Nothing says summer adventure quite like a foray into one of the U.S.’s 63 national parks. While many travelers choose to camp or stay in the parks’ rustic lodges, you don’t have to rough it in order to experience the beauty of the parks.
In honor of National Park Week, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite national parks within easy driving distance of Inspirato destinations—enjoy America’s picturesque landscapes and breathtaking wildlife while still retiring to luxe accommodations.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Though it’s popular among Californians, Joshua Tree National Park is still a hidden gem to many Americans. It’s where the Mojave and the Colorado Deserts meet, home to a flourishing ecosystem of bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, and the park’s namesake Joshua tree, a twisting, brittle desert tree. The park is particularly attractive to rock climbers, astronomers, and hikers. Stay in nearby Palm Springs—just a 50-minute drive away—at one of Inspirato’s three homes there, like Desert Lily.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Winter Park, Colorado is a quaint mountain ski resort town about 45 minutes from Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain’s less crowded western entrance. Make your cozy home base one of our newest homes, four-bedroom Olympia, and enjoy quick excursions into Rocky Mountain National Park, perfect for hiking or wildlife-watching in the warmer months (the western half of the park is home to a sizable moose population).
Haleakalā National Park, Maui, Hawaii
Watch a spectacular sunrise from the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakalā within Haleakalā National Park on Maui, whose name means “House of the Sun” in Hawaiian. Or, opt to hike along a waterfall-laden trail in Kīpahulu, the remote coastal district of the park, only accessible via the winding Road to Hana. The park entrance to the summit sits about a 70-minute drive from Wailea, where we offer 18 spectacular accommodations, like Maluhia within Andaz Maui, across three oceanfront resorts.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Jackson Hole is one of the most famous national park gateway towns in the U.S. The rugged ski town sits just 5 miles from the entrance to Grand Teton National Park, where you can hike around scenic Jenny Lake, bike through pioneer-era ruins at Mormon’s Row, and scout for wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, and bison. Stay with Inspirato in Jackson at one of two rustic-but-luxe homes, like Bison Ridge, and two resorts.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
The verdant, rolling mountains of Shenandoah National Park are home to rushing waterfalls, cuddly black bear cubs, and jaw-dropping vistas. Follow the winding undulations of Skyline Drive, the scenic route that weaves through the park, for stop-off-worthy views and day hikes. (We recommend upper Hawksbill Trail, a 2-mile, out-and-back path, leads to the highest point in the park.) Retire to one of three hotel partners in our national’s capital just an hour and a half away, like the Rosewood Washington D.C., when you’re done exploring.
