Staying in the USA’s National Parks
A friend of ours was recently disappointed when she discovered she couldn’t get any accommodation in Grand Canyon Village when she was finalizing long-term plans for her first visit to Arizona’s Grand Canyon. As with most of the USA’s most popular National Parks, accommodation in Grand Canyon Village, which is right by the South Rim and allows you to easily enjoy Canyon sunrises and sunsets, sells out in advance.
For more desirable rooms with the best National Park views, you might have to book as much as a whole year in advance for peak season. If visiting one of the parks is a major part of your holiday, you’d be advised to book your accommodation first and then plan your trip around the dates.
The same goes for dining. If you want a dinner table with an uninterrupted view of, say, the Grand Canyon then you’ll have to book months in advance, and send a reminder of your booking nearer the date to confirm.
You should make planning your accommodation a key part of your trip-planning, as many of the National Parks have historic hotels which will add to the pleasure of your stay. Needless to say, they’re expensive, especially the premium rooms with the best National Park views. Often there’s more budget accommodation as well, though sometimes this can be pretty basic. Don’t deprive yourself of the best accommodation you can afford, simply because you left it too late and there’s no room at the inn.
Here, then, are some tips about where to stay for some of the top National Parks:
Denali National Park
This park is in the Alaskan interior and surrounds the mountain of Denali, which at 20,156 feet (6,144 m) is the highest mountain in North America. There is no accommodation in the park itself but a few miles from the entrance and on the Nenana River is The Lodge. It has 20 acres of land, including hiking trails, but needs booking as it is only open from May to September.
Glacier Bay National Park
Most of the Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska is a designated wilderness area, and it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The only accommodation within the park is Glacier Bay Lodge, and the rewards of staying here include views of the sunset over the Fairweather Mountain Range.
Grand Canyon
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience you really need to stay in Grand Canyon Village, which needs planning ahead. The El Tovar Hotel, built in 1905, is right on the rim of the Grand Canyon, but there are other options in Grand Canyon Village, including more budget options, all within walking distance of the South Rim.
Mesa Verde National Park
Photo Courtesy of the National Park Service
This National Park in Colorado is unique for the cliff dwellings that the Ancestral Puebloan Native Americans carved out of the rocks here. They’re among the best preserved in the USA and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The only accommodation inside the National Park is the Far View Lodge, so book ahead for one of their Kiva Deluxe View Rooms.
Shenandoah National Park
The best place to stay in the stunning Shenandoah National Park is undoubtedly the Skyland Lodge. It’s at the highest point along the Skyline Drive, which weaves its way through the park and is one of the best US scenic drives we’ve ever done. The lodge also has rooms with unrivaled views over the Shenandoah Valley. You can read a full review of Skyland Lodge here on TripReporter.
Yosemite
One of the most breath-taking features in Yosemite National Park is Yosemite Falls, which plunges for 2,425 feet (739 m). At the foot of the falls is the Yosemite Valley Lodge, which recently changed its name from Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, which naturally offers excellent views of the falls.
Zion National Park
Zion is one of the most spectacular of Utah’s several National Parks, and to enjoy it fully you should stay at the Zion National Park Lodge, which is the only accommodation inside the National Park. For the full experience, book ahead for a room with a balcony, or a cabin with a private porch.