Best Hotel Bets

Red Canyon Lodge (Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area; tel. 435/889-3759): Not really a lodge at all, this group of delightful 1930s cabins was remodeled in the 1990s. Your choice of TV- and telephone-free accommodations ranges from rustic to luxurious, and some have free-standing woodstoves. The forest setting, complete with private lake, is spectacular.

Bryce Canyon Lodge (tel. 888/297-2757): This handsome sandstone- and ponderosa-pine lodge is the perfect place to stay while you're visiting the national park. The suites are outfitted with white wicker furniture, ceiling fans, and separate sitting rooms. But we prefer the snug cabins -- the high ceilings give the impression of spaciousness, and the gas-burning stone fireplaces and log beams make them positively cozy.