Make a difference in conservation by staying in eco hotels and lodging. From bed-and-breakfast establishments to lodges, vacations can be enhanced by environmentally conscious accommodations. Alaska, Montana and Wyoming offer a variety of smaller, eco-friendly lodging and eco adventures.
Alaskan Small, Green Lodging
Explore Alaska’s vast wilderness from the comfort of an environmentally friendly B&B in Sitka or wilderness lodges on the Kenai Peninsula:
- Alaska Ocean View B&B Inn allows guests to experience Sitka’s seashore as well as the nearby Tongass National Forest.
- The environmentally conscious, smoke-free inn has 3 rooms with ocean views.Rooms at the quiet B&B have HEPA air filters, WiFi, fireplaces, hot-tub spa and many amenities.
- Eco adventures near Sitka include whale, bear and eagle watching; kayaking, fishing, hiking and flight-seeing.
- Alaska’s Ridgewood Wilderness Lodge on the Kenai Peninsula adjoins Kachemak Bay State Park.
- The intimate, timber-framed lodge is environmentally friendly, with windows incorporating panoramic views, private baths with low-flow toilets, and low-impact environmental building materials and energy usage.
- Eco adventures on Ishmailof Island, where the lodge is located, include glacier kayaking, wildlife viewing (from bears to whales and sea otters), fishing and hiking.
- Alaska’s Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge, also on the Kenai Peninsula, is tucked in Kachemak Bay’s Sadie Cove.
- The lodge (with 5 private guest cabins) has been named one of North America’s top 10 eco resorts and one of Forbes’ 10 best green hotels in America for its self-sufficient energy production, recycling and water conservation.
- Eco adventures around Sadie Cove include wildlife viewing (especially bears), kayaking, and tours of Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark and Katmai national parks.
Green Lodging & Eco Resorts in Montana
An inn at a historic hot springs near Helena, a motel just outside of Glacier National Park and a lodge in the outdoor paradise of Whitefish are some of the green accommodations available in Montana:
- Boulder Hot Springs Inn & Spa, secluded in 300 acres of meadows, wetlands and forests, is located between Helena and Butte.
- The inn’s 33 rooms include elegant, luxurious B&B rooms and suites that take advantage of the area’s geothermal waters for heating. The inn offers natural-fiber sheets, towels and robes; is smoke-, drug- and alcohol-free; and has received the Eco Star Award for recycling and conservation.
- Eco adventures range from staying at the inn to indulge in the mineral-rich indoor plunges, outdoor pools and steam rooms to day trips for trout fishing, wildlife viewing, visiting Native American sites and area hiking.
- Vista Motel in West Glacier sits at the edge of pristine, scenic Glacier National Park.
- The 25 rooms and cabins are non-smoking and the motel uses energy-saving measures, recycling and green products.
- Explore Glacier National Park’s 1.4 million acres from the adjacent Vista Motel for hiking, rafting and wildlife viewing adventures.
- Good Medicine Lodge in Whitefish, northwestern Montana, takes advantage of a premier outdoor recreational area.
- Many of the lodge’s 6 spacious rooms and 3 suites have balconies and mountain views. National Geographic Traveler has lauded the lodge for its eco-stewardship evident in recycling and energy management.
- Eco adventures around Whitefish include skiing (downhill and Nordic), dog sledding, hiking, boating and golfing.
Wyoming’s Smaller, Green Lodging
The grandeur of the West is showcased in Wyoming. Stay in a variety of environmentally friendly accommodations—from luxury and small hotels to lakeside lodges—while exploring the region:
- The Cody, in northern Wyoming’s authentic Western town of Cody, is a mere 45 minutes from Yellowstone National Park.
- The luxury, smoke-free hotel’s 75 rooms feature upscale amenities and a serious environmental commitment.
- Eco adventures include fly fishing and wildlife viewing in the surrounding area and exploring the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (with 5 museums) and the Cody Rodeo in town.
- The Alpine House in Jackson Hole, just outside Grand Teton National Park, showcases a scenic locale.
- The European-influenced, 21-room inn, 5 creek-side cottages and spa offer a cozy atmosphere that promotes water and energy conservation and utilizes recycling, all-natural bath products and organic foods.
- Relax at the Alpine House, indulging in its soaking tubs, in-room fireplaces, private balconies and spa or explore the region by skiing (downhill and Nordic), white-water rafting, scenic river floating, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.
- Signal Mountain Lodge in the Moran area of Grand Teton National Park affords lakeside accommodations in a panoramic setting.
- The lodge’s 79 rooms include cabins, suites with views, kitchenettes and fireplaces that are environmentally friendly and ecologically conscious.
- Eco adventures are close by, including water-based activities (kayaking, canoeing, sailing and float trips), guided fly-fishing and hiking in the national park.
Explore the vast wilderness of Alaska, Montana and Wyoming while staying in a small, green hotel to keep travel eco friendly. Larger, high-end, sustainable hotels can be found in Seattle, Portland or Jackson Hole while more smaller green hotels are available in coastal Oregon and Washington's San Juan Islands.
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Susan Lynne Hamilton - Award-winning writer Susan Lynne Hamilton is the Topic Editor of Suite 101's Northwest U.S. travel section, showcasing its rich ...
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