Here's the frustrating reality of national park vacations: the in-park lodges are charming, well-located, and booked solid approximately seventeen years in advance. Trying to get a room at Old Faithful Inn or the Ahwahnee is like trying to get concert tickets for a band that doesn't exist yet. By the time you think about booking, it's already too late.
The workaround? Resort properties just outside the parks that offer comparable comfort at lower prices with actual availability. You drive an extra 15-30 minutes to reach the trailhead, but you save hundreds and sleep in a room with a kitchen — which means you can fuel your hikes with actual food instead of $14 park cafeteria sandwiches. Check our destination deals for hiking-specific packages.
1. Great Smoky Mountains — From $69/Night
The most visited national park in America is also one of the most affordable to visit. Admission to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free (one of the only national parks that charges no entry fee), and the gateway towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have resort deals that'll make you wonder if there's been a pricing error. Spoiler: there hasn't. The Smokies are just that accessible.
Resort packages start at $69/night at properties like Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort and Holiday Inn Club Vacations. From these resorts, you're 15-20 minutes from major trailheads. The park has over 800 miles of trails ranging from flat, paved nature walks to strenuous all-day climbs to 6,000+ foot summits. Whatever your fitness level, there's a trail here that fits.
The Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte (11 miles round trip) is the park's most popular strenuous hike, passing through rhododendron tunnels, across narrow cliff ledges, and up a challenging boulder scramble. For something easier, the Laurel Falls Trail is a paved 2.6-mile round trip to a 80-foot waterfall that's doable for almost anyone. The Chimney Tops Trail (3.6 miles round trip) has been partially reopened after the 2016 fires and offers stunning views for moderate effort.
2. Springdale, Utah (Near Zion National Park) — From $89/Night
Zion National Park contains some of the most dramatic hiking in North America. The Narrows (hiking through a slot canyon in the Virgin River), Angels Landing (a terrifying knife-edge ridge with chains), and Observation Point (8 miles round trip with 2,150 feet of elevation gain and views that'll rewire your brain) are world-class trails that attract hikers from every continent.
Resort and lodge packages in Springdale (the town right outside the park entrance) start at $89/night. Properties like the Driftwood Lodge and Cable Mountain Lodge put you within walking distance of the park shuttle, which is the primary transportation within Zion Canyon from March through November (private vehicles are restricted during peak season).
Angels Landing now requires a permit (lottery system implemented in 2022), so plan ahead. The Narrows can be hiked bottom-up without a permit for the first 10 miles, and the experience of wading through a narrow canyon with 2,000-foot walls on either side is genuinely humbling. Rent waterproof boots and a walking stick from one of the outfitters in Springdale — your regular hiking boots will not survive the river. Trust me on this. I now own a pair of very sad, very ruined Merrells.
3. Whitefish, Montana (Near Glacier National Park) — From $89/Night
Glacier National Park is the crown jewel of the Northern Rockies, and the hiking here is as spectacular as it is wild. Going-to-the-Sun Road opens to vehicles in late June or July (depending on snowpack) and provides access to trailheads like Highline Trail, Hidden Lake, and Grinnell Glacier — all of which rank among the best day hikes in North America.
Resort packages in Whitefish (30 minutes from the west entrance) start at $89/night. Grouse Mountain Lodge and the Lodge at Whitefish Lake both offer comfortable bases with pools, restaurants, and proximity to the park. The Many Glacier area on the east side has the park's best concentration of trails but requires a longer drive (2+ hours from Whitefish). Browse our deals page for Glacier-area accommodations.
The Highline Trail is the park's signature hike — 11.8 miles one-way from Logan Pass to the Granite Park Chalet, traversing a narrow ledge blasted into the Garden Wall with dizzying exposure and jaw-dropping views. You can hike a portion and turn back, or arrange a shuttle for the full traverse. Bear spray is mandatory in Glacier — grizzlies are common, and encounters are not theoretical. Buy bear spray at the park entrance and actually learn how to use it.
4. Estes Park, Colorado (Near Rocky Mountain NP) — From $99/Night
Rocky Mountain National Park straddles the Continental Divide at elevations exceeding 14,000 feet, and the hiking options range from gentle lakeside strolls to full-send alpine scrambles. Trail Ridge Road (the highest continuous paved road in the U.S. at 12,183 feet) gives you access to the alpine tundra ecosystem — a landscape above treeline that feels like you've stepped onto another planet.
Estes Park, the charming mountain town at the east entrance, has resort and lodge packages starting at $99/night. The town itself is walkable with restaurants, shops, and outfitters. Elk roam freely through town, which is either delightful or alarming depending on how close one gets to your car.
Emerald Lake Trail (3.6 miles round trip) passes three alpine lakes and is the perfect introductory hike. Sky Pond (9 miles round trip) involves scrambling up a waterfall and is one of the most rewarding hikes in Colorado. Longs Peak (14,259 feet, 15 miles round trip) is the park's only "fourteener" and is a serious mountaineering objective — don't attempt it without proper experience, early start (2-3 AM), and careful attention to weather. Check our resort brand page for Estes Park properties.
5. Bar Harbor, Maine (Near Acadia National Park) — From $89/Night
Acadia is the crown jewel of the East Coast national parks, and its hiking combines ocean views, granite summits, and a trail system that includes the unique "iron rung" trails — historic paths with iron rungs and ladders set into granite cliffs. The Precipice Trail is the most famous (and most terrifying), involving iron rungs on exposed cliff faces with 1,000-foot drops. It's not for the faint of heart or the weak of grip.
Resort and inn packages in Bar Harbor start at $89/night. The town is charming and walkable, with lobster shacks, ice cream shops, and easy access to the park's Loop Road. The park shuttle system is free and connects to many trailheads, reducing the need to fight for parking at popular spots.
Cadillac Mountain summit (the first place to see sunrise in the U.S. from October to March) is accessible by car or a 7.4-mile round trip hike. The Jordan Pond Path is a flat, easy 3.3-mile loop around a stunning glacial pond with views of the Bubbles — two perfectly rounded granite hills. After the hike, Jordan Pond House serves their famous popovers with butter and jam. It's become a hiking tradition, and the popovers are worth every calorie.
6. Kanab, Utah (Near Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon) — From $79/Night
Kanab is the ultimate hiking base camp — it sits within 90 minutes of Zion, Bryce Canyon, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and some of the most otherwordly landscapes in the American West. Staying here lets you hit multiple parks in a single trip, and the hotel prices are significantly lower than the gateway towns of any individual park.
Resort and lodge packages in Kanab start at $79/night — roughly half of Springdale (Zion gateway) prices. The trade-off is a longer drive to each park, but the savings and flexibility more than compensate. Plus, Kanab itself has a charming main street with restaurants, a surprisingly good coffee shop, and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (the largest no-kill animal shelter in the U.S.).
The Wave — the insanely photogenic sandstone formation in the Coyote Buttes — is accessed via lottery permit from Kanab. Only 64 people per day are allowed, and the online lottery is fiercely competitive. But even if you don't win the Wave lottery, the surrounding area has slot canyons, hoodoos, and red rock formations that are nearly as impressive and completely free to explore. Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch is one of the longest slot canyons in the world and requires no permit for day hikes.
| Base Town | Starting Price | Nearest Park | Drive to Park | Must-Do Hike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatlinburg, TN | $69/night | Great Smokies | 15-20 min | Alum Cave/LeConte |
| Springdale, UT | $89/night | Zion | 5 min (shuttle) | The Narrows |
| Whitefish, MT | $89/night | Glacier | 30 min | Highline Trail |
| Estes Park, CO | $99/night | Rocky Mountain | 5 min | Sky Pond |
| Bar Harbor, ME | $89/night | Acadia | 5 min | Precipice Trail |
| Kanab, UT | $79/night | Zion/Bryce/GC | 45-90 min | Buckskin Gulch |
The best things in nature are free — national park trails don't charge by the mile, mountain views don't have a cover charge, and that runner's high at the summit doesn't require a subscription. The only thing you need to pay for is a place to sleep, and these resort deals make sure that part doesn't wreck your budget. Lace up your boots, fill your water bottle, and go see what's at the top of that ridge. Your desk will still be there when you get back. The glacier won't be.