Log-Cabin Lodge near Wyoming’s Grand Tetons

The Grand Tetons serve as the backdrop for The Bentwood Inn, a lodge located in Jackson Hole. Selected to join one of the “Unique Lodges of the World” Collection by National Geographic, the building’s designers managed to work the landscape into the inn’s decor in subtle ways. It was constructed out of 200-year-old pine logs salvaged from Yellowstone National Park, located about 60 miles away. A 30-foot fireplace built from river rocks anchors the resort’s grand two-story common area.

There are fireplaces in all of the themed guest rooms. The Cowboy room welcomes guests with a rodeo motif, while the Bunkhouse room overlooks the mountains and has a lodgepole ladder leading to a third-story loft (it’s ideal for children). There are hand-painted Native American ceremonial pipes at the entrance of the Indian Paintbrush room, which has an intimate balcony for two.

The Bentwood Inn’s kitchen serves meals and snacks made from seasonal, local, and organic ingredients. Every morning, guests gather in the lodge’s dining room for freshly-brewed locally-roasted organic coffee, seasonal fruit, and homemade sweet bread. At night, hors d’oeuvres are served by the crackling fire, which has spectacular views of the sunset. Guests can also contact the innkeepers to order a 4-course bistro dinner prepared by the in-house professional chef.

Jackson, Wyoming: Wildlife and World-Class Skiing in the Old West

Jackson may be the only place on Earth where you might see a rodeo cowboy, rock climber, and Hollywood starlet on the same block. The former frontier outpost draws visitors of all stripes for its special blend of Old West flavor and jaw-dropping natural beauty. Old-fashioned saloons and high-end galleries line the town square, but a few miles north in Grand Teton National Park, you’ll find nothing but wilderness.

Though summer and winter are Jackson’s high seasons, you’ll encounter lighter crowds in spring and spectacular foliage in the fall. As the snows begin to melt in May, the rivers swell and fill with rapids. There are about a dozen rafting outfitters in Jackson that run whitewater trips on the Snake River and scenic floats on a calmer stretch upstream.