neighboring Giant Sequoia National Monument is the other.) The cave consists of limestone that has turned to marble, and it contains a wonderful array of formations, many still growing, that range from sharply pointed stalactites and towering stalagmites to beautiful flowing draperies. To reach the entrance, drive 7 miles down the narrow, winding road (RVs, trailers, and buses are prohibited); the cave is an additional half-mile walk down a steep path (which you’ll have to hike up after your cave tour). The Sequoia Natural History Association conducts 45-minute tours daily mid-June to Labor Day, daily every half-hour from 10:30am to 4:30pm; from mid-May to mid-June and after Labor Day to late October, daily every hour from 11am to 3pm (with slightly longer weekend hours). The cost is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and older, and $7 for children 5 to 12 (free for children under 5). A special discovery tour is offered in summer only, Monday through Friday at 4:15pm. It is less structured and limited to 16 people, has a minimum age requirement of 13, and costs $16 per person. There are also historic candlelight tours ($16) and belly-crawling wild cave tours ($125, 4–6 hr.) on Saturdays in summer. Information is available at visitor centers and by telephone (phone 559/565-3759). It gets cold underground, so take a sweater or jacket.

Lodgepole, the most developed area in both parks, lies just northeast of the Giant Forest on the Generals Highway. Here you’ll find the largest visitor center, a large market, several places to eat, a laundry, and a post office. Nearby is Wuksachi Village, with a restaurant, lodge, and gift shop.

About 16 miles south of Giant Forest is the region of the park known as the Foothills. Located near the Ash Mountain Entrance, the Foothills has a visitor center, several campgrounds, and Hospital Rock, a boulder with ancient pictographs believed to have been painted by the Monache Indians, who once lived here. Nearby are about 50 grinding spots once used to smash acorns into flour. A short trail leads down to a beautiful spot along the Kaweah River where the water gushes over rapids into deep pools.

Mineral King is a relatively undeveloped region in the southern part of the park. This high-mountain valley was carved by glaciers and is bordered by the tall peaks of the Great Western Divide. To reach this area, patient drivers must follow the marked highway sign 3 miles outside Sequoia National Park’s Ash Mountain Entrance. From the turnoff to Mineral King, it’s a 28-mile trip that makes many tight turns and takes 1 1/2 hours. Trailers, RVs, and buses are not allowed. The road is closed in winter.

The rocky landscape in Mineral King is as colorful as a rainbow—red and orange shales mix with white marble and black metamorphic shale and granite. In winter, this area is prone to avalanches. The most prominent point in the area is Sawtooth Peak, which reaches 12,343 feet. Sawtooth and other peaks in this region resemble the Rocky Mountains more than the rest of the Sierra Nevada because they are made of metamorphic rock. The trails in Mineral King begin at 7,500 feet and climb from there. Park rangers sometimes conduct hikes in this area.

Kings Canyon National Park

With its rugged canyon, huge river, and desolate backcountry, Kings Canyon is a hiker’s dream. It consists of Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, as well as portions of the Monarch Wilderness and Jennie Lakes Wilderness. Note: Between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove is a stretch of land that lies not in the park, but in Giant Sequoia National Monument (see the sidebar later in this chapter).

Grant Grove is the most crowded region in either park. Not only is it just a few miles from a main entrance, but the area is also a thoroughfare for travelers heading from Giant Forest to the south or Cedar Grove to the east. The grove was designated General Grant National Park in 1890 and was incorporated into Kings Canyon National Park when it was created in 1940.

Here you’ll find the towering General Grant Tree amid a grove of spectacular giant sequoias. The tree was discovered by Joseph Hardin Tomas in 1862 and named 5 years later to honor Ulysses S. Grant. It measures 267 feet tall and 108 feet around, is among the world’s largest living trees, and is possibly 2,000 years old. This tree has been officially declared “The Nation’s Christmas Tree” and is the cornerstone of the park’s annual Christmas tree ceremony.

Two and a half miles southwest of the grove is the Big Stump Trail, an interpretive hike that winds among the remains of logged sequoias. Since sequoia wood decays slowly, you’ll see century-old leftover piles of sawdust that remain from the logging days. Nearby, Panoramic Point visitors can stand atop a 7,520-foot ledge and see across a large stretch of the Sierra and across Kings Canyon. Grant Grove Village also has a restaurant, market, gift shop, post office, and visitor center.

The Cedar Grove section of the park is known for its lush landscape, tumbling waterfalls, and miles upon miles of solitude. Getting to it is half the fun. You drive through Kings Canyon, with sheer granite canyon walls towering above you and the wild South Fork of the Kings River racing by. One mile east of the Cedar Grove Village turnoff is Canyon View, where visitors can see the glacially carved U shape of Kings Canyon. Easily accessible nature trails in Cedar Grove include Zumwalt Meadow, Roaring River Falls, and Knapp’s Cabin. Zumwalt Meadow is dotted with ponderosa pine and has good views of two rock formations, the Grand Sentinel and North Dome. The top of Grand Sentinel is 8,504 feet above sea level; North Dome, which some say resembles Half Dome in Yosemite, towers over the area at 8,717 feet. The mile-long trail around the meadow is one of the prettiest in the park. Begin this walk at a parking lot 4 1/2 miles east of the turnoff for Cedar Grove Village.

Roaring River Falls is a 5-minute walk from a parking area 3 miles east of the turnoff to the village. Even during summer and dry years, water crashes through a narrow granite chute into a cold green pool below. During a wet spring, these falls are powerful enough to drench visitors who venture too close. The route to Knapp’s Cabin is a short walk from a turnoff 2 miles east of the road to Cedar Grove Village. Here, during the 1920s, Santa Barbara businessman George Knapp commissioned lavish fishing expeditions. This tiny cabin was used to store tons of expensive gear.

Ten miles west of Cedar Grove, in the national monument and back toward Grant Grove, is the entrance to Boyden Cavern, the only other cave in the area where tours are available. Although it’s not as impressive as Sequoia’s Crystal Cave, Boyden is a scenic cave, known for a wide variety of formations including rare shields. Highlights include a flowstone formation known as Mother Nature’s Wedding Cake and the aptly named Baby Elephant formation. The cave is open daily April through October. Hours are usually 10am to 5pm June but often are shorter at the beginning and end of the season. Visitors see the cave on guided 45-minute tours that follow a well-lighted, handrail-equipped trail. Tours leave approximately every hour on the hour. The cost is $13 for ages 13 and up, $8 for children 3 to 12; admission is free for children 2 and younger. Reservations are not required. Special flashlight tours are also available for $35 with a 4-person minimum. For information, contact Boyden Cavern (phone 559/338-0959; www.boydencavern.com or www.kingscanyoneering.com).

In Cedar Grove is a small village with a store and gift shop, restaurant, laundry, showers, lodge, and campgrounds. This region of the park is often less crowded than others. It’s closed from mid-November to mid-April.

The Monarch Wilderness is a 45,000-acre region protected under the 1984 California Wilderness Act. Part of it lies on the grounds of Sequoia National Forest, and it adjoins wilderness in Kings Canyon National Park. It’s small, tough to reach, and so steep that it seems more appropriate for mountain goats than human hikers. You’re near the wilderness area when you pass Kings Canyon Lodge and Boyden Cave.

The Jennie Lakes Wilderness, at 10,500 acres, is tiny enough to hike through in a day, but it exhibits a variety of wilderness features, including the 10,365-foot Mitchell Peak and wide lowland meadows. This region lies between the Generals Highway and Calif. 180, east of Grant Grove.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The Sequoia Field Institute (phone 559/565-3759; www.sequoiahistory.org) offers a wide variety of “Ed Ventures” spanning backpacking expeditions (about $70 a day) to writing and pottery workshops (usually about $100–$300), as well as a “Hire A Guide” service starting at $200 for one of the institute’s naturalists for 4 hours.

Ranger programs include free walks and talks at Giant Forest, Lodgepole, Grant Grove, Mineral King, and Foothills. Some of the highlights include weekend wildflower walks at Foothills, talks at General Sherman, and evening campfire programs at Lodgepole. Call the park (phone 559/565-3341) or check bulletin boards and visitor centers for the current schedule.

While it’s not an organized tour, per se, the National Park Service and the City of Visalia have put together a transportation system that makes it possible to explore Sequoia National Park without a car. From Visalia (or Three Rivers), the Sequoia Shuttle (phone 877/287-4453; www.sequoiashuttle.com) will take you to the Giant Forest Museum for just $15 round-trip. From here, riders can connect with the free park shuttle to get to Wuksachi Lodge or one of the numerous trail heads en route. The former makes five runs between 7am and 6:30pm (reservations are accepted); the latter runs from 9am to 6pm. Both run in the summer only.

Day Hikes

Near Giant Forest

Big Trees Trail A scenic loop walk among the sequoias, Big Trees Trail skirts the edge of a pretty meadow and has trailside exhibits that explain why this area is such a good habitat for sequoias. There are usually abundant wildflowers in Round Meadow in early summer. The trail, which has a 60-foot elevation change, is mostly paved, with some wooden boardwalk sections, and is wheelchair accessible. .7 mile RT. Easy. Access: Giant Forest Museum.

Congress Trail This walk circles some of Sequoia National Park’s best-known and best-loved giants. The trail is a paved loop with a 200-foot elevation gain. Here you’ll find the General Sherman Tree, considered the largest living tree on Earth. Other giant sequoias along this loop include the President, Chief Sequoyah, General Lee, and McKinley trees. The Lincoln tree is nearby. Several groups of trees include the House and the Senate. Try standing in the middle of these small clusters of trees to gain the perspective of an ant at a picnic. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: General Sherman Tree, just off the Generals Hwy., 2 miles northeast of Giant Forest Museum.

Crescent Meadow Loop The meadow is a large, picturesque clearing dotted with high grass and wildflowers, encircled by a forest of firs and sequoias. The park’s oldest cabin (Tharp’s Log) is along this paved route. This is a particularly nice hike in early morning and at dusk, when indirect sunlight allows photographers to take the best pictures. 1.8 miles RT. Easy. Access: Crescent Meadow parking area.

Hazelwood Nature Trail Follow the signs for a pleasant, informative walk with exhibits that explain the relationship of trees, fire, and humans while winding among several stands of sequoias. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: South side of the Generals Hwy., across from the road to Round Meadow.

High Sierra Trail This is one gateway to the backcountry, but the first few miles also make a great day hike. Along the way are spectacular views of the Kaweah River’s middle fork and the Great Western Divide. The trail runs along a south-facing slope and is warm in spring and fall. Get an early start in summer. From the trail head, cross two wooden bridges over Crescent Creek until you reach a junction. Tharp’s Log is to the left, the High Sierra Trail to the right. Hike uphill and a bit farther on through the damage done by the Buckeye Fire of 1988, a blaze ignited by a discarded cigarette 3,000 feet below, near the Kaweah River. After .75 mile you’ll reach Eagle View, which offers a picturesque vision of the Great Western Divide. To the south are the craggy Castle Rocks.

Continue to see Panther Rock, Alta Peak, and Alta Meadow. At 2.75 miles is a sign for the Wolverton Cutoff, a trail used as a stock route between the Wolverton trail head and the high country. A bit farther on are Panther Creek and a small waterfall. At 3.25 miles is another fork of Panther Creek, and above is pink and gray Panther Rock. Follow a few more creeks to reach the last fork of Panther Creek, down a steep, eroded ravine. 9 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Near Crescent Meadow parking area restrooms.

Huckleberry Trail This is a great hike with a lot of beauty and not a lot of people. It passes through forest and meadow, near a 100-year-old cabin and an old American Indian village. The first mile takes you along the Hazelwood Nature Trail. Head south at each junction until you see a big sign with blue lettering, which marks the start of the Huckleberry Trail. You pass a small creek and meadow before reaching a second sign for Huckleberry Meadow. The next mile is steep and runs beneath sequoias, dogwoods, and white firs. At the 1.5-mile point is a Squatter’s Cabin, built in the 1880s. East of the cabin is a trail junction. Head north (left) up a short hill. At the next junction, veer left along the edges of Circle Meadow for about a quarter mile before you reach another junction. The right is a short detour to Bear’s Bathtub, a pair of sequoias hollowed by fire and filled with water. Legend has it that an old mountain guide named Chester Wright once surprised a bear taking a bath here. Continue on the trail heading northeast to the Washington Tree, almost as big as the General Sherman Tree, then on to Alta Trail. Turn west (left) to Little Deer Creek. On both sides of the creek are American Indian mortar holes. Some of the largest are 3 feet in diameter. At the next junction, head north (right) to return to the Generals Highway and the last leg of the Huckleberry Trail to the parking area. 4 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Hazelwood Nature Trail parking area, a little more than 1⁄4 mile east of Giant Forest Museum on the Generals Hwy.

Moro Rock This walk climbs 300 feet up 400 steps that twist along the gigantic boulder perched perilously on a ridge top. Take it slow. The view from the top is breathtaking. It stretches to the Great Western Divide, which looks barren and dark, like the end of the world; mountains are often snowcapped well into summer. During a full moon, the view is even stranger and more beautiful. .25 mile one-way. Moderate. Access: Moro Rock parking area.

Moro Rock and Soldiers Loop Trail This hike cuts cross-country from the Giant Forest to Moro Rock. An early section is parallel to a main road, but the trail quickly departs from the traffic and heads through a forest dotted with giant sequoias. A carpet of ferns occasionally hides the trail. It pops out at Moro Rock, and then it’s just a quick heart-thumper to the top. 4.6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: 30 yards west of cafeteria at Giant Forest Museum.

Trail of the Sequoias This trail offers a longer, more remote hike than other routes into Giant Forest, away from the crowds and along some of the more scenic points of this plateau. The first quarter mile is along the Congress Trail before heading uphill at Alta Trail. (Look for signs that read trail of the sequoias.) After 1.5 miles, including a .5-mile steep climb among giant sequoias, is the ridge of the Giant Forest. Here are a variety of specimens, young and old, fallen and sturdy. Notice the shallow root system of fallen trees, and the lightning-blasted tops of others still standing. The trail continues to Log Meadow, past Crescent Meadow and Chimney Tree, a sequoia hollowed by fire. At the junction with Huckleberry Trail, follow the blue and green signs north toward the General Sherman Tree and back to Congress Trail. 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Northeast end of General Sherman Tree parking area.

Near Grant Grove

Azalea Trail From the visitor center, walk past the amphitheater to Sunset Campground and cross Calif. 180. The first mile joins the South Boundary Trail as it meanders through Wilsonia and crisscrosses Sequoia Creek in a gentle climb. After 1.5 miles is the third crossing of Sequoia Creek. It may be dry in late summer, but the banks are lush with ferns and brightly colored azaleas. Return the way you came. 3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Kings Canyon Visitor Center.

Big Stump Trail This trail meanders through what was once a grove of giant sequoias. All that’s left today are the old stumps and piles of 100-year-old sawdust. A brochure available at visitor centers (and at the trail head during the summer) describes the logging that occurred here in the 1880s. To continue, take the Hitchcock Meadow Trail (described below), which leads to Viola Fall. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: Big Stump Picnic Area near entrance to Grant Grove from Kings Canyon.

Boole Tree Loop This trail loops through the once-proud forest in the ravaged Converse Basin to the 269-foot Boole Tree, one of the last reminders of the giants that were logged here. The world’s eighth-largest sequoia (it was once thought to be the largest), the Boole Tree, is the highlight of the loop, and there are terrific views of Kings Canyon. 2.5 mile RT. Moderate. Access: The end of the Converse Basin rd. north of Grant Grove in Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Dead Giant Loop The Dead Giant Loop and the North Grove Loop (described below) share the first .75 mile. The trail descends a fire road and after a quarter mile hits a junction. Take the lower trail. After another half mile you’ll break off from the North Grove Loop and head south around a lush meadow. It’s another quarter mile to a sign that reads dead giant. Turn west to see what’s left of this tree. The trail climbs slightly as it circles a knoll and comes to Sequoia Lake Overlook. The lake was formed in 1899 when the Kings River Lumber Company built a dam on Mill Flat Creek. The water was diverted down a flume to the town of Sanger. During logging, millions of board feet (a unit of linear measurement of lumber) of giant sequoias were floated down that flume to be finished at a mill in Sanger. The lumber company went bankrupt and sold the operation to new owners, who moved it over to Converse Basin. The company then clear-cut Converse Basin, once the world’s largest stand of sequoias. Continue around the loop back to the Dead Giant sign, then return to the parking area. 2.25 miles RT. Easy. Access: Lower end of General Grant Tree parking area, at a locked gate with a sign that reads north grove loop.

General Grant Tree Trail The accessible trail leads to the huge General Grant Tree, which is also the nation’s only living national shrine. Signs help visitors interpret forest features. .6 mile RT. Easy. Access: General Grant Tree parking area, 1 mile northwest of the visitor center.

Hitchcock Meadow Trail This trail takes you to pretty Viola Falls. The first half mile mirrors the Big Stump Trail described above. From there, hike another quarter mile to Hitchcock Meadow, a large clearing in Sequoia National Forest that is surrounded by sequoia stumps. Notice the small sequoias in this area—these are the descendants of the giant sequoias logged in the last century. From here the trail climbs slightly to a ridge, where it reenters Kings Canyon National Park before descending a short series of steep switchbacks to Sequoia Creek. Cross the creek and look for a sign directing you to Viola Falls, a series of short steps that join into one fall when the water level is high. It is very dangerous to venture down the canyon, but above it are several flat places that make great picnic spots. 3.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Big Stump Picnic Area near the entrance to Grant Grove from Kings Canyon.

North Grove Loop The trail follows an abandoned mill road from long ago. It cuts through stands of dogwood, sugar pine, sequoia, and white fir. A large dead sequoia shows evidence of a fire. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Lower end of General Grant Tree parking area.

Park Ridge Trail Begin this hike by walking south along the ridge, where views of the valley and peaks dominate. On a clear day, you can see Hume Lake in Sequoia National Forest, the San Joaquin Valley, and, occasionally, the coast range 100 miles away. Return the same way. 4.7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Panoramic Point parking area, a 2 1/2-mile drive down a steep road from Grant Grove Village.

Sunset Trail The hike climbs 1,400 feet past two waterfalls and a lake. After crossing the highway, the trail heads left around a campground. After 1.25 miles, follow the South Boundary Trail toward Viola Falls. You’ll reach a paved road where you can head to the right to see the park’s original entrance. Return the way you came, or follow the road to the General Grant Tree parking area and walk to the visitor center. 6 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Across the road from Kings Canyon Visitor Center.

Near Cedar Grove

Bubbs Creek Trail The trail begins by crossing and recrossing Copper Creek. This site was once an American Indian village, and shards of obsidian can still be found on the ground (please leave them in place). After the first mile, you’ll enter a swampy area that offers a good place to watch for wildlife. The trail here closes in on the river, where deer and bear drink. At 2 miles, you’ll come to a junction. The trail to Paradise Valley heads north (left); the hike to Bubbs Creek veers right and crosses Bailey Bridge, over the South Fork of the Kings River.

Continue hiking east over four small wooden bridges that cross Bubbs Creek. The creek was named after John Bubbs, a prospector and rancher who arrived here in 1864. The trail climbs on the creek’s north side, following a few steep switchbacks, which provide alternating views of the canyon of Paradise Valley and Cedar Grove. At 3 miles is a large, emerald pool with waterfalls, and far above is a rock formation that John Muir named “the Sphinx.” At 4 miles you reach Sphinx Creek, a good area to spend the day or night (with a wilderness permit). There are several campsites nearby. Hike back the way you came or along the Sentinel Trail (described below). 8 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: East end of parking area at Road’s End.

Mist Falls This is one of the more popular trails leading to the backcountry, but it’s also a nice day hike. The first 2 miles, before you reach Bubbs Creek Bridge, are dry. Take the fork to the left and head uphill. The first waterfall is not your destination, although it is a pretty spot to take a break. From here, the trail meanders along the river, through forest and swamp areas, before it comes out at the base of Mist Falls, a wide fall that flows generously in spring. There are dozens of great picnic spots along the way. Return along the same route, or cross over at Bubbs Creek Bridge and head back on the Sentinel Trail (described below). This will add a mile to the hike. From Mist Falls, you can also continue to Paradise Valley (described below). 8 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Short-term parking area at Road’s End; pass Cedar Grove Village and follow signs.

Muir’s Rock This level, simple, short stroll takes you to one of the most historically significant spots in the park’s modern-day history. From this wide, flat rock, John Muir delivered impassioned speeches about the Sierra. 100 yards RT. Easy. Access: Parking area at Road’s End, along the trail to Zumwalt Meadow.

Paradise Valley This is a great overnight hike because the valley is so pretty and there’s much to explore. But it can also be an ambitious day hike. Follow the Mist Falls trail (described above), and then head up 3 miles of switchbacks to Paradise Valley. The beautiful valley is 3 miles long and relatively flat. Hike through the valley to connect with the John Muir Trail and the rest of the backcountry, or return the way you came. 12 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Short-term parking area at Road’s End; pass Cedar Grove Village and follow signs.

River Trail The trail hugs the river and can be shorter if you want to walk just to the waterfalls (.5 mile round-trip) or Zumwalt Meadows (3 miles round-trip; a shorter version is listed below). The waterfalls are .25 mile along the trail. The falls are short but powerful. Do not attempt to climb them. Just north of the falls, back toward the parking area, is a sign that reads zumwalt meadow—road’s end. Take this trail, which hugs the highway before breaking off into a beautiful canyon.

At 1.5 miles is the Zumwalt Bridge. If you cross the bridge, you’ll be a quarter mile from the Zumwalt Meadow parking area. To stay on the River Trail, don’t cross the bridge—continue up the canyon for another quarter of a mile to Zumwalt Meadow. From here there’s a slight incline. In a half mile you’ll reach a fork; head uphill. The rest of the hike follows the riverbank, which has plenty of swimming and fishing holes. After 2.5 miles you’ll come to another footbridge. Cross over, and it’s a short (.5-mile) walk back to the Road’s End parking area, where you can try to catch a ride. Otherwise, retrace your steps to your car. 5.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: From Cedar Grove Ranger Station, drive 3 miles to Roaring River Falls parking area.

Sentinel Trail Essentially, this hike encircles a small length of the South Fork of the Kings River. After following the river’s north side for 2 miles, the trail splits and heads north to Mist Falls and Paradise Valley or east across Bailey Bridge toward Bubbs Creek. Follow the eastern trail, but instead of hiking to Bubbs Creek, follow a sign that reads road’s end—2.6 miles. This will take you through dense groves of pine and cedars, with occasional views of Grand Sentinel. You’ll cross Avalanche Creek before emerging in a huge meadow and returning near the riverbank. At 2 miles, you can see Muir’s Rock, the huge, flat boulder described above. At 2.25 miles, you’ll find a footbridge that points back to the parking area. 4.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Short-term parking area at Road’s End; pass Cedar Grove Village and follow signs.

Zumwalt Meadow Cross the bridge and walk left for 100 yards to a fork. Take the trail that leads right for a bird’s-eye view of the meadow before descending 50 feet to the ground below. The trail leads along the meadow’s edge, where the fragrance of ponderosa pine, sugar pine, and incense cedar fills the air. The loop returns along the banks of the South Fork of the Kings River. Grand Sentinel and North Dome rise in the background. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Zumwalt Meadows parking area, 1 mile west of Road’s End, on Calif. 180 past Cedar Grove Village.

Other Hikes

Cold Springs Nature Trail This easy loop illustrates the natural history and beauty of the region. It passes near private cabins that predate the area’s addition to Sequoia National Park in 1978. The walk offers views of the Mineral King Valley and surrounding peaks. It can get hot and dry in summer, so carry additional water. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Mineral King’s Cold Springs Campground, across from ranger station.

Deer Cove Trail This hike in the Monarch Wilderness, maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, starts at 4,400 feet and climbs to 5,600 feet. It follows short, steep switchbacks that climb through bear clover and manzanita. After the first .5 mile, it passes above a large spring. Deer Cove Creek is in a steep drainage area at the 2-mile mark. This area is heavily wooded with cedar, fir, and Jeffrey pine. To continue, see the description of the Wildman Meadow Trail (below). 4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: In the Monarch Wilderness, on Calif. 180, about 2 3/4 miles west of Cedar Grove Village turnoff. Parking area is on north side of road.

Kings River National Recreation Trail It’s a long drive to the trail head, but after hiking in upper Kings Canyon, this is a great place to see what it looks like from the bottom. The views here rival anything in the park, with peaks towering overhead and the river rushing nearby. The hike cuts through the Monarch Wilderness along the belly of Kings Canyon, although this trail, too, lies in the national forest, not the park. The trail starts along a dirt road and soon departs and follows the river, which is broad and powerful at this point. The first mile alternates between rapids and great fishing pools. At 1.5 miles is a view up Converse Creek and its rugged canyon.

At 3 miles you’ll find Spring Creek, a short but pretty waterfall and a good place to rest. You can turn around here for a total hike of 6 miles, or proceed for the 10-mile option. The trail from here ascends the steep Garlic Spur, a ridge that ends suddenly at the ledge of the canyon. The trail above Spring Creek is flecked with obsidian. The nearest source of this rock is the Mono Craters, more than 100 miles north. For that reason, many believe the Monache Indians used this trail for trading. After the long, steep ascent, the trail heads down to Garlic Meadow Creek. A short way upstream are large pools and wide resting areas. Beyond the creek, the trail is not maintained. 6–10 miles RT. Easy to Spring Creek; strenuous to Garlic Meadow Creek. Access: On Calif. 180, 6 miles below Big Stump Entrance, turn north on F.S. 12SO1 (a U.S. Forest Service rd.), a dirt road marked mckenzie heliport, delilah lookout, camp 4 1/2 miles. Drive 18 miles to the Kings River. Turn west and drive another 2 1/2 miles to Rodgers Crossing. Cross the bridge and turn east, following signs to Kings River Trail. The trail head is at the east end of a parking lot another 7 miles ahead, at the road’s end.

Marble Fork Trail This is one of the most scenic hikes in the Foothills area. The walk leads to a deep gorge where the roaring Marble Falls spill in a cascade over multicolored boulders. From the parking area, begin hiking north up the Southern California Edison flume. After crossing the flume on a wooden bridge, watch for a sign to the trail and head east (uphill). The trail crosses some steep switchbacks and near some large poison oak bushes with stems 3 inches wide. Watch out for these bare sticks in late fall and winter.

The trail will begin to flatten out and settle into a slight slope for the rest of the hike up to the waterfalls. Look for large yuccas and California bay along the way. After 2 miles, you can see the waterfalls as the hike cuts through white and gray marble, a belt of the rock that is responsible for seven caves in the park, including Crystal Cave near Giant Forest. Once you reach the falls, it’s almost impossible to hike any farther; only very experienced hikers should attempt a walk downstream. The marble slabs break very easily, and the boulders in the area can get very slick. Be extra careful when water is high. This is a good hike, but it can be very hot during summer afternoons. 6 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Dirt road at upper end of Potwisha Campground, 3 1/2 miles east of the Ash Mountain Entrance. A small parking area is past campsite no. 16.

Potwisha & River’s Edge This was once the site of an American Indian village known as Potwisha, home to the Monache tribe. The main village was just about where the dump station is now, and on the bedrock are mortar holes where the women ground acorns into meal. From here the trail continues above the river to a sandy beach and a good swimming hole. The trail turns east upstream before the suspension bridge, then north up a short but steep hill. Near the top of the hill you’ll run into Middle Fork Trail. Turn west (left) and hike the short distance back to the parking area. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: From Ash Mountain Entrance, take highway to Potwisha Campground. At campground entrance (on the left), turn right down a paved road toward an RV dump station. Take paved road until it dead-ends at a parking area. Continue toward river on a footpath to open bedrock.

Wildman Meadow This hike through the Monarch Wilderness mirrors the first 2 miles of the hike to Deer Cove (described above). After reaching Deer Cove, it’s a steep ascent to 7,500 feet—a 1,900-foot gain in 5 miles. From Deer Cove, hike 3.5 miles to a sandy knoll that has a good view into the rugged canyon drainage area of Grizzly Creek. At 6.5 miles, you’ll top the ridge and cross over to the north-facing slope. A quick drop lands you in Wildman Meadow, where a large stock camp occupies the edge of the clearing. 14 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Trail head for Deer Cove Trail, with which this trail connects, is in the Monarch Wilderness, on Calif. 180, about 2 3/4 miles west of the Cedar Grove Village turnoff. Parking area is on north side of road.

Exploring the Backcountry

Be aware of bears, and in the summer take insect repellent for protection against mosquitoes. Stay off high peaks during thunderstorms, and don’t attempt any climb if it looks as if a storm is rolling in; exposed peaks are often struck by lightning. In winter, snow buries many of these routes.

All overnight backpacking trips require a $15 wilderness permit per party (free in winter), available by mail, by fax, or in person at the ranger station closest to the hike you want to take. First-come, first-served permits can be issued the morning of your trip or after 1pm on the previous afternoon. Reservations can be made at least 14 days in advance, March 1 to September 10. To reserve a permit, you must provide a name, address, and telephone number; the number of people in your party; the method of travel (snowshoe, horse, foot); number of stock, if applicable; start and end dates; start and end trail heads; a principal destination; and a rough itinerary. Download the application from the park’s website and mail it to Wilderness Permit Reservations, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals Hwy. #60, Three Rivers, CA 93271, or fax it to phone 559/565-4239. Reserved permits must be picked up by 9am. If you’re delayed, call the ranger station or you risk forfeiting your permit. If your hike crosses agency boundaries, get the permit from the agency on whose land the hike begins. Only one permit is required.

Note: Eight ranger stations lie along the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails, and six are in the southern part of the park in the Sequoia backcountry. Most are not staffed from fall to spring. To find the ranger station closest to your trail head, consult the park map.

Alta Peak–Alta Meadow From Wolverton, hike on the Lakes Trail toward the Panther Gap Trail. Head right on the Panther Gap Trail, up through the 8,400-foot gap to Alta Trail. Turn left on Alta Trail and hike past the junction with Seven-Mile Hill Trail and the junction with Alta Peak Trail. Left takes you up Alta Peak, a 2,000-foot ascent in 2 miles that offers spectacular vistas. If climbing isn’t your idea of fun, plow straight ahead to Alta Meadow, which has a nice view and good places to camp. 13–16 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: From Giant Forest Museum, drive about 3 miles north on the Generals Hwy. and take the Wolverton Rd. turnoff (on the right). Look for the trail at the southeast end of the parking area at Wolverton Creek.

High Sierra Trail This trail is a popular route into the backcountry, and some utilize it as a one-way passage to Mount Whitney. It gets a lot of sun, so begin early. From the parking area, head out on a paved trail to the south, over several bridges to a junction. Turn right onto the High Sierra Trail. You will pass Eagle View, the Wolverton Cutoff, and Panther Creek. Hike at least 3 miles before setting up camp. For $175 to $250 for two people (meals included), a civilized overnight option is the 11-mile hike to the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp (see p. 430 for more information) from Crescent Meadow. At least 10 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Calif. 198 to Giant Forest; proceed to Crescent Meadow Rd. Bear right at the junction, passing the signed parking area for Moro Rock, and continue to the road’s end and the Crescent Meadow parking area.

Jennie Lakes Trail This is a nice overnight hike that’s not too demanding. You can extend it into the Jennie Lakes Wilderness Area. From the parking area, cross through the campground and continue across Big Meadow Creek. From here, the trail climbs. At Fox Meadow are a wooden trail sign and a register for hikers to sign. At the next junction, head right toward Jennie Lakes (left goes toward the Weaver Lake Trail) and up to Poop Out Pass. From here it’s a drop down to the Boulder Creek drainage area and on to emerald-green Jennie Lakes. This hike can be combined with a second day hike to Weaver Lake. Just retrace your steps to the Weaver Lake turnoff. Weaver Lake is a relatively warm mountain lake surrounded by blueberry bushes that grow heavy with fresh fruit in July. At least 12 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From Grant Grove, drive about 7 miles south on the Generals Hwy. to the turnoff for Big Meadows Campground. The trail head and parking area are on the south side of the road next to a ranger station.

Lakes Trail This trail traces a string of tarns, high-mountain lakes created by the scouring action of glaciers thousands of years ago. Heather Lake and Pear Lake are popular destinations along this route. From the trail head, go east, avoiding the Long Meadow Trail. Climb up a moraine ridge and soon you’ll be hiking above Wolverton Creek, which darts through meadows strewn with wildflowers. At a junction with the Panther Gap Trail, head left toward Heather Lake. At a second junction, you have to choose. To the right is Hump Trail, a steep but always open trail. Left is the Watchtower Trail, which leads along a granite ledge blasted in the rock with dynamite. With the Tokopah Valley far below, this hike is not for those who suffer vertigo. Both trails wind up at Heather Lake. Camping is not allowed here but is permitted up the trail at Pear and Emerald lakes. At least 13 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From Giant Forest, drive north on the Generals Hwy. to the Wolverton parking area. The trail head is on the left of the parking lot as you enter from the highway.

Other Sports & Activities

Cross-Country Skiing There are 35 miles of marked backcountry trails in the parks. Call park concessionaires for information (phone 559/335-5500 in Grant Grove; phone 559/565-4070 in the Wuksachi Lodge area). The Pear Lake Ski Hut is open to the public for backcountry accommodations in Sequoia from mid-December through April for $30 to $40 per person per night. Reservations are by a November lottery, but there are often openings during the season. Call phone 559/565-4222 for more information.

Fishing A section of the south fork of the Kings River, the Kaweah drainage, and the parks’ lakes are open all year for trout fishing—rainbow, brook, German brown, and golden. Most other waters are open for trout fishing from late April through mid-November, and open for other species year-round. California fishing licenses (available at stores in the park) are required for anglers 16 and older, and you should also get a copy of the National Park Service’s fishing regulations, available at visitor centers.

Horseback Riding Concessionaires in both parks and the adjacent national monument offer guided horseback and mule rides and overnight pack trips during the summer. In Kings Canyon, Cedar Grove Pack Station (phone 559/565-3464 in summer, or 559/337-2314 in winter) is about 1 mile east of Cedar Grove Village, and Grant Grove Stables (phone 559/335-9292 in summer, or 559/337-7242 in winter) is near Grant Grove Village. In Giant Sequoia National Monument, Big Meadow (phone 559/565-3404 in summer, or 559/564-6429 in winter) is located on Big Meadows Road, 10 miles east of Generals Highway. The pack stations offer hourly rides as well as overnight treks, while the stables offer day rides only. Rates are $40 for a 1-hour ride and $60 for a 2-hour trip; call for current charges for pack trips.

Snowshoeing Free ranger-led snowshoe tours take place in both parks on Saturdays and holidays when conditions permit. Call phone 559/565-4480 (Wuksachi) or phone 559/565-4307 (Grant Grove). There are also several snowshoe trails around Wuksachi Lodge (phone 559/565-070); rentals are available at the lodge.

White-Water RAFting The Kaweah and Upper Kings rivers in the parks are not open to boating, but several companies run trips just outside the parks. The thrilling roller-coaster ride through the rapids is a great way to not only see, but also to experience these scenic rivers. Offering trips on the Kaweah, Kings, Merced, and other rivers is Whitewater Voyages (phone 800/400-7238; www.whitewatervoyages.com), with rates that range from $99 to $219 for half- and full-day trips, and multiday trips are also available (call for rates). Kings River Expeditions (phone 800/846-3674 or 559/233-4881; www.kingsriver.com) specializes in rafting trips on the Kings. For 1-day trips they charge $99 to $160 per person. Overnight trips are also available (call for rates).

a nearby National Monument

Some of the most beautiful scenery in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks is not in either one, but in an adjacent section of the Sequoia National Forest now designated a national monument.

Covering 328,000 acres, Giant Sequoia National Monument was created by proclamation by President Bill Clinton in 2000. The monument contains 38 groves of sequoias, including some of the most magnificent giant trees anywhere. In addition, it has towering domes of granite, scenic Hume Lake (a popular destination for boaters and anglers), and the spectacular Kings Canyon—the deepest canyon in North America, with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 11,000 feet.

Among hiking trails in the monument is the Boole Tree Trail, a moderate 2.5-mile loop that leads to Boole Tree, the largest sequoia in the 1.1-million-acre Sequoia National Forest, and the eighth-largest tree in the world. This trail, located off Forest Road 13S55 off Kings Canyon Highway, includes forest and open country. You’ll see sequoias, scenic vistas of the Kings River, and wildflowers in summer.

An easy walk on the quarter-mile (each way) Chicago Stump Trail leads to the stump of the General Noble Tree, which was cut down, cut into pieces, and then reassembled and displayed at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Some fairgoers refused to believe that a tree could grow so big; they dubbed it “the California hoax.”

Information about other attractions and facilities in the monument are discussed elsewhere in this chapter. For additional information, contact Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake Ranger District, 35860 E. Kings Canyon Rd. (Calif. 180), Dunlap, CA 93621 (phone 559/338-2251; www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia).

Camping

There are numerous camping opportunities both within and surrounding Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. It’s important to remember that proper food storage is required for the sake of the black bears in the parks, as well as for your safety. See local bulletin boards for instructions.

Inside Sequoia National Park

The only national park campgrounds that accept reservations are Dorst and Lodgepole (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777); the other campgrounds are first come, first served. Reservations for Dorst and Lodgepole can be made up to 6 months in advance.

The two biggest campgrounds in the park are in the Lodgepole area. The Lodgepole Campground, which has flush toilets, is often crowded, but it’s pretty and near big trees and enough backcountry trails to offer some solitude. In summer, you’ll find a grocery store nearby, a restaurant, visitor center, children’s nature center, evening ranger programs, and gift shop. From Giant Forest, drive 5 miles northeast on the Generals Highway. Dorst Creek Campground, 14 miles northwest of Giant Forest on the Generals Highway, is a high-elevation campground that offers easy access to Muir Grove and pleasant backcountry trails. It has flush toilets and evening ranger programs. Group campsites are available by reservation.

In the Foothills area, Potwisha Campground is small, with well-spaced sites tucked beneath oak trees along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. However, it does get hot in summer. The campground has flush toilets. From the Ash Mountain Entrance, drive 3 miles northeast on the Generals Highway to the campground entrance. The Buckeye Flat Campground, which is open to tents only, sits among oaks along the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, and although it also gets hot in summer, its beauty makes it one of our favorites. It has flush toilets. From the Ash Mountain Entrance, drive about 6 miles northeast on the Generals Highway to the Hospital Rock Ranger Station. From there, follow signs to the campground, which is several miles down a narrow, winding road. South Fork Campground, just inside Sequoia’s southwestern boundary, is the smallest and most remote campground in the park. It is along the South Fork of the Kaweah River and has pit toilets only. From the town of Three Rivers, go east on South Fork Road 23 miles to the campground.

The two campgrounds in the Mineral King area are open to tents only—no RVs or trailers. Pretty, small Atwell Mill Campground is near the East Fork of the Kaweah River, at Atwell Creek. It has pit toilets. From Three Rivers, take Mineral King Road east for 20 miles to the campground. Cold Springs Campground, which also has pit toilets, is a beautiful place but not very accessible. Once you get there, you’ll be rewarded with lovely scenery. It’s near the Mineral King Ranger Station, making it a good starting point for many backcountry hikes. From Three Rivers, take Mineral King Road east for 25 miles.

For additional information, call the general Sequoia/Kings Canyon information line (phone 559/565-3341).

In Kings Canyon National Park

All of the campgrounds in Kings Canyon are first come, first served only; reservations are not available. All have flush toilets.

In the Grant Grove area are three attractive campgrounds near the big trees—Azalea, Crystal Springs, and Sunset. They have a pleasant, woodsy feeling, are close to park facilities, and offer evening ranger programs. From the Big Stump Entrance, take Calif. 180 east about 1 3/4 miles.

There are four attractive campgrounds in the Cedar Grove Village area, all accessible from Calif. 180 and close to the facilities in Cedar Grove Village. Sentinel, the first to open for the season, tends to fill quickly; Moraine is the farthest from the crowds. The others generally open on an as-needed basis. They are Sheep Creek, along picturesque Sheep Creek, and Canyon View, a group campground not listed in the accompanying table.

For additional information, call the general information line (phone 559/565-3341).

Outside the Parks

The U.S. Forest Service operates a number of campgrounds in Giant Sequoia National Monument, a 327,769-acre section of Sequoia National Forest, which was given national monument status in April 2000. They provide a delightful forest camping experience and are usually less crowded than national park campgrounds. There is also primitive camping available—no fee, no facilities.

In the Hume Lake area, all the Forest Service campgrounds have pit toilets except the beautiful Hume Lake Campground, which is on the banks of the lake and has flush toilets. It’s about 3 miles south of Calif. 180 on Hume Lake Road. The largest campground in this area is Princess, on Calif. 180; two smaller campgrounds, both beyond Hume Lake on Ten Mile Road, are Landslide and Upper Ten Mile.

In the Stony Creek/Big Meadows area, you’ll find vault toilets at all U.S. Forest Service campgrounds except Stony Creek Campground, off Generals Highway in Stony Creek Village, which has flush toilets. Among the larger campgrounds in this area is Big Meadows, which sits along Big Meadows Creek. Nearby trails lead to the Jennie Lakes Wilderness. From Grant Grove Village, drive 7 miles southeast on the Generals Highway, then turn east on Big Meadows Road and drive 5 miles to the campground.

For additional information on the above and other campgrounds in the national monument, contact Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest, Hume Lake Ranger District, 35860 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Dunlap, CA 93621 (phone 559/338-2251; www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia). You can make reservations at Hume Lake, Princess, or Stony Creek during the summer by calling phone 877/444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov.

Another great place to camp is Horse Creek Campground, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It’s along the south shore of Lake Kaweah, in Lake Kaweah Recreation Area, about 6 miles east of the community of Lemon Cove off Calif. 198. The lake, which is about 5 miles long and half a mile wide, covers 1,900 acres when full. It is popular with boaters, who take to the water in kayaks, canoes, personal watercraft, fishing boats, and larger patio boats. There are several boat ramps, and boat rentals are available at the Kaweah Marina (phone 559/597-2526; www.kaweahmarina.com). Call for current rates and availability. This is also a popular fishing lake, where you’re apt to catch largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, and rainbow trout. The number of campsites varies with the water level, with the fewest usually in spring, when the lake is at its highest; much of the campground is often flooded into July. There are some shady sites and some open, and most have good views across the lake. The campground has flush toilets. For information, contact U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Kaweah Recreation Area, P.O. Box 44270, Lemon Cove, CA 93244 (phone 559/597-2301). Campsite reservations are available (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov).

Those seeking a full-service commercial campground with RV hookups and all the usual amenities should head to Lemon Cove/Sequoia Campground, 32075 Sierra Dr., P.O. Box 44269, Lemon Cove, CA 93244 (www.lemoncovesequoiacamp.com; phone 559/597-2346). This attractive and convenient campground on the west side of Lemon Cove is 22 miles east of Visalia in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It can handle large rigs with slide-outs and offers cable-TV hookups, propane sales, a convenience store, grassy and shaded sites, a recreation room, a playground and volleyball court, and an outdoor swimming pool.

Where to Stay

Inside the Parks

Lodging in the parks ranges from rustic cabins to well-equipped, motel-style accommodations, usually with a mountain-lodge atmosphere and great views. Besides the options that follow, there is the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp (www.visitsequoia.com; phone 866/807-3598), an 11-mile hike from Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park proper. It features 6 tent cabins (each can sleep 3 people) and a central bathroom that has toilets and hot showers. Bedding, breakfast, and dinner are included in the price, which runs about $350. There are also several good choices in the nearby Giant Sequoia National Monument and in the gateway towns of Visalia, Three Rivers, and Lemon Cove (see “Outside the Parks,” below).

Cedar Grove Lodge This motel offers comfortable rooms on the bank of the Kings River. Getting here is half the fun—it’s a 36-mile drive down a winding highway that provides beautiful vistas along the way. The phone- and TV-free rooms are standard motel accommodations—comfortable, but nothing special—but what you’re really paying for is the location, surrounded by tall trees with a pretty river. Most of the rooms are above the Cedar Grove Café (see “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter), with communal decks and river views. However, we prefer the three smaller, not quite as attractively appointed rooms on ground level, which have patios looking right out onto the river and their own refrigerators and microwaves.

Calif. 180, Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon National Park (mailing address: Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Services Company, 5755 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Ste. 101, Fresno, CA 93727). www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com. phone 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500. 18 units. A/C. $119–$135 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov–Apr.

Grant Grove Cabins Although these are all cabins, they offer a wide range of amenities and prices, from handsomely restored cabins with private bathrooms that ooze historic charm, to rustic tent cabins that simply provide a comfortable bed out of the weather at a very low price. Those who want to rough it in style should reserve one of the nine cabins, built in the 1920s, that have electricity, indoor plumbing, and full private bathrooms. A bit less modern but still quite comfortable are the 43 rustic cabins that have kerosene lanterns for light and wood-burning stoves for heat; these share a bathhouse. Tent cabins, with wood floors and walls but canvas roofs, are available in summer only. All cabins have full linen service. It’s a 10-minute walk to the Grant Grove Visitor Center from the cabins, which are also near the Grant Grove Restaurant (described under “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter). There is free Wi-Fi in the lobby area.

Calif. 180, Grant Grove Village, Kings Canyon National Park (mailing address: Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Services Company, 5755 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Ste. 101, Fresno, CA 93727). www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com. phone 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500. 53 units, 9 with private bathroom. $62–$87 cabin with shared bathroom; $129–$140 cabin with private bathroom. Register at Grant Grove Village Registration Center, btw. the restaurant and gift shop. AE, DISC, MC, V.

John Muir Lodge This handsome log lodge, built in 1998, looks perfect in this beautiful national park setting. It is an excellent choice for visitors who want a mountain-lodge atmosphere and quiet, comfortable, modern rooms, with full bathrooms and the other comforts we’ve all come to appreciate. Standard rooms are simply but tastefully decorated, with two queen beds and wonderful views of the surrounding forest. Suites are pretty much two connecting lodge rooms, except that one of the rooms has a queen bed and a queen sofa sleeper instead of two queens. The lodge also has a gigantic, very attractive log-beam lobby.

Calif. 180, Grant Grove Village, Kings Canyon National Park (mailing address: Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Services Company, 5755 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Ste. 101, Fresno, CA 93727). www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com. phone 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500. 30 units. $172–$180 double. Register at Grant Grove Village Registration Center, btw. the restaurant and gift shop. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Silver City Mountain Resort The only lodging option in the remote Mineral King area, this historic cabin resort is an excellent choice for those seeking a woodsy experience off the beaten track. There are three types of cabins here, with a variety of bed combinations (some sleep up to eight) and woodstoves for heat. Blankets and pillows are provided, but guests need to bring their own sheets, pillowcases, towels, and trash bags. The top-of-the-line Swiss Chalets are finished in knotty pine with completely equipped kitchens, full bathrooms, and an outdoor barbecue. The midlevel units, dubbed Family Cabins, have two bedrooms and complete kitchens, propane wall lamps, small bathrooms with toilets but no showers (there is a central bathhouse), and decks with barbecue grills. Historical Cabins, built in the 1930s, are the most basic units, with light from kerosene and propane lamps, plus a camp kitchen. Most have refrigerators, and all share the bathhouse.

Mineral King, Sequoia National Park (mail: 3101 Cielo Grande, Atascadero, CA 93422). www.silvercityresort.com. phone 559/561-3223 summer, or 805/461-3223 winter. Fax 805/461-3116. 13 cabins, 7 with shared central bathhouse. $100–$395 cabin. 2- to 3-night minimum. Discounts approx. June 1–15 and after Sept 18. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to Memorial Day. Take Calif. 198 through Three Rivers to the Mineral King turnoff. Silver City is 21 miles up Mineral King Rd.

Wuksachi Lodge The Wuksachi Lodge is the newest and the most upscale lodging in Sequoia & Kings Canyon. Rooms are located in three buildings separated from the lodge by parking lots. Views out the windows are dominated by the forest and surrounding mountains. The standard units have one king-size or two queen-size beds and a small desk; deluxe rooms are larger, with two queen-size beds or a king-size and a sofa bed, plus a table and two chairs; what are called superior rooms are actually minisuites, with two queen-size beds or one king, plus a sofa bed in an alcove sitting area with a sliding door (a good place for your teenager). Another plus: A trail starting here winds 3.1 miles through the forest to Lodgepole.

Calif. 180 and 198 (P.O. Box 89), Sequoia National Park, CA 93262. www.visitsequoia.com. phone 888/252-5757 or 559/253-2199. 102 rooms. TV, TEL. May–Oct and holidays $199–$265; Nov–Apr $93–$115. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Outside the Parks

You’ll pass many of these establishments as you travel to different sections of the parks. New in 2006, the luxury Sequoia High Sierra Camp (www.sequoiahighsierracamp.com; phone 866/654-2877) in Giant Sequoia National Monument looks to one-up its Yosemite counterparts in terms of upscale “roughing it.” For $250 per person, you get 330-square-foot bungalows with plush furnishings and three “California-cuisine-style” meals a day. Guests can choose to drive to a trail head and hike 1 mile or take an 11-mile trail.

In Giant Sequoia National Monument

Montecito Lake Resort The Montecito is a well-stocked resort that caters to families with children and large groups, although guests of all ages will enjoy this well-run facility. It’s open year-round and offers recreation of all types—from fishing to fencing, to cross-country skiing (85 miles of groomed trails begin here). The recently upgraded rooms, which all have private bathrooms, are in four separate buildings; 13 cabins share two bathhouses. Bed types and number vary, with units that sleep from two to eight. Meals are served buffet style. The resort has a small lake, with seasonal sailing and canoeing. Recreation is more limited in winter and includes snowshoeing and ice skating.

8000 Generals Hwy., Giant Sequoia National Monument (mailing address: Box 858, 8000 Generals Hwy., Kings Canyon National Park, CA 93633). www.mslodge.com. phone 800/227-9900, 800/843-8667, or 559/565-3388. Fax 559/565-3223. 36 units, 13 cabins. $99–$279 double. 6-night minimum in summer except Sat. Rates include all meals. AE, DISC, MC, V. Take Calif. 180 into Kings Canyon National Park, turn right at the fork, drive 8 miles south to the lodge access road, turn right, and follow the road about 1⁄2 mile to the parking lot.

Stony Creek Lodge This small, basic lodge offers motel-style accommodations in a pretty setting in Giant Sequoia National Monument, about 20 minutes south of Grant Grove. The guest rooms are basic but pleasant and sleep from two to four, and there’s usually a fire blazing away in the lobby fireplace. There’s also a pizzeria, laundromat, showers ($4), and gas station here.

Generals Hwy., Giant Sequoia National Monument (mailing address: Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Services Company, 5755 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Ste. 101, Fresno, CA 93727). www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com. phone 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500. 11 units. $149–$169 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Sept–May. Take the Stony Creek Village exit off the Generals Hwy., btw. Grant Grove Village and Wuksachi.

In the Nearby Gateway Towns

In addition to the properties discussed below, reliable chains in Visalia include the Holiday Inn, 9000 W. Airport Dr. (phone 559/651-5000), which has rates of $89 to $139 double; and the La Quinta Inn & Suites, 5438 W. Cypress Ave. (phone 559/739-9800), charging $89 to $169 double. A solid independent motel, the Lamp Liter Inn, 3300 W. Mineral King Ave. (www.lampliter.net; phone 800/662-6692 or 559/732-4511), features cabin suites set off from a nice pool courtyard for $189 and double rooms for $74 to $99. Lodging options in Three Rivers include the Western Holiday Lodge, 40105 Sierra Dr. (phone 559/561-4119), which charges $99 to $199 double; and the Comfort Inn & Suites, 40820 Sierra Dr. (phone 800/331-2140 or 559/561-9000), charging $99 to $129 double. All have lower rates in the winter.

Ben Maddox House My pick for an enchanting place to stay in Visalia, the Ben Maddox House is named for one of Visalia’s most prominent citizens during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Maddox started the local newspaper and the area’s first electric company. The inn, located 4 blocks from downtown Visalia on a street with a number of other Victorian homes, is replete with gardens, decks, large palm trees, and a century-year-old lemon tree that is still producing. The house itself is impressive, with a large, triangular gable and a long, covered porch, where you can relax and watch the world go slowly by. The interior is furnished with antiques, including many Victorian pieces, and the comfortable and attractive guest rooms have 14-foot ceilings and white-oak floors. One unit has a California king-size bed; the rest have queen-size beds. Breakfast is a treat, featuring terrific quiches made with local veggies.

601 N. Encina St., Visalia, CA 93291. www.benmaddoxhouse.com. phone 800/401-9800 or 559/739-0721. Fax 559/739-0729. 5 units, 1 cottage. TV, TEL. $150–$185 double; $375 cottage. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Buckeye Tree Lodge Just a quarter mile from the entrance to Sequoia National Park, this motel offers affordable and attractive rooms, not to mention rolling lawns that end at a picturesque river, and every room has a patio or balcony offering splendid views of the main fork of the Kaweah River. Rooms are clean, basic motel units, with a king bed or two queens (one has one queen). Eight rooms have showers only; the rest have a tub/shower.

46000 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers, CA 93271. www.buckeyetree.com. phone 559/561-5900. 12 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $123–$149 double; lower rates in winter. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted by prior arrangement ($10/night).

Lake Elowin Resort One of my favorite places to stay in the Sierra, this quirky resort is exactly what a national park lodging should be—a place to get away from it all. There are no phones and no televisions, just rustic but clean cabins nestled under huge trees, all looking out at Lake Elowin, a small body of water above the Kaweah River. Milton Melkonian purchased the 1920s-era resort in the 1970s with the idea of creating a place to coexist with nature, which now attracts all sorts of creative types, as well as anyone seeking an escape. Cabins can accommodate two to six people. I especially like cabin no. 1, sitting close to the lake with a delightful view, and the Master Cabin, boasting a fireplace, a deck, and a Jacuzzi. All cabins include linens and towels, cookware, barbecues, and canoes—just bring food, sunblock, and a good attitude.

43840 Dineley Dr., Three Rivers, CA 93271. www.lake-elowin.com. phone 559/561-3460. Fax 559/561-1300. 10 cabins. $120–$145 double; $130–$195 cabin; $225 Master Cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. From eastbound Sierra Dr. in Three Rivers, about 2 1/2 miles before the park entrance, turn left on Dineley Dr. (the street sign says dinley) and drive across a bridge. Bear right and continue less than 1⁄2 mile to the resort’s driveway.

Plantation Bed & Breakfast Step out of the Sierra Nevada and into the Old South at this fun B&B, where inspiration comes straight from Gone With the Wind. My favorite, though, is the Belle Watling Room, done up in an elegant bordello style, with a king-size bed and an enormous mirror, a red crystal chandelier, and a claw-foot bathtub painted with a tasteful nude. Two rooms have showers only, while the others have showers and tubs. Secluded in a palm-shaded area surrounded by orange groves are a large swimming pool and a Jacuzzi. The wonderful breakfasts include fresh fruit, homemade granola, and a hot entree such as mushroom asparagus crepes.

33038 Calif. 198 (16 miles west of the park entrance), Lemon Cove, CA 93244. www.plantationbnb.com. phone 800/240-1466 or 559/597-2555. Fax 559/597-2551. 8 units. A/C. $149–$239 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Sequoia Village Inn The sister property of the Buckeye Tree Lodge across the street, the Sequoia Village Inn offers charming cabin-style units that sleep 2 to 12 people. Stylishly decorated with lodgepole bed frames and hardwood floors, they’re great for couples and families alike. Many feature full kitchens and decks with great views; the smaller units have microwaves and fridges only.

43175 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers, CA 93271. www.sequoiavillageinn.com. phone 559/561-3652. 10 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $117–$329 double; lower rates in winter. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Visalia Marriott The best hotel in Visalia—located a block off bustling Main Street—offers reliable Marriott service and style in its guest rooms and facilities. The property underwent a major renovation in 2007, and it shows. The rooms are chic and comfortable, with one king bed or two full-size beds. Units on the eighth floor feature private decks and great views.

300 S. Court St., Visalia, CA 93291. www.visaliamarriotthotel.com. phone 559/636-1111. Fax 559/636-8224. 195 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $109–$169 double; $169–$299 suite. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Parks

Every Wednesday through Sunday from mid-June to early August, an all-you-can-eat barbecue takes place in the outdoor setting of Wolverton Meadow, just south of Lodgepole in Sequoia. Tickets can be purchased at the Wuksachi Lodge or Lodgepole Market. Call phone 866/807-3598 for information. There is also a seasonal pizzeria at Stony Creek Lodge, on Generals Highway between Grant Grove and Wuksachi, that serves lunch and dinner from 11am to 8 or 9pm.

Cedar Grove Snack Bar AMERICAN The only dining option at Cedar Grove offers a simple but adequate menu at affordable prices, although those staying at the lodge here for several days will quickly tire of the limited choices. The cafe has pleasant outdoor balcony seating that overlooks the river.

Cedar Grove, Kings Canyon National Park. phone 559/565-0100. Breakfast $4–$11; lunch and dinner main courses $6–$22. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mid-June to mid-Aug daily 7am–2pm and 5–8pm; mid-May to mid-June and mid-Aug to mid-Oct Mon–Fri 8–10:30am, Sat–Sun 8am–2pm, daily 5–7pm. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.

Grant Grove Restaurant AMERICAN This pleasant cafe-style restaurant, located in the hub of activity in Kings Canyon National Park, is the primary option for a sit-down meal, with good service and a simple but very adequate menu. Breakfast and lunch are typical American fare, including pizza—always a favorite with kids. Complete dinners include steaks, pastas, chicken, and trout dishes.

Grant Grove Village, Kings Canyon National Park. phone 559/335-5500, ext. 305. Breakfast and lunch $7–$14; dinner main courses $11–$24. AE, DISC, MC, V. Late May to early Sept daily 7–10:30am, 11am–9pm; early Sept to late May daily 9am–2pm and 5–7pm (until 8pm Fri–Sat).

Lodgepole Market DELI/PIZZA The deli and the grill are actually two separate counter-service, fast-food restaurants in the Lodgepole Market Center. At the snack bar, you’ll find kids’ favorites such as burgers, hot dogs, and pizza. Healthier fare is available at the deli, which specializes in made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, and salads—and ice cream.

Lodgepole, Sequoia National Park. phone 559/565-3301. Most items $4–$13. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 8am–8pm. Snack bar open year-round, with shorter hours fall–spring; deli closed Nov–Apr.

Silver City Mountain Resort AMERICAN This is your only option for a sit-down meal in Sequoia’s remote Mineral King area and it’s a pretty good one in spite of the lack of competition. The menu is basic, covering sandwiches and burgers as well as dinner specials on weekend nights, but the homemade pie is the standout, shipped to restaurants in Visalia and beyond. Try a slice of the Fruit of the Forest, with rhubarb, strawberries, apples, and blackberries.

Lodgepole, Sequoia National Park. phone 559/561-3223. Menu items $7–$14. AE, DISC, MC, V. Thurs–Mon 8am–8pm; Tues–Wed 8am–5pm (pie and coffee only). Closed Oct to Memorial Day.

Wuksachi Dining Room AMERICAN A wood-beamed ceiling, huge stone fireplace, and large windows offering wonderful views of the surrounding forest make this upscale lodge-style restaurant a delightful spot for a refined and relaxing meal. Standard American breakfast buffets are the morning fare, while a number of salads and sandwiches are offered for lunch. The dinner entrees, such as ruby red trout, a pork porterhouse, or bacon-wrapped meatloaf, are both creative and elegant, with a nice mix of meat and potatoes, seafood, and vegetarian fare.

Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia National Park. phone 559/565-4070, ext. 608. Reservations required for dinner. Breakfast and lunch $6–$14; dinner main courses $21–$36. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5–10pm.

Outside the Parks

In Three Rivers, Serrano’s, 40869 Sierra Dr. (phone 559/561-7283), is a good family-run Mexican restaurant with spicy salsa and tasty carne asada.

Anne Lang’s Emporium DELI A great spot for a quick lunch or picnic fare before heading into the park. This busy, full-service deli has a half-dozen or so tables inside, in a cafe-like atmosphere, plus a large deck out back (away from the highway) that overlooks the Kaweah River. After you order at the counter, the staff will prepare your sandwich to eat in or take out as a box lunch. In addition to the usual cold deli sandwiches, there are a few hot items, including burgers and chicken-breast sandwiches. You’ll also find several luncheon salads, a soup of the day, fresh-baked items, ice cream, and specialty drinks including espressos, smoothies, and Italian sodas.

41651 Sierra Dr. (CA 198), Three Rivers. phone 559/561-4937. Most items $3–$7. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 10am–4pm; Sat–Sun 11am–4pm. Store/ice-cream parlor Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat–Sun 9am–5:30pm.

Brewbaker’s Restaurant & Brewery BREWPUB A top-notch microbrewery in downtown Visalia, the brass bar at Brewbaker’s is literally within arm’s reach of the huge fermentation vats. Brick walls, stained glass, and a social vibe round out the atmosphere. The beers are uniformly fantastic, while the food—including burgers, chili, fish and chips, and personal pizzas—is the best deal in town. Not only does this place brew beer, but it also makes its soda pop in house, in such flavors as orange and bubble gum. There are seating areas upstairs and down, as well as on the second-story deck with a great city view out back.

219 E. Main St., Visalia. phone 559/627-2739. www.brewbakersbrewingco.com. Main courses $7–$23. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–10pm. Bar open later.

Vintage Press CONTINENTAL My pick for a romantic dinner, this stalwart’s three dining rooms are elegant in the spirit of an upscale gin mill in Gold Rush–era San Francisco, featuring a handsome old bar imported from the city by the bay, plus many antiques and leaded mirrors. There’s seasonal patio dining, too. The menu features several steaks alongside such dishes as Australian lobster tail and crispy veal sweetbreads with a port/jalapeño/blue-cheese sauce. There are also exotic appetizers such as escargot, goat-cheese rellenos, and sashimi. Lunch brings smaller steaks, sandwiches, pastas, and salads. The restaurant’s wine cellar offers more than 1,000 selections.

216 N. Willis St., Visalia. phone 559/733-3033. www.thevintagepress.com. Reservations recommended for dinner. Main courses $12–$27 lunch, $20–$40 dinner. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–2pm and 5:30–10pm; Sun 10am–2pm and 5–9pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Stores throughout the parks stock basic camping supplies, such as flashlights, canteens, and tarps, and enough food that you won’t starve, but you’ll find better selections in nearby towns. In the parks, the Lodgepole Market has the widest selection available, including a good deli and grill. It’s open from May through September only, as is the Cedar Grove Market. The Grant Grove Market is open year-round, and during the winter a small variety of goods is available at Wuksachi, in Sequoia.

For the best selection and prices on foodstuffs outside the parks, stop in Visalia at Save Mart, 1591 E. Noble St. at Calif. 198 and Ben Maddox Way (phone 559/636-0328), on your way in. This is an excellent supermarket with a good bakery and a deli. Just east is a Wal-Mart at 1819 E. Noble Ave. (phone 559/636-2302), where you’ll find a large stock of camping supplies, along with clothing and practically everything else you might need.

Chapter 33: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND

by Jack Olson

After he became president in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt pursued his love of nature and the outdoors by creating the U.S. Forest Service and signing the 1906 Antiquities Act, under which he proclaimed 18 national monuments.

He also obtained congressional approval to establish five national parks, as well as set aside millions of acres of land as national forests and 51 wildlife refuges. As a conservationist, Roosevelt is arguably without equal among American presidents. So it seems appropriate that he is the only president for whom a national park has been named, and that Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in western North Dakota, where many of his early experiences formed his later environmental efforts.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Roosevelt first traveled to the North Dakota Badlands in 1883. Before returning home to New York, he became interested in the cattle business and joined two other men as partners in the Maltese Cross Ranch. The following year, Roosevelt returned to North Dakota and established a second open-range ranch, the Elkhorn, which became his principal residence in the area.

During his frequent visits, Roosevelt led what he called the “strenuous life” that he loved. When he wasn’t studying botany or herding cattle, he hunted, fished, and enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow Dakotans, some of whom would later form the nucleus of his Rough Riders.

Roosevelt arrived in the Badlands soon after the last of the bison herds had been slaughtered, and he spent much time pondering what was being done to the animals and land around him. He carried those thoughts and convictions, born on the Dakota prairie, into his later political life. He wrote, “I would not have been President, had it not been for my experience in North Dakota.”

Badlands & Buffalo

The colorful, broken landscape of the North Dakota badlands provides the scenic backdrop for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Carved over millions of years by the natural forces of wind and rain and the tireless waters of the Little Missouri River, this land is home to a variety of animals and plant life.

Over 65 million years ago, streams carried eroded materials eastward from the young Rocky Mountains, then deposited them on a vast lowland, today’s Great Plains. During the warm, rainy periods that followed, dense vegetation grew, fell into swampy areas, and was later buried by new layers of sediment. Eventually, this plant material turned into lignite coal. Some plant life became petrified.

Even as layers of sediment were being deposited, streams began to carve through the soft strata, sculpting the infinite variety of buttes, tablelands, and valleys that comprise the Badlands today.

As inhospitable as this land looks, it is home to a large variety of creatures and plants. Rainfall supports an abundance of prairie grasses and wildflowers, and 186 species of birds have been observed.

Mule deer and white-tailed deer inhabit the park, and prairie dogs build their “towns” in the grasslands. Through careful management, some animals that nearly became extinct in the 19th and early 20th centuries are once again thriving. Bison and elk, for example, have been successfully reintroduced into the area.

The wealth of wildlife that first attracted Theodore Roosevelt and thousands of other avid sports enthusiasts to this area still exists. Bands of wild horses roam in the park’s South Unit, just as they did when Roosevelt rode over this land and tended his cattle a century ago.

tips from a Park Expert

After 18 years at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a dozen years with the National Park Service in Alaska, and 6 years each in Death Valley and Crater Lake, retired longtime Chief of Interpretation Bruce Kaye had some insights for prospective visitors.

Kaye encouraged visitors to view Roosevelt’s two ranch sites—the Maltese Cross, whose ranch house was relocated to the park in 1959 from the state capital in Bismarck, and the Elkhorn Ranch site, 35 miles north of Medora. Kaye said visitors should check with rangers before traveling to the Elkhorn site, to ensure that road conditions or high water will not impede their progress.

While visiting the park, Kaye said travelers should keep their eyes open for a wide variety of wildlife, including bison, elk, wild horses, mule deer, white-tailed deer, coyotes, antelope, a variety of birds, and the ever-abundant prairie dog.

“The best month to be without crowds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, yet do the things you want to do in view of the weather, is September,” Kaye says. “But even at the height of the summer season, most visitors will not be bothered by overcrowding.” Kaye added, “Summertime is not all that busy—you can still go out into the backcountry and not see people; you can even drive one of the park roads and not be inundated.”

Kaye said that hiking, camping, and cross-country skiing are ideal experiences in the off season.

Avoiding the Crowds

Since the park has 70,000 acres, three spread-out units, and fewer than a half-million visitors per year, avoiding crowds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park is not difficult. In general, you’ll see fewer visitors in early morning and evening hours, particularly during the high-visitation months of June, July, and August. Early fall is especially appealing to those seeking a more contemplative experience. But even during the height of the summer, those enjoying backcountry treks and scenic drives are not likely to encounter throngs of vacationers: This national park is just too big, and visitation too low, to make that occur.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

The park’s South Unit is 130 miles west of Bismarck and just north of Medora (exit 24 or 27 on I-94). The North Unit is 15 miles south of Watford City. From I-94, take exit 42 (Belfield); then you must continue north on U.S. 85 another 50 miles to the North Unit Entrance. The park also includes Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch, which is located between the North and South Units, but visitors should ask rangers about road conditions before attempting to go there.

THE NEAREST AIRPORTS About 130 miles east of the park is Bismarck Airport (phone 701/355-1808; www.bismarckairport.com), served by Allegiant Air, Delta, and United Express airlines, with service to Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, plus Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz car rentals. Dickinson–Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (phone 701/483-1062; www.dickinsonairport.com) is 35 miles from Medora and is served by Great Lakes Airlines, with service to Denver, and you can rent a car from Budget. The websites for the airlines and major car-rental agencies are in chapter 38.

Information

Contact the Superintendent, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, P.O. Box 7, Medora, ND 58645-0007 (phone 701/623-4466 for the South Unit, the main number, or 701/842-2333 for the North Unit; www.nps.gov/thro). The National Park Service has a variety of brochures that explore the park’s cultural and natural resources, including a very useful road log guide, sold in the visitor center. Information and a variety of publications are available from the Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association, P.O. Box 167, Medora, ND 58645 (phone 701/623-4884; www.trnha.org). The park produces Frontier Fragments, an excellent park newspaper. It’s updated annually and filled with relevant stories on the park’s history, wildlife, interpretive offerings, and visitor services.

For information about the area, contact the Medora Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 186, Medora, ND 58645 (phone 701/623-4910; www.medorandchamber.com).

Visitor Centers

The park has three visitor centers. The South Unit Visitor Center (for the South Unit) is located just inside the park entrance at Medora and is open daily 8am to 4:30pm Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) year-round, with extended hours in the summer. The Painted Canyon Visitor Center, located on I-94, is 7 miles east of Medora and open daily, 8:30am to 4:30pm MDT, from April 1 to November 11. The North Unit Visitor Center, located just off U.S. 85, is open daily 9am to 5:30pm Central Standard Time (CST) from April 1 through November 11, and Friday through Sunday the rest of the year. Visitor Centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Fees & Permits

Entry into the park for up to 7 days costs $10 per vehicle. Campsites cost $10 per night and $5 in the off season. Campsites are $5 per night with Senior or Access passes. Group campsites and the Roundup Horse Camp (South Unit) are by reservation only.

Special Regulations & Warnings

The animals in the park are wild and should be viewed from a safe distance. (Even the prairie dogs can bite.) Watch out for ticks in late spring and early summer. Climbing on the steep, barren slopes of the badlands can be dangerous due to slippery clays and soft sediments that may yield underfoot, so stay on designated trails. Horses are prohibited in campgrounds, in picnic areas, and on self-guided nature trails.

Seasons & Climate

The climate in the badlands can be extreme, with bitter cold and snow in the winter and intense heat in the summer. Sudden, violent storms are possible.

If You Have Only 1 day

If you have only 1 day, you’ll probably want to limit yourself to either the North or South Unit. Since it’s more accessible from I-94, and more developed, it’s likely you’ll choose the South Unit.

If you’re coming from the east, stop first at the Painted Canyon Overlook and Visitor Center to get a sweeping, panoramic view of the North Dakota badlands, then continue 7 miles west to Medora and the South Unit Visitor Center. Here you’ll be able to view a film and listen to one or more ranger talks. There’s also a museum with some of Theodore Roosevelt’s personal effects. Be sure to stop in at the Maltese Cross cabin, behind the visitor center. Take the 36-mile scenic driving loop around the park, stopping at the overlooks (be sure to stop at one of the prairie-dog towns), and stop along the way to explore one of the scenic trails.

Exploring the Park by Car

The South Unit

If you’re traveling west on I-94, your first introduction to Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the Painted Canyon Overlook and Visitor Center, 7 miles east of Medora. Here, on the upper ridge of the badlands, is an unparalleled panorama of ragged ridges and colorful hues. Watch for wild horses, the descendants of former domestic ranching stock; you might even see bison grazing.

A highlight of the South Unit is a 36-mile scenic loop road with interpretive signs that explain some of the park’s historical and natural phenomena. The scenic drive begins at the South Unit Visitor Center. If you’ve bought the road log, you’ll want to travel counterclockwise around the loop. Descriptions of the shorter interpretive trails are incorporated into the driving tours for the North and South units; for more information on longer hiking opportunities, see “Exploring the Backcountry,” below.

South Unit Scenic Drive In any season, the South Unit Scenic Drive can take you into some of the most remote areas of North Dakota. When Gen. Alfred Sully traveled through these badlands, he described them as “hell with the fires burned out.” In reality, they are teeming with wildlife, wildflowers, and bird life. The South Unit comprises 46,158 acres, of which 10,510 acres are designated as wilderness.

Scoria Point is the first overlook you’ll come to. Strictly speaking, scoria is volcanic in origin, but in the badlands, wherever a seam of coal has caught fire and baked the surrounding sand and clay, it’s called scoria. You’ll see it from this view point, where the topsoil has been stripped away by erosion and the harder material underneath is exposed.

About a mile farther, you’ll come to the Ridgeline Nature Trail. If you choose to take this short (.6-mile loop) hike, you’ll learn more about the Badlands and their ecology. This trail has some steep hills and may not be suitable for some people.

Next is the North Dakota Badlands Overlook. The view here is over Paddock Creek, and what you’ll see is a surreal, striking landscape. This is because erosion has worn away the topsoil, leaving behind only the rocks and harder materials underneath the thin, top layer.

After crossing Paddock Creek, you’ll come to the turnoff for the Coal Vein Trail, a short (.8-mile) loop that winds through an area where a fire burned in a coal seam from 1951 through 1977. The fire baked the clay and soil, changing the appearance of the terrain and altering the vegetation patterns. Here you’ll be walking around the scoria (the same kind of formations you viewed from a distance at the Scoria Point Overlook earlier). You must drive down a short, unpaved road to reach the trail.

After returning to the main loop road, you’ll next come to the turnoff for Buck Hill. It’s only a short walk to the hill itself from the end of the road. The hill (at 2,855 ft.) has two very different slopes. On the south side, the slopes are hot and dry, and you’ll see only shrubs and small plants. On the north side, which is wetter and cooler, you’ll see trees.

Traveling several miles farther will bring you to the Boicourt Overlook, which affords one of the best views of the badlands in the South Unit.

The next stop is Wind Canyon Trail. This is a very short walk up to a ridge, where you’ll have a great view of the Little Missouri River, which did much to create the landscape here. Beyond the river, to the west, is the virtually untouched wilderness of the South Unit. Pause here around sunrise to listen for the call of coyotes in the valley below.

After passing the Beef Corral Pullout and a prairie-dog town, which is just beyond the pullouts on either side of the road, you’ll pass the parking lot for the Jones Creek Trail. This is one of two trail heads for the Jones Creek Trail on Scenic Loop Drive. (You passed the other one earlier; it was at the parking area btw. the Boicourt Overlook and the Wind Canyon Trail pullout.) The trail itself is 3.7 miles and leads into the heart of the badlands.

The final stop on the Scenic Loop Drive is in Peaceful Valley. The Peaceful Valley Ranch, which is on the National Historic Register, was established during the heyday of cattle ranching in the 1880s. The tall central section of the ranch house was constructed about 1885. The ranch offers trail rides from May through the end of September (see “Horseback Riding in the Backcountry,” below).

The North Unit

Fewer visitors take the time to travel to the park’s North Unit, although paved roads provide easy access. There are 24,070 acres in the North Unit, of which 19,410 acres are designated as wilderness. Stop at the visitor center at the entrance to the unit, and the rangers will help you plan your time.

North Unit Scenic Drive The 14-mile scenic drive (and State Scenic Byway) travels from the entrance station to the Oxbow Overlook, with plenty of turnouts and interpretive signs along the route. Keep your eyes open for longhorns between the entrance and Juniper Campground; these are the same type of cattle raised by ranchers during Roosevelt’s time. At the Oxbow Overlook, you must double back along the same route.

Since less of the North Unit is developed, the thing to do here is to get out of the car at one of the scenic pullouts and take a hike. You’ll be able to see dramatic scenery populated with many bison, but few people.

The Little Mo Nature Trail, which starts at Juniper Campground, offers a comfortable, leisurely walk through the Little Missouri River bottom. The trail cuts through woodlands near the river, as well as badlands formations, and gives you two options. The shorter portion of the loop is .7 mile, paved, and wheelchair accessible. But you can also extend your hike by .4 mile and take the unpaved portion. If you’re more adventurous, you’ll see additional formations and cross some wildlife trails that (mostly) bison use.

Just across the road from the Juniper Campground entrance road, stop at the Cannonball Concretions Pullout. A short walk reveals the well-named rock formations. Contrasting formations in the area make this stop a photographer’s delight. Light doesn’t hit the best “cannonball” until late morning.

The Caprock-Coulee Nature Trail, 1 1/2 miles west of Juniper Campground, is another easy, self-guiding nature trail that winds through badlands and dry water gulches, then finds a welcome interruption in the grassy plains of the park. The total length round-trip is 1.6 miles.

If you want to do something more ambitious, combine the self-guided nature trail with the Upper Caprock-Coulee Trail. Together they run a distance of 4.1 miles. (The latter portion is 3.3 miles.) You’ll go farther into the wilderness this way; it also brings you back to the trail head so that you don’t have to double back over the same route. Bighorn sheep were introduced into the North Unit in 1996. Be on the lookout for these majestic animals.

It’s at this point that the North Unit Scenic Drive is often closed for the winter. If you continue, you’ll end up at the Oxbow Overlook, another sweeping panoramic view of the badlands.

The Sperati Point Trail can be accessed from the Oxbow Overlook. This is the spur of the Achenbach Trail that leads to the Oxbow Bend Overlook and makes a less strenuous alternative if you want something shorter than the Achenbach’s 16 miles. (The length of this trail is 1.5 miles round-trip.) The trail leads to the narrowest gateway in the badlands. The flow of the Little Missouri River once continued north to Hudson Bay. Blocked during the Ice Age, the river was forced to find a new course and finally broke through the gap between this point and the Achenbach Hills on the other side. The Little Missouri now drains into the Gulf of Mexico via the Missouri–Mississippi system. Take this trail for a taste of prairie country and long, sweeping views.

Exploring the Backcountry

If you wish to explore some of the wilderness the park has to offer, you’ll need a free backcountry permit from the Medora or North Unit visitor center to do any overnight camping. You can also explore on horseback. If you bring a horse, you must camp either in the backcountry or at the Roundup Horse campsite (by reservation only) in the South Unit. You can also board your horse at the Peaceful Valley Ranch (see “Horseback Riding in the Backcountry,” below). Your stay in the backcountry is limited to 14 consecutive days.

Special Regulations

You cannot have a campfire in the backcountry, so you must bring a self-contained camp stove. You must pack out what you pack in (no burying of trash). The park requires that those with horses bring certified weed-free hay. Groups entering the backcountry are limited to 10 persons (or eight persons with eight horses). Finally, don’t drink the water in the backcountry; there are no safe, approved water sources here.

The mother of all trails in the area is the Maah Daah Hey Trail, completed in summer 1999. The Maah Daah Hey is a 97-mile hiking, horseback, and mountain-biking trail that traverses the scenic and rugged North Dakota badlands. The trail passes through the Little Missouri National Grasslands, as well as state and private land, as it connects the North and South units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The north end of the trail begins at the U.S. Forest Service CCC Campground in McKenzie County, located 20 miles south of Watford City off Hwy. 85. The trail winds its way to its southern terminus at Sully Creek State Park in Billings County, south of Medora. Six fenced overnight campsites with hitching posts, vault toilets, and campfire rings have been constructed along the trail. Bicycles are not permitted on sections of the trail within the park but bypass routes are available.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

From mid-June to early September, ranger programs, including nature walks and longer hikes, are offered at various locations. If snow conditions permit, rangers may conduct ski tours in winter.

For more information about this trail, contact the U.S. Forest Service, Medora Ranger District, 99 23rd Ave. W., Dickinson, ND 58601 (phone 701/227-7800; www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie); or the McKenzie Ranger District office, at 1901 S. Main St., Watford City, ND 58854 (phone 701/842-2393).

Park Attractions

There are a variety of historic attractions, both in the national park and nearby.

A museum in the South Unit Visitor Center features personal items that belonged to Theodore Roosevelt, ranching artifacts, and natural history displays. Tours are conducted (free, about 20 min.) through the Maltese Cross Cabin from mid-June through Labor Day; you can take a self-guided tour during the rest of the year.

At the Elkhorn Ranch site, where Roosevelt started his second cattle ranch in the area, no buildings remain (save the foundation stones from the main ranch house). To get there, ask a ranger in the Visitor Center for detailed directions.

Chateau De Mores State Historic Site (phone 701/623-4355; www.state.nd.us/hist; click on “Historic Sites,” then “Chateau De Mores”), near the town of Medora, is a 128-acre site that contains the Chateau de Mores, Chimney Park, and De Mores Memorial Park. The town of Medora was built by the Marquis de Mores, an entrepreneurial French nobleman, on the Northern Pacific Line and named for his American wife. The Chateau de Mores, a 26-room rustic summer home built in 1883, contains many of its original furnishings. The ruins of the Marquis’s meat-packing plant, found in Chimney Park, recall his ambitious plans to revolutionize the meat-packing industry. A young Theodore Roosevelt was a business acquaintance of the Marquis. Admission costs $7 adults, $3 kids 6 to 15, under 6 free; group tour rates are available. Guided tours of the château are offered from May 16 to September 15, hours 8:30am to 6:15pm Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), and winter hours 9am to 5pm.

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, consisting of three villages along the Knife River in North Dakota, was inhabited by the Hidatsa, Mandan, and later the Arikara from the early 1500s to 1860. Located a half mile north of Stanton, North Dakota (via C.R. 37), it offers insights into the life of the Northern Plains Indians. The site is open from 8am to 6pm Central Daylight Time (CDT) daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 8am to 4:30pm daily the rest of the year. Admission is free. The exhibits and 15-minute orientation video depict life in the villages before and after Euro-American contact. Earthlodge tours are conducted daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. The annual Northern Plains Indian Culture Fest is held the last full weekend in July.

Special attention was focused on Knife River Indian Villages due to the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. This area is believed to have been the home of Sacagawea, her new baby, and her husband before they joined the Corps of Discovery for the arduous trip west.

Various short trails lead to the three village sites. Other trails meander through prairie and woodland ecosystems. Check at the visitor center for trail hours. Some trails are wheelchair accessible. For information, contact the Knife River Indian Villages NHS, P.O. Box 9, Stanton, ND 58571 (phone 701/745-3300; www.nps.gov/knri).

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site preserves the restored Fort Union, which was, for nearly 4 decades in the 19th century, a bastion of John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company, which dominated the fur trade in the region of modern-day North Dakota, Montana, and Saskatchewan. The focal point of the site is Fort Union’s Indian Trade House. Here goods were traded between the fur company representatives and Assiniboines, Crows, Crees, and Blackfeet. Also called the Bourgeois House (or Manager’s House), this facility is now the visitor center and bookstore. The National Park Service and the Fort Union Association have meticulously restored and refurnished the Trade House to its appearance in 1851. It’s about 2 hours north of Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Williston, North Dakota. The Bourgeois House Visitor Center is open from 8am to 8pm Central Time Memorial Day through Labor Day, from 9am to 5:30pm the remainder of the year. The Indian Trade House is open from 10am to 5:45pm daily during the summer only. Ranger tours are available daily during the summer, with self-guided tours the remainder of the year. Fort Union is in two time zones; you park in Montana (Mountain Standard Time) and walk into North Dakota (Central Standard Time).

Fort Union Trading Post was a focus of attention during the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. Lewis and Clark stopped at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers in 1805, near the location where Fort Union was constructed 23 years later.

For scheduled dates of special programs, or for more information, contact the Superintendent, Fort Union Trading Post NHS, 15550 Hwy. 1804, Williston, ND 58801 (phone 701/572-9083; www.nps.gov/fous).

Day Hikes

South Unit Trail

Petrified Forest Trail Pieces of petrified wood are scattered throughout this national park, but the greatest concentration can be reached only on foot or horseback along this trail, which leads up along Petrified Forest Plateau. Just don’t take any souvenirs! 16 miles RT (from the east). Moderate. Access: You can get on the trail at the parking area at Peaceful Valley at the trail’s eastern end; from the west, the trail head is at the end of a dirt road outside the park (ask park rangers for directions).

North Unit Trails

Achenbach Trail This route climbs from the river bottomlands up through the Achenbach Hills, drops down to the river again, climbs to the Oxbow Overlook on a spur trail, then returns along the river bottom to the campground. Before departing, ask a ranger about the condition of river crossings. The “spur” trail is the Sperati Point Trail described in “The North Unit,” above. 16 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Juniper Campground.

Buckhorn Trail About a mile into this loop, hikers discover a large prairie-dog town. Of the five varieties of prairie dogs, only the black-tailed variety inhabits Theodore Roosevelt National Park. 11 miles RT. Moderate. Access: From the Caprock-Coulee Nature Trail (see “The North Unit,” above).

Horseback Riding in the Backcountry

Many backcountry trails are open to those on horseback; you can use your own horse or go on a guided ride with a park concessionaire. In the South Unit, contact Peaceful Valley Ranch, P.O. Box 308, Medora, ND 58645 (phone 701/623-4568; http://home.ctctel.com/peacefulvalley). They operate from Memorial Day to Labor Day and have regularly scheduled horseback rides lasting from 1 1/2 to 5 hours. Trail rides run daily from 7:30am to late afternoon, and all rides include a riding lesson.

Camping

Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit and Juniper Campground in the North Unit are operated on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll find drinking water, flush toilets, public telephones (Cottonwood only), and fire grates in both campgrounds, but no showers or RV hookups. Juniper Campground has an RV dump station, but Cottonwood does not. Camping costs $10 per night ($5 in off season); holders of Senior or Access passes pay $5. Campgrounds are open year-round, but the availability of water is limited during the winter.

Camping for organized groups is available at both campgrounds, and reservations are required.

Camping with horses is permitted only at the Roundup Group Horse Campground in the South Unit; reservations are required. Open seasonally.

Other privately run and Forest Service campgrounds are located near both units of the park, and you can get a list from park offices.

Where to Stay & Eat

There are no accommodations or dining facilities in the park, but you will find hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts, as well as a variety of modest restaurants in Medora, Belfield, and Beach near the South Unit, and in Watford City near the North Unit. Most are open year-round, but some may close in the winter. Rates are highest in summer.

In Medora

The AmericInn, the most luxurious choice, is at 75 E. River Rd. S., 1 block south of the Medora Community Center (www.americinn.com; phone 800/634-3444 or 701/623-4800). It has seasonal rates, ranging in the main tourist season from $90 to $180 double; American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.

The Badlands Motel, on Pacific Avenue, with 115 air-conditioned rooms, charges $89 (off season) up to $135 in high season for a double. It’s open April to October and has a heated swimming pool and a miniature golf course. Additional children free. The Rough Riders Motel, at 301 3rd Ave., has been newly renovated and opened 68 additional rooms in 2010, as well as a restaurant. Rates range from $99 to $199 double, depending on season. Their season is June to September. Both take American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. For information for both motels, check www.medora.com; phone 800/MEDORA-1 (633-6721).

Custer’s Cottage, at 156 E. River Rd. S. in Medora, is a medium-size, air-conditioned house with two units, one on the main floor, and one on the lower level. Each unit has separate private entrances, full kitchens, large living rooms, cable TV, up to four bedrooms, and laundry facilities. It is open year-round by advance reservations (www.custerscottage.com; phone 888/383-2574 or 701/623-4378). Rates range from $45 to $60, depending on length of stay. Credit cards are not accepted for payment but may be used to reserve a room. The facility is 2 miles from Maah Daah Hey Trail. This is a smoke-free facility.

In Belfield

The Cowboy Inn is west of U.S. 85 on U.S. 10 (www.cowboyinn-nd.com; phone 866/901-4245 or 701/575-4245). A double costs $104 to $154, depending on the season; children under 12 free; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.

The Trapper’s Inn is located at I-94 and U.S. 85 North, 15 minutes from Medora (www.trapperskettle.com; phone 800/284-1855 or 701/575-4261). Rates range from $96 to $106 double in the peak season; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted. The inn is smoke-free, and pets are not allowed.

In Beach

The Buckboard Inn, with 39 rooms, is located at I-94 and N. Dak. 16 South (phone 701/872-4794). A double costs $70 during the summer; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted. Pets are welcome with $5 fee.

In Watford City

The McKenzie Inn, with 13 rooms, is on U.S. 85 West (www.mckenzieinn.com; phone 800/842-3989 or 701/444-3980). The year-round rate is $61 for a double, $49 for a single; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted. Senior and AAA rates are offered.

The Roosevelt Inn & Suites, on U.S. 85 West (www.rooseveltinn.com; phone 800/887-9170 or 701/842-3686), with 50 rooms, has a swimming pool, spa, sauna, and game room. Rates year-round are $86 single, $96 double, $91 to $156 suite; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted. Continental breakfast and rooms for travelers with disabilities are available.

Chapter 34: Yellowstone National Park, WY & Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, MT

by Eric Peterson

Yellowstone has shaped the American public’s definition of nature for more than a century, and with good reason: There are more geysers, hot springs, and other thermal features here than on the rest of the planet combined. There’s pristine snowmelt cascading into dazzling waterfalls, including one that’s twice as high as Niagara Falls. Not to mention a canyon deep and colorful enough to fall into the “grand” category. Best of all, a significant chunk of the park’s incredible terrain is reachable by a hiker of just average ability.

Yellowstone National Park

Then there’s the wildlife: Ever focus your telephoto lens on a wild, untamed grizzly bear? Or a bald eagle? What about a wolf? Thousands of visitors have these experiences here every year.

By one biologist’s estimate, Yellowstone has about 1,100 species of native plants; when wildflowers cover the meadows in spring, you won’t just see them, you’ll be overpowered by their fragrance. The mud pots and fumaroles have their own odors, though many are less pleasing than a wild lily. Your ears will fill with the sounds of geysers noisily expelling thousands of gallons of boiling water into the blue Wyoming sky. After sunset, coyotes break the silence of the night with their high-pitched yips.

It’s possible to see the highlights of Yellowstone without ever leaving your car—park roads lead past most of the key attractions—but why would you want to? There’s so much more to see if you actually get out of your vehicle. And there’s even more to see by venturing into the backcountry, something only a small percentage of the park’s visitors ever do. You can spend weeks hiking Yellowstone’s backcountry or fishing its streams, and the crowds and traffic snarls become faint memories.

Aside from month-long closures in the fall and spring, Yellowstone’s season is year-round. It’s not nearly as crowded in the winter, and wildlife is more visible. Mammoth and Old Faithful serve as launching pads for thousands of skiers, snowmobilers, and wildlife watchers.

The beauty of Yellowstone’s natural architecture comes from its geology. The area experienced three volcanic periods, beginning 2.1 million years ago, occurring every 600,000 to 800,000 years since. The last big bang happened 640,000 years ago, meaning that the area is ripe for another massive eruption—if Mother Nature’s timetable holds to form.

During the biggest eruptions, thousands of square miles of landmass were blown skyward, leaving enormous calderas (volcanic depressions). This process has repeated itself several times—some areas hold geologic evidence of 27 layers of lava. Subsequently, glaciers covered the volcanic mountains during the ice ages. The powerful bulldozing caused by the movement of the gigantic blocks of ice shaped the valleys and canyons of the park.

Yellowstone National Park was officially created in 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed legislation making it the first national park in the world. It then suffered from incompetent superintendents and shortages of cash until at last, in 1886, the U.S. Army took possession and helped rein in poaching and establish a sense of order. In 1916, the newly created National Park Service took control of the park. Yellowstone became one of the first parks to come under its stewardship.

Avoiding the Crowds

If a few thousand people on the benches in front of Old Faithful is not your idea of a wilderness park experience, then skip Yellowstone’s busy summer season, which is in full swing during July and August. Or if you can’t avoid that time of year, head up the trails, away from the roads and car traffic. Fewer than 10% of the park’s visitors venture into the backcountry.

Although the beautiful seasons between May and mid-June and after Labor Day are no longer the best-kept secret in the Rockies, they attract only a fraction of the midsummer traffic. Just be careful how far you push it in this unpredictable climate. A beautiful Halloween weekend of rustling leaves and bright sun can become a winter wonderland overnight. Come too early in the spring—which is when the region gets most of its precipitation—and you’ll be stuck at lower elevations while walls of snow melt on the higher trails. Try June and September or, if you like taking chances, the first 2 weeks in October. Any earlier or later, and you’re on your own—truly on your own, because most of the inns in the park will have shut their doors.

Even if you schedule your visit during the park’s busy months, you can still avoid the crowds: Take short hikes in popular spots at times of day when others are eating. Take a bag lunch—you can buy them at the Yellowstone General Stores—and avoid the lines at restaurants.

Better yet, take long walks into this grand wilderness. About 500 yards from a trail head, the crowd is a fading memory. Strap on a backpack, pick up a backcountry permit, and spend a night in the wilderness. You’ll see some of the park’s most beautiful landscapes, and there won’t be a single tourist in the picture.

The Great Fire of ’88: still a burning issue

Yellowstone’s park managers faced the ultimate test of their noninterference philosophy of fire management in 1988, when nearly one-third of Yellowstone was burned by a series of uncontrollable wildfires. The violent conflagrations scorched more than 700,000 acres, leaving behind dead wildlife, damaged buildings, injured firefighters, and ghostly forests of stripped, blackened tree trunks.

The debate over park and public-land fire policies still rages, although things have quieted down some. After years of suppressing every fire in the park, Yellowstone, in 1988, was operating under a new “let it burn” policy, based on scientific evidence that fires were regular occurrences before the settlement of the West and part of the natural cycle of a forest.

What you will see as you travel Yellowstone today is a park that may be healthier than it was before: Saplings have sprouted from the long-dormant seeds of the lodgepole pine (fires stimulate the pine cones to release their seeds), and the old, tinder-dry forest undergrowth is being replaced with new, green shrubs, sometimes as thick as one million saplings per acre. Visitors who want to better understand the effects of the fires of 1988 should check out the exhibits at the Grant Village Visitor Center; the coverage there is the best in the park.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

To get to Yellowstone from I-90 and Bozeman, Montana (91 miles), take U.S. 191 south to its junction with U.S. 287 and head straight through the town of West Yellowstone to the park’s west entrance.

Billings, Montana, is 129 miles from Yellowstone’s northeast entrance over Beartooth Pass (closed Oct 15 to Memorial Day). It’s a 65-mile drive south from I-94 on U.S. 212 to Red Lodge, then 30 miles on the Beartooth Highway to the park.

The Montana Office of Tourism, 301 S. Park Ave. (P.O. Box 200533), Helena, MT 59601 (phone 800/847-4868; www.visitmt.com), can provide information on gateway towns in Montana.

Cody, Wyoming, is 52 miles from Yellowstone’s east entrance (closed Nov–Apr) on U.S. 14/16/20. To Yellowstone’s northeast entrance, it’s 53 miles on Wyo. 120/296 to the Beartooth Highway (closed Oct 15 to Memorial Day) intersection, and 14 miles beyond that to the entrance.

Jackson, Wyoming, is 57 miles south of Yellowstone’s south entrance. Take U.S. 89/191 north through Grand Teton National Park. You can also approach this entrance from the east over Togwotee Pass on U.S. 26/287 from Dubois, Wyoming (83 miles).

From Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, an easy detour on the way to or from Yellowstone, take I-90 south from the monument into Wyoming about 50 miles to exit 9, and then follow U.S. 14 west about 190 miles to Yellowstone’s east entrance (closed in winter).

For visitor information on any of the Wyoming gateway towns, contact Wyoming Travel and Tourism at phone 800/225-5996 or www.wyomingtourism.org.

The Nearest Airports You can fly into Bozeman, Montana’s airport, Gallatin Field (phone 406/388-8321; www.gallatinfield.com), via Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, US Airways, and United as well as Horizon and Frontier. The West Yellowstone Airport, U.S. 191, 1 mile north of West Yellowstone (phone 406/646-7631; www.yellowstoneairport.org)), provides commercial air service seasonally, from June through September only, on Delta’s commuter service, SkyWest. The airport in Billings, Montana, Logan International (phone 406/238-8609; www.flybillings.com), is the busiest in the state; it’s on the rimrocks 2 miles north of downtown. Daily service within the region is provided by Allegiant, Delta, Frontier, Horizon, Northwest, and United. Cody, Wyoming’s Yellowstone Regional Airport (phone 307/587-5096; www.flyyra.com) serves the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park with year-round commercial flights on Delta and United. Most of the major car-rental agencies operate in the gateway cities. For websites of major airlines, hotel chains, and car-rental agencies, see chapter 38.

Information

To receive maps and information before your arrival, contact Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 (phone 307/344-7381; www.nps.gov/yell).

Information regarding lodging, some campgrounds, tours, boating, and horseback riding in Yellowstone is available from Xanterra Parks & Resorts, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 (phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311; www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com).

For information regarding educational programs in Yellowstone, contact the Yellowstone Association, P.O. Box 117, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 (phone 406/848-2400; www.yellowstoneassociation.org), which operates bookstores in park visitor centers, museums, and information stations, and oversees the excellent Yellowstone Association Institute. The institute conducts a varied curriculum at the old Lamar Buffalo Ranch in the park’s northeast corner and at other locations. Its catalog of publications is available by mail and online at www.yellowstoneassociation.org/institute.

The following books are interesting and informative. If you cannot find them in your local bookstore, you can order many of them from the Yellowstone Association (see above). Look for Yellowstone Trails, Mark Marschall (Yellowstone National Park, WY: The Yellowstone Association) if you’re a hiker. If you’re traveling with kids, pick up An Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Lisa Gollin Evans (The Mountaineers). For a more comprehensive guide, look for Frommer’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), by the author of this chapter.

Visitor Centers

There are five major visitor and information centers in the park, and each has something different to offer. The Albright Visitor Center (phone 307/344-2263), at Mammoth Hot Springs, is the largest and is open daily year-round. It provides visitor information and publications about the park, has exhibits depicting park history from prehistory through the creation of the National Park Service, and also houses displays on wildlife.

The Canyon Visitor Education Center (phone 307/344-2550), in Canyon Village, completed in 2007, is the place to go for books and an informative display about the park’s geology, with a focus on the underlying volcanism. It’s staffed with friendly rangers used to dealing with crowds.

The brand new state-of-the-art Old Faithful Visitor Education Center (phone 307/344-2751) opened in 2010, showing a film on Yellowstone’s thermal features throughout the day and featuring exhibits focusing on the park’s geysers and other thermal features. You’ll also find projected geyser-eruption times here, making it a good first stop for those looking to see Old Faithful do its thing. It’s open in summer 8am to 8pm.

The Fishing Bridge Visitor Center (phone 307/344-2450), near Fishing Bridge on the north shore of Yellowstone Lake, has an excellent display that focuses on the park’s bird life. You can get information and publications here as well.

The Grant Visitor Center (phone 307/242-2650), in Grant Village, has information, publications, a video program, and a fascinating exhibit that examines the role of fire in Yellowstone.

Park literature and helpful staff are also found at several small information stations: the Madison Information Station (phone 307/344-2821), home of the Junior Ranger Station; the Museum of the National Park Ranger (no phone) and the Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Information Station (phone 307/344-2812), both at Norris; the West Thumb Information Station (phone 307/344-2650); and the Visitor Information Center at the West Yellowstone Visitors Information Center, 100 Yellowstone Ave. (phone 307/344-2876).

Fees & Permits

A pass to enter Yellowstone costs $25 per vehicle for a 7-day period (no matter the number of occupants) and covers both Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Entering on a snowmobile or motorcycle costs $20 for 7 days, and someone who comes in on bicycle, skis, or foot pays $12. If you expect to visit the parks by car more than once in a year, buy an annual pass for $50.

Fees for camping in Yellowstone range from $12 to $20 per night. The RV Campground at Fishing Bridge charges up to $37 per night. You must have a backcountry permit for any overnight trip, whether on foot, on horseback, or by boat. See “Exploring the Backcountry,” later in this chapter, for more information.

Special Regulations & Warnings

It is unlawful to approach within 100 yards of a bear or within 25 yards of other wildlife. Feeding any wildlife is illegal. Wildlife calls such as elk bugles or other artificial attractants are forbidden. Because of wildlife and thermal activity, staying on the trails here is especially important.

Seasons & Climate

For general information on seasons and climate in the area, see “Seasons & Climate” in chapter 17, which covers nearby Grand Teton National Park. Keep in mind that Grand Teton is a bit lower in elevation than Yellowstone, so snows melt later in Yellowstone and temperatures are slightly lower.

Road Openings

Scheduling a spring driving trip to Yellowstone can be a roll of the dice, because weather conditions can delay openings for weeks, especially at higher altitudes. A heavy snowstorm in October can compel early closure of the park gates. Depending upon weather, most other park roads remain open until the park season ends on the first Sunday in November (the Beartooth Hwy. btw. Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana, closes mid-Oct). The only road open year-round is the Mammoth Hot Springs–Cooke City Road.

Plowing in Yellowstone begins in early March. The first roads open to motor vehicles usually include Mammoth–Norris, Norris–Canyon, Madison–Old Faithful, and West Yellowstone–Madison. The latter may open by the end of April. If the weather cooperates, the east and south entrances, as well as roads on the east and south sides of the park, will open early in May. Late-season snowfall on Dunraven Pass may delay opening of the Tower–Roosevelt to Canyon Junction Road.

The Sunlight Basin Road (also called the Chief Joseph Hwy.), connecting the entrance at Cooke City, Montana, with Cody, Wyoming, often opens by early May. The Beartooth Highway between Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana, is generally open by Memorial Day weekend.

The road connecting Gardiner and Cooke City, Montana, remains open year-round, providing the only wintertime access to Cooke City. This presents late-season travelers with an opportunity to see the northeast area of the park and some of its abundant wildlife during the winter.

Call the park’s main information number (phone 307/344-7381) for road conditions and closings.

If You Have Only 1 day

If you’ll be coming into Yellowstone for 1 day and leaving the next, here’s an itinerary that highlights the best of the best. If you’ll be spending the night, try to reserve a room in one of the park hotels—either the Old Faithful Inn or the Lake Hotel—and you’ll find yourself minutes from all the major attractions. Expect to average about 30 mph during peak season.

The quickest route to the inner road loops of the park is on the west entrance road, so come in that way, perhaps stopping for a stroll along the banks of the Madison River, where you can see the forest recovering from the 1988 fires. You’ll likely spot wildlife: ducks and trumpeter swans on the river, and grazing elk and bison near its banks. Turn north at Madison Junction to Norris Geyser Basin, where there are two boardwalk tours. Take the southern one if you don’t have time for both, because there you can wait for the Echinus Geyser pool to fill and erupt.

You’re now driving the upper loop, which goes north to Mammoth Hot Springs, east to Tower-Roosevelt, south to Canyon Village, and west again to Norris, finally returning to Madison Junction, a circuit of about 85 miles. But don’t complete the loop—at Canyon, continue south on the Lower Loop, which will take you to Fishing Bridge and Lake Village, then by West Thumb, west over Craig Pass to Old Faithful, and back to Madison Junction from the south. If you do the entire loop, it covers 96 miles. My recommendation: Do one loop the day you enter the park, spend the night, then do the second loop and leave the way you came. If this is part of a longer cross-country trip, you can enter one side of the park and leave the other.

The Upper Loop The Norris Geyser basin is a major concentration of thermal attractions, including Porcelain Basin and legendary Steamboat Geyser (the park’s largest, erupting only about once a decade historically but more often in recent years) and has a nice museum. Mammoth has one of the park’s major attractions, the ever-growing terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. In addition to the natural attraction, the Albright Visitor Center provides excellent historical background for everything you’ll see in the park. There is a fine old hotel at Mammoth, and mom-and-pop and chain lodging just north of the park in Gardiner, but I recommend you continue farther around the loop on your first day. From Mammoth, the route winds through forested areas that lead to the edge of the Lamar Valley, a deep, rounded path for the Lamar River that is prime wildlife habitat. You could stop for the night at Roosevelt Lodge or continue south to Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, one of the most dramatic sights in the park, and on to Lake Yellowstone Hotel, at the north end of Yellowstone Lake.

The Lower Loop This is a better way to go, in my opinion. You’ll also see the two largest geyser areas in Yellowstone: Norris to the north and the park’s signature attraction, Old Faithful, to the south. On the eastern side of this route, you’ll find the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Hayden Valley, where you’ll often see herds of buffalo. Farther south, the Yellowstone Lake area is a haven for water lovers, with fishing, boating, and places for picnicking on the shore of the lake.

This circuit is called the “Grand Loop,” and it takes you through all the major areas of the park except the road between Norris and Canyon Village. If you have 2 days, then do both loops. You could do it in a day—it’s about 150 miles long—but you’d scare a lot of other travelers as you sped by.

Exploring the Park

Stretching your visit to several days will give you time to delve into some of the park’s lesser-known but impressive offerings. Since the roads in Yellowstone are organized into a series of connecting loops that you can reach from any of the park’s five entrances, it doesn’t really matter where you begin your tour. To simplify things, I discuss attractions and activities going clockwise along each section of the Grand Loop Road, beginning at Madison Junction. But you can enter the loop and pick up the tour at any point, as long as you are traveling clockwise. I haven’t suggested an optimum amount of time to spend on each leg of the loop; that will depend on your particular interests. Note: Road maintenance is a continual process in the park, so expect delays.

West Yellowstone to Norris

Most of Yellowstone’s visitors enter at the West Yellowstone Entrance, so I’ll use that as a jumping-off point for an extended tour of the park. As you travel the 14 miles from the gate to Madison Junction, you will find the Two Ribbons Trail, which offers an opportunity to walk through and inspect the effects of the 1988 fire. Park maps don’t identify all the observation points and side roads in the area, so now is the time to begin forming the habit of driving off the beaten path, even when you may not know where you’re going. Keep a sharp eye peeled for the poorly marked Riverside turnout on the Madison River side of the road; it’s a paved road on the north side of the highway about 6 miles from the entrance. This back road takes you along a river, removed from most traffic, with a number of turnouts perfectly situated to let you look for resident swans, enjoy a picnic, or test your fly-fishing ability.

As you continue toward Madison Junction, you’ll see vivid evidence of the 1988 fire and, odds are, a herd of bison that frequents the area during summer months. As frightening as the fire was, it had its good points: When temperatures exceeded 500°F (260°C), pine seeds were released from fire-adapted pine cones, which has quickened the rebirth cycle. The thick carpet of tiny trees making their way through the soil is evidence that this forest is recovering very quickly.

The short Harlequin Lake Trail offers an excellent, easy opportunity to explore the area and see various types of waterfowl. An alternative hike, the Purple Mountain Trail, is more strenuous, but it is one of the best in the area. For descriptions of both, see “Day Hikes,” later in this chapter.

Madison Junction marks the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole rivers. The two famous trout streams meet to form the Madison River, one of three that join to form the Missouri. This is also where you’ll enter the northern loop toward Norris Junction, along a winding 14-mile section of road that parallels the Gibbon River. At Gibbon Falls, which is 84 feet tall, you’ll see water bursting out of the edge of a thermal vent in a rocky canyon, the walls of which were hidden from view for several hundred years until being exposed by the fire of 1988. There’s a delightful picnic area just below the falls, on an open plateau overlooking the Gibbon River. Before arriving at Norris Junction, you’ll discover the Artist Paint Pot Trail in Gibbon Meadows 4 1/2 miles south of Norris Junction, an interesting yet easy half-mile stroll. Across the road from the trail head is Elk Park, where you are likely to see a large herd of elk.

Norris Geyser Basin

Perhaps more than any other area in Yellowstone, this basin is living testimony to the park’s unique thermal activity. It changes from year to year as thermal activity and fierce weather create new and different ponds and landscapes. This is the location of one of the park’s highest concentrations of thermal features, including the most active geysers, with underground water temperatures that reach 459°F (237°C).

There are two loop trails here, both mostly level with wheelchair access, to the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. If you take in both of them, you’ll see most of the area’s interesting thermal features. If you’re pressed for time, opt for the shorter Porcelain Basin Trail, a boardwalk that takes 45 minutes. To me, this area is especially spectacular on summer days when thermal activity takes place on the ground with thunderstorms overhead.

The Porcelain Basin Trail is a .75-mile round-trip that can be completed in 45 minutes; on it are Black Growler Steam Vent, Ledge Geyser, and the descriptively named Whale’s Mouth.

The 1.5-mile Back Basin Loop is easily negotiable in 1 hour and passes by Steamboat Geyser, which has been known to produce the world’s highest and most memorable eruptions. However, these 400-foot waterspouts occur infrequently, so it will take some luck to see one—it erupted eight times between 2000 and late 2009, but blew its top only twice during the preceding 12 years and not at all between 1911 and 1961.

Among the many highlights of the area is the Norris Geyser Basin Museum, a single-story stone-and-log building with several excellent exhibits explaining the nature of the area. Also nearby is the Museum of the National Park Ranger, which is little more than a room full of artifacts in a small building near the campground (discussed later). Both museums open from mid- to late May, weather permitting, until September; hours vary by season, but you can expect the museums to be open from 9 or 10am to 5 or 6pm during the busiest times (roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day; again, weather is a factor).

Norris to Mammoth Hot Springs

From Norris Geyser Basin, it’s a 21-mile drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs, past the Twin Lakes, beautiful, watery jewels surrounded by trees. During the early months of the park year, the water is milky green because of the runoff of ice and snow. This is an excellent place to call timeout and do some bird-watching.

This stretch of road, between Norris Junction and Mammoth Hot Springs, presents yet another excellent opportunity to see the effects of the 1988 fire. The large meadow on the west (left, if you are traveling north) side of the highway that begins 3 miles from Norris is popular with moose, thanks to water from bogs, marshes, and a creek. As you travel alongside Obsidian Creek, you’ll notice the smell of sulfur in the air, evidence of thermal vents.

On the east (right, if you are traveling north) side of the road, 4 miles from Norris, is Roaring Mountain, a patch of ground totally devoid of brush and plant life, covered with trees and stumps from the fire. Its bareness is attributed to the fact that, as steam vents developed here, the ground became too hot and acidic, which bleached and crumbled the rock, taking the undergrowth with it. Historians say that the noise from the Roaring Mountain was once so loud that it could be heard as far as 4 miles away; these days it is nearly silent.

Just up the road 2 miles is the Beaver Lake Picnic Area, an excellent little spot for a snack right on Beaver Lake. It’s also a good place to keep an eye out for moose.

As you wend your way a half mile to Obsidian Cliff, across the road from the picnic area, the terrain changes quickly, and you’ll find yourself driving through a narrow valley bisected by a beautiful green stream. Obsidian Cliff is where ancient peoples of North America gathered to collect obsidian, a hard, black rock that was used to make weapons and implements.

If you didn’t stop at Beaver Lake, consider taking time for the 3-minute detour to Sheepeater Cliffs (unless you’re driving an RV or pulling a trailer). This quiet, secluded spot on the banks of the Gardner River is home to yellow-bellied marmots that live in the rocks, safe from flying predators (such as eagles) and coyotes.

Exiting the valley, head north onto a high plateau, where you’ll find Swan Lake, which is surrounded by Little Quadrant Mountain and Antler Peak to the west, and Bunsen Peak to the north.

At the northernmost edge of the Yellowstone Plateau, you’ll begin a descent through Golden Gate. This steep, narrow stretch of road was once a stagecoach route constructed of wooden planks anchored to the mountain by a massive rock called the Pillar of Hercules, the largest rock in an unmarked pile that sits next to the road.

From the 45th parallel parking area on the north entrance road north of Mammoth Hot Springs, a short hike leads to the Boiling River. Here you can take a dip during daylight hours, where a hot spring empties into the Gardner River.

Mammoth Hot Springs

The large Albright Visitor Center, near park headquarters, has more visitor information and publications than other centers. You’ll probably want to stop in.

Though it’s possible to see most of the wildlife and the major thermal areas from behind car windows, getting out of your vehicle will greatly enhance your experience of the park. Most people in average shape are capable of negotiating the trails, a significant percentage of which are level or only moderately inclined boardwalks. Even the more challenging trails frequently have rest areas where you can catch your breath and stop to absorb the magnificent views.

Two of Yellowstone’s most fascinating areas are the Upper and Lower terraces. Strolling through them, you can observe Mother Nature going about the business of mixing and matching heat, water, limestone, and rock fractures to sculpt the area. With the exception of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, this is the most colorful area of the park; its tapestries of orange, pink, yellow, green, and brown, formed by masses of bacteria and algae, seem to change color before your eyes.

The mineral-rich hot waters that flow to the surface here do so at an unusually constant rate, roughly 750,000 gallons per day, which results in the deposit of almost 2 tons of limestone on these ever-changing terraces. Contours are constantly undergoing change in the hot springs, as formations are shaped by large quantities of flowing water, the slope of the ground, and trees and rocks that determine the direction of the flow.

On the flip side of the equation, nature has a way of playing tricks on some of her creatures: Poison Spring is a sinkhole on the trail, so named because carbon dioxide collects there, often killing creatures who stop for a drink. The Lower Terrace Interpretive Trail (see “Day Hikes,” later in this chapter) is one of the best ways to see this area.

After passing Palette Spring, where bacteria create a collage of browns, greens, and oranges, you’re on your way to Cleopatra and Minerva terraces. Minerva is a favorite of visitors because of its brightly colored travertine formations, the product of limestone deposits.

The hike up the last 150 feet to the Upper Terrace Loop Drive is slightly steeper, though there are benches at frequent intervals. From here you can see all the terraces and several springs—Canary Spring and New Blue Spring being the most distinctive—and the red-roofed buildings of Fort Yellowstone, which is now the park headquarters.

Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower Junction

Heading east from Mammoth on the Tower Road, a 6-mile drive will bring you to the Forces of the Northern Range Self-Guiding Trail; this flat, easy boardwalk stroll is an excellent opportunity to learn about the environmental effects of the fire.

Two miles later is Blacktail Plateau Drive, a 7-mile, one-way dirt road that offers wildlife-viewing opportunities and a bit more solitude. You’ll emerge on the Mammoth–Tower Road, about a mile west of the turnoff to the Petrified Tree.

Turn right onto this half-mile-long road that dead-ends at the Petrified Tree, a redwood that, while standing, was burned by volcanic ash more than 50 million years ago.

Tower-Roosevelt

Just beyond the Petrified Tree, you’ll come to Tower–Roosevelt, the most relaxed of the park’s villages and a great place to take a break from the more crowded attractions. Even if you aren’t going to stay, you might want to take a look at the Tower Soldier Station, now the ranger residence at Tower Junction, one of three surviving outposts from the era of U.S. Cavalry management of the park. Also here is Roosevelt Lodge, a rustic building that commemorates President Theodore Roosevelt’s camping excursion to this area of the park in 1903.

At Specimen Ridge, 2 1/2 miles east of Tower Junction on the northeast entrance road, you’ll find a ridge that entombs one of the world’s most extensive fossil forests.

From Tower Junction to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

A few minutes’ drive from the Tower area is the Calcite Springs Overlook. A short loop along a boardwalk leads to the overlook at the rim of The Narrows, the narrowest part of the canyon. You can hear the river raging through the canyon some 500 feet below, and look across at the canyon walls made up of rock spires and bands of columnar basalt. Just downstream is the most prominent feature in the canyon, Bumpus Butte.

Continuing south, you travel through the Washburn Range, an area in which the 1988 fire ran especially hot and fast. The terrain changes dramatically as the road climbs, as well as along some major hills toward Mount Washburn. There are trail heads for the Mount Washburn Trail, one of my favorites, on each side of the summit.

As you approach Dunraven Pass (8,859 ft.), keep your eyes peeled for the shy mountain sheep—this is one of their prime habitats. One mile farther south is the Washburn Hot Springs Overlook, which offers sweeping views of the Grand Canyon. On a clear day, you can see 50 to 100 miles south, beyond Yellowstone Lake.

Canyon Village

You’re in for yet another eyeful when you reach the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Compared to the Grand Canyon of Arizona, the Yellowstone canyon is relatively narrow; however, the sheer cliffs are equally impressive, descending hundreds of feet to the bottom of a gorge where the Yellowstone River flows. It’s also equally colorful, with displays of oranges, reds, yellows, and golds. You won’t find thermal vents in Arizona, but you will find them here, a constant reminder of ongoing underground activity.

You should plan on encountering crowds when you reach Canyon Village. The Canyon Visitor Education Center (phone 307/242-2550) is the place to go for books and a geology exhibit.

An auto tour of the canyon follows North Rim Drive, a two-lane, one-way road that begins in Canyon Village, to your first stop, Inspiration Point. On the way, you’ll pass a glacial boulder estimated to weigh 500 tons that was deposited by melting ice more than 10,000 years ago.

At Inspiration Point, a moderately strenuous descent down 57 steps takes you to an overlook with views of the Lower Falls and canyon. There are several other view points you can stop at along North Rim Drive before you reconnect with the main Canyon Village–Yellowstone Lake Road, which will take you down to South Rim Drive.

For the adventurous, an alternative to driving from one overlook to another is to negotiate the North Rim Trail, which is slightly more than 2.25 miles long, beginning at Inspiration Point. Unfortunately, the North Rim Trail is not a loop, so if you take the hike, you’ll have to backtrack. The footpath brings you closer to what you want to see, and you won’t be fighting for elbow room, as you will at the overlooks that are accessible only to cars.

Whether you drive or walk, you should go down to the Upper Falls View, where a .25-mile trail leads down from the parking lot to the brink of the Upper Falls and an overlook within splashing distance of the rushing river and the waterfall. At this point you won’t just hear, but you’ll feel the power of the river as it begins its course down the canyon.

The South Rim Drive leads to several overlooks and better views of the Lower Falls. The most impressive vantage point is from the bottom of Uncle Tom’s Trail, a steep, 500-foot steel staircase that begins at the first South Rim parking lot.

South Rim Road continues to a second, lower parking lot and a trail that leads to Artist Point. The astounding view here, one of my favorites in the park, is best in the early morning.

Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge

The road winds through the Hayden Valley, a vast expanse of green meadows accented by brown cuts where the soil is eroded along the banks of the Yellowstone River. The valley is a wide, sprawling area where bison and antelope play and where trumpeter swans, white pelicans, and Canada geese float along the river. This is also a prime grizzly habitat; during early spring, pay close attention to binocular-toting visitors grouped beside the road.

Nature is working at her acidic best at the Sulphur Caldron and Mud Volcano areas, 12 miles south of the Canyon Junction, which the frontier minister Edwin Stanley described as “unsightly, unsavory, and villainous.” I think he was right on the money, so you’ll not want to miss this area. After all, there’s nothing quite like the sound of burping mud pots.

At Dragon’s Mouth Spring, steam and sulfurous gases propel turbid water from an underground cavern to the surface, where it colors the earth shades of orange and green. The belching of steam and the attendant sound, which is due to the splash of 180°F (82°C) water against the wall in a subterranean cavern, creates a medieval quality, hence the name of the spring.

Nearby Mud Volcano is an unappetizing mud spring, the product of vigorous activity caused by escaping sulfurous gases and steam. The youngest feature in the area is Black Dragon’s Caldron, which is often referred to as “the demon of the backwoods,” and rightly so. The caldron emerged from its subterranean birthplace for the first time in 1948 when it announced its presence by blowing a hole in the landscape, scattering mature trees hundreds of feet in all directions. Since then, continual seismic activity and intermittent earthquakes in the area have caused it to relocate 200 feet south of its original position.

The road across the Yellowstone River at Fishing Bridge was once the only eastern exit in the park, the route leading over Sylvan Pass to Cody, Wyoming. The bridge, built in 1902, spans the Yellowstone River as it exits Yellowstone Lake, and is another prime spawning area for native trout. The Fishing Bridge Visitor Center (phone 307/242-2450) has a first-rate wildlife display. You’ll find an excellent hiking trail, Elephant Back Loop Trail, leading off the short strip of highway between Fishing Bridge and the Lake Village area.

Yellowstone Lake Area

As if the park didn’t have enough record-setting attractions: At 7,773 feet, Yellowstone Lake is North America’s largest lake above 7,000 feet. The lake exhibits its multifaceted personalities daily, ranging from a placid, mirrorlike surface to a tantrum whipped by southerly winds that create 3- to 4-foot waves. Because the lake has the largest population of native cutthroat trout in North America, it makes an ideal fishing spot during the summer.

Lake Village, on the northwest shore of the lake, offers a wide range of amenities, the most prominent of which is the majestic century-old Lake Yellowstone Hotel. Just south of Lake Village is the Bridge Bay Marina, the center of the park’s water activities. Here you can arrange for guided fishing trips or small boat rentals, or learn more about the lake during an informative and entertaining 1-hour narrated boat tour. The marina is usually open from mid-June to mid-September.

Though the Natural Bridge, near Bridge Bay, is well marked on park maps, it’s one of the park’s best-kept secrets, and you may end up enjoying it by yourself. The mile-long path down to the bridge, a geologic masterpiece consisting of a massive rock arch 51 feet overhead, spanning Bridge Creek, is an excellent bike route.

The West Thumb area along the western shoreline is the deepest part of Yellowstone Lake. Because of its craterlike contours, many scientists speculate that this 4-mile-wide, 6-mile-long, water-filled crater was created during volcanic eruptions approximately 125,000 years ago.

The West Thumb Geyser Basin is notable for a unique series of geysers. Some are right on the shores, some overlook the lake, and some can be seen beneath the lake surface. Three of the shoreline geysers, the most famous of which is Fishing Cone, are occasionally marooned offshore when the lake level rises. Fortunately, boardwalks surround the area, so it’s easy to negotiate. Maps and details on the area are available in the West Thumb Information Station (phone 307/344-2650; open daily in summer 9am–5pm).

As you depart the West Thumb area, you have two choices: head south toward Grand Teton National Park, or head west across the Continental Divide at Craig Pass, en route to Old Faithful.

Grant Village to the South Entrance

In contrast to the forgettable Grant Village, the 22-mile drive to Grand Teton National Park (see chapter 17), along high mountain passes and Lewis Lake, is beautiful. After the lake loses its winter coat of ice, it is a popular spot for early season anglers who are unable to fish streams clouded by the spring runoff.

Beyond the lake, the road follows the Lewis River through an alpine area and along the Pitchstone Plateau, a pile of lava more than 2,000 feet high and 20 miles wide that was created some 500,000 years ago. A high gorge overlooking the river provides views that are different from, but just as spectacular as, those in other sections of the park.

West Thumb to Old Faithful

The most interesting phenomenon on the Old Faithful route is Isa Lake at Craig Pass. Unlike most lakes and streams in the park, it empties into both eastern and western drainages and ends up in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Amazingly, as a consequence of a gyroscopic maneuver, the outlet on the east curves west and eventually drains into the Pacific, and the outlet on the west curves east and drains into the Gulf.

Before you reach the Old Faithful geyser area, two additional detours are recommended. Southeast of Old Faithful 2 1/2 miles is an overlook at the spectacular Kepler Cascades, a 150-foot stair-step waterfall on the Firehole River that is footsteps from the parking lot.

Near that parking lot is the trail head for the second detour, a 5-mile round-trip to the Lonestar Geyser (on the eponymous trail), which erupts every 3 hours, sending steaming water 30 to 50 feet from its 12-foot cone.

Old Faithful Geyser Area

Old Faithful Area

Despite the overwhelming sight of the geysers and steam vents that populate the Old Faithful area, I suggest you resist the temptation to explore until you’ve stopped at the Old Faithful Visitor Center (phone 307/545-2751). Check the information board for estimated times of geyser eruptions, and plan accordingly.

The Old Faithful area is divided into four sections: Upper Geyser Basin, which includes Geyser Hill, Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin, and Midway Geyser Basin. All of these connect to the Old Faithful area by paved trails and roads. If time allows, hike the area; it’s fairly level, and distances are relatively short. Between the Old Faithful area and Madison Junction, you’ll also find the famous Lower Geyser Basin, including Fountain Paint Pot and the trails surrounding it. You can see some of these geysers on Firehole Lake Drive.

Though Old Faithful is not the largest or most regular geyser in the park, its image has been said to be the West’s equivalent of the Statue of Liberty. Like clockwork, the average interval between eruptions is about 90 minutes, though it may vary 30 minutes in either direction. A typical eruption lasts 1 1/2 to 5 minutes, during which 4,000 to 8,000 gallons of water are thrust upward to heights of 180 feet. For the best views and photo opportunities of the eruption in the boardwalk area, plan on arriving early to ensure a first-row view.

An alternative to a spot on the crowded boardwalk is a stroll from the Old Faithful Geyser up the Observation Point Trail to an observation area that provides better views of the entire geyser basin. The path up to the observation point is approximately .5 mile, and the elevation gain is only 200 feet, so it’s an easy 15-minute hike. The view of the eruption of the geyser is more spectacular from here and the crowds less obtrusive.

Accessible by walkways from Old Faithful Village, the Upper Geyser Basin Loop is designated as Geyser Hill on some maps. The 1.3-mile loop trail winds among several thermal attractions. Anemone Geyser may offer the best display of the various stages of a typical eruption as the pool fills and overflows, after which bubbles rising to the surface begin throwing water in 10-foot eruptions, a cycle that repeats every 7 to 10 minutes.

Two other stars of the show in the Upper Geyser Basin are Castle Geyser and Grand Geyser. Castle Geyser, with the largest cone of any geyser in the park, currently erupts for 20 minutes every 10 to 12 hours, after which a noisy steam phase may continue for half an hour. Grand Geyser, the tallest predictable geyser in the world, usually erupts every 7 to 15 hours with powerful bursts that produce streams of water that may reach 200 feet in height.

The Riverside Geyser is on the bank of the Firehole River, across from a large viewing area. One of the most picturesque geysers in the park, it generates a 75-foot column of water that creates an arch over the river. Just to the south, Morning Glory Pool was named for its likeness to its namesake flower in the 1880s, but it has since lost some of its beauty. Vandals have tossed so much debris into its core over the years that it now suffers from poor circulation and reduced temperatures, which are causing unsightly brown and green bacteria to grow on its surface.

The Black Sand Basin is a cluster of especially colorful hot springs and geysers located a mile north of Old Faithful. It is interesting primarily because of its black sand, a derivative of obsidian. Biscuit Basin, 2 miles farther up the road, was named for biscuitlike deposits that surrounded colorful Sapphire Pool until a 1959 earthquake caused the pool to erupt, sending them skyward. Both the Black Sand Basin and the Biscuit Basin can be viewed from flat, interpretive boardwalks.

The Midway Geyser Basin extends for about a mile along the Firehole River. The major attractions here are the Excelsior Geyser, the third-largest geyser in the world and once the park’s most powerful geyser, and the well-known Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone and the second largest in the world.

Old Faithful to Madison Junction

Believe it or not, there are more superb geysers and hot springs on Firehole Lake Drive, all visible without leaving your vehicle, along a 3-mile, one-way road. The turnoff for Firehole Lake Drive is about 8 miles north of the Old Faithful area. There are three geysers of interest on this road. The largest is Great Fountain Geyser, which erupts every 8 to 12 hours, typically spouting water some 100 feet high for periods of 45 to 60 minutes. However, the lucky visitor may see the occasional “superburst” that reaches heights of 200 feet or more.

Estimates are that White Dome Geyser has been erupting for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the age and height of this massive cone are not matched by spectacular eruptions. The vent on top of the cone has been nearly sealed with deposits of “geyserite,” so eruptions reach only 30 feet. However, a look at the cone itself is worth a trip.

Farther on, Pink Cone Geyser couldn’t be closer to the road—crews cut into the geyser’s mound during construction. The geyser still erupts occasionally, but the 30-foot spray goes mostly skyward and doesn’t interfere with traffic.

About a half mile north of where Firehole Lake Drive rejoins the Grand Loop Road is the Fountain Paint Pots area. See “Day Hikes,” below.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

A number of tour companies offer bus and van tours of the park originating in gateway communities: Yellowstone Alpen Guides (phone 800/858-3502; www.yellowstoneguides.com) takes travelers around the park from West Yellowstone; rates run about $50 per person for a 4-hour tour. Salt Lake City–based AdventureBus (phone 888/737-5263; www.adventurebus.com) takes groups to Yellowstone and Grand Teton between June and August; weeklong tours run about $1,000 per person. I highly recommend Escape Adventures (phone 800/596-2953; www.escapeadventures.com), which offers supported 6-day road-biking tours of Yellowstone and Grand Teton for about $1,500 if you camp or $2,300 if you stay in the park’s accommodations. If you are looking for specialized guided trips—such as photo safaris—contact the chambers of commerce in the gateway community where you want to begin.

Within the park, the hotel concessionaire, Xanterra Parks & Resorts (phone 877/439-7375; www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com) has a variety of general and specialized tours. Five different motorcoach tours are available from all of Yellowstone’s villages. For $66 adult ($33 kids 3–11), you can explore the Circle of Fire (Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, the Hayden Valley); or you can do the Yellowstone in a Day tour. These are full-day tours, with stops at all the sights and informative talks by the guides. Eight restored Old Yellow Buses that roamed the Yellowstone roads here in the first half of the 20th century are today back into service for Xanterra. Tours in the buses range from 1 to 5 hours ($26–$85). Other specialty trips include custom van tours, photo safaris, wildlife trips up the Lamar Valley, and Yellowstone Lake sunset tours.

At Bridge Bay Marina, 1-hour “Scenicruises” (phone 877/439-7375) depart throughout the day from June to the end of September for a trip around the northern end of giant Yellowstone Lake. You view the Lake Yellowstone Hotel from the water and visit Stevenson Island while a guide fills you in on the history, geology, and biology. Fares are $15 for adults and $9 for children ages 2 to 11. Guided fishing trips on 22-foot and 34-foot cabin cruisers are also available at Bridge Bay ($160 and $200 for 2 hr., respectively), and you can rent smaller outboards and rowboats.

Buses are replaced in the winter by snow-coach tours. These are closer in size to a van than a bus, mounted on tank treads with skis in front for steering. The snow coach can pick you up at the south or west entrances, or at Mammoth, and take you all over the park. You can spend a night at Old Faithful and then ride up to Mammoth the next night, or do round-trip tours from the gates or wherever you’re staying in the park. One-way and wildlife-watching trips are $57 to $70 for adults and $29 to $35 for kids 3 to 11. Yellowstone Alpen Guides (phone 800/858-3502; www.yellowstoneguides.com) offers snow-coach trips and tours from West Yellowstone for $115 per person and up.

Guided horseback trail rides lasting from 1 to 2 hours are available at Roosevelt Lodge and Canyon Village. Children must be at least 8 years old and 48 inches tall; adults cannot exceed 240 pounds. Tour prices are $38 for a 1-hour ride and $58 for a 2-hour ride (no discount for children). Check any activity desk for times and dates. Reservations are recommended and can be made at Xanterra Parks & Resorts activity centers in the hotels, although not before you leave home.

The Yellowstone Association Institute (phone 406/848-2400; www.yellowstoneassociation.org/institute) offers a slew of guided classes, from daylong hikes to multiday backcountry adventures, often with a historical or scientific bent. Participants can bunk in cabins at the historic buffalo ranch in Lamar Valley or above Gardiner, Montana, at the new Overlook Field Campus, featuring cabins with shared kitchens and a commanding view. The institute has teamed with Xanterra Parks & Resorts to offer visitors days spent exploring trails with guides and nights at the comfortable lodgings throughout the park. These Lodging & Learning packages are excellent options for those who want to delve into the park without too much of the traditional “roughing it.” Rates are about $250 per person per day and include box lunches, breakfast, and in-park transportation. Contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts (phone 866/439-7375; www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com).

In September, the institute takes over Roosevelt Lodge with the Roosevelt Rendezvous, a series of 4-day educational experiences with a daily menu of different field trips led by park experts. There are also evening programs. Rates start at $729 per person, which includes tuition, a cabin, and three meals a day.

Ranger-led programs take place throughout the park during the summer, some at campground amphitheaters, some at visitor centers, some on hikes or at key landmarks. It’s the best value in the park: free. Evening campfire programs run nightly in the summer at campgrounds at Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris, Madison, Grant, Bridge Bay, and Canyon. Many of these activities are accessible to travelers with disabilities. There are more tours and evening programs in the Old Faithful area than anywhere else in the park. The talks and walks, which can run as long as 1 1/2 hours, usually focus on the geysers, their fragile plumbing, and their role in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Check the park newspaper when you enter the park for a current listing of ranger programs.

Day Hikes

West Yellowstone to Madison

Artist Paint Pot Trail This interesting and worthwhile stroll along a relatively level path winds through a lodgepole pine forest in Gibbon Meadows, to a mud pot at the top of a hill. This thermal area contains some small geysers, hot pools, and steam vents. 1.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Gibbon Meadow, 4 1/2 miles south of Norris Junction.

Harlequin Lake Trail This is an excellent, easy opportunity to explore the area while winding through the burned forest to a small lake populated by various types of waterfowl. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: West entrance road 1 1/2 miles west of Madison Campground.

Two Ribbons Trail This trail offers an opportunity to inspect the effects of the 1988 fire. Along the boardwalk, you’ll see evidence of not only the blaze that ravaged the area, but also the beginning of a new cycle of life in the dense green shag of lodgepole saplings. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Turnout on north side of road 3 miles east of west entrance.

Norris Geyser Basin

Back Basin Loop This level boardwalk, easily negotiable in 1 hour, passes by Steamboat Geyser, which has been known to produce the world’s highest and most memorable eruptions. However, these 400-foot waterspouts rarely occur more than once or twice a year (and sometimes only once or twice a decade), so it will take some luck to see one. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Norris Geyser Basin.

Porcelain Basin Trail This short trail, which can be completed in 45 minutes, is on a level boardwalk that, like the Back Basin Loop, is in a concentration of thermal attractions that may change every year. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Norris Geyser Basin.

Mammoth Hot Springs Area

Bunsen Peak Trail This trail leads to a short but steep 2.1-mile trip to the 8,564-foot summit, with a 1,300-foot gain in elevation. Park rangers say this is a favorite for watching the sunrise behind Electric Peak, off to the northwest, which glows with a golden hue. At the top of the peak, you will be 3,000 feet above the valley. 4.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Across road from Glen Creek Trailhead, 5 miles south of Mammoth on Mammoth–Norris Rd.

Forces of the Northern Range Self-Guiding Trail This level, easy stroll along a boardwalk presents an excellent opportunity to learn about the effects of fire on the environment. .8 mile RT. Easy. Access: Tower Rd., 8 miles east of Mammoth Hot Springs.

Lower Terrace Interpretive Trail This interpretive trail is one of the best ways to see the Mammoth area. The trail starts at 6,280 feet and climbs another 300 feet (an easy excursion) along marginally steep grades through a bare, rocky, thermal region to a flat alpine area and observation deck at the top. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: South of the village on the road to Norris.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River Area

Mount Washburn Trail The Mount Washburn Trail falls into the “If you can only do one hike, do this one” category. The 1,400-foot elevation gain is fairly gradual, and the rises are interspersed with long, fairly level stretches. At this elevation, the best method of attacking the mountain is to pace yourself, which has its own rewards: You have time to appreciate the views to the east of the Absaroka Mountains, south to Yellowstone Lake, and west to the Gallatin Mountains. You may see bighorn sheep—this is a popular summer grazing area—as well as yellow-bellied marmots and red foxes. The hike to the summit is an easy 90-minute walk at a steady pace, or 2 hours with breaks. At this elevation, where weather changes quickly, it’s always a good idea to bring several layers of clothing. Fortunately, there’s a warming hut in the base of the ranger lookout, as well as viewing telescopes and restrooms (but, alas, no hot-chocolate machine). 6 miles RT. Moderate. Access: End of Old Chittenden Rd. and at Dunraven Pass.

North Rim Trail This trail, which is described more fully in the Canyon Village section above, offers better views and less bustle than you’ll find at the paved overlooks. 4 miles RT. Easy. Access: Inspiration Point.

South Rim Trail Like the North Rim Trail, this trail gives you more and better views of the canyon and river than you can see from a vehicle, and takes you away from the crowds. 6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Parking lot just beyond South Rim Dr. Bridge.

Uncle Tom’s Trail The short trip is down 328 stairs and paved inclines that lead to an incredible perspective on Lower Falls. The staircase (shackled to the canyon’s wall) is rather steep but can be negotiated in an hour, though it will be challenging for inexperienced hikers. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: South Rim parking lot.

Yellowstone Lake Area

Elephant Back Loop Trail The hike is to an overlook that provides photographers with panoramic views of Yellowstone Lake and its islands, the Absaroka Range, and Pelican Valley. 3.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Just before turnoff for Lake Yellowstone Hotel.

Storm Point Trail The Storm Point Trail follows a level path that terminates at a point jutting into the lake, with panoramic views. In the spring, this is a popular spot with grizzlies, so the trail may be closed; even when it’s open, check with rangers regarding bear activity. 2.3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Directly across from Pelican Valley Trailhead (on lake side of road), 3 1/2 miles east of Fishing Bridge.

Old Faithful Area

Fairy Falls Trail Though considerably longer than the Mystic Falls Trail (see below), the Fairy Falls Trail is equally popular with the park staff because it leads to a taller waterfall. The hike begins at the Imperial Meadows Trailhead, 1 mile south of the Firehole River Bridge on Fountain Flat Drive. It winds through an area populated by elk along Fairy Creek, then past the Imperial Geyser. From here, it joins Fairy Creek Trail and travels east to the base of the falls. The total gain in elevation is only 100 feet. Up to 7 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Imperial Meadows in Biscuit Basin.

Fountain Paint Pot Trail This area is a very popular attraction, so you may have to wait for a parking place. All of the various types of thermal activity strut their stuff here. As you stroll along the easy half-mile boardwalk, you’ll be in an area that may have six geysers popping their lids at the same time. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Fountain Paint Pot parking lot.

Geyser Hill Loop One of the most interesting, and easiest, loops in the area, this trail winds around several thermal attractions. Anemone Geyser may offer the best display of the various stages of a typical eruption as the pool fills and overflows. The Lion Group consists of four geysers connected beneath the surface, and Doublet Pool is popular with photographers, who are attracted by a complex series of ledges and deep-blue waters. Giantess Geyser is known for its violent eruptions. 1.4 miles RT. Easy. Access: Old Faithful boardwalk.

Lonestar Geyser Trail This trail falls into the “gotta do it” category, and its popularity is its only disadvantage. Despite the probability that you’ll be sharing the territory with others, there are several compelling reasons to give it a go. From the trail head, you’ll wend your way through a forested area along a trail that parallels the Firehole River. The payoff for your effort is the arrival at the geyser, sitting alone, a vanilla-chocolate ice-cream cone near the middle of a vast meadow partially covered by grass and trees, exposed rock, gravel, and volcanic debris. The geyser erupts about every 3 hours, and the eruption lasts about 30 minutes. Small, bubbling hot springs and steam vents surround it. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers in winter. 4.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Parking lot opposite Kepler Cascades.

Mystic Falls Trail This is a favorite of park rangers. The trail leads to a waterfall on the Little Firehole River that drops more than 100 feet, one of the steepest in the park. The trail starts at Biscuit Basin, crosses the river, and then disappears into the forest. The total distance to the falls is only 1 mile; there’s a trail to take you to the top.

To make your return more interesting, continue .2 mile to the Little Firehole Meadows Trail, which has an overlook that offers a view of Old Faithful in the distance. Best estimates are that the total time for the hike is an easy 2 hours, with an elevation gain of only 460 feet. 2.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Imperial Meadows in Biscuit Basin.

Observation Point Trail—Solitary Geyser This trail leads to an observation area that provides better views of the entire geyser basin. The path up to the observation point is approximately .5 mile, and the elevation gain is only 200 feet, so it’s an easy 15-minute hike. The view puts the entire Upper Geyser Basin into a different perspective; it is possible to see most of the major geysers, as well as steam vents located in the middle of wooded areas. From the top of the boardwalk, continue to the Solitary Geyser on a downhill slope that leads past the geyser, through the basin, and back to the inn, which completes the loop. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Old Faithful boardwalk.

Exploring the Backcountry

The backcountry season in Yellowstone is brief but glorious: For just 2 or 3 months, the snow melts off, the streams drop to fordable levels, and you can go deep into a domain of free-roaming wildlife and pristine natural beauty.

You must have a backcountry permit for any overnight trip on foot, on horseback, or by boat, and you can camp only in designated campsites, many of which are equipped with food-storage poles to keep wildlife out of your supplies. You can pick up a permit for hiking or boating the day before a trip, but if you’ll be traveling during peak season, make a reservation in advance. It costs $20 to hold a site, and you can start making reservations for the upcoming year beginning April 1.

Contact the Yellowstone Backcountry Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 (phone 307/344-2160; www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/backcountrytripplanner.htm), and the staff will send you the useful Backcountry Trip Planner, with a detailed map showing where the campsites are, how to make reservations, and how to prepare. You can also download the trip planner and a reservation form online. Pick up your permit in the park within 48 hours of your departure at one of these ranger stations any day of the week during the summer: Bechler, Canyon, Mammoth, Old Faithful, Tower, West Entrance, Grant Village, Lake, South Entrance, and Bridge Bay.

Backcountry Geysers If you just can’t get your fill of geysers, or if you’ve had your fill of people, several trails lead to more isolated geysers. The Shoshone Geyser Basin and Heart Lake Geyser Basin contain active geysers, as do Ponuntpa Springs and the Mudkettles in the Pelican Valley Area, Imperial Geyser in the Firehole area, and the Highland Hot Springs on the Mary Mountain Trail. Safety warning: If you head in these directions, be careful about walking on unstable surfaces.

Shoshone Lake Shoshone Lake is the park’s largest backcountry lake and a popular spot for hikers. The shortest route is on the Delacy Creek Trail, which begins 8 miles east of Old Faithful on the Old Faithful–West Thumb Road. The trail winds 3 miles along Delacy Creek through moose country and the edge of the forest at the lake. From here you can head around the lake (a distance of 18 miles) in either direction. Assuming you take a clockwise track, you’ll take the Delacy Creek Trail to its intersection with Dogshead Trail, then head west on the Shoshone Lake Trail until it intersects with the North Shoshone Trail and returns to your starting point.

A detour: At the western end of the lake, you’ll arrive at the 1-mile-long Shoshone Geyser Basin Trail, which loops through a number of geysers, hot springs, and meadows that lie ankle deep in water and mud during the spring.

As you travel the lake’s loop trail along the Delacy Creek Trail, you’ll have views of the lake at the top of a 100-foot rise. Then, on the Shoshone Lake Trail, you’ll cross the Lewis Channel, which may have thigh-high water as late as July. Beyond that, the trail is a series of rises that are easily negotiable by the average hiker, passing across shallow Moose Creek and through meadows where you may spot deer or moose early in the morning or evening.

The 8.4-mile North Shoshone Trail winds through a lodgepole-pine forest, over numerous ridges up to 200 feet high. The best views of the lake are from cliffs on this trail. The loop trail is especially popular with overnighters, since there are 26 campsites on the loop.

The Bechler Region This area is often referred to as the Cascade Corner because it contains a majority of the park’s waterfalls and it offers great opportunities to view thermal features. Many backpacking routes cut through this region, including one that leads to Old Faithful on the Bechler River Trail.

To begin your hike, drive into the park from Ashton, Idaho, and check in at the Bechler Ranger Station. To reach the ranger station, drive east 17 miles from Ashton on the Cave Falls Road; 3 miles before reaching Cave Falls, you’ll find the ranger station turnoff. The ranger station is 1 1/2 miles down the gravel road.

The Bechler Meadows Trail takes you into this rarely visited southwest corner, which is rich in waterfalls, cascades, and thermal areas. About 6 miles into the journey, the trail fords the river several times as it enters Bechler Canyon, where it passes Collonade and Iris Falls. This is a camping trip—you can cover a good 30 miles, depending on what turns you take—best made late in the summer to avoid high water during creek crossings. For a shorter trip, hike 3.5 miles along the Bechler River Trail to the Boundary Creek Trail, then return to the station on the Bechler Meadows Trail, a round-trip of 7 miles.

The most adventurous, and most scenic, route takes you 30 miles from the ranger station to the end of the trail at the Lonestar Trailhead near Old Faithful. Beyond Iris Falls, and then Ragged Falls, you’ll reach a patrol cabin at Three Rivers Junction at the 13-mile mark, a popular camping area. If you continue toward Old Faithful, you’ll intersect the Shoshone Lake Trail at the 23.5-mile mark and exit 6.5 miles later.

Thorofare Area When you enter this section, you’re venturing into the most remote roadless area in the Lower 48. You can make a round-trip of around 70 miles deep into the wilderness, or shorter hikes, such as a trip from the park’s east entrance road to the Yellowstone River inlet on Yellowstone Lake’s southeast arm. The remoteness of this country discourages many hikers, so you’ll have it mostly to yourself. The tepee rings and lean-tos that you may see are remnants of the presence of American Indians, who once used this area as the main route between Jackson Hole and points north.

The trail follows the eastern shore of Yellowstone Lake and then the Yellowstone River into some of the most remote and beautiful backcountry in the Rockies. It’s a lot of miles and climbing, but you’ll be rewarded with views of the Upper Yellowstone Valley, Two Oceans Plateau, and abundant wildlife. You’ll reach the Park Service’s Thorofare Ranger Station at 32 miles, and a few miles farther along you’ll come to Bridger Lake, outside the park, and a gorgeous alpine valley with a ranger station known as Hawk’s Rest. Fishers love this area—as do grizzly bears, especially during the cutthroat trout spawning season in early summer. You’ll be a good 35 miles from the trail head at the lake, and even the most capable hikers should consider riding with an outfitter. You can cut 9 miles off the journey by getting a boat shuttle to the mouth of the lake’s southwest arm; call the backcountry shuttle office (phone 307/242-3893) for information. Only human-powered boats are allowed into the arm to the Yellowstone River outlet (you can canoe in, a wonderful trip in good weather). Or you can come into Thorofare through Bridger–Teton National Forest up the North Fork of the Buffalo Fork to the south; check with the forest’s Blackrock Ranger Station (phone 307/543-2386).

Aside from grizzlies, the major obstacle to early season trips in the Thorofare is water; you’ll encounter knee-deep water at Beaverdam Creek and at Trapper Creek as late as July.

The Sportsman Lake Trail This moderate, 14-mile trail begins near Mammoth Hot Springs and extends west toward U.S. 191 to Sportsman Lake. From the Glen Creek trail head 5 miles south of Mammoth Hot Springs, you’ll spend 2 miles on the Glen Creek Trail as you traverse a mostly level, wide-open plateau, covered with sagebrush, which is the home of herds of elk and a bear management area. At the Sepulcher Mountain Trail at the 3-mile mark, the terrain gets steeper as you continue northwest on the Sportsman Lake Trail—the elevation gain is approximately 2,300 feet to the Sepulcher summit (though you don’t go to it on this route). The trail enters the forest and descends to a log that is used to cross Gardner River. Then it’s uphill for another 4 miles to Electric Divide, another 2,000-foot gain in elevation. From there, the trail descends 2,100 feet in 3 miles to Sportsman Lake. The lake, which sits in a meadow populated by moose and elk, teems with cutthroat trout. There are two campsites.

Other Summer Sports & Activities

Biking Yellowstone’s narrow, twisty roads and lack of bike lanes make life difficult for bikers, and off-road opportunities are limited because of the small number of trails that permit bikes. The following trails are available to mountain bikers, but know that you will share the roads with hikers. The Mount Washburn trail, leaving from the Old Chittenden Road, is a strenuous trail that climbs 1,400 feet. The Lonestar Geyser trail, accessible at Kepler Cascade near Old Faithful, is an easy 1-hour ride on a user-friendly, partly paved road. Near Mammoth Hot Springs, Bunsen Peak Road and Osprey Falls trails present a combination ride and hike: The first 6 miles travel around Bunsen Peak; getting to the top requires a hike. A hike down to Osprey Falls adds 3 miles to the journey.

Bike rentals are available in the gateway towns of West Yellowstone, home to Free Heel and Wheel (phone 406/646-7744; www.freeheelandwheel.com), and Jackson, where you’ll find Hoback Sports (phone 307/733-5335; www.hobacksports.com).

Boating The best place to enjoy boating in Yellowstone is on Yellowstone Lake, which has easy access and beautiful, panoramic views. The lake is also one of the few areas where powerboats are allowed. Rowboats and outboard motorboats are for rent at Bridge Bay Marina (phone 866/439-7375). Motorboats, canoes, and kayaks can be used on Lewis Lake as well. In West Yellowstone, kayak rentals and guided kayaking are available from Lava Creek, 433 Highway Ave. (phone 406/646-5145; www.lavacreekadventures.com).

Fishing Seven varieties of game fish live here: native cutthroat, rainbow, brown, brook, and lake trout; grayling; and mountain whitefish. Of the trout, only the cutthroat are native, and they are being pressured in the big lake by the larger lake trout, despite efforts to remove the exotic strains by gill-net fishing. As a result, you can’t keep any pink-meat cutthroat caught anywhere in Yellowstone, and you must keep any lake trout.

The Yellowstone season typically opens on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and ends on the first Sunday in November. The exceptions are Yellowstone Lake’s slightly shorter season, and the lake’s tributaries, which are closed until July 15 to avoid conflicts between humans and grizzly bears, both of which are attracted to spawning trout.

In June, try the Yellowstone River downstream of Yellowstone Lake, where the cutthroat trout spawn. Fish the Madison River near the west entrance in July, and again in late fall for rainbow and some brown trout. In late summer, you can try to hook the cutthroats that thin out by September on the Lamar River in the park’s northeast corner.

You can fish the Yellowstone River below the Grand Canyon by hiking down into Seven Mile Hole, a great place to cast (not much vegetation to snag on) for cutthroat trout from July to September. The best luck is around Sulphur Creek.

Other good fishing stretches include the Gibbon and Firehole rivers, which merge to form the Madison River on the park’s west side, and the 3-mile Lewis River Channel between Shoshone and Lewis lakes during the fall spawning run of brown trout.

Fishing requires a special permit good only within the park. For anglers 16 and older, it’s $15 for a 3-day permit or $20 for 7 days, and $35 for a season permit. Anglers 12 to 15 need a permit, too, but it’s free. Children under 12 may fish without a permit when supervised by an adult. Permits are available at all ranger stations, visitor centers, and Yellowstone General Stores.

Horseback Riding People who want to pack their gear on a horse, llama, or mule must get permits to enter the Yellowstone backcountry, or hire an outfitter with a permit (see below). Other visitors who want to get in the saddle but not disappear in the wilderness can put themselves in the hands of the concessionaire, Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Stables are at Canyon Village, Roosevelt Lodge, and Mammoth Hot Springs. Roosevelt Lodge also offers evening rides from June into September. Choices are 1- and 2-hour guided trail rides daily aboard well-broken, tame animals for $37 and $56, respectively.

If you’re looking for a longer, overnight horse-packing experience, contact the park and request a list of approved concessionaires that lead backcountry expeditions. Most offer customized, guided trips, with meals, horses, and camping and riding gear provided. Costs run from $250 to $500 per day per person, depending on the length of the trip and number of people. One good outfitter is Rockin’ HK Outfitters (phone 307/333-4505; www.rockinhk.com), offering 3- to 10-day trips for about $450 per person per day. Out of Bozeman, Greater Yellowstone Flyfishers (phone 406/585-5321; www.gyflyfishers.com) offers fly-fishing pack trips in the park.

Winter Sports & Activities

The average snowfall in a Yellowstone winter is nearly 150 inches (and higher country sees twice that amount), creating a beautiful setting for sightseers and a wonderful resource for outdoor winter recreation. The steaming hot pools and geysers generate little islands of warmth and attract not just tourists, but wildlife as well. Frozen thermal vapors transform nearby trees into “snow ghosts.” Bison become frosted, shaggy beasts, easily spotted as they take advantage of the more accessible vegetation on the thawed ground. Yellowstone Lake’s surface freezes to an average thickness of 3 feet, creating a vast ice sheet that sings and moans as the huge plates of ice shift. But the ice is thinner where hot springs come up on the lake bottom, and you’ll see otters surfacing at the breaks in the ice. Waterfalls become astounding pieces of frozen sculpture.

Only two of the park’s hostelries, Mammoth Hot Springs and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, provide accommodations from December through March, as does Flagg Ranch, just outside the park’s south entrance. The only road that’s open for cars is the Mammoth Hot Springs–Cooke City Road. Most visitors these days come into Yellowstone in winter from the west or south by snow coach or snowmobile.

For additional information on all the following winter activities and accommodations, as well as snow-coach reservations, contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts (phone 866/439-7375; www.xanterra.com). For more information on snow-coach tours, see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” earlier in this chapter.

The Yellowstone Association Institute (phone 406/848-2400; www.yellowstoneassociation.org/institute) offers winter courses in various areas in the park. Past offerings have included 3-day classes devoted to wintertime photography, cross-country skiing, and wolf ecology.

Cross-Country Skiing The Old Faithful area has 40 miles of cross-country trails, including the popular Lonestar Geyser Trail, an 8-mile trail in a remote setting that starts at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge; and the Fern Cascades trail, which winds for 3 miles through a rolling woodland landscape on a short loop close to the Old Faithful area. Also nearby is the Fairy Falls Trail (about 6 miles) which some say is the best in the park.

Equipment rentals (about $20 per day for skis, boots, and poles), ski instruction, ski shuttles to various locations ($15 per adult), and other services are all available at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, the park’s two winter lodging options. Discounts are available for multiday rentals of skis or snowshoes. Ski instruction costs around $30 per person for a 1-hour private lesson; a full-day guided excursion costs $140 per adult (lunch may or may not be included). Guided snowshoe trips are also available.

Ice-Skating The Mammoth Hot Springs ice rink is behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Recreation Center. On a crisp winter’s night, you can rent skates (free) and glide across the ice while seasonal melodies play over the PA system. It’s cold out there, but there’s a warming fire at the rink’s edge.

Snow-coach Tours It is possible to enjoy the sights and sounds of Yellowstone without raising a finger—except to write a check or sign a credit card voucher—by taking one of the scenic snow-coach tours that originate at the south and west entrances, as well as at Mammoth and Old Faithful. One-way and wildlife-watching trips range from about $30 to $70, while round-trips cost about $120 to $140.

If you’ve never seen a snow coach, you’re in for a treat. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this distinctively Yellowstone mode of transportation is merely a fancy name for a bus that provides tours during winter. Imagine instead an Econoline van with tank treads for tires and water skis extending from its front, and you won’t be surprised when you see this unusual-looking vehicle. The interiors are toasty warm, with seating for a large group, and they usually allow each passenger two bags. They aren’t the fastest, smoothest, or most comfortable form of transportation, but they do allow large groups to travel together, and they’re cheaper and warmer than snowmobiles. They’re also available for hire by groups at many snowmobile locations. Guides provide interesting and entertaining facts and stories of the areas as you cruise the park trails, and they give you opportunities to photograph scenery and wildlife.

For snow-coach information, contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts (phone 866/439-7375; www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com). Out of West Yellowstone, Yellowstone Vacations (phone 800/426-7669 or 406/646-9564; www.snowcoachyellowstone.com) and Yellowstone Alpen Guides (phone 800/858-3502 or 406/646-9591; www.yellowstoneguides.com) provide service as well.

Snowmobiling This is an excellent way to sightsee at your own pace, but note that the courts are still debating long-term snowmobile policies for the parks. A driver’s license and guide are required for rental at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel or Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Day tours from Xanterra (phone 866/439-7375) cost about $275 for a single rider or $300 double; custom tours are also available, but considerably more costly. A helmet is included with the snowmobile, as is a clothing package for protection against the bitter cold. Warming huts are located at Mammoth, Indian Creek, Canyon, Madison, West Thumb, and Fishing Bridge. They offer snacks, a hot cup of coffee or chocolate, and an excellent opportunity to recover from a chill.

Snowmobile rentals are also available in the gateway communities of Gardiner, Cooke City, and West Yellowstone. In West Yellowstone, try Yellowstone Arctic/Yamaha, 208 Electric St. (phone 406/646-9636; www.yellowstonearcticyamaha.com), or Yellowstone Adventures, 131 Dunraven St. (phone 800/231-5991 or 406/646-7735; www.yellowstoneadventures.com). Most rental shops accept reservations weeks in advance, so reserving at least 2 weeks ahead of time is a good idea.

For a guided trip from Jackson, call Wyoming Adventures, 1050 S. Hwy. 89 (phone 800/637-7147 or 307/733-2300; www.wyomingsnow.com), which offers three different loop trips through Yellowstone for $250 to $360.

Camping

There are 12 campgrounds in Yellowstone, five of them under the efficient management of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the park concessionaire. The other seven are smaller, less expensive, and often less crowded. The seven campgrounds still run by the National Park Service are at Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Mammoth, Norris, Pebble Creek, Slough Creek, and Tower Fall. They fill daily on a first-come, first-served basis. My personal favorites are Slough Creek, in the Lamar Valley, and Norris, a shady riverside spot near the Norris Geyser Basin.

Xanterra runs the bigger campgrounds at Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village, Madison, and Fishing Bridge. Reservations can be made by calling phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311, or by writing Xanterra Parks & Resorts, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. The only campground in the park equipped with RV hookups is at Fishing Bridge RV Park. It accepts hard-sided vehicles only (no tents or tent trailers) and has electric, water, and sewer hookups. Though there are no hookups at the other campgrounds, they all accommodate RVs.

Camping is allowed only in designated areas and is limited to 14 days between June 15 and September 15, and to 30 days the rest of the year. Checkout time for all campgrounds is 10am. Quiet hours are enforced between 8pm and 8am (10am–7pm at Fishing Bridge), when no generators, radios, or other loud noises are allowed. See the chart above for amenities and prices at each campground.

* Reserve through Xanterra Parks & Resorts.

† Accepts hard-sided vehicles only.

* Reserve through Xanterra Parks & Resorts.

† Accepts hard-sided vehicles only.

* Reserve through Xanterra Parks & Resorts.

† Accepts hard-sided vehicles only.

Inside the Park

The Tower Fall Campground, which has forested sites, is near a convenience store, restaurant, and gas station at Roosevelt Lodge. The campground is 19 miles north of Canyon Village and 18 miles east of Mammoth.

Slough Creek Campground is in the Lamar Valley, near the northeast entrance, where there are fewer people, good fishing, and the possibility of a wolf howl to stimulate your dreams; however, restroom facilities are in pit toilets.

Canyon Campground is the busiest in the park, with sites in a heavily wooded area. It has a store, restaurants, a visitor center, and laundry nearby at Canyon Center.

Fishing Bridge RV Park is somewhat controversial because of its location in an area where bears feed in the spring; only hard-sided camping vehicles are allowed.

Bridge Bay Campground, near the shores of Yellowstone Lake, offers tremendous views, especially at sunrise and sunset. Unfortunately, though surrounded by the forest, much of the area has been clear-cut, so there’s not a whole lot of privacy. It’s close to boat-launching facilities and the boat-rental operation.

The Madison Campground is in a wooded area just south of the river. It has good access to fishing and hiking, and the location is a short drive from the amenities of West Yellowstone.

The attractive, wooded sites at Norris Campground are in the heart of the park’s east side, close to wildlife activity, geothermal areas, and the Gibbon River.

Near the Park

There are three National Forest Service campgrounds in the West Yellowstone area, all in the Gallatin National Forest (www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin). They accommodate both RVs and tents, but during some periods in late summer they accept hard-sided vehicles only. All three are first come, first served, so it’s best to stake out a spot early. The heavily forested Bakers Hole, just 3 miles north of West Yellowstone on U.S. 191, is popular because of its fishing access. Both tents and RVs are accepted, but there are no hookups. Lonesomehurst, 8 miles west of the park on U.S. 20, then 4 miles north on Hebgen Lake Road, is only one-third the size of Bakers Hole and fills up quickly in summer. It has tent and RV sites, some of them right on the shore of Hebgen Lake. To reach Rainbow Point, drive 5 miles north of West Yellowstone on U.S. 191, then 3 miles west on Forest Service Road 610, then north for 2 miles on Forest Service Road 6954. Tucked away in the forest near Hebgen Lake, it accommodates both tents and RVs (no hookups) and has boating and fishing access. For further information on these campgrounds, call concessionaire Hebegen Basin Campgrounds (www.hebegenbasincampgrounds.com; phone 877/646-1012 or 406/646-1012) or the Hebgen Lake Ranger District (www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin; phone 406/823-6961).

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

If you’re coming at the height of summer, you must book ahead! Contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 (www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com; phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311) for lodging in the park. Accommodations are open from May to mid-October. Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful Snow Lodge then reopen for the winter season, from mid-December through early March.

Another option is Flagg Ranch Resort (see chapter 17). Only 2 miles from Yellowstone’s south entrance, it’s a convenient jumping-off point for exploring the southern reaches of the park, as well as Grand Teton.

Mammoth Hot Springs Area

Mammoth’s distance from attractions such as Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone makes it one of the last places to fill up. Despite that, it’s a good base, home to the park’s best visitor center, as well as colorful limestone terraces.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins Below the steaming terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, this is one of two Yellowstone hotels open during both summer and winter seasons. (The other is the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.) Established in 1911, the hotel itself is less distinguished than the Lake Yellowstone Hotel or the Old Faithful Inn, but it manages to blend a wide range of rooms into a satisfying whole. The only truly high-end accommodations are the suites. Standard rooms and cabins offer minimal amenities, but make up for it with a fair amount of charm. Some have tubs only, some have showers only, and some share a bathroom down the hall. The cottage-style cabins are clustered in rings adjacent to the hotel, and vary in quality, but are generally good picks for families and those who want a little more elbow room. Make sure you drift into the Map Room (named for the massive inlaid map of the United States on one of the walls), a great place to spend an evening reading or listening to a pianist.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 212 units, 182 with private bath. $87–$120 double; $81–$112 cabin; $217 hot tub cabin; $439–$449 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed Oct to mid-Dec and early Mar to early May.

Canyon Village Area

Standing at the center of Canyon Village, you may feel as though you’re in a mall parking lot. With one of the park’s biggest attractions close by, this is one of its busiest areas. It’s certainly a plus, though, that the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a short walk from the center of the village.

Canyon Lodge and Cabins This complex is one of the newer facilities in the park (both Cascade and Dunraven lodges were completed here in the 1990s), but it can’t escape the bustle of Canyon Village. However, the lodges are located a mere half mile from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Inspiration Point, one of the most photographed spots in the park. Cascade Lodge offers simple rooms appointed with tasteful log furnishings in the three-story building; the newer Dunraven is similar, although it is more modern (with an elevator); both are located adjacent to a woodland setting. The cabins are single-story duplex and fourplex structures with private bathrooms that are among the largest in the park. They’re a bit weathered but generally acceptable, but, given the sheer number of units involved (over 600), this isn’t the place to “get away from it all.”

In Canyon Village, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 605 units. $170 double; $96–$179 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to early June.

Tower-Roosevelt Area

This is a cheerful throwback to the early days of car camping in Yellowstone: no big complex of shops and services, not a lot of amenities. It’s small, out of the way, and less crowded than other areas. Hiking trails and the corridor of the Lamar Valley and River that runs to the northeast entrance are nearby.

Roosevelt Lodge Cabins This is considered the park’s family hideaway, a low-key operation with dinky, primitive cabins; stables; and a lodge restaurant that feels like a big ranch house. The bare-bones cabins are called Roughriders, and they’re furnished with two simple beds, clean linens, a writing table, and a wood stove. A step up, the Frontier cabins have their own bathrooms and showers. The lodge is a rugged-but-charming stone edifice; its large, inviting porch is outfitted with rockers so guests can sit back and watch the world go by. Stagecoach rides, horseback trips, and Western trail cookouts give this place a cowboy flavor, and it’s a less hectic scene than the other park villages—and it’s also the one with the best access to the Lamar Valley and its incomparable wildlife.

At Tower Junction, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. (At junction of Mammoth-Tower Rd. and Tower-Canyon Rd.) www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 80 cabins, 14 with private bathroom. $65–$110 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed early Sept to early June.

Lake Village Area

This resort along the lake is reminiscent of a less-hurried era. The location puts you near the lake’s recreational opportunities and hiking trails, and you’ll find accommodations in a historic hotel, as well as motel and cabin units and nearby lakeside camping sites. The food at the hotel is as good as any in the park, and lower-priced alternatives are in the neighborhood.

Lake Lodge Cabins These cabins surrounding Lake Lodge stand a little ways from the lake in a relatively quiet, traffic-free area. The old Western lodge’s most attractive feature is a large porch with wicker rockers that invite visitors to sit and gaze out across the waters. The accommodations are in well-preserved, clean, freestanding cabins near a trout stream that threads through a wooded area. (Access is usually restricted when grizzlies emerge from hibernation.) The cabins come in three grades: motel-style Western cabins provide electric heat, paneled walls, two double beds (and, in some cases, an extra twin), and combination bathrooms, while historic Frontier and Pioneer cabins are smaller and sparsely furnished, with one or two double beds each and small shower-only bathrooms, but the former have been modernized. Because the dining room here is a tad short on atmosphere, you might want to make the short trek to the Lake Yellowstone Hotel for a more sumptuous meal in a more appetizing setting.

On Yellowstone Lake, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 186 cabins. $69 Pioneer cabin; $106 Frontier cabin; $179 Western cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to early June.

Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins The Ionic columns, dormer windows, and deep porticos on this classic yellow building faithfully recall the year it was built: 1891. It’s an entirely different world from the rustic Western style of other park lodgings. The facility was restored in the early 1990s, and its better rooms are the most comfortable and roomy in the park, with soul-stirring views of the massive lake. The three- and four-story wings house the hotel rooms, and there’s also a motel-style annex and an assortment of cabins. The upper-end rooms here are especially lavish for Yellowstone, with stenciled walls and traditional spreads on one queen-size or two double beds. Smaller rooms in the annex are fitted with two double beds and bring to mind a typical motel chain. The freestanding yellow-clad cabins here are passable, decorated with knotty pine paneling, and furnished with double beds and a writing table.

On the north side of the lake, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 300 units. $149–$223 double; $130 cabin; $549 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to mid-May.

Grant Village Area

Though Grant Village is near the south end of beautiful Yellowstone Lake and has a good visitor center, this fairly recent addition to park accommodations lacks the character of the Lake and Old Faithful villages. It’s also isolated from other park centers, so guests here are likely to frequent its tiny lounge and eat in one of its two decent restaurants overlooking the lake. Other guest services include a laundry facility, service station, and convenience store.

Grant Village The southernmost of the major overnight accommodations in the park, Grant Village was completed in 1984 and is one of the more contemporary choices in Yellowstone. It’s not as architecturally distinctive as the Old Faithful options, consisting of six condo-style units (with motel-style rooms), but it’s also less touristy and more isolated. Rooms are tastefully furnished, most outfitted with light wood furniture, track lighting, electric heat, and laminate counters. Nicer and more expensive rooms affording lake views have mullioned windows, one queen-size or one or two double beds, and full bathrooms.

On the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 300 units. $152 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed early Oct to late May.

Old Faithful Area

At the Old Faithful area, you’ll spend a night in the midst of the largest and most famous geyser basin in the world. Here you have more choices of rooms, restaurants, and services—including a visitor center, gas station, and Yellowstone General Store—than anywhere else in the park.

Old Faithful Inn There are three hotels within viewing distance of the geyser, but this is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Yellowstone’s man-made wonders. Seven stories tall with dormers peaking from a shingled, steep-sloping roof, it’s an architectural marvel designed by Robert Reamer to blend into the natural environment, first welcoming guests in 1904.

The cavernous, log-laden lobby is striking, with an ambience that is half elegant palace and half rugged wilderness lodge. You can climb the stairs to its internal balconies, but seismic activity eventually closed the crow’s nest, where a chamber orchestra once performed for the well-dressed guests below. Within 40 miles of the west and south entrances, this is the first stop for many visitors, so make reservations well in advance.

Guest rooms are basic, appointed with conservative fabrics and park-theme art, and they don’t all have private bathrooms; the wing rooms offer better facilities and more privacy.

At Old Faithful, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 327 units, 254 with private bath. $126–$236 double with private bathroom; $96–$183 double with shared bathroom; $399–$499 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed early Oct to early May.

Old Faithful Lodge Cabins These are the leftovers from the days when crude cabins littered the landscape around the world’s most famous geyser. The ones closest to the geyser were hauled away years ago, but you still get a sense of what tourism was like in the park’s early days, especially if you rent one of the budget cabins, which are only slightly less flimsy than tents and have basic beds and sinks, no more. Showers and restrooms are a short walk away. Frontier cabins are the better units, adding a private bathtub to other amenities. If amenities are irrelevant, these rustic, thin-walled cabins are an economical way to put a roof over your head in the park. The lodge itself is perhaps the busiest spot in the geyser area, featuring several snack shops and a huge cafeteria dishing up varied fast food items.

At Old Faithful, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 96 cabins, 61 with private bathroom. $67–$110 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Sept to mid-May.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins This is the newest and most modern property in Yellowstone. The dormitory-style lodge was torn down in 1998, replaced the next year by this new, award-winning structure. Its contemporary big-beam construction and high ceiling in the lobby echo the Old Faithful Inn, and a copper-lined balcony curves above the common area, where guests can relax in wicker furniture. Public areas have a contemporary (but appropriate) style, some of the lodge’s wood was recycled from the same mill that provided the lumber for the Old Faithful Inn in 1904, and wrought-iron bears abound on everything from lamps to fireplace grates. The modern rooms are spacious and comfortable, second only to the upper-end accommodations at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel. There’s also a few surrounding cabins with motel-style furnishings, many of which were built after the 1988 fires.

At Old Faithful, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. phone 866/439-7375 or 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. 134 units. $197–$206 double; $96–$149 cabin. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed late Oct to mid-Dec and early Mar to late Apr.

Near the Park

West Yellowstone

Make your reservations early if you want to visit in July or August, or if you’re going to spend Christmas to New Year’s here. If you’re smart, you’ll come in the fall, when there are plenty of empty rooms and better rates, and spend your days fishing the Henry’s Fork or one of the other great streams in the vicinity. Rates for rooms often reflect the seasonal traffic, and prices fluctuate. Unless noted, all these establishments are open year-round.

You’ll find chains like Comfort Inn, 638 Madison Ave. (phone 406/646-4212), with summertime doubles for $129 to $229; and Days Inn (phone 800/548-9551 or 406/646-7656), at 301 Madison Ave., with summer rates of $119 to $189 for a double. There are three Best Western affiliates, ranging from about $160 to $220 a night for a double during the summer. Call phone 800/528-1234, or go online to www.bestwestern.com for information and reservations. The One Horse Motel, at 216 N. Dunraven St. (www.onehorsemotel.com; phone 800/488-2750 or 406/646-7677), is a top-notch independent across the street from City Park, with doubles for $79 to $129 a night. Another good inexpensive option (with more character than the chains, to boot), the 1912 Madison Hotel, 139 Yellowstone Ave. (www.madisonhotelmotel.com; phone 800/838-7745 or 406/646-7745), has historic rooms for $59 to $99 for a double or $33 for a bunk in a dormitory, and newer motel doubles for $79 to $139. Another solid option is Moose Creek Cabins, 220 Firehole Ave. (www.moosecreek-cabins.com; phone 406/646-9546), offering double rooms for $100 to $120 and cabins for about $200.

Bar N Ranch One of the oldest brands in Montana, the Bar N is an excellent new lodging option in West Yellowstone, operating a spiffed-up lodge and cabin complex since 2004. Located on 200 acres of unsullied ranchland with 2 miles of the Madison River and a fishing pond, the lodge is an image of the New West, with a great river-rock fireplace and a knotty pine banister leading up to the rooms upstairs. The lodge rooms mix equal parts Ralph Lauren and Old West, exuding a simple but rich style with antler lamps, hardwood floors, and jetted tubs. The cabins are one- and two-bedroom units arranged in a half-circle around the lodge, with decor that echoes that of the lodge; all of them have fireplaces and private outdoor hot tubs.

890 Buttermilk Creek Rd. (P.O. Box 250), West Yellowstone, MT 59758. www.bar-n-ranch.com. phone 406/646-0300. Fax 406/646-0301. 7 units, 8 cabins. Lodge rooms $235–$250 double; cabins $290–$365 double; 4-bedroom cabin $465; lower rates late Oct and early May. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Holiday Inn West Yellowstone This is the town’s best modern hotel. The rooms are sizable and comfortable, well maintained, and regularly updated. At the tour desk, you can arrange fishing and rafting trips, bike and ATV rentals, and chuckwagon cookouts. The Iron Horse Saloon serves regional microbrews, and the Oregon Short Line Restaurant serves Western cuisine including game and seafood dishes. At the center of the restaurant sits the restored railroad club car that brought Victorian gents to Yellowstone a century ago.

315 Yellowstone Ave. (P.O. Box 470), West Yellowstone, MT 59758. www.doyellowstone.com. phone 800/646-7365 or 406/646-7365. 123 units. $199–$249 double; $279–$319 suite. Lower rates fall to spring. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Gardiner

Chain motels include the Comfort Inn, 107 Hellroaring Dr. (phone 800/424-6423 or 406/848-7536), and the Super 8 on U.S. 89 South (phone 800/800-8000 or 406/848-7401), with high-season rates ranging from $159 to $200 double; and the Best Western by Mammoth Hot Springs, on U.S. 89 (phone 800/828-9080 or 406/848-7311), with doubles for $149 to $189 in the summer.

Absaroka Lodge Every room in this lodge has its own furnished balcony with jaw-dropping views of the Yellowstone River and the mountain scenery beyond it. The lodge’s riverbank location—with a nice slope of lawn overlooking the river gorge—is just a few blocks from the village center, and the rooms are well appointed with queen-size beds. Suites with kitchenettes cost a little more; there is also a pair of cabins without balconies. Like most other properties in town, the lodge has staff ready and able to assist in arrangements with outfitters for fly-fishing, rafting, and, in the fall, hunting.

U.S. Hwy. 89 at the Yellowstone River Bridge (P.O. Box 10), Gardiner, MT 59030. www.yellowstonemotel.com. phone 800/755-7414 or 406/848-7414. Fax 406/848-7560. 41 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $110–$125 double; winter $45–$60 double. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Yellowstone Suites Bed and Breakfast This quiet B&B on the south bank of the Yellowstone River is a good alternative to the motels that line U.S. Hwy. 89. It was originally built in 1904, and legend has it that the second story’s quarried-stone exterior is actually a leftover from the Roosevelt Arch. The rooms are frilly and cozy, with a teddy-bear motif in the Roosevelt Room and a Victorian theme in the Jackson Room; the Yellowstone Suite has satellite television and a kitchenette. The real perks here are the impeccably gardened backyard, the views of Electric Peak from the new deck, and the breakfasts, which might feature cinnamon rolls or cheese blintzes.

506 Fourth St. (P.O. Box 277), Gardiner, MT 59030. www.yellowstonesuites.com. phone 800/948-7937 or 406/848-7937. 4 units. A/C. Summer $120–$165 double; winter $80–$105 double. Rates include complimentary full breakfast. MC, V.

Cooke City

If you choose to spend the night in little Cooke City, you have several options, none of which include modern facilities or gourmet dining. Rooms at each of the properties listed below are clean and comfortable, but that’s about all. A room for the night is less expensive than a stay in other gateway towns, anywhere from $75 to $120 a night. The Soda Butte Lodge, on Main Street (www.cookecity.com; phone 406/838-2251) is the biggest and poshest motel in town; on the premises are the good Prospector Restaurant and a small casino. The newest property in town is a woodsy Super 8, 303 Main St. (www.cookecitysuper8.com; phone 877/338-2070 or 406/838-2070).

Cody

With some of the showmanship of its founder, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, this town offers more than just a gateway to the east entrance. The night rodeo and the fine historical center are the big summer attractions.

Buffalo Bill Village Resort Consisting of three distinct lodging options at the same convenient location, Buffalo Bill Village has something for everybody. The Holiday and Comfort inns are similar to their chain brethren elsewhere, while the village of historic cabins offers a rustic exterior and a more Western feel, with modern conveniences inside. The former two are priced nearly identically and have similar amenities. The one- and two-bedroom cabins at Buffalo Bill Village are simply equipped—with a bed, phone, and TV—and surrounded by plenty of room for the kids to roam. The cabins themselves first housed the contractors who built the city circa 1920, and became the centerpiece of this family-owned resort in the 1950s. The Holiday Inn followed in the ’70s, the Comfort Inn in the ’90s. Also on-site: an Old West–style boardwalk where you can shop for curios or sign up for tours and river trips, an outdoor heated pool, and several restaurants.

17th St. and Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY 82414. www.blairhotels.com. phone 800/527-5544. Fax 307/587-2795. Comfort Inn: 75 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $89–$169 double. Holiday Inn: 189 units. $89–$169 double. Buffalo Bill Village Historic Cabins: 83 units. $79–$159 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Historic Cabins closed Oct–Apr.

The Chamberlin Inn A boardinghouse opened here in 1904, and the property evolved and devolved over the course of the next century until Ev and Susan Diehl took over the property in 2005 and completely restored it—and then some. Centered on a serene and green courtyard, the new and improved Chamberlin Inn is now Cody’s best lodging option, just a block from the center of town and featuring charming historic rooms and apartment units. Of special note are the Hemingway Suite—“Papa” stayed here in 1932—with an angling motif and a small Hemingway library; and the lavish Courthouse unit, the original town courthouse reimagined as a luxury apartment.

1032 12th St., Cody, WY 82414. www.chamberlininn.com. phone 888/587-0202 or 307/587-0202. 24 units, including 3 apts. A/C, TV, TEL. $165–$185 double; $235–$650 suite or apt. AE, DISC, MC, V.

The Cody The Cody immediately became the top modern hotel in the town of its name when it opened in May 2008. Located on the west end of town near the rodeo grounds, the hotel has a colorful, thoroughly Western-chic design in both the common areas and the spacious guest rooms, which have one king bed or two queens, warm earth tones, and a Native American motif. Some have sleeper sofas; those on the west side have balconies with terrific views of Shoshone River Canyon. The facilities are also excellent, including the exercise room and indoor pool, and there are a number of special packages catering to anglers, rodeo-goers, and Yellowstone visitors.

232 W. Yellowstone Ave., Cody, WY 82414. www.thecody.com. phone 307/587-5915. 75 units. A/C. TV, TEL. Summer $209–$249 double; off season $99–$169 double. Pets accepted. Additional person $15. Rates include hot breakfast buffet. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Cody Cowboy Village This relatively new property is a couples-oriented resort in a family-oriented town. The “village,” consisting of a cluster of cabin units near the rodeo grounds, is a world away from the bustling boardwalks of downtown Cody. The log cabins meld contemporary and cowboy in their decor. All have a deck in front; suites feature microwaves and fridges. Most units have one king bed, but six have two queens.

203 W. Yellowstone Ave., Cody, WY 82414. www.thecodycowboyvillage.com. phone 307/587-7555. 50 units, including 10 suites. TV, TEL. $79–$159 double; $109–$199 suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V. Closed Nov–Mar.

The Irma Hotel Buffalo Bill’s entrepreneurial gusto ultimately left him penniless, but it also left us this century-old hotel (named for his daughter) in the heart of town. Cody hoped to corral visitors who got off the train on their way to Yellowstone, and one of his lures was an elaborate cherrywood bar, a gift from straight-laced Queen Victoria. You can still hoist a jar on Her Royal Majesty’s slab in the Silver Saddle Saloon, or spend the night in a renovated room that might have once housed a president or prince.

Suites are named after local characters from the town’s early days: The Irma Suite, on the corner of the building, has a queen-size bed, a writing table, a vanity in the bedroom area, a small sitting area, and an old-fashioned bathroom with a tub/shower combination. While the Irma’s aura will surely please history buffs, those acclimated to ultramodern convenience will probably want to look elsewhere. But the hotel’s location in the middle of town and the summer schedule of reenacted gunfights out front help compensate.

1192 Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY 82414. www.irmahotel.com. phone 800/745-4762 or 307/587-4221. Fax 307/587-1775. 73 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $112 double; $162 suite. Lower rates fall–spring. AE, DISC, MC, V.

The Mayor’s Inn This two-story A-frame, built in 1905 for Mayor Frank Houx, found itself in the path of a wrecking ball in 1997. However, new owners moved it on a truck to its current location, just a few blocks away. It’s now one of Cody’s best B&Bs, with rooms such as the Yellowstone, featuring a lodgepole-pine bed frame and black-and-white photos of the park’s early years, and the Hart Mountain Suite, with romance and floral decor in spades. There’s also a carriage house (breakfast extra) with a well-equipped kitchen. The breakfasts here are a hearty treat, featuring sourdough flapjacks and buffalo sausage, and innkeepers Bill and Dale Delph also run a gem of a dinner house here Thursday through Saturday nights in the summer.

1413 Rumsey Ave., Cody, WY 82414. www.mayorsinn.com. phone 888/217-3001 or 307/587-0887. 5 units, including carriage house. A/C, TV. $125–$160 double; $215 suite. Rates (excluding carriage house) include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Pahaska Tepee Resort Buffalo Bill’s hunting lodge, only 2 miles from the east entrance to Yellowstone, was dubbed with his Lakota name, Pahaska (longhair), when he opened the lodge to park visitors in 1905. Near the top of the beautiful Wapiti Valley along U.S. Hwy. 14/16/20, Pahaska is a popular stop for people visiting the Yellowstone area. The cabins are scattered on the hill behind the historic (and colorfully decorated) lodge. Accommodations have limited amenities and might best be described as “minimotels” with two to five rooms, each with a private entrance. Some bathrooms have only showers, some have tubs—it’s best to ask in advance. The resort also has a gift shop, restaurant, and trail-ride stables.

183 Yellowstone Hwy., Cody, WY 82414. www.pahaska.com. phone 800/628-7791 or 307/527-7701. Fax 307/527-4019. 47 units. TEL. June–Aug $115–$175 double, $575 condo, $1,095 lodge; May and late Sept to mid-Oct $70–$140 double, $450–$495 condo, $895–$995 lodge. DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to Apr.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Each dining room at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Old Faithful Inn, and Lake Yellowstone Hotel has a distinctive ambience, with solid, if none too adventurous, cuisine and servings aimed squarely at a hiker’s appetite. For reservations, contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts (phone 866/439-7375; www.xanterra.com). The atmosphere is festive and just elegant enough that you might want to dress up a bit for dinner—put on socks, perhaps, and a shirt with a collar. The prices aren’t bad, and the big halls absorb sound well enough that young children are rarely a bother. Reservations are recommended and sometimes required.

If you’re not up for restaurant dining, there is counter-style fast-food service at the Yellowstone General Stores, and snack shops and cafeterias in the villages at Canyon, Mammoth, Grant Village, Yellowstone Lake Lodge, and Old Faithful.

Mammoth Hot Springs

You’ll find the Terrace Grille at the opposite end of the building that holds the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel Dining Room. It serves typical restaurant fare in a less formal—and less pricey—dining room, but it doesn’t take reservations.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel STEAK/SEAFOOD At Mammoth, there’s a good balance between casual and formal because the dining room is reminiscent of an above-average neighborhood restaurant: comfortable and pleasant without too much of the hotel’s Victorian past. The view of the Old Fort Yellowstone buildings and surrounding slopes is also quite enjoyable. The breakfast buffet is essentially identical to what you’ll find here at other locations, featuring eggs, French toast, and the like. The lunch menu focuses on an array of sandwiches, including smoked turkey on Parmesan-crusted sourdough, trout tacos, and smoked salmon club. The dinner menu includes bison top sirloin, Idaho trout, and tasty pork chops, and the vegetarian entrees are creatively inspired and surprisingly good.

At Mammoth Hot Springs. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Reservations recommended in winter. Breakfast $4–$12; lunch $8–$16; dinner $11–$25. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed early Oct to late Dec and early Mar to mid-May. Mid-May to early Oct daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5–10pm; late Dec to early Mar daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5:30–8pm.

Canyon Village Area

Arrayed around this busy village parking lot are a casual, soda fountain–style restaurant, a cafeteria, a takeout place, and a conventional dining room.

The Canyon Glacier Pit Snack Bar, operated by Yellowstone General Stores, shares a building with a convenience store and souvenir shop. Seating is on stools in the fashion of a 1950s soda fountain; you can expect to wait up to 30 minutes during peak hours. The Canyon Lodge Cafeteria is a fast-food alternative across the parking lot in the Canyon Lodge area. Next door is an inexpensive deli, The Picnic Stop, with sandwiches, salads, and other light fare.

Canyon Lodge Dining Room STEAK/SEAFOOD This is a spacious dining area, a tad sterile perhaps, and when it fills up, it’s noisy. The salad bar is long and loaded, but otherwise the dinner fare is largely geared toward the carnivore, with a wide selection of steaks alongside some seafood and pasta selections. The breakfast buffet is a good way to start your day, with all the standard American fixings. The crowds can be large at Canyon Village, but there is a relaxed and unhurried feel to this place that you don’t find at some of the park’s other busy points. Families in particular might appreciate the ability to take their time with their meals.

At Canyon Lodge. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $5–$12; lunch $7–$10; dinner $12–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Early June to late Sept daily 7–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5–10pm.

Tower-Roosevelt Area

Roosevelt Lodge Dining Room STEAKS/SEAFOOD This is supposed to be the cowboy alternative to the fancier cuisine served at the bigger Yellowstone hotels, but the unadventurous menu will win over only the most naive city slickers. For breakfast, it’s eggs and flapjacks; lunch is burgers and sandwiches. Come suppertime, the menu is dominated by barbecue and steaks. A better idea: Join Roosevelt’s Old West Dinner Cookout, and ride by horse or wagon through the Pleasant Valley to a chuckwagon dinner that includes cornbread, steak, watermelon, those famous beans, and apple crisp. It’s a daily summer event (reservations required) that costs $68 to $84 for an adult, depending on the route of your horseback ride, or $57 if you go by wagon. Children pay about $10 less.

At Tower Junction. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Reservations not accepted, except for Old West cookouts. Breakfast $5–$10; lunch $7–$11; dinner $9–$25. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mid-June to early Sept daily 7–10am, 11:30am–3pm, and 4:30–9pm.

Yellowstone Lake

For the eat-on-the-run traveler, a deli in the Lake Yellowstone Hotel serves lighter fare in an area that is slightly larger than a broom closet. Just down the road, the Yellowstone Park General Store offers meals in a section of the store that is shared with tourist items; the best bet is breakfast or a burger. There is also a cafeteria serving three meals a day at Lake Lodge.

Lake Yellowstone Hotel CONTINENTAL This represents the finest dining Yellowstone has to offer, with a view of the lake stretching south from a vast dining room that doesn’t feel crowded even when it’s full. One of the best ways to start your day is with a generous breakfast buffet, but the polenta corn cakes with hazelnut-huckleberry butter are also quite good. Lunch entrees are gourmet sandwiches and burgers. The dinner menu is the most adventurous in the park. Appetizers include velvet corn soup and lobster ravioli, while entrees include vegetable paella, bison tenderloin, and blackened salmon.

On the north side of the lake. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Dinner reservations recommended. Breakfast $6–$14; lunch $8–$14; dinner $13–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mid-May to early Oct daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5–10pm.

Grant Village

The casual choice here is the Lake House, footsteps away from the Grant Village restaurant. It specializes in inexpensive fish entrees, as well as burgers and beer. No reservations are accepted. The Village Grill in the Yellowstone General Store here also serves three meals daily.

Grant Village Dining Room STEAK/SEAFOOD Breakfast and lunch at the Grant Village restaurant are much like those at the other restaurants in the park, although the chef often surprises diners with interesting dinner items that stray from the norm. Lunch includes pan-fried trout covered with toasted pecans and lemon butter, huge burgers, and Monte Cristo sandwiches. The dinner menu ranges from herb-roasted chicken to penne with balsamic-roasted veggies to prime rib, but the specialty is trout, pan-fried with pecans. Quality and ambience here are comparable to those of the better dining rooms at the major park hotels.

At Grant Village. phone 866/439-7375. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Dinner reservations required. Breakfast $5–$112 lunch $8–$11; dinner $10–$27. AE, DISC, MC, V. June–Sept daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5:30–10pm.

Old Faithful Area

Choices abound here. For quick and inexpensive, the year-round Geyser Grill at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the cafeterias at the Old Faithful Lodge Cafeteria and Bake Shop serve lunch and dinner in a fast-food environment that fits the mood of a crowd on the move; the Bear Paw Deli, an ice-cream stand in the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn, is your best choice for dessert. The Yellowstone General Store also has a lunch counter.

Obsidian Dining Room STEAK/SEAFOOD In the snazzy new Snow Lodge, a spacious restaurant provides a comparatively contemporary alternative to the dining room at the Old Faithful Inn. It’s a little quieter, a little less expensive, and a little less formal. It still has some flash on the menu—braised bison short ribs shank and linguine with shrimp or chicken, for instance—and there is a breakfast gem, the vegan breakfast burrito.

At the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Reservations not accepted in summer. Breakfast $5–$12; lunch $7–$20; dinner $10–$30. AE, DISC, MC, V. Early May to mid-Oct daily 6:30–10:30am and 5–10:30pm; mid-Dec to mid-Mar daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–3pm, and 5–9:30pm.

Old Faithful Inn Dining Room STEAK/SEAFOOD The food notwithstanding, the true highlight is the gnarled log architecture of this distinguished historic inn. Breakfast is buffet or a la carte, and there’s a lot to choose from. There’s another buffet at lunchtime (headlined by pan-fried trout and barbecue chicken), as well as a generous assortment of salads and sandwiches. Dinnertime brings yet another buffet (prime rib being the headliner), along with menu entrees such as steaks, fish, and a vegetarian dish. The fare has gotten more distinguished in recent years, with such creative options as bison ravioli and pan-seared elk medallions making regular appearances on the menu.

At the Old Faithful Inn. phone 307/344-7311. www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com. Dinner reservations required. Breakfast and lunch $5–$15; dinner $15–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Early May to early Oct daily 6:30–10:30am, 11:30am–2:30pm, and 5–10pm. Closed in winter.

Near the Park

West Yellowstone

Beartooth Barbecue BARBECUE A bustling and funky space that serves some mean barbecue, this is my pick for a casual meal in West Yellowstone. At the bar or a table in the bric-a-brac-laden room (hanging from the walls are sleds, ristas, a traffic light, and sports memorabilia), order a plate of St. Louis–cut spareribs or beef brisket for lunch or dinner (or a sandwich with brisket, sausage, or chicken), and plenty of tangy sauce. The bar has Montana-micro beer on draft and serves wine by the glass, but no liquor is served.

111 Canyon St. phone 406/646-0227. Lunch and dinner $10–$27. MC, V. Daily noon–10pm. Closed Oct–Apr.

The Canyon Street Grill AMERICAN It’s hard not to like an establishment whose slogan is “We are not a fast-food restaurant. We are a cafe reminiscent of a bygone era when the quality of the food meant more than how fast it could be served.” With checkerboard floors and shiny red booths, this delightful 1950s-style spot serves hearty food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hamburgers and chicken sandwiches are popular, accompanied by milkshakes made with hard ice cream or a famous root beer float.

22 Canyon St. phone 406/646-7548. www.canyonstreetgrill.com. Main courses $5–$12. DISC, MC, V. May–Nov Mon–Sat 11am–10pm; shorter hours rest of year. Closed Apr to mid-May.

Eino’s Tavern AMERICAN Locals snowmobile out from West Yellowstone to Eino’s (there’s a trail that follows U.S. Hwy. 191) to become their own chefs at the grill here. It’s a novel concept, and it keeps patrons coming back to this casual restaurant with a fine view of Hebgen Lake time and time again. There’s usually a line out the door, but it’s fun to peruse the walls, plastered with dollar bills and other currency as well as bras and funny photos, while you wait. After placing your order for a steak, teriyaki chicken, hamburger, or hot dog, keep a straight face when you’re handed an uncooked piece of meat. Go to the grill, slap it on, and stand around, drink in hand, shooting the breeze with other patrons until your food is exactly the way you like it. Steaks and chicken come with your choice of a salad (or the place’s trademark “hot potatoes” in winter), and hamburgers come with chips.

155 Eino’s Loop (9 miles north of West Yellowstone on U.S. Hwy. 191). phone 406/646-9344. Main courses $5.50–$25. No credit cards; ATM on premises. Winter daily 9am–9pm; rest of year Mon–Fri 4–9pm, Sat–Sun noon–9pm. Closed Thanksgiving to mid-Dec.

The Outpost Restaurant AMERICAN Tucked away in a downtown mall, this rustic restaurant laden with Western bric-a-brac serves old-fashioned homestyle fare such as hearty beef stew, with fork-size chunks of carrots and potatoes. There’s also salmon, steak, trout, liver, and an excellent salad bar. For breakfast, if you’re really hungry, you can’t beat the Campfire Omelet, smothered in homemade chili, cheese, and onions. There’s no video poker, beer, wine, liquor, or smoking, making for a relatively quiet, family-friendly atmosphere. The desserts include pie and a wild huckleberry sundae.

115 Yellowstone Ave. (in the Montana Outpost Mall). phone 406/646-7303. Breakfast $5–$16; lunch $6–$14; dinner $9–$25. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30am–10:30pm. Closed mid-Oct to mid-Apr.

Sydney’s Mountain Bistro NEW AMERICAN The most upscale option in a meat-and-potatoes town, Sydney’s offers an intimate setting, an excellent wine list, and a menu that balances seafood and vegetarian fare with beef, poultry, and pork. With interesting preparations—such as flash-fried calamari for starters and entrees including sweet-chile salmon and butternut squash ravioli—and a breezy patio complementing the upscale atmosphere inside, this is my pick for a special meal in West Yellowstone.

38 Canyon St. phone 406/646-7660. www.sydneysbistro.com. Dinner $15–$38. MC, V. Daily 5–10pm.

Gardiner

The Chico Dining Room CONTINENTAL The Chico Hot Springs Resort is 30 miles north of Gardiner, but if you’re in the area, stop here for some of the best food in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and a soak in this resort’s hot springs. The carnivorous traveler will enjoy the selection of top-drawer beef, the pine nut–crusted Alaskan halibut is a seafood aficionado’s dream, and wine lovers won’t be disappointed one bit by the award-winning list. Many of the incredibly fresh veggies originate in the resort’s garden and greenhouse, and the menu always includes a vegetarian selection. You’ll want to linger over the food, so consider a night’s stay.

Old Chico Rd., Pray, MT. phone 406/333-4933. www.chicohotsprings.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $25–$40. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–10pm; winter Sun–Thurs 5:30–9pm, Fri–Sat 5:30–10pm; Sun brunch 8:30–11:30am. Located 30 miles north of Gardiner.

The Corral Drive-In AMERICAN Since 1960, this place’s reputation has rested on burgers that are nothing short of colossal. With a half pound of meat (beef, elk, or buffalo), several slices of American cheese, bacon, and all the usual veggies, these burgers have been known to measure a full 7 inches from bun to bun. The monstrous things garnered the nickname “Helen’s Hateful Hamburgers” after a dissatisfied customer wrote a letter to the local paper dubbing them just that. Corral founder Helen Gould ran with it, using the intended insult as a sarcastic slogan in promotions and on T-shirts. Ice cream, chicken and fish sandwiches, and an assortment of fried goods round out the menu.

U.S. Hwy. 89 at Yellowstone St. phone 406/848-7627. Reservations not accepted. Menu items $4–$16. MC, V. May–Sept daily 11am–11pm. Closed mid-Oct to Apr.

Sawtooth Deli DELI/AMERICAN This stalwart eatery on Park Street is a reliable spot for hearty American breakfasts and plump subs. I like the breakfast burritos in the morning (especially before a big hike) and the Philly cheese steaks and veggie subs for lunch (especially after a big hike). With a basic main room and a breezy patio, there is both wait service and a to-go counter. Dinner features the lunch menu plus nightly specials such as pasta and ribs. Beer and wine are served, but not liquor.

222 W. Park St. phone 406/848-7600. Main courses $5–$8 breakfast and lunch; $5–$16 dinner. MC, V. Summer Tues–Sat 8am–4pm and 5–9pm; shorter hours rest of year.

Cody

Cassie’s Supper Club WESTERN Cassie’s is the sort of classic roadhouse you might expect and look for in the West: big platters of beef, four bars serving drinks, and ornery roadhouse decor with taxidermy, antelope skulls, and assorted cowboy ephemera. This place has the routine down, having been in business since 1922. Located along the highway west of town in what was once a “house of ill fame,” Cassie’s is now very respectable and quite good. Besides the requisite steaks—grilled to perfection—there’s seafood (including a great walleye dinner), pasta, and chicken, plus a full menu of specialty drinks. In the Buffalo Bar, a 20-foot mural depicts horses, cowboys, and shootouts. The near-mythical dance floor bustles to the twang of live country music every night in summer.

214 Yellowstone Ave. phone 307/527-5500. www.cassies.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch and Sun brunch $7–$25; dinner $12–$40. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–10pm.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

Pick up your food and camping supplies at the ubiquitous Yellowstone General Stores, which are in all the park villages, or at supermarkets in Cody, Gardiner, or West Yellowstone.

Shiki SUSHI An anomalous standout in meat-and-potatoes Cody, Shiki is a superlative sushi bar. With spare Asian decor—consisting primarily of artfully hung cloth and an attractive water feature—and booth, table, and bar seating, the setting matches the top-notch sushi rolls and tempura, teriyaki, and curry entree. The sushi includes traditional rolls like spicy tuna and eel, as well as a few regional variations—like the Heart Mountain, with crab, cucumber, avocado, and crunchy tempura flakes. Don’t be alarmed by the lack of an ocean nearby: Fresh fish is flown in two to three times a week from both coasts.

1420 Sheridan Ave. phone 307/527-7116. Reservations not accepted. Sushi rolls $5–$15; main courses $15–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11am–2pm and 4–9pm; Sat 11:30am–9pm; Sun 4–9pm.

Wyoming’s Rib & Chop House STEAKS One of an upscale regional chain with locations in Billings, Miles City, and Livingston, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming, this is the place to head for terrific ribs, chops, and steaks—from chicken-fried steaks to buffalo rib-eyes—but vegetarians will have difficulty finding a meatless main course. Chicken and seafood round out the menu, and desserts like “Pecan Meltaway”—a chocolate crust filled with ice cream, pecans, and more chocolate—provide decadent finales. A new bar opened in 2011.

1367 Sheridan Ave. phone 307/587-4917. www.ribandchophouse.com. Lunch $6–$10; dinner $10–$33. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–10:30pm.; shorter winter hours.

A Side Trip: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, MT

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Little Bighorn Battlefield is a relatively easy detour on the way west or east if you are passing through this area, and worth a trip if you are anywhere close by. Most people who visit the battlefield include it in their trip to Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park. For driving directions from the monument to Yellowstone, see “Getting There & Gateways,” earlier in this chapter.

Like the Revolutionary War battlefield at Lexington, Massachusetts, and Civil War battlefields at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Appomattox, Virginia, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in eastern Montana presents visitors with an opportunity to immerse themselves in American history. This is where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the 647 men of the 7th Cavalry were wiped out on June 25, 1876, after Custer and his troops attacked an American Indian village along the banks of the Little Bighorn River. Custer had divided his troops into three companies—he led one, while Maj. Marcus Reno and Capt. Frederick Benteen commanded the others. Custer expected little resistance, but he was surprised by what some have estimated at several thousand Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors, who surrounded and killed the soldiers.

Until 1991, the battlefield was known as the Custer Battlefield in honor of the soldiers who fought there. However, when activists protested that the battlefield recognized only one side of what occurred on its dusty soil, Congress changed the name. In late 2001, Congress approved $2.3 million for construction of a memorial at the national monument to the American Indian warriors who fought at Little Big Horn. The striking memorial, dedicated in 2003, includes bronze tracings of three warriors—a Sioux, a Cheyenne, and an Arapaho—and what is described as a “spirit gate.”

Essentials

When to Go

The national monument is popular, and visitation is highest between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The best advice if you wish to avoid crowds is to avoid these months, or to arrive early in the morning or late in the day. This is also good advice because summers in eastern Montana can get very hot, and there is no shade on the battlefield.

Getting There

If you are coming from the west, from Billings, Montana, take I-90 east 61 miles to the Little Bighorn Battlefield off-ramp at U.S. 212 (exit 510). If you are coming from the south, from Sheridan, Wyoming, take I-90 north (approx. 70 miles) to the same off-ramp at U.S. 212. If you are coming from the east, from the Black Hills of South Dakota, you will already be on U.S. 212. The battlefield is 42 miles west of Lame Deer, Montana.

Information & Visitor Center

Contact Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, P.O. Box 39, Crow Agency, MT 59022-0039 (phone 406/638-3214 or 406/638-3217; www.nps.gov/libi).

At the visitor center just inside the park entrance, you’ll see actual uniforms worn by Custer, read about his life, and view an eerie reenactment of the battles on a small-scale replica of the battlefield.

Park Hours & Fees

The park is open daily 8am to 9pm from Memorial Day through July, and 8am to 8pm August to Labor Day; spring and fall hours are 8am to 6pm; winter hours are 8am to 4:30pm. The visitor center is open the same hours. The park is closed on January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25. The admission fee is $10 per vehicle, $5 per person on foot or bike.

Ranger Programs & Guided Tours

Regular interpretive talks help visitors understand the battle and its participants. Subjects vary during the day and include discussion of the culture and life of the Northern Plains tribes that engaged in the battle, army life in the 1870s, weapons and tactics, and the significance of the battle. There is a free cell-phone-based audio tour available; call the park for information.

For a unique perspective, take a guided tour with Apsaalooke Tours (phone 406/638-3114); American Indian guides lead 1-hour bus tours by reservation. The cost is $150 (cash only) for a group of any size.

Exploring the Monument

It’s possible to view the site in less than a half-hour, but you should plan to spend enough time to explore the visitor center, listen to interpretive talks presented by rangers, and then tour the site. You’ll leave with a greater appreciation for the monument and understanding of the history that led up to the battle.

After stopping at the visitor center, drive 4 1/2 miles south to the Reno-Benteen Monument Entrenchment Trail, at the end of the monument road, and double back. Interpretive signs at the top of this bluff show the route followed by the companies under Custer, Benteen, and Reno as they approached the area from the south, and the positions from which they defended themselves from their American Indian attackers.

As you proceed north along the ridge, you’ll pass Custer’s Lookout, the spot from which the general first viewed the Indian village. This was the spot at which Custer sent for reinforcements, though he continued marching north.

Capt. Thomas Weir led his troops to Weir Point in hopes of assisting Custer, but was immediately discovered by the Indian warriors and forced to retreat to the spot held by Reno.

The Medicine Trail Ford, on the ridge, overlooks a spot well below the bluffs in the Medicine Trail Coulee on the Little Bighorn River, where hundreds of warriors who had been sent from the Reno battle pushed across the river in pursuit of Custer and his army.

Farther north, the Cheyenne warrior Lame White Man led an attack up Calhoun Ridge against a company of the 7th Cavalry that had charged downhill into the coulee. When the opponents’ resistance overwhelmed the army, troops retreated back up the hill, where they were killed.

As you proceed to the north, you will find detailed descriptions of the events that occurred on the northernmost edges of the ridge, as well as white markers that indicate the places where army troops fell in battle. The bodies of Custer, his brothers Tom and Boston, and nephew Autie Reed all were found on Custer Hill.

Indian casualties during the rout are estimated at 60 to 100 warriors. Following the battle, which some say began early in the morning and ended within 2 hours, the Indians broke camp in haste and scattered to the north and south. Within a few short years, they were all confined to reservations.

The survivors of the Reno-Benteen armies buried the bodies of Custer and his slain army where they fell. In 1881, the graves that could be located were opened, and the bones reinterred at the base of a memorial shaft found overlooking the battlefield. Custer’s remains were eventually reburied at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

There are three walking trails within the monument for visitors wishing to explore the battle in greater depth.

The adjacent National Cemetery, established in 1879, incorporates a self-guided tour to the graves of some of the more significant figures buried there. The Indian Memorial is also in this area.

Chapter 35: Yosemite National Park, CA

by Eric Peterson

Yosemite’s sky-scraping geologic formations, lush meadows, swollen rivers, and spectacular waterfalls make it a destination for travelers from around the world. It’s home to three of the world’s 10 highest waterfalls and the largest single piece of exposed granite anywhere, not to mention one of the world’s largest trees and the most recognized rock formation.

Yosemite National Park

The greatest thing about all this is that you don’t have to be a mountaineer to enjoy the beauty. Yosemite’s most popular attractions are accessible to everyone. No matter where you go, you’ll see a view worth remembering. In the span of a mile, you can behold the quiet beauty of a forest, walk through a pristine meadow, observe a sunset from a towering granite cliff, hike to a half-mile-high waterfall, enjoy a moonlit night as bright as day, climb a rock, and eat a gourmet meal before falling asleep, be it under the stars or in a luxurious hotel.

Yosemite Valley, the destination of 95% of park visitors (more than three million people a year), is just a small sliver of the park—around 1% of its land area—but it holds the bulk of the region’s jaw-dropping features. This is the place of record-setting statistics: the highest waterfall in North America and three of the tallest in the world (Upper Yosemite, Sentinel, and Ribbon falls), the biggest and tallest piece of exposed granite (El Capitan), and stands of giant sequoia.

The flip side is that 94% of the park is designated wilderness, and only a tiny fraction of visitors dive into it. While Yosemite is in some ways being loved to death, there are plenty of hiking destinations that will take you away from the roar of traffic and the crush of the crowds to places you can have, if just for one perfect moment, all to yourself.

Avoiding the Crowds

Yosemite has its highest number of visitors during summer, especially during school vacations, so the best advice for avoiding crowds is to go when schools are in session. The campgrounds and lodgings are often full from June through August, and you can expect some crowds in late spring and early fall as well. Because of Yosemite’s proximity to California’s population centers, you’ll also want to try to avoid weekends, especially holiday weekends. Winter is a great time to visit Yosemite—not only is the park almost empty, but it also offers a number of activities, from skiing at Badger Pass to sledding, ice-skating, and snowshoeing. Keep in mind, however, that the high country along Tioga Pass Road is inaccessible to vehicles from mid-fall to early June, depending on snow levels.

Other ways to avoid humanity at any time of the year are to explore the less-visited sections of the park—which generally means anywhere outside Yosemite Valley—and to walk away from the crowds by getting out on the trails. The farther you go from the trail heads, the fewer people you’ll encounter. Time of day is also important. Most people tour the park between 10am and 4pm, meaning that early morning, late afternoon, and early evening are the best times to see the park.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Yosemite is a 3 1/2-hour drive from San Francisco and a 6-hour drive from Los Angeles. Many roads lead to Yosemite’s four entrances. From the west, the Big Oak Flat Entrance is 88 miles from Manteca on Calif. 120 and passes through the towns of Groveland, Buck Meadows, and Big Oak Flat. The Arch Rock Entrance is 75 miles northeast of Merced on Calif. 140 and passes through Mariposa and El Portal. The South Entrance is 64 miles north of Fresno and passes through Oakhurst, Bass Lake, and Fish Camp. From the east, the Tioga Pass Entrance is the only option. It is 10 miles west of Lee Vining on Calif. 120; the route is usually open only in the summer. To check on statewide road conditions, call phone 800/427-7623 in California (or 916/445-7623 elsewhere) or visit www.dot.ca.gov.

Daily bus transportation into the park from Merced, Mariposa, and nearby communities is provided by YARTS, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (phone 877/989-2787 or 209/388-9589; www.yarts.com). Buses are not subject to park entrance delays during peak season. From Merced, there are several departures daily from the airport, train station, and bus terminal. Round-trip fare is $25 adults, $18 for children under 13 and seniors 62 and older. There are stops in Mariposa at several lodgings and the visitor center, with round-trip rates of $12 adults, $8 for children under 13 and seniors 62 and older.

The Nearest Airports Fresno–Yosemite International Airport (phone 559/621-4500; www.fresno.gov), 90 miles from the South Entrance at Wawona, is the nearest major airport. It serves over 25 cities with more than 100 flights daily. Airlines include Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and US Airways. You can rent a car from Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, or National/Alamo. Mariposa County Airport (phone 209/966-2143) has a tiny airstrip for private planes.

Information

Get general information from Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389 (phone 209/372-0200; www.nps.gov/yose). The park newspaper, the Yosemite Guide, is a vital source of information. The Yosemite Conservancy (phone 209/379-2317; www.yosemiteconservancy.org) sells relevant books and supports the park with volunteers and fundraising efforts.

Visitor Centers

In the park, the best and biggest visitor center is the Valley Visitor Center in Yosemite Village (phone 209/372-0200). The year-round center offers tour information, daily ranger programs, lodging, and restaurants. The rangers here are helpful, insightful, and knowledgeable. Inside, information boards update road conditions and campsite availability, and serve as message boards. Maps, books, and videos are for sale. There are several exhibits on the park, its geologic history, and the history of the valley. Nearby is Yosemite Valley Wilderness Center, a small room with high-country maps, information on necessary equipment, and trail information. A ranger at the desk answers questions, issues permits, and offers advice about the high country. Elsewhere, the Wawona Information Station and Big Oak Flat Information Center dispense general park information. In the high country, stop at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center for information and advice.

Fees & Permits

It costs $20 per vehicle per week to enter the park, or $10 per person per week if arriving on bike or on foot. Camping costs $5 to $20 a night.

Camping in the backcountry and fishing both require permits. See “Fishing” (under “Other Sports & Activities”) and “Overnight Hikes,” later in this chapter, for more information.

Special Regulations & Warnings

In addition to the usual regulations about not damaging the natural resources, staying on established trails, and the like, special regulations at Yosemite are aimed at protecting the park’s bear population, which has become much too familiar with the habits of humans. Under no circumstances should food be left in tents, cabins, or cars. There are storage lockers and bear-proof containers throughout the park—use them. Never feed a bear, or any animal, for that matter.

Seasons & Climate

For general information on the climate of Yosemite, see the “Seasons & Climate” section of chapter 32, which covers nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks. The climate there is similar to Yosemite’s. The high country in Yosemite receives up to 20 feet of snow annually, and visitors who plan a winter trip should be well experienced in winter travel.

Seasonal Events

January to February: Chefs’ Holidays. Yosemite entertains nationally renowned chefs, who share their secrets with participants. Each session, which includes several talks and demonstrations throughout the day by noted chefs, concludes with a banquet in the Ahwahnee Dining Room. Packages that include overnight accommodations at the Ahwahnee are available. Call phone 801/559-5000 for reservations.

March: Heritage Holidays. Started in 2002 to celebrate the Ahwahnee’s 75th birthday, this is a nostalgic treat for visitors, and many events—concerts, lectures, and movies—are free and open to the public. Lodging packages at the Ahwahnee and the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls are available. Call phone 801/559-5000 for more information.

November to December: Vintners’ Holidays. California’s finest winemakers hold tastings in the Ahwahnee Great Lounge. Each session concludes with a Vintners’ Banquet. Two-, 3-, and 5-night packages are also available. Call phone 801/559-5000 for reservations.

December 15 to 26: The Bracebridge Dinner. This event transports diners to 17th-century England, with music, song, and course upon course of delectable dishes. This popular event requires reservations, which are secured by lottery. Applications are available December 1 to January 15 and are due February 15 for the following year. Expect to pay around $500 per person. Call phone 801/559-5000 for more information.

If You Have Only 1 day

This park begs for an extended visit, but those with a limited amount of time will also have an enjoyable experience, especially if they use the park’s free shuttle bus. The bus operates year-round, with fewer stops in winter. Bus stops are well marked and within walking distance of all parking lots. I’ve included shuttle bus stop numbers throughout the valley sections of this chapter.

You can get on and off the shuttles at any point, but be sure to stop at the Valley Visitor Center (shuttle bus stop no. 5 or 9) to see an exhibit on how the valley was created.

If you’re not apt to take off on your own, one of the best ways to spend your time wisely is to take one of the guided tours (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below). But if group activities aren’t really your cup of tea, try the following sites on your own.

The base of Lower Yosemite Fall (shuttle bus stop no. 6) is an easy walk from the parking lot across from Yosemite Lodge. The hike is described in greater detail below. From here, you can see a portion of the magnificent water show. During peak runoff, when the force of the falls sends spray in every direction, it’s not uncommon to get wet. In late winter and early spring, a huge snow cone caused by freezing water rises up to 300 feet at the base of this fall.

Happy Isles (shuttle bus stop no. 16) is another major attraction. Located at the convergence of several inlets, it’s the site of the valley’s nature center. This is also the trail head for Vernal and Nevada falls, two staircase waterfalls accessible only on foot. Both are described later in this chapter.

Next, I recommend a visit to Mirror Lake (shuttle bus stop no. 17), a small lake named for the near-perfect way it reflects the surrounding scenery. It’s slowly filling up with silt and is less dramatic and mirrorlike than it used to be, but its shore still offers a beautiful view of Half Dome. This short stroll is well marked and described below.

Exploring the Park

Yosemite Valley

It’s relatively easy to find your way around Yosemite. All road signs are clear and visible. You’ll soon realize that everything leads to a one-way road that hugs the valley’s perimeter. To get from one side to the other, you can either drive the entire loop or travel one of the few bridges over the Merced River. It’s easy to find yourself heading in the wrong direction on the one-way road, so be alert whenever you merge.

In addition to the year-round shuttle bus in Yosemite Valley, Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows offer a similar service during summer months. Driving in any of these places during peak season—or even off season in the valley—is a surefire way to miss important sights and spend too much time stuck in traffic.

Yosemite Valley

Many people come to Yosemite National Park solely to see Yosemite Valley, which can be simply described as a giant study in shadow and light. In spring, after winter snow begins melting in the high country, waterfalls encircle the valley, shimmering like a diamond necklace. There are wide, beautiful meadows, towering trees, and the ever-present sound of rushing water in the background.

Yosemite Valley consists of three developed areas. Just about all the hotels, restaurants, and shops are in Yosemite Village, Yosemite Lodge, and Curry Village. Curry Village (also called Camp Curry) and Yosemite Lodge offer the bulk of the park’s overnight accommodations. Curry Village is near shuttle bus stop nos. 13A, 13B, 14, 15, 20, and 21. Yosemite Lodge is at stop no. 8. Both locations have restaurants and a small grocery. The lodge has a large public swimming pool, and Curry Village has an ice rink (open in winter).

Yosemite Village (shuttle bus stop nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, and 10) is the largest-developed region in the valley. It is home to the park’s largest visitor center and the headquarters for the National Park Service in Yosemite, as well as for DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, the contractor that runs most of the park’s accommodations and restaurants. The village has a host of stores and shops, including a grocery, restaurants, the valley’s only medical clinic, a dentist, a post office, a salon, and an ATM.

Also check out the Yosemite Pioneer Cemetery, a peaceful graveyard in the shade of tall sequoias with headstones dating from the 1800s. (Pick up the self-guiding booklet at the nearby visitor center.) There are about 36 marked graves, identifiable by horizontal slabs of rock, some etched with crude or faded writing. Buried here are some notables in Yosemite history, such as James Lamon, an early settler known for his apple trees—they still bear fruit—who died in 1875.

Next door, you’ll find the Yosemite Museum and Indian Cultural Exhibit. Both are free and provide a historic picture of the park, before and after it was settled and secured as a national treasure. The museum entrance is marked by a crowd-pleaser—the cross-section of a 1,000-year-old sequoia with memorable dates identified on the tree’s rings. Highlights include the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, the landing of Columbus in the New World, and the Civil War. The ring was cut in 1919 from a tree that fell in the Mariposa Grove south of the valley in Wawona. The Indian Cultural Exhibit strives to explain the life of the American Indians who once lived here, and members of regional tribes regularly speak or give demonstrations of traditional arts. The Yosemite Museum Book Shop, next door, sells books as well as traditional American Indian arts and crafts.

The village of the Ahwahneechee is behind the museum and Indian Cultural Exhibit; a free self-guided walking tour is accessible from the back door of the visitor center. This exhibit guides visitors through the transformation of the Ahwahneechee, the tribe that inhabited Yosemite Valley until the mid-1850s. The village includes a ceremonial roundhouse that’s still in use.

The Ansel Adams Gallery (phone 888/361-7622 or 209/372-4413; www.anseladams.com) sells prints and cards of images made by the famed photographer. The shop also serves as a small gallery for current artisans, some with works for sale.

One mile east of Yosemite Village on a narrow, dead-end road is the majestic old Ahwahnee hotel (shuttle bus stop no. 3; see “Where to Stay,” later in this chapter). It’s definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in architecture and design.

The Yosemite Valley Chapel is on the south side of the Merced River (shuttle bus stop no. 11). From the bus stop, walk across the bridge and to the left for just under a quarter mile. Schedules for worship services in the chapel are posted in the Yosemite Guide and available by phone (phone 209/372-4831).

The LeConte Memorial Lodge (shuttle bus stop no. 12) is an educational center and library. Built in 1903 in honor of University of California geologist Joseph LeConte, the Tudor-style granite building schedules a number of free educational programs. Talks are listed in the Yosemite Guide.

At the valley’s far eastern end, beyond Curry Village, is the Happy Isles Nature Center (shuttle bus stop no. 16). Summer hours are 9am to 5pm daily; it’s closed fall through spring. The nature center offers exhibits and books on the animal and plant life of Yosemite, and is a super place for children to explore. This is also where the park’s Little Cub and Junior Ranger programs are held. Happy Isles is named for three nearby inlets labeled by Yosemite’s guardian in 1880.

North of the Valley

Hetch Hetchy and Tuolumne Meadows are remarkably different regions on opposite sides of the park. Hetch Hetchy is on the western border; take the turnoff just outside the park’s Big Oak Flat Entrance. Tuolumne Meadows is on the eastern border, just inside Tioga Pass, and is inaccessible by motor vehicle during the winter.

Hetch Hetchy is home to the park’s reviled reservoir, fought over for years by conservationist John Muir. In the end, Muir lost and the dam was built, ensuring water for the city of San Francisco. Many believe the loss exhausted Muir and hastened his death in 1914, a year after a bill was signed to fund the dam project. Construction began on the dam in 1919, and it was completed in 1923.

South of Hetch Hetchy, inside the park, are two large stands of giant sequoias. The Merced and Tuolumne groves offer a quiet alternative to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees in Wawona. Both groves are accessible only on foot. The Merced Grove is a 4-mile round-trip walk that begins on Big Oak Flat Road about 4 1/2 miles inside the Big Oak Flat Entrance. Although the trees don’t mirror the majesty of the Mariposa Grove, the solitude makes this area a real treat for hikers. The Tuolumne Grove of about 25 trees is the destination of a 1-mile hike (2-hr. round-trip).

To get into Yosemite’s high country, go about 1 1/2 hours east along Tioga Road, which is closed in winter between Big Oak Flat and Tioga Pass. This subalpine region is low on amenities, which makes it a frequent haunt of those who enjoy roughing it, but even cushy-soft couch potatoes can enjoy the beauty up here. Glistening granite domes tower above lush green meadows, which are cut by silver swaths of streams and lakes. Many of Yosemite’s longer hikes begin or pass through here.

Olmsted Point, midway between White Wolf and Tuolumne meadows, offers one of the most spectacular vistas anywhere in the park. Here the enormous walls of the Tenaya Canyon are exposed, and an endless view stretches all the way to Yosemite Valley. In the distance are Cloud’s Rest and the rear of Half Dome. To the east, easily accessible Tenaya Lake, one of the park’s larger lakes, glistens like a sapphire.

About 8 miles east of Tenaya Lake is Tuolumne Meadows, a huge subalpine area surrounded by domes and steep granite formations that offer exhilarating climbs. The meadow is a beautiful place to hike and fish, or just to admire the scenery while escaping the crowds of Yosemite Valley. North of the meadow is Lembert Dome at about 2 o’clock, and then, working clockwise, Johnson Peak at 7 o’clock, Unicorn Peak at 8 o’clock, Fairview Dome at about 10 o’clock, and Pothole Dome at 11 o’clock. Up the road is the central region of Tuolumne, where you’ll find a visitor center, campground, canvas tent-cabins, and a store. Continue east to reach Tioga Lake and Tioga Pass.

South of the Valley

This region, which includes Wawona and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, is densely forested. It has a handful of granite rock formations, none as spectacular as those found elsewhere in the park. En route to Wawona you’ll come across several wonderful views of Yosemite Valley. Tunnel View, a turnout just before the tunnel to Wawona, provides one of the park’s most recognizable vistas, memorialized on film by photographer Ansel Adams. To the right is Bridalveil Fall, opposite El Capitan. Half Dome lies straight ahead.

Halfway between Yosemite Valley and Wawona is Glacier Point Road (closed in winter past the turnoff to Badger Pass Ski Area), which runs 16 miles to spectacular Glacier Point. From the parking area, it’s a short hike to an amazing overlook that provides a view of the glacier-carved granite rock formations all along the valley and beyond. At this point you will be at eye level with Half Dome, which looks close enough to reach out and touch. Far below, Yosemite Valley resembles a green-carpeted ant farm. There are also some pretty sights of some waterfalls that are not visible from the valley floor. Glacier Point has a geology hut and a day lodge for wintertime cross-country skiers that is a gift store and snack shack during the rest of the year. It’s accessible by both foot and bus (see “Organized Tours & Ranger Programs,” below).

 The big Tuolumne Meadows are flowery lawns, lying along the south fork of the Tuolumne River . . . here the mountains seem to have been cleared away or sit back, so that wide-open views may be had in every direction.

—John Muir

Continue south on Wawona Road to reach Wawona, a historic small town 30 miles from the valley. It was settled in 1856 by homesteader Galen Clark, who built a rustic waystation for travelers en route from Mariposa to Yosemite. The property’s next owners, the Washburn brothers, built much of what is today the Wawona Hotel, including the large white building to the right of the main hotel, which was constructed in 1876. The two-story hotel annex went up 3 years later. When Congress established Yosemite National Park in 1890 and charged the U.S. Army with managing it, Wawona became its headquarters. Every summer, soldiers camped in what is today the Wawona Campground. For 16 summers, the cavalry out of San Francisco camped and mapped the park. When Yosemite Valley was added after the turn of the 20th century, the cavalry picked up and relocated to the valley.

As Yosemite grew in popularity, so did the Wawona Hotel and the town itself. When the Wawona was added to the park in 1932, Section 35 (the number assigned to the plot in its legal description) was allowed to remain under private ownership. The town is still there today, just east of the hotel off Wawona Road.

Near the Wawona Hotel are the Thomas Hill Studio and Pioneer Yosemite History Center. The studio, which keeps sporadic hours that are frequently listed in the Yosemite Guide newspaper, is the former work space of noted 19th-century painter Thomas Hill. He came to Wawona in 1885 after his daughter married a Washburn. Hill painted a number of award-winning landscapes, including some recognizable ones of Yosemite.

The Pioneer Center offers a self-guided walking tour of the cabins and buildings moved to this site in 1961 from various locations in the park. Each represents a different time in Yosemite’s short history. During the summer, National Park Service interpreters dress in period clothing and depict characters from the park’s past. To reach the center, walk across the covered bridge. An entertaining 10-minute stagecoach ride is offered during the summer for a small fee.

Nearby, the Mariposa Grove is a stand of giant sequoias, some of which have been around for 3,000 years. They stretch almost 300 feet tall, are 50 feet in circumference, and weigh an average of 2 million pounds. The 500 trees here are divided into the Upper Grove and the Lower Grove. The easiest way to see the trees is from the open-air tram (phone 209/372-4386) that runs during summer. Cost is $26 for adults, $24 for seniors, and $18 for children; kids under 5 ride free. Trams leave from the Mariposa Grove parking area; call for current hours. A guide provides commentary during the trip, which lasts about an hour. It makes regular stops at the Grizzly Giant, Wawona Tunnel Tree, and Mariposa Grove Museum. It’s worth hopping out and walking around as often as possible. Just take the next tram back. All of the area is also accessible on foot. It is an uphill walk to the upper grove, 2.5 miles each way.

The Grizzly Giant is the largest tree in the grove. At “just” 200 feet, it is shorter than some of its neighbors, but its trunk measures more than 30 feet in diameter at the base. A huge limb halfway up measures 6 feet in diameter and is bigger than many of the “young” trees in the grove.

The Wawona Tunnel Tree had a tunnel 10 feet high and 26 feet long cut through it in 1881. Thousands of visitors were photographed driving through the tree before it toppled in the winter of 1968–69, a victim of heavy snow.

Organized Tours & Ranger Programs

The park offers a number of ranger-guided walks, hikes, and other programs. Check at one of the visitor centers or in Yosemite Guide for current topics, start times, and locations. Walks may vary from week to week, but you can always count on nature hikes, evening discussions on park anomalies (floods, fires, or critters), and the photography program aimed at replicating some of Ansel Adams’s works. All photo walks require advance registration at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Village. The evening programs outside at LeConte Memorial Lodge and Yosemite Lodge are great for young and old alike. There are also nighttime stargazing tours at Glacier Point.

Several organizations also host guided trips. Both the Evergreen Lodge and the Yosemite Bug (see “Where to Stay,” later in this chapter) offer tours of the park; the latter operates van tours ($245 includes 2 nights lodging, 2 day tours, and transportation to and from San Francisco—one of the best deals you’ll find) as well as backpacking and hiking excursions on the east side of the park. Also check out Incredible Adventures (phone 800/777-8464; www.incadventures.com), which offers 1- and 2-day day tours of Yosemite from San Francisco for about $150 to $200 per day per adult. Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides (phone 800/231-4575; www.symg.com) runs hiking, backpacking, fishing, and rock-climbing trips. A day hiking trip usually runs $365 or $395 for up to six people. DNC’s Yosemite Mountaineering (phone 209/372-8344; www.yosemitemountaineering.com) offers a variety of guided hikes covering 2 to 6 miles for $10 to $40 per person.

Discover Yosemite Tours (phone 800/642-4400 or 559/642-4400; www.discoveryosemite.com) conducts scheduled tours as well as customized trips. Costs run about $112 for adults, $56 for kids 3 to 15, and free for kids under 3. Tours are operated on small air-conditioned buses with huge picture windows; lunch is included. The sightseeing destinations include Mariposa Grove, Yosemite Valley, and Glacier Point. Geology, flora, and fauna are pointed out along the way. Stops are scheduled for lunch, shopping, and photo opportunities. Pickup can be arranged from various motels throughout Oakhurst and Bass Lake as well as Mariposa and El Portal.

A variety of guided bus tours are also available. You can buy tickets at tour desks at Yosemite Lodge, the Ahwahnee, Curry Village, or beside the Village Store in Yosemite Village. Advance reservations are suggested for all tours; space can be reserved in person or by phone (phone 209/372-4386; www.yosemitepark.com). Always double-check at tour desks for updated departure schedules and prices. Most tours depart from Yosemite Lodge, the Ahwahnee, or Curry Village, and adult prices range from $25 for a 2-hour tour to $92 for a full-day trip with lunch. Children’s rates are usually half that, family rates are available, and discounts are offered for seniors.

The 2-hour Valley Floor Tour is a great way to get acclimated to the park, providing a good selection of photo ops, including El Capitan, Tunnel View, and Half Dome. This ride is also available on nights when the moon is full or near full. It’s an eerie but beautiful scene when moonlight illuminates the valley’s granite walls and gives visitors a rare picture of Yosemite. Blankets and hot cocoa are provided. Dress warmly, though, because it can get mighty chilly after the sun goes down.

The Glacier Point Tour is a 4-hour scenic bus ride through the valley to Glacier Point. Tours also depart from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows. The Mariposa Grove trip takes 8 hours and is especially popular with hikers who want to explore the high country without relocating their camp from the valley floor. The Immersion Excursion focuses on a different topic, from geology to history. The trip lasts 2 hours; call for an up-to-date schedule.

If you’re staying in the valley, the National Park Service and DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite present evening programs on the park’s history and culture. Past summer programs have included discussions on early expeditions to Yosemite, the park’s flora and fauna, geology, global ecology, and the legends of the American Indians who once lived here. Other programs have focused on Mark Wellman’s courageous climb of El Capitan—he made the ascent as a paraplegic—and major threats to Yosemite’s environment. Inquire about current programs upon check-in at your hotel or at the information booth outside the visitor center. Although most programs are held in the valley, a few campgrounds offer campfire programs in the summer. There are also nighttime walks when the moon is full.

Spring through fall, the Yosemite Theater offers inexpensive theatrical and musical programs designed to supplement Park Service programs. They tend to repeat from year to year, but old favorites include a conversation with noted John Muir impersonator Lee Stetson, films on Yosemite, and musical performances.

The nonprofit Yosemite Conservancy (phone 209/379-2317; www.yosemiteconsercancy.org) offers dozens of Outdoor Adventures, covering subjects from backpacking to natural history to photography. Most of the programs are multiday, with charges of about $100 per person per day (not including lodging and meals), and often include hikes or backpacking trips.

Day Hikes

A nature-lover’s paradise, Yosemite has some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere, and the best way to experience the park is to get out onto the trails.

In & Near the Valley

Base of Bridalveil Fall Bridalveil Fall measures 620 feet from top to bottom. In the spring, expect to get wet. This walk is wheelchair accessible with strong assistance. .5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Bridalveil Fall parking area, about 3 miles west of Yosemite Village (accessible by car or on foot). Follow trail markers.

Columbia Rock This hike mirrors the initial ascent of the waterfall trail but stops at Columbia Rock, 1,000 feet above the valley. You won’t have a valley view, but the sights here are still impressive. The trail is also less likely to get an accumulation of snow, because it’s on the sunny side of the valley. 2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head for Upper Yosemite Fall.

Four-Mile Trail to Glacier Point This trail climbs 3,200 feet, but your efforts will be rewarded with terrific views of Yosemite Valley’s north rim. Check on current trail conditions before setting out; it’s usually closed in winter. The trail ends at Glacier Point. If you’d like to extend the hike, you can connect there to the Panorama Trail (see below). You can also catch a shuttle ($25) back. The combined round-trip distance is 14 miles. 9.6 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Trail head 1 1/4 miles from Yosemite Village, at Four Mile parking area, post V-18. Or shuttle bus to Yosemite Lodge stop (no. 8); walk behind lodge over Swinging Bridge to Southeast Dr., and trail head is .25 mile west.

Half Dome This long, steep trip, which about 1,000 hikers do each summer day, climbs 4,900 feet. From Happy Isles, take the Mist Trail or the John Muir Trail past Vernal and Nevada falls, and up into Little Yosemite Valley. Leave the John Muir Trail for the Half Dome Trail. Hiking the final 600 feet up the back of Half Dome requires the use of cables, and a strong heart is helpful, too. Half Dome has a small level spot on top, at an elevation of 8,800 feet. It’s possible to cut the length of the trip by camping in Little Yosemite Valley (you’ll need a wilderness permit). 17 miles RT. Very strenuous. Access: Happy Isles (shuttle bus stop no. 16).

Lower Yosemite Fall Lower Yosemite Fall reaches 320 feet, but it packs the accumulated punch of the entire 2,425-foot waterfall, and from early spring through midsummer, you’re likely to get wet. You can also take this trip from Yosemite Village by following the path from the Valley Visitor Center to the trail head. Add another half mile (40 min.) each way. This walk is wheelchair accessible with assistance. 1 mile RT. Easy. Access: From shuttle bus stop no. 6, follow paved path from Yosemite Fall parking area to base of waterfall.

Mirror Lake This paved trail climbs about 60 feet along the west side of Tenaya Creek to Mirror Lake, where you’ll see overhanging rock formations reflected in the lake’s still surface. This trail connects with a delightful 3-mile loop around the lake. 2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Shuttle bus stop no. 17.

Mist Trail to Vernal Fall This hike begins on the famous 211-mile John Muir Trail to Mount Whitney in Sequoia National Park. From the Happy Isles Bridge, the trail climbs 400 feet to the Vernal Fall Bridge, which offers a good view of what lies ahead, as well as water and restrooms. From this point, you can either take a series of switchbacks along the side of the mountain and come out above the fall, or ascend the Mist Trail (my preference), which is a steep climb with 500 steps—it’s wet, picturesque, and refreshing. The Mist Trail is so named because the spray from the fall drenches anyone who tackles this route, especially in spring. Be warned: It’s slick and requires careful placement of your feet. Once you reach the top, you can relax on a series of smooth granite benches and soak in the cool, refreshing water before hiking back down. You can continue up 1.2 miles to Nevada Fall and leave the crowds behind for a round-trip of 5.4 miles. 3 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: From Happy Isles (shuttle bus stop no. 16), walk to Happy Isles Bridge. Cross bridge and follow signs to the trail.

Panorama Trail From Glacier Point, this trail drops 3,200 feet. At one of its prettiest points, it crosses Illilouette Fall about 1.5 miles from Glacier Point. The path continues along the Panorama Cliff and eventually winds up at Nevada Fall, where it’s a straight descent to Yosemite Valley on the Mist or John Muir trail. You can hike this trail in conjunction with the Four-Mile Trail, and it’s also possible to take a bus to Glacier Point and hike only one-way. 8.5 miles one-way. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Glacier Point, at east end of the parking area.

Upper Yosemite Fall Climb 2,700 feet on this trail and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views from the ledge above the fall. This hike is not for the faint of heart. Take it slow, rest often, and absorb the scenery as you ascend higher and higher above the valley. One mile up, you’ll reach Columbia Rock, which offers a good view. The rest of the trail dips and climbs, and you’ll get a bit of mist from the fall above. The last quarter mile is rocky and steep, with a series of tortuous, seemingly endless switchbacks that ascend through underbrush before opening at a clearing near the top of the fall, but beware—the view here can induce vertigo. After completing the trail, it’s a worthwhile walk upstream to see the creek before it takes its half-mile tumble to the valley floor below. Hikers with the proper permits and equipment can stay here overnight. 7.2 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Shuttle bus stop no. 7; trail head next to Camp 4 Walk-in Campground, behind Yosemite Lodge.

South of the Valley

Chilnualna Falls from Wawona This trek offers a satisfying glimpse of a stunning waterfall. One of the tallest outside Yosemite Valley, the fall cascades down two chutes. The one at the bottom is narrower and packs a real punch after a wet winter. A series of switchbacks leads to the top fall. 8.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: From Wawona, take Chilnualna Rd., just north of the Merced River’s south fork, until it dead-ends at “The Redwoods,” a little more than 1 1/4 miles. This is the trail head.

Grizzly Giant This is the walking alternative to the Mariposa Grove tram tour described above. It’s a nice stroll to see an impressive tree, and the hike climbs only 400 feet. 1.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Sign near map dispenser at east end of Mariposa Grove parking lot.

Mariposa Grove The hike sounds long, but a one-way option in the summer uses the Wawona shuttle bus service for the return trip, cutting the distance almost in half. The trail climbs through a forest, then ascends the Wawona Dome and Wawona Basin, both of which provide excellent views. 12 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Park at Wawona Store parking area and walk east .25 mile to Forest Dr. Trail head is on the right.

Sentinel Dome This hike offers broad views of Yosemite Valley. At the starting point, you’ll be able to see Sentinel Dome on your left. The trail descends slightly and, at the first fork, bears right. It winds through manzanita and pine before beginning its ascent. It’s a steep scramble to the top of Sentinel Dome, and you have to leave the trail on the north side to scramble up. The view from the top offers a 180-degree panorama of Yosemite Valley that includes a host of impressive and recognizable geologic landmarks. 2.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Glacier Point Rd. to Sentinel Dome parking lot, about 3 miles from Glacier Point.

Taft Point The walk to Taft Point crosses a broad meadow dotted in early summer by wildflowers. Near Taft Point, note the deep chasms, known as “fissures,” in the rock. Some of the cracks are 40 feet long and 20 feet wide at the top and 100 feet deep. The wall of Yosemite actually overhangs the narrow ravine below, and if you carefully peer over the cliff, you’ll notice that your head seems to be on the opposite side of a stream running far beneath you. A small pipe railing farther on marks the 6-×-3-foot Taft Point overlook hanging over Yosemite Valley. 2.2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Follow directions to Sentinel Dome (above). At fork, head left.

Wawona Meadow Loop This relaxing stroll encircles Wawona Meadow, curving around at its east end and heading back toward the road. It crosses the highway and winds through forest until it returns to the Wawona Hotel. Some cars still use this road, so watch out. This trail is also open to pets. 3.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Dirt road through golf course, and 50-yard walk to the trail.

North of the Valley

Some of the hikes discussed below can be either long day hikes or overnight backpacking trips; see “Overnight Hikes,” below.

Cathedral Lakes These lakes are set in granite bowls cut by glaciers, and the views of the peaks and domes around both Lower and Upper Cathedral lakes are worth the hike alone. Lower Cathedral Lake is next to Cathedral Peak and is a good place to stop for a snack before heading up the hill to enjoy the upper lake. 8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head off Tioga Rd., at west end of Tuolumne Meadows, west of Budd Creek.

Cloud’s Rest This hike descends through a wooded area, heading toward Sunrise Lake. Ascend out of Tenaya Canyon and bear right at the junction (watch for the signposts); the vistas will appear almost at once. The sight line to your destination will be clear—a good thing, since the trail is sketchy at this point. The last stretch to the top is a little spooky, with sheer drops on each side, but your perseverance will be amply rewarded with spectacular views of the park’s granite domes. Overnight stays (with a permit) offer the added incentive of beautiful sunrises. 14 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Tioga Rd. to Tenaya Lake. Trail leaves from parking area on east side of road near southwest end of lake.

Dog Lake This easy climb through forests offers great views of Mount Dana. Dog Lake is warm, shallow, and great for swimming. 2.8 miles RT. Easy. Access: Tioga Rd. to access road for Tuolumne Lodge. Pass ranger station and leave your vehicle at a parking lot on the left. Walk north (back toward the highway), up an embankment, and recross Calif. 120 to find Dog Lake Trail.

Elizabeth Lake This popular day hike attracts a slew of people, which can be a bummer, but it’s nonetheless magnificent for its beauty; Elizabeth Lake glistens like ice. Don’t forget your camera and some extra film—the entire route is one long Kodak moment. 4.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Tioga Rd. to group camping area of Tuolumne Meadows Campground, where trail begins.

Gaylor Lakes This trail begins with a climb, then descends to the alpine lakes. It’s a particularly pretty hike in summer, when wildflowers dot the mountainsides. 2 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Tioga Rd. to Tioga Pass. Trail head is on northwest side of the road.

Glen Aulin This hike takes you to an impressive waterfall with grand views along the way. Start by heading across a flat meadow toward Soda Springs and Glen Aulin. The trail is well marked, and signs along the way describe the area’s history. This was once the old Tioga Road, built in 1883 to serve the Great Sierra Mine at Tioga Pass. The hike offers a view of the landmarks of Tuolumne Meadows. Behind you, Lembert Dome rises almost 900 feet above the meadow. About .4 mile from the trail head, the road forks; head right up a grassy slope. In less than 500 feet is a trail that leaves the road on the right and a steel sign that says glen aulin is 4.7 miles ahead. Along the way you’ll pass Fairview Dome, Cathedral Peak, and Unicorn Peak. The crashing noise you’ll hear in early to midsummer is Tuolumne Falls, a cascade of water that drops first 12 feet, then 40 feet down a series of ledges. There’s a hikers’ camp nearby if you want to spend the night. 11 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Tioga Rd. toward Tuolumne Meadows, about 1 mile east of Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and just a few yards east of the bridge over Tuolumne River. Follow marked turnoff and take the paved road on your left. The trail head begins about .3 mile ahead, at a road that turns right and heads up a hill toward the stables.

Lembert Dome This hike offers a bird’s-eye view of Tuolumne Meadows—and it’s a great vista. A well-marked trail leads you to the top, and from there you’ll see the peaks that encircle the valley and get good views of this lovely meadow. It’s a great place to watch sunrises and sunsets. 2.8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Trail head at parking lot north of Tioga Rd. in Tuolumne Meadows, at road marker T-32. Follow nature trail that starts here and take off at marker no. 2.

Lyell Canyon This section of the John Muir Trail follows the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River up an idyllic green canyon to the rocky Donohue Pass, nearly 12 miles from the trail head and over 2,000 feet above it. While this is a good starting point for a backcountry expedition, a shorter hike up Lyell Canyon—say, 3 miles each way—is perfect for a picnic-centered day hike for most any group of hikers. Backpackers can continue into the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area; day hikers can loop back through the Vogelsang area. Up to 12 miles one-way. Easy to strenuous. The trail head is at the Dog Lake parking lot near Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.

May Lake Winding through forests and granite, this picturesque hike offers ample opportunities to fish, but swimming is not allowed. May Lake is in the center of Yosemite National Park and is a good jumping-off point for other high-country hikes. The peaks surrounding the lake include 10,855-foot Mount Hoffman, which rises behind the lake. A hikers’ camp lies on the south side of the lake. 2.4 miles RT. Easy. Access: Tioga Rd. east past White Wolf; turn off at road marker T-21 and drive 2 miles to May Lake parking area.

Mono Pass You’ll pass some historical cabin sites, then hike down to Walker Lake, and return by the same route. The hike loops into the Inyo National Forest and the Ansel Adams Wilderness, and it climbs to an elevation of 10,600 feet. Hikers enjoy a stupendous view of Mono Lake from the top of the trail. 8 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Trail head on south side of Tioga Rd. as you enter the park from Lee Vining. Drive about 1 1/2 miles from park entrance to Dana Meadows, where trail begins on an abandoned road and up alongside Parker Creek Pass.

Mount Dana This climb is an in-your-face reminder that Mount Dana is Yosemite’s second-highest peak. The mountain rises 13,053 feet, and the trail gains a whopping 3,100 feet in 3 miles. The views at the top are wonderful, and once you catch your breath, you can again stand upright. You can see Mono Lake from the summit. In summer, the wildflowers add to this hike’s beauty. 7 miles RT. Very strenuous. Access: Trail head on southeast side of Tioga Rd./Calif. 120 at Tioga Pass.

North Dome This hike offers amazing views of Yosemite Valley. Walk south down the abandoned road toward the Porcupine Creek Campground. A mile past the campground, the trail hits a junction with the Tenaya Creek and Tuolumne Meadows Trail. Pass a junction toward Yosemite Falls and head uphill toward North Dome. The ascent is treacherous because of loose gravel, but from the top you can catch an all-encompassing view of Yosemite Valley, second only to the view from Half Dome. 10 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Tioga Rd. east to Porcupine Flat Campground, past White Wolf. About 1 mile past campground is a sign for Porcupine Creek, at a closed road. Park in designated area.

Polly Dome Lake This hike is easily the road least traveled. The trip to Polly Dome Lake is a breeze, and you’ll find nary another traveler in sight. Several lakes beneath Polly Dome can accommodate camping. The trail fades in and out, so watch for markers. It crosses a rocky area en route, then skirts southeast at a pond just after the rocky section. Polly Dome Lake is at the base of—you guessed it—Polly Dome, a visual aid to help hikers stay the course. 13 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Tioga Rd. past White Wolf to Tenaya Lake. Drive about 1⁄2 mile to picnic area midway along lake. Trail head is across road from picnic area.

Soda Springs This trail crosses Tuolumne Meadows and then the Tuolumne River on a wooden bridge. It’s peaceful and beautiful, with the sound of the river gurgling along as it winds slowly through the wide expanse of Tuolumne Meadows. The trail leads to a carbonated spring where you can taste the water, although it gets mixed reviews. For years, the spring was administered and owned by the Sierra Club, which operates the nearby Parsons Lodge, now an activity center. Also nearby is the historical McCauley Cabin, which is used for employee housing in the summer. 1.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Trail head at crosswalk just east of Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. Or from parking lot north of Tioga Rd. at road marker T-32; follow gravel road around a locked gate.

Sunrise Lakes This hike leads through quiet wooded glades while affording occasional glimpses of distant vistas. Look for a sign that says sunrise, then follow the level road to Tenaya Creek, cross the creek, and follow the trail to the right. The hike parallels Tenaya Creek for about .25 mile, then moves away through a wooded area and climbs gently up a rocky rise. After a while, the trail descends quickly to the outlet of Mildred Lake. There you’ll be able to see Mount Hoffmann, Tuolumne Peak, and Tenaya Canyon. At the halfway mark, the trail passes through a hemlock grove, then comes to a junction. Head left. (The trail on the right goes toward Cloud’s Rest.) About .25 mile from the junction, you’ll reach Lower Sunrise Lake, tucked into the slope of Sunrise Mountain. The trail climbs past Middle Sunrise Lake and continues upward along a cascading creek coming from Upper Sunrise Lake. The trail follows the lake’s shore and opens in less than .5 mile onto a wide, bare sandy pass. It’s all downhill from here. Before you is the snowcapped Clark Range. The trail begins its descent, sharply switching back and forth in some places. A backpackers’ camp lies a short distance above Upper Sunrise Lake. 6.6 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Tioga Rd. to Tenaya Lake. Trail begins in parking area on east side of road near southwest end of lake.

Tioga Lake to Dana Lake This is a less crowded alternative to the above hike to Mount Dana; it doesn’t top the mountain, although that option is available for experienced hikers on the Mount Dana Trail. The trail is not maintained, although it is fairly visible. This area is easily damaged, so be sure to tread lightly. Mount Dana looms large from the lake’s shore. 4.6 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Calif. 120 to Tioga Lake. Trail head is on west side of lake, about 1 mile east of the pass.

Vogelsang This hike climbs to a high meadow offering spectacular views. The trail goes south through the woods to a footbridge over the Dana Fork. Cross the bridge and follow the John Muir Trail upstream. Head right at the next fork. The trail crosses the Lyell Fork on a footbridge. Take the left fork a couple hundred feet ahead. Continue onward, and just before you cross the bridge at Rafferty Creek, you’ll reach another junction. Veer right and prepare for switchbacks up a rocky slope. The trail climbs steeply for about .25 mile, then levels off as it darts toward and away from Rafferty Creek for the next 4 miles. The trail ascends to Tuolumne Pass, crossing many small creeks and tributaries en route. Two small tarns mark the pass. One drains south and the other north. Just south of the tarns, the trail splits. Veer left. (The right fork offers a 2-mile round-trip jaunt to Boothe Lake.) You’ll climb to a meadow with great views, at 10,180 feet. 14 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Tioga Rd. to Tuolumne Meadows; watch for signposted trail head for John Muir Trail and Lyell Fork.

Near Hetch Hetchy

Carlon Falls This trail off the road to Hetch Hetchy takes visitors through a nicely treed canyon to a year-round waterfall and a swimming hole. 4.5 miles. Easy. From the turnoff to Hetch Hetchy, park immediately after the 1st bridge and take the trail running west of the river.

Wapama Falls This trail takes you around the shore of Hetch Hetchy from O’Shaughnessy Dam to the powerful Wapama Falls. It is very misty here—be prepared to get drenched. If you continue another 4.2 miles, you make it to another waterfall, popular backpacking destination Rancheria Falls. 5 miles. Moderate. The trail begins at O’Shaughnessy Dam at the end of Hetch Hetchy Rd.

Overnight Hikes

Of the more than four million people who visit Yosemite each year, 95% never leave the valley, but the brave 5% who do are well rewarded. A wild, lonelier Yosemite awaits just a few miles from the crowds. You’ll find some of the most grandiose landscapes in the Sierra, as well as excellent opportunities for backpacking. Check with park rangers for tips on where to go and how to prepare for your backpacking trip.

All overnight backpacking stays require a wilderness permit, available by phone, by mail, by fax, or in the park. Permits can be reserved 2 days to 4 months in advance and cost $5 plus $5 each individual on the permit. Call phone 209/372-0740 or write to Wilderness Permits, P.O. Box 545, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. You can download a reservation form at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm.

If planning isn’t your style, first-come, first-served permits are available up to 24 hours before your trip. Permit stations are at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and Wawona Information Station year-round, and at Big Oak Flat Information Station in Tuolumne Meadows in summer. Permits for the popular trails, such as those leading to Half Dome, Little Yosemite Valley, and Cloud’s Rest, go quickly. Call phone 209/372-0200 for permit station locations and hours.

Other Sports & Activities

About the only thing you can’t do in Yosemite is surf. In addition to sightseeing, the park is a great place to bike, ski, rock-climb, fish, and even golf.

Bicycling Twelve miles of designated bike trails cross the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, which is the best place to ride because roads and shuttle bus routes are usually crowded and dangerous for bicyclists. Children under 18 are required by law to wear helmets. Single-speed bikes are for rent by the hour ($10) or the day ($25) at Curry Village (phone 209/372-8319) in summer only, and at Yosemite Lodge (phone 209/372-1208) year-round. Bike rentals include helmets for all ages.

Cross-Country Skiing The park has more than 350 miles of skiable trails and roads, including 25 miles of machine-groomed track and 90 miles of marked trails in the Badger Pass area. Equipment rentals, lessons, and day and overnight ski tours are available from Badger Pass Cross-Country Center and Ski School (phone 209/372-8444; www.yosemitepark.com).

Fishing Several species of trout can be found in Yosemite’s streams. California fishing licenses are required for those 16 and older; information is available from the California State Department of Fish and Game (phone 916/928-5805; www.dfg.ca.gov). Village Sport Shop in Yosemite Valley has fishing gear and sells licenses. There are also special fishing regulations in Yosemite Valley; get information at the visitor centers.

Golf The park has one golf course, and several others are nearby. Wawona (phone 209/375-6572) is a 9-hole, par-35 course that alternates between meadows and fairways. Greens fees are $22 for 9 holes, cart included.

Horseback Riding Several companies offer guided horseback rides in and just outside the national park, with rates starting at about $64 for 2 hours, $85 for a half-day, and $128 for a full day. Yosemite Stables (phone 209/372-8348) offers rides from Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and Wawona; it leads multiday pack trips into the backcountry (call for details). Yosemite Trails Pack Station (phone 559/683-7611; www.yosemitetrails.com) offers rides just south of Wawona ($40 for 1 hr., $80 for 2 hr., and $140 for 6 hr.).

Ice Skating The outdoor ice rink at Curry Village, with great views of Half Dome and Glacier Point, is open from early November to March, weather permitting. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children; skate rental costs $3. Call phone 209/372-8341 for current hours.

Rafting A raft-rental shop is located at Curry Village (phone 209/372-4386). Daily fees are $26 for adults, $16 for children under 13. Fees include a raft, paddles, mandatory life preservers, and transportation from Sentinel Beach to Curry Village. Swift currents and cold water can be deadly. Talk with rangers and shop people before venturing out to be sure you’re planning a trip that’s within your capabilities.

Rock Climbing Yosemite is considered one of the world’s premier playgrounds for experienced rock climbers and wannabes. The Yosemite Mountaineering School (phone 209/372-8344; www.yosemitemountaineering.com) provides instruction for beginning, intermediate, and advanced climbers in the valley and Tuolumne Meadows from April through October. Classes last anywhere from a day to a week, and private lessons are available. Rates vary according to the class or program. All equipment is provided.

Skiing Yosemite’s Badger Pass Ski Area (phone 209/372-8430; www.yosemitepark.com) is usually open from mid-December to early April, weather permitting. This small resort, located 22 miles from Yosemite Valley, was established in 1935, making it the oldest downhill operation in California. There are 10 runs, rated 35% beginner, 50% intermediate, and 15% advanced, plus a terrain park and tubing area, with a vertical drop of 800 feet from the highest point of 8,000 feet. There are five lifts—one triple chair, three double chairs, and a cable tow. Full-day lift tickets cost $37 to $42 for adults, $23 to $37 for kids 7 to 17 (kids under 7 are free); half-day tickets are $30 to $34 and $18 to $30, respectively. Seniors 65 and over ski free Monday through Thursday. There are ski shuttles from Yosemite Valley and Oakhurst, as well as some great ski-and-stay packages.

Facilities at the ski area include several casual restaurants; a ski shop; ski repairs; a day lodge; lockers; and an excellent ski school, thanks to the late “Ski Ambassador” Nic Fiore, a Yosemite ski legend who arrived in the park in 1947 to ski for a season and never left. Fiore became director of the ski school in 1956, and park officials credit him with making Badger Pass what it is today—a family-oriented ski area where generations have learned the art of skiing.

Camping

Important note: When camping in this area, proper food storage is required for the sake of the black bears in the parks, as well as for your safety. See local bulletin boards for instructions.

Inside the Park

First, the bad news: Yosemite Valley lost half of its roughly 800 campsites during a flood in early 1997. The lost campsites will eventually be replaced elsewhere in the park, but no one’s predicting when. Campsite reservations are a really good idea. Reservations are accepted in 1-month blocks beginning on the 15th of each month and can be made up to 5 months in advance. Make your reservations (phone 877/444-6777; www.recreation.gov) as soon as you can, especially for sites in the valley. Unless noted otherwise, pets are accepted in the following campgrounds. Additional campground information is available by touch-tone phone (phone 209/372-0200).

Wilderness permits are required for all overnight backpacking trips in the park (see “Overnight Hikes,” above), and no wilderness camping is allowed in Yosemite Valley.

The busiest campgrounds in the park are in Yosemite Valley. All four of the following have flush toilets and access to the showers nearby at Curry Village. Upper, Lower, and North Pines campgrounds require reservations. Upper Pines is pretty and shady, but you won’t find peace and quiet here in the summer. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 15 or 19. Lower Pines Campground is wide open, with lots of shade but limited privacy. Still, it’s a nice place with clean bathrooms, and sits just south of a picturesque meadow. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 19. North Pines, which I particularly like, is beautifully situated beneath a grove of pine trees that offer little privacy but a lot of shade. It’s near the river, roughly a mile from Mirror Lake. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 18. Camp 4 (also called Sunnyside Walk-In) has tent sites only. It’s a small campground that’s become a magnet for hikers and climbers taking off or just returning from trips. It’s behind Yosemite Lodge and the trail head for Yosemite Fall, and near rocks frequently used by novice rock climbers. Pets are not permitted. Parking is available about 50 yards away, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 7.

Elsewhere in the park, Bridalveil Creek Campground at Glacier Point has flush toilets. Near beautiful Glacier Point, this campground is set off from the valley crowds but a moderate drive from the valley sights. It’s along Bridalveil Creek, which flows to Bridalveil Fall, a beauty of a waterfall, especially after a snowy winter or wet spring. The campground can accommodate some pack animals; call park offices for information. Take Wawona Road (from either direction) to Glacier Point Road. The campground is about 8 miles down the road.

Several campgrounds are near Big Oak Flat Entrance, roughly 20 to 25 miles from Yosemite Valley. About 1 mile inside the entrance is Hodgdon Meadow, which has flush toilets and RV and tent sites, including some walk-in sites. It’s open all year and requires reservations from May through September. This campground is along North Crane Creek, near the Tuolumne River’s south fork. The Big Trees are 3 miles southeast. About 8 miles farther, not far from the Tioga Road turnoff, is Crane Flat, a large but pleasant campground with flush toilets. It’s near the Big Trees and away from valley crowds. Tamarack Flat Campground is a bit off the beaten path and therefore more secluded and less busy than most. Equidistant from Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows, it has pit toilets and does not allow pets. Head east on Tioga Road about 3 miles, and turn right onto the access road; the campground is another 3 miles down the road.

Campgrounds in the White Wolf area include Porcupine Flat, which has shade, shrubs, and trees, although facilities are pretty much limited to pit toilets. It’s near Yosemite Creek; you may find a spot here if you’re in a pinch. Pets are not permitted. It’s along Tioga Road, 16 miles west of Tuolumne Meadows and 38 miles east of Yosemite Valley. The White Wolf Campground, secluded in a forest, is a delightful campground where you might want to spend several days. It has flush toilets and offers easy access to nearby hiking, with trails that lead to several lakes, including Grant Lake and Lukens Lake. There’s a dirt road to Harden Lake and, beyond that, a trail to Smith Peak, which overlooks the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. On the down side, mosquitoes make their presence felt here in summer. From Big Oak Flat Road, head east on Tioga Road for 15 miles to White Wolf Road and turn left. The road dead-ends at the campground.

Among Yosemite’s other campgrounds are Tuolumne Meadows, the biggest campground in the park and, amazingly, often the least crowded. Its location in the high country makes this a good spot from which to head off with a backpack. It’s also near the Tuolumne River, making it a good choice for anglers. In addition to its standard RV and tent sites, the campground has 25 walk-in spaces for backpackers and 8 group sites that can accommodate up to 30 people each. There are flush toilets, and showers nearby at Tuolumne Lodge (for a fee). From Big Oak Flat Road, drive about 45 miles east on Tioga Road.

Wawona Campground, which requires reservations from May through September and is first come, first served the rest of the year, has flush toilets and can accommodate pack animals; call park offices for information. There’s not much seclusion here, but the location, shaded beneath towering trees, is beautiful. The campground is near the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees and close to the Merced River, which offers some of the better fishing in the park. It’s about 1 mile north of Wawona. The Yosemite Creek Campground, along Yosemite Creek, has pit toilets and little else, but it may have sites available when the park’s other campgrounds are full. From Big Oak Flat Road, head east on Tioga Road about 30 miles, turn right on the access road, and go another 5 miles.

Outside the Park

Yosemite sits amid national forests that offer comparable public campgrounds to the ones in the park, although often less developed and less crowded. There are also private campgrounds, which usually provide level sites, complete RV hookups, hot showers, coin-operated laundries, convenience stores, and other amenities.

Along Calif. 120

The following campgrounds, along Calif. 120 west of the park, are all in the Stanislaus National Forest’s Groveland Ranger District, 24545 Calif. 120, Groveland, CA 95321 (www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus/groveland; phone 209/962-7825). They all have vault toilets and can accommodate rigs up to 22 feet long.

Lumsden Campground is along the Tuolumne River, on a scenic stretch between the Hetch Hetchy and Don Pedro reservoirs. It offers fishing in a primitive setting, and it can get unbelievably hot in the summer. From Groveland, take Calif. 120 about 9 miles east to Ferretti Road, turn left and drive about 1 mile to Lumsden Road, where you turn right and travel about 5 miles on a steep, narrow dirt road to the campground. Lumsden Bridge Campground is about 1 1/2 miles past Lumsden Campground (on Lumsden Rd.). Set in a pine and oak forest along the Tuolumne River, it is a favorite of rafters because it’s close to some of the Tuolumne River’s best (and most scenic) stretches of white water. The South Fork Campground, also along Lumsden Road, near Lumsden and Lumsden Bridge campgrounds, is a pretty spot near the Tuolumne River. Trailers and vehicles with low ground clearance are not recommended for any of the above three campgrounds.

The Pines Campground is about 9 miles east of Groveland on Calif. 120, and although it’s in a mixed conifer forest, it can get hot in the summer. Drinking water is available only in the summer. Lost Claim Campground, about 12 miles east of Groveland by way of Calif. 120, is easily accessible by road. There are some trees, and the river is nearby. Drinking water is supplied by a hand pump. Trailers are not recommended. Pretty Sweetwater Campground, 15 miles east of Groveland on Calif. 120, is in a mixed conifer forest with shady sites, but it also gets hot in summer.

Along Calif. 140

Jerseydale Campground, in the Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse Rd., Clovis, CA 93611-0532 (www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra; phone 559/297-0706), is a great base for exploring the area. It also allows you to stay away from the crowds. There are vault toilets and hiking trails, and you can get to the Merced River from a nearby trail head. From Mariposa, drive 12 miles northwest on Calif. 49 to Jerseydale Road, which leads to the campground and adjacent Jerseydale Ranger Station.

A good choice for those who want all the amenities of a top-notch commercial campground is the Yosemite-Mariposa KOA, 7 miles northeast of Mariposa at 6323 Calif. 140 (P.O. Box 545), Midpines, CA 95345 (www.koa.com; phone 800/562-9391 for reservations, or 209/966-2201). Located 23 miles from the park entrance, this KOA has trees shading many of the sites, a catch-and-release fishing pond, pedal boats in the summer, a pool, and a playground. There’s also a convenience store and propane sales. A favorite of kids is the train caboose containing video games. There are also a dozen camping cabins (you share the bathhouse with campers), with rates of $68 to $155.

Along Calif. 41

Two Sierra National Forest campgrounds (see contact information under Jerseydale Campground, above) offer pleasant camping, with vault toilets, in a woodsy atmosphere along Calif. 41, southwest of Yosemite. Summerdale Campground is about a mile north of Fish Camp on Calif. 41, on the south fork of the Merced River; call ahead (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777), as it’s often full for the weekend by noon Friday. Summit Campground, in the Chowchilla Mountains, about 5 miles west of Fish Camp on a Forest Service Road, is a little campground that’s often overlooked.

Along Calif. 120

The Inyo National Forest operates a number of small, attractive campgrounds along Calif. 120 east of the national park. These include Big Bend Campground, with flush toilets, 7 miles west of Lee Vining on Calif. 120. Located on the eastern Sierra along Lee Vining Creek, this campground is sparse but breathtaking. Ellery Lake Campground, which also has flush toilets, is at scenic Ellery Lake, about 9 miles west of Lee Vining on Calif. 120. Junction Campground is near Ellery and Tioga lakes, with easy access to the Tioga Tarns Nature Trail. It has vault toilets and is 10 miles west of Lee Vining along Calif. 120.

The highest (in elev.) drive-in campground in the state, at 10,000 feet, beautiful Saddlebag Lake Campground is along Saddlebag Lake and near Lee Vining Creek. It’s a good place to stay a while, or you can head out from here into the wilderness with a backpack. It has flush toilets. From Lee Vining, drive 10 miles west on Calif. 120, then turn north on Saddlebag Lake Road and go about 2 miles to the campground. Another high-elevation campground, Tioga Lake Campground, is a pretty place to camp and has flush toilets. From Lee Vining, drive 10 miles west on Calif. 120.

Information on these U.S. Forest Service campgrounds is available from the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center, on the west shore of Mono Lake (P.O. Box 429, Lee Vining, CA 93541; phone 760/647-3044), and the Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane, Ste. 200, Bishop, CA 93514 (www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo; phone 760/873-2400).

Where to Stay

Choices abound in and near Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Valley is the hub for lodging, dining, and other services in the park. It is usually quite crowded in summer, but it offers the best location, close to Yosemite’s main attractions and with easy access to the park’s shuttle bus system. A narrower scope of choices is available outside the valley, but still in the park, during the summer at Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, White Wolf, and other areas. In addition, there are some delightful (and generally less expensive) accommodations outside the park in the gateway communities of El Portal, Mariposa, Oakhurst, and Groveland.

Inside the Park

Most lodging in the park is under the management of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite (www.yosemitepark.com; phone 801/559-5000; TTY 559/252-2846). Rooms can be reserved up to 366 days in advance by phone, online, and by mail (Yosemite Reservations, 6771 N. Palm Ave. Fresno, CA 93704).

In addition, more than 130 private homes in the park can be rented through the Redwoods in Yosemite, P.O. Box 2085, Wawona Station, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (www.redwoodsinyosemite.com; phone 888/225-6666). Offerings range from cabins to vacation homes, all furnished and equipped with linens, cookware, and dishes. Summer rates range from $250 a night for a one-bedroom cabin to $800 or more for a six-bedroom spread; there are usually 3-night minimum stays in summer, 2-night minimums the rest of the year. You’ll find a similar operation at Yosemite West Lodging (www.yosemitewestreservations.com; phone 559/642-2211), which rents private homes, cottages, and condo units in a forested area in the park about 10 miles from Yosemite Valley and 8 miles from Badger Pass. Nightly rates range from $95 to $495 in summer.

The Ahwahnee This hotel is fit for a king or queen—and it has hosted both. Queen Elizabeth II slept here, as did U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It’s tough to top the Ahwahnee, a six-story concrete-and-stone structure that offers beautiful views from nearly every window. The Great Lounge features three fireplaces large enough to stand in, plus overstuffed sofas and chairs that are the perfect spot for reading or playing games after a day of hiking. Regular guest rooms offer a choice of two doubles or one king-size bed (often with a couch), as well as plush towels and snuggly comforters. Newly renovated suites feature earth tones and plenty of elegance.

Yosemite Valley. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 123 units. TEL. $417–$519 double; $536–$1,146 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking available, or take the shuttle bus (stop no. 3).

Curry Village Curry Village is best known as a mass of more than 300 white canvas tents tightly packed together on the valley’s south slope. It was founded in 1899 as a cheap lodging option for valley visitors at a mere $2 a day, but guests can kiss those $2 days goodbye. Still, it’s an economical place to crash and gives you something of the feeling of a camping vacation without the hassle of bringing your own tent. Since these tents are basically canvas affairs, and this is bear country, you’ll need to lock up all foodstuffs and anything that bears might think is food in bear-proof lockers, which may be a healthy walk from your tent-cabin. Curry Village also has over 50 attractive wood cabins with private bathrooms; 14 wood cabins that, like the tent-cabins, share a large bathhouse; and 18 motel rooms. Canvas tents have wood floors, sleep two to four people, and are equipped with beds, bedding, dressers, and electrical outlets; some have propane heaters. The wood cabins are much more substantial and comfortable.

Yosemite Valley. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 500 units. $114–$119 double tent-cabin; $121–$128 double cabin without bathroom; $170–$291 double cabin with bathroom; $191 double motel room. Lower winter rates. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus (stop no. 13A, 13B, 14, or 20).

Housekeeping Camp A fun, funky place to spend the night, this is the closest thing to camping without pitching a tent. The sites are fence-enclosed, canvas-roofed cinder-block cabins built on concrete slabs, each with a table, cupboard, electrical outlets, shelves, a mirror, and lights. The sleeping areas have two single-size bunks and a double bed. There is a grocery store on premises.

Yosemite Valley. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 266 units, all with shared bathrooms and shower facilities. $95 per site (up to 4 people; $5 per extra person). AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Closed Nov–Mar.

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge This is a group of canvas tent-cabins. Like those at White Wolf Lodge (see below), they have tables and wood-burning stoves; they sleep up to four. This is prime hiking territory, with numerous trail heads, and the lodge is home base for wilderness trekkers and backcountry campers. There’s a restaurant (see “Where to Eat,” below), tour desk, general store, gas station, mountaineering store, post office, and stables.

Tioga Rd., Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 69 canvas tent-cabins, all with shared bathroom and shower house. $108 double. Additional $13 per extra adult or $8 per extra child. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking available in an adjacent lot. Closed winter. From Yosemite Valley, take Big Oak Flat and Tioga rds. north and east 60 miles (about 1 1/2 hr.) toward Tioga Pass.

Wawona Hotel This is a classic Victorian-style hotel that comprises six stately white buildings set near towering trees in a green clearing. The main building was constructed in 1879. Don’t be surprised if a horse and buggy rounds the driveway by the fishpond—it’s that kind of place. What makes it so wonderful? Maybe it’s the wide porches, the nearby 9-hole golf course, or the vines of hops cascading from one veranda to the next. The entire place was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Guest rooms are comfortable and quaint; Clark Cottage (ca. 1876) is the most intimate. Live piano music is regularly featured in the lobby.

An adjacent dining room serves great food and an awesome Sunday brunch (see “Where to Eat,” below). There is also a lounge, large outdoor pool, outdoor tennis court, golf course, grocery store, gas station, and stable.

Wawona Rd., Wawona, Yosemite National Park. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 104 units (54 with shared bathroom). $151 double with shared bathroom; $224 double with private bathroom. Lower winter rates. Additional $13–$21 for extra adults. AE, DISC, MC, V. From Yosemite Valley, take Calif. 41 south 27 miles toward Fresno.

White Wolf Lodge Imagine a smaller, quieter, cleaner Curry Village with larger tents, each equipped with a wood-burning stove. White Wolf Lodge is not a lodge per se, but a cluster of canvas tent-cabins, with a few wooden cabins out front. This small outpost was bypassed when Tioga Road was rebuilt. It’s halfway between the valley and the high country, and generally isn’t overrun with visitors. It’s a popular spot for midweek hikers and weekend stopovers. Although it can get crowded, it still retains a homey feeling. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s no electricity from 11pm to 6am, when the generator is shut off.

The wood cabins all have private bathrooms and resemble regular motel rooms, with neat little porches and chairs out front. The canvas cabins beat the Curry Village style by a mile. Each sleeps four in a combination of twin and double beds. All have tables, and the helpful staff will show guests how to work the wood-burning stoves.

Tioga Rd., White Wolf, Yosemite National Park. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 24 canvas tent-cabins, 4 wood cabins. All canvas cabins share restrooms and shower facilities. $99–$120 double. Additional $10–$13 per extra adult and $6 per extra child. AE, DISC, MC, V. Parking available across a 2-lane road. Closed in winter. From Yosemite Valley, take Calif.120 east 33 miles toward Tioga Pass.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls These comfortable and clean rooms are popular thanks to the lodge’s location, with most units featuring balconies or patios and some offering spectacular views of Upper Yosemite Fall. It’s not uncommon to see deer and other wildlife scampering through this area, and kids will love the ice-cream stand. Spring mornings bring a wonderful orchestra of songbirds and stunning views at sunrise.

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park. www.yosemitepark.com. phone 801/559-5000. 245 units. TV. $191–$217 double. Additional $6–$10 per extra adult. Lower rates Nov–Mar. AE, DISC, MC, V. Parking available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 8.

Outside the Park

If you choose to stay outside the park, you’ll find a plethora of choices, many of which are less expensive than the lodging in the park.

Along Calif. 120 (West of the Park)

Evergreen Lodge A rough-and-tumble Prohibition-era destination for the workers who built the dam that flooded nearby Hetch Hetchy Valley, Evergreen Lodge has been reborn as one of the best cabin resorts in the Sierra Nevada. Located 7 miles from the roar of the highway, the lodge underwent a major renovation beginning in 2004, when new ownership took over and built new cabins and renovated others. The end results are tremendous: rustic art made from peach boxes, rockers on the decks and porches, forests dotted with play areas for kids, and in-room board games. There’s space for two to six guests per cabin, plus “Custom Camping” sites, with tents furnished with cushy foam mattresses and all the necessary gear, and the 2,500-square-foot John Muir House for larger parties. The lodge’s excellent recreation program includes guided bike rides and hikes, live music, photography and dancing classes, and s’mores on the campfire. The restaurant is also top-notch, and the original woodsy bar a classic.

33160 Evergreen Rd., Groveland, CA 95321. www.evergreenlodge.com. phone 800/935-6343 or 209/379-2606. 88 units, plus 1 private house and 15 Custom Camping sites. $175–$325 double; $900–$1,200 private house; $75–$100 campsite. 2-night minimum stay. Lower winter rates (camping not available in winter). AE, DISC, MC, V.

Groveland Hotel Owner-operators Peggy and Grover Mosley have poured their hearts into this standout hotel. The building was vacant for years when the Mosleys decided to forgo a quiet retirement to renovate and reopen the hotel. They’ve done a great job, and the hotel is now a national historic landmark. The hotel consists of two buildings—one constructed in 1849 to house gold miners and the other built in 1914 for workers constructing the dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley. Standard rooms are spacious, with feather beds, antiques, thick down comforters, and plush robes. Suites have large spa bathtubs and fireplaces. Many rooms are named after women of the Sierra and local characters, although Lyle’s Room is named for the hotel’s resident ghost. Then there’s Charlie’s Room, named for a hard-driving, tobacco-spitting stagecoach driver and farmer. When he died, the townspeople learned that he was a she.

18767 Calif.120, Groveland, CA 95321. www.groveland.com. phone 800/273-3314 or 209/962-4000. Fax 209/962-6674. 17 units, including 3 suites. A/C, TV, TEL. $199–$249 double; $299–$399 suite. Extra person $25. Lower winter rates. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted ($15/night).

Hotel Charlotte Walking into the Charlotte is like stepping back in time. Built in 1918 by an Italian immigrant of the same name, it’s warm, comfortable, and a good choice for those who enjoy the ambience of a small historic hotel. Cheerily wallpapered and wainscoted, the hotel’s rooms—which are primarily upstairs—are small, quaint, and nicely maintained. Several rooms adjoin each other and have connecting bathrooms (perfect for families) with claw-foot-tub/shower combos. There’s an excellent restaurant, Café Charlotte (see “Where to Eat,” later in this chapter). The pancake buffet breakfast is great—with coffee, cereals, fruit, juices, flapjacks, and scrambled eggs.

18736 Calif. 120, Groveland, CA 95321. www.hotelcharlotte.com. phone 800/961-7799 or 209/962-6455. Fax 209/962-6254. 10 units, 7 2- to 6-bedroom vacation homes in Groveland. $149–$199 double; $225–$669 vacation home. Lower winter rates. Rates include full breakfast. AE, MC, V.

Sunset Inn Just 2 miles from Yosemite’s entrance gates, the Sunset Inn is the perfect antidote to the hubbub you encounter in the valley. Surrounded by old-growth forest, the inn’s 2 acres were once a bustling logging camp, then became a tourist camp, and now feel a world apart, complete with a frog pond, chicken coop (fresh eggs are available “when the chickens are in the mood”), and hiking trails in every direction. The three cabins here are not new by any means, but have been lovingly restored by Bill Nickell, the carpenter-innkeeper who owns and operates the place with his wife, Lauren. (They’ve called the property home since the 1970s.) Each cabin has attractive woodwork, quilts, a wood-burning or gas stove, and a full kitchen. The comfy interiors are matched outside, where you’ll find picnic tables, barbecue grills, and porches that are ideal for watching the phenomenon from which the inn takes its name. The Nickells also manage a pair of homes a few miles west.

33569 Harden Flat Rd., Groveland, CA 95321. www.sunsetinn-yosemitecabins.com. phone 888/962-4360 or 209/962-4360. 3 cabins, 2 vacation homes. $175–$250 cabin; $350–$500 vacation home. Lower winter rates. MC, V.

Yosemite Rose Situated on 210 acres of working ranchland, this beautiful Victorian B&B is actually a product of the 21st century: Built in 2000, the inn was modeled after the Mountain View, California, home of Henry Rengstorff, the 19th-century owner of the spot now known as Silicon Valley. From the public rooms (featuring a pool table, murals, and a player piano) to the grounds (with a stocked fishing pond, stables, and pasture) to the rooms (with top-end soft goods and compelling antiques), innkeeper Katherine Davalle, who runs the inn with her daughters and granddaughters, has left little to chance. A good many of the furnishings here have amazing stories behind them: For example, the Scelestia Room’s antique Danish headboard has the face of a demon in the grain. Also on the premises: a three-bedroom ranch house that can sleep up to 12.

22830 Ferretti Rd., Groveland, CA 95321. www.yosemiterose.com. phone 866/962-6548. Fax 209/962-7750. 7 units, 1 cottage, 1 private house. A/C. $145–$175 double; $185 suite; $210–$275 cottage or private house. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Along Calif. 140

Mariposa Lodge Three generations of the Gloor family have run this reliable and well-maintained motel on Mariposa’s main drag for over 30 years, and their standards are surprisingly high. The place has grown over the years from one building to three, with smaller rooms in the original structure, and larger rooms in the newer two. The largest rooms have Mission decor and impressive vanities, and many have private balconies. Landscaping is also superlative for a roadside motel, especially the garden courtyard around the pool. Free Wi-Fi access is a modern touch.

5052 Calif. 140 (P.O. Box 733), Mariposa, CA 95338. www.mariposalodge.com. phone 800/966-8819 or 209/966-3607. Fax 209/742-7038. 45 units. A/C, TV. TEL. $119–$159 double. Lower winter rates. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Poppy Hill Bed & Breakfast This restored country farmhouse, surrounded by large oak and pine trees, provides a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of the developed areas of the park and nearby gateway communities. The inn is decorated with a variety of antiques, most from the 1800s, but also including “new” furnishings such as the 1925 Wurlitzer baby-grand piano in the parlor. Each of the attractive bedrooms declares its individual decor in its name—Mariposa Lily, Iris, Willow, and, of course, Poppy. All have down comforters, robes, and antique furnishings. Outside, a large rolling lawn is punctuated by flower gardens—one hillside bursts into color when the poppies bloom in spring. The second-floor balcony overlooks an ancient spreading oak tree, which entices the birds to entertain you while you relax in quietude. Breakfast is a big event, with such entrees as eggs picante, puffed apple pancakes, or croissant French toast.

5218 Crystal Aire Dr., Mariposa, CA 95338. www.poppyhill.com. phone 800/587-6779 or 209/742-6273. A/C. 4 units. $125–$175 double. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Take Calif. 140 east out of Mariposa (toward Yosemite National Park) 3 miles, turn left on E. Whitlock Rd., go for 1 1/4 miles, turn right onto Crystal Aire Dr., and go 1⁄8 mile to the B&B.

River Rock Inn Mariposa’s oldest motel (dating from 1941) recently received a much-needed update that transformed it from a roadside has-been to a bright and cheery boutique motel. Each of the small rooms has been uniquely decorated and is now comfortably chic. At the Deli Garden Cafe, guests enjoy breakfasts of pastries, fresh fruit, and strong coffee; it’s also open for lunch daily and dinner Wednesday through Friday.

4993 7th St., Mariposa, CA 95338. www.riverrockncafe.com. phone 209/966-5793. 7 units. A,C, TV. $99–$129 double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V.

Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort & Spa The Yosemite Bug started as a hostel in 1996, but it grew and grew, and is now much, much more. The place has something for everybody, with accommodations that range from dorm rooms and tent-cabins to delightful private rooms, a good restaurant, a spa, and loads of personality. Situated in the forest, most of the units have woodsy, national parklike views. The dorm rooms are basic, with bunk beds, heat, air-conditioning, individual lockable storage boxes, and conveniently located communal bathrooms and kitchen. The tent-cabins have wooden floors and framing, no heat, and different bed combinations, including family units with a double and two single beds. Private rooms are themed (Western to hippie), with a variety of bed combinations. The Yosemite Bug is along the route for the YARTS bus into Yosemite National Park and also offers transportation and tours on the Bug Bus (www.yosemitebugbus.com). Maybe the best feature of all is the idyllic swimming hole right down the slope from the main lodge, especially on those dog days of summer.

6979 Calif. 140 (P.O. Box 81), Midpines, CA 95345. www.yosemitebug.com. phone 866/826-7108 or 209/966-6666. Fax 209/966-9667. 64 hostel beds, 16 private rooms with private bathroom, 8 private rooms with shared bathroom, 16 tent-cabins, 1 studio, 1 private house. Hostel beds $22–$25 per person; private room with bathroom $95–$135 for 2–5 people; private room with shared bathroom $60–$90 for 2–5 people; tent-cabin $30–$65; studio/private house $195–$400. Lower winter rates. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Yosemite View Lodge Just outside the park’s Arch Rock Entrance, this lodge offers nice accommodations on the Merced River. Rooms here feature fireplaces, private decks or patios, kitchenettes, and showers for two; several have big jetted tubs. The Yosemite View’s sister property, Yosemite Cedar Lodge, is just 8 miles down the road, with similar accommodations and slightly lower rates. Just beyond Cedar Lodge are the Yosemite Resort Homes at the historic Savage’s Trading Post, nicely appointed vacation homes with full kitchens that sleep up to 12 with rates from $300 to $600 a night.

11136 Calif. 140 (P.O. Box D), El Portal, CA 95318. www.yosemiteresorts.us. phone 800/321-5261 or 209/379-2681. Fax 209/379-2704. 335 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $95–$194 double; $155–$450 suite. AE, MC, V.

Along Calif. 41

Château du Sureau and Spa One of the standout small resorts in all of California, the lavish Château du Sureau is as close as you can get to Europe on this side of the Atlantic. A world away from the rest of Oakhurst, the 9,000-square-foot inn has an elegant, near-magical ambience. Its stylish, uniquely decorated accommodations include the extraordinary Saffron Room, with a king-size ebony-and-ivory bedroom set from 1834, Villa du Sureau, an authentic private villa with two elaborately decorated bedrooms, and the Sweet Geranium Room, with a private balcony overlooking sumptuous gardens. There are details both time-tested (fresh fruit and fireplaces) and modern (CD players), plus scads of impressive art pieces around every corner. The grounds here are similarly phenomenal—featuring a new spa, a bocce court, and a lawn-size chessboard with 3-foot-high pawns—and the restaurant, Erna’s Elderberry House, is simply sublime.

48688 Victoria Lane (P.O. Box 577), Oakhurst, CA 93644. www.chateausureau.com. phone 559/683-6860. Fax 559/683-0800. 10 units, 1 private house. A/C. $385–$585 double; $2,950 private house. Rates include full breakfast. AE, MC, V.

The Homestead Secluded on 160 acres of woodland with plenty of trails, this off-the-beaten-path establishment is a gem. The delightful cottages here are rustic yet modern, with four-poster log beds, Saltillo tile floors, stone fireplaces, and separate sitting and dining areas, plus the conveniences of TVs, satellite radio, and air-conditioning. Each unit has its own unique bent, from the romantic Garden Cottage to the cozy Star Gazing Loft to the two-bedroom Ranch House (the most family-friendly option here). There’s also a community barbecue area and stables ($15 nightly per horse).

41110 Rd. 600, Ahwahnee, CA 93601. www.homesteadcottages.com. phone 559/683-0495. Fax 559/683-8165. 5 cottages, 1 house. A/C, TV. $145–$219 cottages; $349–$374 house. AE, DISC, MC, V. Drive 4 1/2 miles north of Oakhurst on Calif. 49, then south on Rd. 600 for 2 1/2 miles.

Hounds Tooth Inn With a Victorian look despite its 1997 origins, the Hounds Tooth is a good choice for those who want easy access to Yosemite from the south side, but desire more intimacy than a motel or sprawling resort can offer. Set a few hundred feet from the highway, the off-white inn houses a dozen similar guest rooms, each with modern conveniences as well as antique reproductions and in-room sinks. There’s also a private summer house (850 sq. ft.) with a king-size bed, kitchenette, Jacuzzi, and private patio. The garden area is perfect for whiling away an evening in peace and quiet.

42971 Calif. 41, Oakhurst, CA 93644. www.houndstoothinn.com. phone 888/642-6610 or 559/642-6600. Fax 559/658-2946. A/C, TV, TEL. 13 units, including 1 cottage. $95–$199 double; $225 cottage. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite The top-rated Tenaya Lodge seems to have one foot in the Adirondack Mountains and another in the Southwest. This three- and four-story resort is set on 48 acres surrounded by Sierra National Forest, and it features a wide array of organized recreational activities all year long. The comfortable guest rooms are modern, and the grand lobby has an impressive river-rock fireplace that towers three stories. There are also the Cottages at Tenaya, duplex units with balconies and fireplaces, which are set off from the main lodge. The new Ascent Spa is a LEED-certified facility with 12 treatment rooms. With an ice rink, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and sledding hill, Tenaya Lodge is an especially cozy choice for winter visitors.

1122 Calif. 41, Fish Camp, CA 93623. www.tenayalodge.com. phone 800/635-5807 or 559/683-6555. Fax 559/683-0249. 244 units, 53 cottages. A/C, TV, TEL. $155–$379 double or cottage; $375–$719 suite. Lower winter rates. Children stay free in parent’s room. Buffet breakfast $30 per couple. Pets accepted ($75). AE, DISC, MC, V.

Along U.S. 395 (Lee Vining)

El Mono Motel Built in the 1920s, this artfully renovated European-style lodging is my pick on the east side of the park in Lee Vining. Fronted by attractive porches and a barbecue area, the guest rooms feature vibrant color schemes and down comforters; the only drawbacks are their small size and the fact that some of them share bathrooms. But all in all, this eclectic lodging is a perfect place to bunk after an expedition in Tuolumne Meadows. The property is also home to a good deal of local art, a coffeehouse/bakery, and organic garden.

51 U.S. 395, Lee Vining, CA 93541. www.elmonomotel.com. phone 760/647-6310. A/C, TV. 11 units (6 with shared bathroom). $69–$99 double. Closed Nov–late Apr. MC, V.

Lake View Lodge Spread across several green lawns populated by birds and butterflies, this former chain property is now a first-rate independent. The reliably clean, well-maintained rooms and cottages are set off from the main highway, with the former featuring one king or queen bed or two queens and the latter sleeping up to eight people.

51285 U.S. 395, Lee Vining, CA 93541. www.lakeviewlodgeyosemite.com. phone 800/990-6614. 46 units, 7 cottages. A/C, TV, TEL. $89–$144 double; $89–$279 cottage. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

There are plenty of dining possibilities in and near the park, so you certainly won’t go hungry. However, you won’t find many bargains!

In the Valley

The Ahwahnee Dining Room AMERICAN/CONTINENTAL Even if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool, sleep-under-the-stars backpacker, the Ahwahnee Dining Room will not fail to make an impression. This is where the great outdoors meets four-star cuisine, and it’s a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion. The cavernous room, its candelabra chandeliers hanging from the 34-foot-high beamed ceiling, seats 350, but feels intimate once you’re at your table. The menu changes frequently and offers a good variety of creative yet recognizable dishes, such as pan-roasted Alaskan halibut, bone-in rib-eye, and rack of lamb. An extensive wine list, featuring selections from California and abroad, is offered at lunch and dinner. Breakfast includes egg dishes, hot cakes, and the like, plus specialties such as an apple crepe filled with spiced apples and raspberry purée. Lunch choices include sautéed trout, a grilled portobello sandwich, and a variety of plates and salads. Sunday brunch is a big event. Note: The dinner dress code requires men to wear a collared shirt and long pants and women to wear a dress, skirt, or pants with a blouse; breakfast and lunch are casual.

The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley. phone 209/372-1489. www.yosemitepark.com. Reservations required for dinner. Breakfast $7–$21; lunch $15–$23; dinner $30–$49; Sun brunch $40 adults, $20 children. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 7–10:30am, 11:30am–3pm, and 5:30–9pm; Sun 7am–3pm and 5:30–9pm. Shuttle-bus stop no. 3.

Curry Village Coffee Corner COFFEE SHOP Specialty coffees and fresh-baked pastries are the fare here. You can also get ice cream and shakes after 11am.

Curry Village, Yosemite Valley. Most items $1–$4. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 6am–10pm; shorter winter hours. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 13A, 13B, 14, and 20.

Curry Village Pavilion AMERICAN A good spot for the very hungry. All-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner buffets offer a wide variety of well-prepared basic American selections at fairly reasonable prices.

Curry Village, Yosemite Valley. Breakfast $9.50 adults, $7.50 children; dinner $12 adults, $10 children. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–10am and 5:30–8pm. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 13A, 13B, 14, and 20.

Curry Village Pizza Patio PIZZA Need to watch ESPN? This is the place, but you may have to wait in line. One of the park’s few public TVs is inside, and if you’re a sports buff, this is the place to be. The scenic patio offers large umbrellas, table service, and a great view of Mother Nature, plus or minus a hundred kids. The lounge also taps a few brews—nothing special, but a mix aimed to please. This is a great place to chill after a long day.

Curry Village, Yosemite Valley. Pizza $8–$20. AE, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily noon–10pm; shorter winter hours. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 13A, 13B, 14, and 20.

Curry Village Taqueria MEXICAN A good place for a quick bite, this taco stand offers rotating daily specials like carne asada and chili verde, along with spicy tacos, burritos, taco salads, beans, and rice.

Curry Village, Yosemite Valley. Most items $3–$10. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–5pm; Fri–Sun 8am–5pm. Closed in winter. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 13A, 13B, 14, and 20.

Degnan’s Cafe AMERICAN Adjacent to Degnan’s Deli, this cafe offers specialty coffee drinks, fresh pastries, and ice cream. It’s a good place for a quick bite when you’re in a hurry—and one of the few spots in the park with Internet kiosks (25¢ per minute).

Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley. Most items $1–$7. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–7pm. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 4 and 10.

Degnan’s Deli DELI A solid delicatessen with a large selection of generous sandwiches made to order (plus incidentals), this is my top choice for a quick, healthy lunch or supper. Sometimes the ordering line gets long, but it moves quickly. This place is half market and half deli; in addition to the made-to-order sandwiches, there is a variety of prepared items—soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and snacks—to carry off for a day on the trail. You’ll also find a fairly good selection of beer and wine.

Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley. Most items $3–$8. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–7pm. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 4 and 10.

Degnan’s Loft ITALIAN This cheery restaurant, with a fireplace and beamed ceilings, is adjacent to Degnan’s Deli and Degnan’s Cafe. It’s a good choice for families thanks to the kid-friendly atmosphere. The menu features pizza, pasta, salads, and desserts.

Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley. Main courses $4.25–$21. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily noon–9pm. Closed in winter. Shuttle-bus stop nos. 4 and 10.

Mountain Room Restaurant AMERICAN The best thing about this restaurant is the view. The food’s excellent, too, with an emphasis on local organic ingredients, but the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Yosemite Falls are simply spectacular—and there’s not a bad seat in the house. I suggest the half chicken, which is flavorful and moist, as are the rainbow trout and the Pacific salmon. Meals come complete with vegetables and bread. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free dishes as well as an amazing dessert tray. The Mountain Room also has a good wine list, and the Mountain Room Lounge features an open-air fireplace and an a la carte menu.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite Valley. www.yosemitepark.com. Main courses $17–$34. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–9pm. Shuttle-bus stop no. 8.

Village Grill AMERICAN The Village Grill is a fast-food joint that’s a decent place to pick up a quick bite. It offers burgers, chicken sandwiches, and the like, and has outdoor seating.

Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley. Most items $5–$10. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–5pm. Closed in winter. Shuttle-bus stop no. 2.

Yosemite Lodge Food Court AMERICAN You’ll find breakfast, lunch, and dinner at this busy restaurant (serving about 2,000 meals each day), a vast improvement over the traditional cafeteria. It’s set up with a series of food stations, where you pick up your choices before heading to the cashier and then to a table either indoors or at the outside seating area, which features tables with umbrellas and good views of Yosemite Falls. The food stations specialize in pasta (with a choice of sauces), pizza, deli sandwiches and salads, a grill (offering burgers, hot dogs, and hot sandwiches), meat-based and vegetarian entrees, desserts and baked goods, and beverages. There’s also a hot breakfast station offering traditional American breakfast items and coffee.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite Valley. Main courses $5–$15. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–10am, 11:30am–2pm, and 5–8:30pm (until 7:30pm in winter). Shuttle-bus stop no. 8.

Elsewhere in the Park

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge AMERICAN One of the two restaurants in Yosemite’s high country, this lodge offers something for everyone. The breakfast menu features the basics, including eggs, pancakes, fruit, oatmeal, and granola. Dinners always include a beef, chicken, fish, pasta, and vegetarian specialty, all of which change frequently. The mountain trout, citrus salmon pasta, prime rib, and New York steak are consistently good.

Tuolumne Meadows, Calif. 120. phone 209/372-8413. Reservations required for dinner. Breakfast $7–$11; dinner main courses $6–$28. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–9am and 6–8pm.

Wawona Dining Room AMERICAN The Wawona Hotel’s dining room mirrors the hotel’s ambience—wide open, lots of windows, sunlight galore. Dinners here are delectable. In addition to some exceptional entrees, such as grilled plum–glazed pork tenderloin skewers with plum compote, rib-eye steak, and several seafood and veggie dishes, there are amazing appetizers such as split-pea fritters and crab Louie. Lunch features a variety of sandwiches and salads.

Wawona Hotel, Wawona Rd. phone 209/375-1425. www.yosemitepark.com. Lunch $7–$12; dinner main courses $17–$33. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:30am–1:30pm and 5:30–9pm; Sun 10:30am–1:30pm and 5:30–9pm.

White Wolf Lodge AMERICAN The changing menu in this casual restaurant, with a mountain-lodge atmosphere, offers a variety of standards served up in generous portions. Breakfast choices include eggs, pancakes, omelets, or biscuits and gravy; dinner always features beef, chicken, fish, pasta, and vegetarian dishes. Takeout lunches are also available from noon to 2pm.

White Wolf, Tioga Rd. phone 209/372-8416. Reservations required for dinner. Breakfast $5–$11; dinner main courses $8–$24. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7:30–9:30am and 5–8:30pm.

Near the Park

Cafe at the Bug AMERICAN Ask the Mariposa locals for their favorite place to get a great meal at a reasonable price, and if they’ll reveal their secret, it will likely be this bustling eatery. It’s a noisy, busy, somewhat self-service restaurant at the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. The casual space contains several rooms with knotty-pine walls, oak floors, wooden chairs and tables, and an open-beamed ceiling. You order at a counter and your food is delivered to your table. The innovative American dishes, with Mediterranean and California influences, emphasize organic ingredients, many from an on-site garden. Each night features different offerings: You might have top sirloin, a trout filet with lime butter, or stuffed portobello mushrooms. There is at least one vegetarian and one vegan option at every meal. Breakfasts here range from bacon and eggs to buckwheat pancakes or granola; lunches include sandwiches and sack lunches to go.

At the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort and Spa, 6979 Calif. 140, Midpines. phone 209/966-6666. www.yosemitebug.com. Breakfast and lunch items $5–$10; dinner main courses $9–$18. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7am–9pm.

Café Charlotte MEDITERRANEAN You’ll find generous portions of beef, seafood, and pastas in a fine-dining atmosphere at this historic hotel’s small dining room. A variety of seasonal specials is offered in addition to staples such as charbroiled filet mignon, daily seafood entrees, and several vegetarian and vegan choices. Keep an eye out for the delicious artichoke chicken. There are also a few Asian dishes on the menu and a “Pasta Your Way” offering where you pick the noodles, sauce, and meat you want. The wine list is quite good, and there is a daily wine tasting for only $5.

At the Hotel Charlotte, 18736 Calif. 120, Groveland. phone 209/962-7872. www.hotelcharlotte.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $10–$23. AE, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–4:30pm and 5:30–8:30pm.

Castillo’s Mexican Food MEXICAN Established in 1955, this cozy cantina serves heaping portions of well-prepared Mexican favorites. Entrees come with salad, rice, and beans, and can also be ordered a la carte. A house specialty, the tostada compuesta, fills a hungry belly with your choice of meat, plus beans, lettuce, and cheese, stuffed into a bowl-shaped crisp tortilla and topped with avocado and sour cream. Various combo plates are available, or you can choose from several steak specialties and seafood dishes such as jumbo shrimp fajitas. For those who like a little extra fire, there’s camarones a la diabla—shrimp sautéed in butter, garlic, and crushed red chilies. The garden seating is my favorite spot here.

4995 5th St., Mariposa. phone 209/742-4413. Reservations recommended in summer. Lunch and dinner main courses $6–$17. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am–9pm (8pm in winter).

Cellar Door NEW AMERICAN Top-notch food in a rich and refined atmosphere is what you’ll experience at this fine restaurant in the landmark Groveland Hotel. The menu has something for everyone and constantly changes to reflect what’s fresh and in season locally. There’s usually a pasta, beef, chicken, and fish dish, as well as some game, and a plate of California cheese served with crackers and local honey. The wine list, which has been lauded by Wine Spectator, is fantastic, and the summer season features courtyard dining as well as regularly scheduled concerts under the stars.

At the Groveland Hotel, 18767 Calif. 120, Groveland. phone 800/273-3314 or 209/962-4000. www.groveland.com. Reservations suggested in summer. Lunch $8–$16; dinner main courses $14–$30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 5:30–9pm; shorter winter hours.

Charles Street Dinner House AMERICAN Locally famous for its steaks, the Charles Street Dinner House has been area residents’ and visitors’ choice for fresh seafood and a variety of other specialties for more than 30 years. I especially recommend the broiled New Zealand rack of lamb with mint glaze. Or try the “scallone”—abalone and scallops sautéed with lemon butter and toasted almonds. The restaurant is located in a historic 1800s building and features decor straight out of the Old West, with a huge wagon wheel in the front window and nice touches such as family photos and fresh flowers. Service is excellent.

5043 Charles St. (Calif. 140), Mariposa. phone 209/966-2366. www.charlesstreetdinnerhouse.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16–$32. AE, DISC, MC, V. Tues–Sat 5–9pm.

Erna’s Elderberry House EUROPEAN/NEW AMERICAN One of the most renowned eateries in California, this elegant restaurant at Château du Sureau is a feast for the eyes, with a contemporary seating area with purple walls and modern prints adjoining a more traditionally elegant room. Likewise, it is a feast for the taste buds, with a nightly changing menu that will include any number of European culinary traditions sculpted into a meal that is definitively Californian. Offerings might range from marinated mussels and chilled carrot-coconut soup to pan-seared Tasmanian sea trout with oatmeal crust to prosciutto-wrapped beef tenderloin, spinach gnocchi, and blueberry-yogurt terrine. Each menu lists recommended wines to complement the evening’s entrees. Proprietor Erna Kubin-Clanin and company also offer regular gourmet cooking classes here.

At Château du Sureau and Spa, 48688 Victoria Lane, Oakhurst. phone 559/683-6800. www.elderberryhouse.com. Reservations recommended. Prix-fixe dinner $98; prix-fixe brunch $56. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30–8:30pm; Sun also 11am–1pm.

Happy Burger Diner AMERICAN One of the best fast-food joints I’ve seen anywhere, the Happy Burger offers practically any type of fast food you can think of—it has the region’s largest menu—with everything cooked fresh to order. The food here takes a few minutes longer than at your usual chain restaurant, but it’s worth it. Breakfast (served until 11:30am) includes numerous egg dishes, French toast, pancakes, oatmeal, and the like. The lunch and dinner menu, available all day, features a multitude of charbroiled burgers, sandwiches, stuffed potatoes, Mexican dishes, salads, and dinner plates such as top sirloin and fried shrimp. In typical fast-food style, you order your food at the counter; your piping-hot food will then be delivered to your booth, where you’ll sit among record album covers from the ’60s and ’70s and a vintage pinball game.

5120 Charles St. (Calif. 140) at 12th St., Mariposa. phone 209/966-2719. www.happyburgerdiner.com. Most items $3–$15. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30am–9pm.

Iron Door Saloon and Grill AMERICAN In 1852, this family-friendly establishment started serving whiskey from an “‘obligatory’ plank over two flour barrels,” reputedly making it California’s oldest bar. Now it’s the colorful anchor to a city block of businesses (including a soda fountain and a general store), with scads of dollar bills hanging from the ceiling alongside rusted mining equipment, a menagerie of taxidermy, and odd little displays on such topics as the origin of Groveland’s name and the career of Black Bart. The menu is fairly basic, listing steaks and burgers and poultry as well as fresh fish and pasta. You can eat in the 150-year-old bar or the adjacent dining room, which is more upscale with tiled floors, rock walls, and historical photographs. Lunch features sandwiches and salads (plus floats and shakes from the soda fountain). The food and service don’t quite live up to the colorful atmosphere, but the Iron Door is a can’t-miss nonetheless.

18761 Calif. 120, Groveland. phone 209/962-6244. www.iron-door-saloon.com. Lunch $7–$11; dinner main courses $8–$23. MC, V. Sun–Thurs 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm. Bar open later.

Pete’s Place GREEK/AMERICAN A local institution in Oakhurst, this diner does a good job with Greek and American staples, especially during breakfast—options include egg dishes, pancakes, and the like. For lunch, there are burgers and gyros sandwiches; and for dinner, heartier meals.

40093 Calif. 41, Oakhurst. phone 559/683-0772. Breakfast and lunch main courses $4–$9; dinner main courses $6–$14. DISC, MC, V. Mon–Tues 7am–3pm; Wed–Sun 7am–9pm.

Savoury’s NEW AMERICAN Chic but casual and featuring well-oiled service, this is my favorite restaurant in Mariposa. Proprietor Mirriam Platto had catered in the area for years, and customers often urged her to follow her dreams and open a restaurant. Now that she has, the results are extraordinary, with a menu of simple, fresh dishes that meld culinary traditions near and far: Bolognese sauce on penne pasta, chipotle-pesto chicken, spicy shrimp diabla, and hand-cut steaks. For dessert, dig into a decadent panna cotta on a bed of strawberry sauce or the addictive lemon mousse. The dining room is sleek, spare, and stylish, decorated with dried plants and nature photos and art.

5034 Charles St. (Calif. 140), Mariposa. phone 209/966-7677. Main courses $15–$30. DISC, MC, V. Summer Thurs–Tues 5–9:30pm; winter Thurs–Mon 5–9:30pm.

Whoa Nellie Deli DELI/NEW AMERICAN What looks to be an ordinary gas station is home to a truly extraordinary eatery that serves thousands of people on summer days. Inside the Tioga Gas Mart—aka “The Mobil”—chef Matt “Tioga” Toomey offers some of the most tantalizing plates in the Sierra Nevada, as well as plump to-go sandwiches and pizzas. I recommend you take a seat in a booth or on the popular patio and enjoy the mind-blowing cuisine before moving on. The menu includes fish tacos with mango salsa and ginger slaw, pork tenderloin with apricot-berry glaze, and wild-buffalo meatloaf with garlic mashers. I especially like the lobster taquitos with tomatillo salsa—and the transcendent chocolate cake. All of the plates overflow with excellent salads and heaps of fresh fruit, making the deli the best post-backpacking eatery in the area.

Calif. 120, just west of U.S. 395, Lee Vining. phone 760/647-1088. Breakfast and lunch $6–$12; dinner main courses $10–$20. MC, V. Daily 7am–9pm. Closed Nov–Apr.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

The best place to get supplies and camping equipment in the valley is the Yosemite Village Store, which stocks groceries, film, and maps, and has an ATM. Nearby, the Village Sport Shop has fishing, camping, and other outdoor gear and sells fishing licenses. The Yosemite Lodge Gift Shop and Curry Village General Store stock some supplies. The Curry Village Mountain Shop sells clothing and equipment for day hikes and for backcountry excursions. The Tuolumne Meadows Gift & Mountain Shop also carries backpacking supplies, including maps and dehydrated food. The Badger Pass Sport Shop (open only during the snow season) stocks ski clothing and other winter supplies. There are also several small convenience stores throughout the park.

In Mariposa, you’ll find a good selection of groceries plus a deli at Pioneer Market, 5034 Coakley Circle (phone 209/742-6100), behind the town rest area. In Oakhurst, my choice for a grocery store is Raley’s, 40041 Calif. 41 (phone 559/683-8300). In El Portal, just outside the park’s Arch Rock Entrance, you’ll find the well-stocked El Portal Food Market, on Calif. 140 (phone 209/379-2632), featuring good coffee, pastries and pre-made sandwiches. On the east side of the park in Lee Vining, the upscale Mono Market (phone 760/647-1010) can’t be beat if you’re in search of natural and organic foods. For better prices, you can stop at the major supermarket and discount chains in Merced or Fresno, the largest cities in the park’s vicinity.

Chapter 36: Zion National Park & Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT

by Don & Barbara Laine

It’s fairly easy to conjure up a single defining image of most national parks, but Zion, a collage of images and secrets, is impossible to pin down. Zion National Park is not simply the towering Great White Throne, the deep Narrows Canyon, or the cascading waterfalls and emerald green pools. You’ll discover an entire smorgasbord of experiences, sights, sounds, and even smells here, as you explore everything from the massive stone sculptures and monuments to the lush forests and rushing rivers.

Zion National Park

Today, 150 years after the Mormon settler Isaac Behunin named his homestead here “Little Zion,” the park still casts a spell as you gaze upon its sheer multicolored walls of sandstone, explore its narrow canyons, hunt for hanging gardens of wildflowers, and listen to the roar of the churning, tumbling Virgin River. The park means different things to different people: a day hike down a narrow canyon, a rough climb up the face of a massive stone monument, the red glow of sunset over majestic peaks. To some degree, each of these experiences is possible only because of the rocks and the processes that have changed them—uplifting, shifting, breaking, and eroding. The most important of Zion’s nine rock layers that create its colorful formations is Navajo sandstone, the thickest rock layer in the park, at up to 2,200 feet.

Millions of years ago, a shallow sea covered the sand dunes here. It caused minerals, including lime from the shells of sea creatures, to glue sand particles together, forming sandstone. Later, movements in the earth’s crust lifted the land, draining away the sea but leaving rivers that gradually carved the soft sandstone into the spectacular shapes we see today.

But where do the marvelous colors of the rocks come from? Essentially, rust. Most of the rocks at Zion are colored by iron or hematite (iron oxide), either contained in the original stone or carried into the rocks by groundwater. Although iron often creates red and pink hues, seen in many of Zion’s sandstone faces, it can also result in blacks, browns, yellows, and even greens. Sometimes the iron seeps into the rock, coloring it through, but often it just stains the surface in vertical streaks. Rocks are also colored by bacteria that live on their surfaces. The bacteria ingest dust and expel iron, manganese, and other minerals, which stick to the rock and produce a shiny black, brown, or reddish surface called “desert varnish.”

Because of its extremes in elevation (3,666–8,726 ft.) and climate, Zion harbors a vast array of flora and fauna. Wildlife here includes pocket gophers, mountain lions, hundreds of birds (including golden eagles), and dozens of snakes. As for plants, more than 900 species have been found, including cactus, yucca, and mesquite in the hot, dry desert areas; ponderosa pine trees on the high plateaus; and cottonwoods and box elders along the rivers and streams. Watch for the red claret cup cactus, which has spectacular blooms in the spring; for wildflowers such as manzanita, which has tiny pink blossoms; and for the bright red hummingbird trumpet, sometimes called the “Zion Lily.” And don’t miss the hanging gardens of plant life clinging to the sides of the sandstone cliffs.

tips from a Park Ranger

“One of the most spectacular places on Earth,” is how Ron Terry, Zion National Park’s former chief of interpretation, describes the park. “Its beauty and grandeur are overpowering. You cannot visit Zion without being inspired and awestruck by the immensity of the towering sandstone cliffs and deep, narrow canyons.”

Even though Zion is the most visited national park in Utah, Terry says it is still possible to find solitude in its numerous out-of-the-way places.

“One of Zion’s lesser-known but stunningly beautiful areas is Kolob Canyons,” Terry says. “The Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive includes numerous pullouts providing a chance to get out of the car and drink in the beauty of the red sandstone cliffs and hanging valleys of the Finger Canyons of the Kolob.

“The hike up the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek to Double Arch Alcove is well worth the trip, as is the more strenuous hike to Kolob Arch,” he says.

Choosing the right time to visit Zion National Park can also enhance your experience. “If you visit Zion in March, April, October, or November, you will be sharing the park with fewer people and still have access to most of the park’s trails,” Terry says.

“October and November are particularly beautiful,” he adds. “The yellow and gold leaves of the trees along the Virgin River and in its side canyons contrast wonderfully with the reddish-colored sandstone of the canyon walls.”

Your first stop in the park should be at a visitor center, Terry advises, to get current weather and flash-flooding-potential information, purchase any needed backcountry permits, and get advice from rangers on which trails and attractions are best for you.

Attending one of the park’s ranger naturalist programs will also enhance your park experience, according to Terry. During warmer months, programs run nightly in the campgrounds and at Zion Lodge, and there are daily talks and ranger-guided shuttle tours.

Terry also suggests a visit to the Zion Human History Museum, which features exhibits on how humans have interacted with the geology, water, plants, and animals of the park. An informative orientation film shows in the museum auditorium.

Although the vast majority of Zion’s visitors have a thoroughly enjoyable experience with no serious problems, the park does have some serious potential dangers.

The Narrows hike, in which hikers spend most of their time in the water, is one of the most popular but also one of the most potentially dangerous. Before attempting this or any hike in a narrow canyon, visitors need to check at the visitor center.

“Cold and swift water, slippery and uneven walking surfaces, potential flash flooding, and potential hypothermia are all factors to be considered when planning for this hike,” Terry says. “Good footwear with ankle support is a must. A walking stick to provide greater stability and better balance will make the experience much more enjoyable.”

Also popular at Zion are canyoneering and rock climbing. “Canyoneering is a strenuous activity involving traversing narrow slot canyons usually requiring rappelling equipment and skills,” Terry says, adding that climbing the towering vertical cliffs in the park is a high-risk activity that should be attempted only by expert climbers.

The soft sandstone of Zion’s cliffs and the prohibition against drilling into the rock make climbing in the park doubly dangerous, according to Terry, and climbers who are not experts should obtain their experience in less extreme conditions elsewhere.

“Zion is in a desert environment, and the summer sun can be very hot,” Terry says. “Whatever activity you are participating in should include carrying and drinking plenty of water. Hats and sunscreen are a must. Know your limits, and don’t be afraid to end an activity and return another day.”

Avoiding the Crowds

Try to avoid the peak summer months of June through August, when temperatures are hot and Zion receives almost half its annual visitors. The quietest months are December, January, and February, but you may have to contend with some snow and ice. Good times to visit, if your schedule permits, are April, May, September, and October, when the weather is pleasant and the park is less crowded than in the summer.

Once in the park, the best way to avoid crowds is to walk away from them, either on the longer and more strenuous hiking trails or on treks into the backcountry. It’s sad but true: Most visitors to Zion never bother to venture far from the main view points. Their loss can be your gain. You can also avoid the hordes by spending time in Kolob Canyons, in the far northwest section of the park; it’s spectacular and receives surprisingly little use, at least in comparison to Zion Canyon.

Essentials

Getting There & Gateways

Zion National Park is in the southwestern corner of Utah, 83 miles southwest of Bryce Canyon National Park and 120 miles northwest of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. It’s 309 miles south of Salt Lake City, 42 miles northwest of Kanab, and 158 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The park consists of two main parts: Zion Canyon, the main section, and the less visited Kolob Canyons, in the northwest corner. The closest towns with airport service are St. George (46 miles southwest of the park) and Cedar City (60 miles north).

The easiest way to get to the park is to approach from the west on I-15, which runs north to Salt Lake City and southwest through Arizona to Nevada. This route is more direct than the eastern approach, avoids possible delays at the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel, and delivers you to Springdale, just outside the park’s south entrance, where most of the area’s lodging and restaurants are located. From I-15, go east on Utah 9 if approaching from the south, or go south on Utah 17 and then east on Utah 9 if approaching from the north; Utah 9 continues east to the park’s south entrance.

The eastern approach to the park is less direct but far more beautiful. From the south or the north, take U.S. 89 to Utah 9 at Mount Carmel, then go west on Utah 9, a spectacularly scenic 24-mile drive. However, be aware that this route into the park drops more than 2,500 feet in elevation, passes through the mile-long Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel, and winds down six steep switchbacks. Oversize vehicles pay $15 to use the tunnel (see “Special Regulations & Warnings,” below).

The Kolob Canyons section, in the park’s northwest corner, is accessible on the short Kolob Canyons Road off I-15, exit 40.

Information

Contact Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 435/772-3256; www.nps.gov/zion). The nonprofit Zion Natural History Association, Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 800/635-3959 or 435/772-3265; www.zionpark.org), sells books, maps, and videos related to the park, some available in foreign languages. Those wanting to help the association can join ($45 single or $60 family annually) and get a 20% discount on purchases, a 20% discount on most Zion Canyon Field Institute classes, and discounts at most other nonprofit bookstores at national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreation areas. Those planning to spend a lot of time on the trails and in the backcountry should purchase the Zion topographic map. The association also publishes a handy pocket-size Zion Canyon Shuttle Guide. The free Zion Map & Guide, a small newspaper-format guide, is packed with extremely helpful information.

Visitor Centers

The park has two visitor centers. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center, near the south entrance to the park, has a wide variety of outdoor exhibits. Rangers answer questions and provide backcountry permits; free brochures are available; and books, maps, videos, postcards, and posters are sold. In summer, it is open daily from 8am to 7:30pm, with shorter hours the rest of the year. The Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, in the northwest corner of the park, right off I-15, provides information, permits, books, and maps. It is open from 8am to 6pm in summer, with shorter hours the rest of the year.

The Zion Human History Museum, located about 1 mile inside the south entrance, offers museum exhibits, park information, and an orientation program, plus a bookstore. It’s open daily in summer from 9am to 7pm, with shorter hours at other times.

Both visitor centers and the museum are closed on Christmas Day.

Fees & Permits

Entry into the park (for up to 7 days), which includes unlimited use of the shuttle bus, costs $25 per private car, pickup truck, van, or RV, or $12 per individual 16 or older on bicycle, foot, or motorcycle; those under 16 admitted free. Oversize vehicles are charged $15 for use of the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel on the east side of the park (see “Special Regulations & Warnings,” below).

Backcountry permits, available at either visitor center, are required for all overnight hikes in the park, as well as for any slot canyon hikes. Permits cost $10 for one or two persons, $15 for three to seven people, and $20 for eight to twelve people. Camping costs $16 per night for basic campsites and $18 to $20 per night for sites with electric hookups (located in Watchman Campground).

Special Regulations & Warnings

The mile-long Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel was not built for big vehicles. It is too narrow for two-way traffic involving anything larger than passenger cars and pickup trucks. Therefore, any vehicle more than 7 feet, 10 inches wide (including mirrors) or 11 feet, 4 inches tall (including luggage racks) can pass only by driving down the center of the tunnel after all other traffic has been stopped. The charge is $15, good for two trips through the tunnel during a 7-day period. Drivers pay the fee at the entrance stations. Call the park headquarters if you have questions about your vehicle’s accessibility.

All vehicles more than 13 feet, 1 inch tall, and certain other particularly large vehicles, are prohibited from driving anywhere on the park road between the east entrance and Zion Canyon.

Bicycles are prohibited in the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel, in the backcountry, and on all trails except the Pa’rus Trail.

Backcountry hikers should practice minimum-impact techniques and are prohibited from building fires. A limit on the number of people allowed in various parts of the backcountry may be in force during your visit; prospective backcountry hikers should check with rangers before setting out. You can purchase a backcountry permit at the visitor center the day before or the day of your trip. Permits can also be reserved in advance through the park’s website (www.nps.gov/zion) but must be picked up in person at the visitor center. A free booklet, Backcountry Travel, lists all regulations and has descriptions of close to 20 backcountry trails.

Seasons & Climate

Zion experiences all four seasons, although the winters are mild and rarely bring snow. The best times to visit the park are spring and fall, when the temperatures range from lows in the 40s (single digits Celsius) to pleasant highs in the 80s (upper 20s Celsius). Remember that summer daytime highs often soar above 100°F (38°C), with lows in the 70s (lower 20s Celsius). During the summer, do your hiking in the early morning to avoid both the heat and the frequent afternoon thunderstorms (in July–Aug), which can change a babbling brook into a raging torrent in minutes.

If You Have Only 1 day

Those with just a day in the park should stop first at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to see the exhibits and look through the free Zion Map & Guide, which describes the various options for exploring the park. Then hop on the shuttle bus, which hits the major Zion Canyon roadside view points. When you get to the Temple of Sinawava, instead of just taking a quick look and jumping on the next shuttle, hike the easy 2-mile round-trip Riverside Walk, which follows the Virgin River through a narrow canyon past hanging gardens. Then take the shuttle bus back to the lodge (total time: 2–4 hr.), where you might stop at the gift shop and possibly have lunch in the lodge restaurant.

Near the lodge you’ll find the trail head for the Emerald Pools. Especially pleasant on hot days, this easy walk through a forest of oak, maple, fir, and cottonwood trees leads to a waterfall, a hanging garden, and the shimmering lower pool. This walk should take about an hour round-trip. Those with a bit more ambition may want to add another hour and another mile to the loop by taking the moderately strenuous hike on a rocky, steeper trail to the upper pool.

If time and energy remain, head back toward the south park entrance and stop at Watchman trail head. Here a moderately strenuous 2-mile, 2-hour round-trip hike takes you to a plateau with beautiful views of several rock formations and the town of Springdale. That evening, take in the campground amphitheater program.

Exploring the Park

If you enter the park from the east, along the steep Zion–Mount Carmel Highway, you’ll travel 13 miles to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, passing between the White Cliffs and Checkerboard Mesa, a massive sandstone rock formation covered with horizontal and vertical lines that make it look like a huge fishing net. Continuing, you’ll pass through a fairyland of fantastically shaped rocks of red, orange, tan, and white, and you’ll encounter the Great Arch of Zion, carved high in a stone cliff by the forces of erosion. At the east end of the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel is the trail head parking for the Canyon Overlook Trail, a relatively easy 1-mile walk to a great view point. After driving through the tunnel, you’ll traverse a number of long switchbacks as you descend to the canyon floor.

A shuttle bus system has been implemented in the main section of the park to reduce traffic congestion and the resultant problems of pollution, noise, and damage to the park. The shuttle system consists of two loops: one in the town of Springdale and the other along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The loops connect at the visitor center just inside the south park entrance. From April through October, access to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (above Utah 9) is limited to shuttle buses, hikers, and bikers. The only exceptions are overnight Zion Lodge guests and tour buses connected with the lodge—both have access as far as the lodge. Shuttle stops are at all the major-use areas in the park, and shuttles run frequently (about every 6 min. at peak times). In winter, when visitation is lowest, visitors are permitted to drive the full length of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in their own vehicles.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive The ride through Zion Canyon is impressive by any standards, with massive stone reaching straight up to the heavens and the North Fork of the Virgin River threading its way through the maze of rocks. The views in every direction are awe inspiring. Stops along the road provide access to view points and hiking trails.

The first stop is across from the Court of the Patriarchs, where a short trail leads to an impressive view point. The next stop is Zion Lodge. Across the road from the lodge is the trail head for the Emerald Pools Trail system. The Grotto Picnic Area is about a half mile beyond the lodge, accessible on a trail that parallels Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Across from the Grotto Picnic Area parking lot is a footbridge that leads to the Emerald Pools, Angels Landing, and West Rim trails.

Continuing north into Zion Canyon, the road passes the Great White Throne on the right and then Angels Landing on the left before coming to the turnoff to the Weeping Rock trail head parking area. From here, the road closely traces the curves of the river, with a couple of stops to allow different views of the Organ, which to some resembles a huge pipe organ. The road ends at the Temple of Sinawava, where the paved Riverside Walk follows the Virgin River toward The Narrows, one of the most incredible sights in Zion.

Kolob Canyons Road To escape the crowds of Zion Canyon, head to the northwest corner of the park. The Kolob Canyons Road runs 5 miles among spectacular red and orange rocks, ending at a high vista. Allow about 45 minutes round-trip, which includes time for stopping at the numbered view points. Be sure to get a copy of the “Kolob Canyons Road Guide” at the Kolob Visitor Center. Here’s what you’ll pass along the way:

Leaving Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, you’ll drive along the Hurricane Fault to Hurricane Cliffs, a series of tall, gray limestone cliffs, and onward to Taylor Creek, where a pinyon-juniper forest clings to life on the rocky hillside, providing a home to bright-blue scrub jays.

Your next stop is Horse Ranch Mountain, which, at 8,726 feet, is the national park’s highest point. Passing a series of colorful rock layers, where you might be lucky enough to spot a golden eagle, your next stop is Box Canyon, along the South Fork of Taylor Creek, with sheer rock walls soaring more than 1,500 feet high. Along this stretch you’ll see multicolored layers of rock, pushed upward by tremendous forces from within the earth, followed by a side canyon with large, arched alcoves boasting delicate curved ceilings.

Head on to a view of Timber Top Mountain, which has a sagebrush-blanketed desert at its base and a stately fir and ponderosa pine forest at its peak. Watch for mule deer on the brushy hillsides, especially between October and March, when they might be spotted just after sunrise or just before sunset. From here, continue to Rockfall Overlook; a large scar on the mountainside marks the spot where a 1,000-foot chunk of stone crashed to the earth in July 1983, the victim of erosion. Finally, stop to see the canyon walls themselves, colored orange-red by iron oxide and striped black by mineral-laden water running down the cliff faces.

Ranger & Educational Programs

Zion National Park has some of the best ranger programs of any national park, and even better they’re all free. Evening programs, which last about 45 minutes, take place at the Watchman Campground Amphitheater and Zion Lodge Auditorium. They usually include a slide show, take place most evenings from April through September, and include topics such as the animals or plants of the park, geology, the night sky, mankind’s role in the park, or some unique aspect of Zion, like slot canyons. Rangers also give short talks on similar subjects during the day at various locations, including the Zion Lodge auditorium and Zion Human History Museum. Ranger-guided hikes and walks, which may require reservations, might take you to little-visited areas of the park, on a trek to see wildflowers, or for a night hike under a full moon. These range from easy to very difficult. Rangers also lead shuttle tours during summer. The 2-hour Ride with a Ranger trip offers an opportunity to see the scenic drive and learn about Zion Canyon from a park ranger’s unique perspective.

Schedules of the various ranger programs and activities are posted on bulletin boards at the visitor centers, campgrounds, and other locations.

The Zion Canyon Field Institute, operated by the nonprofit Zion Natural History Association, Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 800/635-3959, 435/772-3265, or 435/772-3264 for the Field Institute; www.zionpark.org), offers a variety of single and multiday outdoor workshops and classes, covering subjects in the sciences, arts, and humanities. Programs take place year-round in Zion National Park and nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument (discussed later). Recent program titles have included Bird Watching, Hanging Gardens of Zion, Zion Geology, Wasps & Ants, Bat Biology & Conservation, Zion by Moonlight, Fall Foliage Photo Workshop, Zion Narrows, Watercolor Journaling, and Winter Photography. Although all the Field Institute’s programs are very rewarding, we especially recommend the photo workshops, which are led by institute director Michael Plyler, an excellent photographer and teacher. Fees for most of the 1-day programs range from $100 to $300. Most have a minimum age of 15 or 16. Members of the Zion Natural History Association receive a 20% discount on most Zion Canyon Field Institute programs.

Park Attractions

There are no major historic sites in Zion National Park, but there is some evidence of the early peoples who inhabited the area. Just outside the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, the short but steep Archaeology Trail (.4 mile round-trip, with an 80-ft. elev. gain) leads to the outlines of small prehistoric storage buildings. There are also some trailside exhibits and interpretive signs.

Hikers with sharp eyes may see potsherds, pieces of ancient stone tools, rock art, and other archaeological objects throughout the park. Rangers ask that you do not touch these artifacts (skin oils can damage them), but report their location to them.

The park’s Zion Human History Museum, 1 mile from the park’s south entrance, features exhibits on how humans have interacted with the geology, water, plants, and animals of the park. An informative orientation film shows in the museum auditorium. The museum is open daily in summer from 9am to 7pm, with shorter hours at other times.

Day Hikes

Zion offers a wide variety of hiking options, ranging from easy half-hour walks on paved paths to grueling overnight hikes over rocky terrain. Hikers with a fear of heights should be careful when choosing trails, because many include steep, dizzying, and potentially fatal drop-offs. Water in streams in the park is not safe to drink. Smoking is prohibited on all trails. Several local companies offer guided hiking, rock climbing, and biking trips in the park and surrounding area, including Zion Adventure Company, 36 Lion Blvd., at the corner of Lion Boulevard and Zion Park Boulevard (P.O. Box 523), Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 435/772-1001; www.zionadventures.com); and Zion Rock & Mountain Guides, 1458 Zion Park Blvd. (P.O. Box 623), Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 435/772-3303; www.zionrockguides.com). Shuttle service for backcountry hikers is available on the park’s shuttle service.

Shorter Trails

Canyon Overlook This self-guided trail takes you to an overlook with a magnificent view of lower Zion Canyon and Pine Creek Canyon. Be aware that there are some steep drop-offs and that the sandy trail can be slippery. 1 mile RT. Moderate. Access: East side of Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel.

Emerald Pools Trails This is a wonderful trail, especially on a hot day, when you’ll especially enjoy the spray of water from the falls. It can be either an easy 1-hour walk or a moderately strenuous 2-hour hike with steep drop-offs, depending on how much you choose to do. A .6-mile paved path leads from the Emerald Pools parking area, through a forest of oak, maple, fir, and cottonwood, to several waterfalls, a hanging garden, and the picturesque Lower Emerald Pool.

From here, a steeper, rocky trail continues .25 mile to the Middle Emerald Pool, and then climbs another .33 mile past cactus, yucca, and juniper to Upper Emerald Pool, which has another waterfall. Total elevation gain is 69 feet to Lower Emerald Pool, 150 feet to the Middle Emerald Pool, and 400 feet from the trail head to Upper Emerald Pool. Swimming or wading is not permitted in any of the pools. 1.2–2.5 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Across from Zion Lodge.

Hidden Canyon Trail A particularly scenic hike along a paved trail that’s sometimes cut from solid stone, Hidden Canyon Trail climbs 850 feet to the mouth of a narrow water-carved canyon. Walking up the dry streambed into the canyon, you’ll pass grottos and other water-formed decorations on the canyon walls, including a small natural arch. This trail is not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights. 2.4 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Weeping Rock parking lot.

Pa’rus Trail This paved trail (fully accessible to wheelchairs and baby strollers) follows the Virgin River, providing views of the rock formations in lower Zion Canyon. Unlike other park trails, this one is open to bicycles and leashed pets. The elevation gain is only 50 feet. 3.5 miles RT. Easy. Access: Either the entrance to Watchman Campground, near amphitheater parking area, or near the Nature Center at South Campground.

Riverside Walk and the Gateway to The Narrows This paved trail follows the Virgin River upstream to the Zion Canyon Narrows, past trailside exhibits and, in spring and summer, hanging wildflowers. Accessible to those in wheelchairs with some assistance, the trail has an elevation change of only 57 feet. At the Narrows, the pavement ends and you have to decide whether to turn around or continue upstream into the Narrows itself (yes, you will get wet), where the canyon walls are about 20 feet apart in some areas and more than 1,000 feet high. Warning: The bottom of a very narrow slot canyon is definitely not a place you want to be in a rainstorm (common in July–Aug), when flash floods are a serious threat. Before entering the Narrows, check the weather forecast and discuss your plans with park rangers. Permits are required for longer treks in the Narrows, but not for short day hikes (see The Narrows, below). 2.2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Temple of Sinawava parking lot.

Watchman Trail This moderately strenuous but relatively short trail gets surprisingly light use, possibly because it can be very hot in the middle of the day. Climbing to a plateau near the base of the Watchman formation, it offers splendid views of lower Zion Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, the Towers of the Virgin, the West Temple formations, and the town of Springdale. The trail takes about 2 hours and has an elevation gain of 368 feet. 2.7 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

Weeping Rock Trail This is among the park’s shortest and easiest rambles, although it is steep in spots. A self-guiding nature trail, the route leads to a rock alcove with a spring and hanging gardens of ferns and wildflowers. Although paved, the trail is relatively steep (gaining 98 ft.) and slippery, and not suitable for wheelchairs. .4 mile RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Weeping Rock parking lot.

Longer Trails

Angels Landing Trail This strenuous 4-hour hike is most certainly not for anyone with even a mild fear of heights. The trail climbs 1,488 feet, with the aid of 21 switchbacks, to a summit that offers spectacular views into Zion Canyon. But be prepared: The final half mile follows a narrow, knife-edge trail along a steep ridge, where footing can be slippery even under the best of circumstances. Support chains have been set along parts of the trail. 5.4 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Grotto picnic area.

Hop Valley Trail This backcountry trail loses about 1,050 feet as it meanders through sunny fields and past Gambel oak, partly following an old jeep road and then a stream, before taking you to La Verkin Creek. Some hikers connect with the La Verkin Creek/Kolob Arch Trail to see Kolob Arch. Hikers should allot a full day for this trail. 13 miles RT. Moderate to strenuous. Access: Trail head on Kolob Terrace Rd.

La Verkin Creek/Kolob Arch Trail Although there are no drop-offs, this backcountry trail is quite strenuous. Descending almost 800 feet, it follows Timber and La Verkin creeks, ending at Kolob Arch, which, at 310 feet long, may be the world’s largest freestanding arch. Some people choose to camp on this hike. You can camp at La Verkin Creek if you have a permit and have been assigned a campsite at the visitor center. 14 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Kolob Canyons Rd. at Lee Pass.

The Narrows The Narrows doesn’t really involve hiking a trail at all; it consists of walking or wading in the Virgin River, through a spectacular 1,000-foot-deep chasm that, at a mere 20 feet wide, definitely lives up to its name. Passing sculptured sandstone arches, hanging gardens, and waterfalls, this moderately strenuous hike is recommended for those in good physical condition who are up to fighting currents, which can sometimes be strong. Those who want just a taste of the Narrows can walk and wade in from the end of the Riverside Walk (see above), but more than a short trip will involve a long full- or 2-day trek, which includes arranging a shuttle to the starting point at Chamberlain’s Ranch and then transportation from the Temple of Sinawava, where you’ll leave the canyon.

The Narrows is subject to flash flooding and can be very treacherous. Park Service officials remind hikers that they are responsible for their own safety, and they should check on current water conditions and weather forecasts. This hike is not recommended when rain is forecast or threatening. Permits ($5) are required for full-day and overnight hikes, and must be purchased at the visitor center the day before your hike. Several local companies, including Zion Adventure Company (see “Day Hikes,” above), offer guided trips through the Narrows, with rates starting at $149 per person for two or more people. 16 miles one-way. Moderate to difficult. Access: Chamberlain’s Ranch (outside the park). By permit only.

Taylor Creek Trail This is a 4-hour hike along the middle fork of Taylor Creek. You might get your feet wet fording the creek. The trail leads past two historic cabins to Double Arch Alcove, with an elevation gain of 450 feet. 5 miles RT. Moderately strenuous. Access: Kolob Canyons Rd., about 2 miles from Kolob Canyons Visitor Center.

Exploring the Backcountry

The park offers many backpacking opportunities, and a number of the day hikes discussed above are actually more comfortably done in 2 or more days. In addition to the park’s established trails and the famous Narrows, there are a number of off-trail routes for those experienced in using topographical maps—get information at the Backcountry Desk at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

Backcountry permits are required for all overnight hikes in the park as well as for slot canyon hikes. You can get permits at either visitor center. They cost $10 for 1 or 2 people, $15 for 3 to 7 people, and $20 for 8 to 12 people. You can purchase a permit the day before or the day of your trip. You can also make reservations for permits in advance through the park’s website (www.nps.gov/zion), but you must pick them up in person.

The West Rim Trail drops about 3,400 feet over 15 miles to the Grotto Picnic Area, and many hikers choose to arrange for a shuttle rather than attempting the strenuous climb back to the trail head at Lava Point. The easiest way to do this is to leave your car at the south end (lowest point) and get a shuttle to the top to begin your hike. Over half of this hike is spent atop the Horse Pasture Plateau, a finger of land pointing toward Angels Landing, which affords incredible vistas all along the trail. The plateau boasts a wide range of plant life, and consequently, a fascinating variety of birds and animals.

Other Sports & Activities

Biking & Mountain Biking Although bikes are prohibited on almost all trails and are forbidden to travel cross-country within the national park boundaries, Zion is among the West’s most bike-friendly parks. The bike-friendly Pa’rus Trail runs a little under 2 miles along the Virgin River, from the south park entrance and South Campground to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The trail crosses the river and several creeks, and it provides good views of the Watchman, West Temple, the Sentinel, and other lower-canyon formations. The trail is paved and open to bicyclists, pedestrians, pets on leashes, strollers, and wheelchairs, but is closed to cars.

From April through October, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, beyond its intersection with the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway, is closed to private motor vehicles, except to motorists with reservations at Zion Lodge. However, during that time, the road is open to hikers and bicyclists as well as shuttle buses. Cyclists should stay to the right to allow shuttle buses to pass.

Bicycles can also be ridden on other park roads, though not through the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel.

Although mountain bikes are prohibited on the trails of Zion National Park (except the Pa’rus Trail), just outside the park—mostly on Bureau of Land Management and state property—are numerous rugged jeep trails that are great for mountain biking, plus more than 100 miles of slickrock cross-country trails and single-track trails. Talk with the knowledgeable staff at Zion Cycles, 868 Zion Park Blvd., behind Zion Pizza & Noodle (P.O. Box 624), Springdale, UT 84767 (phone 435/772-0400; www.zioncycles.com), about the best trails for your interests and abilities. This full-service bike shop offers maps, a full range of bikes and accessories, repairs, and rentals ($38–$55 for a full day, $28–$45 for a half-day).

For guided mountain or road bike trips, contact Zion Adventure Company (see “Day Hikes,” above). A guided hike and road-bike trip into the park costs $139 for a half-day and $179 for a full day, per person for two people, with lower per-person rates for larger groups. Zion Rock & Mountain Guides (see “Day Hikes,” above) also offers guided mountain-bike excursions outside the national park at similar rates.

Shuttle service for backcountry bikers is available on the park’s shuttle service, and each shuttle bus has racks for two bikes.

FISHING Though not the most popular pastime in the park, fishing in the Virgin River is permitted with a Utah fishing license, available at sporting goods stores and other businesses throughout Utah; contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1594 W. North Temple, Ste. 2110 (P.O. Box 146301), Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 (phone 801/538-4700; www.wildlife.utah.gov), for more details. Anglers occasionally catch a few trout, but the stream is not stocked.

Horseback Riding Guided rides in the park are available March through October from Canyon Trail Rides, P.O. Box 128, Tropic, UT 84776 (phone 435/679-8665; www.canyonrides.com), with ticket sales and information near Zion Lodge. A 1-hour ride along the Virgin River costs $40, and a half-day ride on the Sand Beach Trail costs $75. Riders must weigh no more than 220 pounds, and children must be at least 7 years old for the 1-hour ride and 10 years old for the half-day ride. Reservations are advised.

Rock Climbing Expert technical rock climbers like the tall sandstone cliffs in Zion Canyon, although rangers warn that much of the rock is loose, or “rotten,” and climbing equipment and techniques that are suitable for granite are often less effective (and therefore less safe) on sandstone. Backcountry permits, available at visitor centers, are required for overnight climbs and cost $10 for 1 or 2 people, $15 for 3 to 7, and $20 for 8 to 12. Because some routes may be closed at times, such as during peregrine falcon nesting from early spring through July, climbers should check at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center before setting out. Zion Adventure Company and Zion Rock & Mountain Guides (see “Day Hikes,” above) offer a variety of guided rock climbing and hiking trips, as well as instruction. Typical per-person rates are $125 for a half-day and $160 for a full day for two people, with lower per-person rates for larger groups. Zion Rock & Mountain Guides also offers equipment rentals and sales.

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching It’s a rare visitor to Zion who doesn’t spot a critter of some sort, from mule deer—often seen along roadways and in campgrounds year-round—to the many varieties of lizards that you’re likely to see from spring through fall. The park’s largest lizard, the chuckwalla, can grow to 20 inches. The ringtail cat, a relative of the raccoon, prowls Zion Canyon at night and is not above helping itself to your camping supplies. Along the Virgin River you’ll see bank beaver, so named because they live in burrows instead of dams. The park is also home to coyotes, black-tailed jackrabbits, cottontails, chipmunks, several types of squirrel, voles, skunks, porcupines, gophers, and a variety of bats.

The peregrine falcon, among the world’s fastest birds, sometimes nests in the Weeping Rock area, where you could also see birds like the American dipper, the canyon wren, and the white-throated swift. Bald eagles sometimes winter in the park, and you might also see golden eagles. Snakes include the Great Basin rattlesnake, usually found only below 8,000 feet, as well as nonpoisonous king snakes and gopher snakes. Tarantulas are often seen in the late summer and fall.

Camping

Inside the Park

The best places to camp are the national park campgrounds, just inside the park’s south entrance. Reservations for Watchman Campground can be made from early March through November (www.recreation.gov; phone 877/444-6777). Reservations are not accepted for South Campground, and it often fills by noon in the summer, so get there early to claim a site.

Both of Zion’s main campgrounds have paved roads, well-spaced sites, lots of trees, flush toilets, and that national park atmosphere you came here to enjoy. Lava Point, on the Kolob Terrace, is more primitive (vault toilets) but has a delightful wooded setting. There are no showers in the national park, but the commercial campgrounds listed below will let you use their showers for a fee. There are no RV hookups at South Campground, but electric hookups are available in two loops in Watchman.

Near the Park

Outside the park entrances, on both the east and south sides, are commercial campgrounds with all the usual amenities. Keep in mind that the park’s visitor center, campgrounds, and most of its developed attractions are closer to the south entrance than the east.

Zion Canyon Campground is at 479 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767 (www.zioncamp.com; phone 435/772-3237), a half mile south of the park’s south entrance. Although quite crowded in summer, the campground is clean and well maintained, with tree-shaded sites (including big rig sites) and grassy tent areas. Some sites are along the Virgin River, and the campground has a pool, a game room, a playground, and a store. Dogs are permitted at RV sites but not tent sites. There is a Quality Inn (42 units) on the grounds (phone 435/772-3237), with rates from $120 to $150 double year-round.

East Zion Riverside RV Park is located in the Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge complex in Mt. Carmel Junction, about 13 miles east of the east entrance to the national park (P.O. Box 5536, Mt. Carmel Junction, UT 84755; www.zionnational-park.com; phone 435/648-2203). Especially good for self-contained RVs, the park sits along the banks of the East Fork of the Virgin River in the shade of cottonwood trees and offers campers use of the pool, hot tub, and other amenities at the adjacent Thunderbird Lodge. All sites are back-in.

In addition to the campgrounds discussed here, there is also camping at Cedar Breaks National Monument (p. 523).

Where to Stay

Inside the Park

Zion Lodge This handsome facility, the only lodging in the park, is a wonderful place to stay, but its main appeal is the splendid location. Built in 1925 by the Union Pacific Railroad, the original Zion Lodge was destroyed by fire in 1966 but has been rebuilt and restored. Set in a valley with spectacular views of the park’s rock cliffs, the charming and historic cabins are our first choice because they fit the national park ambience. Each cabin has a private porch, stone (gas-burning) fireplace, two double beds, and pine board walls. The comfortable modern motel units have two queen-size beds, a private porch or balcony, and all the usual amenities except televisions. The motel suites, plush and spacious, have one king-size bed, a sitting room with a queen-size hide-a-bed, and a refrigerator. Ranger programs take place in the lodge auditorium during the summer. The lodge has two restaurants, the Castle Dome Café and Red Rock Grill (see “Where to Eat,” below). All units are smoke-free.

In Zion National Park. Information and reservations: Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Central Reservations, 6312 S. Fiddlers Green Circle, Ste. 600N, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. www.zionlodge.com. phone 888/297-2757 or 303/297-2757. Fax 303/297-3175. Direct line to lodge: phone 435/772-7700. 81 units, 40 cabins A/C, TEL. Mid-Mar to Nov motel rooms $170 double; $180 cabin double; $186 suite double. Discounts (sometimes up to 50% off) and packages available rest of the year. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Near the Park

The lodgings listed below are in Springdale, a village of some 600 people at the park’s south entrance, or in Mount Carmel Junction, an even smaller community about 13 miles east of the park’s east entrance.

Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge A well-maintained two-story motel with Southwest decor, the Thunderbird offers quiet, spacious, comfortable rooms with king- or queen-size beds, wood furnishings, photos or artwork depicting area scenery, and a private balcony or patio. All units have Wi-Fi, and some have refrigerators and microwaves. There is a large outdoor heated pool (Apr–Oct), a whirlpool, a 9-hole golf course, a gas station, a convenience store, and a restaurant, the Thunderbird (see “Where to Eat,” below), on the premises. All units are nonsmoking. Also under the same management, with the same contact information, is a nearby house with two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a living room with a fireplace and vaulted ceiling, and a large fully equipped kitchen for $295 for up to six people (minimum 2-day rental). The complex also includes a campground, the East Zion Riverside RV Park. (See “Camping,” above.)

At the junction of Utah 9 and U.S. 89 (P.O. Box 5536), Mt. Carmel Junction, UT 84755. www.zionnational-park.com. phone 888/848-6358 or 435/648-2203. Fax 435/648-2239. 61 units. A/C, TV, TEL. May–Oct $114–$129 double; Nov–Mar $73–$83 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.

Best Western Zion Park Inn This is a good choice for those who are seeking an upscale, reliable chain motel with no surprises. Rooms in the handsome two-story complex, 1 1/2 miles from the park, are tastefully appointed in Southwest style, with two queen-size beds or one king-size bed, dataports, coffeemakers, hair dryers, and irons. The grounds are nicely landscaped, with phenomenal views of the area’s red rock formations. Facilities include a heated outdoor swimming pool (Mar–Oct), a whirlpool (year-round), a restaurant, sports bar, a gift shop, guest laundry, and a liquor store.

1215 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. www.zionparkinn.com. phone 800/934-7275 or 435/772-3200. Fax 435/772-2449. 120 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Mar–Oct $115–$135 double, $140–$180 suite or family unit; Nov–Feb $68–$85 double, $90–$130 suite or family unit. No charge for children 17 and younger. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. 1 pet accepted, for an extra fee of $25.

Canyon Ranch Motel Consisting of a series of two- and four-unit cottages set back from the highway, this motel’s buildings ooze charm, with the look of 1930s-style cabins on the outside, while providing modern motel rooms inside. Rooms have Wi-Fi and most have refrigerators. Options include one queen- or king-size bed, two queen-size beds, or one queen-size and one double. Some rooms have showers only, while others have a tub/shower combination. Room no. 13, with two queen-size beds, offers spectacular views of the Zion National Park rock formations; views from most other rooms are almost as good. The units surround a lawn with trees and picnic tables, and the property has an outdoor pool, open in the warmer months, and a whirlpool. All units are smoke-free.

668 Zion Park Blvd. (P.O. Box 175), Springdale, UT 84767. www.canyonranchmotel.com. phone 866/946-6276 or 435/772-3357. 22 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Oct $99–$119 double, kitchenettes $139; Nov–Mar $69–$89 double; kitchenettes $109. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets accepted in some units, only 1 or 2 dogs per unit ($24 fee first night, $12 second night, $6 third night).

Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens With river frontage and 5 acres of lawns that boast shade trees and flower gardens, the Cliffrose offers a beautiful setting just outside the entrance to Zion National Park. The modern, well-kept rooms have all the standard motel appointments, plus unusually large bathrooms with a tub/shower, refrigerators, and Wi-Fi. We especially like the four very luxurious Canyon View Suites, which sleep up to six guests each. On the lawns, you’ll find comfortable seating, including a swing, plus a playground, a whirlpool, and a large outdoor heated pool. Guests have use of a coin-op laundry. All units are smoke-free.

281 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. www.cliffroselodge.com. phone 800/243-8824 or 435/772-3234. Fax 435/772-3900. 50 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Oct and holidays $149–$199 per unit; rates lower at other times. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Desert Pearl Inn This riverside property offers luxurious and comfortable accommodations with beautiful views of the area’s scenery from private terraces or balconies. Spacious rooms are decorated in modern Southwest style, with either two queen- or one king-size bed, and each room also has a queen-size sofa sleeper. Units have Wi-Fi, dataports, refrigerators, microwaves, wet bars, coffeemakers, hair dryers, and safes. The grounds are nicely landscaped, and facilities include a huge seasonal outdoor heated pool and a whirlpool. All units are smoke-free.

707 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. www.desertpearl.com. phone 888/828-0898 or 435/772-8888. Fax 435/772-8889. 61 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $158–$188 double, $298 suite; winter $98–$118 double, $198 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Driftwood Lodge Beautiful lawns and gardens enhance this attractive, well-kept motel—a quiet, lush complex perfect for sitting back and admiring the spectacular rock formations that practically surround the town. The spacious rooms have Wi-Fi, refrigerators, microwaves, and hair dryers. They have light walls and wood-grain furnishings; all have patios or balconies. Most standard rooms have two queen-size beds; others have one king-size. Two family suites each have one king-size and two queen-size beds, and the handsome king suites have a separate sitting room, king-size bed, and microwave. The restaurant has a delightful outdoor patio with views into the national park. There’s an outdoor heated pool with a sun deck, open in summer, a whirlpool, a coin-op laundry, and a restaurant that serves basic American cuisine.

1515 Zion Park Blvd. (P.O. Box 447), Springdale, UT 84767. www.driftwoodlodge.net. phone 888/801-8811 or 435/772-3262. Fax 435/772-3702. 53 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Apr–Nov $129–$149 double, $169–$209 family unit and suite; Dec–Mar $59–$79 double, $89–$129 family unit and suite. Pets accepted at management’s discretion ($25 fee).

Flanigan’s Inn A mountain-lodge atmosphere suffuses this very attractive complex of natural wood and rock set among trees, lawns, and flowers, just outside the entrance to Zion National Park. This is a place where you will actually want to spend time relaxing. The rooms are artfully decorated in what we might describe as a spalike atmosphere, with top-line amenities, and most units have decks or patios and large windows overlooking a natural courtyard including a koi pond, heated pool, and hot tub. Suites have microwaves in addition to small refrigerators, and the two villas are completely furnished and beautifully decorated upscale homes separate from the main inn. A nature trail leads to a hilltop labyrinth and spectacular vistas. There is a heated outdoor pool, outdoor hot tub, and full-service spa, including a salon and yoga exercise room, and bicycles are available for guests’ use. The restaurant, the Spotted Dog Café, serves breakfast and dinner (see “Where to Eat,” below). The inn is 50% wind powered and entirely nonsmoking.

450 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. www.flanigans.com. phone 800/765-7787 or 435/772-3244. Fax 435/772-3396. 36 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Mid-Mar through Nov and holidays $129–$169 double, $249–$359 suite and villa; lower rates at other times. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Harvest House Bed & Breakfast at Zion Personal touches and yummy breakfasts make this B&B a fine alternative to a standard motel. Built in 1989, the house is Utah territorial style (a style similar to Victorian) and has a cactus garden out front and a garden sitting area in back, with a koi pond and spectacular views of the national park’s rock formations. Rooms are charming, comfortable, and quiet, with king- or queen-size beds and Wi-Fi. The units are furnished with an eclectic mix of contemporary items, and original art dots the walls. One upstairs room faces west and has grand sunset views, while the other two have private decks facing the impressive formations of Zion. There’s a big-screen TV in the living room, and the gourmet breakfasts are sumptuous, with fresh-baked breads, fresh-squeezed orange juice, granola, fruit, yogurt, and a hot main course. Facilities include an outdoor whirlpool tub.

29 Canyon View Dr., Springdale, UT 84767. www.harvesthouse.net. phone 800/719-7493 or 435/772-3880. 4 units. A/C. $100–$135 double. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Children 7 and older welcome.

Historic Pioneer Lodge and Restaurant Old West ambience and style coupled with modern amenities and comfortable beds are what you’ll find at the Historic Pioneer Lodge. Standard rooms have a homey feel with one king or two queen beds and some of the quietest heating/air-conditioning units around (and heating and cooling is all remote control). There are 40 rooms and three suites/apartments, and all units have rustic log furnishings, good lighting, full carpeting, granite counters, Wi-Fi, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, and hair dryers. There’s a seasonal outdoor heated pool, whirlpool tub, and coin-op laundry, as well as a gift shop selling the work of local artists, an Internet cafe with espresso bar, and a reasonably priced restaurant where lodge guests receive a 10% discount during their stay. All units are nonsmoking.

828 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. www.pioneerlodge.com. phone 888/772-3233 or 435/772-3233. Fax 435/772-3165. 43 units. A/C, TV, TEL. Summer $164–$186 double, $208–$329 suite; lower rates the rest of the year. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Under the Eaves Bed & Breakfast This romantic 1931 home, located in the heart of Springdale, offers handsomely decorated historic rooms, beautiful gardens and shade trees, and spectacular views from what innkeepers Joe Pitti and Mark Chambers call “the best front porch in Utah.” The units range from the basic Hiker’s Room to a luxurious suite—covering 1,200-square feet, it has a vaulted ceiling, a wood-burning stove, a kitchenette, and a claw-foot tub plus separate shower. The cute Garden Cottage, built in 1928, was moved here from inside the national park. It contains two small but comfortable rooms on the main floor and the more rustic lower level hikers’ room. Breakfast is off the menu at nearby Oscar’s Cafe, served from 7 to 11am. All units are smoke-free.

980 Zion Park Blvd. (P.O. Box 29), Springdale, UT 84767. www.undertheeaves.com. phone 866/261-2655 or 435/772-3457. 6 units. A/C. $85–$150 double, $185 suite. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V. Children allowed at management’s discretion. In room: A/C, Wi-Fi, no phone.

Zion Mountain Ranch The upscale log cabins and family lodges here, just outside the east entrance to the national park, provide a luxurious way to “rough it” while visiting Zion. The spacious log cabins have lodgepole king-size beds, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, and DVD players, but no phones. The basic cabins range from 325 to 450 square feet and have one or two king-size beds and gas fireplaces. There are larger and more upscale cabin suites, which add two-person jetted tubs and other amenities, and “family lodges”—1,000 to 1,500 square feet—that sleep from 7 to 10 people and include fully equipped kitchens. The property covers 1,000 partly wooded acres, where you’re very likely to see the resort’s bison herd. There is hiking, horseback riding ($35 for a 1-hr. ride), fishing, and a restaurant that serves three meals daily. All units are smoke-free.

9065 W. Utah 9, Mt. Carmel, UT 84755 (3 miles east of the Zion National Park east entrance). www.zionmountainresort.com. phone 866/648-2555 or 435/648-2555. 50 units. A/C, TV. Apr–Oct $145–$166 double in cabin, $166–$295 cabin suite; and $309–$471 family lodge; Nov–Mar $99–$119 double in cabin, $135–$206 cabin suite, and $229–$379 family lodge. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Zion Park Motel This economical modern motel offers comfortable, attractively furnished rooms. Bathrooms have showers or tub/shower combos. Standard rooms are a bit small, especially with the refrigerator and microwave they all have, but the light-colored wood furnishings and walls help make them feel bigger. Two suites have full kitchens. The family unit sleeps six. All units have Wi-Fi. Facilities include a seasonal outdoor heated pool, a picnic area, a playground, a self-service laundry, and an ATM. Smoking is not permitted.

865 Zion Park Blvd. (P.O. Box 365), Springdale, UT 84767. www.zionparkmotel.com. phone 435/772-3251. 21 units. A/C, TV, TEL. $84 double; $104–$149 family unit and suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Where to Eat

Inside the Park

Castle Dome Café SNACK BAR At the north end of the lodge, this fast-food restaurant offers an outdoor dining patio serving cinnamon buns, burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and similar fare. No alcoholic beverages are served.

Zion National Park. phone 435/772-3213. $4–$10. No credit cards. Summer daily 7am–9pm; call for hours the rest of the year.

Red Rock Grill AMERICAN Try to have at least one meal here during your national park vacation. The restaurant’s mountain lodge decor competes for your attention with the spectacular rock formations, visible through the dining room’s large windows; for an even better view, dine on the outside patio. The menu changes periodically, but breakfasts usually offer all the usuals, including a good buffet. At lunch, you’ll likely find a buffet or two, plus items such as chicken salad and grilled salmon or beef burgers. Specialties at dinner might include the excellent Santa Fe flatiron steak (grilled and topped with pico de gallo and fried onions), a bison rib-eye steak with a potato medley, grilled pork loin with prickly pear sauce, slow-cooked baby back ribs, plus seafood and pasta. Especially good are the lodge’s specialty desserts, such as the bourbon pecan pie or turtle Bundt cake. There is full liquor service.

Zion Lodge, Zion National Park. phone 435/772-7760. www.zionlodge.com. Dinner reservations required in summer. Main courses breakfast $4–$10, lunch $8–$12, dinner $14–$29. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6:30–10:30am, 11:30am–3pm, and 5–10pm.

Near the Park

All the following restaurants, except the Thunderbird Restaurant in Mount Carmel, are in Springdale, just outside the park’s south entrance.

Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon MEXICAN/SOUTHWESTERN Rough wood-and-stone walls and an exposed-beam ceiling give this restaurant the look of an Old West saloon. It’s actually much more than that, with a family dining room, patio dining, and original art decorating the walls. The food here is also a lot better than you’ll find in the average saloon, closer to what we expect in an upscale Santa Fe restaurant. The menu changes seasonally, but usually includes Mexican standards such as burritos, flautas, chiles rellenos, and a traditional green-chile stew with pork and rice. You’ll also often find seafood, such as grilled salmon, and our personal favorite, grilled chile-rubbed rib-eye steak with a port wine and blue cheese demiglace. The Bit & Spur has full liquor service—try the fresh fruit margaritas—an extensive wine list, and an excellent variety of microbrewed beers.

1212 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. phone 435/772-3498. www.bitandspur.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $12–$25. AE, DISC, MC, V. Spring–fall daily 5–10pm; call for winter hours.

Spotted Dog Café AMERICAN/REGIONAL This restaurant’s art-filled interior makes the most of the scenery with large windows for inside diners plus a Euro-style outdoor patio with spectacular views of Zion Canyon. Selections vary by season and may include Rocky Mountain trout, lamb, free-range poultry, hormone-free beef, environmentally farmed fish, hearty pastas, fresh summer salads, plus local specialties. There is also a surprisingly healthy children’s menu. It offers an Express Breakfast Buffet daily at 7am featuring country potatoes, bacon, link sausage, plus selections of eggs, cereal, pastries, yogurt, fresh fruit, French toast, waffles, and freshly baked specialties. The Spotted Dog has an excellent wine cellar, microbrewed draft beers, and complete liquor service.

Flanigan’s Inn, 428 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. phone 435/772-0700. Reservations recommended. Main courses $12–$26. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 7–11am and 5–9pm; reduced hours in winter.

Thunderbird Restaurant AMERICAN You won’t go wrong stopping here for basic American food at reasonable prices. The spacious dining room offers booths and tables in a comfortable Southwest setting. The breakfast menu includes pancakes, French toast, cereal, fruit, breads, numerous egg dishes, and a hearty steak and eggs platter. Lunch consists of a wide variety of burgers plus hot and cold sandwiches. Dinner entrees include steak, seafood, and chicken, plus the popular country-fried steak. The restaurant has great homemade pies, breads, and soups, and a soup and salad bar is open at dinner in summer. Beer and wine are served.

At the junction of Utah 9 and U.S. 89, in the Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge, Mt. Carmel Junction. phone 435/648-2262. Reservations not accepted. Main courses lunch $7–$14, dinner $9–$21. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Summer daily 7am–11pm; winter daily 7am–8pm.

Zion Park Gift & Deli SANDWICHES Want a top-quality sandwich at an economical price? This is the place. You can eat at one of the cafe-style tables inside or on the patio outside, or you can carry your sandwich off on a hike or to a national park picnic ground. All baked goods, including the excellent sandwich breads and sub rolls, are made in-house. In typical deli style, you order at the counter and wait as your sandwich is prepared with your choice of bread, meats, cheeses, and condiments. This is also a good breakfast stop for those who enjoy fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, muffins, banana nut bread, and similar goodies, with a cup of espresso. Locally made candy, including 14 flavors of excellent fudge, and 24 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt are offered. No alcohol is served.

866 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. phone 435/772-3843. Sandwiches $5–$10. DISC, MC, V. Summer Mon–Sat 8:30am–9:30pm; reduced hours in winter.

Zion Pizza & Noodle PIZZA/PASTA A locals’ favorite, this busy cafe offers good pizza and pasta in a funky atmosphere—a former Mormon church with a turquoise steeple. The dining room has small, closely spaced tables and black-and-white photos on the walls. You find your own table, place your order at the counter, and a server delivers it. The pizzas, with lots of chewy crust, are baked in a slate stone oven. Choose one of the house favorites, such as the Southwest burrito pizza or barbecue chicken pizza, a basic cheese pizza, or create your own by adding any of the more than 20 extra toppings, from pepperoni to green chilies to pineapple. The menu also offers pastas, such as chicken parmesan, or penne pasta with grilled chicken, broccoli, carrots, fresh cream, and cheese; plus calzones and stromboli. Beer is served inside and in the delightful year-round beer garden.

868 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale. phone 435/772-3815. www.zionpizzanoodle.com. Reservations not accepted. Entrees $11–$16. No credit cards. Summer daily from 4pm; call for winter hours.

Picnic & Camping Supplies

You’ll find most of the groceries and camping supplies you want just outside the park’s south entrance at Sol Foods Park Market, 95 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-0277; www.solfoods.com). This well-stocked store has a good selection of groceries, including fresh produce, meats, and dairy products, plus a very good deli. It also stocks camping supplies, souvenirs, and digital memory cards, rents DVDs, and has a restaurant. It is open daily year-round, 8am to 10pm in summer with shorter hours at other times.

In downtown Springdale, you’ll find an even better selection at Sol Foods Downtown Supermarket, which carries conventional groceries plus organic food and gourmet items, at 995 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-3100; www.solfoods.com). It’s open daily 7am to 11pm. On the south end of Springdale (the opposite side of town from the national park), is the Springdale Fruit Company, 2491 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-3222; www.springdalefruit.com), which is open only from mid-March through mid-November (daily 9am–7pm) and sells fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and juices (try the fruit smoothies), plus trail mix and baked goods. It also has a picnic area and free Wi-Fi.

Those in need of outdoor equipment, hiking boots, clothing, sleeping bags, stoves, and the like will find what they want to buy at Zion Outdoor, 868 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-0630; www.zionoutdoor.com). Outdoor equipment rentals can be found at Zion Adventure Company, 36 Lion Blvd. (phone 435/772-1001; www.zionadventures.com); and Zion Rock & Mountain Guides, 1458 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-3303; www.zionrockguides.com), which rents and sells. For bike rentals and repairs, stop at Zion Cycles, also at 868 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 435/772-0400; www.zioncycles.com).

Nearby Entertainment

Just outside the south entrance to Zion National Park, in Springdale, are two worthwhile attractions.

The Tanner Twilight Concert Series presents a varied performing arts program in the stunning, 2,000-seat outdoor Tanner Amphitheater, just off Zion Park Boulevard. Performances range from symphony orchestra concerts and dance performances to rock, jazz, and gospel concerts. Shows begin at 8pm many Saturdays throughout the summer, and cost $10 for adults and $5 for youths (18 and younger). For information, contact Dixie College, in St. George (phone 435/652-7994; www.dixie.edu/tanner/index.html).

The Zion Canyon Theatre, 145 Zion Park Blvd. (phone 888/256-3456 or 435/772-2400; www.zioncanyontheatre.com), boasts a huge screen—some 60 feet high by 82 feet across. Here you can see the dramatic film Zion Canyon: Treasure of the Gods, with thrilling scenes of the Zion National Park area, including a hair-raising flash flood through Zion Canyon’s Narrows and some dizzying bird’s-eye views. The theater also shows a variety of other Hollywood and large-format films. Admission is $8 adults and $6 children under 12. The theater is open daily from 11am in summer; call for winter hours. The theater complex also contains a tourist information center, an ATM, a picnic area, gift and souvenir shops, restaurants, and a grocery store.

Cedar Breaks National Monument

A delightful little park, Cedar Breaks is a wonderful place to spend anywhere from a few hours to several days, gazing down from the rim into the spectacular natural amphitheater, hiking the trails, and camping among the spruce and fir trees and the summer wildflowers.

The park forms a natural coliseum more than 2,000 feet deep and over 3 miles across, filled with stone spires, arches, and columns shaped by the forces of erosion and painted in ever-changing reds, purples, oranges, and ochers. Why the name Cedar Breaks? The pioneers who came here called such badlands “breaks,” and they mistook the juniper trees along the cliff bases for cedars.

Essentials

When to Go

At over 10,000 feet of elevation, it’s always pleasantly cool at Cedar Breaks. It actually gets downright cold at night, so bring a jacket or sweater, even if the temperature is scorching just down the road in St. George. The monument is open to those traveling by car, truck, or RV for a short summer season—from after the snow melts, usually in late May, until the first heavy snow, usually in mid-November. However, if you have a snowmobile or a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes, you can visit throughout the winter.

Getting There

Cedar Breaks National Monument is 85 miles north of the main section of Zion National Park. From Zion’s south entrance, head west on Utah 9, then north on Utah 17 to I-15. Follow I-15 north to exit 57 (Cedar City), turn and head east on Utah 14, then turn north on Utah 148, which goes straight into the monument. From the Kolob Canyons section of Zion, which is off exit 40 of I-15, it is only 40 miles to Cedar Breaks.

The national monument is 23 miles east of Cedar City, 56 miles west of Bryce Canyon National Park, and 247 miles south of Salt Lake City. If you’re coming from Bryce Canyon or other points east, the park is accessible from the town of Panguitch on Utah 143. If you’re coming from the north, take the Parowan exit off I-15 and head south on Utah 143. It’s a steep climb from whichever direction you choose, so take care, especially if your vehicle is prone to vapor lock or (like many motor homes) to loss of power on hills.

Information & Visitor Center

A mile from the south entrance gate, you’ll find the visitor center, which is usually open daily from late May through mid-October, from 9am to 6pm (closed the rest of the year). The visitor center has exhibits on the geology, flora, and fauna of Cedar Breaks. You can purchase books and maps here, and rangers can help you plan your visit. For advance information, contact Cedar Breaks National Monument, 2390 W. Utah 56, Ste. 11, Cedar City, UT 84720 (phone 435/586-9451, administrative office, or 435/586-0787, monument office, open in summer only; www.nps.gov/cebr).

Fees

Admission for up to 1 week, charged from late May through mid-October, is $4 per person for all those 16 and older, free for under 16. Admission is free the rest of the year. Camping costs $14 per night.

Health & Safety Concerns

The high elevation—10,350 feet at the visitor center—is likely to cause shortness of breath and tiredness. Those with heart or respiratory conditions should consult their doctors before making the trip to Cedar Breaks. During thunderstorms, avoid overlooks and other high, exposed areas—they’re often targets for lightning.

Ranger Programs

During the monument’s short summer season, rangers offer campfire talks at the Point Supreme campground several nights a week, daily talks on geology and other subjects, and several guided hikes. There are also special programs on the monument’s wildflowers, and, in recent years, stargazing programs have become especially popular. All ranger programs are free. A complete schedule is posted at the visitor center and the campground.

Exploring Cedar Breaks by Car

The 5-mile road through Cedar Breaks National Monument offers easy access to the monument’s scenic overlooks and trail heads. Allow 30 to 45 minutes to make the drive. Start at the visitor center and nearby Point Supreme for a panoramic view of the amphitheater. Then drive north, past the campground and picnic ground turnoff, to Sunset View, for a closer look at the amphitheater and its colorful canyons. From each of these overlooks you’ll be able to see out across Cedar Valley, over the Antelope and Black mountains, and into the Escalante Desert.

Continue north to Chessman Ridge Overlook, so named because the stone hoodoos below the overlook seem like massive chess pieces. Watch for swallows and swifts soaring among the rock formations. Back in your car, head north to Alpine Pond, to walk among the wildflowers on the self-guided nature trail (see “Hiking,” below). Finally, proceed to North View, which offers perhaps the best views of the amphitheater and its rock statues.

Summer Sports & Activities

Hiking The fairly easy 2-mile round-trip Alpine Pond Nature Trail loop leads through woodlands of bristlecone pines to a forest glade and a pond surrounded by wildflowers, offering panoramic views of the amphitheater along the way. A trail guide pamphlet is available at the trail head.

A somewhat more challenging hike, the 4-mile round-trip Spectra Point/Ramparts Overlook Trail follows the rim more closely than the Alpine Pond Trail, offering changing views of the colorful rock formations. It also takes you through fields of wildflowers and by bristlecone pines that are more than 1,600 years old. You’ll need to be especially careful of your footing along the exposed cliff edges and allow yourself some time to rest—there are lots of ups and downs along the way.

The 1-mile round-trip Campground Trail connects the campground with the visitor center, providing views of the amphitheater along the way. It is the only trail where pets are permitted.

There are no trails from the rim to the bottom of the amphitheater completely within the monument, but there are trails just outside the monument that go into the amphitheater. Check with the visitor center for details and directions.

Wildlife-Watching Because of its relative remoteness, Cedar Breaks is a good place for spotting wildlife. You’re likely to see mule deer grazing in the meadows along the road early and late in the day. Marmots make their dens near the rim and are often seen along the Spectra Point Trail. You’ll spot ground squirrels, red squirrels, and chipmunks everywhere. Pikas, related to rabbits, are here too, but it’s unlikely you’ll see one. They’re small, with short ears and stubby tails, and prefer the high, rocky slopes.

Birders should have no trouble spotting the Clark’s nutcracker, with its gray torso and black-and-white wings and tail, in the campground. The monument is also home to swallows, swifts, blue grouse, and golden eagles.

Winter Sports & Activities

The monument’s facilities shut down from mid-November to late May or even later. The thick blanket of snow keeps cars out but makes Cedar Breaks perfect for snowmobilers, snowshoers, and cross-country skiers, who usually come over from nearby Brian Head ski area. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers have numerous options, but snowmobilers are restricted to the main 5-mile road through the monument, which is groomed and marked.

Camping

A 28-site campground in a beautiful high-mountain setting, Point Supreme, just north of the visitor center, is open from mid-June to late September, with tent, car, and RV sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. The campground has restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and an amphitheater for the ranger’s evening campfire programs. There are no showers or RV hookups. The camping fee is $14 per night. Remember that even in midsummer, temperatures can drop into the 30s (single digits Celsius) at night at this elevation, so bring cool-weather gear.

Chapter 37: Field Guide to Western Wildlife

by Kurt Repanshek

Canyon Country

Mammals & Reptiles

Besides the plants and animals pictured here, you might see North American elk, mountain lion, and bobcat.

Coyote These wild dogs are midway in size between wolves and foxes. Their natural habitat is in the deserts and grasslands of the West, but when hunting killed all the wolves in the Lower 48 states, coyotes spread out and changed their behavior. They now act more like wolves, hunting in packs and going for bigger game, like deer. In the Southwest, they’re more solitary, eating reptiles, rodents, insects, and fruit.

Coyote

Jack Rabbit You can tell a jack rabbit by its long ears and strong back legs. This rabbit is tan and white and about 2 feet tall. Jack rabbits are active at night, and you often see them in your headlights when driving. If you’re camping, keep an eye out for their eyes reflecting the light of your fire or lantern from the woods.

Jack Rabbit

Mule Deer You might see elk, which are larger, but mule deer are much more common in this region. They are 4 to 6 feet long, have big ears like a mule, and have brown coats in the summer. Generally, mule deer in groups are females with offspring, while bucks travel alone.

Mule Deer

Rattlesnake Watch out for these guys, and if you find one, just back off. Most people who get bitten step on one accidentally or are messing with the snake; it attacks an animal as large as a person only in self-defense. Rattlesnakes are dormant in the winter and come out only at night in the hot summer months. There are many kinds, including one that lives only in the Grand Canyon, but I wouldn’t recommend getting close enough to check which one you’re seeing.

Rattlesnake

Side-Blotched Lizard There are 3,000 kinds of lizards in the world, many of which look alike, and you often don’t see them for long—be happy just to say it was a lizard. This one is 4 to 6 inches long and is brown with spots. Like snakes and other reptiles, lizards are coldblooded. They use the environment around them to set their body temperature, hiding in the shade or basking on warm rocks to get it right.

Squirrels You might see many kinds of squirrels, but the rare Abert’s squirrel is noticeable because it has tall tufts of hair that stick up behind its ears. The back is gray, with white running on the underside from the belly to the tip of the tail. It’s found only in pine and juniper forests, especially on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Abert’s Squirrel

The rare Kaibab squirrel, on the North Rim, evolved separately after the canyon formed and has an all-black body and a white tail.

Kaibab Squirrel

Birds

In addition to the birds below, you might also spot a golden eagle or a hairy woodpecker.

California Condors These birds with wingspans that can reach 9 feet are making a comeback in canyon country, thanks to efforts by federal agencies and nonprofit groups. When not soaring on air currents, they like to perch on canyon walls.

Raven You can see the raven, a black bird like a larger version of a crow, and hear its throaty caw all over the West into Alaska. The raven is common in the stories of many American Indian cultures as a wily trickster and powerful creator. Ravens are extremely intelligent birds, able to solve problems. They eat many kinds of food, but a favorite seems to be garbage.

Raven

Western Bluebird This is a striking bird, with a bright blue back and a red breast. Males compete for nest holes, using a red breast like the robin’s to show other males that they’re willing to fight for their place. Look for them in open areas where there are trees for nesting.

The Rockies

Mammals

In addition to the creatures here, you might want to check out the black bear, bobcat, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and rattlesnake.

Bighorn Sheep The strong bodies and huge curling horns of bighorns are unmistakable. In the fall, the males fight for the right to mate by bashing their horns together. You can hear it a mile away. At Rocky Mountain, you can often see bighorn in the late spring and early summer on Hwy. 34 at Sheep Lakes in Horseshoe Park, where they come to eat minerals they don’t get enough of in their winter diet. They come to the area so predictably that the Park Service posts crossing guards on the highway. Later in the year, you can see them in alpine areas, sometimes along Trail Ridge Road or on the Crater Trail.

Bighorn Sheep

Bison (or Buffalo) When settlers first came to the West, 60 million bison roamed in huge herds across the plains. By 1890, excessive hunting had left fewer than 1,000 alive. Now there are more than 200,000 in North America, mostly on farms. The wild herds at Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are unique and number a few thousand animals. Bison eat grass, often near roads where you can see them. In Yellowstone, the Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley are good spots to see them; in Grand Teton, look in the Antelope Flat area and along the Snake River. Amazingly, I saw people walking right up to bison. These animals are the size of a small truck, can run fast, and have horns that can inflict great damage. People get hurt every year.

Bison (Buffalo)

Grizzly Bear Grizzly bears once lived in much of the United States, but they need large areas of undisturbed land. Now some biologists fear they don’t have enough room left even in their last Lower 48 habitat, in the northern Rockies. Only about 500 to 600 live in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, which includes Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, and more live in Glacier National Park. About 30,000 live in Alaska. The best way to tell a grizzly from the smaller and more common black bear is by the hump on the grizzly’s back and the black bear’s straighter face profile. A grizzly’s brown or blond color isn’t a good guide, because blacks can be brown and grizzlies can be black. Grizzlies mostly eat roots, berries, and the like, but they are predators. Adult males weigh more than 500 pounds in this area.

Grizzly Bear

Moose Moose are the largest member of the deer family, with males growing up to 1,600 pounds. They like brushy areas, willows, and swamps or shallow ponds, where they stand deep in the water and eat weeds from the bottom. They’re excellent swimmers. Look for moose along the Snake River and near Jackson Lake Lodge at Grand Teton, and in the Kawuneechee Valley at Rocky Mountain. Only the males have antlers.

Moose

Mountain Lion Your chances of seeing a mountain lion are extremely slim because they’re rare and appear only when they want to—and if a mountain lion wants you to see it, then you could be in danger. They are big cats and feed on large mammals such as deer. Attacks on humans are rare but have happened, and are another good reason to keep your children near when you are hiking, especially in brush.

Mountain Lion

North American Elk (or Wapiti) These large, noble-looking deer show up all over the Rockies, spending the summer in alpine meadows and moving down for the winter. They show up at many places in all four parks; at Yellowstone you commonly see them along the road. In the winter, elk are fed at a refuge between Grand Teton National Park and the town of Jackson. At Glacier, a good place to find elk is in the roadside meadows near Saint Mary Lake. Only the males have antlers.

North American Elk (Wapiti)

Pika The pika is a cute little animal that lives in rocky areas high in the mountains. Pikas grow to 8 inches long and are related to rabbits but don’t have long ears. Their coat blends in with the rocks, so you'll have to look closely to see them.

Pika

Wolves Wolves once roamed throughout the United States, but as settlers colonized parts of the country, they drove out these predators. With wolves no longer part of the ecosystem, populations of their prey, such as elk and deer, ballooned unusually high and overgrazed the landscape. In 1995, in an effort to make Yellowstone’s animal kingdom complete, federal agencies began a wolf recovery program. Today about 400 wolves lope through the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, preying predominantly on elk. The result is a smaller, but healthier, elk herd and a healthier landscape. The best place to spot Yellowstone’s wolves is in the Lamar Valley in late spring and early summer. Some wolves can be found in Grand Teton National Park, although they’re not as visible to park visitors. Glacier National Park also has a wolf population.

Birds

Besides the birds listed here, you may see some that are described in other sections, such as the raven, western bluebird, and Steller’s jay.

Bald & Golden Eagles These majestic birds can have wingspans of over 7 feet; they glide in the air before swooping down and grabbing their prey. While golden eagles will grab a rabbit or other rodent in its ferocious talons, bald eagles might also pluck a fat trout from a river or lake. While the bald eagle is known for its white head and tail feathers, the golden eagle is all brown, with a lighter brown neck.

Golden Eagle

Hairy Woodpecker The hairy woodpecker is roughly the size of a robin, with black and white feathers; the male has a red spot on his head. It lives in deciduous forests (where trees have leaves). Male woodpeckers have long, hard beaks that they hammer against tree trunks to make holes. Females have shorter beaks that are better for prying. Together they dig insects out of the wood.

Mountain Chickadee This little bird looks a lot like the common black-capped chickadee but has an extra white stripe on its head, and gray sides. It is easy to find high in the mountains, hunting insects and flitting around the alpine forests.

Mountain Chickadee

Trumpeter Swan These huge, graceful white swans are among the largest birds in North America. They are somewhat easy to find on the lakes of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, but are found nowhere else except Canada and Alaska. They nearly disappeared, but conservation brought them back.

Trumpeter Swan

The Sierra Nevada

Mammals

Besides the creatures listed here, see the jack rabbit, pika, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyote, and rattlesnake.

Black Bear Growing to 5 or 6 feet tall, black bears are common in the Sierra. Major problems have resulted from humans living in black bear country. Careless campers and picnickers have allowed bears to get their food and garbage, and now many bears are so used to thinking of humans as sources of food that they walk right through busy campgrounds and rip open cars. Blackies normally eat berries, nuts, and plants, with an occasional squirrel thrown in. You might be able to tell a black bear from the larger brown or grizzly bear (no longer found in California) by size or color. The sure signs are that the grizzly has a raised hump over the shoulders and its nose sticks out from its face, while a black bear’s back and neck slope fairly evenly, and its nose and face form a smooth profile.

Black Bear

Bobcat Bobcats are common in the foothills and lower Sierra, but you’re very lucky if you see one. They hunt rabbits, squirrels, and other animals, often at night, hiding under logs in rocky areas to sleep. If you hear a bloodcurdling howl at night, it could be a bobcat. They’re about as large as a medium-size dog, growing to 2 1/2 feet long.

Bobcat

Sierra Nevada Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel These brave little guys will come right into campsites to raid picnic baskets. They have small tails and black-and-white stripes on the sides of their bodies. They look like chipmunks but are larger (the body is about 6 in. long) and don’t have stripes on their heads as chipmunks do.

Birds

In addition to the birds listed here, you might see some described in other sections, such as the raven, western bluebird, mountain chickadee (above), golden eagle, and hairy woodpecker.

Steller’s Jay This striking blue-and-black bird has a large black crest—it’s the only Western jay with a crest. Steller’s jays live in Sierra pine forests and often visit campgrounds to pick up crumbs. They also live in the Rockies, the Pacific Northwest, and coastal Alaska. They bear the name of the naturalist Georg Steller, who helped discover Alaska in 1741.

Steller’s Jay

White-Headed Woodpecker Common in the Yosemite Valley, these 9-inch-long birds are black except for white heads and wing patches; they’re the only woodpeckers in the Sierra with white heads. They can blend in and be hard to spot until they take flight. They feed by peeling scales of bark off trees, not by hammering them like other woodpeckers.

Olympic & Sequoia National Parks

Mammals & Marine Life

Besides those discussed below, the following can also show up in this region: bobcat, coyote, harbor seal, hermit crab, humpback whale, jack rabbit, mountain lion, mule deer, sea star or starfish, and white-tailed deer.

Gray Whale In the spring, these animals, which weigh up to 80,000 pounds, pass close to shore on their migration from winter calving grounds off western Mexico to summer feeding grounds off western Alaska. They return in late fall and winter. They don’t have fins on their backs. To feed, they dive down and sift food out of the gunk from the bottom through the comb-shaped baleen in their mouths. Watching from shore is popular at the Olympic Peninsula.

Gray Whale

Killer Whale (or Orca) These whales either travel in organized family groups called pods, feeding mostly on salmon and other fish, or are loners, prowling for prey that could include sea lions or even humpback or gray whales. On the water you’ll usually see only the whales’ shiny black backs and long dorsal fins. When the whale sounds (dives), the flukes of the tail appear. Like people swimming, orcas turn head down when they want to go deeper. Orcas grow up to 30 feet long.

Killer Whale (Orca)

Limpet Limpets are common in West Coast tide pools. Their shells are shaped like small, shallow cones. There are many varieties, some large enough to be used as food or decorations for Native American costumes. Most limpets eat algae, but they also can consume tiny mussels and barnacles that have just attached to rocks.

Sea Anemone These are among the most fun and bizarre animals to find in a tide pool. They look like huge flowers with thick stalks, but the flower petals really are sticky tentacles that grab and poison fish or other small animals that come too close. Any gentle contact will make an anemone quickly close up, leaving it looking like a rock. Sea anemones come in many varieties, in different sizes and colors.

Sea Anemone

Sea Lion Groups of sea lions have certain rocks called haul-outs, where they rest together, and rookeries, where they mate and give birth. Like whales, otters, and seals, they’re mammals and have to hold their breath to dive deep for the fish they catch. They are larger than seals and feed on salmon and other fish that people also eat, so commercial fishing can reduce their food supply and lower the number that can live in an area.

Sea Lion

Sea Otter Shiny otters float on their backs in groups called rafts, tying kelp around their legs to stay in place. Otters use their tummies as tables for food or to carry their babies. Unlike other marine mammals, they don’t have a layer of fat to keep them warm. Instead, otters rely on their fur, which is the finest and most thickly spaced fur of any animal, and on their bodies’ ability to produce heat from the huge amounts of food they eat. Otters like clams, crabs, and sea urchins, which they pick off the bottom of the ocean during long dives when they hold their breath.

Sea Otter

Sea Urchin These animals have spines that stick out like pins from a pincushion. The spines protect the urchin and allow it to move, like a centipede’s legs. They fall off when the urchin dies, leaving a delicate, beautifully etched shell. Kelp is a favorite food, although they eat almost anything, and sea otters are an important predator. Many kinds of urchins are common and interesting to find in tide pools; some have eggs that are eaten as sushi.

Sea Urchin

Tule Elk & Roosevelt Elk Tule elk like the open, grassy lands on Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco. Commercial hunts killed them off during the gold rush in the 1850s, but they were brought back in the 1970s and now are easy to find in a reserve on Tomales Point, at the north end of Point Reyes. Roosevelt elk, also rare, are the largest elk. They prefer the forests of Olympic National Park, where I’ve seen them in the Hoh and Quinault rainforests. Both kinds of elk make a big difference in their ecosystems. Tule elk helped keep Point Reyes’s grasslands from turning into bushes and forest. Roosevelt elk, which like to eat hemlock sprouts but not Sitka spruce, may help keep hemlocks from taking over the rainforest.

Birds

Besides the birds listed here, you may see some osprey, herring gull, sanderling, great blue heron, raven, hairy woodpecker, and Steller’s jay.

Common Loon These large, striking birds with sharply contrasting black-and-white coloring have an unforgettable, mournful cry that is symbolic of America’s outdoors. In the summer, they nest on northern lakes. They spend the winter fishing in coastal waters all over the United States.

Common Murre The size and shape of a football, these birds don’t look as if they’d be able to fly, but they do. Their little wings flap like crazy as they skim over the waves. Murres live in huge colonies on rocky islands, making them very vulnerable to oil spills and climate changes. Each female has only one egg a year. They depend on having a lot of birds together on the rocks for protection, so recovery from die-offs is slow.

Great Horned Owl This big owl, found all over North America south of the Arctic, is a fierce hunter at the top of the food chain. It preys on rabbits, ducks, and even other owls, including the endangered spotted owl of the old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. The owl’s powerful flight, hypnotic eyes, and “hoo-hoo-hoo hooooo” call even give shivers to some people.

Great Horned Owl

Chapter 38: Airline, Hotel & Car Rental Websites

Airlines

AirTran Airways

www.airtran.com

Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air

www.alaskaair.com

Allegiant Air

www.allegiantair.com

American Airlines

www.aa.com

Continental Airlines

www.continental.com

Delta Air Lines

www.delta.com

Frontier Airlines

www.frontierairlines.com

Great Lakes Airlines

www.greatlakesav.com

JetBlue Airways

www.jetblue.com

Midwest Airlines

www.midwestairlines.com

Northwest Airlines

www.nwa.com

Olympic Airlines

www.olympicairlines.com

Southwest Airlines

www.southwest.com

Spirit Airlines

www.spiritair.com

United Airlines

www.united.com

US Airways

www.usairways.com

Major Hotel & Motel Chains

Best Western International

www.bestwestern.com

Clarion Hotels

www.choicehotels.com

Comfort Inns

www.comfortinn.com

Courtyard by Marriott

www.marriott.com/courtyard

Crowne Plaza Hotels

www.ichotelsgroup.com/crowneplaza

Days Inn

www.daysinn.com

Doubletree Hotels

www.doubletree.com

Econo Lodges

www.choicehotels.com

Embassy Suites

www.embassysuites.com

Fairfield Inn by Marriott

www.fairfieldinn.com

Four Seasons

www.fourseasons.com

Hampton Inn

http://hamptoninn1.hilton.com

Hilton Hotels

www.hilton.com

Holiday Inn

www.holidayinn.com

Howard Johnson

www.hojo.com

Hyatt

www.hyatt.com

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

www.ichotelsgroup.com

La Quinta Inns and Suites

www.lq.com

Loews Hotels

www.loewshotels.com

Marriott

www.marriott.com

Motel 6

www.motel6.com

Omni Hotels

www.omnihotels.com

Quality

www.qualityinn.choicehotels.com

Radisson Hotels & Resorts

www.radisson.com

Ramada Worldwide

www.ramada.com

Red Carpet Inns

www.bookroomsnow.com

Red Lion Hotels

www.redlion.rdln.com

Red Roof Inns

www.redroof.com

Renaissance

www.renaissancehotels.com

Residence Inn by Marriott

www.marriott.com/residenceinn

Rodeway Inns

www.RodewayInn.com

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton

Super 8 Motels

www.super8.com

Travelodge

www.travelodge.com

Vagabond Inns

www.vagabondinn.com

Westin Hotels & Resorts

www.starwoodhotels.com/westin

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

www.wyndham.com

Major Car-Rental Agencies

Advantage

www.advantage.com

Alamo

www.alamo.com

Avis

www.avis.com

Budget

www.budget.com

Dollar

www.dollar.com

Enterprise

www.enterprise.com

Hertz

www.hertz.com

National

www.nationalcar.com

Payless

www.paylesscarrental.com

Rent-A-Wreck

www.rentawreck.com

Thrifty

www.thrifty.com