·:[ National Park Reservations Blog ]:·
• • • • •

A vacation in Glacier National Park is an unforgettable treat for the heart, the mind and the soul.

Often called the ‘crown of the continent,’ Glacier Park is teaming with monolithic rocky mountain peaks that are unlike anything you will see anywhere else in the continental United States.

Glacier National Park is an amazing place to work, play, fish, explore, or just sit back and relax and breathe in nature’s beauty and majesty.

Glacier National Park is home to a decent population of wildlife including grizzly bears, marmots, mountain goats, big horn sheep, wolves, elk, deer, moose and more.  A vacation in Glacier National Park is an opportunity to see some amazing creatures that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

Glacier is located at the northern tip of Montana along the border of Alberta Canada.  In fact the park actually crosses over into Canadian territory, although the Canadian portion of the park is called Waterton. The two parks together make up the Glacier/Waterton International Peace Park, a symbol of peace and friendship between these two nations.

A vacation in Glacier National Park is easy, as there are multiple ways to access the park both by ground and by air.  Glacier is just a short thirty minute drive from Montana’s picturesque Flathead Valley where there are several decent sized resort towns, including Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Bigfork. These towns provide a variety of dining and entertainment venues, as well as additional lodging options, and a major international airport.

If you have not yet considered a vacation in Glacier National Park for you and your family, I would strongly urge you to do your research and find out more information on this beautiful national park.  You can get more Glacier Park vacation information by visiting http://www.NationalParkReservations.com/glacier.htm

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde is a Spanish phrase meaning “green table.”  It is easy to assume that the name was given by the Native American people who once inhabited this area and whose homes can still be found carved into the sandstone walls within the boundaries of Mesa Verde National Park, however that is not the case.  The name actually originated when Spanish explorers happened upon the region in the 1760’s and 1770’s while seeking a rout from Santa Fe to California.

Although these Spanish explorers are credited with naming the area and consequently the national park, they never did discover the ancient stone villages which are carved into the steep sandstone walls.  The remarkable stone villages would remain a secret for another century.

In the late 1800’s ranchers started moving into the area and as these ranchers started to discover the ruins they began to loot the area and destroy many of the structures.

In 1891 a Finnish/Swedish explorer named Gustaf Nordenskiold began to document and photograph the ruins.  He published a book called “The Cliff Dwellers of the Mesa Verde” which is largely responsible for getting the word out about the area, and eventually leading to it’s establishment as a national park.

Mesa Verde National Park was established as a national park on June 29, 1906 amidst growing concerns for the preservation and archeological well-being of the ruins for which the park is so well-known.

In addition to the cliff-dwellings, Mesa Verde boasts a number of mesa-top ruins such as the Far View complex, the Sun Temple, and the Badger House Community.  The park also contains many hiking trails, a campground and facilities for lodging, dining and fueling up your vehicles.

To learn more about Mesa Verde National Park and the Mesa Verde lodging options available, visit: http://www.NationalParkReservations.com/mesaverde.htm

Mesa Verde has long been known for it’s “hotels” or at least for it’s dwelling structures, and that idea rings true even today. Not much has changed inside the boundaries of the park over the last 200 years. Today, just like two centuries ago, you will be hard-pressed to find too many man-made structures inside the park other than the rock-carved ‘sandstone hotels’ for which the park is so well-known.

There is however one modern-style accommodation option that is worth making note of, and that is the impressive Far View Lodge.

The Far View Lodge is one of the only hotels inside Mesa Verde National Park. This impressive lodging facility is set high atop a shoulder overlooking the mesa. It is easy to see where the Far View Lodge got it’s name when you are gazing out over the high-dessert countryside that stretches out over three different states.

You will be happy that you made the choice you did when you opt to spend your vacation at the only hotel inside Mesa Verde National Park - the Far View Lodge. This rare lodging option inside the park provides you with quick and easy access to all the parks features, attractions and guided tours.

The lodge includes a delicious dining option with a wonderful range of casual dining choices and a wide variety of menu items.

There are 150 rooms at Far View Lodge and each of them is equipped with a patio or balcony offering magnificent views of the surrounding mesa and unsurpassed star gazing opportunities.

Each of the hotel rooms at the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde are free from the distractions of telephones and televisions to keep with the solitude and ambiance of the natural setting.

To learn more about Mesa Verde National Park and Mesa Verde Hotels and accommodations, visit http://www.NationalParkReservations.com/mesaverde.htm