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National Park Lodges - Top Ten
Old
Faithful Inn
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Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn is a massive
building within a short viewing distance of Old Faithful Geyser, the most famous
geyser in the United States. The building is an exposed log and wood-frame
structure of rustic design and gigantic proportions: nearly 700 feet in length
and a central core seven stories high. The building was constructed in three
major phases: the 1903 original section (known as the Old House) with the
imposing gable roof, dining room and kitchen wings to the south, and small
guest-room wings to the east and west; the 1913-14 east wing; and the 1927 west
wing. The building faces north, oriented toward the old "circuit road" rather
that toward the geyser. The building was designed by architect Robert Reamer.
Old Faithful Inn
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Yellowstone National Park
Ahwahnee - Yosemite's
Ahwahnee is an enormous luxury hotel at the east end of the Yosemite Valley.
Sited in a meadow, the building's large scale is diminished by the awesome
beauty of the sheer granite cliffs of the north valley wall above. The
building's name comes from a local Indian word meaning "deep, grassy meadow."
The building is massed into several enormous blocks with a
six-story central block and wings of three stories. The multiple hip and gable
roofs are finished with green slate and further break up the building's form,
making it appear as rough and textured as the surrounding landscape. The
building has balconies and terraces at several different levels that add a
spatial interest not only to the exterior but also to the visitor experiencing
the interior of the building. The building contains approximately 95 guest
rooms, various public spaces and meeting rooms, an enormous dining room, and
utility spaces. The principal entrance to the building is through a
porte-cochere on the north side of the building. The log and wood entrance
contains painted decorations in Indian patterns, setting a tone for the
interior.
Ahwahnee - Yosemite National Park
Many Glacier Hotel, built
in 1914 and 1915, is the largest hotel in the Glacier National Park, Montana
with 208 rooms. Its design was modeled after Swiss chalets and the Swiss theme
is carried throughout the hotel, most notably in the main dining room, which
features the flags of Switzerland's Cantons.
Despite its rather secluded location, Many Glacier Hotel continues to attract
hundreds of tourists year after year.Its location by Swiftcurrent Lake offers
excellent nature sightseeing. Visitors can come breathtakingly close to native
bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and bears. The closest town to the hotel is Babb,
Montana, its only 11 miles away.
Many Glacier Hotel - Glacier National Park
El
Tovar - The Grand Canyon's El Tovar opened in 1905 and was most
recently renovated in 2005. In the past, the Hotel has hosted such luminaries as
Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Western author Zane Grey, and many others.
Today, El Tovar retains its elegant charm. Located on the Canyon rim, it
features a fine dining room (open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), lounge and
curio shop with newsstand. El Tovar offers its guests Concierge, turn-down and
room service and is a Registered National Historic Landmark.
El Tovar Hotel - Grand Canyon
Crater
Lake Lodge - Crater Lake Lodge was built to encourage
tourism to Crater Lake National Park and southwestern Oregon. It opened to
guests during the summer of 1915. Its clientele has included people from all
over the world. Most guests have had fond remembrances of their stays, even
though the lodge was often in an unfinished state. Throughout its history the
lodge lacked expected hotel standards for comfort, privacy, and service, and
suffered from neglect.
In the spring of 1989, just before the lodge was to open for the summer season,
the engineers advised the park that the Great Hall wing was unsafe for
occupants. They predicted this part of the building might collapse of its own
weight, bringing down the rest of the lodge with it. This compelled the National
Park Service to keep the lodge closed and begin a comprehensive rehabilitation
project.
On May 20, 1995, Crater Lake Lodge reopened to the public. Patrons and visitors
could again enjoy its accommodations and services safely, and in an atmosphere
reminiscent of the 1920s. For the first time since its original opening eighty
years before, Crater Lake Lodge was a project finally completed.
Crater Lake Lodge - Crater Lake
National Park
Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier National Park is among the finest and
oldest mountain resorts in the Northwest, Paradise Inn is the handiwork of
Stephen Mather, first director of the NPS. This historic guest lodge features
118 guest rooms, the Paradise Inn Dining Room, Glacier Lounge, and gift shop
offering Native American crafts. In 1919, Hans Fraehnke, a German carpenter,
designed and built much of the decorative woodwork that exists today, including
a rustic piano and a 14 foot grandfather clock. Park information and historical
displays can be seen at the Longmire Museum or the visitor centers at
Ohanopecosh, Sunrise, and Paradise.
Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier National Park
Timberline Lodge
Both elegant and organic, Timberline Lodge is a remarkable example of
Depression-era public works projects. Stained a soft gray, with a central peak
that echoes the outline of Mt. Hood, the building seems a natural extension of
the mountainside.
This National Historic Landmark exists because of Emerson J. Griffith, a
Portland businessman. He spent a decade trying, and failing, to persuade
developers to put a lodge on Mt. Hood. But then the Great Depression hit, and
Griffith was named WPA Director for Oregon. His first funding request was for a
"recreation project," a euphemism for the lodge he'd always wanted. In late
1935, the WPA approved the project. he would bring in "Eastern" capital to do
the job.
Timberline Lodge
Chateau at the Oregon Caves
Glancing at the Chateau from the Parking lot, people see a building of 3
stories, set in a tiny and remote National Monument. On closer examination,
visitors discover there are actually 6 stories to the Chateau, and that this is
one of the most architecturally exciting lodges in the entire Parks system.
Crossing the span of a woodland ravine, the Chateau makes exceptional use of the
land's natural contours, and a stream runs through the dining room. The lodge
was designed and built by local folks, with an emphasis on natural materials.
Oregon Caves Lodge
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Oregon Caves National Monument
Bryce Canyon Lodge
Bryce Canyon Lodge was the second structure in the Union Pacific Railway's "Loop
Tours" building program. By this stage, the architect, NPS, and Railway were
accustomed to working together. Even so, the Bryce Canyon development presented
a few trying moments.
The UP wanted to build the Lodge on the very
edge of the Canyon. But the NPS refused permission. As a result, the railroad
treated the Lodge as a temporary structure, to be used only until a rim site was
authorized. The short-term building techniques would lead to future problems.
The
Bryce Canyon Lodge complex was designed and built over several years, expanding
in response to increased visitor demand. Two guest wings were added in 1926, and
an auditorium in 1928. The Standard and Economy Cabins were finished by 1927;
Deluxe Cabins were completed.
Bryce Canyon Lodge - Bryce Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon Lodge
The Grand Canyon Lodge would be the last major building in the Union Pacific
Railway 's "Loop Tour." This was their final opportunity for an architectural
statement that would create an unforgettable sense of place – and firmly cement
the UP's reputation as the leader in Grand Canyon touring.
The railroad's timing was impeccable. The company's other Canyon lodges were
generating income. The NPS was still encouraging limited development in the
National Parks. And the architect was in his prime.
The resulting Grand Canyon Lodge was a work of genius, blending so beautifully
into the landscape that it almost seemed part of the Canyon.
Grand Canyon Lodge
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