Best of the High Country
Best of Travel 2005

 Photo by Byron Dudley

Best Scenic Drive

Million Dollar Highway, between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado This 23-mile drive slices through the San Juan Mountains, following old stagecoach routes and pack trails. Roadtrip america.com/places/million.htm.

Going-to-the-Sun-Road, Glacier National Park, West Glacier, Montana This is one of the most awe-inspiring 50-mile drives in the country. Start at sunrise, and bring a camera: The road cuts through the heart of Glacier National Park, hugs the cliffs below the Continental Divide and traverses Logan Pass.(406) 888-7800 or glacier.national-park.com/info.htm.

Beartooth Highway, Wyoming and Montana One of the most spectacular national forest routes in America. Transition from lush forest to alpine tundra in the space of a few miles. You may even spot a moose or grizzly bear in the distance. Byways.org.

Other favorites: Glenn Highway, from Anchorage to Glennallen, Alaska; Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona.

Best Luxury Resort

The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado - The Broadmoor provides exquisite attention to detail, from luxurious linens to the complimentary chocolate turn-down service. Amenities include 11 restaurants, a newly renovated spa, championship golf courses, tennis courts, boutique shopping and sensational nightlife. (800) 634-7711 or thebroadmoor.com.

The Boulders Resort, Hotel and Golden Door® Spa, Carefree, Arizona - The Boulders Resort, an adobe casita with breathtaking desert views, offers wood-burning fireplaces, supple leather appointments, a top-rated golf course and world-class spa. (480) 488-9009 or boulders.wyndham-hotels.com.

Stein Erickson Lodge, Park City, Utah - Olympic gold medalist-skier Stein Erickson created this luxury lodge on the slopes of Deer Valley Ski Resort. Upscale boutiques, award-winning food and rejuvenating spa services complement the lodge’s elegance. (800) 453-1302 or steinlodge.com.

The Ritz Carlton - Bachelor Gulch, Colorado - A gorgeous hotel, designed after grand lodges of the West. The spa features candlelit treatment caverns and a rock-lined “hot springs.” (970) 748-6200 or ritzcarlton.com.

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, Ojai, California - This historic inn has been a popular destination for the fitness-minded for 70 years. Championship golf course, three pools, 800-acre horse ranch. (888) 697-8780 or ojairesort.com.

Best Historic Site

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Cliff dwellings and stone villages built by the Ancestral Pueblo people. (970) 529-4465 or nps.gov/meve.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, Montana Here, in 1876, two cultures clashed. (406) 638-3204 or nps.gov/libi.

Manzanar War Relocation Center, Independence, California One of 10 camps where Japanese-American U.S. citizens were interned during World War II. (760) 878-2932 or nps.gov/manz.
Nevada City, California A gold rush town with appearance and authenticity intact. (800) 655-6569 or nevadacitychamber.com.
 Photo courtesy of Ken Jones, The Home Ranch

Best Dude Ranch

The Home Ranch, Clark, Colorado In summer, ride horses, hike or fly fish. In winter, explore its 4,000 acres on skis or snowshoes. (970) 879-1780 or homeranch.com.

Eaton’s Ranch, Wolf, Wyoming Ride one of this historic ranch’s 220 horses on 7,000 scenic acres. (800) 210-1049 or eatonsranch.com.

C Lazy U, Colorado Upscale accommodations, great food and endless outdoor activities—ride, fish, raft. (970) 887-3344 or clazyu.com.

Cibolo Creek Ranch, Marfa, Texas  Ride horses on this working ranch on the more than 30,000 acres of the Chinati and Cienega Mountains. (866) 496 or cibolocreekranch.com.

Triple Creek Ranch, Montana. The log and cedar cabins afford privacy amongst spectacular scenery. (406) 821-4600 or triplecreekranch.com.

Best undiscovered guest Ranch
The Alisal, Solvang, California  First opened to overnight guests in 1946, several of the original families still spend vacations here—some with third and fourth generations in tow. Guests enjoy horseback riding through 10,000 acres of canyons and valleys, fishing for bluegill in Alisal Lake, golf on two championship courses or just sitting by the pool. (805) 688-6411 or alisal.com.   

Best Mountain Lake

Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada The highest alpine lake in the U.S., Lake Tahoe is famous for crystal-clear blue waters and panoramic Sierra Mountain scenery. Rent a boat, water-ski, or parasail the majestic waters or stroll along the 71 miles of shoreline. Visitinglaketahoe.com.

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Nestled against the base of the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park, Jenny Lake is ideal for a day of canoeing or kayaking. A boat ride across the lake will take you to the mouth of Cascade Canyon, and the base of Hidden Falls is just a short hike from its shores. Jacksonholewy.net/grand_teton_national_park/.

Flathead Lake, Montana This is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Its miles of tree-lined shoreline and islands have become a wildlife habitat for deer, big horn sheep and the occasional bear. Its waters are full of with yellow perch, trout and whitefish. (406) 756-9091 or fcbv.org.

Lake Powell, Utah The lake is man- made, but its surroundings prove Mother Nature is an artist. The clear waters lap at towering rock canyon walls and sandy shorelines. Rent a houseboat and charter the lake’s 96 major canyons. Powellguide.com.

Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park, California Tenaya Lake’s pine and granite landscape make it the perfect area for picnics, day hikes and stargazing. (209) 372-0200 or yosemite.org.

Editor's Pick

Best Hidden Lake
Ross Lake
Resort, Rockport, Washington It’s not easy to get to these housebost-style cabins tucked away in North Cascades National Park. First you take a ferry from Diablo Lake to the base of Ross Dam. Then a truck takes ferry passengers around the dam to Ross Lake, where a speed boat takes guests to Ross Lake Lodge—twelve floating cabins and bunkhouses. Kayaks, canoes and small motor boats can be rented at the resort or you can take a water taxi to hiking trails on the opposite shore. People come here for hiking, boating and the solitude. (206) 386-4437 or rosslakeresort.com.