I always wanted a treehouse growing up. Who didnā€™t? Thereā€™s something magical about the idea of a tiny cabin, vaulted above the ground and surrounded by strong trees, where you could peek out the window and find yourself at eye level with birds and branches. I envisioned sleepovers in the backyard with friends and secret meetings where my siblings and I could look out over the neighborhood or watch squirrels scramble up close by.

While I never got that treehouse as a kid, I can rent one for the night now if I want. From a lookout tower with a wood-fired sauna in Idaho to a sleek cabin with volcano views in Washington to an architect-designed treehouse on a pond in New York, these nine grown-up-worthy treehouse vacation rentalsā€”which are all built to avoid harming the woods around themā€”will help fulfill your wildest childhood dreams.

Score Views of Mount Adams From This Modern Treehouse in the Columbia River Gorge

Location: White Salmon, Washington

Price: From $280 per night

Youā€™ll come for the view of 12,281-foot Mount Adams at sunset through the 18-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows in this modern, sleekly designed treehouse vacation rental, which sits in between three hearty Douglas firs near the town of White Salmon, Washington, across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon. This 500-square-foot pet-friendly cabin comes with minimalist Scandinavian furnishings and maximalist amenities, like an outdoor shower, on-the-ground fire pit, and coffee-making equipment of the highest Pacific Northwest-approved quality. Cell service and TVs donā€™t exist here. The place sleeps up to six in a private bedroom and an open sleeping loft equipped with two queen beds.

Donā€™t Miss: From here, youā€™re just 15 minutes from the in Hood River, a prime spot for mountain biking, and even closer to the windsurfing and kiteboarding that the Columbia River Gorge is famous for. Otherwise, hike to a waterfall like or and end the day with nachos and live music at , a localā€™s favorite pub in White Salmon.

Spare No Comforts in This Studio Treehouse in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Location: Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Price: From 379 per night

The small town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, 25 minutes outside of Greenville, is as charming as it sounds. And this thoughtfully designed treehouse on a quiet 16-acre property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the sweetest place to call home while youā€™re there. The studio-sized treehouse sleeps two in ultra-comfortable accommodations, complete with an outdoor shower on the back deck and yoga mats for morning stretching. At night, youā€™ll hear the resident owl, named Betty, hooting a welcome. This treehouse has a two-night minimum, is available for long-term stays, and intentionally doesnā€™t come with WiFi, though it does have cell service.

Donā€™t Miss: Youā€™re just 10 minutes from downtown Travelers Rest, where you can ride bikes along the , a 28-mile multi-use pathway. The hiking trails in are 20 minutes away, and thereā€™s wine tasting and an outdoor sculpture park at , five minutes down the road.

Sleep 40 Feet Off the Ground in a Far-Out Lookout Tower in the Forested Midwest

Location: Bradleyville, Missouri

Price: From $295 per night

Youā€™ll drive two miles down a gravel road to reach this remote two-story lookout tower, which is located about 20 minutes outside the tiny outpost of Bradleyville, Missouri. (The nearest grocery store is 30 minutes away, so pack supplies.) This one-bedroom treehouse-style tower was built to resemble the historic fire lookout towers once used to spot fires in rural areas. Two such remaining towers still exist around the , 15 minutes away, which has 32 miles of hiking trails. This is the kind of Airbnb that comes with a welcome basket and a hand-written note from your hosts, making you feel right at home when you arrive. Put your belongings into a winch-operated luggage elevator while you climb the 40 stairs to the top level. Too windy? Thereā€™s a cellar storm shelter you can hide out in until the bad weather passes. Nice amenities include upgrades like plush bathrobes, a telescope for night stargazing, and a rock-lined hot tub. Plan to unplug: Thereā€™s no TV or WiFi.

Donā€™t Miss: About an hour from the tower, you can dine on farm-to-table ingredients or take a workshop on soap making or floral bouquets at in Ozark.

Take a Detour on Your Highway 1 Road Trip to Stay at This Magical Treehouse Along the Pacific Coast

Location: Watsonville, California

Price: From $696 per night

Youā€™ll park your car and meander on foot down a wooded pathway before arriving at this picturesque one-bedroom treehouse vacation rental, suspended in a grove of redwoods outside the town of Watsonville, California, known for its plethora of artichoke farms. The bathhouse at this treehouse has its own separate building, accessible via vaulted plank from the main cabin. The house comes stocked with board games and has sliver views of the Pacific Ocean from the wraparound deck. The popular beaches of Santa Cruz and Monterey arenā€™t far, or stay close and take a stroll on the sand dunes at .

Donā€™t Miss: Farm stands are abundant in the area. Buy an olallieberry pie or pick your own apples or strawberries at or stop into the shop for fresh artichokes or artichoke dips and sauces, depending on the season. Hike the five miles of woodland trails or spot sea otters by kayak on the wetland waterways of the . rents kayaks and leads guided tours.

Explore Glacier National Park from this A-Frame Treehouse Nearby

Location: Columbia Falls, Montana

Price: From $341 per night

You might never want to leave the comfortable confines of this two-bedroom A-frame cabin thatā€™s suspended in the trees 10 minutes outside Columbia Falls, Montana. That is, until you realize youā€™re just 30 minutes from the west entrance to Glacier National Park. This well-appointed treehouse is situated on a 5-acre forested property thatā€™s also home to a second neighboring treehouse, but both are positioned to preserve a sense of privacy. In the winter, youā€™re just 15 minutes from skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort. In the summer, head to Whitefish Lake and the charming lakeside town of Whitefish or go for a scenic drive or hike in Glacier National Park.

Donā€™t Miss: During peak season from June through September, youā€™ll need a to drive Glacier National Parkā€™s famous Going to the Sun Road, but itā€™s worth it for the views along this scenic mountain roadway. In the warmer months, park at the Logan Pass trailhead to hike a section of the 11-mile , which goes point to point along the Continental Divide past the , a historic, romantic backcountry lodge within the national park.

Disconnect at this Architect-Designed Treehouse in the Catskills

Location: Woodstock, New York

Price: From $500 per night

This 500-square-foot tiny house is situated on a private wooded property 15 minutes from the town of Woodstock, New York. Designed by architect Antony Gibbons as a whimsical family escape for these Airbnb hosts, this unique, stilted, stand-alone cabin has massive windows that look out into the Catskill Mountains and to the on-site pond. The quarters are quaint: A lofted, open-air bedroom sleeps two. Pick up bagels and coffee at the in Woodstock to have on hand. In the winter, thereā€™s downhill skiing and an uphill policy at , a 30-minute drive away.

Donā€™t Miss: From spring to fall, tackle the 6-mile hike to the , which starts just up the road, or take the short but scenic walk to. There are plenty of lakes and swimming holes to jump into in the area, but why bother going anywhere else when you have a swimming pond in the backyard of your treehouse vacation rental? A wood-fired cedar hot tub awaits you on the edge of the pond. Thereā€™s no cell service or WiFi.

Enjoy a Wood-Fired Sauna at This Lookout Tower in Remote Backcountry

Location: Fernwood, Idaho

Price: From $271 per night

This structure wasnā€™t built to look like an old fire lookout towerā€”it actually is an old lookout tower. Originally built in 1959 atop a peak in eastern Washington, it was relocated to western Idaho in 1983 and completely remodeled as a year-round no-frills guest house in 2018. Itā€™s surrounded by 13 acres of forest land on Crystal Peak outside the tiny hamlet of Fernwood, Idaho. In the summer, you can drive to within 50 feet of the lookout, but youā€™ll need an all-wheel-drive car (the road in is pretty rugged); in the winter, youā€™ll need to ski tour, snowmobile, or catch a lift from the caretakerā€™s off-road vehicle for an additional fee. Thereā€™s no bathroom in the lookout; youā€™ll need to climb down the ladder to the ground level to use the outhouse.

Donā€™t Miss: Youā€™ll likely spend your days wandering around the hutā€”you can forage for huckleberries or morel mushroomsā€”then light up the wood-fired sauna, located on its own deck.

Bring Your Family to This Cozy Treehouse in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains

Location: Dahlonega, Georgia

Price: From $294 per night

You wouldnā€™t guess youā€™re just an hour north of Atlanta when you settle into this peaceful abode built around a massive oak tree. For families or groups, four people can sleep in bunks and a queen bed stacked in various nooks and this treehouse vacation rental comes with kidsā€™ books and toys if youā€™re bringing little ones. Thereā€™s a short nature trail out the door. Three other vacation rental cabins sit on the same 7-acre property, but theyā€™re well spaced apart from each other.

Donā€™t Miss: Downtown Dahlonega, a few minutes away, is listed on the National Historic Register as the site of one of Americaā€™s first gold rush towns. You can learn more about the areaā€™s history at the Visit the 729-foot high waterfall in or hike the 8-mile that connects to the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail near its southern terminus at Springer Mountain.

Ski Sunday River from This Chalet in the Trees

Location: Woodstock, Maine

Price: From $470 per night

Youā€™ll sleep 20 feet off the ground in a 300-square-foot tiny house designed and built by The Treehouse Guys, made famous on a DIY Network show. This cabin, in Woodstock, which can sleep up to four in two small, lofted spaces, is surrounded by maple and hemlock trees and just 10 minutes from the town of Bethel, Maine. It comes stocked with a record player, a ukulele, and a hot tub. The hosts call this pad The Ski Haus for a reason: Skiing at is less than 15 minutes away and skiing and summertime lift-accessed mountain biking at is just five minutes away. Or donā€™t leave the grounds: You can reach seven miles of hiking and snowshoeing trails from this treehouse vacation rental within the surrounding 634-acre Bucks Ledge Community Forest.

Donā€™t Miss: Thereā€™s ice skating midwinter on North Pond, a short walk from the treehouse, or in the summer, the place comes with access to paddleboards and kayaks.

Megan Michelson is an award-winning journalist who covers travel and the outdoors for a wide range of publications, including ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų, from her home base in Tahoe City, California. She’s always dreamed of staying in a treehouseā€”even from childhoodā€”and can’t wait to hit up these spots on her 2025 vacation list. She’s recently written about the coolest off-grid Airbnb in Colorado, how this woman pulled off buying a one Euro home in Italy, and these 10 vacations that might even help you live longer.Ģż

The post 9 Sublime Treehouses for Ridiculously Cool Vacation Stays appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Golf gets a bad rap. The sport has a reputation for being too expensive and too resource-intensive, which are true in some cases. There are private clubs so expensive you need to be a billionaire to join, and courses where the landscape was bulldozed to make way for overwatered and overfertilized fairways.

But not every golf course is that way.

A movement is afoot to make golf more accessible and sustainable. How do I know? Iā€™m an avid golfer. I play twice a week, mostly on public courses that are cheap and built over repurposed farmland. Affordable golf is actually easy to find, but better yet is the sustainability movement thatā€™s creeping into destination courses.

ā€œThe golf industry has made tremendous strides in the area of sustainability over the past 20 to 30 years,ā€ says Frank LaVardera, director of environmental programs in golf for , which operates Americaā€™s first and most comprehensive green-golf-course certification program. ā€œTraditional courses use a significant amount of water and chemicals, but many courses are reducing their amount of managed turfā€ā€”the manicured lawns that require so much water and fertilizerā€”ā€œand creating native areas that require less water, while enhancing wildlife habitat.ā€

What an Eco-Conscious Golf Course Means

Audubon Internationalā€™s certification process can take years, and requires evaluation of a courseā€™s impact on wildlife habitat, water quality and conservation, pest management, and energy efficiency. In turn, eco-minded course managers reduce the amount of turf, use recycled gray water to irrigate, emphasize walking over use of gas-powered carts, and create wildlife habitats with natural grasses and trees that attract birds, bees, and even the occasional bear. Since 2001, when the program was introduced, Audubonā€™s Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf has grown to include more than 2,000 certified courses in the U.S. and beyond.

The timing of this sustainability movement couldnā€™t be better, as America has rediscovered its love of golf. According to the (NGF), 3.4 million new people played golf in America last year. Each of the past 10 years saw more than 2 million beginners, with the past four topping 3 million.

Golf’s Changing Demographics

The that since the pandemic era, women and people of color have been flocking to the game; the biggest demographic jump has come from traditionally under-represented populations, with the number of Asian, Black and Hispanic golfers rising by 43 percent in the last five years. Of the 26 million people who play golf recreationally, 23 percent are people of color and 26 percent are women.

The demographic makeup of the Professional Golf Association (PGA) is still skewed (80 percent of pro golfers are white), but the game is changing from the ground up as recreational players trend toward being younger and more diverse. The most sought-after clothing brands in the sport, like Malbon and Eastside Golf, bring streetwear aesthetics to the golf industry, while many prolific and successful golfers on social media are women and people of color. If youā€™re not following on Instagram, you should be.

Part of the issue with diversifying the outdoors is access. There were 480 ski resorts in operation last year, with most of them located in remote, mountainous regions. Compare that to the 16,000+ golf courses scattered all over the country. I live in a southeastern mountain town that is not known for its golf, but I can play on any of 10 courses situated within half an hour of my home. There are three courses within three miles of downtown, and I play on two of them for under $20 a round. A program called enables members aged 18 and under to play any of its 2,133 enrolled courses across the U.S. for just $5 a round.

My 15-year-old son is a YOC member, and able to play half a dozen courses within 10 miles of our home. He and I can walk nine holes of golf for $20 combined, $35 if we want to play 18.

Why I Love Golf

As for the argument that golf shouldnā€™t be considered an outdoor sport because of its environmental impact, most things we do leave footprints. Iā€™ve been a dedicated skier since age 12, and I donā€™t love the fact that the ski industry has gotten cartoonishly expensive and is resource-intensive, especially in water use. But I do love skiing. I have the same relationship with golf. Itā€™s not perfect, but I love it.

This surprises people because I make a living writing about adventure sports, and I have the scars and expensive-gear habit to prove it. People assume golf and surfing or mountain biking are a world apart, but look closely in my garage and youā€™ll see a set of golf clubs tucked between my mountain bike and longboard.

When I play, I always walk, carry my bag, and try not to focus too much on my score. Itā€™s a slow, meditative walk in the woods. I like the challenge of golf as well. I recently picked the sport up again after a 20-year-hiatus, and Iā€™m consumed with the pursuit of getting better, but I also know that Iā€™ll never master golf. No matter how good I get at hitting a little white ball in the air, there will always be room for improvement.

Golf is cerebral and thought-provoking in a way that the other fast-paced sports I love are not. The game is 99.99 percent mental, allowing me to see how my thoughts impact my actions. Golf is a chance to clear your head and be outside.

Fortunately, there are certain destinations where golf and adventure go hand in hand. Some of the most sustainable golf courses in America are located in places that could be on any adventure-travelerā€™s radar, so you can play 18 holes one afternoon and go mountain biking or surfing the next morning.

Here are nine of the wildest, most sustainable golf courses in the world, each paired with a local adventure to round out the perfect weekend.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

1. Bear Trace, Harrison, Tennessee

Fee: Starting at $41 for 18 holes

Even if youā€™re not a golfer, you know the name of Jack Nicklaus, one of the gameā€™s most famous professionals. Not only was Nicklaus a legendary golfer, he was also a designer, creating courses all over the country, including this 18-hole masterpiece sits in the 1200-acre , 20 miles outside of Chattanooga. In the last two decades, managers have addressed every aspect of the course to minimize its impact, converting the greens from bentgrass to a less-thirsty Bermudagrass, removing 50 acres of turf to cede that area to natural grasses, and eliminating irrigation beyond the greens. The place has also purchased all-electric maintenance equipment, and installed mallard nesting tubes, wood duck boxes, and feeders for bluebirds and wild turkey.

As a result, as of 2008, Bear Trace is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and restored the wildlife habitat to the point where the course was home to a pair of nesting bald eagles for a decade.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Paddling on in Harrison Bay State Park makes for a fun afternoon (paddle boards are $8 an hour through the park). If youā€™re looking for something more adventurous, , 45 miles west of the state park, offers trips (from $50 per person) on class III-IV whitewater full of play spots and wave trains that formed the 1996 Olympic whitewater course.

Ģż

2. Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Missouri

Fees: ĢżStarting from $80 for the 13-hole short course

OK, is a behemoth. The brainchild of Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops, the 4,600-acre retreat features five distinct public golf courses, all set amid a dramatic Ozark Mountains backdrop, with routing that regularly nears ancient limestone cliffs. In recent years, Big Cedar Lodge has become one of the countryā€™s top golf destinations, regarded as the best public golf in the Midwest.

Big Cedar Lodge was the first golf resort in the world to receive Audubon Internationalā€™s highest certification, the Signature Sanctuary status, given for all five of its courses. Water conservation and improving wildlife habitat are priorities, with more than 75 percent organic fertilizer used, while chemical runoff and water use are addressed through a water-recycling program with reclamation ponds, as well as moisture meters embedded in the ground to help minimize watering in general.

One of Johnny Morrisā€™ founding principles is the notion of connecting people and the outdoors. On several holes his courses put the golfer between towering limestone cliffs, and, extra cool, those who play Big Cedar Lodgeā€™s Buffalo Ridge course can spy herds of bison that roam and feed on the natural-grass prairies surrounding the fairways.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: You could spend your entire weekend playing different courses at Big Cedar Lodge, but bring your mountain bike, too. The resort is on the edge of , which has 11 miles of cross-country trails in a stacked-loop system that hugs the shoreline of Table Rock Lake. Or you could hit the gravity-minded , which has 10 trails and a pump track and skills area. The place has something for everyone, from the kid whoā€™s just learning how to brake, to the adult who thinks heā€™s a kid sending gaps (day passes start at $45).

3. Streamsong Golf Resort, Bowling Green, Florida

Fees: Starting at $249 for 18 holes

This massive golf retreat 60 miles east of Tampa wins my vote for best use of scarred land. built its courses on 16,000 acres of land that was previously used for a phosphate strip mine. After the mining ended, sand dunes took over, and course designers used all of that bumpy elevation to create a whimsical playground where fairways wind through grassy mounds and small ponds.

Course designers used compost in the soil before grassing to reduce the need for fertilization, and limited the acreage of maintained turf, opting instead for natural grasses and dunes beyond the fairways. The resort has a water-treatment facility that captures rainwater, and reuses it for irrigation. Streamsong features three 18-hole courses, and a short course, called The Chain, that has no set tee boxes or suggested pars. This short course is a ā€œchoose your own adventureā€ sort of experience.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: You can keep the reclaimed land theme rolling by driving 25 miles west to , 7,714 acres of surprisingly hilly terrain on a former phosphate mine, with more than 20 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails through a forest and alongside lakes and the banks of the Alafia River. Streamsong wasnā€™t impacted much by Hurricane Milton when it hit October 9, both because the courses were designed to manage water and the place had few trees for high winds to damage. But much of this area of Florida was devastated by the storm, so check with surrounding businesses and parks before exploring the area.

4. Chambers Bay, University Place, Washington

Fees: Starting at $85 for 18 holes

This 18-hole course is links-style, meaning that like Scotland’s St. Andrews, believed to be the oldest course in the world, it has little to no manipulation of the land, resulting in rugged terrain, with many dunes covered in tall grasses. Similarly set on a craggy shoreline of Washington, it might also be the pinnacle of sustainable design. was built on reclaimed mine land, turning a former gravel pit into a championship course that now enhances the landscape. Designers shaped the course with native plants and wildflowers like douglas iris, and sodded with drought-resistant fescue grass species.

The fairways are irrigated with recycled gray water and fertilized with treated bio-waste from the countyā€™s wastewater plant. Chambers Bay doesnā€™t have golf carts; itā€™s a walking-only facility. (Some courses in the U.S. require golfers to use carts on weekends to maintain a quick pace of play.) Maybe the best part is that Chambers Bay is a municipal course, with affordable fees. Itā€™s also located within a county park with trails adjacent to the links and coast, so you donā€™t have to play golf to enjoy the scenery.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Chambers Creek Regional Park, which is home to the golf course, is a 930-acre preserve with two miles of shoreline and more than five miles of paved trails with views of Puget Sound. You should also drive 50 miles east to Mount Rainier National Park, where you can hike the 5.5-mile loop on , bagging copious views of the eponymous 14,411-foot active volcano in all its glaciated glory.

5. Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

Fees: Starting at $300 for 18 holes

A 19-hole course that opened in May 2023, was built from the ground up with the surrounding environment in mind. The entire property is only 600 acres, with just 75 acres of turf, all irrigated with non-potable gray water, and the fairways are made from a drought-tolerant bentgrass species that needs less maintenance and fertilizer than many other common turf grasses. Almost 70 percent of the grounds are dedicated as protected open space, and sustainability was a factor throughout the propertyā€™s design, from having a low-voltage power infrastructure for the resort to using an irrigation system in a grid, where each section can be adjusted individually.

The coolest aspect of the course is that itā€™s become a haven for endangered fish species. The property managers partnered with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to relocate 400 Virgin River Chub, a kind of rare minnow, to the lakes on the golf course, so they can live and breed in a stable environment. The course itself is gorgeous, running through fields of black lava rocks with views of the surrounding red cliffs.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Long-term plans for Black Desert include building several miles of hiking trails. Moreover, the resort sits nine miles north of St. George, just an hour (48 miles) west of Zion National Park. If itā€™s your first time to Zion, snag a ($3 plus a $6 registration fee) and hike , a 5.5-mile out-and-back that involves a bit of scrambling and ridgeline traversing and might just lead to one of the most iconic photo sites in our national-park system.

To dig deeper into the park, consider trekking through , a slot canyon where the walls of Zion Canyon rise 1,000 feet up while pinching to 30 feet wide at certain points. Youā€™ll be hiking through the river, so be prepared to get wet. The shortest route is a 9.5-mile out and back from the Temple of Sinawava, a red-walled natural amphitheater, to Big Spring, which is as far as you can go without a permit, but hits some of the skinniest portions of the gorge. Just donā€™t attempt it when thereā€™s rain in the as flash floods are common and fatalities have occurred. Save it for a stellar day.

6. The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak, Stowe, Vermont

Fees: Starting at $165 for 18, and you need to stay at The Lodge at Spruce Peak to play (rooms start at $249).

Surrounded by 2,000 acres of preserved land, the rambles along the flank of the mountain it is named for, with views of the adjacent Mount Mansfield, Vermontā€™s tallest peak, to boot. Spruce Peak, which sits at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort, was designed with the environment in mind, input from Audubon International, and a focus on preserving local black-bear populations by routing around their preferred habitat of beech trees. Designers also created buffers around streams and ponds to protect water quality, and planted a mix of native flowers and grasses, like milkweed and false sunflower, around tee boxes.

Peregrine Lake serves as a water feature for golfers to admire and avoid, but also a reservoir capturing rainwater that is used to feed snowmaking operations at Stowe Mountain Resort. Course management hosts an annual field trip to teach a local fifth-grade class about the elements of water quality.

The course fits into the greater ecosystem of the Spruce Peak community, a resort and residential property at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort that was built around eco-sensitive principles like a property-wide composting program and a renewable energy program that provides more than 50 percent of its power.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Youā€™re close to Stowe, a town renowned for its ski culture (and beer). Sadly, ski season and golf season donā€™t overlap. But donā€™t fret; during the warmer months, there is plenty of hiking, fly fishing, and climbing nearby. Do it on your own or if you want a guide, Spruce Peak Resort offers hiking and fly fishing adventures. If youā€™re into climbing, runs trips on the granite walls around the Stowe area, from top-roping routes suitable for beginners to multi-pitch cliffs that will please experienced trad climbers (from $250 per person).

7. Bandon Dunes, Bandon, Oregon

Fees: From $50 for the par 3 courses

has become one of the most coveted golf destinations in America, with seven public courses spread throughout the 2,525-acre coastal resort. All seven courses have earned Audubon International Sanctuary status, too, as the designers have kept Oregonā€™s coastal beauty and environmental harmony in mind throughout the process, from construction to management.

The course looks wild, thanks largely to the use of native plants and grasses, including the threatened silver phacelia, outside of the fairways, while for the turf on those mowed areas Bandon Dunes uses fescue, a type of grass that requires less fertilizer than others. And when fertilizer is applied, itā€™s organic and used sparingly. Roughly 85 percent of the resortā€™s energy is supplied by renewable resources, with more solar panels still to be installed throughout the property. The maintenance department has moved to electric-powered equipment.

Most of the resortā€™s landscape holds native plants that require no irrigation, but with six courses, roughly 600 acres that need to be watered. The resortā€™s own wastewater-management system supplies non-potable gray water for the job, recycling roughly 50,000 gallons of water daily.

One of the courses, Bandon Preserve, puts net proceeds directly to local conservation projects in Oregonā€™s southern coast through a , which has helped restore salmon fisheries and funded mountain bike trails. Bandon Dunes is working towards the lofty goal of becoming a completely carbon neutral resort.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Bandon Dunes sits on Oregonā€™s southern coast, which is a multi-sport adventurerā€™s dream, with miles of singletrack and wild beaches punctuated by dramatic sea stacks. Go for a trail run at , where several miles of trail wind through a pine forest and access five miles of hard-packed beach.

The surfing is good too, with beach breaks found throughout this part of the coast. Head north for 25 miles to Coos Bay, where the bluffs of Yoakam Head hang over the breaks, which have something for all levels of surfers. Beginners should head to Bastendorff Beach for a wide, sandy-bottom break with a cool backdrop of rocky headlands. The water temperature is cold year round, but winter brings the most consistent waves, so in that case pack a thick wetsuit.

8. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Fees: Starting at $110 for 18 holes

The a resort five miles south of Colorado Springs, is home to two of the most respected golf courses in the U.S., designed by legends Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones and hosting marquee tournaments like multiple U.S. Amateurs, U.S. Womenā€™s Opens, and U.S. Senior Opens. At 6,250 feet in elevation, the course was the highest in America when it first opened in 1918, and several holes feature views of Pikes Peak.

The place has become significantly more eco-friendly with age. Managers have replaced more than 50 acres of turf with native grasses and wildflowers, and use gray water to irrigate the fairways and greens. Mulching mowers return grass clippings back to the soil, and the property uses no pesticides Over the years the resort has added bird-nesting boxes and habitats for bees and butterflies. All of the carts are electric, and otherwise the place promotes walking and its caddy program. Resort chefs harvest honey from the propertyā€™s own hives, and source meat from the Wagyu beef raised on the ranch. Even the resortā€™s cooking grease is recycled into biodiesel.

The Broadmoor participates in one of the most heartwarming recycling programs Iā€™ve ever heard of: all of their spent tennis balls are donated to local senior-citizen facilities to be used on the ends of walkers and canes.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Colorado Springs offers so much to do. The 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, with trailheads six miles from town, has to be the most accessible fourteener in the U.S.; you can drive your car or take a train to the summit, but I say earn it by hiking the ($20-$37 parking fee, depending on day of week), a 13-mile one way trek that gains more than 7,000 feet on its way to the top. Donā€™t worry, you can take the down from the summit ($30). Or go explore the iconic red sandstone fins that rise from the center of Garden of the Gods Park. operates half and full day trips for all abilities (starting at $221).

9. Rising Sun Golf Course, Emigrant, Montana

Fee: Greens fees are included in the cost of your stay (one week minimum, and you must contact the for pricing).

Itā€™s hard to beat Rising Sunā€™s location. The 18-hole course sits on the 17,000-acre Mountain Sky Ranch, within the aptly named Paradise Valley and with near-constant views of the surrounding Absaroka and Gallatin Mountains. This is the biggest splurge on this list, and for most, a once-in-a-lifetime situation at best, but the rest of us can dream, right?

Rising Sun is not an easy course to play, thanks to its remote location and the fact that tee times go only to guests of the ranch, but you couldnā€™t ask for a more beautiful setting, and the Rising Sun was the first course in Montana to be designated an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. The course was built on a hayfield with an emphasis on maintaining as much natural habitat as possible, converting dry pastures to prairie grass, and maintaining native plant buffers along bodies of water.

Course managers also installed bird-nest boxes to encourage multi-species nesting, and have put in bat houses. They regularly consult with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on issues concerning elk and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. Aided by a dry, cold environment, course managers use no pesticides for the turf and greens, and theyā€™ve limited water usage by keeping the irrigated acreage to only 52 acres, almost a third of the average 18 hole course in America. Maintenance crews regularly monitor the quality of water in the course ponds as well as Big Creek.

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Mountain Sky Ranch is an adventure-minded ā€œdude ranchā€ with a host of activities located on property. The resort also offers guided horseback tours in Yellowstone National Park, with an entrance just 30 miles south. But I say to pair a round of golf here with some fly fishing. If youā€™re new to the sport, Mountain Sky has a trout pond where pros can teach you the nuances of casting, but if you can hit the ground running, head to nearby Big Creek, which is loaded with cutthroat and rainbow trout. Or sign up for a of the iconic Yellowstone River, which offers opportunities for long, wide open casts that just might net a cutthroat or brown. (From $595)

Nearby ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų: Mountain Sky Ranch is an adventure-minded ā€œdude ranchā€ with a host of activities located on property. The resort also offers guided horseback tours in Yellowstone National Park, with an entrance just 30 miles south. But I say to pair a round of golf here with some fly fishing. If youā€™re new to the sport, Mountain Sky has a trout pond where pros can teach you the nuances of casting, but if you can hit the ground running, head to nearby Big Creek, which is loaded with cutthroat and rainbow trout. Or sign up for a of the iconic Yellowstone River, which offers opportunities for long, wide open casts that just might net a cutthroat or brown (from $595).

Graham Averill is ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų magazineā€™s national parks columnist and an avid golfer who is dying to play every course on this list. Follow his golf shenanigans on Instagram at @the_amateur_golf. Graham recently wrote ā€œThis Is What Itā€™s Like to Live in Asheville After Hurricane Heleneā€ and answered some questions about it while standing in line at FEMA offices. He has also recently written ā€œ9 Most Underrated National Parks for Incredible Fall Foliage,ā€ ā€œ8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture,ā€ and ā€œThe 9 Most Fun ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Lodges in North America.ā€

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When Rick Bass first found himself in the area referred to as Unit 72 by the United States Forest Service, he felt desperate and unanchored.

He was walking up what was once an overgrown logging road but had recently been clear-cut into a 200-foot-wide strip of barren land. Roughly one million board feet of sellable timber had been removed, and only a few of the largest larch remained. The Forest Service had cleared the area as a firebreak in response to the Davis fire, ignited by lightning in July 2018 in the remote, rugged Yaak Valley, which is situated within the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana.

Blowdown lined the edges of the firebreak. Trees once insulated from the elements were newly exposed and didnā€™t have the roots to sustain full-force winds.

Bass, a 66-year-old writer and conservationist, crossed a thick section of fallen old spruce, balancing himself on the larger trunks. After living in the Yaak Valley for nearly four decades, heā€™s sturdy, and no stranger to bushwhacking. Finally, he stepped out of the hot, dry clear-cut and through a cool, emerald-green portal. As far as recorded history could reveal, the forest he was enteringā€”Unit 72ā€”had never been logged.

Blanketed with ferns and dripping with moss, the forest looked like it was plucked from the Pacific Northwest and moved 350 miles inland. Itā€™s one of the few remaining echoes of an ancient rainforest that tens of millions of years ago spread from the Washington coast into Montana. Grizzlies, lynx, and wolverines sniff and scratch through 800-year-old larch and some of the largest western hemlock, western red cedar, and Engelmann spruce in the valley. The area is one of only six habitats in the lower 48 states considered large and intact enough to support a grizzly bear population.

Relief washed over Bass. Then he saw long strips of flagging, and blue and orange paint slathered across some of the larger tree trunks. The Forest Service, it seemed, planned to log here too, in the old growth.

His first reaction was rage, but he had learned over the years that wrath was not an effective tool in the fight to protect these trees, which were too important to risk. They had survived centuries of wildfire, drought, pests, and logging that decimated other forests in the region.

Now theyā€™re engulfed in discord, their fate to be decided by humans who canā€™t agree whether to actively manage the area through clear-cutting or to leave it alone.

In 2017, the USFS staff responsible for the Kootenai National Forest (KNF) proposed a sweeping 95,000-acre forest-management plan, called the Black Ram project, to ā€œimprove resilience and resistance to insects, disease, and fire.ā€ Unit 72 would be effectively clear-cut. In the words of the KNF supervisors, they would ā€œrestart the standā€ to improve the forestā€™s ā€œability to adjust to climate change.ā€ This sparked an impassioned battleā€”on the ground and in federal courtā€”between environmental advocates, local and federal governments, and other stakeholders. After seven years of disagreements, Unit 72 has yet to be logged, but it hasnā€™t been permanently protected, either.

With wildfire season becoming longer and more intense across the U.S. and Canada, people are desperate for answers, and the debate of how best to mitigate such fires rages on. Many at the Forest Service and in the timber industry argue that forest-clearing projects similar to the Black Ram are the answer. But itā€™s unclear whether these measures, which have gained popularity in the past decade, are always undertaken with the sincere goal of mitigating wildfire. Many conservationists believe that the Forest Service and the timber industry are capitalizing on the publicā€™s fear, and that painting these projectsā€”many of which include cutting down old growthā€”as restorative is merely a convenient way to justify logging.

A hefty volume could be filled with the yearsā€™ worth of court documents, scientific studies, and letters to the editor generated by the different sides of the Black Ram dispute. But letā€™s begin with the one thing everyone agreed onā€”that the Forest Service has mismanaged public forests for more than a century. A hundred years of fire suppression and immense amounts of logging have left our forests vulnerable to wildfire, insect infestation, and disease, all of which are compounded by a changing climate.

Thereā€™s good researchā€”and peopleā€”on both sides of the Black Ram debate. The more important question is, who and what are we protecting these forests for?

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Some places are made for road trips. With its big skies, wide open spaces, and welcoming small towns with a uniquely-Montana vibe, Eastern Montana is one of those places. Travel east on U.S. Route 2 and U.S. Route 12 and enter a world of prairies and badlands where the road meanders like a river and the locals are as colorful as the landscapes. Here you can roam as far and wide as you can dream. Where to start? We mapped out eight adventure-filled itineraries that cover the best recreation, wildlife, and historical experiences across the region. Click the link below to see step-by-step itineraries, plus videos, photos, and more.

Traveling through Montana isn’t just about hitting points on a map; it’s about stopping for stories waiting to be told. Montana brings out something unique in all of us, something you can almost touch, even if you canā€™t perfectly describe it. In Montana, itā€™s less about where youā€™re going and more about the experience of getting there.

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Itā€™s one of the first lessons we are taught in kindergarten: when you make a mess, you clean it up. This premise, called the Polluter Pays Principle, is at the heart of a wave of lawsuitsā€”many of which have been launched by citizensā€”that demand accountability for the climate crisis we all face.

The lawyers managing these suits point the fingers at two culprits responsible: state governments that have failed to protect citizens from climate change, and Big Oil, which has lied about the impact of emissions on the warming planet, fought the transition to cleaner energy sources, and continued to drill, baby, drill.

ā€œWeā€™ve seen a significant and steady uptick of climate cases in the last 15 years or so,ā€ says Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, who tracks climate change litigation around the world.

Something else that has seen a major uptick in recent years: big storms, wildfires, droughts, floods, and heat waves. These weather atrocities have become normal; weā€™ve come to expect the weather to be one of the top stories on the morning news. Lawyers and advocates believe citizens should be allowed to sue for damages that arise from these and other climate-related events.

ā€œThese are not ā€˜normalā€™ natural disasters,ā€ says Aaron Regunburg, senior policy counsel with Public Citizenā€™s Climate Program, which fights the climate crisis by promoting clean, affordable energy and holding polluters accountable. ā€œThese events are caused by climate change and are the result of specific decisions made by Big Oil. They result in many deaths and billions of dollars of property loss and emergency services.ā€

In lawyerspeak, this translates to well-defined legal offenses, such as public nuisance, reckless endangerment, and outright homicide, among others. And attorneys around the globe are suiting up for a fight.

Youth Climate Cases Are on the Rise

Of the almost 1,800 U.S. climate lawsuits in Gerrard’s database, about 25 of them have been filed on behalf of children by Our Children’s Trust (OCT), a nonprofit public-interest law firm representing kids from diverse backgrounds who suffer the effects of climate change. According to Gerrard, these cases, which center on youth telling their impact stories, attract the most media attention. “They involve appealing young people who tell compelling stories, without the dry technical details involved in many other climate cases,” he says. “And it’s easier to talk about constitutional rights than complicated statutes and regulations.”

Our Childrenā€™s Trust has had some big recent wins.

In 2023ā€™s Held v. Montana, the firm represented 16 kids from Montana, and argued that the state’s policy of ignoring greenhouse gas emissions when approving energy policies violated plaintiff’s rights.ĢżThe children testified that climate change had both physical and psychological effects on them, such as distress, anxiety, and asthma. In what has been heralded as a landmark win, the district judge ruled in favor of the children and ordered the state to incorporate greenhouse gas emissions analysis into future environmental projects.

The organization celebrated another victory in June, 2024. In the case (HDOT), OCT sued the state government on behalf of 13 children, arguing that its transportation system generates high emissions and violates the plaintiff’s constitutional rights to live healthy lives. The case reached a settlement which forcesĢżHawaiŹ»i to overhaul its ground and inter-island sea and air transportation systems to achieve zero emissions by 2045.

These victories raise public awareness and put pressure on governments to address climate change, says Gerrard. They are a key part of the strategy, and when climate cases like these are wonā€”validating our constitutional right for a clean climateā€” they set important precedents that can help build cases against the real villains: the fossil fuel companies.

Holding Fossil Fuel Companies Accountable: A Key Piece of the Climate Crisis Puzzle

Suing Big Oil is no easy feat. Preparing a case requires exhaustive preparation, time and patience, and deep coffers. It can be a daunting prospect for overworked district and statesā€™ attorneys.

Enter: Richard Wiles, the president of The Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), a nonprofit funded by philanthropists who support climate work, like the Rockefeller Family Fund. CCIā€™s mission is ā€œto empower communities and elected officials with the knowledge and tools they need to hold oil and gas corporations accountable for decades of lying about climate change.ā€ Wiles compiles evidence and creates strategies for attorneys to use to prosecute fossil fuel companies. Wilesā€™ work has supported pending cases in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Colorado, among others.

The common thread in his cases is the allegation that Big Oil willfully ignored climate change and that decades ago they actually predicted the climate change devastation we are now witnessing. He and his firm have amassed troves of evidence. A reads: ā€œPresent thinking holds that man has a time window of five to ten years before the need for hard decisions regarding changes in energy strategies might become critical.ā€ And from 1981 says: ā€œ. . . it is distinctly possible that the CPD (the acronym for Exxon’s corporate planning department) scenario will later produce effects which will indeed be catastrophic (at least for a substantial fraction of the earth’s population).ā€

In other words, they knewĢżthe climate crisisĢżwas coming, they covered it up, and they lied, all so they could continue raking in billions.

Wiles likens this scenario to Big Tobacco’s coverup of rising cancer cases in smokers in the eighties and nineties. Cigarette companies knew their products were going to cause massive damage and kill people, but they lied about it and engaged in a massive disinformation campaign. In the end, Big Tobacco was found liable for knowingly deceiving the public about the risks of smoking and in 1997 the four largest tobacco companies were forced to pay more than $350 billion in damages. “Itā€™s the same scenario with fossil fuel companies,” Wiles says. “For decades, theyā€™ve been protecting their profits, ignoring the health of the planet, and weā€™re looking for them to pay for their deception.ā€

In September 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom of California announced The People v. Big Oil, a high-profile deceptionĢżcase alleging that five fossil field companies knew about all the havoc climate change would a wreak and hid it, causing taxpayers to pay for the damage and destruction. California is seeking a multibillion dollar abatement fund to provide for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

In Wiles’ opinion, more cases alleging climate deception is a positive for the environmental movement.Ģżā€œAccountability is a predicate for good policy. And we can’t get the climate policy that we need until we hold these companies accountable for the damages,ā€ he says. ā€œOnce Big Oil loses 50 or 100 cases, once they’re found liable for damages, lying, racketeering, wrongful death, and other atrocities, weā€™ll be in a different place. If we don’t hold them accountable, if they continue to be able to lie, if they continue to be able to just pollute with impunity and greenwash us about their commitment to climate solutions, we’re never going to solve the problem.ā€

Wiles acknowledges that winning lawsuits alone will not stop climate change or alterĢżpolicy. But he believes that climate change cannot be stopped without these suits, which erode the social license of the companies he believes should be held accountable.

Wiles points to the legal saga pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma as an example. Years of court cases over the company’s sales and marketing of opioids, such as Oxycontin, eventually eroded the company’s public credibility.Ģżā€œNobody’s looking at Purdue for advice on much of anything anymore, right?ā€ says Wiles. ā€œThey have no pull in Congress anymore, and nobody is lining up with them.ā€

In other words, Purdue Pharma has become toxic and lost its clout. Wiles wants to see fossil fuel companies in the same sinking ship.

How to Get Involved in Climate Cases

So, how can you flex your own legal muscle in the ongoing fights against climate change? The experts I spoke to said you don’t need to hire a lawyer or join up with a class-action lawsuit in order to have an impact. There are easier ways to get involved that don’t require court cases and lawsuits.

The big one is voting. As citizens, itā€™s the most powerful action we can take to ensure that climate-friendly politicians are in place to make policy changes.

Regunburg also recommends leveraging your district attorney. ā€œKnow who your DA is and be sure to support the right ones,ā€ he says. ā€œInfluencing a local DA is a helluva lot easier than influencing a senator. Call them and encourage them to file a climate deception suit.ā€

You can also take one minute to add your name to to encourage the U.S. Attorney General to keep the Big Oil lawsuits coming. Because death by a thousand cuts is still death.

Doing right by the planet can make you happier, healthier, andā€”yesā€”wealthier. ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųā€™s head of sustainability, Kristin Hostetter,Ģżexplores small lifestyle tweaksĢżthat can make a big impact.ĢżĢżfor her twice monthly newsletter or write to her atĢżclimateneutral-ish@outsideinc.com.

The post Why Criminal Lawsuits Might Be a Key to Solving the Climate Crisis appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Get out the pack, Jack. Make a romantic plan, Fran. No time to be coy, Roy. OK, you get the drift.

With Valentineā€™s Day on the horizon, maybe youā€™re looking to impress someone with a night or two that will ignite the fire. Weā€™ve got you covered, with our favorite romantic getaways of all time. These trips are perfect for best buds and to save for future mates, too.

The ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų staff have pretty much ditched the roses-and-chocolate rigamarole in favor of road trips to remote Southwestern desertscapes, ridgetop hikes, and fly-fishing excursions followed by steamy soaks in hot springs. Because, for most of us, nothing cements a relationship likeĢżoutdoor appreciation. If your partner doesn’t share the awe of a spectacular sunset, the joy of a sweaty mountain-bike ride, or the seduction of fireflies on a porch in Appalachia, we ask: Is that person really for you?

Here are some of the best romantic getaways that have sparked ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų relationships and friendships over the years.

Isle Royale National Park

Location:ĢżLake Superior, Michigan

Price:Ģż$7 per person, per day for backcountry permits; one-way ferry and sea plane fares from $90 and $275, respectively

Why We Love It: In 2020, I met the love of my life at the Rock Harbor Trailhead in northeastern Isle Royale, a national-park archipelago in Lake Superior. Due to pandemic restrictions, the isle was accessible only by seaplane, so I , for a solo, seven-day, 75-mile-ish backpacking trip. I had no concrete plans other than to criss-cross the island southwest to Windigo, hitting the bays, ridges, Superior shoreline, and interior lakes along the way.

I had just snagged a permit from the ranger station, strapped my fly rod to my pack, and was about to set off when I noticed a tall, blonde guy stumble out of the bushes. He was dirty, bug-bitten, sunburned, and full of trekking beta. I struck up a conversation: Where had he gone? How about the coolest vistas? Must-stop camp spots? Trails to avoid or take?

We talked for 20 minutes, and parted ways with smiles but no phone numbersā€”me, to the trail; him, to catch a seaplane out. A month later, he tracked me down on Linked In to see how my trip went. Six months later, we met up for a trail run in Sedona, Arizona. A year later, we got engaged and married. But here’s where it gets good: We returned to Isle Royale for our honeymoon.

From our seaplane drop in Windigo, we backpacked for a week, averaging about 14-16 miles per day, charging through both fresh and familiar territory up toward Rock Harbor. We started with the 30-mile in the southeast, where we encountered bull moose with five-foot racks in marshy spits, fields of purple, yellow, and red wildflowers, and turquoise Superior vistas from the fire tower. Then, we pushed north to , where we hunkered down on the lakeshore with freeze-dried chili mac and cheese, and slept under the stars to a symphony of howling wolves. After, we climbed along the spine of the island via the , stopping at Lake Desor to soak aching feet and rest, before trekking to in the west for an orange-sherbet sunset. We polished off our trip playing cards and hiding from cheek-reddening wind at Moskey Basin in our tent, before plunging into Superior and cracking cold beers from Rock Harbor’s camp store. It was tough to board our seaplane out, but we’ll be back throughout our lives. I can’t think of a better, more meaningful place to celebrate getting hitched. ā€”Patty Hodapp, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų senior digital travel editor

Location: Southeast Utah

Price: Free

Why We Love It: When my wife and I discuss the formative months of our relationship, we inevitably begin to reminisce about a weeklong 2016 meander through southeastern Utah. A maiden road trip is the ultimate relationship test. Can we get along for hours on end in the car? Are our tastes in music compatible? Are we both comfortable with a blank itinerary and no clue where weā€™re going to eat or sleep each night? Pringles or Doritos? It was on the first day of that trip that we learned the answers: yes, yes, yes, Doritos. We were a perfect match.

If you were to ask us to pinpoint the location where everything fell into place, weā€™d also provide matching answers: , about two and a half hours south of Moab. Tucked between Bears Ears National Monument to the north and Goosenecks State Park to the south, this 152-square-mile plot of BLM-managed land is sometimes referred to as Little Monument Valley. Explore it via its 17-mile dirt access road and youā€™re quickly surrounded by the same massive sandstone spires youā€™ve seen in countless westerns and postcards, but with hardly any other visitors competing for the photo ops.

We turned onto that road around 4 P.M., drove six miles in, and turned again onto a short, dead-end spur road, where we pitched our tent just beside a massive wash. Then we cracked open some beers and sat on the back of my car to watch the sunset. There were no other sounds in the universe save for the whoosh of an occasional breeze, and the colors changed every two minutes. Most people probably wouldnā€™t describe Valley of the Godsā€™ rugged, barren landscape as romantic. But for a magic half hour each evening, I canā€™t think of a more romantic place on earth. ā€”Christopher Keyes, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Inc. vice president and general manager, Outdoors

Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Cost: From $350

Why We Love It: If a 25-acre lavender farm with wandering llamas, artisanal purple gin cocktails, and beautiful gardens and courtyards that the affianced dream of booking for their weddings doesnā€™t appeal to your romantic sensibilities, this place will change your mind. Los Poblanos is a lovely, quiet getaway from the whirrings of the world. I recommend it frequently to friends or generally anyone traveling through Albuquerque with time to spare.

My husband and I came here to celebrate an anniversary years before the media began bestowing it with awards, but we have returned a handful of times since, to enjoy family celebrations at its farm-to-table restaurant, Campo; sit down to a leisurely brunch (we canā€™t seem to order anything but the eggs Benedictā€”those homemade English muffins are worth the hourlong commute); and take part in the convivial that are quickly booked by local BurqueƱos and held at one or two very long tables.

Stay a night or two in a North Field room with a fireplace (make this request, as not all have them), but get there early enough to spend time out on the patio, surrounded by the rows of lavender, at their height in June, and watch the shadow of dusk fall slowly over the towering Sandia Mountains. If the weatherā€™s nice, and it tends to be in Albuquerque, borrow a bike and ride along the Rio Grande. Make sā€™mores at the fire pit. Wake up late and walk the farmā€™s fields, visit the chickens. Savor the relaxed pastoral atmosphere. Time with your partner in such a setting canā€™t but work wonders. It has for us. ā€”Tasha Zemke, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų associate managing editor

Lake Crescent Lodge

Location: InsideĢżOlympic National Park, Washington

Price: $211

Why We Love It: Lake Crescent is my happy place. Its perfectly clear, deep blue waters are ringed by majestic evergreens and framed by rolling mountains. The best spot along its perimeter is the , a white, Victorian-style property built in 1916. Thereā€™s a beautiful sunroom for grabbing drinks, and a verdant lawn rolls down to the waterfront, where Adirondack chairs are positioned perfectly for sunset viewing. There is also a sit-down restaurant on-site, but national park food always leaves something to be desired, so instead, my husband and I opt to grab takeout from Frugals, a burger drive-through in Port Angeles, and enjoy a picnic by the lake.

For my 25th birthday, we managed to snag a room in Lake Crescentā€™s historic lodge building. There are newer buildings and cabins on the premises that offer private bathrooms, but the original lodge, with its lace curtains and wood paneling, charmed us. Each year my husband grants me my birthday wishā€”a canoe paddle on one mountain lake or another. Itā€™s the only day of the year heā€™ll get in a watercraft with me, due to my hopeless paddling skills. After 20 minutes of me steering us in circles, he patiently does all the work to navigate us around the lake while I take pictures and eat sandwiches. It’s heaven.

That year we grabbed the earliest canoe rental possibleā€“7 A.M.ā€”and took off across Lake Crescent before any motorized boats ventured forth. The water was like glass, and early-morning fog rose from its surface. We peered down at submerged logs and skirted the shoreline to avoid the more than 600-foot icy depths with no sounds other than birdsong. ā€”Mikaela Ruland, National Park Trips associate content director

Ojo Caliente and Taos Spa, Resort and Hot Springs

Location: Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

Price: From $239 per night; from $45 for soaks on weekdays

Why We Love It: Angie knew what was coming when we left Denver for an extended weekend getaway in Taos, New Mexico, a few years ago. Weā€™d been together for three years and had spent the previous eight months discussing our future and The Big Question. It was time. Weā€™d already picked out the engagement ring and planned an itinerary:Ģż Dinner at . A hike in the Sangre de Cristos. An afternoon in downtownā€™s plaza.

But our most anticipated spot was , a well-known spa resort west of Taos. Weā€™d visited Ojo Caliente (Spanish for ā€œhot eyeā€) the year before, and it immediately became our favorite hot springs. Seven outdoor geothermal pools of varying warmth surround a cool soaking pool and mud bath. The smell of burning cedar and mesquite waft through the grounds. Staff ask everyone to keep conversations to a whisper. And the compound is tranquil, tucked in among the piƱon and cottonwood trees at the base of a rocky bluff andĢżsurrounded by a network of hiking trails.

We kicked off our getaway by spending a day in relative silence, soaking in the hot water, enjoying each other’s company, and unwinding with a massage. We booked a private pool and ate at Ojo’s restaurant that evening. Two days later, we hiked up 13,167-foot Wheeler Peak and exchanged rings at the top, just as we had planned. ā€”, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų articles editor

The Grand Traverse

Location: Grand Tetons, Wyoming

Price: Variable, depending on whether you do it yourself or use a guide company

Why We Love It: When my girlfriend and I started dating, we thought it would be a good idea to try the Grand Traverse, a 14-mile line across ten summits with 24,000 feet of vert. She had lots of experience climbing, but sheā€™d never been on a multi-pitch adventure before, let alone a multiday alpine effort. For some reason, we decided it was a good idea anyway. Over three days in July, with the help of , we traversed the Teton skyline, moving fast over complicated terrain, camping in a tiny tent on small ledges, and relishing in the splitter weather. It was the kind of trip that either demolishes a relationship or hardens it into something that lasts. We’ve been together for nearly a decade since. ā€”Matt Skenazy, former ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų features editor

Granite Park Chalet

Location: Glacier National Park, Montana

Price: From $140

Why We Love It: When my wife and I got married in September of 2000, our grandparents werenā€™t happy. Not because they didnā€™t like our choice of partner, but because they couldnā€™t attend the wedding. The 7.6-mile hike to the remote site weā€™d chosen to tie the knotā€”Glacier National Parkā€™s historic ā€”was just too much. But we were enamored with the century-old stone-and-wood structure, located just west of the Continental Divide, atop a hill with sweeping views of Glacierā€™s peaks and valleys, scenery made even more spectacular by the light show that happens when the sun dips below the jagged horizon.

Our wedding party, just under 30 strong, trekked to the chalet via the , which hugs the famed Garden Wall, a sharp ridge that at the time was laced with glittering streams and sprays of wildflowers. If you find romance sleeping at tree line in an alpine wonderland, miles deep in the wilderness, Granite Park Chalet is your spot. But full disclosure: room service is not one of the perks. Youā€™ll cook meals on the chaletā€™s propane stove and schlep water from a nearby creek.

Yes, we pressed our wedding guests into pack duty, asking them to help us haul in three daysā€™ worth of drinks and food. My mother-in-law-to-be baked a wedding cake on-site, and the bridesmaid decorated the chaletā€™s community dining room. But the collaborative spirit only added to the allure of holding our celebration here. How good was the reception? After seeing the pictures, even our grandparents were happy. ā€”Dennis Lewon, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Inc. director of content

Shenandoah National Park

Location: Near Sperryville, Virginia

Price: Variable, depending on whether you pitch a tent in the park (campsites from $30) or stay at a local Airbnb or hotel

Why We Love It: They say Virginia is for lovers. I havenā€™t traveled enough around the state to vouch for that, but Iā€™ve spent many weekends at this national park, and I think you could honestly say that the Shenandoahs are for soulmates. Just north of Sperryville, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, thereā€™s a dirt road that distances you from gas stations and billboards and delivers you to the base of a gorge known as . Each time my then-boyfriend and I set off on the modestly challenging two-mile trail, the hushed vibe instantly reset our moods and our rhythm.

Thereā€™s something different about this place, unlike other hikes Iā€™ve known, and how it sequesters you among the crowded trees, obscuring daylight. Away from the tensions of everyday life, it brought on an almost tangible expression of what filmmaker Jason Silva refers to as a ā€œ.ā€ We navigated moss-covered rocks and fallen trees, danced in a stream, gawked at what appeared to be bear tracks, geeked out at the geography, and paused solemnly at a cemetery.

We stayed at a rustic (and slightly terrifying) old cabin loaned to us by a friend. It had shoddy cell reception but was comfortingly close to the trail and replete with an outdoor shower, cast-iron cookware, firewood, and our hauled-in provisions. Sitting on the porch at dusk, we joked about DIY glampingĢżwhile sipping Champagne and watching fireflies the size of lanterns dance with the constellations. My memories have since outlasted that relationship, so ā€œsoulmatesā€ may not be entirely accurate. But then, as with pretty much anything in life, it is what you make of it in the moment. ā€”Renee Marie Schettler, Yoga Journal executive editor

Sun Mountain Lodge

Location: Winthrop, Washington

Price: From $172

Why We Love It:Ģż The magnificent views here have been awing guests for decades. Established in 1968 in central Washingtonā€™s Methow River Valley, the is an aerie atop a foothill boasting immense 360-degree vistas: the mountain terraces and spires of the North Cascades and thousands of acres of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Guest rooms and a dining room are built around those views. Iā€™ve been fortunate to stay here four times, teaching writing classes for the and hiking on glacially carved slopes where strong winds cause trees to grow sideways.

I have been here with friends and colleagues, but never a romantic partner: I wish! Instead, each time, I sent my husband and our two sons cascades of photos: Mount Gardner from my room, the horse ranch I can spy from my class, the nearby Lake Patterson, where people fish, and even the stuffed bison in the lobby (his name is Floyd) and the massive musk ox and caribou heads mounted above the fireplace. Every season has its charms: sunflowers and wildflowers in spring and summer, the brilliant red foliage of fall, and, in winter, snow (not to mention the annual , a 40K race that begins on the valley floor, continues on whatā€™s touted as North America’s largest ski-trail network, and finishes at the lodge).

My husband would love to skate-ski here. Weā€™d both like to tackle some of the daylong rock climbs around Mazama, 23 miles to the northwest. My friend Jill LaRue, a nurse who works the conference, mountain bikes the trails around the lodge. If you hadnā€™t packed for all of the recreational possibilities, you can square things away at the lodge’s sizable gear-rental shop. This being Washington, it is perhaps unsurprising that the salmon served at the lodge is always great. And if you have time for further exploring, you might try snacks and soup at the Rocking Horse Bakery and Little Dipper Cafe in the quintessential mountain town of Winthrop, ten miles east, or visit the funky cabin-like Mazama Store in Mazama. ā€”Alison Osius, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų travel editor

The Highlands at Harbor Springs

Location: Harbor Springs, Michigan

Price: From $200

Why We Love It: I am turning 40 this month, and to celebrate, my husband and I are spending our first weekend away from our three-and-a-half-year-old. We didnā€™t want to travel too far, and we also wanted something that both felt luxurious and had skiing. That last bit was importantā€”I was born and raised in Sun Valley, Idaho, and having recently relocated to northern Michigan from New Mexico, I thought our skiing options would be fairly limited.

But then I discovered the ā€œDeer Valley of the Midwest,ā€ (formerly known as Boyne Highlands). Booked! Weā€™re staying in a slopeside Gleneagles Ultra Luxury Suite in the resortā€™s historic and recently renovated main lodge, and Iā€™m looking forward to the soaking tub, Italian linen sheets, bidet, record player, included breakfast, and ski-valet service. And the highlight: a snowcat-accessed moonlight dinner at the resortā€™s mountaintop North Peak restaurant the night of my birthday.

Itā€™s not going to be the deepest skiing of my life, or even my season, but I canā€™t imagine a better way to turn 40 than a fancy, toddler-free ski weekend with my favorite ski partner. ā€”, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Inc. director of digital sales strategy

Red Cliffs Lodge

Location: Moab, Utah

Price: From $129

I didnā€™t actually go on a romantic getaway to just outside Moab with my partner. I went on a romantic getaway there with myself. But this lovely lodgeā€”recently acquired by Marriottā€”has been top of my list for a weekend with my husband soon.

Bonding over new experiences as a couple is awesome, and there are plenty of ways to do that at Red Cliffs. The lodge offers great amenities, and also serves as an adventure concierge. During my stay, I checked out the onsite and relaxed with a sound bath. The Lodge also arranged a guided canyoneering trip with , and an Arches stargazing photography tour at 1 a.m.

The lodge itself sits 25 minutes from the Arches entrance, 14 miles up Grandstaff Canyon alongside the Colorado River. And you donā€™t have to head into the town of Moab to go on a climbing, mountain biking, or hiking date. Climb at nearby Fisher Towers or boulder at Big Bend. Shuttle the Whole Enchilada. Take a hike on Grandstaff Trail. Or go for a scenic drive up into the La Sals.

No phone service, the pastoral setting, and the soothing sound of the Colorado River donā€™t hurt the romantic vibes either.

If youā€™re heading to Red Cliffs soon, keep in mind that the property is under renovation until early 2026, so some areas are closed and some offerings/amenities are temporarily on pause.Ģżā€”, Climbing editor in chief

Lake Creek Road Dispersed Camping Area

Location: Ketchum, Idaho

Cost: Free

Why We Love It: A few summers back, my boyfriend and I went on a quest for a weekend retreat in Idaho that led us just beyond Ketchum, to the Lake Creek Road camping area. Nestled along the eponymous creek, it became the perfect haven for a few days of mountain-biking adventures and tranquil post-ride relaxation. The beginner-friendly , which guided us to a mesmerizingĢżvista, was practically at our doorstep. The , weaving through sage and aspen, provided a captivating forested singletrack experience, revealing glimpses of the majestic Pioneer Mountains.

Also close by was Frenchmanā€™s Hot Springs, an idyllic setting for rejuvenating soaks, enhanced by the refreshing flow of the nearby Warm Springs Creek. What made the getaway truly special was the sense of being off-grid, with no interruptions from cell-phone service, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the weekend. Evenings were spent reconnecting by the campfire under the incredibly bright stars. It was a much needed escape from the ordinary. ā€”Sierra Shafer, Ski editor in chief

The New Mexicoā€“Colorado Borderlands

Location: The San Juan River and Pagosa Springs

Price: $500 for a day of guided fishing; rooms at The Springs Resort and Spa starting at $340

Why We Love It: Over Thanksgiving, my boyfriend booked a day of fly-fishing from a drift boat on the San Juan River, a fishery in northern New Mexico thatā€™s well-known for its absolutely massive trout. There are a few area outfitters with similar offerings, like and . Neither of us had ever fished with a guide, and after countless long days wading upriver and tying rig after rig, it was a treat to have someone else do the dirty work so we could just fish. Then we drove through a blizzard to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, about an hour and a half away from the takeout, to stay at theĢż, where we soaked late into the night. The next day we caught little trout in the river below the resort and once again soaked until we were prunes. This is a good trip to take in the colder months, when there are smaller crowds on the (very popular) river. And the hot springs are that much sweeter when the weather’s unfriendly. ā€”Abigail Barronian, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų senior editor

Cape Alava, Olympic Wilderness Coast

Location: Olympic National Park, Washington

Price: $8 per person per night for a backcountry-camping permit; park-entrance fee additional

Why We Love It: The northern stretch of Olympic National Park coastline is pretty much my favorite place on earth, period. Itā€™s the place where I always feel totally present, which is the main reason Iā€™d take a partner there for some quality time. The ocean, the remove from roads and other people, and the terrible cell service make the rest of my life seem very distant, and the world shrinks to the rocky beach, the waves, and my companions. The tide pools full of anemones, starfish, and other sea life in the large intertidal zone at Cape Alava make it my preferred spot, and you can pitch a tent at dozens of campsites strung out along the rocky beaches.

Starting at the Lake Ozette ranger station, itā€™s a three-ish mile hike through windblown forests and peat bogs on a well-maintained trail to reach the cape. The effort-to-scenic-payoff ratio is unmatched, and the mellow route to campsites on the coast avoids a few backpacking pitfalls that can spoil the romanceā€”no one is going to bonk, itā€™s easy to loop back to the car for forgotten essentials, and the short distance means you can bring extra goodies like a bottle of wine or a small watermelon.

The downsides include the long drive to get there (five hours from Seattle, longer if you have to wait at the ferry), the hassle of , and potential storms and high winds once youā€™ve arrived. Full disclosure: Iā€™ve never taken a partner here, just friends, although one friend I brought along did leave the coast as more than a friend, so make of that what you will. But if I ever wanted to spend a few days with a sweetheart, to simply enjoy the picturesque surroundings and each otherā€™s company, Iā€™d take them to Cape Alava. ā€”Miyo McGinn, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų assistant editor

AutoCamp Joshua Tree

Location: Joshua Tree, California

Price: From $223

Why We Love It: Think of romance, and you might think of iconic destinations like Paris or Venice, but I feel most connected to my partner when we visit Joshua Tree. We recently stayed in for an overnight excursion to the high desert, and the amenities and proximity to the national parkā€”a quick six milesā€”made it one of our loveliest weekends together. The propertyā€™s Airstreams have been converted into trendy tiny homes but offer the novelty of vanlife. (And when youā€™re living out of your van in wintertime, thereā€™s no complimentary hot cocoa and cider bar, as there is here the entire month of December.)

We had a great time in ours: the beds are plush, the bathrooms are large, and thereā€™s heating and A/C. Also, every airstream unit comes with a private outdoor fire pit and dining area with a table and chairs, so you can cozy up next to your beau and toast with sā€™mores while stargazing up one of the darkest, most decorated skies in the world. Not interested in sleeping in a converted Airstream? Check out its cabins. AutoCamp is so romantic that it literally hosts weddings on-site at its large gathering space. It also hosts loads of activities, day and night, from themed hikes and new-moon soundbaths to concerts and cultural tours. ā€”Emma Veidt, Backpacker associate editor

Garnet Mountain Fire Lookout

Location: Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana

Price: $73

Why We Love It: More than 8,000 fire towers perched on high points across the U.S. at their peak in the 1950s, giving lookouts a vantage to spot the telltale curl of a wildfire start before it could spread. Today, only a fraction of those still stand. But at a few of them, backpackers can spend the night, enjoying panoramic views and stellar mountaintop stargazing for themselves.

For the first anniversary of our first date, the woman who is now my wife and I ventured up to one of thoseā€”, elevation 8,245 feetā€”to try and claim some of that magic. From Bozeman, itā€™s a 26-mile drive to the Ģżand from there it was a 3.5-mile hike to the summit, through a conifer forest and wide-open mountain meadows that still held late-spring snow on their western faces. Before long weā€™d settled into the fire tower, a squat, two-story building with a woodshed on the bottom and a full wraparound porch surrounding the square living quarters on top. Furnishings were solid but spartanā€”a small pantry, a propane burner and wood stove, a table, and four bunks, each just big enough for two determined lovebirds to squeeze into. But when that nightā€™s sunset lit the hills, I would have taken it over any palace. ā€”Adam Roy, Backpacker executive editor

International Bonus: Hvammsvik Hot Springs and Northern Lights

Location:ĢżMosfellsbƦr, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

Price: Soak from $38

Why We Love It: A couple of years ago, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I cruised around southwest Iceland for six days. We love a thermal-springs soak after hard hikes and trail runs, and prefer to dodge crowds and drive less, so this smallish outdoor mecca was a no-brainer addition to the end of a stint in Ireland.

We rented a Dacia Duster 4X4 with a rooftop tent in ReykjavĆ­k ($900 for five days, tricked out with sleeping and cooking essentials and a hot spot for GPS, via ) and headed out with no agenda except to explore the country’s remote terrain rich with waterfalls, lava fields, alpine valleys, and camping spots. A few days in, we decided we needed a geothermal soak. So we headed west along offshoot F-roads (FĢżforĢż“ŚĀįƤ±ō±ō, which means ā€œmountainā€ in Icelandic) to on the Snaefellsnes fjord. There, we spent hours hopping from one pool to the next, mowing down salads from its on-site bistro, and sipping champagne from its swim-up barā€”glorious rewards after miles on backcountry trails. After we plunged into the Atlantic to scrub our dirt and sweat away, we scored a campspot nearby, made pasta on the stove, and kicked back to watch the most dazzling five-hour northern lights show we’ve ever seen. All told, we’ve been lucky to share lots of romantic moments in stunning places worldwide, but this memory tops our list. ā€±÷.±į.

International Bonus: Kasbah Tamadot

Location: Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Price: From MAD 7,550 per night (roughly US $775)

Why We Love It: As a couple, it can be tempting to take the easy route when traveling overseas, the road more traveled. Relationships are adventurous enough. Why add more blind corners?

Sometimes, though, it pays to explore the back roads.

Such was the case for my wife and I during a delayed honeymoon to Morocco, two years after we were married. Neither of us had been to the North African country when we decided to spend a week in Marrakech, a well-trodden tourist destination that somehow remains as mystical as it must have been when 16th century sultans ruled it. Today, the medina is full of souks selling Berber rugs, piles of spices, and elaborate kaftansā€”not to mention a long list of bougie hotels. Basically, you know itā€™s going to be comfortable, even for my wife, Keren, whose idea of roughing it is an outdoor massage.

Me, Iā€™m a sop for ā€œoff-the-beaten pathā€ experiences. I canā€™t think of anything more boring than an afternoon massage, which is why I insisted on spending at least a few nights in the mountains outside of Marrakech. So I decided unilaterally, because I was in charge of reservations, to book us into , a private home turned remote retreat overlooking a river valley in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

The resort, an hour and a half outside of Marrakech, is centered around a large 1920s riad, a traditional Moroccan house with rooms surrounding a central, tiled courtyard. The grounds of Tamadot include gardens, an oversized pool, fancy Berber tents for glamping, and a little farm with camels, donkeys, and chickens, among other critters. Thereā€™s even a Turkish bath and spa. Despite the extensive grounds and long list of upscale amenities, everything about Tamadot feels intimate, like being welcomed into a family home, one with multiple fountains covered in floating flower petals.

Oh, it also happens to be owned by Richard Branson, whose mom fell in love with the riad years ago, so he bought it and transformed it into the oasis it has become. Letā€™s be clear, this isnā€™t exactly the road less traveled, despite its surroundings, but Tamadot was my concession to my wife, so I could do all the other things I wanted to do.

The end of the valley, for example, is a popular launch point for trekking in the mountains, including to the summit of Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. With Kasbah Tamadot as our base camp, we were easily able to explore the valleyā€™s upper villages, including Imlil, which is often referred to as the Moroccan Chamonix. After a hike on our first full day, we were welcomed into a local’s home that doubled as a makeshift restaurant. We sat next to a low table on elaborately-sewn cushions and were served a traditional vegetable tagine, heated over a wood fire in the backyard. The vegetablesā€”carrots, potatoes, peas, and zucchiniā€”were cooked to perfection, and served with a platter of steaming couscous. Keren, as a vegetarian, had been struggling to find food she liked for days, even in Marrakesh. Here, after a long hike, we finished even the last bite.

The following day, we visited a woman-owned cooperative producing and selling argan-oil productsā€”soaps, moisturizers, and other cosmetics. We bought a bag-full of their wares. In the afternoon, I hiked up a ridgeline while Keren visited the animals at the farm. On our final day, I arranged a motorcycle tourā€”set up through the tourism company ā€”that would take us through the mountains to the Agafay Desert.

In the U.S., Keren wouldnā€™t get on a motorcycle if ashes from a volcano were about to rain down on us. ā€œThose things are death traps,ā€ she kept saying in advance of the day. But when our driver, Hussein, pulled up to Tamadotā€™s front gate on a Chang Jiang 750, a vintage Chinese bike outfitted with a leather-seated sidecarā€”one that happens to be stylish as hellā€”the magic of the moment took over. We both saddled up and spent the entire day on the motorcycle, careening down dirt roads, visiting a small village in the desert with an ancient mosque, and walking through a narrow, ancient souk. The vendors and locals stared at us every step of the way, as if we were the first foreigners theyā€™d even seen. We bought candy and shared it with local kids running on the streets.

Halfway through the day, we stopped at the home of a prominent Iman now occupied by his great-grandson. Our host served us wild mint tea and cookies, pouring the kettle from high above his head into small cups held below his waist. It was the traditional pouring style, he explained, a sign of hospitality and respect, because the long pour created foam on top of the tea to catch the dust in the desert air. Iā€™ve never felt a more welcoming gesture.

Back at the resort that evening, the staff of Kasbah Tamadot had left a bottle of Moroccan grenache and glasses on our nightstand, along with rose petals on the bed. The forced romance might have felt mawkish, but after a long day on the bike, we sat silently on the terrace with a glass each, watching the sun disappear.

After two years of marriage, it was clear we had both fallen in love againā€”with a new country, slightly expanded versions of ourselves. A simple willingness to explore, despite our reservations, brought us together in a way that no ceremony could.

The next morning, I even ventured over to the spa, hand in hand with my wife. ā€”Ryan Krogh, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų contributing writer

The post 18 Romantic Getaways That Are Far Better than Roses or Chocolate appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Located at the edge of Glacier National Park, the welcoming ski town of is packed with charm and world-class amenities. Rising above is Whitefish Mountain Resort. Ranked among the best-value ski areas in the United States, it has 3,000 skiable acres, pristine groomers, stellar tree skiing, and 360-degree views. and would like to express thanks to its many partners featured in the video above:

|Ģż |Ģż |Ģż |Ģż |Ģż |Ģż |Ģż

The post This Ski Town Is the Heart of a Winter Paradise appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Montana is home to huge swaths of public land, clear rivers, and stunning mountain ranges. It also produces more fossil-fuel-related carbon emissions annually than all but five other statesā€”and is responsible for as much carbon dioxide as many countries, including Argentina, the Netherlands, and Pakistan.

Montanan Kian Tanner, 18, grew up next to Flathead Lake, in the stateā€™s northwest corner, fly-fishing, hiking in nearby Glacier National Park, and spending most of his time outside. During his adolescence, he saw his home increasingly threatened by wildfires and smoke-choked air. Another local teen, Taleah Hernandez, 19, witnessed this, too. ā€œIā€™ve had a few wildfires pretty close to my home,ā€ Hernandez says. ā€œA few years ago, one shut down the highway, so we had to check in with a police officer any time we wanted to go in toward our house.ā€ Growing up, Hernandez spent her winters ice skating on the lake, and she has watched the ice grow thinner year after year.

In 2020, Tanner, Hernandez, and 14 other minors from Montana filed suit against their home state, claiming that its energy policies violated their right to a ā€œclean and healthful environment,ā€ as laid out in the stateā€™s constitution. The plaintiffs, now ages 5 to 22, did so with the help of the nonprofit law firm Our Childrenā€™s Trust, which helps young people fight for sustainable policy in court. On August 14, 2023, they won their case, setting the precedent that Montana must take climate change into account when enacting laws that affect the environment.

ā€œThis is one of the most powerful decisions Iā€™ve ever read on the environment in Montana,ā€ says Jim Nelson, a retired Montana Supreme Court justice. Held v. Montana, named for 22-year-old plaintiff Rikki Held, says that the Montana government is responsible for how state policy affects the environment. This was a particularly notable outcome in a state that relies so heavily on the oil and gas industry, which accounted for 21 percent of the stateā€™s gross domestic product in 2021.

The trial was set in Helena in June (so the plaintiffs didnā€™t have to miss school while testifying in court). For many of them, it was their first time in a courtroom. ā€œI was really, really nervous the night before,ā€ Tanner says. ā€œWe didnā€™t know when I was going to testify. Then, in the morning, they were like, ā€˜OK, youā€™re going first.ā€™ But I got into a rhythm. It was easy because I was telling my life story. I went from nervous and scared to being truly empowered.ā€

It was hard to hear their peers talk about the ways their towns have been affected by the climate crisis, the kids said. But listening to experts describe how their home state will be devastated by climate change if Montana continues on its current policy path was even harder.

ā€œI was in an environmental-science class at the time,ā€ says Tanner. ā€œSo I understood the base-level science, but the depth that the experts went into was fascinating and horrifying at the same time. They were verifying that our future is up in the air if we donā€™t act right now.ā€

Montana appealed the decision in early October and will take the case to the stateā€™s supreme court. But Held v. Montana has already spurred Our Childrenā€™s Trust to bring similar suits in Utah, Hawaii, and Virginiaā€”and helped the suit in Hawaii gain enough momentum to go to trial next June.

When asked if the case inspired them to continue fighting for climate action in other ways, all three students responded with a resounding yes.

ā€œEspecially after meeting and getting to know the other youth plaintiffs, itā€™s hard to imagine sitting on my hands the rest of my life,ā€ says Claire Vlases, another plaintiff. ā€œIt invigorated that for me.ā€

The post The Kids Who Sued The Governmentā€”And Won appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

With plenty of spandex clothing, flashy social-media activations built just for a weekend, and massive laser shows beaming out over the crowd, modern festivals might not look like hotbeds of activism. But itā€™s embedded in their DNA. Woodstock, the Monterey International Pop Festival, and the Harlem Cultural Festival in the 1960s, all carrying a peace-and-love political valence, were their precursors.

Todayā€™s versions remain rock-star-studded and intend to fix world problemsā€”and now they’re aware of the amount of carbon humans have since released into the atmosphere, too. Festivals are increasingly becoming a gathering place for young people concerned for our environment and hoping to create positive changeā€”as well as have a great time.

As a music, food, and travel editor, Iā€™ve attended dozens of festivals, clomping around on the grassy fields or beaches where thousands of people gather. Iā€™ve been most impressed by a growing group of socially minded festival organizers, chefs, and musicians who are greening their eventsā€™ infrastructures, sharing their stages with environmental activists, and making sure attendees understand climate change and how to help.

Collectively, these fests now reach hundreds of thousands of people and are having a tangible impact. The Great Northern, a winter festival in Minnesota, reliably draws 200,000 attendees. Farm Aid attracts 30,000 and has multiple times campaigned Congress to incorporate climate-resilient agriculture into legislation.

Here are my favorite U.S. festivals pushing for a greener world.

1. The Great Northern

Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota,ĢżJanuary 25 to February 4, 2024

Mission: Communicate the importance of winter and how to protect it as temperatures rise

One way to communicate the urgency of climate change to a wide swath of people: creative programming. Hence , which celebrates the cultural and environmental importance of winter in Minnesota, will have 50 events in 2024.

The eye-catching offerings range from a village of saunas and a 100-foot-long outdoor barā€”yes, the kind that serves alcoholā€”carved out of ice, to a ā€œClimate Solutionsā€ speaker series with talks by the Project Drawdown executive director, Jonathan Foley, and the well-known eco-drag queen Pattie Gonia, among others. Melanin in Motion, an organization dedicated to getting Black people involved in outdoor recreation, will host a fireside chat, and the sauna village will have nights geared toward queer, trans, and body-positive communities.

Jovan C. Speller Rebollar, the eventā€™s executive director, says she is particularly excited about The Last Supper, cooked by the celebrity chef Sam Kass using ingredients at risk of disappearing as global temperatures rise. On the menu are chocolate, chickpeas, and more.

“We love our food here,ā€ Speller Rebollar said. ā€œ[Climate change] becomes real when you can’t have the things that are a part of the ways in which you celebrate, the ways in which you come together ā€¦ and take care of yourself.ā€

At the last festival, on January 29, the ecological-death-care advocate Katrina Spade spoke on natural organic reduction, a burial process that turns the human body into soil. The former Minnesota State Senator Carolyn Laine was an attendee, Speller Rebollar said. On March 6, Minnesota State Representatives John Huot, Mike Freiberg, and Samantha Sencer-Mura introduced a bill to legalize natural organic reduction.

2. Old Salt Festival

Location and 2024 dates TBA (2023 event was June 23 to 25, in Helmville, Montana)

Mission: Promote regenerative agriculture

The newest gathering on the list is Montanaā€™s , an initiative of the Old Salt Co-Op, an association of generations of ranchers who want ā€œto do for meat what microbreweries have done for beer,ā€ as the event founder, Cole Mannix, said. Old Salt Co-Op promotes regenerative animal agriculture, and it processes meats that are sold through a restaurant and online shop.

Community and local sourcing are essential, and when Mannix says community, he is including not only his neighbors down the street but the non-human, ecological world. He envisions a society where everything, down to the shirt on his back, is locally sourced.

ā€œIt’s not easy to do regenerative agriculture. It’s a whole societal shift,ā€ Mannix said. ā€œWe have to completely remake ourselves. All of us, customers, producers, the whole supply chain, and I don’t really know how to talk about that other than just spend three days together and immerse ourselves in a beautiful place.ā€

The first Old Salt festival took place in June on the Mannix family ranch in Helmville, Montana. Local writers recited poems about the land, local bands played, local vendors sold knives and leather goods, and regional conservation and ranching organizations spoke. An 80-pound anvil was launched 300 feet in the air, and 1,600 people ate food cooked over a live fire.

Mannix said, ā€œYou canā€™t do that in a conference room.ā€

3. Pickathon

Happy Valley, Oregon, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was August 3 to 6)

Mission: Create a model of a truly green festival

Festivals require gargantuan amounts of energy. From the light shows, to the sound systems, to the food vendors, the average festival emitted approximately 2500 tons of carbon in 2019, according to , a company that tracks European music festival emissions. A whopping 41 percent of those emissions come simply from attendees traveling to events.

Thatā€™s why Pickathon, an indie music festival outside of Portland, Oregon, chose a site only a 40-minute drive from the city and incentivizes attendees to bike or use public transit. Pickathon was also the first festival to utilize solar arrays and, in 2023, was selected by Toyota to be the first to use the companyā€™s hydrogen fuel cell generator.

Originally founded in 1999, Pickathon has become an experiment in eco-friendly festivals, one that can seem radical compared to the industry standard. The stages here are built between the trees of a forest, and the materials for each are reused every year. The Treeline Stage, designed by architecture students at Portland State University, looks like a lattice of blooming plants and will be repurposed for an outdoor classroom. The Woods Stage is made from materials found lying on the forest floor, tree branches shaped into something between a nest and a cave. There is no single-use plastic. Attendees receive a metal cup upon arrival, and rent their dishware.

Though you may not recognize the Americana, rock, and hip hop names on the lineup, Pickathon bookers have an eye for up-and-comers: Sturgil Simpson, Andrew Bird, Leon Bridges, and Big Thief all played here before making it big.

4. Deep Tropics

Nashville, Tennessee,ĢżAugust 16 to 17, 2024

Mission: Show how electronic festivals can go green, too

Though Pickathon gives it a run for its money, Tennesseeā€™s claims to be the greenest music festival in the country. Even coming close would be impressive for an EDM festival where DJs sit on stages in front of multiple movie-theater-sized screens flashing psychedelic visuals, the sound system must be clear and bone-shaking, and the light and laser displays that EDM is known for must expand over a throng of thousands.

According to the event website, by recycling, composting, minimizing single-use plastic, building Instagram-ready art with sustainable materials, and planting trees to offset carbon, organizers divert 93 percent of the festivalā€™s waste from landfills and create more energy than they consume. (.) Vendors, too, focus on sustainability, selling vintage and upcycled versions of the sheer shirts, fringe jackets and occasional fedoras common among EDM fans.

Deep Tropics attracts top talent. In 2023, headliners included the critically-acclaimed SG Lewis, LP Giobbi, and Troyboi.

5. Sacred Acre

Ninilchik, Alaska, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 8 to 10)

Mission: Raise awareness about the dangers of bottom trawling

nearly triples the population of Ninilchik, Alaska, with an influx of 2,500 ravers. They come, yes, for the bass-heavy music, provided in 2023 by Of the Trees, Boogie T, and Daily Bread, but this EDM festival is a vocal advocate against bottom trawling, a fishing industry technique in which boats drag large, conical nets across the ocean floor.

Sacred Acre uses minimal plastic and educates attendees on the dangers of trawling, which can entangle sea turtles, dolphins, and whales, and harm the delicate plant life in seabed habitats. The festival also runs foraging and fly-fishing expeditions, and places its DJs to perform among the Alaskan waterfalls.

6. Farm Aid

2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 23, in Noblesville, Indiana)

Mission: Protect American farmers and age climate-resilient agricultural techniques

Giants of musical genres can definitely convene numbers. In the case of that number was most recently, 20,000, as the founders Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young performed, and so did Margo Price and Dave Matthews, who are board members.

Attendees ate shrimp and grits, burgers, brussel sprouts, chicken tenders, and more, all sustainably raised and sourced from local farms as part of the festivalā€™s Homegrown Concessions. The Homegrown Village educated attendees on the work of American farmers, especially as it pertains to environmental health. Soil, like trees, sequesters carbon, and farmers can optimize it with the right techniques.

ā€œFarmers have this incredible capacity to help us store that carbon through the ways that they’re stewarding soil and growing good food,ā€ said Jennifer Fahy, Farm Aid communications director. ā€œWe’re supporting them doing that.ā€

7. Ohana Festival

Dana Point, California, 2024 Dates TBA (2023 event was September 29 to October 1)

Mission: Conserve the ocean environment

Like Farm Aid, utilizes the star power of its famous founder, in this case Pearl Jamā€™s Eddie Vedder, to raise awareness for ocean conservation. The main stage abuts the sands of Doheny State Beach, where Veder learned to surf and now headlines Ohana.

Industry heavy hitters populate the rest of the lineup, which in 2023 included the Killers, Haim, the Chicks, Foo Fighters, and the Pretenders. Thereā€™s a collegial atmosphere, as performers pop in and out of each othersā€™ sets as surprise guests. This past September, Van Halenā€™s lead vocalist, Sammy Hagar, joined the Killers for a cover of Van Halenā€™s ā€œWhy Canā€™t This Be Love?ā€

At the smaller Storytelling Stage, researchers, activists, politicians, and even surfers give talks about the environment, and attendees can sign up to volunteer at environmental organizations with booths nearby. Ohana gives a portion of its proceeds to the Doheny State Beach Foundation and San Onofre Parks Foundation.

8. Hawaii Food and Wine Festival

Hawaii, Maui, Oahu,ĢżOctober 18 to November 3, 2024, weekends only

Mission: Promote local, sustainably-sourced food in Hawaii

The , founded by the James Beard Award-winning chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong, is all about foods local to the leafy islands. For 13 years, it has brought in dozens of the worldā€™s top chefs, some with top awards of their own, and issued a challenge: prepare something excellent using at least one ingredient grown in Hawaii.

Each of the festivalā€™s three weekends takes place on a different island, jumping from Hawaii, to Oahu, to Maui. The most popular events, like the Roy Yamaguchi Golf Classic and an extensive tasting at the Hawaii Convention Center, happen every year, along with newer offerings like adventures into the taro fields and fisheries, where attendees can try their hand at harvesting and, in 2023, an event highlighting indigenous cuisines from across the world. Expect plenty of color on your plate: black caviar served resting atop the bright white meat of a coconut cut in half, the pink of fresh raw fish, the green Hawaiian breadfruit ulu, and, of course, wine on the beach in whatever color you like.

A portion of ticket proceeds go to nonprofits that support sustainable agriculture like the Hawaii Ag and Culinary Alliance and the local hospitality industry, totalling $3.5 million over the festivalā€™s lifetime. On November 18, after much of Maui burned in wildfires, a special edition of the Hawaii Wine and Food Festival was held on Maui to encourage responsible tourism to the area and raise money for the Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund, which has supported industry workers impacted by the fire. You can also find more info here on how a visitor can give back after the tragedy undergone by Hawaii in 2023.

9. Art With Me

Miami, Florida, and Ƈeşme, TĆ¼rkiye, 2024 Dates TBA (Miami event was December 8 to 10, and the Turkey event June 23 to 25, 2023)

Mission: Advanced sustainability and low-waste partying

Consider a photo negative of Art Basel Miami, a posh art festival with over-the-top, star-studded parties. At Art With Me, you can be barefoot. You can attend cacao ceremonies and talks on sustainability. You can do yoga, then lie in a circle of dozens of people, heads in the center, feet out, and meditate, all on Miamiā€™s quiet Virginia Key Beach.

Happening the same week and in the same city as Art Basel Miami, which has some glam electronic-music afterparties of its own, Art With Me is a lower-key music-and-art festival. Programming is family-friendly and focuses on restoration for both its attendees and the environment. Through its Care With Me foundation, the festival has lobbied the Mexican government to ban single-use plastic. (Art With Me was founded in Tulum, Mexico, and has another iteration in Turkey.) And, through recycling and composting, Art With Me organizers say they create almost zero waste.

Art Basel and Art With Me share a love of artā€”massive sculptures dot Virginia Key Beachā€”and great DJs. In 2023, Polo & Pan and Underworld headlined Art With Me.

More Festivals!

If you have room in your schedule, check out , an EDM festival thatā€™s received A Greener Festivalā€™s highest level of certification;, an Alaskan folk festival committed to protecting salmon habitat; and one just outside of the U.S., , a Canadian electronic and arts festival that relies exclusively on reusable energy.

is a writer, editor, and former ski instructor based in Brooklyn who has covered music festivals since her college days in New Orleans, a city with more fests than days of the year. She is managing editor at the biannual music, food, and travel publication Fifty Grande.

See the below for two outdoor festivals still to go as 2023 wraps up. The Indio International Tamale Fest in Indio, California, is December 2 to 3, and the Ullr Fest, Breckenridge, Colorado, is December 7-9.

The 29 Best Outdoor Festivals in 2023, from Music and Sports to Food and Film

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The U.S. Department of Commerce just released its of the outdoor recreation industryā€™s contribution to the national economy. The result? $1.1 trillion in total economic output during 2022. Thatā€™s more than oil and gas extraction, and mining, .

Nationwide, outdoor recreation was responsible for 2.2 percent of total Gross Domestic Product in 2022, and five million jobs. Thatā€™s 3.2 percent of total national employment.

ā€œ[This] shows that sustained investment in outdoor recreation and protection of our shared public lands and waters pays huge dividends for our local and national economies and quality of life,ā€ states Jessica Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, a trade group.

Locally, the economic output and jobs provided by outdoor recreation can be even higher. In Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Wyoming, Vermont, and Massachusetts, itā€™s responsible for more than four percent of each stateā€™s GDP.

The outdoor recreation economy is also growing faster than the domestic economy, as a whole. Between 2021 and 2022, outdoor recreation grew at 4.8 percent, while total economic growth was only 1.9 percent. Job growth in outdoor recreation during the same period was double the total national rate.

Turner says this new data should help the industry better lobby for the protection of Americaā€™s public lands and waters, since theyā€™re what makes outdoor recreationā€™s economic contribution possible.

ā€œTo ensure that this success is sustainable and that our public lands and waters will continue to be accessible to all Americans for generations to come, we will continue to work together with leaders on the passage of (AORA) by the end of this year,ā€ explains Turner.

Complete with bipartisan support, AORA aims to help public lands and waters cope with record visitation, while modernizing access to them. A suite of initiatives like expanded parking facilities, online pass sales, infrastructure improvements, and simplified management will make getting outdoors easier for the public, more trackable for industry and government partners, and easier to manage across the patchwork of responsible agencies. It does all that while remaining cost neutral for taxpayers, and without restricting access for any user group.

ā€œOutdoor recreation is not a nice to haveā€”but a necessity for healthy people, places, and economies,ā€ states Turner.

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