Base Camps

Utah’s Adventure Lodges

There’re plenty of places to stay in Utah. And plenty of things to do in Utah’s great outdoors once you get here. A great way to spend your next vacation is to combine the two with a stay at one of the state’s great adventure lodges.

An adventure lodge is more than your everyday two-queens-to-a-room, hair dryer, coffee maker, four walls and a desk. First off, there’re usually located in rather remote, far-from-the-city secluded spots. Second, in addition to the usual lodging amenities, they offer guide and outfitter services to their guests from a wide variety of outdoor activities for all family members. And third, each has a unique personality of its own; some lavishly luxurious, others down-home rustic. Here, from north to south, is a small sampling from a big Utah menu.

BOX C RANCH: Look really long and hard at the official Utah highway map and see if you can find the town of Grouse Creek. Hint: look for it in the far northwest corner of the state, 15 miles from State Hwy 30, the nearest paved road. At the base of the Goose CreekMountains near the SawtoothNational Forest is Box C Ranch, a working cattle ranch that you can experience all to your very own! The Jensen family, Jay, Diane, Blaine and Julie, put the emphasis on Authentic with a capital “A”. Horseback riding, of course, but have you ever wanted to bale hay, rope and brand cattle, mend fences? And here, mending fences doesn’t mean apologizing to your wife after a spat! You’ll stay in the two bedroom, two-bath ranch house, complete a spacious great room and full kitchen. Just you and your family or your group. Kits 10 and older can participate in the ranch chores, and they also have lots of activities for the younger ones. If you’re a climber, hiker and/or mountain biker, the fabulous City of Rocks is just up the road a piece. www.boxcranch.com.

RED CANYON LODGE: Now swing over to the far northeast corner of Utah, to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. And recreation in abundance is what you’ll find at the wonderful Red Canyon Lodge. Perched high on the rim overlooking Flaming Gorge Lake below, the setting is breathtaking. The meals in the main lodge are healthful, creative and delicious, served either indoors or on the patio overlooking the lodge’s private lake. The accommodations are first-class, comfortable cabins with complete baths, living rooms and, best of all, no phones or TV’s. And for the recreation, get this: horseback riding, mountain biking (full suspension rentals on site), flyfishing on the world famous Green River, lake fishing and boating right out your cabin door, and hiking. Did we say hiking? The Ashley National Forest and the High Uintas Wilderness Area are adjacent to the lodge and offer some of Utah’s best day hikes and multi-day backpacking. Whitewater adventures through the Gates of Lodore and Split Mountain through Dinosaur National Monument on the Green are guided by some of Utah’s most experienced companies out of Vernal. When you stay at Red Canyon Lodge, get to know your host, Mark Wilson. A great guy running a great adventure lodge. www.redcanyonlodge.com
DANIELS SUMMIT LODGE: A short drive from the hustle and bustle of ParkCity is sleepy, pastoral HeberValley and from the valley floor up Highway 40 to the summit brings one to Daniels Summit Lodge. What an intriguing history to this unique place! In 1876, the original structure was, the story goes, lost in a poker game. The new owner operated a boarding house for 50 cents a night (some claim that it was somewhat less than a reputable house). In 1925 a 15-room boarding house was built to accommodate travelers on the stage line. Destroyed by a fire in 1963, the property sat vacant until Brent and Audrey Hill, the current owners, purchased the land and started development. Today, Daniels Summit Lodge is a four-season resort and conference center complete with charming guest rooms, the Lodgepole Grill restaurant, the Beartrap Lounge, Retreat Day Spa, indoor pool and hot tub, guided horseback tours, ATV rentals and game room. The lodge is surrounded by hiking and biking trails in the UintaNational Forest. Nearby Strawberry Reservoir is a haven for anglers and water sports. Although there has been an increase in the historic rates charged to the stagecoach visitors, the same outstanding attention is given to lodge guests today. www.danielssummit.com.
WIND WALKER GUEST RANCH: In Central Utah, there’s a small community that’s listed on the National Historical Register, SpringCity. And not just two or three of its buildings are on the list, the whole city is! This is home to Wind Walker Guest Ranch. Really, really off-the-beaten-path, Wind Walker could be called, I suppose, a dude ranch. But it’s so much more. A mind, body and spirit rejuvenation center would be a better description. Lodging accommodations are in one and two bedroom villas in four separate buildings, located for best views of the surrounding landscape. Hearty, wholesome and well-prepared meals, included in package rates, are served buffet style. It’s a good thing, too, because you’re far removed from any large town. Count on Dutch oven meals, BBQ or chuckwagon style. These folks are cowboys and cowgirls! Activities include trail rides, often overnight by the full moon, guided fishing trips and hiking in the adjacent MantiLaSalNational Forest. Mountain biking is superb on nearby Skyline Drive, one of the highest unpaved roads in the country with elevations up to 11,000 feet. Take it in sections. Skyline is 87 long miles! Wind Walker Ranch has extensive spa services and nighttime activities like barn dances and cowboy poetry. Their Native American Ways program features an authentic sweat lodge and teepees. www.windwalker.org.
RED CLIFFS LODGE: On the banks of the Colorado River 14 scenic miles from Moab sits the gem of southeastern Utah, Red Cliffs Lodge. Riverfront rooms with private patios, full exercise facility, outdoor pool and hot tub are just a sampling of the rugged elegance found here. Red Cliffs rents top quality mountain bikes for regularly scheduled guided rides for all abilities. But in the redrock splendor of places like CastleValley, it’s a wonder a rider can concentrate on the trail ahead. For those who want to experience a trip on the mighty Colorado, the lodge can arrange for day or multi-day whitewater river runs. In keeping with the “Old West” theme, the lodge offers some of the best horseback pack trips around. Pick up a picnic lunch in the lodge before you mount up. Back from the trail or river, after a dip in the pool and a soak in the hot tub, Cowboy Camp is a special place for those who like to rough it a bit. Enjoy dinner around the campfire complete with cowboy music and tales, some of them even true! As the gorgeous sunset turns to night, cozy up near the fire. For more discernable dining, Red Cliff’s full restaurant offers steaks, seafood, vegetable specialties and wild game. Castle Creek Winery is on the premises to compliment the fine cuisine. The lodge also has a free museum, featuring western movies from the 40’s and displays of ranching heritage. www.redcliffslodge.com.
CANDYMOUNTAIN RESORT: “On a summer day in the month of May a burley bum came hikin’…” Remember the Burl Ives classic, The Big Rock Candy Mountain? That famous folk ballad was named for a place in central Utah that is now home to CandyMountain and Paiute Trails Resorts. On the banks of one of Utah’s lesser-known rivers, the Sevier, the twin resorts offer rustic cabin accommodations situated in MarysvaleCanyon, a few miles south of I-70 on Heritage Highway 89. Like many other Utah adventure lodges, there are quality horsepack trips here with many trails in the neighboring TusharMountains. For a fun day of whitewater rafting, the resort provides a great two-hour run on the river. The Sevier meanders through MarysvaleValley and cascades into MarysvaleCanyon, framed on both sides by peaks topping at 12,000 feet. The water churns past the resort creating Class II and III rapids as it drops over 60 feet per mile. But this is ATV country, and one of many gateways to the Paiute ATV Trail. This all-purpose trail is a huge 270-mile loop through some of the region’s most scenic terrain. Mountain bikers, equestrians and hikers share the trail with ATV’s. Side roads and marked offshoots lengthen the trail system to over 800 miles through twisting canyons and foothills. “…at the lemonade springs, where the bluebird sings, on the BigRockCandyMountain.” www.candymountainresort.com.
THE LODGE AT RED RIVER RANCH : On 2200 acres, with six miles of private river frontage, and the majestic spires of Capitol Reef National Park as its backdrop, Red River Resort is situated on one of the most beautiful settings in Utah. And the Lodge itself equals the setting. Of rustic log construction and replete with elegant furnishings, the gathering place is the three-story Great Room, where exposed wood beams and a massive floor-to-ceiling Anasazi style fireplace are the focal points of the. The Lodge has 15 unique theme guest rooms, tastefully appointed, with fireplaces and balconies. Each is decorated according to its name, such as Marco Polo, Safari, Tyrolean, Saratoga and Cimarron. Breakfast and dinner are served daily in the dining room and box lunches available for outings. Guided flyfishing on the blue ribbon Fremont River, bordering the resort, is outstanding. Catch and release, of course. A well-stocked fly shop is on the premises. But this is “Capitol Reef Country” where hiking is king. The Lodge can arrange for guides permitted to operate in the park who have thorough knowledge of trails and secret spots. If your travel of choice is on the back of a horse, that option is available from a local outfitter. Or, if the two-wheel, fat-tire mechanism is your thing, mountain bikes are also. Try Velvet Ridge, a relatively easy ride and a good intro to the area’s magnificent terrain and views. A spur from the main trail leads to an overlook of the Lodge hund reds of feet below. Travel & Leisure magazine has named The Lodge at Red River Ranch as one of the “25 Best American Lodges.” www.redriverranch.com.
RED MOUNTAIN SPA: Luxury, lavishness and opulence are words that describe this resort in southwestern Utah. But not without beauty and taste. A short drive from St. George, Utah’s Dixie, leads you to the mouth of Snow Canyon State Park, so gorgeous and dramatic that hund reds of movies, commercials and documentaries have been filmed there. Snow Canyon is the Spa’s back door. Sitting on 55 redrock, desert-flowe red acres, the Spa has 86 lovely guest rooms and 11 suites. The cornerstone of the many outdoor activities here is hiking. Forty professional guides are on board to lead guests on a variety of routes, from easy strolls in the desert to white-knuckle slot canyons and anything in between. Day trips to Zion, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness and The Wave in Paria Canyon are on the menu. Mountain bikes are available on-site and the St. George area is a booming fat-tire venue, with many miles of trails. The JEM Trail near Zion is a local favorite, and the Spa offers a bike/hike combo trip in nearby Pine Valley. If you’re a climber, or never have but would like to try, excellent instruction is available. Climbing here is legendary. Meals are an epicurean’s delight, healthy and creative. The Spa has a “Recipe of the Month”, with treats like Blackened Snapper with Fresh Fruit, Tuna Salad Nicois and Blackberry Cobbler. Skills Classes are conducted with Archaeology and Geology Walk or Orienteering with GPS on the curriculum. As its name would imply, full spa facilities with health and fitness counseling are available. www.redmountainspa.com.
GOULDINGS LODGE: As far south as you can get in Utah and still be within its borders is Navajoland, in what may be the most dramatic landscape in the state that’s loaded with them. Monument Valley. Here, ancient native ways and culture coexist with the modern amenities and comfort of a wonderful resort and lodge. Gouldings maintains the historical flavor of the area and of the Monument Valley Tribal Park. The Lodge has 62 warm and comfortable rooms with private, walkout balconies. Native Americans who will introduce you to the staple of their culture, the Navajo Taco, serve meals in the Stagecoach Dining Room. The highlight of outdoor adventure is hiking in the Park with a Native guide, a requirement on this sac red land. Half-day or full-day tours feature Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs, rug weaving and Indian hogans. Also included in hikes are visits to the restricted area and into Mystery Canyon. Sunrises and sunsets here are virtually impossible to describe. A nightly treat is the Earth Spirit Show by noted photographer Ric Ergenbright. Gouldings has a highly educational museum, and a well-stocked trading post. www.gouldings.com.