Arrival/Check-In: My sister and I flew into Las Vegas (LAS) from Philadelphia (PHL) on a later flight, arriving at 8:30 p.m. Normally, this wouldn’t even be noteworthy, but on this trip I decided we would drive to Escalante, Utah, and check into our hotel the same night. After the five-hour ride, we finally arrived at our destination: Entrada Escalante Lodge.

The hotel concierge had been kind enough to arrange for our keys and room number to be waiting for us, even with our (really) late arrival long after the lobby closed for the night. We grabbed our keys, parked in front of our lodge and passed out on the king-sized bed almost immediately — checking in was basically the easiest part of the trip at that point.

Guest Quarters: In the morning I took a good look around our deluxe king room (Lodge No. 7) and was impressed with the size of the space. The lodge offered a full kitchen and dining area, outdoor space with a grill and patio furniture, a living room with a TV and queen-sized sofa sleeper, a king-sized bed, a full bathroom with a large shower and two showerheads, WiFi and plenty of room to unpack and get ready for a long day of hiking.

I could see this space would lend itself well to an even longer trip than our two days, as guests could load up the refrigerator with supplies, cook in the kitchen or on the grill, and dine in all weather conditions — all with unobstructed views of the mountains in the near distance.

Service/Amenities: Within the lodge we found binders of information on the town, including local restaurants, tour opportunities and shops. The lobby offered complimentary tea and coffee in the morning with a slew of guides and material for daytrips and hikes in the area. Our lodge was clean and loaded with towels — white for showers and brown for anything needing Escalante’s red dirt removed — plus blankets, extra pillows and really anything we could need in terms of comfort.

The lodge is set up like a self-serve kind of adventure where guests can come and go as they please while respecting the quiet hours observed by the lodge — 9 p.m.–7 a.m. Fill up on supplies in town and bring them back to the lodge and enjoy at your leisure.

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

◆ Visit during the high season when the weather is warm and days are longer so you can enjoy the lodge’s outdoor space, day or night.

◆ The lodge is located on the town’s main road and is in walking distance of a few great restaurants and taverns.

◆ Utah has strict ABV laws (most beer is 4 percent or less unless you ask for full-strength).

◆ Take advantage of the lodge’s great location, just a 15- to 30- minute drive from most local hikes and about an hour from Bryce Canyon National Park.

ENTRADA ESCALANTE LODGE

480 W. Main St.
P.O. BOX 427
Escalante, UT 84726
tel 435 826 4000
entradaescalante.com