Just before New Year’s Eve, my sister and I traveled to Utah to ring in 2019 with some hiking. Our flight from Philadelphia International Airport landed in Las Vegas (LAS) around 8:30 p.m., we picked up our rental car and headed for Escalante, Utah. The drive was more than five hours, and I can’t recommend it less, but soon enough we were at our destination: Entrada Escalante Lodge. The hotel concierge was kind enough to accommodate our late check-in and left instructions for us along with a key — all too eager to get out of the car and get to bed, I was relieved they made it so simple for us.

In the morning, we had a look around, and I was stunned by the views. Turns out, in the light of day, our deluxe king room was more like a small apartment, including a living room with a TV, full kitchen, dining room table, king-sized bed, full standing shower with two shower heads and outdoor space with a grill and furniture. The backyard shared a porch with the neighbors we didn’t have and left wide-open mountain views.

The lodge offered complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby, which we passed after quickly getting ready to meet friends for a day of hiking through the canyons of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. After a long but beautiful day exploring the sights, we headed back to town to get cleaned up for dinner. Entrada is a short drive from several day trips, including Bryce Canyon National Park, so it was easy to pack the day with activities and still make it back before closing — the town of Escalante is incredibly quiet in the off-season, so some pubs and restaurants close early.

While we went in the off-season and most of the touristy shops and restaurants were closed, the location was a great start to our trip. We spent two days at the lodge and took full advantage of its easy access to nearby hikes and comfortable accommodations.

— Angelique Platas, associate editor