Pioneers faced innumerable hardships settling the untamed wilderness of Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. Today’s visitors can soak in the staggering landscapes that inspired the early settlers onward by day, and retreat to the lap of luxury at night at elite Northwestern ranches and retreats.
IDAHO
TroutHunter
To call TroutHunter an angler’s paradise is an understatement— the 11- room lodge is located 160 feet from the fabled Henry’s Fork of the Snake River at Last Chance run, the consistently productive dry fly stretch between the Box Canyon and Harriman State Park in Idaho. The West Entrance to Yellow-stone National Park is 35 miles from TroutHunter, and all of the lodge’s expert guides are licensed to ply its waters. And TroutHunter’s owners fully share the reverence with which their guests view the area and their marine quarry: "Trout hunting is not merely the application of fine tackle through practiced casting ability, but rather a complete involvement with a full scope of knowledge, skill, and determination needed to deal, day to day, with a very elusive opponent," says co-owner René Harrop. "To be consistently effective on the intriguing waters of Yellowstone Country is to comprehend the mysteries of an underwater world, and to develop the ability to penetrate the complex defense mechanisms which trout employ for survival." Serious stuff indeed.
The lodge itself—an 11,000-square-foot structure sided in local moss rock and antique fir reclaimed from a Montana mining complex— incorporates a fly shop, art gallery, bar, restaurant, and accommodations. All rooms feature views of the river from their deck, and amenities include an outdoor spa and hand-hewn pool table, satellite TV and wireless Internet access, in-floor radiant heat, private baths, gear storage, and more. The Last Chance Bar and Grill caters to fishermen and their hours, serving from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. during the season. The food is excellent, but most guests are there for one reason and one reason only—to fish. A full day guide trip, consisting of float or wade fishing for one or two anglers, is $450, including streamside lunch. Lodge room rates are $150 per night, based on single or double occupancy; Guide/Lodge packages are available.
Address: 3327 Highway 20, Island Park, ID
Accommodations: 11 rooms
Rates: $150 per night lodge room; $450 full-day guide trip
Phone: 208-558-9900
Website: www.trouthunt.com
South Fork Lodge
Owned by Mark Rockefeller—the youngest son of former U.S. Vice President and New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller—and his wife Renee, South Fork Lodge sits on the banks the South Fork of the Snake River, offering unfettered access to the natural wonders of Idaho from a sumptuous base camp. The main lodge’s unique architectural design, which can best be described as Space Age meets pioneer chic, encompasses 18 guest rooms with private terraces offering sweeping views of the river. In each room log columns and beams frame high, wood ceilings, and amenities include imported tile baths and personal soaking tubs, terry robes, and high- speed WiFi. The River House, opened in 2005 for families or groups, offers four bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, living room, and large front deck with hot tub, as well as a private location on the riverbank, views of lava-lined bluffs, and occasional wildlife encounters. The most deluxe accommodations are housed in two, two- story log cabins, each with 10 rooms featuring luxurious bedding, rustic furniture, a fireplace, spacious bathroom with whirlpool tub and heated floors, and patio or balcony. For the even more adventurous traveler, the Overnight Camp is a wilderness tent retreat nestled in the cottonwoods and aspens of the South Fork, completely inaccessible to public motorized vehicles and perched right on the banks of the river.
Of course, fishing is the main attraction here, and the lodge offers full outfitting and guide services. Hiking trails, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, nature photography, and golf in nearby Jackson Hole ensure non-anglers will have plenty to keep them occupied. The lodge offers one of the few fine dining restaurants on the banks of the Snake River, serving regional cuisine, often highlighting wild game, with a French or Asian flair, complemented by a complete wine list. The Card Room Bar offers more casual fare, and a congenial atmosphere for recounting the day’s adventures.
Address: 40 Conant Valley Loop, Swan Valley, ID
Accommodations: Lodge, 18 rooms; Cabins, 20 rooms; River House; Overnight Camp
Meetings: Lodge buyouts available; dining room seats 30
Rates: (all meals included) Lodge Room, $305; Cabin Room, 335; River House, $900; Guided Overnight Camp, $1,380; Daily Fly-Fishing, $460 (two anglers)
Phone: 877-347-4735
Website: www.southforklodge.com
Teton Ridge Ranch
Created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Teton Ridge Ranch serves up western-style luxury (stylish, but sincere) in an atmosphere of rugged seclusion. Set on 4,000 acres of private land, and surrounded by the dramatic scenery of Targhee National Forest, with Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks nearby, the ranch is an outdoor lover’s Fantasy Island. With only five guest rooms (each with its own wood- burning stove and reading nook) in the 10,000-square-foot, log cabin main lodge, plus the two-bedroom Aspen Lodge, you’ve practically got the place to yourself.
Not that you’ll be bored. Summer activities include horseback riding on one of the ranch’s 45 horses; hiking (with or without hiking guide); a sporting clays course and shooting tower; whitewater rafting; mountain biking; and, of course, fishing at one of the ranch’s two fully stocked ponds or via guided trips to the Henry’s Fork, Teton, and Snake Rivers. When the temperature drops, the ranch offers cross-country skiing (with or without cross-country instructor, Ing); downhill skiing at Grand Targhee; dog sledding; sleigh rides; and snowmobiling. Or just stay in—stake out a spot on your private porch to photograph such regular visitors as deer, elk, moose, black bear, and fox; snuggle up with a good book in the lodge library; rack ’em up on the antique pool table; take in a movie on the Great Room plasma TV; or hire in a masseuse for some serious down time.
All that relaxation can stir up a hearty appetite—fortunately all meals are included in the room rate, so don’t hold back at the breakfasts and lunches served buffet-style from the open kitchen (picnic lunches are easily arranged for offsite excursions). Dinners are grand affairs, with expertly prepared classic dishes and regional specialties like roast loin of elk, Maine lobster, fresh fish, boneless breast of duckling, and rack of lamb. Summer visitors can enjoy weekly gourmet cookouts in the hills surrounding the ranch (reached via horse-drawn wagon).
Address: 200 Valley View Road, Tetonia, ID
Accommodations: five suites; two-bedroom Aspen Lodge
Rates: from $474 (all meals included)
Phone: 800-926-3579
Website: www.tetonridge.com
MONTANA
The Resort at Paws Up
The area around Paws Up Ranch, in the heart of Blackfoot Valley, 30 miles northeast of Missoula, is rich with history—the Blackfoot River, seven miles of which flow through the ranch, served as an important transportation corridor for Nez Perce, Flathead, and Blackfeet Indians, and later for fur trappers, miners, and loggers. Meriwether Lewis arrived in the area in July, 1806, on his return from the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is believed he climbed Sentinel Rock at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clearwater rivers and looked up the trail that would eventually take him home.
Today, the 37,000-acre ranch is owned by Dave and Nadine Lipson, longtime cattle and horse ranchers, who live in a circa 1915 farmhouse on the property. The resort element of Paws Up is the Lipson’s effort to ensure the ranch will be self-supporting over the long haul, but it’s no afterthought—the resort is widely regarded as one of the top Montana luxury properties, and has won a slew of awards and accolades.
The majority of accommodations are two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes and cabins, equipped with wood-burning stoves, flat-screen TVs, spa tubs, slate showers, and other deluxe appointments. Summer and fall offer a five-star take on rugged wilderness escapes with the Tent City and River Camp, both offering tastefully appointed tent accommodations, featuring The Last Best Bed®, fine linens, original art, and, thankfully, electricity. Steps from each tent community is a bathhouse, where each guest has his own private master bathroom with heated floors, oversized showers, and vanities. Camping butlers prepare five-star meals at private Dining Pavilions, where guests eat surrounded by breathtaking wilderness.
Activity options are as boundless as the Big Sky above, from equestrian excursions, river adventures, ATV tours, shooting sports, golf, and fly-fishing in summer to snowmobiling, dog sledding, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. Tucked along the edge of an expansive meadow, Spa Town® at Paws Up is comprised of 11 private treatment tents where guests can select from a full menu of massage and wellness treatments (a selection of spa treatments can also be performed in homes and cabins). Dining is offered at Pomp, serving gourmet "eclectic Americana" cuisine; Tank and Trough, a more casual restaurant featuring home-cooking favorites; and at gourmet outdoor barbecues (offered seasonally). April through October, Paws Up can also arrange private in-home dining prepared by a resort chef.
Address: 40060 Paws Up Road, Greenough, MT
Accommodations: 10 Big Timber Homes; 10 Wilderness Estates; six Meadow Homes; Blackfoot River Lodge; Morris Farm House; six Tent City tents; six River Camp tents
Meetings: event and meeting spaces for up to 80 guests; boardroom seating 10 guests
Rates: from $445 (including all meals)
Phone: 866-894-7969
Website: www.pawsup.com
Big EZ Lodge
At an elevation of 7,500 feet, Big EZ Lodge takes full advantage of its view overlooking the Madison Mountain Range. The Lodge, built from lodgepole pines taken from the property, combines modern luxury with western charm, taking its inspiration from the natural beauty of Yellowstone and Big Sky. Its 12 guest rooms and suites (each dedicated to and named after a different U.S. state) are decorated with classic western-style furnishings and owners Steve Hicks’ and Donna Stockton- Hicks’ eclectic art collection, with stone fireplaces and accents created by stonemason Bill Ward (Ward lived on the property for three years to create these masterpieces). Guests enjoy world-class dining in the Lodge dining room, which pairs signature wild game dishes with an impressive wine list. The Lodge is well versed in hosting intimate, exclusive corporate retreats and employs dedicated conference planning managers who take command of the meeting details, so guests can focus on the job at hand.
Summer activities at the Lodge include fly-fishing in one of Big EZ’s two fully stocked trout ponds and trail rides through the Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Gallatin National Forest. The Lodge was the first property to feature a professionally designed championship putting course, named Buffalo Links, an 18-hole course built to USGA standards. There are spectacular hikes to be found, both on- and off- site, with the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park just 30 minutes from the property. The Lodge is also a great base camp for rock climbers, kayakers, and whitewater rafters, while helicopter tours leave from the property’s helipad to offer breathtaking aerial views of the surrounding landscape.
Address: 7000 Beaver Creek Road, Big Sky, MT
Accommodations: 12 rooms and suites
Meetings: up to 26 guests
Rates: from $570 (all meals included)
Phone: 877-244-3299
Website: www.bigezlodge.com
Triple Creek Ranch
Triple Creek Ranch, a Relais and Châteaux property, provides a small, intimate, adult environment on the side of Trapper Peak, the highest mountain in western Montana. Its 600 acres are home to such wildlife as grazing horses, elk, deer, moose, turkeys, and osprey. Ten private cabins and the main lodge can be reserved in their entirety to host business retreats up to five months out of the year. Cabins come complete with wood-burning fireplaces, private or nearby hot tubs, and fully stocked wet bars. Although there is no cell phone service on the mountain, each cabin does have its own direct-dial phone, as well as wireless Internet access, high-definition plasma television, and a library of books, CDs, and DVDs. The Restaurant at Triple Creek Ranch has dramatic views of the Bitterroot Mountains, and is a feast of fresh foods, fine wines, and global influences, with dishes ranging from traditional French to innovative Southwestern, West Indies, and Central American cuisine. The kitchen also provides cabins with fresh- baked cookies, trail mix, and fresh fruit every afternoon, and late- night snacks upon request.
The Ranch has a tennis court, heated outdoor pool, fishing ponds, fitness center, and a putting green. Off-site, visitors can enjoy the Montana wilderness with guided fly-fishing, scenic river floating, cattle driving, whitewater rafting, and guided ATV tours. History buffs will enjoy day trips to areas such as the Lewis and Clark Expedition Trail, which runs the full length of Bitterroot Valley; Big Hole National Battlefield, where the Nez Perce Indians and the U.S.
Cavalry had a famous encounter; and Bannack, Montana, the first capital of the state, which is now a ghost town whose buildings remain remarkably well preserved.
Address: 5551 West Fork Road, Darby, MT
Accommodations: 10 private cabins
Meetings: resort buyout available
Rates: from $650 (all meals included)
Phone: 800-654-2943
Website: www.triplecreekranch.com
OREGON
Tu Tú Tun Lodge
Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge remains true to its roots, deriving its name from the area’s first inhabitants, the Tu Tu’ Tunne Rogue Indians who encamped along the river where the lodge now stands. The hotel opened its doors in 1970, and is still owned and operated by the Van Zante family. Just seven miles from the Pacific Ocean and 40 miles from the California border, the lodge lies along the Rogue River in the southwest corner of Oregon, providing a launch pad to Oregon’s most scenic outdoor areas. Accommodations vary in size and style, from houses that accommodate up to six people, to suites in the Main Lodge accommodating up to four people each. All rooms in the Lodge are named after well-known sites along the Rogue River, and share expansive views of it. Book one of the King rooms, which boast fireplaces and outdoor soaking tubs. Full dining is offered onsite May through October and embodies a literal interpretation of the "slow food" movement, with hors d’oeuvres kicking off the night around 6 p.m., then moving on to fresh local greens, berries, and wild organic mushrooms, and local favorites such as salmon and sturgeon. The kitchen can arrange backpack lunches for fishermen, hikers, or picnickers, and they’ll even pack linens, lounge chairs, and libations,for those wanting a more luxurious picnicking experience. Visitors can take full advantage of the outdoors with year-round hiking, and fishing for Chinook and Coho Salmon approximately six months out of the year. Take a leisurely stroll around the property with the Lodge’s master gardener, tasting edible herbs and flowers and observing the nesting osprey and other wildlife. Or, take a day trip to redwood groves, the Oregon coast, or even the Game Park Safari, an extraordinary petting zoo with baby bears, snow leopards, and more.
Practice your putting at Rogue River Greens, or pick up a jet boat or kayak to get up close and personal with the Rogue, a protected river with abundant wildlife including bald eagles, otters, beavers, osprey, and even bear.
Address: 96550 North Bank Rogue, Gold Beach
Accommodations: 16 rooms, two suites, two houses
Rates: from $135
Phone: 800-864-6357
Website: www.tututun.com
Columbia Gorge Hotel
This historic retreat, a favorite of movie stars like Shirley Temple and Presidents Roosevelt and Coolidge, is a legendary villa perched on a scenic cliff overlooking the Columbia River and Wah-Gwin-Gwin Falls, which tumbles 208 feet to the river below. Built in 1921 by timber tycoon Simon Benson, the hotel features 40 unique guest rooms and suites, each with either a view of the Columbia River Gorge or the expertly manicured gardens surrounding Phelp’s Creek. The modern traveler will find all the necessary amentities, such as wireless Internet access and a spa with diverse treatments ranging from body polishes to detoxifying mineral wraps. Voted Oregon’s Best Restaurant, Simon’s Restaurant, named after the builder of the hotel and Oregon’s first promoter of tourism, combines locally grown and organic foods with an award-winning wine list that includes an array of the best from Pacific Northwest vineyards. For something a little less formal, the Valentino Lounge features live entertainment and an outdoor terrace for dining and drinks.
The Columbia River Gorge offers plenty of activities like windsurfing and kite boarding, rafting, and fishing for salmon and steelhead, trout, bass, and walleye. Nearby Mt. Hood offers skiing and snowboarding year-round.
Address: 4000 Westcliff Drive, Hood River, OR
Accommodations: 40 guest rooms
Meetings: accommodates up to 225 guests
Rates: from $199
Phone: 800-345-1921
Website: www.columbiagorgehotel.com
Black Walnut Inn
Fans of Oregon Wine will appreciate the location of the newly constructed Black Walnut Inn in the Red Hills of Dundee in Yamhill Valley, the heart of Oregon’s wine country. Reminiscent of a historic Tuscan villa, filled with modern art, Old World accents, and works by local artisans, the Inn offers nine suites designed with a European sensibility and including luxurious linens, soaking tubs, and either a balcony with views of the vineyards, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and the Willamette Valley, or a peaceful patio with garden area. Rates include a full gourmet breakfast featuring seasonal offerings and afternoon refreshments. The dining room has been working with local farms in order to bring in the freshest northwestern ingredients. They also host the Black Walnut Cooking School, which allows guests to join Executive Chef and Owner Kris Utz for a private cooking class in the property’s kitchen. Menus can be tailored around seasonal ingredients to the preferences of your group, with local wine recommendations for each course. In addition, the entire property can be rented to host corporate retreats.
The area is a hedonists’ dream, with world-class wineries, gourmet restaurants, day spas, and antique shops. More active visitors can take in a round of golf, get some aerial views from a hot air balloon or helicopter, or go fly-fishing in nearby streams.
Address: 9600 NE Worden Hill Road, Dundee
Accommodations: nine suites
Meetings: accommodates up to 70 guests
Rates: from $295
Phone: 866-429-4114
Website: www.blackwalnut-inn.com ET |
