It’s day two at Red Mountain Spa in southwestern Utah, and I’m hitting the wall. My quads are exhausted from a six-mile morning hike and my abs screaming from three hours of afternoon exercise classes. I am tempted to bag tomorrow’s dawn patrol trek and afternoon mountain bike ride for downtime snuggled up with a good book in the villa’s plush furniture or deep-soaking in the oversized Jacuzzi tub, but the staff’s contagious energy and enthusiasm – and yoga bodies – inspire a change of heart.
I have come to Red Mountain with my friend Jan for a girl’s getaway weekend to jumpstart a new, healthier version of me. Nothing much, just a fifty-pound-slimmer, fitness-loving, adventure-goddess-beautiful, calmer version of me. The spa’s 4-day/3-night Girlfriends Spa Road Trip Package includes all the necessary components: welcome gift & spa treatment; accommodations in a stylish villa suite; healthy yet delicious gourmet meals; complimentary bike; daily guided morning hikes; unlimited fitness classes; cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes; healthy living lectures; and full use of the resort’s pools, whirlpools, walking trails, strength training and cardio equipment.
A new breed of adventure spa, Red Mountain focuses as much on perspiration as relaxation. Outside, it’s red rock fantasyland; a primordial landscape of crimson cliffs, black lava and big blue skies where daily guided hikes, rock climbing outings and canyon-hugging bike rides exercise my body. Inside, it is pure seduction; where fluffy bathrobes, soothing spa treatments, healthy living and self-discovery classes expand my mind and recharge my spirit.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
On the west side of the famed Teton mountains, the living is easy at Teton Springs Lodge & Spa.
Each year, more than five million visitors succumb to the scenic allure of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, cranking its tourist trade – and accommodation prices - into overdrive. Thankfully, I recently discovered, just over the mountains, on the west side of the Tetons, slower ways and budget-friendly hospitality can still be found.
But that doesn’t mean you’re in for the cheap-seat treatment. Concierge service, 300 count Italian cotton sheets, high speed wireless Internet, gas fireplaces and fully equipped kitchens come standard in the one or two bedroom suites at Teton Springs Lodge & Spa, a 52-room luxury base camp ideally situated for exploring the surrounding Teton Valley.
The friendly local staff, however, is the real amenity. They suggest the best restaurants, arrange fly fishing and horseback riding adventures, create gourmet meals and lead morning yoga sessions, custom created to limber you up for a trek in the forest or day on the slopes. And, here’s the rub, when you’ve had enough, their Stillwaters Spa therapists will rub, scrub and massage the life back into you so you can do it all again the next day.
Think Teton Valley is only a summertime destination? Think again. My October visit was perfect with its photogenic mix of autumn colors against the backdrop of freshly fallen snow. Did it stop me from casting a line or hitting the trails for horseback riding? No way. Better yet, the reward was ample wildlife sightings and a healthy dose of crisp clean air.
MUST-DOS: Take a Grand Teton National Park Wildlife Safari with resort naturalist Kurt Johnson. If there are eagles, antelope, wolves or moose to be spotted, he’ll find them. Or, try your hand at fly fishing with Worldcast Anglers for a guided adventure on the south fork of the Snake River, rated as the top cutthroat stream in the West. Book the rosemary, sage and eucalyptus Alpine Massage with Lori at Stillwaters Spa. It’s heavenly! Try the carrot ginger soup and the fish taco plate at Miso Hungry Restaurant (165 N. Main Street, Driggs, Idaho). And, OMG, don’t miss the brandy creamed local organic mushrooms with crispy polenta starter or no flour chocolate cake at the Sun Dog Deli & Café (57 S. Main Street, Victor, Idaho). Looking for the latest and greatest in adventure clothing, check out the top-name selection on tap at Yostmark Mountain Equipment (12 East Little, Driggs, Idaho).
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".