Lucas Noah 
Mountaintop Retreats Ideal
Sure, the beach is fun, but for a particular type of outdoor enthusiast, nothing rivals the mountains’ dry, temperate climates and recreational bounty. Hiking? Cycling? Kayaking? Encounters with wildlife? These mountaintop resorts are known for their luxurious accommodations and alpine excursions.
Aspen, Colorado
Culture is valued just as much as outdoor activities in this town. Hiking through wildflower-strewn meadows is a common pastime on any given day. Attend a late-afternoon concerto and listen to a lecture by a Venice Biennale-winning artist. prior to dining at Nakazawa, a Japanese hotspot with a branch in Aspen.
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Hiking through wildflower-strewn meadows is a common pastime on a sunny day. Attend a talk by a Venice Biennale-winning artist and perhaps a concerto before dinner at Matsuhisa’s Aspen outpost. With the return of the Aspen Music Festival, Jazz Aspen Snowmass JAS, and Theatre Aspen, the town is ecstatic. New displays at the Aspen Art Museum are also on tap. (Specifically, Precious Okoyomon, who will turn the rooftop into a garden installation in which invasive and native plants cross-pollinate in response to music) Workshops in sculpture, printmaking, photography, and fine art; lectures at Anderson Ranch Arts Center; and the opening of new galleries, including Almine Ruiz-Almine Picasso’s Rech and White Cube.
Great places to stay Rent a tree house or stay at the Little Nell, which is famed for its glitzy restaurants and excursions like “Ride and Dine,” a 15-mile trek to an Old Snowmass ranch for a sophisticated alfresco lunch.
New York’s Catskills Mountaintop
These are the pastoral peaks. Upstate New York’s valleys are ideal for thigh-burning workouts, while the towns offer cool-kid charm. Hikes along the Ashokan Reservoir include the Ashokan Rail Trail and Overlook Mountain. The Tanbark Loop, with its switchbacks, follows a 19th-century carriage road to Echo Lake. Slide Mountain Wilderness, (47,500 acres) is home to the Catskills’ tallest peak (4,180 feet).
In the evenings, go to the iconic Bearsville Theater in Woodstock to enjoy live music (where Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and Muddy Waters have performed). And there’s Maverick Concerts, the country’s oldest summer chamber music festival.
Hutton Brickyards is a great place to stay
There are thirty-one cabins with pine interiors and all-glass exteriors. A verdant section of Kingston, New York is dotted with Hudson River–facing sides. Archery, croquet, and kayaking are among the activities available to guests, as well as convenient access to the town’s art galleries and eateries. Surprisingly, the building used to be a vital element of the prosperous bricklaying business.
Whitefish, Mountaintop in Montana.
The Whitefish Trail’s 43 miles of natural-surface paths are open to hikers, runners, equestrian riders, and mountain bikers. Flathead Lake, Whitefish Lake, Lake McDonald, and Seeley Lake, all in western Montana, delight sailors as they navigate amid reflections of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Rafting on the Flathead River is very popular, and trips can be coupled with horseback riding and fishing.
Snowbear Treehouses and Chalets are great places to stay
A group of three huts in the middle of the mountain and seven brand-new, cozy-cool chalets (each sleeping 6 to 10 people) with pelt-topped chairs, stainless-steel appliances, and a private balcony with a hot tub.
Park City, Utah
With 400 miles of trails flowing across the Wasatch Mountains, America’s largest ski resort transforms into a hiker’s paradise when the snow melts.
The International Mountain Bicycling Association has classified Park City as a “Gold-Level Ride Center” for cycling. horseback riding up mountain slopes, and fly-fishing in the Provo River are some of the other outdoor activities available. The vibrant town bustles with outdoor restaurants and activities like the Deer Valley Music Festival, which is home to the Sundance Film Festival.
The Lodge at Blue Sky is a great place to stay.
The Lodge’s 46 rooms, tucked away amid 3,500 acres of wilderness, are a study in earth tones and high-alpine textures. Heli-hiking, horseback riding on private trails, and fly-fishing in private waterways are examples of customized programming.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson, with its rodeos and line dancing at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, is a throwback to a simpler time. Rodeos and line dancing at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar channel Western spunk in old-timey Jackson. But it’s among the jagged mountains where the real magic happens.
In addition to the hikes inside Grand Teton National Park, there are over 3,000 acres for trekking. The resort’s new lift-accessed downhill and cross-country courses provide 1,000 vertical feet of fun, including jump features and runs over gorgeous ridgelines dotted with wildflowers. You may road-bike along the 65-mile paved route that connects Jackson and Grand Teton National Park for smoother traveling. There’s also Ferrata rock climbing, tandem paragliding, and the Jackson Hole Fly Fishing School, which caters to anglers. Spend a day wake-surfing at Jackson Lake,
Caldera House is a great place to stay.
It’s right near to the tram in Teton Village. B&B Italia Talamo beds, Boffi kitchenette, Axel Vervoordt furniture, custom oak millwork, and Japanese-style soaking baths are among the amenities in the eight luxurious apartments.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Mountaintop resorts with laid-back evenings in Tevas and a town with a distinctively old-school air lure down-to-earth types to this alpine paradise.
The hiking is fantastic. There are 1,200 miles of the route that lead to stunning rock formations and alpine lakes via aspen forests. Wildlife (elk, bald eagles, bears, and bighorn sheep) frequently appears in films. Crested Butte, on the other hand, thrives when it comes to biking.
The town is home to more than 750 miles of single-track trails and is the origin of downhill mountain biking (a title it shares with Marin, California). A lift-served bike park with a network of 30 tracks is available for beginners. Kayaking and rafting in Class II-IV rapids through the canyons are also popular.
Scarp Ridge Lodge is a great place to stay.
On the surface, it may appear to be a Wild West setting. However, the interior of this former miner’s saloon is outrageously modern, with reclaimed wood beams, brass-riveted leather seating, taxidermy, and pristine bedding. Eleven Experience owns the property. Which includes an indoor saltwater pool and an oxygen-enriched air system. A luxury adventure travel company that specializes in extreme sports.
Telluride, Colorado
Telluride’s difficult geography, which includes a box canyon within the San Juan Mountains, results in a plethora of 13,000-14,000-foot peaks. And some of Colorado’s most diverse vistas.
Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado’s tallest free-falling waterfalls, are accessible through a 1.8-mile hike above the town. Continue climbing another 2,000 feet amid wildflower fields. And you’ll find yourself above the tree line in Blue Lake, a blue body of water. In just over a mile, the Jud Wiebe Memorial Trail climbs 1,200 feet through beautiful fir and pine woodland, aspen groves, and waterfalls. Nearby, in Alta Lakes, you can paddle (stand-up paddleboard or kayak) at 11,200 feet above sea level. A group of alpine lakes is located in a basin between the 13,470-foot Silver Mountain and the 11,868-foot Bald Mountain.
The annual Bluegrass Festival, as well as several live music and art events, keep the colorful Victorian mansions alive. Main Street’s clapboard stores are humming.
Madeline Hotel & Residences is a great place to stay.
The tough geography of Telluride. The San Juan Mountains, which comprise a box canyon, result in a multitude of 13,000-14,000-foot peaks. As well as some of Colorado’s most diversified scenery.