Top 10 Hotels for Nature Lovers

5. BOULDER CITY, NV

Hacienda Hotel & Casino
Hop straight from the casino floor to a railroad route turned trail when you stay at the Hacienda, 30 miles from the Strip. This is not the Bellagio – rooms are motel-modest – but they're comfortable and clean, and won't empty your bank account. From the east parking lot, descend the path and veer right to see the five tunnels on the Historic Railroad Trail, which once conveyed construction materials to Hoover Dam. The 2.7-mile (one-way) route offers views of Lake Mead, where you might spot a bighorn sheep or two. You can access 30 more miles of trails from here, with options like taking the ambitious 9-mile trek (with a strenuous climb) into Bootleg Canyon, a hot spot for mountain bikers, or walking the easier Lakeshore Trail, along the edge of Lake Mead. INFO: 800/245-6380. –J.C. Davis

6. ASHLAND, OR

Mt. Ashland Inn
You can drive to the Mt. Ashland Inn, or walk here from Mexico or Canada, if you're so inclined – it's right on the Pacific Crest Trail, 5500 feet up the mountain and 20 minutes from town. Handcrafted 20 years ago from incense cedars logged on-site, the inn has five roomy guest suites, each with a large spa tub and gas fireplace. Dine in Ashland or bring a picnic (mini fridge and microwave in each suite) to eat in your room or at the split-log picnic table outside, where long-distance backpackers often pause. The inn's generous breakfast will fuel your own hikes, to Mexico, Canada, or just along the mountain's forested slopes. INFO: 800/830-8707. –Bonnie Henderson

7. AVON, CO

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch
By all means, sleep in if you like, but when you open your curtains in the morning at the opulently rustic Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch – at the base of beautiful Beaver Creek Mountain 20 miles from Vail – the heart-shaking panoramas will compel you to grab your walking boots and get moving. You can stroll on your own or along with Bachelor, the resident yellow Labrador retriever whose infectious energy comes in handy while hiking the Village-to-Village Trail, a wooded 6-mile trek that begins directly outside your door and connects the villages of Bachelor Gulch, Arrowhead, and Beaver Creek. Breathe in the crisp high-altitude air, watch for roaming deer, and behold the bright-hued aspen leaves that whisper in the breeze. INFO: 970/748-6200. –Lori L. Midson