National Park lodging for under $100 per night
— -- As the nation swelters through the remaining dog days of summer, there's still time to book a national park getaway. But with national park lodgings generally pricey, here's how you can save a few bucks on your stay.
Consider lodgings that can be had for under $100 per night. And we don't mean sleeping in canvas tents or being required to use a community bathroom. Hundred dollar rooms aren't available at upscale facilities such as the Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park or Furnace Creek Inn in Death Valley National Park, even during the off-season.
But here are some national parks where you can still book a room for under $100 per night. Each facility offers a private bathroom and a hard roof over your head. The listed prices don't include taxes, which may boost the overall cost to slightly over $100. Rates are for summer 2012, and rooms are based on availability.
Buffalo National River
Arkansas
Buffalo Point offers both rustic and modern cabins that rent for $86 per night. Smaller motel-type lodge rooms rent for $70. Two of the modern cabins offer an excellent view of the river that flows through a deep gorge although the river is not accessible from the lodging complex. A restaurant, open seasonally, offers reasonably priced food and is within walking distance of all the guest rooms. www.buffalopoint.com/
Death Valley National Park
California and Nevada
Two of the four Death Valley lodges offer rooms for under $100 per night. Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel near the center of the park offers small rooms surrounding the historical courtyard for $95 per night. Standard rooms begin at $120. A restaurant, store, and small NPS visitor center are also part of the complex. Panamint Springs Resort is a unique and isolated operation on the western side of park. Motel-type rooms have one queen ($79), one king ($84), or two doubles ($94). A cottage and rooms with three doubles are more expensive. The main building, which looks like it should be located in Key West, has an interesting bar that offers 100 varieties of beer and serves excellent hamburgers. What more can you ask?
Glacier National Park
Montana
Swiftcurrent, a mile down the road from better known Many Glacier Hotel, has one-bedroom cabins for $92 per night. The cabins are quite rustic and closely spaced. Cabins without a private bath rent for about $20 less. This is the lowest-cost lodging in what many experienced travelers consider their favorite national park. A short walk from the lodging complex offers some of the most spectacular scenery our country has to offer. glacierparkinc.com/
Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona
Maswik South, on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, offers motel-type rooms and fairly nice cabins for $92 and $94, respectively. The cabins may be the best buy of any of the South Rim's lodging facilities. Although not directly on the Rim, The Maswik complex is within walking distance of the rim and also near a cafeteria and shuttle stop. A standard double at Bright Angel Lodge, a facility nearer the rim, also rents for $94 per night. grandcanyonlodges.com/
Mammoth Cave National Park
Kentucky
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